Swap Bot

In the past year  I have been involed with a  group called swapbot . I started with a few swaps overseas

The above  swap was called a Gnome mug rug swap . The one on the left I made  and sent to Canberra . The one on the right I received from overseas , the lovely lady even made them for  my grandaughters

This a journal for  a tea jornal swap I made for Amber in England

I was over a few months  involved with other swaps , atc, bookmarks,tea bags , book pages to name a few . But I found that with  postage expense  and  the lost swaps which you had to resend  were reasons   to stop with the overseas swap.
I found , still in swapbot a group that only sent around Australia called  Active Aussie Swapaholics

Following are a few of the swaps I have been involved in

This was a instagram pincushion swap
On the left is what  I  made,  an owl and  mushroom pincushion  for a lady in adelaide
The one on the right is what I received  and it is used a lot
The owl is  also perfect  sitting on a  mug rug that  was from another swap, the  cordinater very nicely  angel for  me when my partner didnt send

 The next would be the swap that I   enjoyed the most making . It was a A wonderland tea swap 

Below on  the left is what I made I cross  stitched  a tea wallet using washable canvas  

I received the one on the left , a tea despenser with some lovely pictures on it , It was a shame it got dammaged in the post 

Above is another swap ,  a personal  scavenger  swap. You had to list 10 ideas of items and your partner choose 5 . The above left is what I sent . I love revamping items , the green bag is a wollies grocery bag appliqued .I received the one on the right

The next is the last main swap that  I am in , a traditional advent swap . The one on the left is the one I sent  to perth  and I received the one on the left . I am enjoying opening the parcels

I would like to remain in this group so I  will do the montly small swaps  like WTA, wimnner takes all  which each month  everyone that enters has to send something small to the person chosen
but no more intense swaps for me

Our backyard

Our Backyard

So the work continues. Our free cubby house that i found thru facebook is nearlly completed & the  the girls love .  We have used all reclyed timber to completed & so far has only cost us $20
It is nearly fully lined  the ceiling as well to try & keep it as cool as possible .Next it will need  to be painted ,lino put down   & then we can decorate the inside .
 An extra window has also been put in which has added heaps of light & more venterlation











 The backyard is looking rather good  still more fill is needed but the end is insight.  Compared to what it looked like a couple of years ago it is so much better . The girls had a lot of fun under the sprinkler this weekend , I couldnt put up any photos as they had no clothes on .

We do need more plants  the back corner  garden . We thought it was looking fine until I discovered that what I thought was groundcover was in fact a nasty weed that was  overtaking everything .Hopefully I have got it all

One thing we have found with this place is that roses grow so well
Our mary Mckillop rose  that was  given  to us from a lovely relative , a nun ,  has survived multiple moves & gives us beautiful  pink blooms .
The Daniel morcombe rose (  http://www.knightsroses.com.au/daniel-morcombe-rose.htm ) is also thriving . We also have a couple of smaller rose bushes that we sneaked out of the old house that are also doing very well in this lovely weather we are having

 We also have a new resident a little lizzard that lives in the rose area & except for today can nearlly always be found under the Mary mckillop bush . Its is lucky that our old staffie Tasha is now blind because she used to love chaseing  lizzards especially blue tongued

My next job is to work on the entertainment area , We need to expand the paved area & need a covered in area to put the paddling pool up for the girls . only thing is since last summer  the pool has gone missing . It cant be hard to find as we dont have a lot of storage areas

New cubby house

This afternoon we are going to dismantle and  pick up this little fixer upper.

I  feel that  the add should have read handyman's delight" but instead it said "free"

We do have in our backyard cubby house attached to the swing set which we have done a bit of work on to make suitable for the grand daughters but it is far to small  so it was decided to attempt this project.
It should give them  their own space and  it has a door so Piper the dog can be shut out

The cubby does need a bit of work . It needs a base to sit on , a new floor , a coat of paint and it will be perfect 

There has been a couple of bloggers I follow  that they have done up cubby house  & they have given me many ideas 

1) In this one I  love the chandelier, it has follow them in their house moves 

http://www.thehappyhomeblog.com/2014/09/the-cubby-house-that-love-and-lots-of.html

2)this lady lives in NZ , my birth country and  the cubby is adorable .  I love how it  is staged for the photos , it is so cute
http://domesticblissnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/mousehouse-playhouse.html

Not sure yet how our the completed cubby  will look but I have ideas

•  walls to be green ,
• hand painted  flowers 
• ,Olivia said we have to have curtains  
•  some sort of quirky light . 

But first we have to work out the floor

So this is the area it is going in , the garden on the right will be have to be shorter and  the flower box will come of  and  go on the new cubby . 

Watch this space for further developments