~17th November 1973.....A Very Special Anniversary~

Well who can believe this

today is our 40th Wedding Anniversary

Holey Dooley where did the time go!!!!!!!!

Me and Hubby after the ceremony

My Step-Grandfather and my Grandmother

Doing the circle saying 'bye to everyone on the night I met up with Hubby

My Godmother is on the left

My Godfather Robert who took the pics on the night sadly passed away not too long ago

Here he is with me

My Mother is to my left

I think we're looking a bit worried here LOL!!!

Our wedding invitations using a traditional Latvian sign 

I am now using my Latvian name and Ingrid is my middle name

And sadly my Dad passed away before I was married

Our first place we lived in in Wollstonecraft, Sydney

We built our first home in the Blue Mountains in Blackheath and stayed 10 years

Ten years later we went to further inland to a little place called Peel outside Bathurst

No street lights......no garbage service and no town water

But I loved it all......some of my best years would have to have been spent there

Above is a painting of the house by Lindsay

We then moved down to Bungendore outside of Canberra

and lasted 4 years before we made a Sea Change

That was the name of the house but since moving here Hubby has take down the sign as he thought it looked poxy!!!

Our first baby James

pic taken on our 2nd wedding anniversary at Port Stephens

James Christening Day

James with his baby Sister Jacqueline

and here's little JoJo

One of my favourite pics of all time taken at Peel

Jacqueline at 4

I recently gave her this little coat for  her daughter

Jacqueline's Wedding Day

And her first baby Ryan........our first Grandbaby

with Ryan

A couple of years later we all welcomed Ryan's Sister Lidija

from the country to the sea

above is a pic of our small flock of sheep next to the old dunny which had newspaper pinned on to the back of the door from the 1800's

JoJo and James

Today we headed down to Bermagui and stopped at Blue Earth Cafe

Boats at Bermagui

And just to compare 1973

and 2013

We bought ourselves a little setting for our top balcony.......the turquoise one

My friend Geo (no blog) said it should be a ruby one LOL!!!

My gift from Mr Armchair!!!

Happy Happy Anniversary to us!!!

I thought I would dedicate this post to my Beloved Dad.......Mans Mils Papins

Love Dzintra xo

~OPAM (One Project a Month)~ and a Swap with Geo

One item this month for OPAM

It's a little pouch designed by Fiona at my Needlework Group

Here is the front

Inside

and back

Thank you so much Peg and Kris for running OPAM again this year

This pouch I then sent to my dear friend Geo (no blog)

She has been reading my blog along with others and wanted to get involved in a swap between ourselves

Between us both we set up a list of 12 various things to send but only choose 6 of them...along with a theme

 A bird theme was settled on for Geo and my gifts to her are above......starting from the top and going clockwise

Something handmade......pouch

Something to do......stitchery by Theodora Cleave along with a label by Theodora

Decoration.......little timber birdy by Theodora

Something for Husband.....organic Crystalized Ginger from Rustic Pantry

Jewellery......a peacock necklace 

All packaged up and ready to go above

And then into this bag with birds on it purchased from the Quiltmania Stand at the Sydney Quilt and Craft Show this year

And of course I had to get myself one too!

These are the gifts sent to me by Geo

My theme was 'turquoise'

You can read more on this swap over here 

Thanks Geo......I have thoroughly enjoyed this swap......and I know you have too!

I've been a little flat out here

I have little GS Ryan here and between him and JoJo I've been kept hopping and I haven't been able to get around to comment on all my favourite blogs

but I have been lurking around in the background there reading

 I do read each and every comment and appreciate them all 

Until next time Happy Stitching......and of course, Bon Appetit

~Dzintra~

A Blog Party in Paris...and some Eiffel Tower Birthday gifts!!!

The gorgeous Anita is hosting a blog party in PARIS this weekend...

perfect to go to on this cool Winter's Saturday evening...

I've not been to Paris but I do have a few heaps of things with Paris and/or the Eiffel Tower on them and thought I too would join the party (how could I not!!!)...

First of all I couldn't resist a fabric panel with the Tower on it...and Bonjour...

perfect for a quick little quilt made last year...

and used a couple of weeks ago as a table topper when Barb from Theodora Cleave called in for a cuppa before she left town...

We used Eiffel Tower serviettes!!!

I recently had a birthday and received this brooch on a little velevet cushion from Margaret...

and this little stitchery pattern from my dear blogging friend Simone...

along with some paper clips from Andrea...

Thank you so much dear Friends...I love them all and will add them to my collection!!!

A Fat Quarter...

Paris...the City of Love...

I couldn't resist these Cafe signs...

and couldn't do this post without some cafe food - carrot cake...

a Lime Cheesecake...

macarons...

A trip to a local winery based on French vineyards...

cheese...

a good read on Coco Chanel by Edmonde Charles-Roux...

My latest cook book...

and a little corner in our dining area...

my apron with Paris on it...

Now I'm off to cook dinner...Roast Pork tonight...

(Pic taken before I broke my arm...I can't even do an apron up now, arm won't go round the back!!!)

So if you get a chance hop over to Anita's and join the party...and thank you Anita for hosting this wonderful event!!!

Bon Appetit...Dzintra