End of 2010

My New Years Resolution for 2011 is to get Lucy some boots to wear camping. A trip to the vet today to remove 3 grass seeds has depleted the finances even more...

...but it's easy money to part with and Lucy will be back to her old self before I know it.

At the moment she's still a bit groggy.

2010 has been an expensive year, we've spent an absolute fortune on everything from concrete, gravel, pipes, tradesmen, kitchen and appliances.

My wish for next year is that life becomes less unpredictable and we all are happy and healthy.

That wish extends to all my bloggy friends, I hope 2011 is a prosperous year for you all and that our friendships continue on throughout another year of this fun journey together.

See you in 2011!

Hugs

Jo

Camping and Xmas Swaps

I have much blogging to catch up with after escaping to the bush for the last five days. We camped beside the beautiful Ringarooma River amongst fox gloves which played havoc with my hayfever but it was so relaxing. The sound of the river and birds was wonderful for my soul.

 

We did spend Xmas morning at home and I was so excited as I opened all my gifts.

These are the gifts I received from Marie of Wonderwoman (Not!) in Chookyblue's SSCS 2010

Gorgeous decorations to adorn my house every xmas, Thank-you Marie for the beautiful pressies and to Chooky for hosting another great swap.

These are the gifts I received from Carol - Narromine Quilt Club in Marie's (On My Verandah) Xmas Swap

Thank-you Carol, I felt so overwhelmed with all these beautiful gifts, it made me cry with delight!

Thank-you Marie for another fun swap.

I posted gifts to Maricarmen and to Gai in both of these swaps.

That's it from me for today, I'll post some more pics tomorrow and in the meantime I have loads of washing to do!

Cheerio!!

One More Sleep...

...Till the man in the red coat and white beard squeezes down tiny chimneys or magically opens front doors to put pressies under trees. My son tells me he's going to wake up at 3am, I have news for him!

Thank-you for reading my little corner of the blogoverse and becoming my friends even though most of us have never met in person. It's been a wonderful journey so far and I look forward to continuing on in 2011.

I hope you all have a magic day tomorrow with family and friends and the man in the red coat and white beard leaves you something special.

Merry Christmas!!

P.S. I'll be back online after New Years to show you what I received from Marie in Chookyblue's SSCS and from Carol in Maree's Xmas Swap.

Lunch for busy girls

H and I are both busy ladies and it's hard to tie us down for a casual lunch and chat but we managed to find sometime today that suited us both. We lunched at a local cafe, caught up on what's been happening since we last met and exchanged gifts, H now has her own little stitching tote and I received a gorgeous box of  6" squares in xmas prints. I'll show you them next post I do.

I love this little bag, so quick and easy to make and handy for sitting on a table full of all your sewing bits and bobs, mine goes everywhere with me.

I've only got two patterns left of this project then there'll be no more. ***SOLD***

I'll be back tomorrow with a couple more pics then I'll be signing off for the Xmas Period.

Cheerio!

Simply Christmas

Kerryanne from Shabby Art Boutique has been hosting Simply Christmas and has had some wonderful guest designers and giveaways and I've been so lucky to win two of them! Arriving today is this gorgeous plum pudding painting by Kerryanne herself, isn't she so talented. I love how she has achieved the glass dome effect!

The second prize will be here soon so I'll show you it when it arrives.

Thank-you Kerryanne for hosting Simply Christmas and to all those designers who contributed!

This 'n That

Fee and I had our xmas lunch yesterday at a local hotel, can't go past Chicken parmy, chips and salad. It was scrumptious, especially with a Cascade Blonde great thirst quencher on a hot day. We exchanged gifts, Fee really spoilt me with a beautiful handmade pouch and needlecase

and two books I've been wanting to buy

now I can definitely part in Chookyblue's Stitch-a-long for 2011

but I do need to finish the Gardner's Journal top first.

Awhile ago I won a giveaway on "It's and Alien Life's blog" and in the mail arrived Punkin, she's so cute and is now feeling right at home amongst some of my other raggy dolls (She's the one in the middle!)

Thank-you ValeryAnne!

Arriving this week was a Xmas package from one of the Club Quilt Narromine ladies, Carol.

This swap was arranged by Maree from On My Verandah. 

I was only allowed to open one gift and I must say I was blown away, Carol's stitching is so beautiful!

I feel so spoilt!! Thank-you Carol, I can't wait to unwrap the rest on Xmas Day!

My parcel was also recieved by Gai, also one of the Club Quilt Narromine Girls.

I haven't done a great deal of stitching the last few weeks, work has been happening around the home which has disrupted life a little.

Thank-you to my darling husband for the endless hours you have put in to getting the room ready for the installation of our brand new kitchen!

After Xmas we'll arrange the splashbacks and tiling but in the meantime we have hallway walls to paint and more cement sheeting to nail down. Oh and blinds to hang back up on the window and a corner to be fitted around the top of the cupboards.

That's our christmas present this year and I'm enjoying cooking in my new kitchen.

Have a lovely day everybody!

What's come in and what's gone out!

 What a lovely surprise to come home to find a parcel waiting for me from my blogging buddy Maria (Wonderwoman [Not]!). I opened it wondering what would Maria be sending me and what a great surprise to find she was my partner in Chookyblue's SSCS. Everything so beautifully wrapped

We're allowed to open the ornament gift but the rest must go under the tree until xmas day...can I be so strong!

This is the beautiful ornament Maria made, I wonder what she's put in the other parcels?

Here's the goodies I've sent to ..... for Maree's Xmas swap

They only have to fly across Bass Strait and one more state to reach their destination.