A Post Christmas and Almost New Year Post about Nothing in Particular

Well I felt it high time I snapped out of my post Christmas stupor to fire up the computer and wish everyone a jolly old New Years Eve!

Firstly though I must tell you how thoroughly delicious I find these little blue bags. Entering a Swarovski store fills me with delight, not least the superb lighting Mr S uses in his businesses because all merchandise glistens and every bauble shines like all get out. This gift was from Mr red roses for my birthday. Having a birthday in December is ridiculous as far as I'm concerned. Waiting all year for pressies is murder.

One of the reasons I love crystal is walking into a vision like this on a sunny morning. The rays bounce off and create gorgeous sparkles around my living room. A fascination with crystal started when I first saw the film  Pollyanna starring a young Hayley Mills. There's a scene where she is tinkling the crystal shards of a delicate lamp and the shimmers bounce all around the room. Mesmerizing.
Any body else out there who remembers the film Pollyanna?

The perfect card for little old me

A post Christmas tradition in my family as I grew up was to totally chill out and specifically...do as little as possible. My father owned his own business and rarely managed a yearly holiday so the break between Christmas and New Year was to recuperate and ponder the year past and the new year rapidly approaching. Old habits die hard so the last week has seen me being something of a lazy cow and consuming my own weight in Pavlova during Christmas festivities and lashings of cranberry sauce. I'm addicted to anything cranberry and let me tell you, avocado brie cheese and a cranberry sauce combo is to die for.

My darling son recently installed Instagram on my phone. Hellooo I'm hooked thank you very much and can now understand why every man and his dog is Instagraming their photos.
Here's Bing and bubbles doing a duet on Chrissy day while my lovely family prepared our feast. It's also tradition for me to swan around singing along with Bing. I'm allowed half an hour for this indulgence before the mob shut me down...

Being semi-comatose also involves watching dodgy old TV shows like the British series the Darling Buds of May. Truly I adore the Larkin family and the shenanigans they get involved in. I especially love how Ma Larkin can conjure up enough food for an army in her country kitchen. Here's Mariette the daughter aka Catherine Zeta Jones rocking a fabbo leopard ensemble in the early nineties. Leopard print is timeless.

So 2012 is fast approaching and will bring more renovations to the red roses hacienda. Recently friends  reminded us of the massive undertaking we embarked on in February '11 (a stinking hot summer it was too) and mostly completed in three months. As time goes by we forget the enormous amount of hard work and sweat we poured into bringing this twenty year old house up to speed.
The latest completed project was to replace the front entrance walkway and pretty yet functional lights were installed. My whimsical interpretation.... a runway for the fairies who live in my garden!

As per usual the Pooch will be around and supervising from a comfortable position as we commence exciting new additions to our humble home.

Wishing everyone a fabulicious start to 2012 and happy days ahead!!!!

Annie xx

Are We Ready...

...you bet your life we are!

Or maybe not...whichever the case may be.

Confession time at Red Roses blog. I have not been running around like a headless chook this Christmas, rather I have been quite lazy about the whole shebang. Admittedly this situation arose from re injuring my dodgy foot and being somewhat laid up and unable to rush around looking for tasks as I invariably do each silly season.

Today I am springing into action (not really cause I'm not allowed to spring anywhere) but will sedately and most serenely involve myself in a spot of cooking in the kitchen using ingredients purchased yesterday with the help of Mr redroses and darling daughter. I am fortunate in having a girl who likes to plan menu decisions and organise the delectable offerings at our Christmas Day feast.

My darling son and his lovely girlfriend arrive home tomorrow evening from an overseas jaunt and so will start our family celebrations. 

So before I sign off and hunker down to eat my way through our pantry and watch corny Christmas films here are a few snippets of the lead up to my Christmas.

Lucky lucky little old me received a early present in the acquisition of a beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer. These beauties cost a bomb in Australia so we saved up bank reward points to help offset the cost.
Here she is in all her loveliness dressed up for Christmas and ready for action. Might just pop on a Nigella dvd to set the tone.
Don't fear..I've not lost the plot when I style some of my pics for this blog. If you're a follower you will by now realise my writing is not in the running for a Pulitzer, my love affair is with the visual ie. vamping and styling a photo, hence Miss KA's pretty pink bling. She is sooo worth it!

Another love affair of late is my addiction to anything remotely relating to a cranberry shade. Hair adornments, nail varnish, cushions. 
Very Christmasy don't you agree?

A bowl of fresh produce to whip up delicacies. Grateful beyond words to have healthy food at my table

This bird decoration is a replica of one saved from my childhood which broke several years ago. Upon finding a replacement set in a gift shop last year I literally jumped for joy

 My mother can no longer bake her best ever fruitcake so now the task is mine. I swear this recipe is fabulicious

Rum balls that have obviously ingested far too much of their own rumminess because the pic has fallen on it's side 

Embracing colour for summer festivities. Nearly turned myself inside out attempting this shot

No doubt on Christmas morning I shall be channeling my beloved dahlink Eva dressed in a Christmas frock and pearls and ever so quietly bossing everyone around.



Thank you one and all for sharing my blogging apprenticeship since August, I'm having a ball and learning something new every day.
Best wishes to all my cyber and real life blog pals, may you enjoy a truly wonderful celebration with family and friends.

Annie xx

A Simple Gift that Means the World

Listening to the world news over the last day was leaving a nasty taste in my mouth. 

Uncertainty, violence, mayhem, indecision.

Today's post delivered my Christmas surprise from the young child we sponsor in Sri Lanka through World Vision. P has been part of my family's lives for six years. His simple yet beautiful greeting for Christmas reduced me to tears. Not tears of sadness, rather tears of happiness.

I've never met P but like to imagine that I will travel to Sri Lanka one day, maybe for his high school graduation! P wishes to become a teacher.

The people represented here are his family of seven. P is the one rocking the yellow pants and green shirt.

Joy.

Sometimes it's the little treasures which have the power to put a smile back on our face.

Annie xx

Random Scenes of Beijing

The following photos are a random selection of scenes from our recent stay in Beijing. 

Thank you for allowing me to share our holiday. If you ever get the opportunity to visit China...don't hesitate. The history awaiting every turn is positively breathtaking!

Wangfujing street

Food glorious food

High fashion

Street art

Dancing in the Temple of Heaven

My gorgeous daughter and her serious camera

Temple of Heaven

Tiananmen Square

The Summer Palace

The Marble Boat / Summer Palace. I was truly entranced by this structure 

Summer Palace. A serene experience

Busy intersection from hotel window. 

Tiananmen Square guards. Another pinching myself experience standing in this square and remembering it's history.


Do you also look at holiday photos and wish to step back in time and experience the wonderment all over again?


Annie xx

Buttons Ribbons and Bling Hong Kong Style

The last morning of our stay in Hong Kong was spent totally engrossed in the delights of Sham Shui Po a retail area situated on the Kowloon Peninsula.

Electronic goods and tools are sold as well as fabrics, buttons and crafts.

Mr redroses sauntered off to the electrical end of town while my daughter and I hit the crafty end to source bits and bobs for her jewellery creations. I cannot begin to describe the wonder that engulfed our every turn. 

Let me tell you, in Australia we are starved of variety! Next visit we are spending a whole day in this Aladdin's cave. My home town seems to be devoid of descent buttons and I had been trying to source four large black textured buttons for a knitted coat. Well I finally got lucky in Sham Shui Po. 

The reels of ribbons were a sight to behold. Truly. 

Shop after shop selling beautiful buttons, ribbon, crafts and embellishments for jewellery and artworks.

    Bling as far as the eye can see

                      Bustling busy and happy shoppers

    Take a deep breath Annie. No you can't bring every reel home

    The phone camera quality is not great but you get the idea

    Imagine this business holding a 'guess how many buttons are in the store' competition!

 
Just thought I would throw this pic in for dramatic effect. Yes that's right it is a snake in a cage. On the footpath.

You can understand why my daughter and I enjoyed this area immensely. A small suitcase will accompany us next time so we can literally fill our boots!
Have you visited this dynamic area of Hong Kong? Better still...is there anyone out there who actually resides in Hong Kong and shops at Sham Shui Po?

Annie xx