Merry Christmas

Today we go away for Christmas and New Years. No telephone, no TV, no internet... I am looking forward to it!! I have packed some craft to do, both for myself and with the kids. Matt has books and a hammock :)
Wherever you are this Christmas, enjoy!
Thanks for visiting my little blog and I will be back early 2010 with holday snaps.

xoxo

My Very Newest!!!

This ornament is just a few hours old... I picked it up at the Reject Shop this afternoon....

Right about now the lovely Pam is laughing or cursing me...

Pam and I have been discussing my blog and the ornaments that I show. I am so thrilled that she went to the trouble of making this one for me. It is special for many reasons, but best one of all is that it makes us smile. Thanks Pam, I will treasure this one always x Lock on!!!!!

I am off to my work Christmas party in an hour.... I just made the cutest hair clip for the occasion. I might post a pic tomorrow. Byeeeee x

Ice Snowman

I picked up this little guy and his Cardinal friend from Sears at Westmoreland Mall 4 years ago. The ice style was very popular then, I just thought he was cute :)

School is over for the year and we are starting them in style... Still in our PJ's :)

Tomorrow I will post a photo of the whole tree as it will come down before we go away.

Teacher Treats

I made these in under an hour the other night for Liberty's Preschool teachers. These ones are pretty basic as that was all the time I had spare to make them. The embellies on top were pre-made, I think from the Kmart sales last Christmas... The lollies come from a shop were you can still purchase by the gram! So much fun. Note to self: The same shop also sells Cherry Coke for $3.50 a can... Sticky Fingers stocks a lot of imported candy.

I think these were cute little gifts and in the price bracket I wanted!

Willow 2007 & 2008

These are the sweetest Willow ornaments. These were sent to us from America by Connie. They take pride of place at the top of the tree.

Today is my last day for 6 or 7 weeks home alone... Last day of school and preschool today. I have been running to get everything done, the clock is winning though! I better get to my next destination!

Byeeeeee x

Feels good.....

I have been giving the sewing machine a work out the past few weeks.... and it feels good!

The top pic are Crayon Carry Bags that I made for Jess and Lucas. I actually have made a few others that Amanda is going to try and sell to her work mates :) Cross fingers! Would be nice if I did sell some, the money would go to a service of the sewing machine.

The idea for these came from a bag that Liberty was given in America (Thanks Sara and Sean) I have made quite a few as gifts.

The middle pic is what Amanda got for Christmas. I love making these tote bags!

The bottom 2 bags were part of my Mothers and Grandmothers Christmas gifts. Some are very hard to part with.... I don't use handbags much anymore, just tote bags, and I change bags every few days :)

I have more that I could show you, but people may see them and ruin their Christmas surprise!

My newest handmade love!

One of my very favourite people made these for me. I plan on stringing them over the fireplace or a door at Green Oak for Christmas. For now they just sit on a tree branch.

I have a few hours to get some things done and then Liberty and I are off to the park to play Santa for the primary end of year party. They each get an icypole. After that we are going up to have Christmas with my Mother and Grandmother.... Mmmmm Grandma does the best baked veggies :)

Sea World, Aurora Ohio

My Dad took me to Sea World in Aurora Ohio when I was 13 (?). This is where this ornament came from. Every year I pack it in bubble wrap and tissue and it has survived 20 years of packing and unpacking. This is a pretty special ornament as The Ohio Sea World is no longer. I remember the trip quite well, I also remember it was very hot and humid.

I can now say after a productive trip to Tamworth yesterday that all of my Christmas gift shopping is done! Just the wrapping to do!

6 sleeps until we go away!!!!

Millennium Baby

This is one of Shawn's. His Grandpa got it the year he was born. I was have a conversation with my 'younger' work mates about Y2K, and all of the computer problems that were expected... they had no idea, didn't know about that at all... Talk about feeling old! At least I sounded like a history buff so I could dazzle them with my knowledge not just my wrinkles! :)

I am off to finish the very last of my Christmas gift buying. If I don't get it today, then sorry, but you miss out.

Disney

We each have an ornament from Disneyland. Shawn's is Mickey and I have the Chip n Dale one.

I work this morning and then have a portrait sitting... it will be a longer Saturday than normal. I am so tired, my eyes are sore. Too many late nights editing.

Statue

This ornament came from the statue of Liberty gift shop. They had a few beautiful glass balls, but not worth the risk of transporting them.

Last night was Presentation night over at the school and then i came home and spent 3 hours editing wedding photos... I have now made it to the half way mark...

Today I am taking our chocolate fountain over to Shawn for his class to use as for some selling activity they are doing. It sounds a lot like The Apprentice TV show, should be fun to see.

Have a great day! x

Newest

Miss Liberty made this at Preschool yesterday and it now hangs proudly on our tree.

The bush fires are not that far away. The air is quite thick with smoke, not a good day.

Well I am starting to go into slight panic mode. I have sewing to do, photos to edit, books to make, gifts to wrap and post, cards to send, a very messy house that needs attention, shopping to do, various school stuff needs doing before the end of term... I have a headache just thinking about it all. I am now at the stage where I have so much to do, that I don't really know where to start!

On a brighter note, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM x have a wonderful day!

Liberty's Phone

This was given to Miss L from Rach last year. Liberty is quite the talker.... Matt is getting me ear plugs for Christmas :)
I have been editing some wedding photos from Chris and Shannyn's wedding. If you would like to have a sticky go HERE.

I've got mail!

This was made for me by the same lady that made the Kiss Monster below. When I was living at home my Mum would put a treat in the mail box for me, and I would have to search the tree to find it. Unfortunately, Matt has not carried on this tradition. :)

The flag moves and the door comes down, pretty clever.

Today is the school end of year school assembly. I am a tad nervous as I was kindly asked if I would present... I have no idea what I am helping present... I just hope it is not a sport award! LOL.

Squeeze my cheeks...

Squeeze my cheeks and I'll give you a Kiss!

He was made by a lady in America. If I am correct I got him in 1986.......

This cutie opens his mouth when you squeeze the sides and out comes a Hershey Kiss chocolate! this year I actually have some Hershey Kisses so he will work! :)

Steelers

These are Matt's Pittsburgh Steelers decorations. The bell I gave him and the 2 players with Santa my Dads cousin sent to him :)

We had a wonderful weekend in Grafton. Today we experienced the Grafton pool for the first time... My 3 children loved it! lol It has a fantastic water slide. The perfect size for every age. It has 3 diving boards. Shawn tried out the low one first and then straight to the high one. I could not believe it! I was so proud of him!!!

Scarlet

This young lady came from a little shop in Gettysburg.

I have a nice collection of old Gone With The Wind books and I used to love the movie... it has been a long while since I have had the time to sit and watch it.

Today I go to work and then we are off to have an early Christmas with our friends in Grafton.

Have a great weekend x

Idlewild... the best day!

Idlewild is an amusement park in Pennsylvania. I went here as a child and I have been fortunate to take my children. That is pretty amazing since Idlewild is the other side of the world from where we live. It keeps me poor...

6 months ago when we where there, my lovely Aunt Linda treated us all to a day at the park. It was such a wonderful day full of great happy memories that I will cherish always!

This is the ornament that came home with us that day. Pretty slim pickings in the ornament department as it was June.

Shawn is back at school today. As it is the end of the school year, today is a rewards day. The students get to have a fun day that finishes up with watching a movie in the school hall. The movie is Up! I am seriously tempted to go and watch it with the kids, as I missed it at the movies and would like to see it. Students got to wear their pyjamas to school and take a pillow... I would do that just to watch the movie! :)

Miss Liberty

Pretty obvious who belongs with this ornament...
My Dad was given this to give to Liberty on our last trip over to see him. She is beautiful. Liberty had a great time putting the decorations on the tree this year. I think only a few branches had about 3 ornaments on them... I did fix that when no one was looking. :)

Star Wars Ornaments

Just for my boy who is home sick today, I thought I would post some of his tree decorations. He has Hallmark Star Wars ornaments, but 2 years ago I picked up a box of 15 star wars key rings in a damaged bin in Kmart as one was missing. They make the perfect ornaments for the Star Wars fan!

Liberty is at Preschool today, Shawn is home with me and enjoying the quiet that exists when his sister is not home, and I am sewing some Christmas goodies :)

Happy Summer!

Today is the first day of Summer.

Not a great start to the season. I am not well, Liberty has a runny nose and Shawn came home from school sick. Poor guy has slept all day and is very pale, we shall see what the night brings...

I thought I would share some more of our tree ornaments again, like I did last year. I will try and pick different ones. Sorry if I do repeat a few :)

This is the newest member to our ornament family. A birdcage. All of our pets have ornaments, so this one is for Smuggler. I also have a bit of a thing for Cardinals at the moment, so it hangs nicely with the tin Cardinals I got at JC Penny in America a few years ago.

I have a P&C Christmas dinner tonight. We are also drawing the raffle we have been running for the past few months.