Clever Mr AnK

I've been meaning to blog for ages about Mr AnK's wet weather projects.  Seems fitting to do it today when it is raining yet again.  We have had unbelievable rain this year, over 50 inches and still counting.  Earlier this year Mr AnK built me this great ribbon rack, he even got the kids to help him paint it.  Although it doesn't look this neat (thanks Kirby for rolling up all my ribbon), it really has helped to have it all displayed like this.

 

He also built the kids a great bike rack, helps to keep the garage free from clutter.

So now you know what Mr AnK gets up to on those rainy days when he's not ferrying mail out on the trusty 4 wheeler motorbike or mustering cattle which is his 'real job'.

Stay safe from the storms :)

Crazy Craft Fair

We attend two major craft fairs each year.  Thank goodness that's all we do because getting that much stock ready is no easy feat.  This year we had the challenges of wet weather and Kristy having to leave home a day early and I was away leading up to it at a wedding.  Stock was transported from Kristy's on the back of a four wheel motorbike and then across a swollen river to her car on the other side of the creek.  But you know what they say it always works out in the end and we had a great time at the market.  It is fantastic to catch up with our customers face to face.


We were also lucky this year to win the Best Dressed table competition at this market which is a great honour.

This is a showcase of what gets created at the two AnK headquarters.

Now you can put a face to who we are. (Kristy on the left and I am on the right)

A big cuddle and thank you go to our super model and helper for the weekend, Suzanne (in the background to the left)

Thank goodness not a lot of stock come home with us, because the wet weather has really played havoc with AnK in recent weeks. 

We are now going to take a break over the holidays to recharge and refresh.  The store will be closed shortly but will be re opening in January, full again and with some new items.  Join our facebook page to keep up to date with all the news.

Made It Gift Guide - Little & Big Girls Dresses

We have dedicated this Made It Monday to girls dresses.  This post has not been helpful to my bank balance though!
I have left a few things for you all so enjoy shopping.  I am really enjoying hearing of all your purchases from our Gift Guide.



Hannahs Banannas



Rascals and Ragamuffins



My One Brown Mouse



Trellis



House of Analuca



Frankys





Ainslee Fox



And this one is for all the yummy mummy's!


Silk Sculptures


Happy Shopping.

Colour Inspiratation

These are some images from a blog that I frequent.  Leslie's photography and skill of putting together these inspirational designs are sublime.  I love the everyday things that she uses to create these colour inspirations.

I love how she creates these story boards.





So, be sure to head over to Leslie's blog 'Creative Mint' for some more inspiration.



Hi, My name is Angie and I am addicted to Stationary

 I have an addiction to stationary.  I think it stems from my need to be organised and my little office is usually ( I use the word usually lightly)  the only place that is in my life.  I also like pretty things.  So I try and bring it into my office with cute little note books and other stationary items.  I don't usually buy stationary items from the usual newsagents and shopping markets.  I like things to be a little different.

I think the spaces that you spend a lot of your time in needs to inspire you.  I think the office is probably the place that needs the most life brought into it.  Using stationary and accessories is one way that I do this.

 

My office is a small room that is in the middle of our house with no windows.  I hate that I can't see the outside from in here.  Mr AnK has just installed a sky light in here for me so it is letting a lot of natural light in.  The plan is that when our school room is no longer needed I an turning that into the office/craft area and redesigning the exisiting office into a walk in robe.  I have plenty of time for the designing process because finishing school is still a long way off!

So I fed my addiction the other day with a little online shopping at Kikki K.  These are the new ininspiration items for my office.  I had a big clean out in here, just so that I could get the most out of laying these 'pretties' in their places.

Miss AnK's also have a stationary addiction but they like to shop at Smiggle. 

It's feeling a lot like Christmas!!

I have done the mammoth trip to town and down my Christmas shopping. It was completed in two days and comprised of a 10hr driving round trip, an overnight stay and an eventful trip home. 
About an hour and a half from home it began to rain.  When I am by myself it always makes me a little anxious because I know I have 40km of dirt road to pass before I get home.  About 1/2 hr from my turn off the highway onto the dirt it was pouring.  I was back to about 70km/hr, which was probably lucky because I was busy gawking at all the water rushing through the gullies.  Being a country girl in a dry area of Australia it always excites me to see running water.  I wish most times that it is beautiful crystal clear water that would be nice to swim in, but out here it is always muddy.
Anyway, I get to my turn off and it's not raining at this stage.  The clouds are heavy and rolling over a mountain that is at the back of our property.  I need to hurry home or otherwise my non-experienced mud driving skills are going to be needed.
About half way along the dirt road it gets a bit slippery where there has been some rain before I get there.  It always catches you unaware.  One minute your driving normally and then all of a sudden when you hit the wet part you begin to go sideways.  I come down a small hill and whoooop, sideways this way and then sideways that way.  As I mentioned before mud driving makes me a bit anxious.  It's not that I am scared or fear for my life or anything.  Nothing drastic is going to happen to you it's just the thought of getting bogged.  Then it means I have to get a friendly neighbour out of their dry house and into a tractor to come and pull me out.
It starts to rain again and the road becomes wet.  I am in 2nd or 3rd gear now and the trip is slow.  It is a lot easier to drive in the mud when it is raining and there is water in the mud.  My husband has called a couple of times on the two way to check on me, he's very thoughtful.  I have a parcel to deliver into my neighbours mailbox when I go past but he has heard me on the two way and is waiting for me.  I put my brakes on to stop at him and I just kept going.  Sliding straight past him.  We chat for a while before the rain gets to much and we start to look like drowned rats and it's on my way again.  A little while later I make it home.  Proud of myself for not getting bogged.
The weather that night produced some very heavy rain and has been the cause of flooding in our area.  Roads have been blocked for days and towns are on stand by.  Lives have been lost in the area as well with people trying to cross flooded roads.  My heart goes out to those families.

I am thankful that I was able to get home to my family safely that afternoon or otherwise I may have been stuck.  Stuck in a large town with lots of shops is never a good idea for this rural, shop deprived girl.

Now I have all these Christmas presents that need wrapping.  There is only one place to go for inspiration on wrapping presents and that is Martha Stewart.  These are only a few of her ideas and you can find more here.

Happy wrapping!

Made It Gift Guide - Little Girls

Todays gift guide is for all the little princesses in our lives.

Georgie Girl



Oopsidaisi



Blackiki's Crafty Deliveries

LoopyLoos

Beetle Blue Designs

Happy Shopping!