Ready set ...Christmas!

Someone mentioned on a blog the other day how close Christmas was - it got me to thinking that it would be good to be more organised this year because I am working.

So Friday next week I will begin a series of tutorials for quick gifts to make for Christmas.

I am no expert but I have made loads of things over the years and they sold quite well at the markets I attended. Where possible I will use recycled materials and I will keep the instructions simple. I will not be reinventing the wheel so if there are website out there with great tutorials on a particualr aspect of the job then that is where I will send you to look.

Some will be for machine sewing, some hand sewing, some cooking and just some clever things I have found along the way. You will even be treated to a few original designs.

I say Friday next week because this week to save myself some time I am rehashing an old tutorial I did. No hints but for now DO NOT THROW OUT ANY OLD TOWELS, FLANNELETTE SHEETS, OLD SHIRTS and keep an eye out for end of winter sales in polar fleece, cheerful cotton (or poly cotton - this isn't a quilting class) fabric, and embroidery threads.
Oh and if you see any of that by the metre plastic with the fabric backing that they use for outside tablecloths grab a little bit of that - look for remnants or end of rolls.

Okay that is enough for now........kids are well and back to school today so I am off to work.

daisymum

Blessings from above and Australia Post...

Our Dam is FULL it overflowed sometime early this morning after the third storm went through. We had 80mm last night and about 250 for the month so far. The water now stretches some 27metres length wise and about 19 m in width. So swimming tomorrow on the hot day they predict will be fabulous and so fresh the dam hasn't had a good flush out or about four years.

Yesterday I found this waiting at the Post Office for me!!

It is my diary swap package from Ngaire that "I too am addicted to scrap" organised.

I opened the lid and there were two parcels!!

One wrapped in gorgeous duck egg green paper with a beautiful almost lithographic print of birds and postmarks in red - and big red

ribbon.

The other in pink with flocked black flowers on it - this paper felt great really thick and the flowers were raised and felty.

Inside the pink package was............

a cannister of bath salts in Strawberry and Cream scent - and it smells just like that sounds!!!

And a little notebook that I have decided will be my saying notebook for when I think of a good saying to

add to one of my stitchery patterns and I need somewhere to write it down and keep it safe.

The big package had two more gifts....

My Diary on the right all dressed up in Amy Butler fabric with Ric Rac - I love Ric Rac. I also love the fact that it is week to an opening it is a great size just big enough not to get lost too often in my sewing room and small enough to pop into one of my handbags and take it with me.

The other soft pink folder opened to reveal this little surprise.....

three pockets................

Filled with hand made gift tags and cards and envelopes!!!

I sent Ngaire an email yesterday to thank her for all these wonderful gifts, in it I said "I don't do paper" - I am not a paper person I love the look and feel of hand made cards and I buy them all the time to send for thank yous and birthdays etc. But when it comes to scrapbooking and card making it is not something I have ever gotten into. I adore fabric and how it feels and the possibilities and I have quite enough trouble keeping all the scraps from that in order and using them imagine what I would be like with paper and then there are the cutters, scissors, little beady things etc etc etc...!!!

Ngaire I cannot find words to adequately express my sincere appreciation for this lovely package. I am not sure if you chose these fabrics becasue you liked them or becasue they were what you had on hand or perhaps you had an insight into me but they are absolutely me - they scream me - my favourite colours have always been pink and green and pink and yellow - in all their variations from dirty mustards, olives and raspberrys to lolly pink, mint and lemon and here in this package I have them all.

I am so touched by your generosity and the beautiful work you do - thank you so so much - you made my day!! I will think of you everytime I sit down and juggle my time with my diary and whenever I choose one of your cards to write a message in for a friend.

daisymum