More jewellery is ready

Hi all,

More jewellery is now added here.

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Thanks.

Life so far....

Hi and Happy New Year to you all!

We are well into January already and the blog has been very quiet. The reason is the extremely good weather we have had down under. Totally true. The computer has not been a tempting place to stay by.

Both Christmas and New Year is over. We had the family over for Christmas Day and friends visited us on New Years Eve. It has been a bit of cooking and the BBQ never really cooled down....
It has been very good though. The backyard has been used a lot, especially after we got a sun umbrella installed. Awesome to be able to sit in the shade.

The beading has had a long break. The creativity and ideas I usually had, dried up. Life got to busy with work, overtime, weekend work etc. It was in my thoughts the whole time though. Some projects were running around in my head, but it stopped there. I was  even thinking of joining a jewellery technique study, but after some research it wasn't really me. I still want to do some courses though.

Summer Christmas

For the  first time, we are celebrating Christmas Day in our own house and the family will come to visit us.

Previous years, we have either travelled and visiting the family for a few weeks so there have been very little decorating earlier (apart from last year when I started decorating in the small).

I have tried to mix New Zealand summer decorations with Norwegian traditional decorations.

As I always say, I never really get used to the summer Christmas. On the other hand it is quite easy to be able to sit outside having a meal from the BBQ with roasted veggies and salads.

Happy Christmas!

Isn't it cute?

Christmas tree with snow and butterflies, angels and birds

Our water cat

It has been a while since I last wrote about our cat, Bella.
She is a funny little cat with special interests I have never seen in a cat before - like water....
She loves the kitchen sink and bath tub, preferably with the water running.

The other day I came home to a running tap in the kitchen. Guess who had been out on her furry paws turning on the water....hm...

Sissel Kyrkjebø & Jose Carreras

Some nights the hours are passing by searching for music on youtube.
This time I found a lovely concert with our own Sissel..

Lovely music, especially as it is getting closer to Christmas.

Enjoy!

A visit to Gibbs Farm

I was surprised with a trip to Gibbs Farm last weekend. The farm is located in Kaipara, about one hour drive north of Auckland. You can see some of the sculptures from the road, but it absolutely worth a stop to see the whole park. There are also a good selection of animals. We saw emus, ostriches, bison, sheep and little lambs and giraffes. I even got the chance to feed a giraffe. That was a first!

This is an amazing privately owned sculpture park and open monthly by prior appointment only to artists,

educational institutions, charities and the public. During 3-4 hours walk you get to see amazing sculptures, landscape and animals (I fed a giraffe!!!). 

Another hint: the park is open on Friday 23rd November. 

More to read here: http://www.gibbsfarm.org.nz/about.php....

88.5° ARC x 8 by Bernar Venet

House & garden *October*

Last weekend was lovely & sunny so all of Sunday was spent in the garden.
New plants have been added (even a lemon tree and swamp plants which attracts butterflies), some old plants have been removed or replantet.

We are now making salads from our homegrown lettuces. Hopefully the tomatoes will be just as successive as last year. Bring on the summer! :)
 

Bird of Paradise in blossom. Two more to come!

Lemon tree (very small) and parsley

Beetroot, broccoflower, lettuces and strawberries