Merry Christmas!

Like a lot of bloggers who blog a lot more than I do, I'll be taking a break over Christmas and plan to return to the computer and this blog in the New Year.

It's time to be with my boy and celebrate Christmas together.  I think we're both a bit giddy with excitement!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this - a very funny retelling of the Christmas Story in the digital age.

Merry Christmas and thank you for all of your lovely comments and kind words since I returned to this blogging world!

Lyn & Felix

xxxx

Christmas Memories

I've posted this picture before.  I love it.  It makes me happy.

Christmas can be a bit of a tricky time of the year, sometimes.  This year is no different although it's getting better.

If you know someone who's experienced loss of any kind recently and who might not be traveling all that well, stop and remind them that they're loved and thought of.  It does help.

Christmas is Almost Here!

As Felix would say, today was an 'at home day today' (whenever it's an at home day he asks me about thirty times throughout the day, just to make sure - cuteness).  Childcare is closed for the next two weeks so we get to spend a bit of time together which is nice.

Today we made Peppermint Bark.  OMG - yum!  Probably one of the easiest and most festive Christmas treats to make with a toddler / preschooler.

Melt your favourtie chocolate (we used milk); smash up a bunch of candy canes in a sturdy plastic bag with a rolling pin (Felix loved this bit); mix a few tablespoons into the chocolate, then spread out thinly on a tray lined with baking paper.

Sprinkle the rest of the candy cane crumble on top and shove into the fridge (or freezer - much quicker).  When set, cut into bite size pieces.  Yum!

We painted some pictures to give as Christmas gifts today too.  I'm learning to let go a little and not get cranky with him when he wants to just mix all the paints together to make brown.  Lighten up, mum!

While he was at his Dad's on Sunday, I finished this Christmas pillow for the couch from some gorgeous fabric I bought as fat quarters last year (Merry & Bright, I think??).  I quilted the top with some batting to make it a little more sturdy.  Feather / down pillow insert, $8 from Ikea.

On Sunday I also finished a gorgeous lap quilt for my friend's little girl Eden - made from a charm park of the Eden range of fabrics by Moda.  I also made her some cute little floral shorts (but of course didn't take a photo of either of them!).

And Kerrie, if you're reading this, two little skirts will be making their way very soon to Emme and Bella for their Birthday (just as soon as I put in the elastic!).

I do love having this blog, if just to keep a track of the things I make, and to help make me feel that - amongst the mayhem - I do achieve some things.

When I downloaded my photos tonight I found these from last weekend.  My gorgeous boy, posing beautifully.....

And then pulling one of his famous funny faces, and rushing to the camera to look at himself.  He cracks me up, and drives me a little crazy!

Last weekend we went to some local Christmas Carols.  We didn't stay long as he was so tired from being at his Dad's, but we did enjoy a picnic together, and he got to wear his little Christmas 3/4 shorts that I made him from fabric he picked out.  He loved it.

And although this isn't the most flattering photo, I am super chuffed to have gone super super short with my hair when I got it cut on Friday.  I chopped it all off in May this year, but had been wearing it a little longer.  I just love having it super short and barely having to do anything with it at all.

Retro mummy Giveaway!

P1013738, originally uploaded by retro mummy.

Another generous giveaway from Corrie over at retro mummy. Sure to be lots of entries, but I've got my fingers crossed!

Op Shop Goodness

Today my mum and I hauled off bag loads of old clothes to donate to our local St Vinnie's.  I've been progressively working through the house and having a major de-clutter these last 18 months.  

It took me months to be ready emotionally to deal with sorting through all of Felix's baby clothes that I'd so diligently packed away for baby number two, but I've done that now, and all I have to do is keep up to date with it.  I've already found new homes for his summer size 1 and size 2 clothes (can't quite believe he's moving into a size 3 already), and I've got all his winter size 2 stuff packed away to give to someone next year.  I tend to donate the 'well-loved' stuff to charity (knowing that at the very least the material will be recycled if no good for on-selling), and give away or sell the better quality stuff to people I know.  It seems to be working, and it means there's less boxes cluttering the place up.

Any hoo, back to the visit to the op shop.  After dropping our stuff in the bins, I headed inside and straight to the manchester section and was so SO lucky to find this amazing loot:

The purple floral sheets were such a find.  Two BRAND NEW vintage single sheets - never used, and from looking at the material in store I was pretty sure they were pure cotton, but still with the sizing (I think that's the right term) as they'd never been washed let alone used.  $6.99 for the pair, I snaffled them up as quick as I could.  A simple burn test of a tiny bit of the sheet when I got home confirmed they were indeed cotton, and they're now drying on my line in the sun after a wash - in all their crinkled cotton goodness.

    

The yellow sheet is actually a homemade doona cover (also cotton) for $7.99 - such gorgeous colours.  And I couldn't resist this towel which, for its age, is in great condition - only $2.99.  The doona and towel got a hot wash and are getting a good sunning.  The towel reminds me of my childhood.  I wish they still made them like this.  I think I'll use this as a backing for a bath mat for the bathroom.

I picked up this doily and cute little granny square pot holder at another op shop for the grand total of $2.50.

The really amazing purchase of the day was this beautiful Mikasa dinner set.  I love it.  There are six each of the large plates, side plates and cups.  Five each of the saucers, and the large and the small bowls, and a sugar bowl.  All for $45.  Seriously. AND it's an oven to table range of dinnerware, so I'll be able to use the bowls for making yummy baked dinners and desserts.

And what's a bit of op shopping without a bit of vintage tupperware thrown into the loot?  Perfect orange metric measuring cups for $2.  Yes please.

Our Sunday

It was a relatively lazy Sunday here today, in that we didn't have plans and could pretty much move at our own pace.  Always a nice change.  I'm slowly starting to feel better after a solid month of one virus after another - I'm still really tired most of the time, but am trying to do something about that by getting to bed a little earlier each night.

Today I pulled out the new nativity set I bought this week from Bed, Bath and Table.  It's so cute, and whilst Felix is under strict instructions to treat it gently, I think it should hold up pretty well.

When I was showing it to him he exclaimed "oh, how cute is Baby Jesus!".  So precious.  I've been teaching him about the first Christmas, and found this lovely Usborne book for him which is told very simply with beautiful illustrations.  I'm so annoyed that I didn't order it earlier from The Book Depository.  Twice the price in a book shop here.

Today we did some baking, and made these delicious little pots of chocolate from a Delicious recipe book.  OMG - so rich, and so yummy!  I barely managed to eat all of mine, whilst Felix well and truly polished his off!

As the recipe used three egg yolks, I decided to turn the egg whites into meringues.  Yum.  I've loved meringues since I was a little girl and mum used to buy them for me from Wenzel's bakery at Glenelg.  I don't think these will last long.

Supporting Your Habit

Apparently the day after Thanksgiving in the US is known as Black Friday, and I guess it's a bit like our Aussie Boxing Day sales in the stores.

I just started following the fantastic Kimberly from the Fat Quarter Shop on Twitter, and was just a little bit excited to see her post a 20% off coupon for purchases from the shop.  Yay!  

Simply visit the Fat Quarter Shop, use the code 'blackfriday' at checkout - expires midnight this Monday, 29 November (US time).

I couldn't resist this laminated fabric from the Nicey Jane collection - perfect as a table cloth in my family room.

Laminated Nicey Jane - The Fat Quarter Shop

I've been a long time customer of the Fat Quarter Shop, and have always had such fantastic service, quick postage, and received the best fabrics.