if I could just take a moment to.....

.....wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Thank-you for your continuing support and encouragement, for all of your lovely comments and emails, and for dropping by to meet me at the markets.

I have had a most fabulous year and with the continuing growth of Janis House Photography I am looking forward to an exciting 2012.

May your festive season be filled with family, friends, fun and fine food,

janis.......xx

I'll be at Balnarring Market this Saturday - fingers crossed for some sunshine!

Emus Plains Racecourse - Coolart Road Balnarring - 8am - 1pm

http://www.mymarketsvic.com.au/directory/balnarring-racecourse-rotary-craft-art-and-fresh-produce-market-67.html

taking flight...

...so today my fairies officially took flight with the arrival of my seasonal marketing material.

The first unaddressed mail delivery is due to occur later today to Somers Post Boxes and it's fair to say that I am just a little bit excited!

Promoting both this blog together with Janis House Photography I just had to use the priceless image of the 7 little fairies lined up at the Somers General Store for front of the card. 

Who wouldn't smile when looking at this image?

Here are a few more pics from our fun-filled fairy day out...

the best Rudolf ever

it's just not Christmas until a good friend makes you one of these! 

setting the scene.........twice

Well, it's official, Christmas is nearly here.

And in our home old meets new as we set up our Christmas nativity scenes, with my late Grandmothers much loved china scene sitting next to the more recently developed fisher price little people scene complete with musical glowing stable and 3 politically correct wise men!

Would Mavis mind the blending of the old and new? I don't think so, she loved a good Christmas and would be thrilled that I am continuing the traditions..... combined with a little of the craziness! 

Somers Fairies

What were you doing on Sunday?

I was running around town with 7 of the most adorable Fairies that Somers has ever seen.

We started at Coolart with fun, games and fairy snacks, headed to Somers General Store for fairy-cinos and chips and then retired to the beach just to be sure that we'd had the most fun possible.

The result was amazing with oodles of images to choose from for upcoming Janis House Photography materials. 

Although I am still editing and selecting I just wanted share with you one of my favourite images from the fun at the beach - more will be posted soon. 

Thank you to all my amazing fairies and to the fairy mums for your help on the day........xx

pause....& enjoy the paws

when talking a walk or when out and about keep an eye open for the fabulous Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos sp.) that are flowering now. bold and striking they would have to be one of my most favourite native flowers and to me they herald the nearing of the festive season and some wonderfully warm weather! 

love....

.....dragonfly season

now that was a serious storm.....

....rolling in slowly but then hitting with an almightily thump.

As the skies grew darker the sea seemed an iridescent green, there were people all around and then the next minute they were all gone and I was the only left. A little hairy when the lightening came along but I'm sure (I think) it would hit the radio tower before me!

fun...

...is when watering the vegetable garden turns into a water fight (with tank water of course)!

my love of the Cup..

....a perfect excuse for entertaining! 

My cup race started in the kitchen nice and early and finished on the back deck with fabulous friends, plenty of laughter and lots of yummy food. I love that we have a public holiday for a horse race and when combined with a couple of birthdays as happened today it is simply fantastic!

Dear Photograph,

http://dearphotograph.com

Have you caught on to Dear Photograph, I have and just love it, taking a picture from the past in the present. I'm not sure if I'll submit mine but have had the most enjoyable time looking through boxes of old pictures and considering just how much life changes and how simple it really can be. 

Dear Photograph, 

Oh yes thats me, the one in red having fun at Somers beach, enjoying carefree times of lilo surfing, cliff jumping and crab hunting. Where it didn't matter how much was on the to do list still be be done or how many emails remained unattended to. I still have a thing for red bathers and for paddling in the surf. The sand cliffs near the yacht club have long gone along with the little ice cream kiosk on the corner. The fun times carry on though, and the little one on the sand, well she's mine and I'm doing my very best to make sure she has just as many happy memories as I do.

janis xx

back up on the hill......

I'll be at Red Hill Market again next month 

- Saturday November the 5th - 

inside the top pavilion near the park - hope to see you there! 

www.craftmarkets.com.au 

why I love what I do

4 generations of beautiful women together for a family photo shoot. 

yum!

Choc Chip Cookies using a recipe that called for sweetened condensed milk, I was surprised but it worked, these are delicious. Of course any baking is made all the more fun when using my babushka measuring cups and anything in the kitchen with a four year old is sure to generate a few laughs and a whole lot of mess. And with the motto "the best baking is shared baking" some of todays goodies are packed and ready for delivery......hmm now who to deliver them to?

out in the garden....

....inspired by a recent peak inside the new book by celebrated Sydney florist Saskia Havekes Grandiflora Celebrations, I headed out into the garden to see what arrangements I could come up with. I love that my easy care (almost) native garden is able to supply me with an amazing range of flowers and foliage in varying shapes and colours. I just couldn't bring myself to pick the Kangaroo Paws and Proteas, this early in the season they are still in short supply the birds simply love them! 

www.grandiflora.net/GrandifloraCelebrations

so.....

......I am unable to tell you too much about the images below as they are for a surprise gift (I have been assured that the receiver never reads blogs) however with the permission of the gift giver I just had to share them as I love them! 

They are from an older home that is soon to be reworked and my brief was to simply capture the history and essence of the property. 

Whilst it is in an amazing location and it's outlook breathtakingly beautiful what really struck me was the character and charm that it oozed. Near empty and ready for work it felt warm, inviting and very much loved and enjoyed. 

I tried to think about all of the little details of the home,  the things that it's owner will want to remember when looking back in years to come, the things that made this house a home. 

did you...

..see the sunset? It was rather dramatic and oh so nice and although it was a tad bit chilly down on the beach I was able to convince visiting family from the far north to come down and enjoy it with me. 

it's going to be a great day out......

......I have two pieces in the exhibition and will be having a stall - hope to see you there. 

a wet wally....

.......a clean dog is good dog in my eyes, and what a fabulous day for wally dog to get a good hosing - just watch out for when he shakes!

streets galore....

...street scenes have now been created for somers (of course), balnarring, merricks, shoreham, flinders and red hill - see the image sales page for more details. 

i have had the most enjoyable time creating them, discovering little pockets in our neighboring towns and extended neighborhood that I never knew existed. 

first family swim of the season....

...the fantastic burst of warm weather today meant just one thing...a quick dip at the beach before the quickly setting sun...come on summer, we are ready!

yay for spring....

www.janishousephotography.com

love..

..that yesterday we were at the beach paddling in the shallows..

..that today we were rugged up inside watching old school Smurfs..

..that I will be at Red Hill Market again next month - Saturday October the 1st! http://www.craftmarkets.com.au/

for dad, pa pa and g dad.......

happy fathers day

we had a fabulous day that started with some serious kitchen time......

.........followed by a laid back bit of bouncing around......

and then a relaxing lunch with much loved family..............perfect!