Showing posts with label virtual coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label virtual coffee. Show all posts

24.7.13

A Royal Virtual Coffee {live}

*Virtual Coffee* with Royalty this morning in the beach house...


Good morning all...welcome to a little red, white and blue Virtual Coffee.

I have a few snippets for you this morning...6 degrees of separation and all.

Firstly though, from our family to yours Kate and William-huge, warm, loving hugs from Down Under.

What a blessing- a beautiful baby boy!

If we were really having a coffee under the Union Jack today- I'd have to tell you I was surprised, in the loveliest of ways, that the Duchess of Cambridge had a boy.
I truly thought it would be a little Princess, and that London would be bathed in pink!

In this day and age, to learn that even they did not know the baby's sex, is just a delight to read!
What do you think?
After a good stint living in the *English Countryside* {here}, and my love for London , I'm quite smitten with William., Kate and Harry!

We also share quite a few happy days- our two families!


Six degrees of separation- OK...

William and Kate were married on our youngest daughter's Birthday- April 29, 2011.
Audrey had a Royal Garden Party in our village house in England, for her 6th birthday.
It was all bunting, Union Jacks and blow up Corgi's - bathed in perfect English sunshine!

Then we moved home to Australia- to our little beach house by the Coast, and packed our Union Jacks away- to be brought out on special days...

Well...July 22 was that special day!
Kate had her gorgeous chubby little babe on my birthday!
Keeping it all in the family here! ;)

AND...just to tie it all up neatly before we share a piece of celebratory cake...Little Henry, George or Arthur weighed exactly what our sweet Ella weighed at birth.

CRAZY!

We are practically Royalty!


If we were really sharing a coffee, and chewing the fat over all things Royal, I'd also make you sit through all Audrey's Wedding/Birthday photos....again!

You can see the the whole gorgeous garden party here ...

What do you think?
Oh it makes me long for a week or two in our other home...our country life across the globe {here} ...

If we were really having a coffee, or bubbles to ring in the new bambino, I'd send you home today with a string of Union Jack bunting and a wee little blue cupcake...smiling all the way to the gate...


Melissa x





17.7.13

Virtual Coffee {live}




Afternoon all...Virtual Coffee time...

Come snuggle up in a cane chair...

I've got the gorgeous Florence on the new stereo...and I am loving my old iPod {the original and best!}

Tea on the back balcony in the afternoon winter sun and a roast in the oven...

Just the kind of afternoon I've been needing!


If we were really meeting for a coffee this arvo, we'd have to talk about Florence!
She is one of my all time femme fatale music loves!
What do you think?

The iPod is on serious rotation this afternoon - from Jack Johnson, Ed Sheeran and Paolo Nutini, to Florence and Adele...

Do you have a request sweet friend?

That's the beauty of iTunes isn't it- it's like playing home DJ...!

Your request is instantly granted!

You're the guest I will play you anything...


So...we've got your tunes sorted...let's talk all things Apple.

Do you Apple?

We have quite a truck load of iPods and iPhones, owned by various members of the family.

We sync regularly ;)

And there is nothing like music shared throughout the house is there...


If we were really sharing a tea and lolling in the sun, I'd also have to talk IKEA...
I'm taking my big girl tomorrow- IKEA with a 15 year old is the only way to go I've decided.

I have done years with all three kids in various modes of pram, stroller, baby capsule, toddler, three school aged and semi-teens....

I have to say hitting IKEA with one teen, who is a straight A *Design & Tech* student, hell bent on a career in some incredibly creative industry, is the way to go!

She see's IKEA as a total Design assignment waiting for her and I to make something of it.

She see's IKEA, in the way that IKEA designers want us all to see IKEA.

She is visualising our vintage home, full of beloved goodies from around the globe, sitting alongside Sweedish designs of simplicity.

Can you tell I'm just a little excited...and there will be meat balls ;)


After discussing at great length IKEA and the virtues of mixing life and home up a little, I'd have to ask for your list.

I'm more than happy to take those of you who live a zillion miles from IKEA with us tomorrow...via instagram or FB...

I'll take your list, I'll check out those things your looking at on line, and I'll share my thoughts...or actually I'll share Miss.Cool & 15's thoughts...

She got them all from me anyway ;) ...so I'll share our thoughts....


L.O.V.E these days...Virtual Coffe...{sigh}

Before you go...the roses are an early gift to myself...

I like to stretch out a birthday...the number is a cool one when written in the sand- believe me I've tried it...

It's just not so cool when you are buying on line, and that nasty little box that requires a year of birth pops up...and you are scrolling forever for a wee while!

Anyhow...back to the roses- stunning colour...beautiful smell and slightly indulgent- perfect!

Thanks for swinging by...
Love having you here always....

Melissa x



11.7.13

Virtual Coffee {live}



Morning all...
There's a wee bit of excitement here in our little house by the sea...we've been *unconnected* to the world, well sort of as we haven't even have a land line, for 5 days and today we were rescued!

It sounds a little extreme, but there you have it- good ol'blogging honesty! R.E.S.C.U.E.D!

There is sooo much to talk about here- *Virtual Coffee* time- I NEED it!!

OK...if we were really slurping our morning coffee together- I have to say that I'd be just a little smiley!

I'm not saying it's ok to be deliriously happy about being connected to the world at all hours...
every day...
all year...
All I'm saying is that we are happy to have the option back...BIG TIME!

It's school holidays here, and with three bambinos who range from Moshi Monster to Face Book age- it's just nice to have it there ;)...

just saying...



So...what are your thoughts?
Be honest!
Remember I'm the blogger who has just had an entire year off from blogging!!
An entire year connecting with my real life...real world stuff.

Let's go mad this morning- Miss.15 has just started baking, if we time it right we can munch a little something warm and slimming and totally good for us with this pot of coffee...or chai...or tea...or hot choco....
I'm on a bit of a high here- so I'll pretty much make you anything you ask for!


If we were really sharing and slurping at our little beach house this morning, I'd also talk weather...

As a born-and-bred-Australian-beach-gal...I can assure you that we are pretty blessed most of the time...

I love a good winter as much as the next person, who has lived through four flipping freezing like hell incredibly cold winters of snow, and endless closed skies, in the Northern Hemisphere.
BUT I do not like, embrace or pretend to deal with rain.
Between the winter perfection Down Under, we also *do rain* like very few other countries!

And we don't do gentle, trickling, easy rain Down Here...like most things in Australia- we also do rain big!
BIG hard, loud, windy, biting rain...there is nothing redeeming about it AT ALL!

Ok- feeling slightly better for that weather rant!

And today I have managed a beautiful walk in the fresh air under a blue sky with Miss.Lola puppy...

Thanks...I love you being here!


So...the weather in your part of the world- what's going on?
Summer lists are being ticked?
Ski gear is being sorted?
I love *Virtual Coffee* , don't you!?

If we were really sharing a coffee here this morning, I'd show you my little creative space...
It's slowly getting there- I need an IKEA trip next week with my big gal, to buy some practical essentials- you know shelves, baskets etc...but so far I'm pretty happy!

It's been a long while since I've had my own space- it works in with coming back here blogging, and at last feeling like I have a happy, settled family here....back on our beautiful beaches.

I'll be taking you to IKEA next week- via *Instagram* {you can find my feed here}- if you think I need anything...I'll grab it!

Just cause *I'm that kinda friend*...always thinking of you ;)

OK...let's just fold fabric- you take a little of something you like...
You can't go home empty handed now...

Same time...Same place...Next week...smootch

Melissa x




3.7.13

Virtual Coffee {live}



*Virtual Coffee* with a side order of big fat ol'fluffy American pancakes...

Cause that's how we roll on the holidays....

No school and no schedule if we can help it! 

This coffee get-together, at my little beach house girls, is dress code PJ's only....{that is, for those unfamiliar with the term, the pajamas you slept in last night!}...no fancy winter gear here today, no new scarf-hat combo...and nothing but a knot-of-hair-on-the-top-of-your-head-kinda-hairstyle and a pair of slippers on your feet!

OK- looking HOT...let's talk....


If we were really meeting today for a *catch-up-coffee-fix*... I would tell you that there is nothing...truly nothing like school holidays!
It comes in many forms, doesn't it! 

There's the total chaos messy, mad, manic side of it- that I embrace, as I have to!
Then there's the total chaos creative, lovely, all-over-the-place-I-adore-my-kiddos-home-with-me-side of it that I embrace, purely because I feel totally blessed to have them!

Do you feel like that?


If we were really meeting to compare notes, the week and all things home and heart...
I'd ask you if you're a planner, or a winger {as in *Do you wing it*} on the school hols?

Summer holidays are the time, across the globe it seems, according to my friends far and wide, that we mama's like to make endless holiday *lists* and plans....and I am all for a list!

I end each day with a good list, that may start on the back of my hand {don't you dare write on the back of your hand my three if you ever read this- it looks terrible and I'm sure your Grandmother will tell you, it leads to lead poisoning of some sort- and now I'm a mother- I know she's right...just saying...}

So...my list starts on the back of my hand, migrates to my snazzy notebook app on my iphone and then eventually gets transferred late at night onto a good old standard notebook next to my bed, ready for the next day!

If we were really sharing a coffee, I'd ask you how you contain all this note making as a Mother, I'd probably pour you a second cup-as I feel this is a long, important, we-are-the-CEO's-of-a-very-special- very-precious-organisation kind of question...

We'd probably even add a good whallop of sugar to the mug for this one- or maybe it's just me!?
Anyway...getting back on track, away from the kids and onto us...


If we were really meeting for a virtual coffee, I'd make you the biggest, fluffiest, American pancake with a coastal twist you've ever had....

There would be bananas, there would be limes {from our garden tree no less...x} and there would be golden syrup...not maple...golden!

It's an Aussie thing...although in saying this- I'm sure I'll field many a text message from my girlfriends along the coast here asking me "what the...?".

Trust me people....it hits the fluffy-limey-syrupy-sugary-perfect-pancake spot!

Anyway- it's what you'd be handed...on a lovely English vintage plate, that cost me nothing but that means the world to me in terms of memories....

All good here sweet friends...


If we were really sharing a coffee and probably too many of those syrupy-blah-blah-calorie-laden-fabulous pancakes...you may well note that I'm in jammies and my apron!?

It's a thing I have going- old fashioned as it may seem to many of you! 
I embrace the apron- in fact I'd love to put my kids into an apron for most meals- sure it would make for less washing...
I really think we should all bring back the apron- I have, at last count, at least a dozen...full aprons and the a few very cool, we-have-company-half-aprons that are simple, black or french linen beige and long - very restaurant cool...you know the ones.


So...if we were really meeting for a coffee fix and a fabulous pancake, in our jammies no less, I would like to think you'd throw one of my aprons on...just to humour me....

I always like to send you all home with something from our *Virtual Coffee* catch ups, as those of you who have been sharing them with me for a few years now know...so I'm thinking today - if you put the old-fashined-bringing-it-back-new-cool-apron on for our catchup...then it's yours...throw it in your bag...take it home and think of us...
Wear it once a week here....be opinionated...share it all....


If we were really meeting for our weekly *Virtual Coffee*...I would also say thank you....
It's sooooo lovely to be back here....it's truly, really, absolutely lovely to be back here with you curled up on the pink chair, as it's always been...and me smiling at you...

Just from here on in...together... we'll now share it on the beaches of Australia and no longer in the English countryside...
Same time next week- jammies on, as we'll still be in school holiday mode....


Thank you . Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you for being here in our little beach house...

If you haven't quite finished your mug of chai, tea, coffee of hotto chocco...please head over to my sweet friend Amy's , where a *Virtual Coffee* is a first began....her front porch is heaven to sit...

Hugs
Melissa
x


26.6.13

Virtual Coffee {live}

Virtual Coffee...

With a grin from ear to ear...
Here I sit at last...
where I have, so many times before...

But this time I have had a year elsewhere...
A year finding my feet back by the beaches...

And today I'm making coffee and I'm hoping you all rock up here ready to have me back!

My *fave & best* blogging day has always been the one where we share a virtual virtual coffee...


Yours is the pink chair...as it always was when we sat together in the English countryside.
I'll take the old white one found on the roadside here by the beaches so many years ago, before our adventures abroad...

Let's catch up....


Ridiculous to say really...I've so missed being here...

But...
I also needed some time, good quality time in nothing but reality...real life, real family sorting, real house sorting life...

Moving a family of five 13,000 miles between England and Australia is no simple feat, we've done it a few times backwards and forwards, but this final time they were no longer lovely little munchkins of 9,7 & 2...but very much bigger lovely ones of 14, 11 & 6...


If we were really sharing a coffee in my little beach house, with the rain banging on the roof, I would tell you that children adore travel...they adore life- whatever is thrown at them- don't you agree?

I've watched our kids settle into a new life by the beaches, a life very different to the one that we lived before we moved them all abroad...because they are now very different people- they're now older, confident, more worldly and more accepting- purely through experience....

It's taken me this entire year to catch up with them...
Whilst I've been making our house a home in so many endless ways, the energy to share it all just wasn't there!
As a mother, I think you find time for yourself, and time for your own loves, only when the people you love, and who rely on you, are truly settled.
Only then can you find that important space again that you need...and that you love, that space that makes you tick and makes you smile.

My lovely family are all sorted and seriously ensconced in life back on the beaches- so here I am grinning like a mad woman, back doing what I love at last!


If we were really catching up at long, long last...I'm quite sure I'd just sit and smile at you for a bit...then I'd make you a super strong cup of something hot and toasty...and I'd ask you a box full of questions about your day...your week...your year...and then I'd just grin a little more.

And I know we'd have a giggle at my new *about me* blurb up above...
*Stylist, crafter, photographer and writer at Miss Sew & So*
All the things I've ever wanted to be...and all the things I love are up there...
I figure it's my special space...and I can be all of those things here...
I feel like I'm all of those things...

We'd have a giggle...and I hope you'd welcome me back to all of this...to sharing a weekly coffee together no matter where in the world we are...to sharing thoughts and dreams and day to day life...I hope you'd simply welcome me back to this thing we both love...blogging.


So...as I've done in the English countryside...I will of course do here....
I'll love you for taking the time for a coffee, virtual as it is...
And I'll send you off home with something from my garden and a promise from you to meet same time and same place next week...
The pink chair is always yours...

It is soooo great to be back here!
Thanks for waiting...and YES I'm still grinning like a banchee!

Melissa x


PS- Virtual Coffee, like the old days in Blighty was inspired by the lovely Amy over here


10.4.12

*virtual coffee* early on the beaches...


morning all from an *early start* on the coast today...
virtual coffee with Autumn sunshine...

i was up making coffee's & dropping the hubster off at the ferry earlier than i usually rise on the first day of school hols this morning...

{that's what Easter & all those eggs do for you...or don't do for you}

he was taking his coffee & paper on the morning ferry run from the beaches into the city...

i was doing the beaches only- coffee & iphone in hand to capture the early morning sunshine...


this is 7:45 on an Autumnal morning at ours...

not bad at all...although the air had a crispness to it this morning i'd not felt in Oz for a long time...

the last 4 years has seen all our Autumns being VERY crisp in the English countryside...

the Autumn salt air has been lovely- small moments like this keep surprising me...& i love it!

so...an after Easter coffee together, in the warmth of my beach mobile...sitting watching the early morning beach goers...i'm hoping you're feeling a little warmer wherever you are...


now...back home gals & lime collecting...

our tree is laden- to the point that one of it's branches snapped off & the puppy discovered her nonstop barking hatred dislike of rolling green fruit...

we managed another basket full this morning- which is proving to be a great *bag of loveliness* to take
with us to friends houses with a bottle of wine...or up to the neighbours to thank them for eggs!

i love having fruit trees in our back garden- & yep... i will be doing a little tour of our garden for those that have asked...

not today- as today is coffee & kids- school holiday extra's...& box unpacking...


we did manage to start the *vege garden*...we pulled down the cubby & sorted the timber hoping to up-cycle pieces for the sweet peas...garden peas, tomatoes & passionfruit vines...

it's been lovely reading up with the kiddos on the seasons in Australia- it's not all endless hot, perfect days of sunshine here...no matter what some people may lead you to think...

and it's been brilliant planning *what seeds* we're actually going to plant...

vege patch *guru's*~all tips sooo welcome..!


before you head off, fresh coffee in hand made with a bit of beach loving warmth from me...

i thought i's show you how little Miss.Audrey & i spent a gorgeous Autumn day in our big old 
country house, in the English countryside, last year...

i love that we've had seasons on both sides of the globe...

memories last forever...


happy day sweet gals

thanks for stopping by for a *virtual coffee*

love taking you down the beaches for an *early*

~~~~~

&

remember today is 10 on 10

ten photos for ten consecutive hours of one's day

on the tenth day of the month


see the low-down for it {here}

~~~~~

melissa 

xoxox


29.2.12

virtual coffee & vintage tea boxes found on the road side by the beaches...

are you ready for a *fly by the seat of your pants*...we're grabbing coffee's & trawling my 


local streets *virtual coffee* today...?


hoping these gorgeous wooden boxes i found may tempt you...




you see it's what we call *clean up* on our local beaches- which really just means local council allow

you to throw in a great huge pile pop out the front of your property, anything & everything you've

ever wanted to get rid of...

& they will, after a few days to allow scavengers vintage treasure hunters like myself a little time to

sort out the good from the actual rubbish, then collect these unwanted piles, free of charge & by

doing so free up your garage & your conscience...


i've had a lovely past week visiting many a *local clean up pile*, as i took the kiddos swimming .


..went for my morning hours walk along the harbour...or just spotted something from 


the car as i've been flying past...


i'll share all my goodies later...

there are a few that i may have paid very good money for within the haul,

had i found them in some favourite vintage shop here on the beaches, or in England...


i would have photographed them all - & blogged them to my hearts content...but i'm a little 


preoccupied with a phone call we recieved this morning stating that our very longed for- 


desperately missed container of *life* from the English countryside has landed & 


that we will be surrounded by all that is us soon...






so...enjoy these side-of-the-road-boxes i found..


.there will be sooo many more goodies to share...






have a wonderful few days gals...

i know i'm going to ...

melissa

xox


22.2.12

virtual coffee-french plimsolls & cool takeaway coffee...

g'day gals...ready for our *virtual coffee*...in a *way* cool take away cup!?


this is my fave & best way of saving the planet...


you can use mine today & i know you'll go grab yourself one!


{check them out here}




now...*cool-aware-mamma-cup* in hand we are gonna chew the fat over shoes...!


hope you're up for it- as i'm needing to talk about my *lack of anything that didn't come home in my

luggage from the English countryside with me*- sort of mood...

i won't lie- it's tricky opening the cupboard to the same 10 things that fit in my suitcase...every day!


i basically left England & it was snowing...

so i had to allow room in our suitcases for the winter clothes for five that we were still wearing, whilst

packing up our lives there...

but i also had to pack for summer back here on the beaches of Oz...

hence- out went the amount of choice- & in kicked the practicalities of the move...!

i hadn't thought about a little boredom kicking in!




so...here you & i find ourselves- sharing our regular *virtual coffee* & me in the same 


very loved but very sick of wearing navy jersey H & M dress i threw in from ol'Blighty...


to make myself feel more *fashionable fresh* each day...i've been throwing on scarves, an array of

cool straw beach hats & swapping bags but the lack of shoe choices has been bugging me...

so i picked up these gorgeous little french lovelies...

divine colour...divine style...small hitch- waaay to tiny...

errr...like kiddo tiny...


anyhoo....i needed the fix, so little miss.6, who i must add is also probably boring of her small


wardrobe- scored herself a pair of french putty coloured canvas plimsolls- cause they didn't 


come in her mamma's size...


simple


as


that!




how cool is that *save-the-environment-but-look-hip* mug!!?


that's my way of looking like i have an interesting wardrobe- when really it's on a boat heading to our

shores now...

i rely on my cool coffee cup- sad but currently true...



also needless to say- i managed to buy these little bits of gorgeous a size too big for miss.6...


& so now we are both sitting & looking at them together till her feet grow or the boat docks in

Australia...

whichever happens first...

coffee over- i have a puppy to sort...a hedge to trim...a floor to sort & many other endless 


jobs that would have been so much nicer done in a pair of putty coloured french plimsolls...


at least the weather is heavenly...everything- even a limited wardrobe is do-able in heavenly weather...

don't ya think!?



thanks for popping past...


& letting me whinge chat about my lack of goodies in the wardrobe...


see ya next week...


promise i won't wear the navy dress if i can help it!




melissa

xoxox


~~~~~~~~~


as usual- head over to the divinely witty Miss.Amy's 
here

for more *virtual coffee* if you're still having some time to yourself...





7.2.12

a virtual coffee-*chippy chairs & bush tea*...



virtual coffee old style...cane chairs...fedora's...loose leaf tea in a pot...


gotta spare hour to come sit in my back garden under the palms...?




until the frenchy looking couches arrive further notice...these are *our virtual coffee* cane chairs...

we can move them round the garden with us- follow the sun...or follow the mottled shade under the 

big ol'jacaranda tree...

i'm big on shade after living in England...big on sunscreen...big on lotsa bottles of water...

anyhoooo....


virtual coffee...by the beaches...in the garden...under the palms...


how are you? like really how are you?

are you enjoying *you* time?

are you on a lunch beak from work?

are you picnic-ing with the kids?

are you sledging on the white stuff?

wherever you are- welcome to out little piece of quiet heaven...tea?


i have found Twinings answer to Australian billy tea...{bush tea- you know made over a fire, in 

bush when camping}...

Twinings *Australian Afternoon Tea*...if you like strong tea served in a posh box- you will love this!

in fact i'm tempted to post it to my English bestie- it's like the Yorkshire Tea we loved in our village but

Australian...

now i've been requested by a few of you to serve lamingtons again- i will be doing this i promise...

it's just that this week has been more about sorting life than baking...

we'll get back to lamingtons


this virtual coffee is about putting out feet up- slurping our strong tea & just catching up a little...

excuse Miss.Lola {the puppy} she's a bit of a cane chair chewer enthusiast! 

so...tea, time, life...it's all easier when it's done in the garden isn't it...

for those of you in the snow...we're going to add extra sugar to the pot...

do you ever have *sugar days*? 

the BB {British bestie} in England used to make tea & ask if it was a *sugar day* or not- i loved that...

it's like establishing how you're feeling in a very *lovely simple way*...

a sugar day required an extra listen...an extra hug...a quieter time than a *no sugar*, right let's get on 

with it kinda catch up....

so are you *sugar or no sugar tea* today?


if we were really having a coffee, or pot of strong tea, today...


i'd ask you if you've ever lived away from the country...town...city or village that you were 


born into...


i'd ask you if you've ever wanted to...

we always wanted to...& now we've done it- i have a sense of calm about being home...

not a *been there, done that* kinda feeling- just a wonderful sense that life is amazing kinda calm...

does this make sense to you- or do you think i just need a bit more *sugar* in my pot today!!??

even the fact that it's been raining crazy amounts a little since being home on the beaches & that our

balcony has looked a little like this at times- has been almost ok with me...

nothing like living with a makeshift laundry hanging above your outdoor dining table to really test


just how happy you are about being home!


it seems i'm pretty a.o.k about it...!



so...thanks for sitting under the palms with me...the puppy needs some *game time*...


the washing needs some sorting...the mail needs some reading & the boxes need some unpacking...

life on the beaches after 4 years in the English countryside is lovely...

especially when i can share it with you in the garden on old chippy chairs...

hugs & thanks for hanging out...

~~~~~~~

if you're still in need of a little more nattering & the coffee-i-didn't-offer-you...

head over to Amy's ...she is the queen of exotic cafe & witty banter...

~~~~~~

see you next week- pot ready, same chairs, more thoughts...

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