Swap Parcels

This afternoon the Postie delivered a little package! 

I have been looking forward to receiving this parcel with great anticipation!

I received the most gorgeous gifts!

I love the angel wash cloth - it is very special and I am not sure I want to use it to wash the dishes with! 

Also in my swap parcel was some lovely handmade soap, a gorgeous printed napkin, and the cutest little Christmas charm! 

Thank you very much Jenni - your gifts are very special! 

Thank you to Jodie for organising a great swap!

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I posted about my swap items here.

And here is a picture of the gifts that I sent to my Swap Partner.

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I really enjoy participating in swaps. 

Do you participate in swaps? 

Do you know of any swaps that have sign ups happening?

I will be on the look out for a good swap or two in the New Year!

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Little Christmas Decorations

This past week has been better than the last couple and has also been very productive!

In between all of our normal weekly routine happenings, major spring cleaning & de-cluttering, end of year parties and concerts, and other general Christmas preparations, I have squeezed in some crafting time to make some more Christmas presents and decorations. Most have been reasonably small and quick to make, - perfect for this time of the year! 

Here are some finished projects....

Christmas Tea light Cosy
- a thrifted glass and some leftover  yarn.

Small Christmas Stars
-waiting to be made into a garland.

Mini Christmas Stockings

On our Christmas tree are my gorgeous Merry Berries that I received in

 The Haby Goddess Christmas Swap. They look fantastic!

What have you been crafting? 

Do you have any handmade decorations on your tree?

Pop over to my Ravelry Project page for links to the patterns!

Lately...

I have had plenty on my mind, too much in fact that I have been totally pre-occupied.

I had a disastrous day in the kitchen last week, 

I burnt a pot of rice on the stove top, filling the house with smoke. 

Yes, I could hear the smoke alarm urgently beeping away but I had immersed myself in the vegie garden in an attempt to clear my cluttered mind and completely forgot the rice was cooking, 

or should I say burning. 

I literally thought that it was a neighbour's smoke alarm beeping away!

the burnt pot after several scrubbing attempts... 

Lately....

I have been knitting and crocheting Christmas presents and decorations, 

Lately....

I have been stressing about flash flooding in the backyard and cleaning up the aftermath mess
(twice in a fortnight).

Lately...

I have also managed to squeeze in a little time to get some more granny squares done on Evie's blanket. 

The stack of granny squares is growing!

Lately...

I am hoping that next week will be a better week! 

And I am planning on doing some more spring cleaning/de-cluttering in preparation for visitors next weekend, and a little bit of Christmas present sewing.

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Swaps-ies

In the post are my two swap parcels! 

These are my second and third swaps that I have joined in on.

I am really enjoying participating in swaps, it is a pleasure to make something for someone that I have never met and to receive something from someone else is a little bit exciting. 

I love it when the postie delivers a little parcel, don't you?

Anyway, the first swap I entered is with Jodie from over at The Haby Goddess. 

Jodie organised a Christmas Kris Kringle swap with a theme of red and white.

Here is the Kris Kringle gift that I made:

A Christmas Star garland; 

the pattern can be found over at Jelly Wares.

I hope the recipient loves these cute little stars as much as I do and that she has a special little place to hang them in her home!

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The second swap that I entered is with another Jodie, from over at Jelly Wares.

This is an Anonymous Wash Cloth Swap. 

We were asked to make our swap partner feel special, so along with the washer I have gifted her some yummy chocolates, a small candle, and some round cotton pads....I imagine every girl loves chocolate and I hope my swap partner can enjoy hers in a hot bath lit by candle light with nice soft eye pads soaked in lavender water covering her eyes and maybe even a glass of her favourite beverage......ahhhhh, sounds relaxing don't you think? 

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And today the postie delivered my Haby Goddess Kris Kringle gift to me!

This is from Fussy Eater's Mum. 

Thank you Margaret, 

I will be proudly decorating our Christmas tree this year with your gorgeous Merry Berries!

I am looking forward to receiving my special washcloth next! and I will be on the lookout for another swap to join in on, might wait til after Christmas though!

It is a rainy ol' day here today, so we have been indoors keeping busy and productive. I have done 

some decluttering in preparation for Christmas, a little bit of housework, some cooking, baking and made a start on Christmas present crafting.

It's a doing-a-bit-of-everything-kind-of-day.

This morning the little one and I made Fruit Loaf Buns, yum-o...

Fruit Loaf Recipe: (750g)

450grams/3 cups of flour (I used 225g each of spelt and white flour)

1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 & 1/2 teaspoons Salt

1 & 1/2 Tablespoons oil

3 teaspoons Mixed Spice

2 teaspoons Yeast

270ml water

3/4 cup of dried fruit (sultanas, currants, dried apple/apricot etc)

We measured out and placed all ingredients into the bread maker and set it onto the 'dough' setting. Once the bread maker cycle was complete, we split the dough into 12 pieces, gave them a light knead, shaped into balls and placed them into the muffing tray.

We left them to rise for approx. 45 minutes before placing into the oven @ 180'C for 20-25 minutes. 

Enjoy!

What have you been up to today?

What is your favourite bread recipe?

Bestie's Blue Keepsake...

Something special for a Bestie who is turning 10!

A lightweight blanket to provide years of comfort and warmth.

Abbey chose the colour scheme and with the Bestie in mind, together we picked out some lovely material.

We hope the Bestie loves it as much as Abbey and I do!

On My Mind.....

This week I have been thinking a lot about getting this blanket finished for my youngest daughter. It has been one of those WIP's that sit for a while, is pulled out from the basket and worked on for a short time, and then is returned to the basket when another new project pops up that needs to be made. 

I am over it being the longest WIP in history and seeing it just sitting in the basket. 

I must get it finished before starting another new project!

Pop over to Rhonda's @ Down to Earth to see more of "On My Mind"

Finished,

a rainbow crochet cushion - gifted to a special teacher.

Two 10th birthday presents, a knitted light weight vest

and a crocheted cropped cardi, (do you recognise the yarn Jodie?).

 2 crocheted cotton scarves, also birthday gifts.

Another crocheted cotton scarf for a dear friend.

 A very basic and mindless knitted triangle scarf for myself.

and almost finished birthday presents...

I am determined to finish this shawl for myself this week! 

And then I am getting started on the growing Christmas present list of things to make!

What are you making this week?

All of my crochet and knit project details can be seen on my Ravelry Project page.

in my garden;

there is lots of flowering spring colour;

and plenty happening in and around the vegie patch too;

 silver beet, lettuce, cabbage (that hasn't been eaten by a pesky possum since I put in the solar lights) and leeks.

sunflowers, parsley, baby spinach, spring onions, and garlic....

and new beetroot and snow pea seedlings are on their way.

 In the old bath tub I have sunflowers growing well, also broccoli, butter beans, and continental parsley. In the pot is lemon thyme.

These freshly picked beets have been cooked and preserved for Christmas! 

The 4 large beets filled 2 medium jars with goodness!