Christmas

I finished Emme's quilt just in time. I quilted in with a diamond pattern and before we left for Mum and Dad's. I sewed on the binding on Christmas Eve and had it wrapped before bedtime.

My sister planned the food this year. I was responsible for pastries and brioche for brunch. Lunch was salads and glazed ham - perfect for our summer weather.

I think the highlight of Christmas on the farm for the girls was catching yabbies in the dam or yabby lobsters as they call them. We wish they were lobsters. They weren't too bad with some chilli sauce.

I think my highlight was being outside with children in the wading pool. Here is my sister Jane and the hat I made for her.

Daisy Chain Quilt

I've just popped out of my sweatshop for a breath of fresh air. So glad Chris is on holidays so I can attempt to finish some of the Christmas sewing I wanted to do. Must remember to start next years before December, I probably should start in February. This is a quilt (hopefully it will be a finished one by tomorrow) for my niece using Amy Butler's Daisy Chain fabric.

Red Polka Dots

A needed a skirt for Christmas. I seem to have quite a collection of fabric with red spots and it is as close to wearing something 'Christmassy' as I am going to get.
Made with some help from Sew What! Skirts.

Another Simplicity 3835. A quick and easy top for warm weather which is something we have not seen this summer. More rain and grey clouds yesterday - enough to make the roof leak.

Gnome Hat

It has become all about Christmas around here. I guess that is what happens when you have little people who are obsessed with it. All my recent sewing has been for presents and I madly trying to finish dyeing some yarn for an order. So all I have to show you is a hat. I've made two for little boys whose birthdays are Christmas and Christmas Eve. Love this fabric I have been saving it for the right thing and I think it is perfect for hats.

Happy Birthday Mum

Happy Birthday Mum! She was 60 on the weekend and my sister, myself and all the little girls headed to the farm to have an afternoon tea for her.
I'd write more, but I came home with a head cold which is more than annoying this week as I had planned to make a lot of Christmas presents. So instead of sewing and playing with the girls I am lying in the middle of lego mess while Evie rolls and tries to wedge herself under furniture continually and the girls watch the tackiest Barbie DVD. I had to stop at a town half way home from the farm and promised them a new DVD if they were good and they chose that - I couldn't make them change their mind and I didn't need another 2 hours of screaming so I caved in.
So Happy Birthday Mum. I hope you and Dad have managed a rest after having a house full of crazy little girls because we will all be back this time next week!

Biscotti

Thanks for all your comments on my gnome - I am so behind on emails I'm not sure I'll ever catch up, but I do appreciate every comment and I do check and see what everyone is up to. It is sometimes a bit tricky to reply with a squirmy little slug in my arms. I forgot to explain that it was wet felted not needle felted, but that is another thing on my list I'd like to try - just a bit scared of the needles.
I love biscotti - I don't make it much as I tend to sit and eat it all. It is excellent at Christmas time as it is keeps well so can be used for presents. I found a recipe for Pistachio and Honey Biscotti yesterday and it is pretty good.

I finished the girls Clothkit Dresses and I love them! So easy and quite quick to put together and they definitely won't look like anyone else wherever they go.

Gnome

We have a great community centre on our little town that organises an activity every Monday morning and a creche for the children. Last Monday it was felting so I managed to get out of the house and get there not too late. We made little gnomes. It was fantastic - there was no easing into it and only making a flat piece or something really basic. It was straight away here is a gnome let's make one. The picture is not brilliant as somehow we have gone back to winter and outside is grey, dull and rain. The only good thing is I'm not so stressed about stepping on the snake that was out the front last week.

Break It Down

I told the girls the Nativity story the other day and then they watched more Yo Gabba Gabba (definitely everyone's favourite at the moment). I later found Amelia banging some drums singing "Break It Down Baby Jesus".
Here she is playing croquet - of course you need to wear a skirt and gumboots to play croquet.

Christmas Tree

I am not sure how many times I have been asked "How many minutes until Christmas?", but I'm sure it will drive me insane before Christmas arrives. I have just caught them sneaking out of bed to get the Father Christmas hats they discovered earlier today.
I'm hoping that the tree stays intact this year. The girls are old enough not to dismantle it everyday and Evie can't move.
We didn't really own many decorations until last year and we are slowly collecting some. My parents went to visit my sister who is living in Amsterdam and returned with the most fabulous Delft ornaments. This windmill is everyones current favourite. We actually live in a town with a Christmas shop that amazingly is open all next year. I have promised the girls we can go next week and they can choose a new decoration for the tree.

Soap and Reading

I think my soap should be cured! I will put some in the bathroom today. The back one is vanilla and the front is a mix of lavender and peppermint.
I have just started reading The China Price. I think it is going to be very interesting reading and I think it is going to make me more organised to actually finish some of the ideas I have for presents so I'm not rushing out to buy mass produced things at the last minute.