Last OPAM for 2015

Can you believe it's the end of 2015? Thanks to Peg and Kris for keeping us inspired throughout the year with OPAM. I had 16 finishes for December.

 Fifteen Christmas ornaments.

Chez's initial in a hoop.

I had a total of 52 finishes this year. Not as many as the last couple but I worked on some bigger projects. I'm having a year off swapping in 2016 so that I can work on some different projects for myself and my family. As much as I love making things for friends, it sometimes seems that that is all I am making. If only there were more hours in the day!

Thank you to all my blogging friends 

for another year of friendship. 

 See you in 2016!

 Hugs,

Christine

xxx

A Day At The Cricket!

 Noel, Mitchell and Nelson headed off to Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test. During the tea break, Nelson managed to get into the picture during Brett Lee and Warnie's interview.

 I've told him to wear a brighter top next time
as it would make it easier to see him!

At the end of the match, Mitchell met Dave Warner
who autographed his hat for him.

I think we have a new cricket fan in the house. This is the first time Nelson has been to the Boxing Day Test. He went on Sunday and then again yesterday. I enjoyed their day at the cricket as I had the house to myself and had an Orange is the New Black marathon while stitching!

I Found It!

I will admit that my sewing room was a bit messy before but after the boys had finished wrapping their presents on Christmas Eve, this is how I found the room!
Nelson emptied my old case that's filled with fabric so he could put a box in a box in a box in the case.

Roll on Boxing Day and I have found the floor again!

Now I feel I can do some stitching as the room is tidy.

One That Just Beat Santa!

One last bit of happy mail arrived on Christmas Eve. 

Thank you Fiona for my lovely ornament. 

As you can see, it is on my special tree.

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas Day. We did here.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

Lots of Love

Christine, Noel, Mitchell, Austin, Nelson and Molly

xxx

A Finish and A Win!

Here is a finish from quite a while ago but I had to wait until Chez opened it for our Friends Having Fun Swaps Christmas swap. Now she has, I can show you. I used Jenny's alphabet from the Stitchery Club.

I was lucky enough to win these two bags from Teresa of The Green Bag Lady in the recent Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day. Teresa and her team of "bagettes" have made over 33,743 bags @ 21st December 2015. You can read all about the bags here. My bags are #28,868 and #28,869! 

I was lucky enough to win one (#13,518), along with a kit to make another, back in the 2011 SMS Giveaway Day. 

I have also made some more of these bags. 

They are quick to sew up and fold up quite small. 

Thought I'd share my little doll my SIL gave me for Christmas. Isn't she cute? I think we can all relate to that! 

For My Blogging Friends Tree

 How cute is this snowman! 

Thank you Shez. xx

Barb sent me this gorgeous one.
Thank you Barb. xx

Helen also sent me this sweet lacey ornament.

Thank you, Helen. xx

All are now hanging on my Blogging Friends Tree.

Friday Night Sew-In

 

 I was multi-tasking at FNSI last night.

 

 Sliced up the loaves of almond bread and 

began the second baking.

While the first lot were in the oven, I pulled out 

some fabrics for a new project.

 By the end of the night I had re-baked 4 loaves.

 Two batches of almond and two batches of 

almond and orange infused cranberries!

Finished the prep work ready to start stitching. This is going to be for Austin's girlfriend's birthday which was last week. I couldn't find anything that appealed to me to get for her so I decided to make something. She knows I am going to make something special for her and is very happy to wait.

Well, I'm off to NOTYQ's Christmas Party. I'll miss my lovely friend Mel as it is far too hot for her to come outside.

Christmas Ornaments!

At the end of last Christmas I came upon these lovely wooden ornaments. When I bought them my plan was to stitch them onto felt to make the shapes stand out. I think they have turned out quite nice, even if I do say so myself!

Christmas Decorating 2015

Molly wanted to be part of the decorations! 

Lying on the footy bag again. Yes, you read right, footy bag! Pre-season training has been going for a few weeks now. Not much of a break from footy.

My Blogging Friends Tree that is getting fuller by the day. 

I think I'll need to buy a bigger one for next year.

 The Christmas minis have replaced the other mini quilts.

 Did you notice my Christmas Teddy? 

He has found a new place to hang out. That's the lovely bag Fiona made for me last Christmas.

 

 

 My tea light holders.

 Do you like my new snowman? Noel bought it for me last Sunday. The little red church is my favourite.

 Icicle lights all around the front of the house. There are coloured ones on the ceiling of the carport but it looks like 

I took the photo just as they faded out.

 The tree through the window. 

Again, the lights were starting their fade out part.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my decorating for this year.

It's lovely pulling out all the gorgeous Christmas things my blogging friends have made for me over the years.

Presentation Night - Night Two!

Last night we went to the Senior Presentation Night. 

Austin was presented as Senior House Captain for Meers for 2016. That's him fourth from the left. 

I can't believe he is going into Year 12!

Austin also received a VCAL Leadership Award.

Congratulations Austin.

We are very proud of you.

Love Mum, Dad, Mitchell and Nelson.

xxx

Duke of Edinburgh Award

 Last night was Presentation Night at school. Nelson was presented his Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Out of the 50 students who started, 

only 20 completed the award.

All of Nelson's hard work paid off.

 But there was more! 

Nelson received the Year 9D Responsive Award.

This award is for one or more of the following criteria: Enhancing the tone of the College by being an exemplary role model, showing skills in student leadership proactively seeking ways to assist others, being involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities and being active in the promotion of the Gospel or its values.  

Before the awards were given out, some of the different projects students took on were announced. Nelson's Blankets of Love for premature babies was one the projects mentioned. We had no idea he was receiving this award.

Nelson also received another award. Year 9D Consistency Award for consistency in Leadership - The Duke of Edinburgh Award Physical Education.

Physical Recreation was Nelson's major section and he worked on this for 6 months. He was able to include his Boundary Umpiring as it was a new skill for him. Once football finished, he continued working on his fitness and has already started preseason training for football and going to umpire training.

We are going to arrange to deliver the blankets after Christmas. When he does, I'll do a post and we'll show you all the blankets he made.

Congratulations on a wonderful effort Nelson.

We are very proud of you.

Love Mum, Dad, Mitchell and Austin

xxx

Some Lovely Mail!

Don't you love Christmas time when amongst all those horrible bills, some happy mail appears!

The lovely Michelle (Tag-Tag Stitchin') sent me this sweet stocking ornament to hang on my Blogging Friends tree. There was also one of her lovely Gingie designs too.

 

And my friend Maria (Life On The Block) sent me this lovely coaster from all the way over in Western Australia. 

I hope to meet Maria one day. We came very close a little while ago but it wasn't to be.

Thank you Michelle and Maria for my lovely gifts.

Look What I Found!

 I popped back to Savers today as when I was there on Friday, I saw some frames but wanted to check if these were the size needed. The frames are the perfect size for Natalie Bird's stitcheries. They are brand new as they still had the cardboard on the corners and only cost $3 each. 

I think they will be lovely painted.

And look what else I found. 

Two more bar tins!

That gives me a total of four which is perfect.

Happy Birthday Noel!

 It's Noel's 60th birthday today and last night 

we had a little celebration with family.

 Everyone put in and he was given a voucher.

Why this surprised look? The voucher had a photo. 

He said that one of the people looked like him. 

This is when he realised that it was his face!

This is the photo. 

Yes, we're sending him on a tandem jump!

I wonder if he'll have that smile when he does actually jump!

Happy birthday Noel/Dad

Lots of Love

Christine, Mitchell, Austin, Nelson and Molly

xxxx