12 Days of Christmas Traditions~Starting December 1st!

Hello Christmas Friends! Welcome and thanks so much for dropping by. I have been very busy these last couple of weeks, getting ready for my 12 Days of Christmas Series at my Christmas Blog, Keeping the Christmas Spirit Alive, 365!

Each day I will be posting about different traditions that we hold dear at this special time of year. I'm so lucky that a couple of surprise guest bloggers will be joining me along the way!

I thought it might be nice if we all got to share some traditions and ideas at the same time so each day I will also include a link up gadget so you can share posts on the same theme. On the 12th Day, December 12, I am hosting a linky party where we can share our posts on all things Christmas.

Here is the program!

December 1 ~ Christmas Advent Calendars

December 2 ~ Candy Canes

December 3 ~ Gingerbread Houses

December 4 ~ Oh, Christmas Tree!

December 5 ~ Father Christmas, Santa Claus or St Nick?

December 6 ~ Christmas Stockings

December 7 ~ Christmas Puddings

December 8 ~ Christmas Traditions around the world.

December 9 ~ Let's Eat:Christmas Foods and Yummy Treats!

December 10 ~ Christmas Music

December 11 ~ The Spirit of Christmas

December 12 ~ I'll be home for Christmas Linky Party!

<center><a href="http://keepingthechristmasspiritalive365.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--8dbZcWR8Sk/TsCib5SmJgI/AAAAAAAAHrM/VuC48zB4Xb4/s250/17318176727.jpg"/></a></center>

You can link up any posts that celebrate Christmas on December 12th. You can share posts about Christmas Crafts, your decorated Christmas home, Christmas recipes, Christmas Songs...anything Christmassy!

I sure do hope you will be able to join me each day and that you can link up each day and help me Keep the Christmas Spirit Alive!

See you December 1st!

Blessings and best wishes,
Natasha In Oz

Say G'day Saturday Linky Party ~ Home Sweet Home!

Welcome to this weekend's Say G'day Saturday Linky Party! I'm so glad you stopped by to visit me in my little corner of the world!

I so enjoyed visiting the 75 bloggers who shared recipes, crafts, songs and ideas last week! I don't think I have ever seen so much diversity in one party; we had links from all around the world last week! Thank you so much to everyone for adding your names to the Pinning Bloggers Master List, linking back to NatashaInOz.com and for taking the time to leave comments on everyone else's blogs.

Thank you also to all of my wonderful bloggy friends who had have added this Christmassy button to their blogs! My 12 Days of Christmas Series starts on December 1st and it culminates with a great big Christmas Party on December 12. I sure do hope you will be able to join in and link up your Christmassy posts! Click to here to read more and find out the full program! 







Now onto this week's Party!

This week I am sharing some very beautiful pins from Sally, a gorgeous blogger who loves anything that has to do with homes & decorating! She has a great blog called Love of Homes and Sally is also listed on the Natasha In Oz Pinning Bloggers Master List!

 I'm sure you are going to LOVE her blog. Sally says, "I'm a stay at home mom of 4 cute kids. I love anything that has to do with homes & decorating. My husband often gets recruited into helping me finish things that I start! We are making our house a "HOME" one project at a time!"

Have a look at some of the amazing projects Sally and her husband have completed!

Beautiful turquoise table painted by Sally.

Love of Homes

Sally added the flower ribbon to this lamp for her daughter's room-isn't it gorgeous!

Love of Homes

My favourite project is this wonderful gallery wall that Sally created in her entry way
with a bunch of old cheap frames.

Love of Homes

If you haven't already visited Sally before please do pop by and visit this very fun blogger! 

Thanks for being a fabulous Pinning 
Blogger Sally!

I hope you enjoy checking out a few of Sally's Pinterest Pins and while you do I also hope you enjoy this beautful piece of music. It has been used in two movies and was written by Mark Isham. It was used in the wonderful movie No Reservations Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin but I first heard it in the touching movie Life as a House starring Hayden Christensen, Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas. It is called Building a Family and not only is it a stunning piece of music I think the title of the song fits in perfectly with sweet Sally and her hubby who indeed building a beautiful family and home!

Source: bhg.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: traditionalhome.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: houseandhome.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: southernliving.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: traditionalhome.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: inspirationfordecoration.blogspot.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: atlantahomesmag.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: hgtv.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Sally on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: loveofhomes.blogspot.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Sally on Pinterest

Thanks for finding these pinteresting pins Sally!

If you are like Sally and have been pinning up a storm on Pinterest why not add some pins to a blog post and share them with us at this week's party and join the fun! Maybe you have even posted a song on your blog? I would love it if you could share your favourite pins, a musical post, a craft idea, decorating tips or even some gardening hints at this weekend's Say G'Day Saturday Linky Party!

If you would like to link up a post, old or new, just add the url of your particular blog post that you would like us to visit to the Linky tool below.

Thanks so much for joining in and linking up! Don't forget to visit some of the lovely bloggers from all around the world who have linked up.

Why not make someone's day and say a quick G'day!

By the way, I have also created a central list of Pinning Bloggers so we can all find each other's Pinterest pages more easily called The Pinning Bloggers Master List.

If you would like to add your name to the Pinning Blogger's Master List just click the button!

Before I go I must thank the lovely people who are hosting the following linky parties-thanks so much for having me and hosting these fabulous memes each week:

 Feathered Nest Friday; Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday; Inspiration Friday; Tickled Pink;Fridays Unfolded;  Show and Tell Friday; Home Sweet Home; Flaunt it Friday;  Everything but the Kitchen Sink Party; Blissful & Domestic; Pink Saturday with Beverly ; Strut Your Stuff Saturday; Serenity Saturday; Once upon a Weekend; Saturday show Off; Saturday Seven; Sunday Blog Love; Oh! That's Pinteresting; Sunday's Best;  Sunday Linky Party Sundae Scoop; Amaze me Monday;  More the Merrier Monday; Creative Bloggers party; Making The World Cuter Mondays; Market Yourself Monday; Show and Share;  Pin it Tuesday; Rook no.17;  Take it on Tuesday; One Project at a Time; Tabletop Tuesday; Wow Me Wednesday; Show & Tell; Show and Share;  Whatever Wednesday @Momma Hen's; Whatever Goes Wednesday; Pinterest Favourites; Whatever Wednesday;  Show & Tell Saturday; Anything Goes Linky party

Thank you so much for visiting me in my little corner of the world today. Please know that I truly appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to spend time with me!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and happy Black Friday shopping to my American friends!

Best wishes,

Natasha In Oz 

Giving Thanks for... #Thanksgiving!

Hello my dear friends! Thank you so much for popping by and visiting NatashainOz.com today!

Thanks also for joining me for this week's Tuesday Tune post!

Today I am taking time to give thanks for Thanksgiving by sharing a Thanksgiving post, something my Aussie friends might think is a little strange!

I'm not sure if many of my American friends know this but we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia.

That really makes me sad as I really love the idea of taking time to give thanks for our family, friends, health and other blessings in our lives.

Say G'Day Saturday Linky Party ~ Beach Therapy

Hello my dear friends and welcome to this weekend's Say G'Day Saturday Linky Party!

I have really enjoyed exploring the wonderful pictures, recipes, crafts, songs and ideas that people have been sharing over the last few weeks. Thank you so very much to everyone for joining in with this weekly link up, for adding your names to the Pinning Bloggers Master List and for linking back to NatashaInOz.com!

Thank you also to all of my wonderful bloggy friends who had have added this Christmassy button to their blogs! Yep, that'r right, I am hosting a Christmas Link-Up at my Christmas blog and you are all invited to come to the party!


<br /><a href="http://keepingthechristmasspiritalive365.blogspot.com/2011/11/12-days-of-christmas-traditionscoming.html"target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--8dbZcWR8Sk/TsCib5SmJgI/AAAAAAAAHrM/VuC48zB4Xb4/s250/17318176727.jpg" border="0" /></img src="https:></a>

Now onto this week's Party!

This week I am sharing some very beautiful ideas from a fellow Aussie who has the wonderful blog I Heart Sunny Days.

Source: iheartsunnydays.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Elizabeth lives in sunny Queensland in the coastal city of Cairns.


Elizabeth blogs about her life by the beach, her days in her garden and her thrifted treasures...

Free E-Zine for Christmas and an Announcement!

Hello my dear friends! Thanks so much for stopping by for 5 minutes! I've just got a very quick post today. First, I must apologise for not visiting you all very much these last few weeks. Since the school year is winding down I seem to be spending much of my free time helping with end of year school projects, attending school concerts, helping the kids stay motivated until 2 December (that's when school finishes for the year!), and so on.  I have also done a few days of relief teaching and....

 I have also been decorating our house for Christmas!

Say G'day Saturday Linky Party ~ Turning 40!

Hello my dear friends! Welcome to this week's Say G'Day Saturday Linky Party!

Have you had a great week this week? I have had a lovely week and one day in particular was very exciting!

First I have to tell you that I had a Shellac French Manicure...I love shellac and am totally addicted to it. It's my new favourite thing! 

But more importantly, on 11/11/11


 I turned 40!

Thank you for making this yummy Peanut Butter & Chocolate cake for me, Stacey!

Yes indeed...I have truly had a life changing weekend!

I have had such a great birthday and I will be celebrating with all of my family tonight at my favourite Thai restaurant so I hope you don't mind that that this post is a bit brief...you only turn 40 once!

Thank you for the peonies Mr Attorney!

If you would like to share some of your favourite post with me at this weekend's Say G'day Saturday Linky Party please link up!

You can link up an old or new post about anything you feel excited about! You can share a tutorial, recipe, decorating idea or even a gardening tip! Just link up the particular blog post that you would like us to visit to the Linky tool below.

Thanks so much for joining in!

By the way, if you haven't already heard, I have created a central list of Pinning Bloggers so we can all find each other's Pinterest pages more easily called The Pinning Bloggers Master List.

If you would like to add your name to the Pinning Blogger's Master List just click the button!

Thanks so much for having me today:

Feathered Nest Friday; Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday; Inspiration Friday; Tickled Pink;Fridays Unfolded; Feature Yourself Friday; Show and Tell Friday; Free for All Friday; Cooking at Cafe D; Home Sweet Home; Flaunt it Friday;  Everything but the Kitchen Sink Party; Blissful & Domestic; Pink Saturday with Beverly ;Strut Your Stuff Saturday; Show and Tell Saturday; Serenity Saturday; Once upon a Weekend; Sunday Blog Love; Just a Girl; Seasonal Sunday; Sunday's Best; Sundae Scoop; Amaze me Monday; Metamorphosis Monday; More the Merrier Monday;  Creative Bloggers party; Making The World Cuter Mondays; Market Yourself Monday; Rook no.17;  Wow Me Wednesday; Show & Tell;Whatever Wednesday @Momma Hen's; Whatever Goes Wednesday; Flip Flops & Pearls Semi Wordless Wednesday;  Thursday Favourite Things;

Thank you so much for visiting today. Please know that I truly appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to spend time with me in my little corner of the world Down Under!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Best wishes,

Natasha In Oz 

A Day of Remembrance ~ 11/11/11

Today I am honouring all of the brave men and women who have served at war.

Source: collectgbstamps.co.uk via Natasha on Pinterest

On the eleventh day of the eleventh month on the eleventh hour, we all remember the people who died so we can live freely. Also known as Armistice Day or Veterans Day today is a memorial day observed in British Commonwealth countries and the time and date commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiegne, France, for the end of hostilities on the Western Front during WWI.

The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields". These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war.

Source: awm.gov.au via Natasha on Pinterest

I ask that you might take a moment to pause and to remember the men and women who have sacrificed their lives so that we can enjoy peace and freedom today. Can we also remember the men and women who are currently deployed abroad risking their lives for us.

Source: battleofbritainbeacon.org via Natasha on Pinterest

MARK KNOPFLER

"Remembrance Day"

On your maypole green

See the winding morris men

Angry Alfie, Bill and Ken

Waving hankies, sticks and books

All the earthen roofs

Standing at the crease

The batsman takes a look around

The boys are fielding on home ground

The steeple sharp against the blue

When I think of you

Sam and Andy

Jack and John

Charlie, Martin

Jamie, Ron

Harry, Stephen

Will and Don

Matthew, Michael

On and on

We will remember them

Remember them

Remember them

We will remember them

Remember them

Remember them

Time has slipped away

The Summer sky to Autumn yields

A haze of smoke across the fields

Let's sup and fight another round

And walk the stublbed ground

When November brings

The poppies on Remembrance Day

When the vicar comes to say

Lest we forget our sons

We will remember them

Remember them

Remember them

We will remember them

Remember them

Remember them

Source: bestourism.com via Natasha on Pinterest

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

Source: flandersfc.sports.officelive.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Lest we forget

Blessings and best wishes,

Natasha In Oz 

Giving Thanks for... Peonies.

Today I am thankful for so many things but I am especially thankful for the month of November!

November is a great month! I love it because it is not too hot, it is when I start decorating for Christmas, it is when I celebrate my birthday and it is the month where, for a very brief time, Peonies flourish!

I love peonies and always look forward to bringing home the first blooms of the season every November.

Peonies are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America.

The peony is named after Paeon (also spelled Paean), a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. Asclepius became jealous of his pupil; Zeus saved Paeon from the wrath of Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower.

The peony is a national emblem in China. Along with the plum blossom, it is a traditional floral symbol of China, where the Paeonia suffruticosa is called 牡丹 (mǔdān). It is also used symbolically in Chinese art.

Yun Shouping, Peonies

I am so happy that Peony season has finally arrived here in Australia!

Since there are quite a few buds in this bunch I think I will be enjoying the beauty of these peonies for at least two weeks!

Oh how I love peonies!

Thank you so much for visiting me today and for spending time with me today. I hope your Wednesday is wonderful and that the rest of your week is fabulous!

Don't forget to try and find some time every day to give thanks for your loved ones, your friends, the things that make your heart sing or the things that simply make you smile.

Linking to Daydream Living

Blessings and best wishes always,

Natasha In Oz 

I've been thinking....

I've really been thinking about how I keep comparing myself to others lately...

to friends, family, colleagues, other bloggers, celebrities and I have come to a profound conclusion....

I'm not like everyone else!

I am special, unique and an individual!

From now on, starting this week, the week I turn 40, I am going to focus more on being ME and not on being like everyone else.

Why has it taken an impending "BIG" birthday to make me reflect on my life? I guess I must have had the birthday blues last week but now I'm so happy to be turning 40, am comfortable with who I am and I am ready to enjoy the next 40 years of my life!

I guess I must be growing up!

Best wishes for a wonderful week,

Natasha

Say G'Day Saturday ~ More Autumn!

Hello my dear friends! Welcome to this weekend's Say G'day Saturday Linky Party!

I have really enjoyed exploring the wonderful pictures, recipes, crafts, songs and ideas that people have been sharing and pinning over the last few weeks. Thank you so very much to everyone for joining in with this link up, for adding your names to the Pinning Bloggers Master List and for linking back to NatashaInOz.com. It's because of YOU that there were 77 links this week...the best ever!

This week I am sharing some very beautiful ideas from, Geneva, who has the wonderful blog My heart's Song. Geneva blogs about her life, her beautiful home, decorating ideas and she even shares music sometimes!

If you haven't already met Geneva, please do pop by and visit her blog. You will love her You will also meet a wonderful new blogging friend!

I hope you also enjoy these beautiful Autumn photos put to music with Vivaldi's Four Seasons - Autumn.

Source: natashainoz.com 

Source: vitaranunkler.blogspot.com 

Source: bhg.com 

Source: hwtm.com 

Have you have posted a song, a craft idea, some decorating inspiration, a recipe or some gardening tips on your blog? I would love it if you could share your favourite post, old or new, by just adding the url of your particular blog post that you would like us to visit to the Linky tool below. Please just link back to me @ NatashaInOz.com or if you would like to Tweet about this weekly Linky Party please add this to your tweets #SayGdayParty

Thanks so much for joining in and linking up! Don't forget to come back later and visit some of the lovely bloggers who have linked up-be sure to say G'Day from me while you are there!

Before I go I must thank the lovely people who are hosting the following linky parties-thanks so much for having me and hosting these fabulous memes each week:

Feathered Nest Friday; Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday; Inspiration Friday; Tickled Pink;Fridays Unfolded;  Feature Yourself Friday; Show and Tell Friday; Free for All Friday; Home Sweet Home; Flaunt it Friday; Tidy Mom; Everything but the Kitchen Sink Party; Blissful & Domestic; Pink Saturday with Beverly ; Strut Your Stuff Saturday; Once upon a Weekend; Sunday Blog Love; Seasonal Sunday; Sundae Scoop; Amaze me Monday; Creative Bloggers party; Making The World Cuter Mondays; Market Yourself Monday; Rook no.17;  Tabletop Tuesday; Wow Me Wednesday; Show & Tell; Whatever Wednesday @Momma Hen's; Whatever Goes Wednesday; Turquoise Loving Party; Primp Your Stuff Wednesday; Decor & Organising Link Party; DIY Show Off

Thank you so much for visiting today. Please know that I truly appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to spend time with me in my little corner of the world!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes,

Natasha In Oz