A very happy Christmas to all

 

Today...I wish you a day of ordinary miracles- 

A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.

An unexpected phone call from an old friend.

Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.

I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...

The fastest line at the grocery store.

A good sing along song on the radio.


Your keys right where you look.

I wish you a day of happiness and perfection-little bite-size pieces of perfection that gives you the funny feeling that the Lord is smiling on you, holding you so gently because you are someone special and rare. 
(source unknown - but thank you)

Take the time to enjoy the day.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas for 2013 and a Happy, Healthy 2014

December FNSI

Last night I joined in the final FNSI for the year. Thank you so much Wendy for  organising us for our Friday night stitching.

I worked on some Christmas gifts, finishing off 2 "Dear Diaries" to give to my sisters.  I like making Joy's (JoyPatch) Dear Diary pattern.

 The books on the right in each of them are from Rebound Books.  I like to support this small business when I can - such a unique idea.  With every order I make I usually add something from their fundraising sale section which supports the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The delivery of the books was very quick also.

High Tea

This year the customer Christmas celebration at Sew This and That was a High Tea, held on Sunday afternoon a week ago.  We were to take our own cup, saucer and plate.  I knew straight away that I wanted to use this beautiful set which had belonged to my mother, and which I had always admired.  But it had no saucer - so what was a stitchy girl to do but make one.

 

I photocopied the plate and then reduced the size to 80%, traced that onto a piece of cream fabric (which I had to use bleach to lighten to get a closer colour).  I then embroidered the flowers, stitched the gold trim and it was ready to use.  It served its purpose very well.  

One of the competitions on the day was taken from our November Sewing Club project, which was a gift bag with an angel or Santa appliqued on - and with dangly legs.  We could use those or our own applique, and embellish as we would like.  I made the small size bag as given to us and then - thanks to Fiona giving me an idea (she made some of these last Christmas and I had seen them on her blog - you can check them out here) I used the pattern of the gingerbread man, enlarged it and embellished it, then appliqued it onto the bag.

 I was very surprised that mine was voted the winner as there were some beautifully embellished Santas on some of the bags.
(The pattern and tutorial for the gingerbread man ornaments is here).

Other competitions voted on by all of us, was for the messiest sewing room and the best sewing room.  We had to take in a photo beforehand.  Now mine would have done well for the messiest, but I needed to clear off my cutting table and also my sewing desk so as to make some curtains.  So I actually took a photo of a clean sewing room.

And again I won the prize for the best sewing room.  My half garage comes up rather well when tidied up. Mind you if they could have seen what was behind the camera it may have reverted to messiest.  

 I was very chuffed with my wins - 2 class vouchers.  It made up for the fact that my shoe parted company with its sole part way through the afternoon and I spent the rest of the time barefooted - not a good look when frocked up, but a good laugh just the same. 

It is a fantastic store and Danielle and the Girls run excellent classes, give good customer service, and have amazing fabrics.

Our December sewing club project was a Christmas wall hanging.

 He is a jolly little fellow and is hanging beside the door to the bathroom.  He has a pompom on his hat but it is lost in the background in the photo.

special 1 Christmas Item Show and Tell

I have been so thrilled to be able to be part of 1 Christmas Item a Month, this year, and have been impressed with being able to make something "Christmas" every month of the year.  Today our chief Elf, Narelle, is hosting an extra show and tell for December.  Thank you so much Narelle - it is so much fun checking out all the blogs each month, and there have been some beautiful decorations, gifts and other Christmas items made throughout the year.

My contributions this month are hot off the press  sewing machine.

My two daughters and their families are going to be spending their Christmas Day together "down on the Farm".  2 of their children have Santa Sacks that I made earlier in the year, but the other two dont.  To save any squabbles or feelings of favouritism (no not really - they are a bit young to feel that), I have made  Santa Sacks for the other two..

To save confusion of whose bag is whose (because I didnt remember to put names on them), I decided I had better make tags so they can identify them.

  

They are now ready to be filled up with some goodies, for some very excited children to check out on Christmas morning.

Happy Mail - and fun with the Grandies

Earlier this week I received some lovely mail - firstly a parcel from Kerrie for the 6 Items swap organised by Maree.

 

 One parcel is under the tree, and removing the wrapping from the other five revealed the most beautiful  gifts.

something to read - a cookie recipe book (Yummy)

something to eat - choc coated shortbread (also Yummy)

something that smells nice - a lavender heat pack (very useful)

 Something for the tree - look at this beautiful beaded stocking. (love it)

 Something for the sewing room - the fatquarter and buttons (bottom left in above photo) as well as these absolutely amazing pin cushion and tape measure cover.   They are so finely crocheted.  (So beautiful)

Here is what I sent to my swap partner (no blog).  I havent heard yet if she has received it - but I put my details inside the gift to be opened on Christmas Day so she wont know till then, who it is from.  I hope she will be happy with them.

More happy mail I received this week was a parcel from Sandi (Forevermoore).  Sandi had a very generous Giveaway with 4 chances to win a gift from her.  I received a lovely parcel of the book I had chosen as well as a Christmas brooch,  and a beautifully embroidered (Marg Low designed) little wallet/pouch thingy containing gorgeous buttons.

Thank you Sandi for such a generous giveaway parcel.

This week I had one of those occasions when Granny duties were in great demand.  On one night I had 4 Grandies (2 families) come for a sleepover, and on the following day they were joined by 2 more.

 

 I have to say I had forgotten just how much of the day revolves around food when there are 6 young ones in the house.  By the time the food was prepared, eaten and cleaning up done, it was time to start over again.

They all had a wonderful time playing together, the older two were very helpful.  What's more, the parents were amazed to see that all toys had been cleaned up and the place reasonably tidy when they came to pick up their children - again thanks to the example of Kai and Charlie which encouraged the next 2, Sammy and Harry, to help pack up.

 Henry enjoyed the attention he received.

 But was not so happy when they left him on his own.  Its not fair being the only one not mobile.

 

Vicki's favourite activity was to play in the dog's drinking water. She washed quite a few toys in there.

 Fortunately the dog is not too concerned - she would rather sleep.   She is too old and arthritic to want to join in their play time.

I wonder why my DH chose those particular 2 days to go  on a sudden business trip.  Do you think he had reasons other than work involved in that decision?