Nearly a week ago now ....a perfect day ....

Well my friends I think you have been on this journey with me for several years in the land of blog...My hazel eyed girl was only 14 I think when I started blogging.... and now she is married.... It was such a perfect day.....Everything she wished for and more ..... I must say I didn't have a lot of sleep the night before but when she woke at 6 am on her wedding day, a beautiful day began...The four of us just had a relaxed brekky and my hazel eyed girl had a couple of gifts to give to her dad...She had embroidered on the back of his tie on a little heart shaped piece of fabric Daddy's girl and she had made both Geoff and I collages of us over the years....just gorgeous!!!!  At about 8.30 the girls arrived all very excited about their day ahead and I headed off to the florist to pick up the flowers.... I had not long got home and our best friends in the world (who had come from Victoria) had arrived....Sharyn and Emily helped me make the bouquets as the girls started to get hair and make up done.... Sharyn had made the most beautiful shortbreads in the number 12....My hazel eyed girls second mum Kelsey (friends since our babies were still in our bellies and mum of the maid of honour :)) arrived with her favourite coffee (creme brulee latte) and coffee for all the girls ...  Andy and my boys headed off to the hall to do a few last minute things and then came home and made prawn cocktails for the girls for lunch.  I got pampered, having my nails done for the first time in my life and hair and make-up....My hazel eyed girl had a continuous smile on her face all day....the nerves set in just a little when I zipped up her dress and said my goodbyes before heading to the church....Geoff, Andrew and I all had tears of joy in the church but it was such a sweet service ......so special....We arrived at the hall a little while later after some photos and then a little cricket on the lawn before heading inside...The blue eyed boy and the hazel eyed girl arrived and it was lovely to watch their first dance.... then a yummy meal, speeches, cake cutting and throwing of the bouquet and then the daddy/daughter dance (Cinderella by Stephen Curtis Chapman - get your tissues) :))....  at about 10.15 after her and I danced (one of my favourite songs Heaven by Live) she whispered in my ear this will be our last song mum we are just about to leave..... we lit loads of sparklers and they ran to their little car and drove away .....  and this beautiful story continues .....

Our 3 days ....

We had the best three days at the coast...Byron with is gorgeous beaches and Bangalow with its amazing little community of shops and the friendliest people....  We stayed in the cutest little one bedroom bungalow and it was so quiet... We did all the things we loved to do together...walk along the beach (their were a few naked locals which made us giggle till we nearly cried), shopping in vintage inspired shops, eating breakfast out so yummy and even a trip to the movies to see Twilight - breaking dawn part 2.

the sentimental me .....

 I hope you guys aren't getting sick of hearing about the wedding but it isn't long now (3 weeks tomorrow) and as you can imagine there is so much going on and so much excitement.... I think if you have been following my blog you would realise I adore the little details of life... My hazel eyed girls wedding will definitely not be a grand affair but it will have lots of little details that will make it extra special for her and David....  I am so lucky to have 3 days next week just the 2 of us and we are heading down to Byron Bay to walk, talk, laugh, sing and do a little shopping...  While I am down there I have a few little gifts to give her and this is one of them...  They are a set of little stacking rings with the dates of my parents wedding, our wedding and her wedding.....something new to wear on her wedding day.... Under that I have made her a little draw string bag from vintage french linen (with the initials of her nan in pale blue already stitched on the fabric) and then I have over layered it with a gorgeous old hanky that my nan embroidered....I had a similar sort of little bag on my wedding day and this hanky was my something old....  

I must admit I have my days of sheer joy but I also have the sentimental days where I feel teary all day...that this 19 years has gone WAY too fast... 

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I want to be
In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes
Everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light
And the world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me
Gives me strength when I'm weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes.....

And when she wraps her hand around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about

In my daughters eyes......

Lyrics from the song In my daughters eyes.....

my beautiful hazel eyed boy ....

Sometimes as a parent you just have moments of pure joy..... Andrew was one of those boys who was bullied quiet heavily when he started high school... it was beyond horrible but with a lot of support from the school and him heading into an advanced program....he has really thrived....I will never forget his grade 5 teacher telling me at a parent teacher interview that you don't need to worry about Andrew he will never be a follower as he doesn't suffer fools easily...  Wise words .... and she really did know him... He is extremely independent, sometimes stubborn but has the warmest heart, he is known as the teddy bear at school because he is always hugging people...He is a little sad today because for a lot of his friends this is the last day of school, one of the negatives about being in an advanced program...

He took a friend to her formal the other night and looked so handsome...I am one blessed mum !!!!!

Five weeks to go ......

Yes...do you believe it only 5 weeks today till my hazel eyed girls special day...All the major things are really ticked off now but still lots of little details....The wedding is going to have a bit of a blackboard theme.... These are the invitations that we sent out about 3 weeks ago....My hazel eyed girl just loved them....

I need to say thank you for your wonderful support of my new web site...I had such a lovely response and hope to have some more new treats to tempt you all with next week...  

I know a lot of you may not have facebook but if you do drop by Cathy Penton Atelier as I try and update most days with pretty inspirational images or my favourite quotes....  Also visit my pinterest page....a constant source of lovely images I find from all over the world...I hope you are all having a truly, beautiful week.....

her love for children .....

My hazel eyed daughter only wants a small wedding... but one thing was for certain when making her list was that if guests had children that they should be included.... So as you can see buying special treats for them was also a priority ... Only just over 6 weeks now till her special day...Things are gently falling into place...Lots still to do but gratefully uni is over for the year now and she can just enjoy...and only 3 shifts left at work... I am planning a few days away with her at the end of November, for some shopping, sun and walks on the beach.... and to her best friend Gabby, this post is for you :)

Just something about her .....

As the weeks get closer and closer to my hazel eyed girls wedding...Every time I see her in her room or having breakfast at the kitchen table, or having a D and M with her brother, I seem to take a snap shot of this memory... It has been 19 years of  mothering bliss.... and even though my heart is so full for her and the incredible journey she is just about to start...I am constantly on the edge of tears prickling the back of my eyes and most of the time rolling down my cheeks because it has gone too fast.... I feel like there is so much more she needs to know...It is all silly really because as my kids would tell you I am not a very traditional mum I made sure from when they were very young that they knew their path was their own and they needed to make their own decisions, with much love and guidance from us...so as the excitement builds, I will cherish each and every moment with her.. Her light definitely shines and that blue eyed boy is one lucky guy...

He always makes me proud....

Over the spring break my hazel eyed boy woke up one morning and decided he wanted to build his own vegie patch... He is sooooo independent that he went outside and started to clear weeds and over a couple of days he built a very cool looking little garden... We took him to Bunnings for plants and he chose what he wanted... He is only 16 years old even though he gets mistaken for a 19 year old quiet often and I hear so many mums say it is so hard to raise teenage boys....well I must be one of the lucky ones... Don't get me wrong there are times when I have to pry him away from the computer keyboard and he procrastinates a lot when he has assignments due but he is a beautiful, loving, bright young man... This week he has decided he would like to be captain or a prefect in his senior year of school so even though he was beyond nervous he went off and did the speeches in front of 250 of his peers and then again in front of the full teaching staff.  No matter what happens with the vote I am proud of the fact he wants to stand up and be part of his last year at school... He is so easy to love and cherish...I am a blessed mum.

My new on-line store....

Have spent the last couple of days till early hours of the morning working on my new web site... You can find it here MY STORE.  

I would also love you all to follow me on my facebook page... and I must say one of my favourite pastimes is finding beautiful inspiration on pinterest... Only 2 months today to my hazel eyed girls wedding...Still loads to organise but what a beautiful and amazing time it is... Her blue eyed boy arrived with roses and tulips this morning for there 10 month anniversary and they headed to the coast for a day together... Both my hazel eyed ones are in the midst of assignments for the next few weeks... plus leadership positions for my hazel eyed boys last year of school next year... Life just feels like it is on warp speed at the moment....I love this saying .....

DREAMER

never let it be said that a dream is a waste of one's time, for dreams are our realities in waiting.  In dreams we plant the seeds for our future...

Making her wedding her own....

It is 10 weeks today till my hazel eyed girls wedding....She is in the midst of huge assignments for uni and finding it a little chaotic to juggle this with planning her special day so yesterday afternoon after doing a quiz and 1200 words towards one of her assignments she put Downton Abbey in the video player and started make her bunting for outside the hall for the reception...It was so beautiful to watch her just relax and enjoy...She has found it very hard to make the wedding her own, the images she had in her head were hard to find here in her local area but she is a girl of detail so she will make it beautiful...

being deeply loved gives you strength;

loving deeply gives you courage....

{by -Lao Tzu}

Paige: I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home. 
Leo: I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love. 

{from the movie The Vow}

Thanks for all the beautiful memories....

You left us in the early hours of the morning ten years ago today.... I feel thankful each day for everything you gave us...For planting so many seeds of love in all our hearts...For teaching us to love with an open heart and to not judge...For working hard and for loving each child and to always make them feel special... Mum had 5 children but she was the mother and nanna to so many others in the community.. She never got to travel and do what she would call "anything special" with her life but what she didn't realise was she had touched the lives of so many with her warmth and grace.... As the tears gently roll down my cheeks....thank you so much mum for etching my heart with so many sweet memories, I love you .......

the beautiful story continues .....

The blue eyed boy that lived next door  had come back from the mines where he had spent many years after his mother passed away when he was only 15...  He still wanted to live the dream of marrying the girl he had loved all these years but another young man had the same idea.... A proposal of marriage from both the young men but the blue eyed boy had won her heart a very long time ago and as they say in the classics the rest is history...A tiny dairy farm near their families, five beautiful children, 8 grandchildren and 49 incredibly happy years of marriage.....

My mum - 29th of May 1928.....

In a tiny little  3 bedroom cottage (the original school house of the area) in the little township of tregeagle a beautiful little blue eyed girl was born to Mabel and Albert... She had 4 older brothers and she was a little miracle because her older sister had passed away at a week old.... She was raised on a tiny dairy farm...  When she was only 2 years old a farm boy from a neighbouring property had told her mamma that he was going to marry her one day... Two more little boys came along to fill this little farm house with a lot of love but as this was depression years they lived an extremely simple life...  She loved helping her mum in the kitchen and taking care of her brothers but she was extremely shy... Sadness hit the family as they received a terrible telegram from the war department to say her brother Ron had passed away...  She blossomed into a gorgeous young lady...... the story continues ......

My mum....so many beautiful memories...

As the tears gently roll down my cheeks this morning.... it is 10 years today since I talked to my mum for the very last time....  We were holidaying in Victoria and we had a flat tyre in our rental car so I picked up the mobile phone as we were waiting, to tell mum about our adventures... She was always so excited to hear my voice but that day she was in a hurry because a friend was driving her to stay with my sister who had broken her arm and shoulder in an accident... She kept apologising that she had to go and couldn't talk for long....  Her last words to me were I am so sorry darlin,  I have to go I love you ... She talked to all five of her children that day.... A few hours later life changed for us forever... so suddenly without warning mum had a cerebral hemorrhage which would take her life 3 days later... She was only 74 years young and one of the fittest people I knew....I am going to tell you a little about this incredible lady over the next couple of days...I was just a twinkle in her eye in the photo above but children were her life.... and the story continues....

My hazel eyed boys 16th birthday

He had the best time on camp... and the whole 150 students sang him Happy Birthday on his special day... It is so lovely to have him home.... Pavlova for his birthday cake with his favourite strawberries on top.  Off to bowling tonight with some of his friends...so glad it is spring school holidays.... 

He turns 16 tomorrow :)

My little (6 ft 2 in) hazel eyed boy turns 16 tomorrow...Feeling a little sad because he is away on camp and I won't even get to speak to him :(....Since he was born he was such a loving little boy, always loads of cuddles and kisses.... Breakfast is our time with so many D & M's I have lost count...  I love that time with him... He loves to run for fitness, plays basketball and if you give him a maths problem he is the happiest boy alive... Kirstie and I will pick him up from the bus on Friday and take him to a new gelato shop....He has a great love for gelato (since our trip to europe).... Lots of celebrations this weekend...I can't wait :)

Finally a little clean up ....in my Atelier.....

Very quiet here in my little studio room, all my family are away and I am trying to get to the bottom of a large pile of paper work while watching re-runs of one of my favourite shows Everwood.... Was so excited today because I received some postcards and little tags for my packaging that I produced using some of my own photography and they come up oh so pretty...Still a dream of mine to produce my own stationary line....journals, cards, papers etc....one day...  These photos are of my studio room today, reasonably clean and organised.... I love this space :)

Kirstie's wedding venue take two......

Poor Kirstie got the news this morning that she couldn't have the little hall she really hoped for.  She had everything planned but just before we sent the invitations to the printer she thought she had better double check and the answer was no but luckily we had this sweet little hall as the backup plan....  The photo in the middle was actually taken from another wedding last year.....It will look a lot different so I wanted to show you some before photos....  This one is about 45 minutes from home but I am sure we can make it lovely.....

her new home......

I think it is in her blood to love things with history and meaning...This will be my hazel eyed girls new home after her wedding.... She is very arty and has a love for decorating, just like her mamma... Her favourite colours at the moment are white, yellow and grey with a touch of light blue.....When she arrived home from prac the other day I had started her a inspire journal to put clippings in ..... and yesterday she painted her first little white chair for her new home... 

“Home is the nicest word there is.” 

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

Sunday fun and family dynamics :)

Always feel so blessed when going back and editing photos and smiling to myself if only people knew the shenanigans...and strong little personalities that are beyond all these photos... I am biased but my kids are both pretty easy, they love with passion and are very independent (and can be extremely stubborn in there convictions) and really always have been but still like to know we are there, ready to listen or to acknowledge what they have done.... and fortunately if one is a little off the other one is pretty happy so it weighs itself out.... So remember when you look at these photos we are a very normal family, a little bit naughty but also a little bit nice....

Simplicity and making new memories....

For nearly 3 months now we have been looking for a venue for my hazel eyed girls wedding reception...She didn't want some grand place with chair covers and bows...all she really wanted was a pretty dance floor for her first dance with her blue eyed boy.... I know you are going to look at this hall and go what are you thinking it is her wedding day but as you open the doors of this old hall you can already hear the music playing... A beautiful old couple now 77 and 84 run this old hall  (5 minutes from our little cottage) and as we stepped inside it with them and heard their story of romance and love, my hazel eyed girl knew she could make it work.... You see the old couple had met at a dance in this hall when she was 16 and he was 23, they married a year later and have been married 60 years this year...  We sat for an hour listening to their gorgeous stories of going to a dance once a month their whole lives.  Merle told us that her great grand-daughter will sing at their next dance..... My hazel eyed girl smiled and knew then that this December new memories of love will be made ......

“I don't want sunbursts or marble halls, I just want you.”

-  LM Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables

Day Dreams ............................

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” 
This saying is so true....I am working on a shop order of charms today and it really is a bit of a task as I am dreaming of so many new things I want to do..... I want my product to truly reflect me again as so much has changed over the last couple of years...I think I have lost that a little and I also don't want to feel like I am just creating without passion and love and especially heart.... My mind is definitely somewhere else at the moment ...It is with my little family, in our little cottage, so much excitement and the pulling of my heart strings as each day becomes even more precious.... Over the next 18 months my daughter will get married, my son will start and finish his last year of school and get prepared to leave home to go to uni...another wonderful european adventure to celebrate his 12 years at school.... oh my and the list goes on.... but as you can imagine having some income from my little business at the moment is extremely important so I am trying to regroup and remember the things that I always love in life to inspire me to be creative... Reading beautiful quotes always helps..... Hope everyone is having a lovely week .......

“And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered. But most of all, I learned that life is about sitting on benches next to ancient creeks with my hand on her knee and sometimes, on good days, for falling in love.” 
- Nicholas Sparks

a beautiful birthday week ahead - 10 little gifts....

Well it is nearly my hazel eyed girls 19th birthday... and as this is her last year at home it is even more special to us both...If you haven't followed by blog I have a bit of tradition with the kids....Firstly, we sort of celebrate their birthdays for a few days before because I give them little gifts for how old they are turning so this year Kirstie gets 10 little gifts (1 + 9)... So she actually got her first gift on Saturday a sweet little journal with one of  her  favourite sayings inside the cover...She is a bit of journal girl like her mum... Andrew and I sit on her bed and she opens them there...I write a little clue on tags and attach them to her gifts and she tries to guess....We love this time together......

“...you are my rainbow to keep. My eyes will always be watching you; never will I lose sight of you.” 
― vesna bailey

Creatively Made Home - an amazing e-course and GIVEAWAY..

Sara Duckett

images from Sara Duckett's incredible home

images from Kimberly Taylor's gorgeous home

Kimberly Taylor

images from Jeanne Oliver's amazing home

Jeanne Oliver

Jennifer Rizzo and her lovely home below

Tracey Leber and images from her beautiful home below....

These five extremely talented and beautiful woman are opening their hearts and homes up for this incredible e-course called Creatively Made Home.... My friend Sara tells us a little about it....

We wanted to create a course that celebrated what really matters in your home…..you and your family. Celebrating what makes life beautiful in the everyday. Life is not about having the perfect home with the most expensive furniture and accessories. It’s about loving what you put into it, and making sure your home reflects your personality and passions.

Since becoming a mom last year, my home has changed and so have many of my priorities. Spills happen, white sofas have dog hair on them more days than not, and “kid clutter” is everywhere! We all live differently, and much of what you see on my blog and in my photos is so NOT real life around here. Many of you have lovely homes already and many of you are longing to make changes to “beautify” your homes in large or small ways. We hope this course will inspire you to get started, inspire you with new ideas, and overall just show you how our own homes became what they are today – a reflection of our hearts and families.

Since becoming a mom last year, my home has changed and so have many of my priorities. Spills happen, white sofas have dog hair on them more days than not, and “kid clutter” is everywhere! We all live differently, and much of what you see on my blog and in my photos is so NOT real life around here. Many of you have lovely homes already and many of you are longing to make changes to “beautify” your homes in large or small ways. We hope this course will inspire you to get started, inspire you with new ideas, and overall just show you how our own homes became what they are today – a reflection of our hearts and families.

Our desire is that this five week online course will change how you see yourself, your home and your family.

* Each week you will have amazing truthful videos from not only the five teachers but other creative women.

* Each week we will take a room from one of YOU and all five women will give their suggestions telling you how they would transform the room with their style.

* There will be 50+ project videos. (These will be incredible videos that include everything from gardening, cooking, gift giving and decorating.)

* There will be written tips from each woman telling you how she starts a room, picks paint, fabrics, etc.  You will learn where to start when putting your own home together.

* Tons of beautiful and inspiring house photos from each of the five women.

* Videos that truly reflect what life is like in each of their homes.

* Each woman will share their own truthful journey about how they started making their home a reflection of their hearts.

* Each person registered will get an easy entertaining e-book to download. It will contain go to recipes for beautiful and easy entertaining (they do go together), photos of table settings that take the stress out of having people over, favorite drinks and so much more (and their funniest entertaining story).

* There will be a private Facebook group to connect with other class members.

* There will be a once a week live discussion with one of the teachers.

* You will get printables and pdfs to keep and use again and again.

This course is about loving your home, loving your family and blessing those around you….and having fun doing it.If you have taken any of the courses that Jeanne Oliver has taught you know how much she puts into them.This course will lavish you with ideas, beauty, inspiration, joy and encouragement!Come and play house with us.Class begins October 22.Registration is now open!Early registration price is $48 for the next two weeks.After August 6 the price will go to $58.

To sign up for this wonderful course go HERE

I signed up as soon as it appeared on Sara's blog and one of my closest friends is also doing it as we thought it would be something lovely to do together.  We may be on the other side of the world but at least we don't have to miss out on all the fun.....

Sweet Sara

has given me 3 free places in this marvelous e-course

Just leave a comment here on this post,

and I will choose three winners , on August 14th.

and the winners are Wisdom,Courage,Love - Letters from the Country and Primitive Thymes... Could you please contact me with your email addresses :)

hazel eyed girls engagement party

What a beautiful day and night it was.... Up early and started baking caramel mud cake cup cakes and chocolate and biscuit cupcakes (around 60) with yummy meringue icing ..... Sent the boys out to the movies and then the blue eyed boys 2 sisters arrived with Kirstie's life long friend Kim to help her get ready :)....Arrived at the coffee shop about 4 to set up and guests started arriving at 6.... This gorgeous little cafe is where they first met so it had such special meaning for them... The hazel eyed girl was working at the counter as the blue eyed boy walked through to join his friends for their youth group christmas party on the 3rd of December last year.   He talked to a friend about her at lunch and they said maybe you should go and have a chat with her..... and so he did and by the end of the conversation he had asked her to go to the movies a couple of nights later..... and on the 12th of December they officially started dating..... They have been inseparable ever since and so in love....Only just over 4 months till the big day.....so much more fun ahead....

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” 

― Dr Seuss

 

engagement party this weekend ........

“You are, and always have been, my dream.” 
―Nicholas Sparks - The Notebook

Well my sweet friends a little side-tracked at the moment because it is my hazel eyed girls engagement party this weekend.... White paper pom poms, white table clothes, candles, pretty white and yellow flowers, striped yellow cup cake containers, striped yellow straws, family and friends at our favourite little cafe with the fire going....what a beautiful night it will be ....

another photo.....

I have talked about them so much lately but I thought this photo showed their distinctive characteristics....hazel eyed girl & blue eyed boy...... there are more photos of this amazing photo shoot at http://labellepics.blogspot.com.au/....We are still struggling to find the right wedding venue but I am sure where ever it is it will be amazing !!!!!!!! Have a wonderful weekend my friends ...

pretty invitations....

My pretty hazel eyed girls engagement party is coming up very soon now....  These invitations are so much nicer in real life...Light grey background and pretty happy yellow wording... Just immediate family and the wedding party back to where they first met... A sweet little cafe.... She works there part-time and has such a wonderful connection with this beautiful family... Their three little boys are going to be in her wedding party... One day when she was working son #2 (he is 6) said have a guess what I want to be when I grow up ?????  and he looked up at her and said I want to be your husband..... Life is definitely about the little details......

“I've got nothing to do today but smile.” 

-simon and garfunkel

Inside my studio today .....

 Yesterday I had a clean up and moved my big desk into the corner...I think if you looked back over my blog posts from the last 5 years you would laugh at the amount of times this tiny room has had a face lift....but I can assure you it is a joyous thing for me....Beautiful fresh jonquils that my sweet hazel eyed girl bought me this week, a new coffee table book called the natural home that arrived today, images on my inspire board for the wedding, paper work in its folders, the start of kirstie's birthday presents for next month and of course lots of art journals where I write quotes, clip clippings, draw and plan....

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.  ~Henry Ward Beecher


Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.  Art is knowing which ones to keep.  ~Scott Adams


Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.  ~Pablo Picasso


Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.  ~Twyla Tharp

Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.  ~Pablo Picasso

Some pics from the photo shoot .....

photos by labellepics.blogspot.com.au
styling by sweetstella.com.au

My hazel eyed girl and her blue eyed boy had a wonderful couple of hours last week and over 1000 photos later this is just a tiny sampling of the fun they had.... It is their 7 month anniversary today and they have headed to the Gold Coast for the day to see Dave's nan who is 96....and then head to the drive-in to watch Spiderman....Only 1 month to Kirstie's 19th birthday and 5 months to the wedding..... What a beautiful year it has been ......

"Once in awhile,
right in the middle of an ordinary life,
love gives us a fairy tale."