Christmas is being packed away. Slowly
The fibre optic tree and decorations,
Gone
The small fireplace and table decorations
Gone
I’ll need a few days rest before I tackle
Anything else.
The last thing to be put away will be the wreath on the front door.
That should keep traditionalists happy
I had a friend visit this morning and wanted to know how I made the pieces for the quilt top.
So as I was going to do a post for Boud
https://fieldfen.blogspot.com/?m=1
I took photos
First off I cut 3 inch squares
Which I then pin to a hexi cut out
I then trim the edges leaving enough to sew the edges
The pictures are out of order again. Sorry
Anyway I think stitch it
All the way round
I then just choose one to add to the patch work
That’s it.
It’s really easy.
When I start to get low, especially if I don’t have. Huge colour range to choose from
I cut more squares.
This way I’m constantly doing something different, which keeps it from becoming boring
I think it should be classed as stress relief and the government supply, for free, all the fabric
It would be way cheaper than pharmaceutical medication , and you end up with a lovely blanket
the garden has been neglected while we were in the crazy season.
Fortunately now we can get back into it
Unfortunately the plants thriving the best are the weeds
We can see progress, finally and hope to start harvesting soon
I’ll go out every day now and spend half an hour just maintaining it all.
With all the rain at least we haven’t had to Water 
We did get round to netting the fruit trees out front
What a drama we had. Between both of us being vertically challenged and the winds it took longer than it should have
We did get there eventually
While we were struggling with the fine nets, Dobby was tasked with chomping down the grass along the side of his paddock
If you look closely you will see ahead of him the long grass. See what a lovely job he is doing
Now we wait for the fruit to ripen.
This is the only way we get any to eat. I don’t mind sharing with the birds, if they ate the whole fruit. Instead the take a few bites and move to the next one.
So rude
we have entered the week between Christmas and new year. Lots of us don’t know what day we are in.
Me most of all. I frequently have to ask what day it is
But no matter what day, things must be done
We finally had a nice day. A perfect day to dry washing. It’s been dried, brought in , folded and put away.
All in the one day something that doesn’t happen during the winter months
Once again I needed to add more colours to the mix I cut up the squares last night and since then I’ve been sewing them, getting them ready to add to the quilt top
I still have lots of fabric that I can use.
But it is a great stash buster
I’m still loving the slow hand stitching
It’s been exactly what I needed the last few weeks, during the madness of Christmas
I hope you have all recovered, and are now just taking it easy until the new year
Today, Boxing Day, we had our family Christmas.
All the girls looking into their Christmas sacks to see what they received
I always add some clothes, which the girls always love.
Brianna and Ana get the same. They really are two peas in one pod.
Georgia loved her toys. That is my last knitted doll from Sylvia at knitting.
I bought four from her.
It’s like I always knew.
Grandma had purchased jumanji the board game. Here they are with baby girl reading instructions and getting it all set up
The two younger girls got bored quickly
But melody, her mum and I finished the game. Melody won and we all yelled JUMANJI
All four girls. Georgia wax getting lots of attention. She has particularly bonded with Melody. Mel had her laughing just by talking to her. She even tried to clap hands like melody was.
She missed. But the action was pretty good
These two wanted to check the veggies to see what was ready. Melody mentioned a red strawberry and Ana took off like a flash. I told her she had to share with Brianna
After eating the girls asked to do some craft in my craft room.
They gathered all they needed and even put down the plastic mat
I over catered, as usual, so both families went home with a shopping bag of food each
They all left for home, and the place was suddenly quiet.
I was good and kept on top of the washing while constantly picking up rubbish, so clean up was quick and easy.
Now, after a long soak in a hot bath I’m sitting down to watch a little television and make more hexies to keep me going.
I hope your Christmas was one filled with love and laughter
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas. I hope you’re all surrounded by lots of love and laughter.
this year I made gingerbread men and decorated them with
I did cheat and used gingerbread cookie dough. All I had to do was roll it out and cut out the shapes
You will notice in one picture that there is one cookie that looks like an Easter egg. It was the left over dough. I used that to practice my icing technique
Hubby will get to eat that I’m sure
This year I didn’t decorate the arch with the greenery
I wanted to try something else I got these lights from the internet not sure exactly where
They reach down to the floor and it looked great except trixie wouldn’t walk through them she knows she isn’t allowed to touch the decorations
I ask really didn’t want the girls running through it as they are wired
I think it still looks ok like it is and it’s much safer
Now I’m going to just sit for the rest of Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow I’ll have a simple day with just hubby. I’ll do some last minute cooking and bring out the frozen meat so they can defrost in the refrigerator.
I think I’m almost ready
Today we celebrate litha. The longest day of the southern hemisphere calendar
Up north our brothers and sisters celebrate Yule.
Today I had Christmas lunch with the art girls. We ate, chatted and laughed
We are now on a break and start again in the new year.
Then it was off to my Christmas crazy swimming buddy. We have a get together every Christmas.
It’s a relaxing evening of fun and games with the grandkids. This year I forgot to ask baby girl if she was free. So no Melody and Breanna. Ana and her parents had prior engagements and were unable to attend either.
There were still plenty of kids running around. We all played many games with them and had lots of laughs
From now on the days will slowly get shorter. I have to say I do like the shorter days of winter. Sitting on the couch, fire going and with some craft to work on
I’m not a summer person at all
yesterday I braved the crowds to buy all the supplies I needed for my big cooking marathon
I started as soon as I got home
The top is honeycomb crack
First time making it hubby tasted it and said it was goooood
The next is a marshmallow treat
I’ve never made it before iv got it in the fridge to set id left it on the counter overnight
Ill cut it up tomorrow and let you know if its a win or a bomb
I used those little fabric clips to hold the baking paper while I tipped the honeycomb in
Worked a treat, and was a big help as that honeycomb starts to set quickly
Today I cracked it into pieces I’ve bagged some as gifts and the rest is in the container even the crumbs of honeycomb that where left is useful I’ve got it all in that jar I think it would go great on ice cream
Maybe I’ll soften some vanilla ice cream and mix it in before putting it back in the freezer
Then when served drizzle some of the caramel sauce I made today over it
I didn’t get photos of the sauce. I’ve put them in little glass bottles and added to the gift bags with the bagged up honeycomb
Today as well as the sauce I made regular Christmas crack. Two trays plus some caramel corn
Once it’s all cooled and set I’ll put them in containers ready for the family Christmas
I make extra so that the kids can take some home
As we get closer to Boxing Day, that’s when we have our family Christmas, I’ll make more dishes to share
I’m finally sitting with a hot cup of coffee I’m pooped!
I’ve been researching simple Christmas crafts to make with Ana
I’ve found lots of lovely things to make and will definitely make those on the coming weeks.
But we wanted Christmas crafts
And we Made these
Here she is showing her four Chrissy trees
We decorated both front and back
She did start to wind the yarn around one of the trees but quickly got bored with that so grandma finished the yarn bit and she decorated them grandma wax the only one allowed to use the glue gun, because it’s adult only
She placed the decorations and I glued
I had the four trees cut and ready to go. To not waste any I suggested maybe we could use stickers for the other two.
I really should have asked her to colour in the trees before we started but completely forgot that step.
I think they turned out nice anyway
They have been taken home to decorate their tree. I did tell Ana if they’re too big for the tree to hang them on door handles. She liked that idea
The day ended with us at the workshop eating a BBQ lunch. We have officially closed shop for the Christmas/ new year season.
I’m about to run out the door for art class, but I do have a list of things to do before Christmas Day
Life is about to get very busy
Let the madness begin
after a hectic week I’ve come to a stop
A friend who rang this morning said I sounded terrible, and to just sit.
I’m listening to her.
Yesterday at our weekly coffee catch up Claire or other friend told us about a series set in York.
Since I’ve been there I thought I’d take a look.
I’m hooked. It’s called “ Patience “
And it’s a crime drama.
So here I will be for most of the day
I’m down to about thirty hexagons but they’re all similar in colours
I need more variety. yesterday I cut up more squares and today I’ll be preparing them for sewing
Definitely a much easier day.
Remember to always take time to stop and “ smell the roses “
we are still waiting on spring/summer to arrive.
We did have a few days of heat, unfortunately they didn’t last.
I being stubborn, continued to “spring” clean
The plastic cupboard I fitted into the laundry has made such a huge difference, I ordered more. 
This used to be the built in wardrobe in this room obviously not enough for a growing girl we added sliding doors to the back wall and turn all that into storage
While baby girl was home she used this as a writing nook we had a desk and shelves install and it worked well
Now it became a place to store everything in
It did have a bookcase in there but it was still a mess
As you can see it looks much neater
As I clean all cupboards, I’ll organise and store like with like right now everything is kind thrown wherever it fits
I didn’t put the last piece on top because I just wouldn’t be able to reach
Each piece can be made as a stand alone, with a lid and rollers to help move them
I even had enough for my craft corner that I made
I usually have all my craft things across the lounge and had to pack it all up anytime we needed the space to sit. Plus I was losing all sorts of things.
We moved this couch to this corner because the new Christmas trees were so big we couldn’t get past it with the chair being where it was.
I had been debating whether to leave it here or not.
As you can see there is a light in the wall which helps tremendously with me seeing what I’m doing.
The decision was made and now this is grandma’s chair. Everything is at my fingertips and I even have cupboards to store extras in. Meaning I don’t have to keep getting up.
Bliss
The bookcase is now storage in the girls room making it neat and provides extra floor space
This little chest of drawers was a different set I purchased
All books are in here they’re laying flat as they were starting to bend hopefully I’ve saved them before the damage was permanent
So now you’re up to date.
Life has been chugging along steadily
I go slow, but I do go. And that’s what counts I think
remember that show. I loved it. I’d wish that Charles was my dad.
Which brings me to, today
We have purchased our own little house
It starts off looking like a shipping container. Which it actually is but
The walls fold out.
So does the roof
It’s like a Lego house!
The same on the other side
It’s on a trailer which is road registered.
So completely movable
Finished on the outside
And the inside
Bedroom 1
Kitchen living area
Bedroom 2
See that frosted door. That the bathroom
It all has to be connected to our water tank. And the biggest thrill for me
A flushing toilet
And look at the shower. Way bigger than the one in the van
This is the view of the two bedroom doors
It really is a tiny house. But perfect for coming up to relax
I still have to bring my van in the meantime
It needs to be connected to solar
Again plumed into the water tank
Good thing I know a great plumber
We also need furniture
I’ve got all four kids on the look out for two double beds
And at lest two, two sitter sofa beds
That will sleep four adults in the beds
Three little girl would probably share a sofa bed. If they’re too big for one. Melody can use the second sofa bed
It’s a good thing i have so many quilts
It’s taken the tradies 8 hours to get it to here
The rest is up to us
So what do you think about my prairie home?
We even have a hill in the front if it if the girls want to roll down
Just like the girls do in the opening credits