Happy Birthday Sam

A day late and a dollar short as they say! My baby boy turned 14 yesterday. I was feeling unwell yesterday though so the post is a day late. I'm proud of my son, he is growing into a fine young man.
I know all mothers are biased but it never ceases to amaze me that Sam is such a well mannered young fellow.
It must be so - his teachers tell me it is!

Whilst it's a lean year this year financially we still managed a card and a couple of small gifts and a chocolate mud cake. Sam was one happy boy.
Being on the autism spectrum means Sam likes routine and sameness in his life. Every year I ask what kind of cake he would like for his birthday and every year he smiles and says just a chocolate mud cake mum.
Happy Birthday Sam - never forget mum loves you!
always wishing you sunshine in your shadows
Helen

Christmas is on the way...

I just LOVE Christmas! I also love quotes and would like to share one of my recently collected Christmas ones with you today.

"Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself..."
Norman Wesley Brooks "Let every day be Christmas" 1976

One of my favourite sites for quotes.

Photograph my own.

One man's junk is another man's treasure!

I have a secret vice - well ok in my house it's not quite so secret. I'm a bower bird, a veritable magpie. Some folks would unkindly call me a hoarder but I like to say I'm a collector!
I have a real love of anything vintage and have various collections of items from days long gone.
Here is a short list of just some of the things I collect:

•  vintage jewellery
• vintage postcards
• Christmas jewellery
• vintage Christmas decorations
• vintage greeting cards
• vintage scraps
• vintage handkerchiefs
• owls
• children's Christmas picture books
• Fenton ducklings
• small creamer jugs
• swap cards
• Ceramic girls/angels from the 1940's & 1950's
• Anything that takes my fancy LOL!

I truly doubt I have anything that will ever be valuable but each and every item I love. I tease the kids about my jewellery collection being their inheritance but in truth it's all costume jewellery. I especially love the crystal cut necklaces from the 1920' s and 1930's and the later 1950's aurora borealis coated crystal & cut glass pieces. Then there are the diamante's! I hope you enjoy a peek at some of my treasures. I believe treasures are to be shared not hidden away never to be seen.

A collection within a collection - a very small sample of my Christmas tree pins.

A tiny sample from my extensive vintage jewellery collection. Within my jewellery I have many sub- collections which started quite by accident. I have collections of ballerinas, scotty dogs, butterflies and bugs for example.

This lovely lady is my favourite of my 1950s ceramics. Picked up for a song on ebay. Sadly I have never seen any further examples of this quality since.

A small selection of vintage valentine cards.

A small sample of my owls. This collection began when I was still in my teens.

I have a huge collection of victorian scraps, calling cards and postcards.In this small grouping I LOVE the pansies. They are a cutting from an old seed catalogue. Reproductions abound and I prefer to collect the genuine article. Occasionally I will buy reproductions for use in art and craft work.

 I will share more of my treasures another time.
Wishing you sunshine in your shadows
Helen

When all else is grey and gloomy...

It's a drab dreary day here in Geelong today. Since this is my first post on this new blog I thought I would share a photo of the two biggest bits of sunshine in my life. 
My daughter and my son bring joy to my life every day. They will probably never understand how proud I am of both of them and their accomplishments. My daughter was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when she was almost 8 years old. My son was diagnosed with Autism at age 4. Life has been a difficult journey for them both, a puzzling experience many times over. Despite all the challenges life throws their way they continue to grow and learn with enthusiasm and curiosity.Despite being on the verge of adulthood and well into puberty (my daughter is soon to be 18 and my son turns 14 next week) they will of course always be my babies! I cannot believe how they have grown. Where did those years go?


Wishing you sunshine in your shadows
Helen