Kayaking around Double Island, Palm Cove Australia

 

The view we started with off Palm Cove

Back at the beginning of November I ticked another thing off my bucket list. Growing up in Cairns we would often visit Palm Cove on the weekends and just offshore you can see Double Island and Scout Hat Island (real name Haycock Island) - Wikipedia info here and has a photo of Double Island which I didn't think to take. Over the years it was a resort for the rich and famous and I am neither of them, so never visited.  I discovered that you can kayak around Double Island and thought this is my chance to finally make it there.  So with the help of Brad from Palm Cove Watersports my friend and I were up at 5.30am for a 6am start of kayaking.  

We are on our way in a double kayak, just my friend and our guide Brad heading to Scout Hat Island both of us thinking - "what are we doing".

Yep, I led the way and my friend steered us from behind as I was hopeless at that.

Just around the top end of Double Island to back of the island…..lovely calm waters.

Looking back to Palm Cove and Buchans Point from Double Island

 So sad that to see that since this island has been closed to the public that things have just been left to become derelict.   This is a gym.

If you look through the reflections you can see the gym equipment is just sitting there as if someone had used it yesterday except for the rust that is growing on it.  Such a shame this equipment was not sold off or donated to someone that could have used it.

One of the Eco Cabins falling apart.

We enjoyed a walk around the shores of Double Island

Even spied a couple of Shovel Nosed Sharks in the water, this is about 40cm long.

I loved every moment of this adventure and keen to do again one day.  The day we went was a little windy  - about 9 - 10 knots so we didn't get to see the amazing reef we were floating over or the turtles that live around the island.  My cousin and her husband did a similar tour four days after us and she said it was flat as, turtles everywhere and the reef so pretty.

Olive Backed Sunbird

This will be a long post with lots of photos. :-) 

Morning everyone, hope you have had a great Christmas and it went to your plans, if not to plan it was still lovely all the same.  Our Christmas was the latter - nothing drastic happened just not as I thought it would. My husband surprised me with a Cricut Joy cutter, something I didn't even know I needed but now I can imagine so many possibilities.  If anyone has one I would love to hear some hints, tips or great blogs/sites I can visit.

Today I want to share photos of the the little Olive Back Sunbirds that have chosen our back verandah as their nesting area.  It has been such a pleasure and joy watching them build their nest, sit on the eggs, feed the chicks and very quiet and sad when they all fly from the nest.  More info here.

The couple of sunbirds joined us 2nd October and they decided to build their nest on one of my succulents.

One day when the chicks were hatched we had a bit of strong wind which blew the nest to the ground. Luckily, my husband found them and reattached the nest to the succulent with electrical tape.  Everyone was happy and continued on growing.

This is the hard working Mum. By the end of October they were gone.

I moved the nest from the succulent and tied it up with a shoelace further down the verandah so I could again water my plants.  We had heard that these birds use the same nest over and over.

Two more eggs

Lucky us, they did and weren't worried about the slight change in scenery.  I was amazed as they just seemed to move back in on the 2nd December with no repairs happening.

And just like that they flew the nest yesterday 28th December.

I hope you enjoyed the journey of these little birds.

Christmas Creations 2021

Hi everyone, well it's Christmas Eve here and the perfect time to share all my Christmas creations I have made this year.  I have continued on with the challenge to myself to use up all the christmas papers and embellishments I have so I can start afresh next year. I have had a wonderful time creating and knowing that my papers etc are getting put to use rather than sitting in my binder year after year.

This year to help me achieve this challenge the only Christmas decoration I have put up is the christmas tree and fairy lights.

I had fun trying some of the different origami christmas ornament tutorials.  Most of them are easily done. I think I had two styles that didn't make it to the tree.

Our tree all decorated with the origami ornaments, paper chain garland, added candy canes and two gifted glass/crystal ornaments.  Topped with our version of a candy cane angel which was planned to be a star but just didn't work.  The angel looks sad because it has already taken a fall due to our puppy taking off one of the ornaments he admired so much. :-)

My gifts to friends at work, again started with my challenge of using Christmas papers up.  I also recycled my vitamins bottles from the year, decorated them and filled them up with Minties.  Telling everyone these were for all the "moments" (Mintie slogan - It's moments like these we need Minties) we have had throughout the year…..as it has been a year of new roles and policies etc.

A friend gave me two felt Santa kits that she received with a parcel she had ordered.  I enjoyed cutting them out and stitching them together.

More mini milk cartons were made, full of minties ready for the local museum Christmas party,

also these quick and easy little biscuit and chocolate holders.

My Mum often receives crafting items from friends in her church group which they no longer need/use.  Mum's arthritis in her hands has now stopped her from card making but not knitting and crocheting.  So I receive these bundles to put to use.  The last lot had these embossed card fronts with the the window already cut out.  So I attached them all to card stock and added a background paper for the window.  The cards above I put to use my new bauble dies.

Here I used some of my sticker baubles attaching them to christmas paper and cutting around them before hand cutting them out.

Lastly, I just a poinsettia die I was gifted last year, still using up my papers and stickers.

I made this little Christmas tree ornament from my papers, its about 25cm tall.

I'm very please with myself as this is all the Christmas stash I have left, what fun I will have next year.

And that is my Christmas creations done.  I hope you enjoyed the photos and thanks for visiting again.  Merry Christmas to you all and I hope your day is as you would like. 

Origami Five Point Star for Christmas Tree

 

Hi everyone, I've decided this year to try an use up as much of my Christmas paper stash (which has been my plan the last couple of years).  This way I can happily fill my folders again with some nice, new, fresh designs when Christmas comes around again next year.  Some of my papers are 5 - 10 years old, been given by my Mum and another close friend - so not really my choice and from magazines.

I have also decided this year as it's just my husband and I at home with a weekly visit from our daughter who both aren't into Christmas decorating that I would just put up our tree and decorate it with paper ornaments I create.  

I started with these origami five point stars - once you have done the first one they are very easy to create and fun.  I used these instructions - https://christines-crafts.com/how-to-make-a-5-pointed-star-origami-tutorial/   The star above is my first attempt, yes a couple of refolds in there.

Here are the stash of stars I created and of that only two made it to my tree.  My cousin was hosting a Christmas dinner with friends and wanted 15 small gifts for a game. 

I added a sticker to the back of each as the paper was one sided and the white section not appealing to me. Finished with beads and star sequins to create an ornament for the tree.  Hopefully, the recipients enjoyed receiving them as much as I enjoyed making them.  

Now, I am making a paper chain to go along with the lonely two stars I have on my tree. :-)

Have a great day.