sunny days, family, rugby & bike rides

happy weekend lovely peoples!

we actually had sun shining on both saturday and sunday!!
oh happy days!!!
it's been a very long time between sunbeams around canberra of late.

on saturday we headed to an afternoon of family fun at a rugby match - watching our favourite team - brumbies - versus a south african team - cheetahs. it's also the only place that we get to regularly catch up with my brother - so we love our season tickets to spend some great times with him.

it was a nail biter finish - with our team scoring the final points just as the hooter blew for the end of the game.

a win. (that's two from two so far). final score 24-23. very nice way to finish off a lovely afternoon.

that's me and my brother (plus two monsters eating icecreams!!)

 .....and once again the team members were more than happy to come past after the game and sign hats and flags for their fans.....

then sunday saw us loading up all the bikes and heading to lake burley griffin for a family ride in the sunshine.....

we managed 12.2 kms (with a few drink breaks here and there) - then it was time to stack up the car again and head home.....

good times.
we're super lucky here in canberra - tomorrow's a public holiday - so another day at home.

woo hoo hoo!!

hope all is well where ever you are spending this lovely weekend.

loads of hugz from here.
cheryl xox.

blog neglect

apologies for my absence.
it's been a mad mad time in house-o-nefotlak - school holidays - loads of visitors - lurgies that just won't go away - you know - stuff!!!
triple j was meant to head back to school yesterday - but with all the goings on and having two big sisters still on holidays (they go to school over the border and the holidays this year are all off by one week) - she's exhausted and still home. we'll try for school tomorrow!!

here's the low-down of the last 2 weeks......

we watched our niece who travelled down from sydney to play ultimate frisbee in the uni games held here in canberra 2 weeks ago - and her team/university were the gold medal winning team.

our niece is in the middle knealing with the black visor cap.

my amazing sister (aunty l) popped down from a mild darwin to freezing canberra for a wee 10 day visit. (we haven't got together since x'mas.) much shopping (great mid year deals were found!) and coffee shop visits were had - and loads of cooking going on (she's a great cook). we were spoilt rotten. i miss her dearly already.
a family of 5 also came to visit for 5 days within that same time. very good friends who have lived in new york for the past 4 years - and now they're buying in adelaide. we'll miss them dearly - but our visits together are always loads of fun.
11 peoples in our house was a little bit of a squeeze - but we had a lot of good times.

there has been much use of lego for various creations and electronic devices for gaming pleasure!! there has also been loads of dvd watching - especially since the weather has been so so cold. we watched all 6 movies in the star wars saga - as well as a harry potter marathon in preparation for the final film.

we also managed to catch 3 new movies - mr popper's penguins, cars 2 and transformers 3 (in 3d) - and hoping to catch at least one more later in the week - harry potter of course!!

we loved all 3 - and can't wait to see mr potter for one last time!
we never usually see so many movies in one break - but there are so many good ones out this winter - and we wanted to see them on the big screen with all that sub-woofer rumble that only a cinema can provide!!

so goob and eky head back to school next monday - and i start back at uni on 15th august.
hopefully i'll get some more house stuff done in that time - some more creating - for now though i'm just trying to get this lurgy to leave my poor lungs - and get this household in to some kind of routine once more.

oh sigh!!

hope all is well in your place in this world.
hugz,
cheryl. xox

just found - and i must have!!

just found the most amazing blog by a lovely lady from eagle mountain, usa - blog name custom slipcovers by shelley.
well - she certainly appears delightful - although i don't personally know her yet.....*waves hi to shelley!*
this lady is also very talented and clever - having now her own business making custom slipcovers for those in her local area - and - this is the exciting bit - she's made a how-to dvd on the tricks of her trade.
seriously very very excited about this!!

if you haven't discovered her slipcovering goodness for yourself head on over - and especially read this litte post -  on how she got started and where it all began.


here's some amazing before and after tranformations she's done....

custom slipcovers by shelley - before

custom slipcovers by shelley - after

custom slipcovers by shelley - before

custom slipcovers by shelley - after

custom slipcovers by shelley - after detail - just gorgeous piping

custom slipcovers by shelley - before

custom slipcovers by shelley - after

custom slipcovers by shelley - before

custom slipcovers by shelley - after - LOVE this fabric

so i've emailed shelley in the hope of purchasing one of her magical dvd's and getting it shipped out asap here to australia.

i'll keep you posted - and hopefully it won't be long until i can show you all my first attempt at slipcovering magnificance!!!

who knows - it may even start a slipcovering revolution down under!! (it's got to be better than paying the incredible prices that are charged down here)

ooooooo - i can't wait.

hoping your day is far warmer than this cold and dreary canberra.
hugz from me.
mrs c. xox

missy higgins love

i've been tidying up a little in my study - cause i need to take some photos of my new desk!!
i've had the music up loud on one of my favourite songs while i've been tidying.
steer by missy higgins.
love love love this song.
just found this youtube clip of missy singing it live in a radio station studio.

missy is one awesome lady.

here's the lyrics to steer - they really speak to me at this time in my life.

Feel it falling off like clothing
Taste it rolling on your tongue
See the lights above you glowing
Oh and breathe them deep into your lungs

It was always simple, not hidden hard
You've been pulling at the strings
Playing puppeteer for kings
And you've had enough

But the search ends here
Where the night is totally clear
And your heart is fierce
So now you finally know
That you control where you go
You can steer

So hold this feeling like a newborn
All the freedom surging through your veins
You have opened up a new door
So bring on the wind, fire and rain

It was always simple, not hidden hard
You've been played at a game
Called remembering your name
And you stuffed it up

But the search ends
Where the night is totally clear
And your heart is fierce
So now you finally know
That you control where you go
You can steer

Oh
And now you finally know
That you control where you go
You can steer

'Cause you've been listening for answers
Oh but the city screams and all your dreams go unheard

But the search ends here
Where the night is totally clear
And your heart is fierce
So now you finally know
That you control where you go
You can steer

Oh
And get out of the box
And step into the clear

Oh
Cause now you finally know
That you can steer

anyhoo - just wanted to share.
new desk photos coming soon - check back later.
hugz from here.
mrs c. xox

will and kate's wedding

i wasn't that interested in the lead up to the big day - but last night i could not move away from the tv.
we all sat glued - watching the spectacle unfold before our eyes.
the royals / the outfits / the hats (!?!) / the trees in the chapel / the dress (and bridesmaid dress!) / that amazing smile / the natural chemistry between will and kate / the crowd / the wow
i was the same age as my miss e. when diana and charles wed. 
i'm glad we took the time to take it all in. (tissues firmly placed by my side.)
it was an event that we'll remember for a lifetime.

just amazing.
huge congrats to will and kate - you did it with amazing style and grace.

(Photo: Reuters / Toby Melville)

happy easter - happy holidays !!

we're heading away tomorrow for a 7 night holiday - so this place won't get updated for a wee while.
we're going on our (what has become) yearly easter trip - this year with another 8 (yes 8) families.
it's camping - in style!!
almost all of us have invested in pop-up caravans.....after years of doing it tent-style.
we're heading to the high country (nsw snowy mountains) - where it's very very cold at night - but lovely clear days.
we're hoping to spot some more brumbies (wild horses) - and generally have some more really good times.
great friends, super conversations, lots of kids of many ages, loads of chocolate - good good times!!
i'll post some pics when we get back.
meanwhile - when i went out in the backyard earlier to take the above photo - this little shadow was following close behind...........

and the reason...........is not for the chocolate eggs...........but for..............

.......that tennis ball on the right........and miss molly waiting patiently for it to be thrown!!!

oh moo - you are far too cute!!!

i'm off to pack loads of warm clothes - and head out for some supplies.

have a safe and happy easter everyone.
see you when i return.

mrs c. xox

house gnome - a.k.a. tomte

when i lived in sweden many many moons ago - my host family gave me a 'tomte' to take back to australia to protect my home.
(you can read up on the tomte - pronounced 'tom-te' with a short vowel 'e' sound at the end - here)
that particular loved tomte is packed away in the roof - and comes out at christmas.
last week i found this gorgeous guy at freedom of all places!!(in the outdoor furniture section - just under $20 if i remember correctly)
i couldn't resist re-homing the little fella to my place!!
so today i wanted to play around taking photos (with our very basic camera) & twig the pics a little using photoshop software - and decided to use him as my #1 model today !!!
he's going to stay around to protect our house i'm thinking.
here's some more of the 'big' boy in action !!!!

 

*sigh* - i miss my swedish family & friends muchly today.
sending them loads of love & cyber hugz through the airways.
mrs c. xox

industrial look - 1

after completing the bones of our lounge room (apart from removing the carpet) - i now wish to jazz up the room a bit - give it some feel.
i love the industrial look - have for ages - just haven't had the space to make it work until now.
(well - i'm hoping i can make it work in my little world - kind of awkward showing my feeble attempts here - but - well - we'll see how i go!!! eek!!)
i really love letters and/or numbers on walls and/or on furniture/cushions/accessories - large & small.
in fact just love typography in general.
haven't got a whole heap to spend - so looking at grabbing ideas where i can and trying to make it work here at home.

here's some yum interior shots that  i love -

 the first two photos found at homelife.com.au

 

this one from v25 the blog 

 

this from loving.living.small

this from Room Remix

and do check out these and more gorgeous pics at  
The Essence of the Good Life blog -     

 

so.......i've started to collect me some numbers........more on that in my next post........

night!

mrs c. xox

autumn has arrived

the weather has definately made a change.
autumn has decided to show her face.
it's only going to be 16 degrees c today - eeekkkk!! (ok - i'll admit - not really 'cold' as such - but when you've been dancing along merrily in lovely mild weather - the sudden change bites!)

we live on the border between act and nsw in australia. i love the definite differences between the seasons here. in other parts of australia the changes are not nearly as defined. (perhaps melbourne and tassie are similar - however for other main cities north of here it's a vastly different story).

there is an unwritten law in the canberra region (we were told soon after we moved here in 2000) that one is not allowed to put on their heating until anzac day (25th april) has arrived.
just between us - i nearly always cheat!!!!

when it decides to turn cold - it gets flippy cold quick: the wind bites, the temperatures drop quickly and you feel it deep in your bones.
so - today i cheat.
and look - i figure that i'd rather find out early if my heating system is not working up to scratch. (that's my excuse - let's stick with that)

this region has been heavily planted with diciduous trees - so visually the change is beautiful and very noticeable.(australian trees are mostly evergreens and don't change colours with the changing seasons.)
i lived in sweden for 12 months as an exchange student many many moons ago. the huge influence of that beautiful country lives within me now - hence the major planting of birch trees in our front and back gardens.

here are some pics from our back garden today - i hope you like them -

i'll soon get around to writing about our huge back yard changes (we put in a pool!!) - but that will have to wait.
now i'm off to have a warm drink.
hope it's a nice day where you live.
mrs c. xox

nefotlak - beginnings

hi.
welcome.
thanks so much for stopping by.
my name is mrs c., and together with my daughters goob, eky and triple j, and the wonderful mr w., we today launch our new blog - labelled nefotlak.
this blog is to document our design ideas, our inspirations, our room makeovers, our garden ideas and anything else we learn to love and/or share along the way.
we love craft, photography, interior design, quilts, stuffed toys, papercraft, upcycling, beautiful things - and much, much more.
me - personally - i am the wife to the most patient man in the world, mum to 3 amazing daughters and a good-looking spoodle (dog = x cocker spaniel + poodle). i am also currently studying to become a teacher (primary school) - something i've always wanted to do.
i've been blogging since 2006 - although that was under other names and with vastly different content.
here - i start again.
i hope you enjoy the ride.
please feel free to say hi - would love to hear from others out there in blog-land.
night.
mrs c. xox