make a list

It's my tradition that today I make a list of what my goals and dreams will be for the next year and I look at my list from last year and feel all fuzzy about how I went with those (or not depending on the year).

So, things that I am feeling really good about this year are:
* attending 3 markets & opening my salon up
* challenging myself to make some new things
* putting some of my things into a shop
* feeding my family all year and watching them grow into gorgeous boys
* slowly getting less migraines and back pain as the year went by
* organising the house just a little bit more
* planting more vegetables around the garden
* starting writing
* finding a really good osteopath

* being encouraged into doing a blog by some good people

Things I am looking forward to next year:
* sending my youngest to school
* reading quietly during daylight
* sewing and creating more
* writing
* breathing gently
* loving my family
* loving my friends
* getting better at blogging

a time for a break

For all those who have been so kind as to have been reading my blog, thank you. I hope that you all had a very merry Christmas and wonderful time with your families.

We hosted Christmas at our house and it was just the best. The company, the shared food (argentenian bbq - yummm), the noise, the crafty/foody deco's that the kids and I spent hours/days making, squeezing everyone around our table... all made it to be what Christmas should be. We missed the members of the family who couldn't make it and remembered them with angels flying above the table. I will post some photos later when I am back with the photos of Christmas. We finished the day with driving around looking at the most amazing Chrissy lights in Ascot Vale and Moonee Ponds (and have decided to make that a new family tradition).

I am now taking a little break from it all recouperating from the year; reading, gardening, writing, op shopping, breathing & playing with the kids. See you all again in the new year.

I wish you all the very best for the new year and hope that you can find some way to get a little closer to your dreams.

Happy New Year! Feliz Año Nuevo! Glückliches Neues Jahr! Καλή χρονιά! Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! Nouvelle année heureuse ! Nuovo anno felice! 明けましておめでとう! 새해 복 많이 받으세요! Ano novo feliz! С новым годом! 新年好! Sretna Nova Godina!

surprise package

I received a lovely package in mail yesterday from a clever girl, SaffronCraig & it was such a lovely surprise. I had forgotten that by just visiting her site she sent me a gorgeous piece of her hand printed fabric. Now I have the lovely joy of thinking of a project for it!

I will be opening the Salon again this Saturday between 10am & 12pm for those who are after last minute Chrissie pressies. You can call me 0407 124 553 for the address or email me megsthreads@gmail.com.

living boxes

skip shopper had this great idea of reusing recycling to make growing boxes to give away for chrissy pressies. Mixed lettuce, rocket & coriander seeds that are just starting to sprout (and they did survive the great downpour on Friday).

John (son) had this beautiful idea at the park of a "stick star", so we now have a new gorgeous decoration to add to our collection. We just wound string around the sticks adding one at a time & hung it with fishing wire.

...and Mum handed me down our old christmas lights that don't work - but look gorgeous all the same, so I have to keep them & one day I'll work out how to fix them, in the meantime, they just make great decorations.

angels

The boys call her the fat angel, I kinda like her. They made her. Do ya reckon yellow pages could have timed it better for new books? An entire afternoon & morning activity. Yay. Wouldn`t want more than two though...

triptych

Suddenly realised how close we are to Christmas & have potted up these hanging baskets to look pretty on the day as we are hosting. They have oregano, thyme (always need more of that), basil seeds, and marigolds to keep the bugs away & to eat the petals! Made an ugly wall, well, just not so ugly!

wish upon a star

Ahh, I loooove decorating for Christmas. These are really easy to make. I stole the idea from a show that we watch on Friday nights & adapted it to use materials that we have at home. Kids can make them & you can hang them too.

Cut strips of paper from magazines (the more colourful the better), then loop the ends so that they cross over about 3cm.

Punch a hole though the middle of the crossed over bit & the middle of the other side as shown

Stick this onto your split pin.

When you have enough on there (between 7 & 12), split the pin & then bend over the ends so there are no sharp bits & you will also have something to hang a string or fishing wire from!

Check the shop, come on Saturday or Tuesday for some hand made goodness between 10 & 12(megsthreads@gmail.com) and get into the spirit.

face up

Who saw that last night? Cool huh!

New stuff in shop. New stuff in Bamakko. Open shop went well, opening again next tuesday 9 december 10-12pm and saturday 6 december 10-12pm megsthreads@gmail.com for all those who are going crazy thinking of a nice handmade something for chrissy (or just want something for themselves...)