A new year begins.

Happy New Year to all!

I hope you all enjoyed a Happy, Safe & Fun Christmas with your loved ones.

Now 2008 begins!  I always enjoy the start of a new year - it seems like a time to start fresh, make new plans, discard old ones that haven't worked out quite as hoped and look at the world with a new optimism!

I'm also hoping for a break in this really hot weather, I'd like to do some painting but it dries too quick! and we're also planning some gardening but too hot for that too! 

I've just had a really lazy couple of days reading a great novel by Lesley Pearse - A Father Unknown.  Really enjoyed it. So maybe that's a new resolution for me - to read a book once in a while.  We also went to see "The Golden Compass" - fantastic movie - I loved it!

What are you plans for the new year?

Love Corinna

About me & Christmas

Here's a Christmas meme I thought I'd do:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both - depends on the shape!

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree? Varies - this year was early November.

4. When do you take the tree down? January 6th

6. Favorite gift received as a child?  Trampoline, Roller Skates & Walkman

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes a sweet little one I bought last year - it's in my daughter's room

8. Hardest person to buy for? All males I find hard to buy for.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Kids

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received? A Yothu Yindi Tape

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Definitely mail - but I'm usually pretty slack & end up hand delivering them

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Love them all really!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? If I see something during the year I get it and pop it away for Xmas

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not yet - don't think anyone wants the Yothu Yindi cassette

15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? I love the Pavlova!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear

17. Favorite Christmas song? I enjoy them all - much to my husband's dismay

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Donner, Dasher, Prancer, Dancer, Donner, Dixon, Rudolph? - I vaguely remember a song in Primary School that named them - obviously failed that test

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Day.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Can't really think of one

23. What is the “silliest” family tradition you do, or miss doing? Don't have one - at least I don't think we do - maybe everything we do is a little strange & I don't know it!  One thing I miss doing is decorating & cooking with my grandmother in the lead up to Christmas - she passed away 10 years ago.

24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? Not sure  - I've found that if you have kids around they can usually show you the beautiful chrismassy side to even the most tacky or garish decoration & make it seem wonderful.

25. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? They are all wonderful.

26. Gingerbread or sugar cookies? Don't really eat bikkies - probably gingerbread.

27. Do you like Fruitcake? It sounds really bad but I think it depends on the fruit & alcohol content. 

My Grandma used to make a wonderful cake & several years ago I found a recipe that requires for the fruit to be soaked in 4 different types of alcohol.  After the long wait I finally tasted it and it took me right back in time to those Christmas spent at her house when I was a child.  Most of the time I don't really eat cake.

I wonder did you notice that there's a number missing? - I copied these questions from another Blog & couldn't be bothered fixing the numbers.

My house has been really busy this week with the Dancing Christmas Party on Sat nite - we were entertained by floorshows by the Junior & Teenage dancers & The Darryl Cotton Band.  Darryl made me laugh introducing himself to the kids by saying "I used to be a rockstar. You know Shannon Noll? Well I'm him in 20 Years". 

Sunday was the day My Sweet Little Miss turned 8 years of age! She had a little party with friends following by one with family.

I was also a lucky winner over at Helen's Hugs:

I've been a lover of Helen's work for many years - these are her new "Tempters" which are easy Iron On Transfer Designs for stitching.   Gotta love it when there's no tracing - just iron on & stitch!

Bye for now

Corinna

Shabby Christmas Surprise

As I said earlier, I was swap partners with Linda from Lilly Cottage in the Ornament swap organised by Kerryanne.

Today my parcel arrived, inside the post bag was this lovely parcel

Complete with beautiful card featuring a bird (which I particularly love at the moment)

Unwrap the parcel & there was a beautiful Christmas Boot/Stocking to place on my tree

Lucky me - I wonder if Linda has received her package yet?

Corinna

Homespun Surprise

I'm a regular reader of the Willow Valley Store Blog, by Cathy Baynes, and am lucky enough to sit & stitch with her on occasion.

I was very excited to see she's been published in the current issue of Homespun Magazine.  This is one of my fav publications & this issue is devoted to kids - Cathy's Baby Bag is one of many great projects. 

Run down to your local newsagents & grab a copy before they run out - then come back & check out her Blog.

See you later - I'm off to read mine now  . . . . . . . . .

Deck the Halls with boughs of Holly Fa La La La, La La La

Phew - hard to know how to punctuate those La's - but I'm sure you get the gist of what I'm singing!

I participated in a Handmade Ornament Swap over at Kerryanne's Blog.  Lucky me!!! I was partnered with a wonderful partner - Linda of Lilly Cottage & her ornament has been sent - she may even receive it today.  I can't show you my creation yet - that would spoil the surprise.

Christmas time is closing in and gifts need to be ready so I'm making a few more:

Here's LA - Actually it's A for Amy & L for Liam (my niece & nephew) - (hopefully their parents don't read my blog).  If they do that's OK they are far from being finished - lots of ideas & not sure how I'm going to embellish yet but will post another pic when done.

Steph's got lots of teachers at dancing - so what to give?  I decided making these Bag Tags would be a fab idea.   Against all my Bomber's loyalty, Steph convinced me Sarah (her after school carer) needed a Collingwood (Black & White) Bag Tag.

So now I've just got the other teacher's presents to organise.  A student of mine that used to be a teacher told me that she has collected an amazing array of Christmas Decorations received from Children she's taught in the past.  Each year she remembers them fondly as their decorations are placed on the tree. 

What's your tip for a great Teacher's gift?  or Kris Kringle for an unknown recipient?  Now the time to share any hints we have only 19 sleeps left!!!!!!

Til next time - happy crafting

Corinna

Long time no post

Gee time seems to be running away from me.  I feel as though Christmas is creeping up on me & I’m not prepared.  I’ve starting organising Kris Kringles, and I need to begin making Teacher’s Pressies.  OMG It’ll be here before I know it! 

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Anyway decided it was time for another post & didn’t have anything really exciting to say so I decided to join this meme:

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The rules are: Answer the following on your blog and then let five other bloggers know that you have tagged them to complete the meme.

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1. When did you start to create and make craft? 

I was lucky enough to have grandmothers who taught me many things:  cake decorating, sewing, embroidery, tapestry, latch hook rug making, oil & china painting among other things.  I was exposed to & enjoyed all these crafts at the ripe old age of 7

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2. Why did you start creating?

I think it may have been the thrill of creating & making something with my Grandma’s – oh and because it’s fun.  Still is.

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3. Why do you create?

Quite often it’s simply because I love the thrill of the process, starting with a pile of fabric, or a heap of papercraft items, or a blank canvas & my paint collection and then ending up with a creation.  

Sometimes the creations aren’t quite as wonderful as expected, but they’re still fund to make. Generally I enjoy learning how different mediums work. 

Other times I just fall in love with a design or something pops into my head as I’m going to sleep & I just need to make it.  

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4. What do you create?

Well, it all depends on the day.  One day it’s all about Papercraft, the next jewellery, the next sewing & quilting, the next painting, all the above – the list goes on and on.  I don’t have any boundaries set & I create what makes me happy!

5. Has this changed since you began crafting?

As an adult I have a better budget & can buy better craft supplies

As a child (before I was old enough to participate in my Grandmothers crafts) I was mainly restricted to the use of some manilla paper, a blue ballpoint pen & some stickytape.  I can’t tell you how many different creations I made from these 3 things, but I recall quite fondly when I was 6, making a 3D Doll house, complete with paper dolls, tables and chairs etc. I was (and still am) pretty proud of that creation.

I am supposed to tag 5 people which I find really hard as most of the people I would have tagged have already been tagged - I am leaving this open for anyone to join in. (But please let me know you’re joining in by leaving a comment)  There is one person who I know hasn’t been tagged so I tag you Julie

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Thanks look forward to your answers

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Love

Corinna

PS If you are wondering about the stray full-stops, I tried repeatedly to put spaces between the paragraphs & for some reason they just wouldn't behave so I had to put full stops in.

Dancing with the Stars

My daughter has been dancing for many years now.   Yesterday the students from her Dancing School had their chance to strut their stuff in front of the judges.

She was pretty nervous but her hard work paid off & she received a Bronze Medal for Latin Dancing.  The dances she performed were the Samba, Cha Cha Cha & Jive.

To quote the judge she "looked beautiful".  I can't show you her dancing but here's a pic:

 

After I took this photo we went to the Awards Nite where all dancers perfomed an Honour Dance & received their Medals. The teenage class also performed a floorshow of Michael Jacksons Thriller which was sensational.

Love Corinna