Christmas makes......

In Chookyblue's SSCS I sent to Lyn in New Zealand.  ( I got a wonderful folder cover from Lyn last year so it was a bit daunting to be making for her)

I made up a pattern by Libby Richardson called Ronald Reindeer Table Runner....

It's about 1.5 metres long to give you an idea of size.....

I think the reindeers at either end are just gorgeous and I quilted around the edges in monofilament and quite tight in the background so they show up well....

.. and some big bold holly and ribbons over the strips .....

... and this is the little ornament that I made to go with it... wishing lots of Joy....

When I did the preparation for the applique I realised after I had started sewing that I had ironed them to the wrong side of the background fabric.....

... so whilst I made Lyn's I did a similar one for me ......

I did do quite a bit of work on mine in December but just ran out of time to get it completed ..... just needs the binding....

I also did a swap for FHFS which  sent to Barb ....... silly me forgot most of the pictures..... but here is a few of the things that I had made....

The main gift for Christmas Day is this Christmas wallhanging from Simply Christmas by Gail Pan

The stitcheries are lovely - I do enjoy her designs and I found some Anni Downs fabrics to join them all together....

I also did this journal cover - the B is from Michelles alphabet series and I used a free tutorial found HERE 

I added a bit of tape measure cord for a book mark....

I do love to use up vintage doilies in some of my makes too....

I put a bit of felted wook in the middle and turned it into a needlecase....

Righto, Gotto Go..... new things to make ,......

I give up......

Being 'that' time of year there are parties and this week I duly did my bit of baking...

First some yummy crunchy cheese biscuits a bit more golden than I hoped....

... then a bunch of mini cupcakes (and a few big ones to leave at home for Hubz)

Icing is easy with the squeezie bag she said (DD) ......  till the end shoots off and there is a giant bleached turd shaped mess over the cupcakes....

... so after cleaning it all up and starting again I finally got my lovely santa hat cup cakes all ready to take out to the Friday night stitching Christmas party.....

a hot night and a bump in the road ...... 

not impressed!

Several of the girls were still kind enough to eat one.....   

so should I give up on the baking?????

This week my first Christmas swap parcel arrived for the 12 days of Christmas FHFS ..... obviously it needed a tree to go under....

... it's a handmade tree.....

... but I haven't given up on catching up on the Splendid Sampler blocks and I have got another bunch done....

... there are a few more that I have done too which means I have caught up (except for bonus blocks) and ready for tomorrows new one! woohoo....

Righto, Gotto Go... the sewing room needs cleaning up after that marathon block stitching event!

It's that time of year.....

... for visits to the Post Office....

This parcel is off over the sea for the SSCS hosted by Chookyblue....

.. and this set of parcels is travelling Southwards for the FHFS hosted by Peg and Shez...

... and I have been busy making up decorations for sending to overseas family ...

I love these Ausi themed hexagons designed by Michelle....

Last weekend Hubz and I decided to work in the garden....

This was the view from front of house......

...here is work happening..... (I was providing support and encouragement and a bit of supervision)

... and by the end of the weekend Hubz had done this.  We are getting some more blocks to level out the bed and once it is planted it will be a vast improvement.....

Just goes to show what a bit of support and encouragement (and a bit of supervision) can achieve!!!

Righto, Gotto Go....  I still want to get some more ornie's done....

A productive break.....

I can see around in blogland that the fat man in the red suit has been and spoilt so many of us....  

At our house we did our main Christmas feast on Christmas Eve with our youngest daughter and her new squeeze and young widget.... we had some fun and far too much to eat including this lovely pavlova that she put together....

they went off on Christmas morning after breakfast and we feasted on left over ham and pavlova for quite a few more meals!!! haha 

before the feasting started my daughter went to town in my car... somebody didn't look where she was going and Uturned straight into her!

Of course I am very happy both her and widget were unharmed though very shaken up ... but I am so very pissed off about my car which is not driveable (the wheel has collapsed in).  Guilty party has no insurance but her car is still okay to drive!

Grrrrrrrrrr

The very best thing over Christmas is our Facetime and Skype calls,  and facebook messages with family and friends spread all over the world.  As always I am very grateful for technology that enables me to do that.

I was so extremely spoilt with pressies from Marc in the FHFS group that I play with -  I blogged about it HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE .  Thanks my friend - I will be thinking of you lots over the years when I play with all those lovely goodies you sent.

I finished quilting my scrappy quilt before Christmas.... I chose to do fairly loose but still custom quilted focussing on the different shapes in the design

this is how I did the HST squares.... 

... a double orange peel which is a bit like a pomegranate look for the 9 patch squares

and my latest favourite orange peel with a twist in the neutral 4 patch blocks....

.. the quilt is 108" square and the binding is on... just waiting to be hand sewn down .... might take a while!

I didn't have a lot left of this hand sewing to do ... this is one of Rosalie Dekker's Scandanavian designs..... I was lucky enough to be given a set of the linen transfers ...

silly me squirted the steam on the iron and have stained the top left just above the design (I may tea stain the whole thing lightly to hide it???) 

My hero Hubz recut my perspex extension to make it fit onto my new machine... I do like working with the extension table so I'm very pleased to have it fixed up now... thanks Hubz

Done a few bits in the garden, have had some very welcome rain and had to stay indoors a bit... so I have been sewing (SURPRISE!)

A couple of things I had made and sent off at Christmas

This is the main present I sent to Cheryl in the FHFS swap..... (I did make other little things but forgot to take pictures!) I've really got to do some of these Natalie Bird designs for myself!

I couldn't resist making up this ginger flat cat for Toni who loves her ginger cats

I think it's so funny ... 

Righto, Gotto Go.... my addictive personality is in overdrive and I'm still sorting through half done things and am working on my Reproduction 9 patches today ......

Have a great day! xx

gifts and things....

Now I don't want anyone getting pressie envy but I am showing off today

This is the set of decorations I received from Shez when I went to Melbourne... thanks Shez - your stitching is amazing and I love the bling edge detail

they are looking lovely on my tree already

.. and Melody gave me a giftie too.... at first I did wonder why she thought I would like that pattern (especially in a size 8!) when I realised it is a notebook!  and I sweet pincushion with lovely handsewn detail... Thanks Melody

This is a closer look at the pincushion detail... so sweet...

... and here is a closer look at Shez's amazing stitching..

Now don't get shopping for self envy but I did find a couple of pieces of fabric for my Reproduction Prints quilts ... and some red felt balls I have been looking for... and a lovely tin... I chose a special one for mints for my Hubz....

Now don't get baby envy.... He is a cutie and here he is showing off the Christmas stocking I made for him.... each grandie gets a personalised one....

 Now don't get pressie envy but my FHFS parcels arrived yesterday.... 12 parcels to start opening one a day on the 14th....

I had friends here for sewing and one naughty one said "not a very nice thing for your friend to call you Ho" ....

.. there is a special one for the big day too......

Now don't get decoration envy but Mr Postie also dropped off a decoration and pattern card from Michelle... her little felt decorations are just lovely and delicate. ... and I think you know I love her patterns...

Now don't get Postcard envy but this one arrived for me this week.... it is a 'pounded' leaf and then lovely stitching to highlight it... Came all the way from Eglea in Brazil - I just love it, I real little work of art.

She has a special Brazil tag for the back and her work is amazingly good....

Righto, now that I have spent the morning making you envious I think I will go have a nice cup of coffee and get my day going....... I wonder if Mr Postie will visit me again?