The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Thursday 19 May 2016

Feather your Nest Friday, 20th May, 2016.

Saturday was Harper's first Birthday and that seems like at least a year ago! So it must have been a big week or a busy one.

I have to show you her pretty dress...


And spectacular hair clip!


It was a beautiful day and I think what a big year that was. It was wonderful.



Some of the ways I saved money this week:

I had a $40 Spotlight voucher which was useable on anything (including specials) provided it was a minimum of $100 purchase. I went in and picked up six balls of wall, some suede for making embroidery appliqués, a lacy hanky with an initial and several other things. They were all on great specials. Only they were never going to add up to $100. In the queue I offered my voucher to a couple with a large floor rug but that too was a massive special marked down from $250 to $80. But the man said "ok, this is great lets combine our purchases!"  So we made friends in an instant and went through together deciding to split the $40 and have $20 each. He handed me $60 for his now even further reduced rug. At the check out the entire purchase came to $63 after the voucher. So $3 covered my whole bag full of things!
We all walked out happy with great bargains! I still can't believe all this stuff came to $3!

I froze left over cooked rice to use in baked rice custards.

Mum gave us a duck which I cooked as a big roast with stuffing and lots of vegetables.

I bought a book for my gift cupboard perfect for a young girl for $1. 

This week I made a huge batch of zucchini soup. It has been so nice. I add a spoonful of Turmeric to my soups now for the extra healthy boost.  I will happily have soup for lunch everyday and I gave Chloe some too. 

Yesterday Broccoli was on special at $2 a kilo. That is really cheap for here. I got two bags full and that will be the next soup.

One night was a fish, chips and salad dinner from fish Andy caught.

On Tuesday I had to go past an op shop so I called in. Best decision ever!  Last year I discovered that to buy a pure wool blanket now you are looking at $300 plus.  They had two beautiful pure wool KING size rugs in perfect condition. 


I paid under $20 each for them. They are just lovely. 
When I got home Chloe said "these are really going to add to your Vicky challenge!" and she went and looked up the retail price. Lo and behold this was $520 EACH.  I knew I had something good but wow.  I feel they were a great investment.

Also they had a lovely English porcelain cup and saucer, with rosebuds! 


To say I was thrilled is an understatement!

I got ahead with packets of glittery pegs for the gift cupboard.



Also another baby rug was finished and put away for a future gift.

I added to my pantry and storage. This included rice, sugar and tinned milk.

So that is where I am up to. I have the Broccoli soup in the crockpot and a cream and pink rug started. And lots to do today like washing and tidying up! But I feel very happy with the week.

How did you save money and get ahead? I hope you have a lovely weekend. I am hoping for a very quiet weekend, to go nowhere and do some crochet. xxx










46 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to little Harper and congratulations to her proud parents & grandparents!! It is a very special and big milestone for all involved really! That is such an awesome thing that happened to you at Spotlight, it goes to show being a good and kind person does come back around to you eventually. Thanks again for all that you share with us, I always find inspiration and good tips and ideas here. I'm off to look up about turmeric, as I don't know much about its health properties and to get things ready for a nice big pot of chicken & vege soup for tonight. Have a lovely weekend Annabel, hope you get to recharge doing your crochet xo Kelly

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    1. Dear Kelly,
      Thank you! Chicken and vegetable soup is so healthy in itself and yum. I love to use my bay leaves and garlic. They don't call it antibiotic soup for nothing I truly believe it is the best thing in winter and if anyone is sick. The turmeric... I just add a teaspoon and you can barely taste it. Maybe it makes it a bit "warmer" but you will see it is a real powerhouse to add to things. Have a lovely weekend. With love Annabel.xxx

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  2. What a lamby-doll Harper is! Bet you could just kiss those cheeks all day long ;)
    Those wool blankets are beautiful, Annabel, wow! I'm kinda jealous ;) Ooo, pretty teacup, too. You had a great week! Love ya ~

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    1. Dear Mary, Thanks! :) I do kiss her lots and she likes it and presses her face into you for more!
      I was very lucky this week with my finds. I am washing my blankets in my wool mix as soon as I can see we have a couple of sunny days. At the moment the forecast is some rain each day. And I love my teacup.
      Have a lovely weekend Mary, with thanks, Annabel.xxx

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  3. Annabel,
    A year old already! Just think pretty soon she'll be talking and having conversations and all kinds of stuff. They grow so fast. I am majorly impressed with your finds this week! That savings on the wool blankets was huge and to think someone paid that much and then didn't keep them? I love those kinds of finds! I was ahead on dinners this week by making a big pot of chili, so one dinner is chili and the next night is chili salad which is basically taco salad, but we use chili instead of taco meat and I did a roast in the crockpot which was dinner for a few nights too. I had pillowcases that were yellowed so I soaked them in a bucket of hot water mixed with baking soda, peroxide and Dawn dish soap I let them sit overnight and then washed and hung on the line. It did a good job. It was nice a few days so I worked outside some getting things ready for planting season and organized my jars and made a list of the things I want to can this year. Whew you having me feather my nest is making me tired! LOL
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky, Thinking about Harper being chatty makes me laugh. I suspect ones she gets going there will be no stopping her!
      One time I got a whole box set of Jamie Oliver cookware brand new for $15. My theory was someone got them for a wedding present or something like that and just gave them to the op shop. They ere worth hundreds also. My happy day though. The things that end up in the op shop amaze me!
      You did a lot! I love to get whites white. It is very satisfying. I need to do a quilt cover and am waiting for some sunshine.
      Have a good weekend. It has been a big week! With lots of love Annabel.xxx

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  4. Happy Birthday little Miss Princess Harper. What a cute little party dress.
    Some of the ways we saved money this week, we went to Brisbane last weekend and stayed with our daughter. We walked to and from her workplace, where we were able to park her car, and the Gabba, rather than catching a cab. All the veges this week came straight our of the garden. Our neighbour with the large avocado tree, gave us a bag full of these lovely fruits. It's been a week of avo on toast for brekkie. I purchased a bulk load of soil for the large pots. I spent more money on fruit trees for two pots and repotted a number of trees from smaller pots. I used the outer ring of the pots to plant up more seedlings. Worm wee and homemade Comfrey tea were used to settle the new plants into their pots.
    I got ahead when I picked up a Parisian themed wall plaque at a local shop for $2, plus several pretty bottles with corks for $3 each. These have gone straight into the gift cupboard. This morning I completed a set of gift cards with envelopes. These are now in the gift cupboard.
    Those blankets look gorgeous! We have a crocheted rug on the bed that gets pulled up in the wee small hours. Our days are still in the high twenties, close to thirty each day. If this is what winter is going to be I am terrified to think how hot summer is going to be!
    Life here has been much slower paced due to me having a bit of a health scare. We haven't done as much as usual and I am now on the mend. We went to the local Ag Show today. Super disappointed in what wasn't there.
    We added toothpaste and toilet paper to the bathroom side of our pantry.
    As the fur baby had another lot of tumors cut out this week I didn't take advantage of the Spotlight offer. We used our emergency fund for the op. The money saved on fruit and veg this week has been added to the emergency fund. We will continue to try and save and put the savings back into this fund for when we need it. The fur baby is recovering well. Life is good.

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    1. Dear Jane,
      Your weekend sounded great! (I like the football too)
      A bag of avocados to me is the ultimate luxury! They are normally a few dollars each here and I love them. Best breakfast ever and so so good for you. This is more evidence you live in paradise I think!
      Adding to your gift cupboard and bathroom supplies was really good.
      I hope everything is ok with your health? A scare is not good and draining... but there can be a positive and that is we can be more careful and prioritise our health more. Most of us need that. I feel that way after glimpses of how hard life is even with one small health set back. We really need to look after ourselves and each other.
      I hope you are having a lovely weekend. I am having a serious rest today! With love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Happy Birthday to Harper from me too. My little grandson was travelling on his first birthday in 40C heat so maybe this year he will have a little party for his second birthday. Those wool blankets were an incredibly good buy and they are as scarce as hens teeth too these days as most seem to be acrylic these days.

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    1. Dear Nanna Chel, Thank you! Yes, with wool so expensive now acrylic is taking over and it just isn't the same. I was thrilled with that buy.
      Have a great new week. I am slow on replies! With love Annabel.xxx

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  6. Hi Annabel,
    It's good to see that you are back to your normal self. You certainly did well on your bargains this week, they were all really good savings and your granddaughter is such s cutie pie. It's nearly the end of another month and I need to get moving on with my gifts. Take care and glad that you are sick to your normal happy self.
    Regards
    Marian Russell

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    1. Dear Marian, Thank you so much! Yes the end of the month is almost here again! This weekend I have been having a burst of making things as I am having a quiet weekend so some sewing and crochet...
      The year goes pretty fast. I hope I get to see some of what you make! Many thanks, Love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Hi Annabel!

    It's been a good, long week here, too!! I've really enjoyed seeing your op shop purchases. The woollen blankets are wonderful! That was a great choice!! The tea cup and saucer make a beautiful encouragement for you to enjoy your tea breaks afresh! I'm really happy for you! Thank you for showing these pictures.

    Your Spotlight shopping certainly was rewarding! These sorts of stories stick in our heads, you know!!

    It's wonderful that you have the blessings of family around you.

    Plenty of good things are happening here! Today, the wood chopping was easy; the tree must have been rotten. I found a bag of loose, torn and odd socks. I'll be able to work with these to replenish my husband's sock drawer!! The socks that were too loose for forest work are now very suitable! Jars are being soaked to remove their labels. Homemade hot potato chips have been enjoyed. I've been learning more about using rubber vine sap as glue! It's useful. These beautiful autumn days just aren't long enough, I agree! However, we're trying to make hay while the sun shines, as you say!

    We were directed to a hardware store during the week, and I found it interesting that a staff member was very down to earth and was looking for country produce purchasing opportunities for staff there. He said they had an egg person and a honey person, and was interested in having a "further produce option" person. I wonder if this is a wide trend?

    Apparently, if you can combine olive oil and black pepper with your turmeric, you are supposed to better benefit from the turmeric.

    I'm looking forward to the new week!!

    Regards,
    Rachel Holt

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    1. Dear Rachel,
      I like the sound of the hardware store! This could be an opportunity should you have excess items, preserves or cooking even? I think this kind of networking is increasing. I know of groups and markets here where it is all swap and buy of local homegrown ingredients and the middle man is skipped. This return to the old days appeals to me very much.
      I have read about the oil and pepper with turmeric. The soup had pepper but not oil. However in a curry I have the three components so that would maximise the uptake of the turmeric. I should make a curry every week while it is cool weather. I like tika masala and I like butter chicken.
      I am looking forward to the new week too. I needed a restful weekend too which I am having with mainly sewing and crochet and staying in. Its working and doing me good! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  8. Dear Annabel, Harper looks gorgeous ! And WOW to those opshop goodies . Thank you for the Tumeric tip and reminder, Ive been adding tumeric to lots of of my cooking but didnt think to add it to my soup duh!
    This week we had the ingredients for 4 nights of vegetarian meals courtesy of our daughter and son in law via gift voucher last Christmas.
    I made 2 lots of soup for lunches and freezer.Leftovers from one meal will be used for a home made pizza topping this weekend. I made a diabetic fruit cake from dried
    fruit in the pantry.
    Great savings at Spotlight and good thinking. I did that once with clothing and made a friend on the spot at the time.Aren't we alike hehe. Have a lovely weekend , love Maria xx

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    1. Dear Maria, My Mum started adding turmeric to her soup in an effort to consume more and get everyone eating more. It seems to add richness and maybe a bit of warmth but not change the flavour. That is at about a teaspoon per saucepan.
      Your cooking was beautiful. You have reminded me too that I have pizza toping in the freezer!
      Yes we are alike alright! This is another example. Thinking on our feet here saved money and was very happy for both parties! It was really fun and I have been crocheting with my free wool all weekend!
      Have a great new week Maria! With love Annabel.xxxx

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  9. What a cutie pie Harper is! As we were just celebrating a sweet sixteen yesterday, this brings tears to my eyes to remember a first birthday that seems like yesterday!!

    What a wonderful deal at Spotlight and those wool blankets from the op shop!!

    We are just heading into a long holiday weekend here...normally a planting weekend, but the forecast doesn't look conducive to gardening, so I hope we'll just be relaxing instead!

    xx Jen in Nova Scotia

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    1. Dear Jen,
      We both had birthday girls! You are right, the time flies. It is very emotional to see too. But a lot to be grateful for with each celebration.
      I hope you are having a lovely long weekend. If the weather hasn't let you garden then a restful weekend is good too. Our weather is the same. I have stayed in and worked on some presents ... crochet plus embroidery. And some cooking. It is wonderful to have plan A and plan B and either way it is nice. Enjoy tomorrow as well. The extra day off can be so handy for getting things done. With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  10. How wonderful to have those lovely blankets going into your winter season! Harper is just like a little doll! First birthdays are so special!

    I waited for volunteer tomato seedlings to appear rather than buying seeds or plants. I have them planted in the big pots on my deck and have fertilized them with saved egg shells and coffee grounds. $15 saved on plants and no idea on fertilizer which I don't buy as a rule. Hubby and I had a free dinner out with our CHick fil A calendar cards. Free entree salads and senior drinks. Saved $19. I brought home a bag of Jasmine rice that a renter had left in the cupboard at the lakehouse. These items attract bugs there so we saved having to treat for bugs and get to eat the rice. Used meals from the freezer since I was just tired this week after being away. This saved meals out. Baked bread which saves at least $3 a loaf.

    Have a good weekend!

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    1. Dear Lana,
      The tomatoes that come up themselves are always the best ones! And a free dinner is very nice! Meals made ahead int he freezer save the day so many times here too. They are a relief when tired! And homemade bread is hard to beat and even the smell of it is wonderful!
      Have a great new week Lana. Sorry my reply has been slow. I am having a slow weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  11. Annabel, Happy Birthday to Harper! She is so cute! You had an amazing week and I especially love the little porcelain rose cup and saucer. I'm off today to run errands and see what I can add to my pantry for $5. I hope I have as much success as you did!

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    1. Dear Patsy,
      I hope you had good success with your $5 challenge. It is quite exciting especially with op shopping. I hope you are having a great weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. Happy birthday to Harper! Such a pretty birthday girl!
    Annabel, Your wool blankets are amazing! My only thrift store find this week was a sheet with a lovely vintage rose print. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to save it to back a quilt or if I'm going to make myself a night gown.
    I went to the craft store to purchase a plain t-shirt to embellish for my daughter and gratefully discovered that the beads I'm going to need to make some planned Christmas gifts were marked down 50%. Even without finding the other supplies on sale, I should be able to make the gifts for 1/4 of what they'd cost to purchase, so I'm very happy and thankful.
    I completed the shirt for my daughter and am going to work on a couple for my niece's birthday. My daughter's new shirt is "adorable" according to her big brother, who is home from university for the summer.
    Have a happy weekend, everyone!
    Blessings, Leigh

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    1. Dear Leigh,
      I would be very happy with a vintage rose print sheet! I have saved a few over time and if I see any they are a beautiful find. I love them! Sheets provide so much fabric!
      I am looking forward to seeing what you make with these beads!
      This is a very nice big brother who says his little sisters shirt is adorable! Have a wonderful new week Leigh, with love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Dear Annabel, Happy birthday to Harper! And I so agree with others that she's a real sweetie!!! Lovely dress too!

    That was a really nice thing to do at Spotlight!:) And the blankets! Wow! Also, what fun you will have using your new rose tea cup and saucer!! :)

    This week, I made a snack cake mix from my make a mix cookbook. Then, used some to make a berry cobbler with my canned berries. Yum! The rest of the mix fit in a #10 can and it's now in my pantry. For the next batch, I'm going to stir in some powdered milk and possibly powdered eggs. Just need to figure the amounts. Then, today I did a rearrange in our small chest freezer. I found four bags of green beans from last summer's bounty, so I put them in jars and pressure canned them. This gave us 11 pints to add to the pantry shelf!! I also dried chives and celery, and added those to the pantry. Not too bad for a busy week! LOL

    Have a good weekend! Love, Teri

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    1. Dear Teri,
      Berry cobbler sounds so good to me! I have tinned cherries.... I am thinking I could do that with them. We have cold days and this would be beautiful!
      Having all those beans to use is excellent. Plus the addition of chives and celery. It all adds up so fast and you are not even in summer yet!
      Have a great week Teri! With love Annabel.xxx

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  14. this week at the op shop I bought a king size bedspread for $12 perfect condition, and is now being used as a couch cover(this hides the scratches the cats have made on the arms). I also bought a tassel making kit for $2, this includes a little porcelain head and shoulders, so i will make it up and add it to the gift cupboard.
    I have started painting op shop baskets, the paint was a $2 tin from Bunninngs, a mistint that was the perfect colour for me. DH and I have finally finished putting in the star pickets and wire in the garden, now we can put some plants and trees in, the trees will be espaliered(hopefully) to make the most of the 80cm wide strip.

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    1. Dear Meg,
      That was a great buy! It was the week for king sized things which I really rarely see!
      The op shop baskets will look lovely panted! I love to do this. It takes a little time but I find painting kind of enjoyable. Plus then they all coordinate.
      Excellent progress in the garden. I love the trees grown this way, they look stunning and as you say make the most of available space. With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. I love the idea of painted baskets. Can you just paint straight over the top of them? xx

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  15. Dear Annabel, How lovely Harper looked for her first birthday. It's hard to believe that she's a year old but then my own youngest granddaughter will be one next week! How this year has flown by! My son and his family are on their way here. The movers were in to pack up their home this morning and now life shall really be interesting, lol. I have had a very busy week (some days) and a day or so of rest. I'll sleep well tonight as I did quite a lot of work today and got up extra early. I worked on two flower beds and completed both, recovered the dining chair seats, put a handful of items into the freezer for convenience cooking. Oh and made up a lovely new picture for the living room as well as reframing old pictures for a new look for the bedroom. It's been a full week! http://bluehousejournal.blogspot.com/2016/05/my-frugal-week-challenge-to-save.html

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    1. Dear Terri, It sounds like you are entering into a very busy period. I hope it goes well and becomes a special time.
      You had a really productive week and lots of things to beautiful your home. And garden! Well done. Have a lovely weekend Terri, love Annabel.xxx

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  16. Dear Annabel,

    Harper is so gorgeous and sparkly! Gee, I wonder WHERE she gets all of that sparkle from :-) I love everything you've shared. The blankets are truly an impressive find. I am over the moon for your cup and saucer! The pegs have me itching to make some. See, isn't that how things go? Creativity is catchy. The cream and pink rug sounds beautiful as well. This past week has brought a lot of sorting and cleaning of closets. The kids have so many nice clothing items that no longer fit...they keep growing as you well know! There are some items I am going to donate to the thrift store that benefits domestic violence victims, and there are a few items that I'm going to sell on Craigslist in clothing lots. That money will go in the clothing fund for the kids. I am sorting through my pantry as well. It got away from me for several weeks but since I am paring down the food bill right now it kinda forced me STOP overlooking it! Please tell me I'm not alone in overlooking things like this...argh! I've found a few new recipes to try. I am sorting through my master closet....again....for the umpteenth time. Problem: My lovely home was not built with much storage space. Our rooms are big and roomy, but I'm having to get really creative and choosy with what goes where. Therefore, my closet becomes a "temporary" dumping ground...by ME. I feel sorry for my husband. I digress. I sorted through gift cards that need to be used, and that felt like Christmas came around again! :) I had a sick child all week, then her twin brother got it so I feel a little funky today. I think I'm a little worn out. I really love reading what everyone is up to and thank you for this beautiful place to meet and glean new ideas along with a huge dose of encouragement. With that said, I am off for a cup of tea, and a relaxing bubble bath to gain some perspective! I hope your weekend is relaxing and FILLED with crochet!

    Much Love,
    Colette xxx

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    1. Dear Colette, I was just hoping no one else got the bug but obviously it spread! It is so much harder when there is sickness in the house. I will hope now you don't get it.
      Thank you so much for all the encouragement on my finds and our little sparkly girl!
      Many homes seem to lack cupboard storage. Ours is an older home and a few built ins where added but its big rooms and not much cupboard space. People here seem to get rid of old fashioned wardrobes and if you can lay your hands on a nice one they are easy to turn into a kind of armoire. I have one for linens and that freed up my actual linen cupboard. Another is trunks. I have a huge trunk for blankets and pillows (road side find!) And another that I like is big baskets on top of cupboards. They look nice and can hold out of season clothes and so on. Storage is an issue for most of us I think. Oh and I like under the bed space saver bags!
      I hope you have great success selling the clothes. That would be lovely to have funds to put back into things you need.
      No wonder you are worn out! I hope you have a restful weekend. We need some time to re charge. Today is that for me.
      With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  17. Annabel I cannot believe that Harper has turned one, it seems like it was only yesterday that you shared her birth with us.

    Love the look of the blankets and what a find. Especially being white. I think you may have some plans for them.

    I arrived home yesterday - very tired though as my brother was not well - Thursday they were talking about doing a procedure on him but they couldn't decided when so I stayed longer than originally planned - I didn't want him alone giving him too much thinking time as he had heard that it wasn't a pleasant thing to have done.

    I did manage to get to both markets - my suitcase just had enough room in for my purchases. Didn't even think of Tumeric so will pop that on my list for next visit. Tomorrow I will do a reorganization in the kitchen so that I can fit my purchases in.

    This is the 3rd old house that we have lived in, each one we have added cupboards when we have done work on the house. We have installed wardrobes from floor to ceiling in the two bedrooms as well as cupboards in the hall. I have plans for a walk in wardrobe when we do the extension with the master bedroom, still tweaking that space.

    I took away some knitting with me and managed to get a sleeve done, kept to something that I had done before and not pattern. Do have something I want to start but today is not the day as I am still feeling tired from my time away. Perhaps I will make a start on that tomorrow.

    Have a great weekend everyone.

    Lynette
    XXXXXX

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    1. Dear Lynette,
      I would expect you re tired. It is very draining when someone is sick and stressed but I am sure you being there was appreciated.
      I am so glad you made it to the markets and came home with lots! That was great.
      Storage space is such a help. I have added lots of sneaky ways to store things. When we do our bathroom I am thinking of having a lot of shelves in there too.
      When away I always take crochet as it makes waiting and the evenings much nicer. I have been amazed at how much I get done in those times.
      I hope you are having a restful weekend and catching up. I am glad you are home! With love Annabel.xxxx

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  18. Happy birthday to Harper! What a little sparkley doll! And great purchases too! This week I finally made my very first crock pot beef curry (inspired by your crock pot series) and it turned out great! I put huge chunks of potatoes in it too. My husband loved it, and I made a huge batch so there is more left for another dinner. I also cooked up cups and cups of rice (with plenty of leftovers) and made gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Yum! Blessings everyone, Teresa

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    1. Dear Teresa,
      The crock pot is so handy! Frequently the left over meaty casseroles I make into meat pies. And curries just get better and better as they develop more flavour. I often add a lot of sweet potato to curries and also with rice, naan bread etc they go a long way. I am glad your husband really loved it! These meals are so handy, they are ready and the house smells amazing just when you are tired and busy! With love Annabel.xxx

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  19. Dear Annabel,
    Wow, your week was amazing! You had such good finds. I love it when that happens! I hope sweet little Harper had a happy birthday, too!
    This week I have been working a lot at the ranch. We moved the furniture out of the bedroom that will be ours, and I also cleared out the bathroom cabinets. Today I deep cleaned the bathroom, washing walls, wiping cabinets out, scrubbing things, etc. I have to say, cleaning someone else's bathroom is not a fun job, but it looks so much better. I'm not quite finished, but one more trip out there and I should be. Next is deep cleaning the bedroom, then I'll go back to working on the kitchen. After that, nothing prevents us from moving!
    As for feathering our home, I am just working to stay on top of things. We are still eating exclusively from our pantry and I don't really even feel like we have been doing without, which is nice. My husband is continuing to work odd jobs and we are doing okay.
    I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! With love, Kelsey

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    1. Dear Kelsey,
      You have done so much work! But all this will really make things nice and when you move it will be easy to set yourselves up and feel comfortable. You are laying good foundations! this is all going to pay off so much.
      It is fantastic your pantry has supported you so much. It won't be long and you will be back to building it up again!
      Also it is awesome that your husband is getting odd jobs. Im so glad abut that! Have a great week Kelsey! Keep up the good work. With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  20. Dear Annabel,
    Harper is the quintessential little princess. So adorable, those soft curls, big blue eyes taking everything in. I think she is gorgeous.
    The soups sound yummy that you make and well done on the lovely blankies and cup and saucer. You always seem to be in the right place at the right time.

    Have a lovely weekend. Fi xxx

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    1. Thank you Fiona,
      I have had so many unsuccessful op shop trips over the years. But enough good finds to keep me going back... and ta da! true rewards! So I am in the wrong place at the wrong time a lot too lol but this time was all right! And now Im encouraged to keep at it!
      Have a good week Fiona! Now the house is done your life will return to some kind of new normal I am hoping plus some rest hopefully.
      With lots of love, Annabel.xxxx

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    2. Apart from the obligatory Section 32 sale documents which I am organising with my conveyancer tomorrow, I plan to sit on the couch and do some reading, some planning and budgeting and some nothing as well. I have only been home such a tiny amount in the past 3 weeks, but hopefully all worth it.
      I get you on the op shop unsuccessful trips, I'd never shopped in them till I met the man and he got me going. Now I love it. Love to you and the family and that beautiful little Harper. Fi xx

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  21. Dear Annabel,
    Happy Birthday to Harper! Her dress is adorable, just like her. Those blankets are an amazing find! xx

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    1. Thanks Mel! A good op shop find motivates to keep at it! Have a really good new week, I am slow on my replies! xxx

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  22. Oh my goodness, Harper is such a beauty! Look at those eyes, look at those curls! What a beautiful little girl. I hope she had a lovely first birthday. I love her outfit. Well done on your great op shop buys. I love op shopping. I have been fortunate to find some clothes for my son. I always keep a look out. I feathered our nest by making a big zucchini slice and pumpkin soup for the freezer. It's been handy having small things ready to go for my son. He is eating more and more, so I need to be prepared. I haven't had to buy any supermarket snacks, the baby aisle is just so expensive for what you get. I have been lucky to get some new series from the Library. Also mum is taking Henry to music/literacy classes at the library for free. They have good programs. It's rainy here and so perfect weather for a cuppa, your blog and some reading during Henry's nap time. Thank you for your very encouraging and positive blog. It's a lovely place to be. Love, Bridge

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    1. Dear Bridge,
      I am so pleased you found some good op shop buys also. When Lucy had Harper I told her to set up boxes or tubs and mark them the next sizes coming up i.e. now size 1, 18m, 2 etc and put art your things according to size. They grow so fast that you can forget things you put away and this way first you go though the box you have ready. Well she's been doing it and its lovely to see the next size things appear! Harper is eating head too! She likes chop bones a lot. One of those keeps her busy for ages! Homemake veggies etc are wonderful and as the weather gets cooler I think they will eat even more!
      I hope you have a really good week. With love, Annabel.xxx

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I really appreciate your comments thank you! The aim of my blog is the be a place of encouragement and happiness. Very rarely is anyone rude. Actually only twice so far! If you post a rude or aggressive comment I will read it but not publish it, thanks for understanding.xxx

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