Lots Happening

Had a lovely afternoon yesterday. I worked until 1pm and when I got home hubby said we might go for a drive (you can tell who's on holidays can't you). Now I was thinking he meant to Halls Gap for an ice-cream or something similar, so did not pack the camera to take photos, but was a 2 hour drive to beautiful historic Maldon. Now I love this town for many reasons - the antiques and collectable shop for one, and their old fashioned lolly shop for two. But yesterday I divided my time between the patchwork shop (that goes without saying) and the Christmas shop.  I was very good - added some new backgrounds to the stash which are always handy. And the Christmas shop is another story - a beautiful tapestry snow scene that lights up with tiny colored lights and a new snowman for the collection.

Did want to show you this new additon - a xmas gift from a work colleague - the lovely one who spoilt me recently with lots of a lovely snowman gifts from her trip to America (November post).  She made it from a pattern out of the Christmas Tilda book - how cute is he?

And the cutest snowman fabric.

And more spoiling - this time from Maria, my wonderful swap partner in Cat's Advent Swap. A beautiful magnetic notebook with hydrangeas (love beautiful notepads), some more yummy teas from T2 (am enjoying those). some beautiful handmade earrings, which I have been wearing every day since I opened them, and some cute little quilting pins - bit hard to see from my photo, but have cute little buttons and bows on the ends.  Thankyou Maria
- our swap is nearly at an end, but I have so enjoyed it.

I would like to wish my lovely blogging friends a very Merry Christmas - have a wonderful day with your families, and I hope you get very spoilt. Cheryl

Christmas Boxes

As I mentioned yesterday, I love to use beautiful Christmas boxes and tins as part of my Christmas decorating, so thought you might like to see a few of them.

A beautiful one from Barb

Inside these three boxes is written the story "Twas the Night Before Christmas".

The inside of this beautiful box shows some lovely old fashioned waterballs.

Am enjoying my advent swap with Maria, my partner - a few more lovely gifts have been opened.  How lucky am I?  Thankyou Maria.  Have a great weekend. Cheryl

Who Hoo Opening Day

The day finally came - time to open our parcels we have been saving since July in Cheryll's Santa Sack swap.  My partner was Barb - must say I just loved getting to know Barb and feel like we are friends and fellow Christmasaholics even though we havn't met yet. Barb has a,lready spoilt me with several parcels I was allowed to open early.  And just to show I didn't peek earlier than I was allowed to - here's me parcels in and around the beauitful stocking Barb had made for me.

And boy was I spoilt rotten.

Where to start - a gorgeous mug rug (had been wanting to make myself one), a charm pack (just gorgeous), a Marg Low bag pattern with beautiful stitched front to it (will start that over the summer), and cute reindeer box with some of the most beautiful buttons.

 

How beautiful are those fat quarters - can't wait to get sewing with those, and a beautiful covered notepad which is already in my handbag.

 

Another beautiful xmas box (Barb must have known how I love to use beautiful boxes and tins as  of my xmas decorating - will show you some of these before xmas) full of gorgeous notepads and equally gorgeous sticky notes (another fav thing).

 

On the left is the most gorgeous xmas hanger, lovely fat quarter and cute angel stitchery cushion for me to make.

 

How absolutely gorgeous is this table centre with a beautiful candle to match.

 

A beautiful xmas panel for me to sew, and 6 beautiful teddy coasters (did Barb know I had teddys everywhere?)

 

Pattern and kit for the Deer Tree - with cottons for the stitchery version - how beautiful is that red and cream fabric to make it in.

 

How gorgeous is this drawstring sewing bag - the fabric Barb has made this in I just love.

 

And it was full of everything I need, and more.

 

And my main present for December, which I fleetingly thought about leaving until xmas day, but after seeing all my gorgeous gifts it got the better of me.  How beautiful is the bag Barb made for me - just perfect and I will get lots of use out of it.  It was full of lots of lovely bits and pieces, which I thought I had taken a photo of, so will show you those another day.

 

Barb - thankyou so very much - it was a pleasure to have you as my partner, and words are not enough to say how thrilled I am with all the gorgeous gifts you have sent and made for me. Cheryl xx

More Advent Parcels

I have opened a few more parcels from Maria, my partner in Cats advent swap and thought you might like to see how spoilt I've been.  These are from days 6, 7, 8 and 9 - Maria knows I love teas of all sorts so have been spoilt with some beautiful. tea, and a T2 teabag and yummy chocolates, and a beautiful hexie  decoration to hang ( in my favorite color), which is now hanging on my little tree of handmade decorations I showed you earlier in the week. Now there was some other lovely chocolates, but alas they are "missing" - don't know where they could be!

Have opened some more lovely parcels since I took this photo, so will show you those next time. Thankyou so much Maria.

And a couple more piccies of my xmas decorating.  My hall table.

I often add a new decoration (or three) most years, and this one I just had to have when I saw it this year.   Back soon. Cheryl

Some More Christmas Decorating

I've gone a bit mad on making Christmas cushions the last couple of years.  This is one of this years.

I made this one for a swap last year, but loved it so had to make another. The one on the left is a panel I had been given - made a perfect cushion.

An oldie, but I still love it.  Back tomorrow with some more xmas decorating. Cheryl

7 Days of Christmas

Cheryll at Gone Stitchin is hosting 7 Days of Christmas so thought I would show you some of my xmas decorating.,  Michelle gave me a good idea - she has a tree for all her handmade decorations, so had a spare little tree from when DD2 moved into her own place (and then moved back again hence the spare tree).

A little Rosalie Quinlan angel on top.

The cutest felt reindeer from Michelle, and plum pudding from Karen

And I love my felt/stitchery stars from Barb.  Think this tree will be full of lots of memories from lots of lovely friends. Cheryl

Christmas Angel Swap

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend. Mine was a very busy, finishing today with a lovely family Christmas get-together in Melbourne.  I showed you the beautiful gifts I received from Karen, my partner in Mrs Martins Quilt Shop "Christmas Angels" swap, but havn't showed you what I sent to Karen, or I hope I havn't - the busyness of the week has made me a bit forgetful, hasn't it Barb lol. First off was a small applique wallhanging.

Stocking - had been wanting to make this pattern.

Felt candlemat.

A sewing item - I made Karen a pin cushion and a little scrap bag for thread offcuts, etc

Gift tags and ornaments.

A fabric postcard - I must admit I struggled with this a bit - never done anything like that before, especially with no pattern as a guide.  And last but by no means least was a stitchery to fit a 6" x 4" frame, and I received this cute little pattern from Michelle of RagTag Stitchin as a "freebie" when I ordered some patterns off her.It was perfect to fit the frame, and in fact I loved it so I made another for me.

I am a bit behind in posting for Cheryll's 7 Days of Christmas so promise to be back later with some piccies of my xmas decorating. Cheryl

Advent Parcels

Wow - 50 blog posts. Who would have thought I would have had that much to say in 3 and a bit months lol.

Thought I would show you some piccies of the first few gifts I've opened from Maria, my lovely swap partner in Cat's advent swap.

Cute stocking in Australiana xmas fabrics.

Looks great hanging from my mantle.

Also a beautiful cross stitched bookmark, chrissie decoration for the tree, and 4 lovely teas from T2. I know there is only two in the photo, the other two have been enjoyed.

And some yummy fabric with chocolate on it. Has the mind racing overtime.

This is the first few things that I sent to Maria - hope you opened them in order Maria, wouldn't want to spoil the surprise - a xmas stocking panel (Maria loves blue and purples), some coasters, xmas tissues, "M" notebook and scarf yarn.

Is fun getting up each morning and opening a little parcel before heading off to work. Cheryl

Secret Santa Swap

How exciting to receive this wonderful parcel in the mail today ALL the way from Portugal, as part of Chookyblue's Secret Santa swap. Lots of parcels - I was very spoilt, and a gorgeous little mag on creative christmas ideas.

This one was marked to open on Christmas Day, but I was allowed to open all the others.

How gorgeous is this apron?  I didn't have a chrissie apron.

And two boxes of yummy chocolates mmmh mmh.

And these lovely gifts were in the remaining parcels - two lovely felt pudding decorations and a wooden xmas tree decoration, two deliciously smelling cakes of soap and a lovely fat quarter.

Thankyou so much Noimia - I love all my gifts.  Cheryl

Myer Christmas Window

I used to take my two girls to Melbourne often when they were younger at this time of this to check out the beautifully decorated Myer xmas windows, so it was with lots of excitement that we headed off to Melbourne today to do the same with my 6 year old granddaughter.  The look on her face was worth it - she did not miss one single little detail.  The windows this year were based on the xmas story of Russell the Sheep.  Don't you love these sheep with their cute little patchwork blankets on.

The santas were gorgeous.

As were these reindeers dancing around in the snow.

One very cute sheep - the detail was amazing.

One very happy granddaughter.

Have a great week. Cheryl