I'm Smiling....

Hello its so lovely to see you here again.
How has your week been?  

I hope it was filled with lots of festive joy
and not to much pre Christmas stress! 

 My week has been busy with the latter
and a last minute sewing project.  

Why..oh..why do I do it every year???  

....I can’t blame anyone else.... 

....I think it’s the quiet rebel in me that makes me do that.... 

I mean as a Mum in the run up to Christmas
so much of your time is being pre booked 

....nativity plays....carol singing....Christmas parties....
time & dates dictated to you.  

Not to mention all the other prepping that has to be done. 

....Your time becomes everyone else's....

 And I think that is why I like to make something just because 

“I want to” with no “must” pressure attached.  

Silly really as it means I just have more to do in the same time.  

But looking at these cushions I know that,
for me as crazy as it sounds, 

it’s the right thing to do.  

As I am looking at these, I can’t stop smiling.

I’m smiling because....
I so vividly remember the lady at the shop
where I bought my “new” sewing machine 

telling me about the great quilting features my new machine had.  

I smiled politely thinking to myself ....me quilting.... never!!  

How does the saying go “never say never”.

I’m smiling because....
here we are a little over six years later  I love machine quilting!!

I just adore these vintage fabrics for their sweet kitsch.... 

I loved picking out the various
Santa’s, birds, letters on these fabrics
bringing them to life by quilt around them.

I’m smiling because....
something can turnout so very different
then I had envisaged yet be so beautiful.  

I loooooove playing with fabric
seeing how different colours and prints work together.
I will have to call this my stars and stripes Santa cushion.

I’m smiling because....
I wanted a complimenting contrast.  

It took quite a bit of playing around
to make all the different fabrics work.

I am a fabriholic, and all the fabrics I have used for this

 have been in my stash for quite a while,
just waiting for the right project!

I’m smiling because....

Knowing that all the pre Christmas stress will have been well worth it, 

when we are all enjoying a lovely family Christmas together!

 

I'm smiling because....
looking at Santa's cheery face on this cushion
just fills me with happiness!

 I'm Smiling because.... 

 these cushions make the Paperdolls smile 

and what can be better then seeing your children smile.

Have a joyous 3rd advent weekend

xxxx

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

decking the halls starts in our house on Thanksgiving eve with a 

classic Christmas movie and the putting up of our tree. 

It’s our tree’s 20th Christmas anniversary this year and I still remember 

Mr Mc’s shock at the then rather steep price of 69 pounds.

 I knew even then though it would workout a great investment and I have been proved right.  

Now I only dread the day when we have to retire the tree 

as the paperdolls have never known another Christmas tree in our house 

and are rather attached to this one. 

After putting the tree together we start of with the lights, 

 normally a job for Mr Mc, but he was away for a couple of weeks so it was left to me this year.  

This is followed by spending most of the evening bickering over which baubles and

ornaments are the prettiest and where to hang them.  

The bickering seems to be every year as much part of our Christmas preparations 

as biscuits & cups of hot chocolate.

I looooooove the beautiful mix of baubles & ornaments that we have gathered over the years.

    I find it impossible to pick my favorite one.

I adore the way the light makes the glass look like ice....

To many to show them all....

A couple of years ago I made the “executive” decision 

....to much protest of the paperdolls....
that our tree is only decorated with
....glass....white....silver....&....sparkle....lots and lots of sparkle

But just because there is a colour restriction....

doesn’t mean the paperdolls haven't got a say when we buy new ornaments for the tree.

 After all what is Christmas without a ....BIG.... slice of kitsch!

Even Mr Mc a fan of most things "stags" gets to have some on the tree.

And every year we have a few bauble and ornament causality's 

but to me that makes a Christmas tree interesting over the years.

A mix of old and new.

We still have a little more decorating in the house to do

 but it already has very much the feel of Christmas.

     

Have a week filled with the magic of this season and

 ....THANK YOU.... 

so much for taking the time and popping by.  

I am only too aware that in the run up to Christmas spare time is very scarce.

XXXX

Winter has arrived....

After the storm on Thursday which thankfully we have survived unscathed, 

came overnight the winter with plenty of snow and much to the delight of 

the Paperdolls and myself turned our neighborhood into a winter wonderland.

Early Friday morning the Paperdolls where glued to the radio in anticipation 

for an announcement that the schools would be shut for the day.  

With teen Paperdoll going through her mock GCSE exams at the moment 

 if I'm been honest for her any excuse not to go to school is a good one at this time.  

But no such luck for them on this occasion, school’s were open so off they went.     
And I enjoyed a walk in the snow covered woods 

at the bottom of our street on my own.

....I just looooooove the crisp air on a winters morning....

The woods are so full of life with constant rustling in the undergrowth 

and yet they are peace and tranquility itself.

And after such a walk what could be nicer then 

a lovely neighbor knocking on my door and handing me these beautiful 

homemade cupcakes just because she had some spare.  

It really is these little acts of kindness by my friends & neighbors 

that make my day every time.

I managed to wait for the paperdolls to come home from school 

before tucking into this beauties.
Hot chocolate made the perfect companion for the cupcakes.

We all snuggled up, switched on the Christmas lights and watched 

the snow falling in thick flakes outside.  

It was a perfectly lazy Friday afternoon.     
Unfortunately I can’t afford any more of this lazy days as I’m already behind 

with my list of Christmas preparations.  

Nothing new for me, just like Christmas comes round every year 

 so does my last minute prepping stress!  

I will say bye for now so I can start catching up with my list.
Have a peaceful second advent.

XXXX