Shark Baby

Look at this cute photo my daughter came across! What a cute little outfit. 

(Lynn Lynn)

If anyone knows where to get these, please share! So sweet. 

Trish x

An update from me!

It's been ages since I posted! I have been so busy planning and developing our Christmas range and dividing my time between Peek A Boutique, housework, gardening and family , that I have barely had a minute to spare!

I am sure most people will agree that sometimes there isn't enough hours in the day to do everything we want to!

(belletristics.blogspot.com)

Oh and guess what? We have our first ad coming out soon... so stay tuned!

Trish x

Christmas - It's Coming Again!

Come September, come the spring and as sure as night follows day, come the Christmas decorations bursting into department stores and making a grand entrance even in the smaller retail outlets.

Not to miss the boat, we're getting in on the action too!

Just a whisker away from being launched is our gorgeous Christmas stocking range.

These unique little stockings come in red and green (oh! surprise, surprise) and feature the cutest of Christmas trims AND custom embroidery. Is anyone interested in other colours than the standard Christmas red and green, I wonder?

A few years ago we had a purple, white and silver theme going with the Christmas tree decorations. It was different, 'noice'; but would anyone want these less predictable colours for their kid's Chrissy stockings? A black and white theme perhaps? Or even a traditional 'pink and blue for girls and boys' theme?

Anyway, we'll start with the tried and true - the red and the green - but they aren't boring as you'll soon see. Stay tuned! I promise I will have images of these soon.

It's time to start Christmas shopping! I'm taking custom orders on these so you can have the name of your choice embroidered.

OK, by popular demand I've posted a pic to give an idea of what they look like - although I have only this one type to start with.

Trish

A Tribute to Mums!

My dear mum would be celebrating her birthday today, 31 August.

It goes without saying that she would be so proud of her children and grandchildren, all of whom she totally adored and who regard her only ever with the greatest love. 

She passed away before I started Peek A Boutique so she never got to witness or enjoy the magic of embroidery that I've only recently embraced. I know she would truly have marvelled at this amazing embroidery machine in action - fascinated by every stitch and in awe of every design it creates. She would've just loved and supported every baby gift, every new idea.

She was a peacemaker, a nurturer, a gentle and beautiful woman.

So it's cheers to mum. We'll make a toast in her honour tonight. 

And here's to all mums who have nurtured and supported us, and whose influence is far-reaching and evident every day.

xx Trish

Cantalope Eyes?????? What....

Today, a bit of frivolity and nonsensicalness! (no, that's not a real word).

Have you ever sung particular words to a song each time you hear it, then years later you find you were totally of the mark? This morning I was listening to the sound track from 'The Boat That Rocked' which is another movie in the genre of 'feel good' movies which I absolutely LOVE! It's just such fun.

So, 'Judy in Disguise' I've thought forever, was 'Judy in the Skies'. As it turns out I've been singing the wrong words for years! Maybe I was doing a bit of a crossover there with 'Lucy in the Skies with Diamonds'? That's my excuse anyway. But apart from all that, I looked up the lyrics to 'Judy In Disguise' (because I didn't believe what my ears were telling me) and yes, we have in those lyrics "cantalope eyes come to me tonight" (just as I thought); a "chimney sweep sparrow with guise"; and a "lemonade pie". Wow! Bizarre, curious and fascinating lyrics.

I have now concluded it's little wonder that some of us (I'd like to think most of us) have a tendency to fabricate our own song lyrics. I can actually recall quite a few other examples - these are definitely not words that I've sung myself - a friend of a friend sang these:

Mr Show Lambie - (should be) Mrs Jones and Me

Blinded by the light, set up by a doucher in the middle of the night (should be) cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night);

I became I wine embrandouator (should be) I became a wine and brandy waiter.

(I never did know what an embrandouator was and I still don't know now)??? But I do know that ridiculousness often gets the better of me.

Trish

Dogs Are Helping Kids Learn to Read - I Love this Story

It makes perfect sense to me that beginning readers and children with learning difficulties can confidently read to a dog as a non-threatening and non-judgemental audience who won't mock them or correct them if they make a mistake, nor give negative feedback of any kind.

Come on, we all talk to our dogs (don't we - please agree with me here), so why not encourage a child to read to a dog? Of course it needs to be the right kind of dog and the article refers to a professional therapy dog or well-trained family pet that is part of a safe environment in which the child feels comfortable.

I'm passionate about children's literacy and support any way of enhancing a child's prospects of learning to read.

Enjoy the article by Joe Wilkes on Ceasar Milan's website.
Trish

http://www.cesarsway.com/news/dognews/Dog-Eared-Books-A-New-Definition?utm_source=mobilestorm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Aug11NL_3

Already Missing 'THE BLOCK'!

Weeknight viewing just won't be the same without THE BLOCK. I know there's still the auction to go but I'll miss the challenges, the triumphs, the room reveals, the couples and the insights into their lives and relationships - which seems a bit creepy and a touch voyeuristic, but isn't that what gets us all in?

Yeah, I love seeing the stunning outcomes of all their hard work (Porky and I have had our fair share of renovating and now feel we could back up for more). But for all of us addicted to the show it's like we get to know and analyse the personalities of the couples and the individuals, we have a favourite couple, we take a side in an argument, give armchair advice on the choices made and the colours chosen, agree or disagree with the judges, approve or otherwise of the finished results; and maybe even imagine ourselves living in those rooms, entertaining in those stunning outdoor spaces with our own families and friends (however, I draw the line at imagining P in the mankini)! Or anyone else I know in the mankini. Hilarious but so very cringe-worthy! I loved Amy's comment "I've seen too much"!

Oh yes, so have I (but I did watch all those replays)!

And apart from all of the above, I feel for the couples leaving 'their' houses which have become so much a part of them; which hold a part of their story, reflect their character, their taste in decorating, their hard work and their love. Get a grip I tell myself - it's only a TV show. But is that all it is - after all it IS real people being filmed as themselves - in a situation in which they are without their privacy and from which they must return to their normal everyday lives.

So what's the addiction that I and millions of others viewers have to THE BLOCK and other reality TV? Do we feel like we've shared their journey - is this the addiction? Or is it the fact that watching the people involved fulfils a fantasy within us all? (I don't mean in a creepy way)! Moreover, the watching is justifiable by the viewers and desired by the participants because it's a TV show in which those people have willingly subjected themselves to being watched.

Oh well, whatever it is I find it an interesting phenomenon,  AND, I want more of THE BLOCK!!!

Trish