~ our joyful moments - weeks 18/19 ~

These are my photos for the first two week's of May's theme of #onthtable for #ourjoyfulmoments2015... I hadn't realised how similar they were until I saw them like this!

Week 18 saw me reading snail mail in the sunshine - with my usual paraphenalia around - glasses, keys, pens, flowers.

Week 19 features some beautiful snail mail from Scotland as part of a literary themed swap.  Rhiannon sent me the gorgeous Hogwart's express card and a fabulous letter - the Harry books are right at the top of my favourite books to read over and over again.  

Karin and I take a photo each week with a monthly theme.  You can see her beautiful shots over here.

I'll try and take a shot without milo in it this week!

Do you read books over and over?  Which ones?

~ blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places ~

 

 

Pretty snail mail - handwritten notes, beautifully addressed envelopes, postcards with lovely stamps - when/if it arrives - is always one of the highlights of my week.

This week was a good one - I exchanged some snail mail with an IG contact - Laura  - and was very taken with the heart themed mail she sent me - and that quote which is so the underlying theme of this blog.  Isn't her handwriting amazing?! 
(My little package to her is here in last week's snippets.)

There were autumn cards from Helen (check out her beautiful photos here on flickr) and in that gorgeous packaging with the amazing tiger feather is Mel's book of 2013 - a constellation of vital phenomena - I can't wait to get stuck into it.

What's your favourite quote?  Or your best read of the last year?

♥

~ stills and snippets from our week ~

 

1.  Dahlia detail from my bargain bunch this week (The Flower Room is one of my favourite places to treat myself - flowers and home made bikkies)

2.  Valentine's snail mail* from a sweet IG friend, the perfect valentine's spud and a 4 leaf clover - what a great week.

3.  Tyre fun at the Bushy Park Pool on the long weekend Monday this week.

4.  One of these things is not like the other ones (the washi feathers I mentioned in this post)

5.  More details of my $6 bargain bunch.  Dahlias are so old-fashioned - I've fallen for them big time.

6.  A present from my hubby - my IG name is Sapa - not because of our Vietnamese holiday some years ago  - but a lovely coincidence - can't wait to make some Pho

7.  Cherries from the Farmgate market this morning (one of my favourite places to go on a Sunday morning) and gorgeously girly powder puff hydrangeas from my garden on my table (along with everything else that just seems to land there) this afternoon.

*The origrami card from my snail mail had a lovely quote on the back:

 Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.    Rilke

Hope your week has been as lovely (and lucky) as mine.

♥


I'm linking up with Emily at the Beetleshack where there are lots of lovely snippets to see x

~ stills as school starts again ~

1.  Pink themed accessories on my very pink bedside table this week.

2.  First day of school for 2014...they're not dentist's children but they're still incognito while I wrestle with how private their lives should be.  Jack is tossing iceberg petal confetti up and wishing someone a happy wedding.  He's been doing it all week.  Luckily there are loads of flowers.  This year marks the first year they're all at full-time school - and the only year they'll be altogether.  This mama is feeling a little lost without her follower at home.

3.  New shoes all round.  I haven't bought the girls school shoes this year as they do sport every day and we're only here for 10 weeks before we head off on the grand adventure.  I may or may not buy some when we get back.  Last year's are virtually unworn.

4.  On the way to school.  Hobart has been very sparkly and shiny all week (and then a mini hurricane tore through here this afternoon)

5.  Snail mail from a lovely IG friend.  She crocheted the stone cover and the photos are hers.  I'm still amazed at how generous the IG community is.

6.  Jack collected these from Kingston Beach yesterday - he's a forager just like his mum

7.  I labelled the pencils with washi tape but cheated and bought slip-on covers for the books this year.  Didn't feel like wrestling with contact!

Linking up with Em at the Beetleshack to share the little moments of my week.

♥ 

~ twas the week before Christmas ~

1.  Snail mail loveliness from one of my IG friends.  Sue takes beautiful photos and makes gorgeous cards.  I'm so grateful for all the cards etc from my online friends  - they are far more into snail mail than my "real" friends this year.  Do you send cards?

2. Summer arrived this week - we headed down to the beach after school for ice creams and a quick swim.

3.  Lots of hama-bead crafting here this week - we are loving the snowflakes.

4.  Finally on holidays and we did some baking.   Lots of fun.  We might even tackle a ginger bread house next.

5.  Sweet Envy in North Hobart make the best macarons.

6.  Christmas lilies and clean surfaces as we get ready for the big day.

7.  More snail mail lovelies - the angel is so sweet - thanks sweet P

8.  Holiday breakfast this morning - raspberries fresh from the garden and cocopops - the kids are in heaven.  Very grateful for the only crop we are producing at the moment.


School has finally finished, the sun has remembered how to shine (except for today - its freezing) and we are busy getting ready for Christmas and summer holidays. 

All shots on the phone - and insta-grammed  - this week - I've been too busy/lazy to get out the big camera.  I think I'm almost ready for the big day.   I'm certainly looking forward to some bubbly, some pudding and a new book to read on Christmas afternoon.

How are your prepartations going?  What do you hope Santa is bringing for you?

I really love these weekly collections of little moments from our week - I'll be keeping it going next year - hope Em at the Beetleshack does too.

♥

~ snail mail love ~

{incoming from @sarahshanahan2}

{incoming from @murderingtime and @sarahshanahan2}

{incoming from @petrinaturnerdesign}

{outgoing - planning stages}

 

{incoming - Ash}

Today is #worldpostday (I think it has to have a hash-tag these days doesn't it?).  Its not too late to write a letter to someone you love and make their day tomorrow (or sometime next week depending on which postal zone they're in...in my case Tassie's zone is like the end of the world - not infrequently we have had letters addressed to here go via Tanzania!!)

I was lucky enough to receive a real snail mail letter today (the bottom one) with special envelopes for my girls inside (these are the characters they are playing in their end of year ballet concert - not the real white rabbit, I hasten to add.. in case you think I am a real ballet mother {I'm so not} but one of a number of white bunnies that don't appear to be in Lewis Carroll's original version - poetic licence much?).

The other letters are part of a mail exchange going on over on instagram (I know I'm talking about IG again here - total IG addict  - but now there's not only pretty pictures and amazingly friendly people but there's beautiful mail exchanges happening too).  I've been lucky enough to receive really heartfelt letters and gorgeous bits and bobs and am making new friends with each letter I send.

So - go send a letter and make someone's day.  Or send me one - and I'll send you one back...promise.
(email me for my snail mail addy or leave a comment here)

♥

~ orphaned postcards ~

This post's for the snail-mail lovers out there.

I've just sent these seemingly random postcards off to the postmuse in the states as part of her orphaned postcard project.  The gist of the project is that postmuse has hundreds of blank postcards listed on her website that you can choose from - she sends them to you in an envelope and then you send them back with a stamp and a message.  She then blogs about them as they arrive (well, somewhat belatedly).

I chose these three as I had a story to tell about each of them - my grandmother used to read Orlando to us and she also had an enormous ginger cat that we thought was Orlando.  I have a great anecdote about being chased by a bull on the Isle of Skye (with David running faster from it than me - oh brave boyfriend that he was) and my aunt lives on the circus in Bath - in a similarly grand house as one of these.

I know that writing to strangers is not for everyone but this is a sweet project to be part of (and as there aren't many other mail projects going at the moment this was perfect for me this month).

What's your current project?
I'm hoping the sewing bug hits again soon so I can get back to my patchwork quilt project ... its been way too long between hexagons.

♥

~ mail exchanges ~

This week my post box has been full of lovely mail as the first of this years elevated envelopes have started trickling in.

This time instead of a set theme there were several to choose from.

{theme: black and white from Wendy}

{theme: black and white from Suzanne}

{theme: nature attacks from Florence}

I am simply in love with this hand painted bunny one - it came with carrot seeds from Germany too (shhhh!...don't tell customs).

{theme: I wish I had a bunny from Ivonne}

I choose "its a zoo in there" (complete with thumb print animals, glittery zoo bars and zoo stickers inside) but my efforts paled into comparison next to some of these.  

{the ones I sent}

More bunnies hopped in my letter box this week too as part of the good mail club Easter exchange that the lovely Sarah organised.

{bunnies, recipes, tags, beautiful cards from Megan and Sarah}

{bunnies, recipes, tags, beautiful cards from Megan and Sarah}

{envelope from Sarah}

{goodies from Sarah}

I was a bit late getting into this as my list went missing somewhere in the ether but the girls and I have been loving the all the super cute stuff I've received.    

The felt finger puppet, the cupcake toppers (not shown) and the jointed rabbit are already hidden away in bedrooms.   

Mine were very simple but I hope they bring a smile.

Its such a cliche.. but it really does brighten my day when a little envelope of loveliness comes my way.   

Please follow the links above if you'd like to join the fun.

♥

  

~ mailbag ~

I've spent my free time this weekend finishing off my envelopes/letters for the latest round of the elevated envelope hosted by Tara at her lovely blog.  This one had the theme of "malicious surprise"  - my version of this was included inside the envelopes. I hope none of the girls on my list are arachnophobic (eek!)

The last of the "sweet" themed envelopes arrived just recently too - I've been trying to master the piano piece but my skills are very rusty

{these clear protective envelopes are such a great idea...has anyone seen them here?}

I was super lucky to receive this gorgeous piece of mail recently from a fellow Tassie blogger.  I sent Sarah one of the fairy biscuit envelopes from the last exchange... and just look what came my way. 
I just love it!

{so pretty - and with extras - perfect mail}

I'm still enjoying post crossing although I'm not really sure why; yes, I love getting the thrill of mail and there's also the curiosity about who the person is who sent the card and why they chose that particular card.  I find it fascinating what people chose to say on a post card - its not a big space to write but some people manage to cram in fascinating bits of information.  And some just write "hi" and "happy post crossing" which is a bit of a downer; makes me wonder why they bother with it

{cards in}

{cards out}

{birthday mail...the best kind of mail}

I started this year wanting to send more mail; to nuture friendships, to consider the words I was using to communicate with people, to send a little joy.  Its happening and the huge bonus is the lovely mail I'm getting in return.

Here's hoping  your post man brings something nice this week.

 ♥