Top of the morning to you

Don't you just LOVE Saturday mornings!

It's my favourite time of the week. I love the moment when I first wake up and realise that it's not a work day and I am free free free to do whatever I like. It's like a rush of adrenaline...

I have to confess that whilst I love my husband to bits, he usually works Saturday mornings (one of the bad things about living in Hong Kong) so I get a whole morning of 'ME' time. I totally cherish this time, and always like to spend it doing something I love. Usually that involves taking CoCo to the park for a play whilst I sit sipping coffee and reading my latest mag (today I will be reading the new Red* that's out) and then doing something creative.

This week after the park, I want to get moving on my Christmas cards (yikes I have about 80 to make!) and Christmas decorations. I am also embarking on a little project, which I will tell you about anon.

I do wish I could spend the day in the garden pictured above though - isn't it divine!! Imagine the gorgeous lunches/tea parties that you could host in this space! Not to mention a lazy relaxing afternoon reading a book up the back with a nic glass of rose. Now I am dreaming, one day...

However you spend your weekend, make sure it's a good one!

Ciao for now
xox

* For those who haven't heard of Red (not sure how widely distributed it is in Oz?), it is a fantastic mag filled with interesting and inspirational stories for women about my age;-) That adorable husband I mentioned just before happened to buy me a subscription for Chrissy a few years back and I am totally addicted. It doesn't contain all of those crappy stories that you just aren't interested in, or can't relate to - they are real life, down to earth honest stories about REAL women. I would highly recommend you sampling an issue if you haven't already. Let me know if you like it!

I'm truly sorry I can't remember where this image came from - if it's yours please let me know.

My new spoons

Aren't they gorgeous!

I purchased them over at Brown Button Trading which is the fabulous on-line store owned by the lovely Kimberlee from Brown Button. She has put together a little shop showcasing a few of her favourite things. To give you a taste, some of Kimberlee's favourite things include...

Palas jewellery, ribbons and stationary, chalkboard stickers, pewter clocks, maileg rabbits, ginger jars, marvis toothpaste, glass canisters, les papier jean rouget, rattles for newborns, candlesticks, photo frames for fabulous shots, lanterns, French first aid boxes, charm bracelets, soft and cuddly Scandinavian woollen soft toys, pewter tea canisters, perfect picnic stainless steel tumblers, statues, Zoe BonBon Jewllery, Greengate Goodies, House Doctor Homewares and Danish toys

I bet a few of these are on your list too!

Thanks Kimberlee xox

Image 1 by me; Image 2 and 3 from Brown Button Trading

Here's one for mum

My mum is completely addicted to pawpaw. I think she seriously believes that if she doesn't have pawpaw and yogurt for breakfast the world will stop. She is funny like that, and whilst the fact that she is a routine junkie can sometimes drive me crazy, it's also one of the things I love about her!

Anyway, we went hiking over on Lamma island a few weeks back and in one of the tiny villages just off the track we spotted this paw paw tree. I just had to stop and take a pic for mum.

I remember having a pawpaw tree in the backyard as a kid, and seeing my mums excitement when the tree produced just 1 piece of fruit. Imagine what she would have done had her tree produced fruit like this!!

Incidentally, I tried to ask the farmer what his secret was (it wasn't apparently obvious given that it was growing in between concrete boulders and rubbish), however my lack of Cantonese and his lack of English ensured that his secret was safe. Sorry mum!

Farewell sweet ones

One of the saddest things about the fact that we are now heading straight into winter is that we are going to have to bid farewell to our lovely flower garden (which has been blooming fantastic over the past few months!).

I had filled the balcony with blooms just before our housewarming in September and they have continued to provide constant colour and greenery to our little abode ever since. It will be sad to see them go...

On the upside, the weather is slowly getting cooler and it is starting to feel Christmassy. Are you surprised to hear me say that? Growing up on the Sunshine Coast in QLD, Australia it was the complete opposite with the onset of heat signifying the approach of the festive season. This is one of the things I love about living in Hong Kong. You see, we get the best of both worlds. Leading up to Christmas we get to experience a cool climate festive season, and then when we fly home (which we do every year), we get the traditional summer Christmas feeling. Isn't that cool!

I'm having one of those days...

...you know the ones where you just want to curl up in a ball and cry yourself to sleep?

I have been feeling a little blue for the last few days, and for absolutely no reason at all! I just don't feel quite right. You know the feeling?

A few of my friends have said that they feel the same so I am putting it down to the change in season we are experiencing here in Hong Kong at the moment (and the fact that I am rather uninspired at work having to draft Rebuttal Witness Statements when I would sooooo rather be at home working on all my Christmas craft projects). I can't seem to keep my mind focused on work, and find myself gazing out the window (or more often flicking through one of my favourite blogs) instead. This only perpetuates the problem cause then I get depressed that I have to work at all, when some lucky peeps can blog away for a living - what a job!!

Despite my rather blue state, there is plenty to look forward to! Christmas is coming up and I have just found out my best bud is flying home from Dubai for Christmas. I will be seeing my family and friends back home in a little over a month, we are currently planning an extended vacation in Spain next year, we have just booked our Chinese New Year holiday to Borneo with a bunch of our very good friends, I have a gorgeous husband who loves me to pieces (I know cause he tells me so!), an adorable puppy who I am completely smitten with, and a fabulous new apartment which is screaming out to be decorated (one of my favourite things to do). And that's just to name a few!

I think I just need a weekend, a lie-in with a good book, and a lovely cup of tea (or coffee, which I prefer in the mornings)! Bring on the weekend...

Image via Mary Ruffle

Junk (antique) shop find

Here in Hong Kong there are millions and millions of junk/antique shops. Whenever I spot one, I usually pop in and see what treasures can be found (Anna Spiro has me slightly addicted to Chinese ginger jars)! Last weekend whilst spending the day with friends at the Soho Festival, I popped my head into the little china shop in Staunton Street and discovered 2 great finds. The first was the ginger jar which I posted a pic of below (vase housing the gorgeous pink spray roses) which after careful negotiation cost me $150HK (about $20 Aus). The other was this gorgeous plate which I absolutely LOVE!

I tend to steer away from the traditional red and yellow Chinese plates in favour of the pinks and bluey green ones (like the one above). They are harder to come by, but I think they are just divine. I particularly love the cute little butterflies fluttering around the plate. I was able to negotiate a small discount on this one too ($25HK instead of $30, which is roughly $3.50 Aus).

I don't know about you, but I am already counting down the days/hours till the weekend... here's hoping that the rest of the week goes fast!

Our new(ish) chair

I just HAD to share with you a pic of the newest edition to the Holden family, our new chair! I have always wanted a chair like this to brighten up our living room, so a few months back I bite the bullet in a moment of weakness and purchased this chair.

You see, I had been working quite hard and had had to fly to Guam for business, returning on a Saturday. It was a last minute trip, which consequently clashed with a number of important social events - a good friends 30th junk trip, and another good friends hens night. Arriving home on the Saturday, with all my friends out on the junk, I was feeling rather sad and sorry for myself and thought I deserved a pressie! I had been admiring this chair in the window of a shop on Queens Rd East for a few weeks, so popped down to see if I could negotiate a discount (and therefore make myself feel better about the rather rash splash of cash)! I was unsuccessful in my quest for a discount, but I did happen to strike a deal on the purchase of some fabric that I needed in order to re-cover our dining room chairs.

I walked out of the shop having bought this chair and oodles of fabric (the stripped pinkie one you can see in the pic) which I subsequently used to cover our dining room chairs.

Needless to say, Will was quite impressed with me and my spur of the moment purchase (NOT)!

A few months on, all has been forgiven, and I have to say that even Will has grown to love the chair - which I might add, is the comfiest seat in the house.