Mia Bella Passions

George...

Now don't you be fooled
by his butter wouldn't melt in my mouth good looks...

This dog has serious attitude!

Meet George...

Using the word mischief to describe him is an understatement!

Here at Mia Bella Gardens we call him a work in progress.

Apparently the 'Hungarian Vizla' breed are a work in progress for their lifetime!
(I'm still coming to terms with that!)

George is probably just darn happy he found us...

He was sad, neglected and abused before he came to us...

Seriously underweight weighing in at only 17 kilos the day he arrived,
George is now happy, healthy and loved!

He has found his forever home,

even though he drives us completely crazy with his naughtiness.
(Now here's the reason why I do not have a lovely wreath on the front entrance door,
and why I made a sturdy silver platter welcome sign.)

Currently I'm in a creative planning phase,
redesigning a gorgeous front porch entrance...
that is 'George proof'!

We love him to bits!

How could you not love that face?

Welcome Door Sign...

I found this cute little silver platter in the thrift store the other day

and thought wow I can do something with this!

It has the most beautiful detailing around the edge.

So out came the paint!

I wasn't feeling too bad about painting over it because I don't think it 'real' as it doesn't have any makers marks on it.

Using a gorgeous yellow colour, I applied two

coats to the middle, leaving the detailing around the edge as is.

While it was drying I went on the net and found some free printables.

http://thegraphicsfairy.com/ is a great place to look.

I couldn't decide on one so I printed three. It took me a while to choose,

but I opted for the bee.

Plus printed out a Welcome word using a pretty font.

The clever reasoning of this is hubby is learning all about bee keeping at the moment,

so I thought he'd approve of my new piece of clutter! (My plan worked!)

Mod podge the graphics on to the platter.

When dry, mod podge over the entire painted area.

Then I made a wire hanger using contrasting coloured beads.

And here it is - the first part of my front entrance upgrade.

It is so cute!

Bonus is - it is completely George proof!

Check in tomorrow and find out what I mean....

until then have a fabulous day.

I am....

Because I am sooooo busy playing in Mia Bella Gardens,

and creating new things to show you,

today's post is a simple quote.

I did find time to Photoshop this wonderful quote from Stephen Covey

onto a beautiful rose photo from Mia Bella Gardens...

Simple but oh so seriously true.

See you again soon with an update on what's new at Mia Bella,

but here is a wee hint on posts to come,

silver platters, gorgeous fabric, fondant icing, and baking!

Winter at Mia Bella Gardens...

Oh my, how incredibly warm this winter has been!

And I am enjoying it immensely!

Not only for the fact that the arthritic bones are not so sore,

but for the enormous amount of colour that there is...

Bromeliads...

Even the butterfly flower 'asclepias',

and an iris,

neither of which should actually be in flower right now!

Red Bottle brush trees...

Paper whites with a delicious perfume...

Purple Hebe...

'Correa Pullchela' with pretty pink tubular flowers...

There are camellias in fabulous colours...

Nicotiana which a flowering tobacco.

This one is the hybrid called 'Ondra's Green Mix'.

Fushias, fushias...

and more fushias...

Begonias...

A touch of purple...

Colourful leaves....

Banksia Tree...

The Gordonia tree is in full bloom...

And even a passionflower!

If nature is so kind as to let Mia Bella Gardens escape any severe frosts,

she is going to look AMAZING come spring...

And I can't wait!

Must Have Flowers...

I have been having a wee play with photo shop...

Yesterday I came across this very famous Claude Monet quote...

So I have written it on to this lovely rose photo,

(one of April's rejects, though I seriously cannot understand why!)

I must have flowers, always and always!

Claude Monet I totally agree...

for what is life without the beauty of flowers!

Enjoy!

Gouldian Finches...

Mia Bella Gardens aviaries have new additions...

two breeding pairs of Lady Gouldian Finches.

They are amazing colours don't you think?

The male has a gorgeous dark purple breast...

And the female has a soft lavender breast.

Don't you think those wings look angelic?
For more information on these finches visit:
http://www.efinch.com/species/gould.htm

Lavender Crocus...

The crocus is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family.
They are perennials that grow from corms.
Flowers can appear from autumn, winter to spring.
Crocuses are native to woodland, scrub and meadows.
They grow from sea level to alpine tundra
in central and southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

I snapped these photos so you could see how gorgeous
the wee lavender flowers with bright yellow stamens are!
I'm not sure of the name of this one,
but these crocus grow in pots
and in the garden beds of Mia Bella Gardens.