Christmas 2009

Well done and dusted for another year! I cant believe it - it comes so slowly and then goes so fast!

We had a very quiet christmas this year with just 8 of us at Mikes parents house. My parents decided to not see us this year...their loss in my opinion.

The kids opened a mass of gifts this year on christmas morning ans then we made our way down to Perth, coming home on Boxing Day around lunch time. It was a wonderful couple of days.

Next on the calender - NY Eve at Mikes folks place and then Adventure World NY day!

Merry Christmas

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Years.

I hope that whatever it is you are doing you have fun and remember to cherish the moments with family and friends.

Please be safe on the roads and in the sun.

Eat drink and be merry I say!

Lots of Love
Gilly

Christmas Chefs Hat

I have made this for Mikes dad this year. He is the BBQ whizz at Christmas (as he is all year around!) and I thought it would be a good gag to make him a chefs hat out of Christmas material - it even matches my mother in laws Christmas apron.

Mike makes a great model doesnt he!

This was the last thing on my list to do. I am now done :D

Christmas Cushions

I thought this year that it would really nice for the children to make something for their Nanny and Pa for Christmas. I looked through what I had stash wise and came up with the idea of a cushion each for their bed. I had some inexpensive inserts from Spotlight and made a cover using one side printed fabric and the other calico. Before I sewed them up the children painted the covers with fabric paints.

Once they had been sun dried I ironed them with a hot iron for 5 minutes and whipped them together with the OL. Then I got the kids to put the cushions inside and I hand stitched the final edge.

I think they came out really nice - I was going to applique the words nanny and pa on them but decided against it. Right now the kids are making cards to put with the pillows.

I hope Nanny and Pa like them!

Only Me Again

Nothing much to report except I have finished this blasted job...nothing like something you dont enjoy to take the fun out of sewing. But having said that I am getting paid for it and well that's kinda all that matters!!!

Tomorrow we head off to Perth overnight to pick up the kids presents off layby. Now that Mike has finished work and what not its really beginning to feel like holidays. I cant believe Christmas is so close. I will start wrapping presents next week.

I hope your preparations are all coming along well!

Hello *waves*

Just popping in - I haven't dropped out of blog land. I have been working on an order for something that is totally uninspiring and time consuming but financially rewarding. Its making sports bibs for a sporting association. Blergh but worth it.

I have however started my new blog...check it out here - join in if you want :)

Apart from that Jack finishes kindy today and holidays start for Mike tomorrow. Cant wait.

Still have a few small christmas things to do so will start those early next week - once this job is finished....

Take care xxx

Words

I found this quote on Mel's blog and it absolutely resonated with me immediately.

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within. ~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Wow - thanks Mel - I love coming across things that really touch me.

Sants Claus Is Coming To Kindy

Today a very special man came to kindy to visit Jack and all his class mates. Parents were invited to come too!

He arrived by police car and gave all the children a book present.

Lainey got to sit on his knee the whole time (because she just walked up to him and sat there!)

Then he left by police car...hopefully not because of one too many sherries!

Jack then gave Mike and I our christmas presents....a beautiful key chain and his kindy memory book...this mama cried...I am so proud of him...and I love him to pieces.

I Got Gemma Mail

Oh how lucky am I! Recently my friend Gemma from Crafty Mamas had a wonderfully successful day at one of her local markets. When she posted us pics of her goodies that she had taken to sell I loved the fairy drink bottle holder and I asked her if I could get one for Lainey.

Well..it arrived today..along with a holder for Jack and a beautiful tile with my new business logo and name on it for my door!

Thank you so much Gemma - you're an absolute star and the kids love the drink bottle holders and I adore my tile.

Ribbons and Clippy Galore

I wanted to make a korker ribbon for Lainey to wear on Christmas Day and this is what I came up with. I used the tute here...it was pretty easy really ..




Then I started fiddling with some clips and ribbons and came up with these:






I love the Farbenmix ones - Im going to make some more and sell them.

I Am So Lucky

To have the friends I do.

They nourish me.

They care for me.

They save me.

Thank you.

Yes - that means you.

When Im Feeling Blue

I dont normally post things about my personal life on my blog and when I do I usually erase them - but my blog is an extension of me and quite frankly I dont care who reads this post.

There is something bugging me 24/7 at the moment - something I cant shake.

My parents have chosen to not come and see their grand children on Boxing Day. Mike and I invited them and were preparing to put on a lovely meal of cold meats and salads and antipasto platters when my mother rings and informs me that her and my dad wont be coming. The reason given was weak at best - oh we dont feel that we will have enough time to see you before hand and it will be tense. I was shattered. Absolutely shattered.

Now I know that things haven't been so crash hot lately. It particularly turned bad when my sister decided I was too fat to be a bridesmaid in her wedding last year. My relationship with my sister has never been good and if she never comes through my front door again it will be too soon. But where it went bad with my parents is that they let my sister treat me the way she did and said nothing. They would always have held me to a higher standard yet they allowed her to treat me the way she did and said or did nothing to stop it. There was never a question that 8 years ago when I got married that I would have her as a bridesmaid. She was family. And that's what you do with family. Involve them. never mind the fact she was plastered off her brain and my maid of honour had to take her outside and give her a talking to, never mind that she insisted she have her dero drug addled boyfriend in the official portraits and never mind that she ended up crying her eyes out on the 18th hole of the golf course at midnight paralytic making an ass of herself. I had to have her. That was the inference from my parents.

Then when the wedding rolled around I may as well not even have been there as noone from my family took the time to speak to me. I had family in from the UK so I know that my mum felt it a better course of action to ignore me and hope I went away rather than face up to the issue and be embarrassed in front of her family. What a shame they would have seen we were not perfect....

Since then things have gone down hill with the relationship between my parents and my sister getting stronger and mine weaker. Its like they cant like both of us at once because not 2 years ago they were slagging off my sister and her now husband to my face. I had my mum in tears on the phone one day crying about how my sister had ruined the house of hers they were renting and she was going to have them evicted etc. Of course nothing came of that because my mum was too weak to stand up to her.

So when my mum decided not to come on Boxing Day I guess it was par for the course - even though I thought it to be one of those lines you just dont cross. Some people in this world dont even have grand children and yet she and my dad are choosing to pretend as though my children dont exist. Its not been about me anymore. I know I couldn't disappoint them any more if I tried so its not about me. Its about the two kids I love to death not having extended family around. I never did as a child. Ever...and so I guess its the repetition through the generations happening.

Im so disappointed in them. And I know they wont tell the truth to people when they ask my parents if they have seen the children this christmas. They wont tell people they chose not to come...oh no..it will be my fault as always. I'm not good enough for them to tell the truth about. Its easier to hope I go away.

All this from a woman of the cloth.....what a hypocrite..its easier to deal with strangers than the real people around you.

My parents dont deserve to see my children and we have plenty of wonderful things to keep them happy. I have told them that my parents are going away and wont be able to see them. How sad is that - that I have to tell my children a lie to protect their feelings. When they get older I will tell them the truth. I have tried in the past to be diplomatic and adult when dealing with this but a part of me just wants to kick and scream and cry and have a tantrum. I know they live a happy life without me...I know family from the UK has visited and they havent even told me. These people are my family too...yet they choose to pretend that I and my children dont exist.

But I will out on a happy face - and cry in private.

My sister is having a baby in April next year. No doubt one step closer to replacing my children and making it easier to act as though they dont exist.

Merry Christmas mum and dad - hope you have a ball.....

A Top For Me #2

Here is another go at a top for me. I really like this pattern and am going to try it lots of fabrics as I think the style really suits me. I am trying to make a top to wear on Christmas Day and one for Boxing Day. So far this is in the lead!

It took me one hour and 15 minutes from cutting out the fabric to finish.

The pattern is self made and fabric is stash but originally from Crafty Mamas - of course!

Excuse my dressmakers model - Im storing it for a friend and its not my size - I wish I had one the right size!

Ive Got Lisa Mail!

Recently I made Jack some board shorts. My friend Lisa from The Princess & The Monkey loved the material and I had enough left so I sent her my leftovers for her son Liam.

I got this in the mail today...



with a Christmas card thanking me for the material. How lucky am I! These coasters are wonderful and came in a beautiful gift bag.

Thank you so much Lisa - you really didn't have to but Im over the moon you did!

If you too would love to be able to groovy up your coffee table then check out Lisas Etsy store here...

El Porto = El Done - O

I have finished the Studio Tantrum El Porto....

This is a really lovely bag but, in my humble opinion, with a few "buts"...

1. Not for the faint earthed...in my opinion - but perhaps this will change with making more of them.

2. Not for the time poor - anything this lovely takes time..those of us who like one hour gratification should not expect this pattern to provide it.

3. Not for those who dont speak German! - I used an online dictionary and Google translate to get through it - I will be asking for the English translation when it comes out.

Please dont think I am bagging (sorry for the pun) this pattern. I love the finished product and the work put into it was so worth it. It is a Christmas present for my friend Tegan who goes to board in the big smoke next year to complete high school. I cant think of anything else more perfect for her.

Im sure the wonderful Nancy is turning in her sleep having a nightmare about someone on the other side of the world butchering her pattern! I must admit to leaving the suggested construction path towards the end. I was fatigued and had kind of lost touch with the instructions. Google translate does a good job but sometimes its a bit hard to understand. But as I said before think the end product has been well worth the journey. Oh and I lengthened the strap - Im not sure if i missed something there but I thought it very short.

I will make another one of these...I want one!

2009 Channel 7 RAC Christmas Pageant

Today Mikes parents and I took the kids to the 2009 Christmas Pageant. This is the second year its been run during the day and I think its a great idea. We left home at 7am so at ensure a good spot both sitting and parking - last year we got caught in the car park for almost an hour! The pageant started at 9.30 and it was as magical as ever. The kids loved it and this year was even more special as Lainey really understood it a bit better. Her face was priceless. I love the pageant...to me it really marks the start of the festive season ..next - Carols by Candlelight on Tuesday night. What says Christmas more than pageants and carols.

When we are watching the pageant I feel the need to take a photo of every float...to kind of capture the essence of the parade and Christmas I guess! Here are some of my favs (considering I took over 130 photos culling it to this many was hard!) :

I Got Style..

Bris-style that is!

Sam over at Jettas Nest recently won a competition to have her design printed on the calico Bris-Style bags in time for their latest markets. She posted on her blog that we could buy one from her if we were unable to attend the market. So, being that its unlikely I will make the cross country trip to Brisbane this weekend - I messaged her and ...it arrived today!

Aint it cute! Well done Sam and thanks! You can check out the Etsy Brisbane Street Team here...

Christmas Outfit #2

Here is Jacks outfit for Christmas this year. There isn't anything particularly Christmassy about it - but he chose the colours and well - its nice to have something new to wear on such a special day. Besides - hes past the age of being dressed like an elf !

The fabric is from Crafty Mamas and was stash - the top is Stella and the pants are a camo drill. Very nice fabric. The pattern for the top is the Ottobre sleeveless tank which I downloaded from here (its a freebie off their site), and the pants where made using the Easy Fit Pants pattern I bought recently on YCMT.

Now the kids will both look smashing on Christmas Day :)