'Tis nearly the season to be jolly ..

tra la la la la la la la la

A lovely post from Megan and this post from the Diary of a Domestic Competent (don't you love that name!) have me thinking about Christmas. I'm never likely to be that organised but it would be nice to have some projects underway now so that I can finish them well before the celebrations are in full swing.

I was very sick with gastro just before Christmas last year which kind of ruined any plans we had. Hopefully this year we'll have more fun. We're extra excited this year too because my nephews and neice are coming out from Holland and we haven't seen them for such a long time - in fact we haven't even met our neice.

So, to my projects! The first project to be hauled out is my advent stocking garland. I finished all the stockings last year and we filled them but I didn't complete all the numbers.



Of course, I promised myself I wouldn't put it away until I had and now it's nearly November. I found it still waiting patiently on the shelf near my desk. Let's see if I can have these done by sometime next week - it's only numbers 17 to 24 - easy!

Then after a little research last night I re-discovered this wonderful Holiday ornament swap which I just missed out on last year. I really, really want to do this as I love the idea of receiving lots of little packages from around the world and how lovely to think that something I have made will (hopefully) grace something as special as someone's Christmas tree. So if you are interested go check out Freshly Blended the first week in November.

Here's a little inspiration. One of the best things about this swap is the fantastic mix of crafts and mediums. There's fabric, wool, felt, buttons, paper, beads, wood, plastic, ceramics and even metal. Some of them are just beautiful but my favourites have to be the little aprons (I so wish I had that idea), the adorable pink houses and the sweet penguins.



1. Pinky Ornamenty Goodness!!, 2. all done!, 3. the whole gang!

I would also like to work on some ornaments with my two older girls. Maybe using felt and embroidery or maybe something like this wonderful idea from Domesticali. I think I'll let them come up with some ideas and see if some of them are not too hard to create.

What Christmas/Holidays projects are you up to??

A name tag

I was tagged a while ago by the lovely Cathy to play the name game.

Here’s how it works:1. Players must list one fact, word, or tidbit that is somehow relevant to their life for each letter of their first or middle name.2. When you are tagged you need to write your own post containing your first or middle name game facts, word, or tidbit.3. At the end of your post choose one person for each letter of your name to tag.4. Don’t forget to leave a comment telling them that they have been tagged, and to read your blog....

So I have decided to do my first name and rather than blathering about myself I thought I would use it to explain my excellent visit to Camberwell Market today.

L is for lucky, lovely and loot. See this tin. I was admiring it and wondering whether to purchase it or not.



O is for open and ooh which is what I did, in that order. Because look what was inside.



U is for unexpected and unbelievable. And what happened next was both. "You can have that", a voice from behind a rack of clothes called out! And after checking about three times that he meant it, I took it. I haven't had a proper look in it yet but I must say that completely made my day!

I is for irresistible. And that's how I would describe lots of goodies at this market.

S is for scoring these gorgeous old pillow cases and rose tin. I never find stuff like this and as they were shutting up shop I got the lot for a song!



E is for excellent, a truly excellent day's shopping!

It is also for everyone I know has already been tagged. So if you haven't been, feel free to join in!

Post Holiday Chaos

Well what a busy start to Term 4 it has been. Not only did school and kinder go back but we had swimming, tennis, violin and Greek school and to top it off a whole school concert (500+ kids) last Friday night. I was so tired on Saturday I wanted to cry and the kids were also a bit worse for wear. I think part of the problem is that it's getting light really early now and they are awake at the crack of dawn.

Then on Tuesday Daphne came down with croup which is just horrible. She had a barking, painful cough and laboured breathing and was utterly miserable . All she has wanted to do all week is sit on me so I had to organise lots of help with school and kinder pickups - aren't Grandparents wonderful! She's getting back to her old self slowly but it seems to have really exhausted her.

So, sorry for the gap in communication. I know some of you have been waiting to see some holiday snaps so here goes.

A great view.



A bit of lounging about.



Some swimming.



A bit of sandman building.



Some shell collecting.



Cheeky kangaroo feeding.



Spiky echinda patting.



And Daphne made quite a few discoveries.

Playing with wet sand is lots of fun.



Eating icecream in a cone is very yummy and very messy.



And that the world looks really good from this angle.



Really good!



A great break for us all.



I started knitting a skirt for Chloe while we were away and must have been channeling the lovely Leslie because I finished it just after we arrived home. I finally found time today to sew in the waistband and add the elastic.



I had to increase the needle size to get the right size and I think it may still shrink a bit. I like it as it is but I think I will have another go at one for Lucinda and add some more stitches on the increase row to make it a bit swirlier. I'm sure she'd like that being a five year old girl.

And look what other little project I have been ploughing on with.



Now to quilting it. I have had some great chats to the girls at Amitie and come up with some really cool quilting ideas - you will have to wait and see though.



I have two or three (or four or five) other quilting projects waiting so I want to get this finished and to its new owner as soon as I can.

I have also whipped up a bag for a girlfriend's birthday.



I enjoyed a great night out with the girls from my mother's group last night and gave it to her then. Enjoy it Reggie, I hope you like it.



I'll leave you with a snap I took earlier this week while at a friend's. They were looking after Daphne and brought out all their dress up jewellery which is one her favourite games. She's had such a tough week since then poor little girl and this photo just makes me smile.

Fall in Spring

A quick post tonight to say hi I'm back from my holiday and to show you my finished Autumn quilt for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap.



I was quite glad to finish this in the end - but I'm so very pleased with the outcome! Don't you LOVE the stripey orange binding?!



It is now on its way to its new home - I hope she likes it!



I will post some of the back once the quilt arrives.

Now I am off to bed. We had a six hour car journey today and I'm exhausted. Will fill you in during the week on the lovely warm beachy holiday we just had. It's back to school on Monday!