Christmas at our house

Just as I was settling in to write lots about this past week, last night ,we got some unexpected visitors so you were saved from a long, maybe boring to some, post. Well here it is.

On christmas morning we had a nice relaxed time with the kids and our pets. We opened our stockings and presents and then had breakfast together, which Critishia kindly cooked for everyone. After that I spent the morning setting up a really great Christmas table. I had fun making it look as nice as I could with what I had. I made the place mats the night before and stamped over 2000 berries on the holly that I rolled on each side. I also had made over 30 of the little pudding boxes as we had 13 for lunch and then 21 for boxing day tea. I found my Christmas ribbon box and tied bows and attached them to each chair. I new all that ribbon would come in handy sometime.

My guests arrived at 1pm. My family for Christmas day. Mum and dad and my dad's cousins Margaret and Maurice, who are out from England, my sister Marion, Melanie and Amy and her boyfriend Matt.

All in all it was a lovely day. Big Thanks to my sister Marion and niece Amy who helped with the cooking. It was a scrumptious roast meal with plum pudding and custard and also Pavlova and fruit salad for desert.

The pudding box.

Emily, Critishia and I.

Table set for 13

The table setting with homemade place mats.
Everyone enjoying their meal.

I also managed to bath Skye and blow dry her before I started on the table setting. Skye getting a blow dry after her bath

Skye with her christmas stocking

Meeka with her stocking. She looks real interested, doesn't she?

My mum and dad. First Christmas with them for a long time. I loved having them here.

On Boxing day we had Grahams family for a BBQ in the evening and it was a great party with 21 people. It was a fun night and that was it, Christmas was all over for another year.

I hope Christmas was a safe and happy one for you as well. Now I am having a BIG rest for a few days before getting ready to start another year.

Carols in the Valley

Hi everyone,
I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas. I thought I would show you what I have been up to this past week. On Sunday evening we went to carols in the Valley at Sandalford winery. It was really good. I bought myself a new camera for Christmas and have been having fun taking lots of pictures. The first photo is of the stage from where we were sitting and then one taken with the zoom of the tree on the stage. I was quite impressed by the zoom on the camera. The third picture is of Debra Burn who was the special guest at the carols. Then after it finished they had fireworks so I took some photos using the fireworks setting on the camera. On the way home I went past some houses with lots of Christmas lights and took some photos of them as well.

Our Christmas Tree

We have always had a small half tree at our place as there has never been room for a bigger one. This year I have a lovely big tree although I still only got to put half of it up as there still isnt quite enough room. Here is a picture of Skye sitting under the tree. She has been reasonably good about the decorations but has chewed 4 of them up over the past week or so. she seems to only attack the star shaped ones. She also only gets them when she is not supervised enough or bored. Oh well she is only a puppy.

I hope you all have a lovely tree to fill your homes with the feeling of Christmas. I love all the decorations. over the years I have always made some decorations and below are some of the folk art ones I painted years ago but can now have out as the tree is big enough for them. I hope you are enjoying this time coming up to Christmas and that you have a lovely time with family and friends.

Altered Pop Top Cans

Last week at Stamp Club I taught the girls to make these altered pop top cans. I have been saving my pineapple tins for quite awhile so I would have enough for everyone to make one.
we used the designer paper holiday harmony to cover them and this one is decorated using the retired wheel gifts galore. I used my new stamp set Tag Time for the tag.

Make it Monday Chocolate Box

I managed to try out the Make it Monday that Makeesha has each week. It is a really easy box to make and looks great filled with Christmas chocolates. The little scalloped piece on the top just evolved as I was punching and folding the scalloped circle. I folded each piece in a tea bag fold and then just stuck them together until it looked ok.
You can find the MIM here

Carousel Notes

For the past week I have been busy playing with all the new stamp sets from the Summer mini. I had a launch last night and had a great night. I thought it was about time I showed you some of the cards and this box that I have made. I saw this idea on SCS and after trying to figure out what I wanted to do with these carousel notes I thought this was a good idea. It took a bit of figuring out what size to make the box and where to score for the lid but this is what it turned out like. I have used the new Afternoon tea papers to make a dahlia fold for the top and some of my new silver Hodgepodge as well. I also used the Crop-a-dile to faux emboss the scalloped edge.

Then I decided to add a card to the back of this one and cased the design on the front from SCS.

It seems like I only get the chance to post about once a week so dont hold your breath waiting for me will you. Maybe I will get more time after Christmas. I will post a few of my other cards later in the week.