Carols by Candlelight

Most women would kill for curls like this...mostly I just want him to brush it so it doesn't look like a bird could fly out of it at any minute. Here he looks quite angelic which is good as he was getting ready to sing in the choir for the local Carols by Candlelight.

My only complaint was the women compare who sang the Carols over the choir and her voice was not all that great.. and we couldn't hear the kids grrr.

Santa arrive by fire truck was mobbed by all the kids and barley escaped with his life. I had two grumpy kids to get off to school this morning too late a night for them. Only 4 more days to go.

What Do You Think?

I don't seem to be able to take a good photo this morning and this is about my 15th try. Finally got one that kid of shows the detail, I need some new lenses...

I made this last night. I should have been making Cookie Bag's for teachers or starting the pressies for the girls.... as I signed up for Pat Sloan's FUI weekend for Christmas but I just wanted to get this out of my system.

Originally I was going to put a charm on that I got from here (mine is Sugar and Spice) but I don't think the setting was right so I made a charm from my fob watch faces. The saying is "It is never too late to be what you might have been" by George Elliot.

Let me know what you think. It is made with semi precious stones, a few swaroski crystals and the fibre is Sari Yarn.

7 Little Surprises

My MIL rang me the other day to bring the kids over as she had some visitors in the back yard. The mother duck had nested in the hedge behind the veggie patch and she was now looking to move her brood to the river.

She said that she had been keeping them there all day but will have to let them out soon as the mother was searching for ways to get out of the garden without success. After school we went over to see them. Of course the kids would stay back and they headed for cover as soon as they got too close but I manage to get a couple of pictures with my phone before they disappeared into some more bushes.

My MIL was all for keeping them there as long as possible as the water rats down the river usually pick off babies fairly quickly but that's nature and I told her just to wait until the hoons had put their cars away for the night (there are a couple that use her street for a drag strip) and let them out.

14 Years Ago Today

Where did that go...I blinked and I almost missed it lol. I had bigger boobs, a smaller waist and only one chin..... my husband had a bit more hair but as you can see he was well on the way to being follicly challenged here so it was not my fault... which he likes to tell everyone.

There are a few members of the family missing now... and of course a couple of extra's.

We both have the day off today so we are off to the city to do some Christmas shopping and then to have a nice lunch.

Big Day

The squid is having her ballet concert tonight so we have a big day and I am trying to contain her excitement. This afternoon we have rehearsal at the theatre and tonight is the actual concert. Now this ballet school is very different from the sort I attended as a child. This is actually just for fun and there is no pressure and no costumes for me to make they are all hired.

I am a dresser which means I don't get to see them from the front but the sidelines but that is ok. I remember my mum use to do the same so it doesn't bother me and I thought it might be better if squid is a little nervous. My mum use to help on side stage because she was a bundle of nerves..can't say I was much better I use to have awful stage fright in the end I had to give it away because it was all to much.

I remember we use to train most of Saturday and during the week after school and extra sessions leading up to concerts and competition. I know she isn't going to be a prima ballerina but at least she has fun and at 6 that is the main thing and dressing up with the make up is the most fun of all.

Stuck

On what to do for teacher pressies. The quilting girls are all worked out but I wasn't sure about the Teacher's stuff. My son wants to make cookies which we make every year but what to put them in. Then the other day I got Natalie's Raspberry Cream from Hetties and thought that Rudolf would be perfect for the front of the bag. So last night I ironed on 3 copies (one for the quilt) of the transfer to crisp white fabric and started stitching ready for Cookie Sacks.

Did I buy the cute little sewing machine? OOOOH yes it is so darn cute, tiny little thing I am sure my daughter will love it.... My son will want one too but I have promised him he can use it too. It is very basic but just the thing for starting out without having to out lay much money. There are a couple of books from the girls from Possibilities about Machine Sewing for Children so I think I might add these to the parcel as well and some sewing notions.

Christmas Birthday's and all the Planning

My daughter's birthday is the first week back at school so all the preparation for the Birthday Party has to happen now. A week ago she came to a decision about what she wanted and I booked a Mermaid and Pirate party at a this place. They use to just come to your house and bring there dressups and games and entertain the kids for a couple of hours but now they have a venue so you can go there and they clean up the mess. So the party is all booked just have to send out the invites before the end of school.

My daughter has been wanting a toy sewing machine since her last birthday, of course she found one a couple of weeks after her last birthday and I have been promising her that she could have it. But a search on the internet has failed to find one as well as every likely shop at Westfield on the weekend. But searching on the internet I discovered this. Which is a mini real sewing machine by Janome and they only cost a little bit more than the toy ones that I saw last year. I am off to the local Janome centre this week to check it out. According to the sales lady they have sold heaps for little girls and they love it. I am a little concerned about fingers and needles but the lady suggested a walking foot option to keep fingers away.