Meltdown???

Sorry everyone....I think I've been in meltdown!!!  Yes, the heat has been getting to me but that's not exactly what I mean.


School finished last Friday and I just haven't stopped..have barely blogged and it's killing me!!!!
Well, hopefully, I'm back.   You'd better go and make a cuppa before you sit down and join me...it has been a while and we have quite a lot to catch up on!


Oh, where to begin????


I guess, with my escapades this week, and a little later......a giveaway!!!!!
I spent much of this week cleaning up (don't you just love it??) and travelling around the countryside taking others here and there. 
On Wednesday, a trip to Proserpine was in order to visit the lovely Wendy at IddyBiddy Cottage.  A friend of mine is wanting to make a quilt for a workmate who is getting married on New Year's eve so I suggested taking the trip down south as Wendy has such lovely fabrics and is really reasonable!  I managed to get some lovely fabrics to go with my kaleidoscope blocks, so now I can finish making them into the quilt they deserve to become!!!!   They have been waiting so patiently!!!!  Here are the fabrics I chose....

                                "Holiday Flourish" by Peggy Toole
                                 for Robert Kauffman                       

                                 and "Mandarin Dynasty" by Hoffman

These are next on my list!!!  Another purchase was the backing fabric for my Joseph's Coat for the DLN Quiltalong....I know, I know, it started ages ago, but last term was a write off for me so it's one I'm starting on these holidays.....  I chose a coffee coloured fabric (yes, I love my coffee!!!) and I 'plan' to do my petals in blues....I love browns and blues together so I'm looking forward to this one.   Got everything organised now...just have to start!  I also managed to get a sandpaper board, come cutting board, come design board in a tote for $22....wasn't I impressed!!???

It was a lovely day, I got what I wanted, my friend got all that she needed and we took the new 'baby' for her first long journey....and gee, didn't she perform!!! (in a good way!) [chuckle] 

Then, family over on Wednesday eve for a dinner before they headed off to the Gold Coast to spend Christmas with my lovely SIL's...sad we can't be there but.....! 
Being Italian, there's always a big bowl of spaghetti on the dinner table whenever we go to each others' places, so hubby (being the Italian one in our family!) managed that, and also made a mango and red onion salad...it was yummo!!  My MIL brought the baked turkey and my contribution was a crisp green salad and garlic loaf to accompany  it all! Not very Christmassy, but with family all around the table, it was wonderful!

Yesterday, I drove them all up to Townsville to the airport to catch their flight.  It's usually an hour trip but there were a few lots of roadworks on the way so it took a bit longer.  Just as well we factored this into the journey, but what I don't understand is, why do roadworks always occur at Christmas time, during the holidays, when people are travelling on the roads, and especially...when our wet season is about to start, which means cyclones and flooding and whatever work has been done to the roads ends up in potholes or washed away??????  Doesn't make sense to me...what do you think...do you know why they do it now???

After I dropped them off, I spent the rest of the day shopping...I spent waaaay too much money, but I have definitely run out of time again this year.....maybe next year I'll be more organised!!!!! hehehe [yeah, right!]

I have been catching up with a few last minute Christmas sewing projects...here's one that Gail Pan had on her blog last week....

 It's a freebie and it's quite quick to stitch, so it's probably not too late to go and pay her a visit here if you're short on gifts.  I've been trying to get me some Christmas mojo and I think this is starting to do the trick!!! 

Today I've set up all the Christmas goodies....the trees are up, the lights are up, the decorations are up and I'm starting to feel a little more festive and definitely more relaxed now!  Here's some piccies to show you around my home.....

I love the figurines...they remind me of the true meaning of Christmas.

I received my swap gifts from my Stitcher's Angel, the lovely Bonnie from the US last week.  I thought I had missed out but poor Bonnie has had her hands full caring for her ill father....she has had a bit of a hard time.  She has had these gifts ready for quite a while but has had her hands full being the primary carer of her dear Dad....I hope and pray all is going well for them both.....here is what she sent me....

I received some exquisite chocolate (which I've had to hide from the family!!), a beautiful thread catcher and bag to match, an armchair caddy, which IS coming in very handy, some Best Press, which I can't wait to use...I've heard so much about it and a beautiful bookmark with the Lord's Prayer.  Bonnie, you are truly an Angel, after all you are going through....I am truly blessed with your new friendship!

Here is my recent prize from the giveaway from Buderim Patchwork....thank you to Andrea and the girls...they always seem to have so much fun, and what a lovely part of the country to live in!!!

I don't know if you remember, but Joy was talking about a 'peeper' that a friend of hers makes (or her husband does, anyway!) and as her and I got to talking about them, Joy ended up organising one for me to purchase from her too!  It arrived just today in the mail and it is beautifully crafted in timber....don't know if you can tell by my Christmas photos, but all of my house has timber furnishings....I love the natural beauty and feel of timber!  You can see the lovely crafty card  that Joy sent with it....what a love!!!!

 

       a view through the peephole!!!

Now, after such a long post, I'll leave you to have a bit of a break before I announce a giveaway.....I think it's about time, don't you???   So, until then, I'll let you think about what it is I'm having a competition about.  I'll give you a clue.......rock-a-bye....!!!! (or is that a dead give away??? hehehe)

Sugary hugs

XX :O)