~ burano (as a cure for winter blues) ~

Today was grey again - its been 50 shades of freezing cold, sleety grey all week. 

This afternoon we attended a wake to celebrate the life of a colleague who died suddenly last week - a vibrant, active, healthy, intelligent lady who died far too young.

The stories of war-time atrocities, of terrorism, of disease and famine are everywhere I turn.

My head is fuzzy - full of winter cold and tiredness. 

Colours - a whole rainbow in fact - in the form of photos from Burano has been my antidote to the enveloping greyness.

Burano is a 30 minute vaporetto ride across the lagoon in Venice. 
An island famous for lace making. And rainbow-hued fishermen's houses.
The variety of paint colours is said to be so the fishermen could easily identify their own houses as they returned home.  Apparently the colours are allocated by the government so that no neighbours share colours. 
I love their commitment to their rainbow houses.  To the choice of whimsy and joy.

Surely we all need a little more joy in our lives.

Canary yellow, kermit green, lipstick pink....which would you choose?

~ our joyful moments - week 27~

Sunflowers and rainbows...such joyful subjects. 

I found fields of sunflowers just near San Gimignano and had to pull over!! 

Karin has been near Lake Vänern for a wedding...what stunning scenery. 

#ourjoyfulmoments is a weekly photography project where Karin and I share lovely moments from our week. 

~ snippets from a rainy week in spring ~

1.  I squeezed in a trip to Ikea when I was in Perth (I really wish they would build one here) - these gorgeous rainbow cushion covers made it into the shopping bag along with some more of those lacy pot plant holders.  The girls are trying to stake a claim on the cushions but I'm holding firm at this stage.  I'm liking the extra colour - and the cosiness of the linen doona cover.

2.  More rainbows.  Rainy day painting fun.

3.  These are springing up everywhere in the garden - they're perfect for little hands to pick.

4.  Its been raining A LOT - the size of the laundry pile does not bear thinking about.

5 and 6.  Chasing rain droplets in the garden.  I really should try the tripod for these shots...but then again I'm lucky to even get the macro lens out let alone try and work out how to move all those tripod legs that go every which way but where I think they should go.

7.  A birthday protea and some more gorgeous instagram prints.  I have way too much stationery stacked up in the cupboards but I couldn't resist these.  They're from here and the quality is lovely.


We heading into big week this week.  Its the last week of term 3 (hooray for holidays) and the children's school (and my old school) is turning 60... lots of celebrations planned all week.  And then grand final day - this year for the first time ever our team is playing - we'll be wearing purple and cheering loudly (and the Doc is lucky enough to be going... I'm super jealous!)

What's your week looking like?
I'm linking with lovely Em at the beetleshack.

 ♥

~ this week ~

1.  We made these garlands on Mother's Day a couple of years ago - the first time I'd used a sewing machine in about 20 years (haven't used it since).  Today the light was just perfect to cast rainbow shadows across our walls.

2.  My new wallet, also rainbowy and beautiful lying on the table ready to be filled.  I spilt Thai green chicken curry on the last one and wrecked it  - oh, about a year ago - there's no point rushing these major decisions.

3, 4 and 5.  I chased the light and found some autumn goodness this week.  I love Japanese maples almost more than flowers sometimes.

6.  Lemon slice for the soccer kiosk.  I may have made a second batch so we could enjoy some too.

7.  Nigella's chocolate pavlova with balsalmic strawberries that I made for mother's day lunch today. Usually I serve this with raspberries but they were $9 a punnet!!   I've had a lovely day - hugs, homemade cards and beautiful gifts in bed, home-cooked breakfast, the Mothers Day classic walk, lunch with family and friends and then our first hockey win for the season.  I'm exhausted... off to bed now.


I'm joining in with  the lovely Em to share some bits of our week.
May your week be beautiful.


♥

~ love is in the air ~

We're not big on celebrating Valentine's Day around here.  Are you? 
It's a bit like Halloween for me - an American tradition that I haven't really jumped on board with.

In the last couple of weeks though,  I've been feeling the love.

I joined Sarah's lovely good mail club last year and have just sent off some heart/love themed mail to brighten up some letterboxes.

I filled my envelopes with little papery treats - origami hearts, Moo mini cards and stickers. 

I also made very quick and easy heart garlands from little hearts punched from paint chip colours and twine.  I had intended to send these too but the girls fell in love (!!) with them and they stayed here.

I'm hoping for some lovely mail this week.
Are you celebrating the 14th?  or are you more about celebrating the everyday like me (those little rainbow hearts are making me smile every time I walk past)? 


♥

~ snap it ... colourful ~

I sort of jumped the gun a bit with lots of bright colourful shots on last week's post 

It's so not a problem though...my kids, like so many others, are addicted to colour.
Gracie, in particular, has spent much of her life wanting to be a rainbow.

We've had the beads out a lot this holidays....many hours of fun.  Loads of colour.

 

I'm playing along with the snap-it theme here.

 ♥ ♥  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

~ snap it ... bright ~

Sitting here wishing my wardrobe was as bright and fun as theirs
(and that the spring sunshine would reappear)

Linking up with Sarah for snap-it (bright) this week.

 ♥