More Christmas preparations...

The Christmas baking/sewing/decorating continues apace around here. I thought I'd record a few more things I've made/done for posterity, so here's a peek...


For the younger kids' teachers this year I upped the ante on the gingerbread trees from previous years (reminder here) and made alternating gingerbread and shortbread star trees, drizzled in white chocolate and sprinled with toasted pistachios. They looked yummy - hope they tasted OK!

I wrapped them in cellophane and attached a little handmade bird ornament made using this cute panel from Spoonflower.

The two core high school teachers just got the edibles, and I had to deliver them myself  'cause apparently 13 year-old boys don't give gifts to their teachers. Who knew?!

I have also tried out a couple of new recipes - Cinnamon Swirl Cookies and Salted Nut Brittle.

I'll post the recipes after a suitable period of 'testing'. *Assuming they pass!*

I have also renovated this wreath from it's aqua colour scheme...

to it's new luxe metallic and red look.

I'll be back soon with the instructions for a really easy candy cane treat...mmmm.

P.S. “Sweets grown common lose their dear delight.”   William Shakespeare

Christmas Banner...

Thought I'd share a quick little project that I whipped up last Friday evening...though if you are a bibliophile you may need to look away for this one.

I have been seeing lots of lovely decorative fabric garlands around the blogosphere, but knew I wouldn't have time for any extra sewing before Christmas this year.

So I decided to try a paper one instead, and I am really pleased with the result.

I decided on a phrase banner, rather than just patterned flags. The only things I needed for this cutie were an old book (the yellower the pages, the better), a glue stick, sharp scissors, some string and my computer and printer.

First I found a font that I liked (it's 'Egyptienne Zierinitialien' if you are interested, free for download from here), and printed out the words 'Joy' and 'World' at 300pt. I then added 'to the' at about 100pt (I think). You'll need to play around with sizes, depending on the font you choose and your vintage book page size if you want to make a similar one.

I then carefully cut around each letter with really sharp scissors.

I cut out nine pages from my old book - ones that had plenty of text (my kids were horrified and I had to explain that it was an old, dull and damaged book from the Lifeline book fair that I only use for craft). I lined them all up and trimmed the bottom of the pages into points.

Then I glued the letters on to the best side of the pages (putting the whole words 'to the' onto one page) and folded the tops of the pages over evenly. Using more glue on the folded tops, I laid a length of cotton twine along the pages and stuck them down in order. Remember to leave some tails for hanging.

Once the glue was dry, it was ready to hang! Here it is in pride of place above my linen chest.

Ta da! Another area decorated and ready for Christmas visitors.

P.S. “We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home.” Australian Aboriginal wisdom

Decoration Renovation

My mum knows that I like me a spire on my Christmas tree..

rather than the more traditional star or angel. So when she found this one second-hand somewhere, she kept it aside for me in case I might be able to do something with it.

I have!

While it was OK looking, I thought I'd do a bit of renovating to make it fit my 'luxe' theme for this year. So I stripped it back to bare bones. (Ideally, if I had started this project earlier - like before the tree was already up - I would have painted it at this stage. I think I would have gone for a matt gold/matt silver/copper scheme.) But working with the time I had (one evening) I gathered up whatever items from my craft stash I though would fit the colour scheme.

Then I grabbed my trusty tube of E6000 glue, a toothpick, scissors and just started, with no plan in mind. 

I just kept adding things until I felt like it was enough.

Or maybe more than enough...

if you don't like fussy, this decoration's not for you! But it is an original, one of a kind and that's fine with me.

Here it is in pride of place on the tree, which is thankfully now all decorated. I really like the way it's turned out, though I am missing the pop of cheery aqua I've been able to see for the past few years.

Now to get on to making some edible gifts that are needed by the end of this week. Eeeek!

P.S. “Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.” Anon

P.P.S. I am linking up with Kara's 'Look What I Made' Christmas Linky Party over on 'Creations by Kara'. Go and check out all the great ideas in blogland!

As Promised...

Well, it's the first of December - so here's the tree. (As I said, without fail.)

(Also, as I suspected, without decorations.)

I also thought I'd show you a little secret I have in the upstairs linen cupboard...

These boxes and bags are all filled with decorations.

I told you I love Christmas!

This year I am trying a new colour scheme that's a bit more traditional than the past couple of years. Festive season 2011 will include silver, gold, bronze, copper, nickel, tin, gunmetal, pearl, white, transparent glass...and maybe some red for punch. As long as things are shiny or glossy or sparkly or metallic. (In my mind I am calling it the 'luxe' look.)

I think I'll find enough in these boxes to fit the bill, for the tree at least.
Then I'll 'shop the house' for the rest.

Wish me luck!

P.S.“Tradition is a guide and not a jailer” Somerset Maugham

It Begins...

Is it just me, or does Christmas seem to start earlier and earlier each year?

I swear that my local supermarket took the 'back to school' signs down at the end of the September school holidays and put the Christmas items straight up. Gah!

December is yet to start, but last night we had 'Carols by Torchlight' at school,

on the weekend we made a gingerbread house

and two weekends ago we went to a Christmas carnival.

That being said...Yay for Christmas!

Apart from the fact it comes to Queensland right in the middle of our (disgustingly sticky and uncomfortable) summer, it's my favourite 'season'.

As per family tradition, our tree will go up tomorrow without fail (though the decorations may not appear until the weekend!) and the shopping (online, of course - I do work full-time) is in full swing.

I am so excited that Christmas day falls on a Sunday this year - I will have all of Christmas Eve to get organised for the family visit and lunch. Oh happy day! *twirl*

Hope all your preparations are going along smoothly, and that you are enjoying every moment!

P.S.      “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” Anon

Charity Begins at Home...

Hi All! (See, I am trying to post more regularly.)

For the past few years I have been participating in 'Operation Christmas Child' through our local primary school chaplain. (Check it out here if you've not heard of it before!) It's a great reminder to the kids during the festive season that not everyone is as fortunate as they are, and a chance to give a little something to a child who has very little.

This year though, I'll be adding a new charity to my Christmas list. 

A link sent by a friend of a friend introduced me to an amazing woman - Despina - who has started a home-grown organization that collects donated goods and puts together backpacks for kids who are taken suddenly into foster care. Often kids are taken from their homes by police or DOCS with only the clothes they are wearing and Backpacks 4 Aussie Kids wants to provide backpacks to these children so they have some essential and personal items that will travel with them from home to home, and just belongs to them.

While donations are not yet tax deductable (they are working on it),  I promise it will give you a feeling of well-being...and I think we could all use a bit of that.

P.S. “Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.” 

St Francis of Assisi

The Confessional...

Forgive me readers, for I have sinned. 

It's been 5 months since my last post.

Yikes! How did that happen? I felt that it had been a while, but not quite that long. It's not as if I haven't been doing anything. Life has just gotten in the way of reflection time again...that and lots of reading.

 I have managed to do a few blog-worthy things in those months...

Took the youngest one to the model train show at the RNA back in May...

and made two toy snails for him.

Did some sewing etc. at the Esk craft Retreat in June

Attended two school sports days also in June...

 Sewed a padded case for my new laptop in July...

Made 2 birthday cakes and celebrated the birthday of the 8-year-old in August ...

 (for school)

(at home)

Went to the Ekka...

 Went to Hervey Bay to visit the MIL for a weekend in September and had dinner on Fraser lsland...

Took the small one to the zoo...

Celebrated the middle one's birthday with another coconut cheesecake - double digits!

And I won Deb's giveaway of lovely little overseas goodies ...

 September was a big month! 

This month we have had the middle one at music camp, the big one getting a sports award at high school (go figure!) and some pretty gifts for World Teachers Day...

I made flags using the canning labels on the HP site here.

I have also read all seven of the novels (so far) in the 'Outlander' series by Diana Gabaldon, amongst lots of other things (don't get me started talking about The Slap - grrr). BTW, the next Outlander comes out at the end of November, so there's my Christmas reading sorted!

All things considered, not much to show for 5 whole months. But this blog was always meant to be a journal, and I guess it will be as full of holes as my memory is.

I promise to be more diligent in the lead-up to Christmas - now only two months away!

P.S. “Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment.”

Harlan Ellison