Happy New Year

Wishing you the happiest New Year and may 2009 be 'your year' where all you hopes, wishes and dreams come true.

Rachaelxo

Christmas Pressies

We got so spoilt with Christmas pressies from the family this year, loads of gorgeous things. I made a little arrangement so you could see what we got.

I told my Mum I wanted good sheets and towels so she kindly obliged. The sheets are to die for, 400 count Egyptian cotton, I can't wait to get into bed at night and very loathe to leave in the morning!

I also got scented roses, a fanciful ornamental shoe (which has planted a seed!), web cam, food vouchers, bath goodies, book, shawl, shower gel, painted mushroom (Princess), lip gloss, decorated hand duster (Mum), lavender plants, herb plants, yummy cheese spread (Amah), lavender soap and key ring. Some of those were joint presents for Babes and I, like the sheets, food vouchers, web cam etc. Lucky I am good at sharing!!!

Didn't we do well though!!!



Along with the world wide recession we have our own personal one going on so I made all of our gifts for other people. I made our little Chinese friends their own Christmas stocking, the same as I did for The Princess last year, vintage chenille and fur!!


I sewed four of these aprons, one adult size and three children's size, one for a friend, two for our little Chinese friends and one for The Princess.


All three little girls also got a white t-shirt that I had hand stitched hearts and a button on to.


Years ago Babes granddad had made these wooden toadstools, so I painted one for each of the girls also. This one is The Princess's.


My Mum, Babes two grandmothers and Babes Aunty all received one of these bags made by moi!


They each got three coat hangers, a heart and a set of shoe stuffers, all heavily filled with lavender from my garden. I also 'tarted' up a bar of lavender soap for each of them.


Lots of people received these home baked and decorated cookies The Princess and I made together. We had so much fun doing them!


I have other stuff I made as well but can't show at the moment as some people haven't received their gift as of yet.

Loved Christmas this year, loved making things for everyone and loved seeing everyone open what I had made them!

Next post I will show you the dress I made for my fairy niece. I am thrilled with it.

Bye for now

Rachaelxo

Christmas Day 2008

We had the most wonderful Christmas Day this year. Happy in every sense of the word. It started very early at 6am with one very excited Princess squealing in delight at the present laden pillowcase Santa left at the foot of her bed and at the chomped up bits of carrot the 'reindeer' had spat out all over the front lawn!!!!

Santa was generous but very sensible this year. The Princess got a scooter to encourage outdoor activity and Junior Scrabble for us all to play with and extend our minds!!!

She did get loads of gifts from the rest of the family but fortunately lots of books and activity type things.


My Mum stayed the night and Babes grandmother (Amah) came over to watch the present opening early morning! I was in the this photo but it was hideous so I cropped it!! Love that cropping tool!!


Even though it was very hot and sunny we had a traditional Christmas dinner, turkey and trimmings. Here it is uncooked on the kitchen floor, it was a whopper and the pan wouldn't fit on the bench.


And then cooked, still on the floor - I did wash the floor the night before!


My Mum set the table, it looked gorgeous, we used a table cloth and napkins Jean my mother in law had made and sent from Australia to use on Christmas Day.


Christmas was extra special this year because we invited our Chinese friends to share it with us and our extended family. It was their first experience of a traditional European Christmas and Christmas dinner so it was wonderful to see it through their eyes. (The children's glasses are Sparkling Grape Juice - looks like wine!!!)


The children even had a special visit from Santa, they couldn't believe what they were seeing!!!


In true Christmas fashion, the aftermath of Christmas Day, the trashed present opening room!

I've really enjoyed catching up with you all and seeing what you did for Christmas Day.

For my next post I will show you what I got for Christmas and the gifts I made for people.

I'm off to finish a dress I am making for my little 2 year old niece Miss Georgia Mary Fairy!!!

Till next time,

Bye . . .

Rachaelxo

On the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth day of Christmas!!!

A little blogging catch up here, I have got way behind, crafting, baking, cleaning for Christmas but all done now. Santa has been early and left cookie crumbs, half a glass of milk, chomped up carrots and tipped over reindeer water!!!

I am doing this and then off to bed, big day tomorrow!!!

Anyway . . .

On the eighth day of Christmas Adrienne from Kaikoura gave to me . . .

a beautiful velvet and bead covered Christmas ornament, just gorgeous, quite Victoria looking. Thank you so much Adrienne, I adore it and will be trying my hand at some next year.


On the ninth day of Christmas Wendy from Nelson gave to me . . .

a fabric bag tied with a beaded cord, opened as they are every day by the Princess


and inside a wonderful mosaic cross. Thanks so much Wendy, just love it!


On the tenth day of Christmas Jean from Cairns, Australia gave to me . . .

the most amazing origami wrapped parcel


containing 4 exquisitely made gift tags with an delicate Asian style to them. Jean is my mother in law and is a wonderful origami artist. Thanks Gamma, they are going to be framed!


On the eleventh day of Christmas Amah from Auckland gave to me . .

a hand stitched hanging lavender bag decoration. Amah is Babes grandmother, she is 82!! This work is two sided so she made 24 pieces!!! Her work is perfection, my eyes are not as good as Amah's. Thanks Amah, just beautiful.


On the twelfth day of Christmas Miranda from Nelson gave to me . .

the most incredible crocheted bookmark in a fan pattern. Miranda, I love this, can't believe you can crochet, a hidden secret??? I am going to frame it and have it downstairs in the dining room, goes with my colours!!! Thanks Miranda, love how you presented it also!


So much fun opening a present for twelve days in row, all such diverse craft work and so much talent and thought put into it. Thank you so much everyone. This is my second year of a 12 day swap, if you ever get an opportunity to join one at Christmas time do it!

That's it my friends, I'm off to bed.

Wishing all the happiest, safest and best Christmas day.

Take Care

Rachaelxo

On the seventh day of Christmas

On the seventh day of Christmas I gave to me . . .

a fabulous embellished and sewn bag,



with a fantastic, fabulous fan created by me!!!



This is Babes 82 year old Grandmother who we call Amah, wearing the button necklace she received yesterday from Marion in Dunedin.


Christmas crafting going well, table a little clearer!!!

Bye for now

Rachaelxo

On the sixth day of Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas, Marion from Dunedin gave to me . . .

A green wrapped parcel as shown by the pretty Princess,


and a really cute button tag,



inside the most fabulous button necklace, in browns and creams (Beth imagine how many of these you could make!!!),


which I wore all day today and received many compliments!. Thank you Marion from Dunedin, love it!!!

And as promised, this is my dining room table . . .




Bye Bye

Rachaelxo

On the fifth day of Christmas . . .

My very own Mummy gave to me . . .

a Christmas Bon Bon


opened by The Princess



and inside a fabric covered box, and as Babes would say "with embellishments"


and inside the box, a green thing . . .








which turned out to be a fabulous felted cuff. Mine has a bow on the top, lots of sparkly beads and blanket stitching.

All in all, very gorgeous, very funky, it has not left my wrist this morning!

Thanks Mummy!!!

**********************************************************************************

The house is finally decorated for Christmas, I bought my first three presents this morning and the Christmas crafting is coming along nicely!


I have experimented for the first time with dyeing with tea, these silk taffeta roses are embellishments on gifts I am making, that I can't show you right now as some recipients of those gifts read this blog. Very pleased with how they turned out. Next time I will use less tea bags for a lighter look.

Tomorrow I will give you a good laugh and show you the state of my dining room table . . .

Rachaelxo

On the fourth day of Christmas

On the fourth day of Christmas Aunty Eileen from Auckland gave to me . . .

A hand stamped bon bon . . .



holding two Christmas napkins and beaded napkin rings!



Thank you Aunty Eileen!!!

We seem to have a Baby Jesus impostor . . .



I am surprised you did not hear my great snort of laughter when I noticed it this morning.

The Princess at work!!!

Bye for now . . .

Rachaelxo

On the third day of Christmas

Hazel from Nelson sent to me . . .

a Christmas Pudding . . .


recipe and



and two dear little Christmas Puddings (phew - thought I would have to cook something!).

One made from sequins and one hand stitched felt.



They are so, so very cute - thanks Haze!!!

If you read my last post you will see I am so not ready for this party


and if you continue to read this post you will see that nothing changed overnight (I watched Desperate Housewives instead of decorating!!!)

So anyway, the front door is open, come on in


mind the vacuum cleaner, well actually if you could see your way clear to just . . .

never mind, here is the grown up tree, all balls and beads this year, note the lack of pressies under it, that because . . .


and moving right along, still in the grown up room, the mantle, mine and The Princess's stockings (sorry Babe's nothing for you!). See the blue tack dots, I had thingies hanging up there, didn't realise until I was editing the photo that they had fallen off, oh well . . .


into the family room, the hutch, I couldn't show you the whole thing as the sewing machine is sitting in front of it, its been there for weeks!!! Can you just make a start on folding that huge pile of laundry for me . . . no well, I will tell you a wee story then


This sweet but worn little nativity set belonged to my Granny. When I was a little girl I used to love to play with it at Christmas time. It now belongs to Mum but is having a little visit with us. On Saturday the Princess told me she had been playing with it and Joseph and Baby Jesus had gone on holiday to a stable while Mary stayed at home and had a rest!!! Love it!!!


Right oh, up the stairs we go, not much up here, just this white tinsel tree with pink and silver decorations in the Princess's room. Which reminds me, I need to put the topper on it!!!


I'll leave you with this Christmas Prayer, embroidered by my Mum.


Have a great day, bye for now

Rachaelxo