Oh, there you are...

Whoops, dropped off a bit there what with the moving interstate (again), lack of internet access, work travel, guests and well....no craft to report in about. I also got my twitter on - much to my own surprise - and so have been hanging out over there instead of here (www.twitter.com/sadieandlance - come say hi?).

So understandably my interest in blogging is a little, well, blocked. So I'll just dump some random thoughts...

• I have been knitting the Smurf some mittens. It was an instant requirement after moving to a cold city during a ridiculous cold snap in the depths of winter. Obviously he requested pink, but with the stash in boxes he is making do with the burnt orange yarn found in the first box at hand.

• Thanks for all your kind words of support in this post. I do tend to be hyper concerned about giving my craft away and I know I should just let up on that a bit. I'm sure the gift was appeciated.

• Homemade bagels are the best ever homemade bread experience. I followed this recipe as recommended by 13 Mimosa, although I did have a different recipe with more ingredients book bookmarked for a while. I can't recommend homemade bagels highly enough. Please, try them soon.

• The Sunday CraftRoom was fabulous. Lots of lovely crafty women, inspiring craft, amazing food, great conversation as always.

• The house we're renting is full of gorgeous original features which we are so in love with.

• The house also comes with 2 enormous well established veggie patches. I've already started weeding and studying Stephanie's Kitchen Garden Companion and I'm ready to do some planting.

• I'm itching to craft but need to unpack the spare room (which includes my craft "room").

Hope to be back sooner next time with some actual craft.

Christmas Thinkings

I'm making Christmas plans in my head and getting a little excited about things. This year will be the first year the Smurf really gets Christmas. Plus, last year we were in transit and didn't have our stuff, so it feels nice to be thinking about where to hang our christmas decorations.

I'm ahead of myself a little as usually I don't start thinking and doing until the week or two before Christmas Day.



Our supply of homemade decorations has been building over the years, but this year I have plans to boost the supply somewhat. As you can see above, we're well sorted for stockings, so this year homemade plans include:

• Advent calendar, and lots of fun things to put in for daily discoveries. Do you have any things you put in your calendar that are popular at your place?
  
• Soft toy Christmas trees to go on the "mantle"
  
• Christmas Cards - a different design this year though, what do you think of a "bauble" sewn on to the card with a big cross through it?
  
• An assortment of baked goodness Pudding, cake, biscuits (see gingerbread men below), sweets, neenish tarts, maybe some jam and infused oils
• Some new red work decorations for the tree - although maybe I'll use green this year? Green work. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it
• A wreath for the front door
  
• A handmade christmas present for the Smurf
• Oh and a bunch of toys for The Toy Society's World Wide Christmas Drop! I've got some special plans for that one. Have you signed up yet?

OK, now let's see if that keeps me accountable. Oh and did I tell you I'm a sucker for over-filling my to do lists?

Weekend

1. Swimming, paddling independently (with back bubble)
2. 2 year old's salad dressing,
3. Cheese cloth for cheese,
4. Milk for Ricotta, see here because you really must do this.
5. Ricotta, almost ready
6. Ricotta straining,
7. Friends for dinner,
8. Redwork Friendship Quilt launched. Congratulations Kirsty.
9. Pyrex - $1.50 for two dishes (I'll share my secret if you ask nicely - it delivers cheap vintage tupperware too)

Lists

- I'm not anywhere near on track with this list, for example I will run out of shampoo, probably just in time for a work day next week .

- But I have on the other hand started redrafting (more belly room required) the dress pattern for Eden (sewing point 1)

- We are on the other hand soupless (point 1)

- I didn't yet manage to re-sew toys from the new pattern I'm writing (point 4), but I did find an old pattern I did about 5 years ago from a friends illustration - Spybear! Spybear! Eyepatch included. More on that soon maybe I hope.

- I did call the Shepherd Centre.

- And I even tested my new piklet recipe (not on the list).

- We went to the Museum of Contemporary Art to see the Yayoi Kusama Mirrored Years exhibition. Love. The Smurf cried when we had to leave the little mirrored light room (and when he couldn't touch stuff) ((non listed item))

- But I didn't vacuum - and I don't care.