I love it when a plan comes together..

I am happy to report that my home is now decorated after an unusually long spell. I found that my last minute sewing really put me back with regards to both decorating and buying presents, as in any presents. But after getting a babysitter yesterday myself and my hubby did a big blitz and managed to buy everything we needed in a few hours. 

After a quick visit to M&S this morning I got in the last of the food and we are now ready for lock down and a couple of comfy days indoors with the kids. I am so excited about Christmas this year as Sophie is very much into the whole package. Although I'm now trying to explain to her that she won't actually be seeing Santa on Christmas just that he will visit during the night. Anyway not the easiest of concepts for her to grasp but I'm hoping the joy of seeing her toys will distract her enough! She made a beautiful little decoration for the tree and she hung it on it yesterday, she is so proud and has shown everyone where it is when they come to visit. 

I want to make my Mum a fabric basket and then fill it with FQ's for her present. I'm thinking of doing to hexies as I have never tried them before. But other than that there will be no more sewing from me until after Christmas. The shop I supply in Dublin were looking for more stock but I had to draw the line as I've been so busy and I just couldn't justify spending more time in my sewing room when the kids were on their holidays. I just felt guilty and really just wanted to get the house in order and spend some time chilling out and watching Christmas movies, maybe some baking and you get the idea. Basically anything but sewing. 

My knitted crib came out again this year and I forget how cute it is every year. Sophie enjoyed handing them all to me, she also helped put up my original crib which I bought in a pound shop the year Jack was born for £10, it still has pride of place. Jack used to help me set it up every year and he still arranges it even though he's a teenager now!

I have found myself a wonderful babysitter and I'm determined to make good use of her in 2013. I'm terrible for going out and every new year I say we must do it more often and then never do. So I have already booked her in for the first Saturday in every month so that will give me the much needed kick up the ass to get going!

I wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

xxx

Christmas time, no tree up, no decorations and no presents bought!!!

Okay so I'm really behind, but I'm only behind when I talk to other people or rather when they ask me am I 'all done' for Christmas. Well the answer is no, no I'm not done nor even near done but that is okay. I'm pretty relaxed about the whole thing as usual. It always comes together in the end. My daughter just wants a football and goalpost so I don't foresee a huge run on these items.

We started putting the pieces of our sitting room back this evening and now that we have our sofas back in their rightful position the place is beginning to look better. We will decorate for sure tomorrow. I just didn't want to do it this evening without my little girl Sophie around. She is so excited about Santa and Christmas that I'm dying to see if she'll help or even take an interest in the tree and trimmings. My boy Jack reckons she won't but I want to wait and see.

She has her Christmas concert on Wednesday and I'm going to miss it as I have to go to hospital for an injection that I've been waiting 9 months for. I can't not get it, but I'll admit to being devastated finding out that I was going to miss it. She did a very quick run through of her signs for me this evening. I've recruited hubby and sis in law to tape every second of it for me. I swear last years concert was amazing, it was the best Christmas present ever.

I've finished with all my craft fairs now and I'm finishing up on my last orders for Christmas, I'll be done by Wednesday for sure.

I did a little bit of retail therapy at the end of last week, I deserved to splash out on some fabric after all my hard work coming up to Christmas. My head is already bursting with ideas for the new year and I'll look forward to digging in to some new projects then. My hand and arm are still not fully recovered from all of my hand sewn Xmas decorations. it was badly swollen for about a week and I couldn't actually write anything! the sacrifices we make :)

So tired....zzzzzzzz

So here I am at my second to last Christmas Fair and I'm busy sewing even when I should be selling! I am so so tired at the minute and I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow evening when I'm finished with all fairs for 2012.

The late nights and early mornings are definitely catching up with me,  years ago that statement would NOT have meant late nights sewing! I've enjoyed all of them and tomorrow will be the longest day of all. Jack has been sick and off school all week so I'll be going solo to this one. My friend however is going to call to me so that I can have a lunch break.

I've have added a Xmas robin and pudding to my decoration collection and I really like them both. I just love working with felt and it's something I intend to keep up in 2013.

I'll leave you with a few photos of my new additions and I'll catch up early in the week.

x

Tis the season to be busy....

Another weekend and another craft fair over. I'm getting better at these things! although I was wiped out today as I was so tired. Next weekend I have my final two so God knows how I'll be on that Monday morning. Saturday turned out to be a great day. Lots of stalls, people and atmosphere. Maybe the fact that it was actually in December helped with the Xmas cheer. At the end of the day there were various raffles. Then they actually did a draw of all the stallholders to win a hamper. I never win anything so I was delighted to have been picked out. I was thrilled to receive my hamper which was full to the brim with.........cleaning products. HA HA HA, I asked Niamh the organiser if she had by any chance peeked inside my house, because with all the sewing recently there ain't been much cleaning going on.

I keep meaning to take a proper photo of my stall but forget my camera every time. Next week for sure I'll remember. I spent today cutting out lots and lots of felt templates as I've been left with only 10 decorations. I tried to keep track of what I was selling but it got a bit hectic and when I was packing up I couldn't believe how many had sold. Not complaining one bit, but I do have an awful lot of work for this week. I also have some large xmas orders in too so things are going to be pretty busy this week.

My son Jack who helped me out last week was in bed when I was going on Saturday, I had already roped in my Mum-in-law to help out so I didn't need him as such. At around 10 o'clock I get a call from him saying that he was ready to go and was it okay if he hopped a bus over to me. I told him absolutely and there he was 20 minutes later willing and able. I think he secretly enjoys them at this stage. A woman who was selling at another stall asked him if he would mind the stall for her while she went to the shops! She came back later and he had sold more stuff than she had, so he got a nice payment from her for his trouble. He doesn't get paid commission from me, so maybe he has found himself a niche as a lunch time cover seller.

I hope you all have a good week, I might if I get the chance give a mid week update if not have a good one.

x