188

Happy New Year to all my family & dear friends...
especially my Internet friends...
I've so enjoyed your company & appreciate your comments,
of this, please, be assure...
sometimes I can't trace how to contact you to let you know...

2010... a new year... a new decade...

my hubby says there is a bit of a debate on about this one...

is 2010 the beginning of a decade or the end of a decade...

I think, it is a bit like... do you see 'your cup 1/2 full or 1/2 empty'...

I wish you all....

Peace... both personally & worldwide...

Beauty... in all forms... be it nature or man-made...

Rain & what you need in your life... in abundance...

And I cannot complete my wishes for you without....

wishing you Creativity & a Curious Mind

And most of all something we so often take for granted

Good Health...both physically & mentally...

I am sending you HOPE for 2010...

Angel Messages...

No one else is able to cause you pain.

Heal the cause of your pain by embracing Love.

187

Here is some more Christmas decorations before I have to put them away for another year...

The photo quality might not be too good as I took them late on Christmas eve...

This arch is going from our kitchen into our lounge - front door open cause it was soo hot... opps, sorry, that was to let Santa in... right?

I love to decorate this arch each year & I put the wonderful bauble decorations our eldest daughter has given us over the years...

The green tartan tells us when her first born arrived & the others over time when she gave us another Grandie... even Gilly gets her own bauble... the last Christmas she was home I got the lovely enamel bell... it is beautiful & very special...

You might not be able to notice it but there are another 2 decorations hanging in the arch & they are very special to me too, as I bought them when I went to Disneyland in Los Angles just before Christmas 2000, when Disneyland was celebrating it's 45th birthday. I'll try & take another photo of them tomorrow in better light.

Here is my garland of crocheted stars, hanging above the lounge - Michelle of Royal Sisters showed us how to make these this year with her generous giving of her granny twinkle pattern...

Here is our little antique metal swirly tree - I got that lovely fold-up tree on one of my craft teaching trips with Miss Lucy, when we went to Berry, New South Wales... not many decorations on it this year, just some of the extra baubles... we only have a little house so some things have to come in small versions... ha ha

Santa hadn't arrived yet but the postie had left a post box for the Grandies from their Uncle & Auntie who live way out west...

Notice the lovely painted cream can... I'll tell you it's story another time but it's extra special...

'No', Shrek does not belong to the Grandies, although they are always allowed to play with him, but he is actually mine... I got a great deal at a toy shop one year, so I got him for me... yes I'm a Shrek lover/groupie...

At Christmas time he is my Santa's Helper... doesn't he look smart in his apron... he's not at all grumpy over Christmas - Princess Fiona makes sure of that...

That's all for this time... more later as I have to go make my resident 'grumpy' some tea... ha ha

Angel Messages...

Be yourself, you could not create

a single hair or single finger.

Your abilities are granted to you

by the love & power of the Creator.

186

While I'm telling you about Christmas decorations with meaning/stories...
Here is another one we have had for many years & if no other decorations get put up, this one surely does... Santa was given to us by our families friends, Gloria & Bruce...
Isn't it a lovely way to remember folks that you don't get to see all that often now. They have a very special place in our family especially when we were still bringing up our kids.
Santa [sorry photo not too good but you get the idea...] has a crocheted thread from his hat that holds all the Christmas cards... I got my Mum to extend his cord one year - he hangs in our kitchen.
I will have to try & work out a pattern for him this year as it looks rather simple - I think... ha ha... famous last words I guess... but I will try before I pack him away...
Angel Messages...
Self-righteousness & prejudice will not afford you real insight into the matter.
Open your mind & be brave enough to communicate.

185

I do hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as we did... filled with family... one of my own & hers... my sibling - sister & her some of hers plus our Mum/Nanna... then visits from another daughter & hers yesterday... now all have gone back to their respective homes...
And we are on our own... well just for today anyway...

I thought I would show you this again... a decoration my Mum made, like some 25 years ago we were working out... ohh how time flies when your living life...

Each winter my Mum & Dad would go up the coast to a very popular holiday area called Hervey Bay [pronounced Harvey Bay... much to the Mexicans amusement]... They would camp up there in their caravan for 3 months & they used to just love it.

The further north you went the warmer the winters were... not to forget the winter whiting would be biting so well at this time, too.

The Mexicans [people from down south & over the border, usually Victoria] would come up there, for a warmer winter so they all become great friends... the men off fishing & the women folk doing craft... mostly crochet. This was a few years before the Grey Nomads, got their signature name, I'd say, as they were all retired folk, out to enjoy a cheaper holiday & meeting new people, plus of course the weather.

So this is from one of those many holidays... Now it was in the times when a six pack of cans - drink cans [be it soft drink or beer] used to come with the plastic rings around them to hold them all together, so you could pick the whole six pack up in one go... a throw away plastic waste product...

With these plastic rings, the girls could cut 4 good full rings... which they crocheted around in the [60 treble/double crochet ]... then a row of 3 chain, single crochet into top of each second treble [30 ch loops]... easy peasey so far... Now you need 9 rings - three green, three red & three white. Single crochet around a small childs hard plastic bangle, this would make the hanger/handle.

From this hanger they would plait a 'rope' to hold the crocheted plastic rings which were hung in order of red, green then white.

Leaving the tail of the plait hanging at the bottom.

The rings were slip stitched in place & slightly turned up in the front where they would sew a bell in place.

Such a shame you can't get these plastic rings any longer as they were just the right weight to crochet around then turn up the edge but one day, we'll find something else to use, I'm sure... maybe you know of something we could substitute for it...

Yep they did the re-cycle long before it was to became so 'in'.

I think with all these photos you will get the drift of how it was made... each member of the family got one to keep & treasure... I love Christmas decorations with a special meaning or a story to them... don't you?
Angel Messages...

Instead of considering a matter from your single viewpoint,

try to observe it from the perspective of others.

Instead of worrying only about your own interests,

consider the well-being of the whole.

184

Hey... it's here...

Yep Christmas is here tomorrow...

in all it's glory...

Here is our fur-baby Gilly

to help me wish you all

the very best for Christmas 2009...

I hope you have a wonderful family time...

I have one daughter & family coming tomorrow... yaaaaaaa

one son & wife over the hills & a dessert away...

one daughter over the ditch...

one daughter down the road a-ways...

We are united in our Love for Christmas...

though circumstance we can't all be together

as we know many others can't be with their Loved Ones either...

Know that you are within each others hearts...

Merry Christmas...

A Big THANK YOU for your friendship & wonderfully encouraging comments though-out the year... they have all been sooo appreciated...

Do pop on by in a few days when I can start to show my handmade/homemade

Christmas presents - in the 41 years of my married life [I know I was a child bride...] I can honestly say not a Christmas has gone by without me making some presents for Christmas for my friends & loved ones...

why do I do it? you might ask...

cause it warms my heart no end, gives me such pleasure,

and to me,

I feel that's what Christmas is meant to be...

that warm loving feeling within & from the heart...

a handmade Christmas is a Christmas Full of Love... Cya soon...

Angel Message...

The Universal Law supports you according to the needs of your soul.

Every event supports & nourishes the growth of your soul.

['tis amazing how opening my Angel Message book always says something relevant to what I've written in my posting that day... I write first, than open my Angel book...

I know my Angels are with me, always...

can you feel yours near?...

183

Good Golly Gosh... 'tis been ages since I poked my head in here... myyy how the time flies when your having fun...

I certainly didn't mean to be away this long but life has been a-happening & so it goes... We are all so busy at the mo... but that is OK... 'tis nearly Christmas... where interupputions & life are a welcome source of Christmas spirit.

With Christmas in mind I have been keeping myself busy making this & that & the last couple of days I've been doing our family newsletter... Gosh no wonder I'm feeling a tad tired... makes me tired just reading it... way too much has happened for one year, it truly has... Plus I wrote a newsletter for my Mum as well, as she feels she just can't get her thoughts together to put pen to paper to write her Christmas cards... at 93, that's OK too... so I'm doing what I can to help her out. This is something my Mum crocheted many many years ago & this is one of several she still had at home...

Of course the heat & humidity isn't helping with the progress of anything here either... I was going to do this post yesterday morning, but life happened, then yesterday arvo... got a visitor... then this morning, again life happened, so here I sit in front of my putter with the sun blaring in on me... I'm dripping wet... the fan is going full blast... way too hot in this room, after lunch, to be doing anything so I've been trying to spend my arvo's out here... under my verandah, where it is a tad cooler, especially if a slight breeze is to be collected... Blocking my crochet & doing some more crochet. Never blocked crochet before, so it's been a steep learning curve to find, what I like & how I like it to look & feel...

Got myself into a bit of a pickle on Monday when I looked at the calendar... & looked again, how did I do this... I somehow thought that the Grandies didn't finish school until next week... checked three calendars until I couldn't believe it... so they were finishing school this Friday, just gone & I hadn't finished their teacher pressies... And I thought I was cruising along so nicely this year... drrr [yep, I am blonde but not dumb... really] So it was a very quick... 'Get in & finish', as they had to be posted - going in different directions...

Now have I ever complained about our postal system?... I do, I did!!! Ohhh my apologises then if I have... I posted the parcels at lunchtime Wed & the girls had them the next day, Thurs... one early enough to send the Grandies along to school with their little pressies... Great stuff...

This is just a few things I've been working on... will show you more soon...

Angel Message...

Stop thinking for a while

and allow yourself to feel.

Your feelings will reveal much

more than thoughts alone could explain.

182

I love the look of the crochet around this rock... the combination of softness & hardness... lightweight & heavy... such contrasts... such beauty...

to me it represents the earth, the world, the attitude of people...
the yarn is from Mums stash & she says it's called silk, although the inside label says rayon but it's lovely to work with even if it's a bit springy[is there such a word..] at times... it had been used to crochet booties for my christening outfit.

this rock I crocheted with the variegated blue so as to represent the sky... clouds...

and this little guy I thought had to be yellow for the sun...

it needed beads to add to it's beauty & sparkle...

and when they are put together we have a ahu

Lucy's ahu ready for her to take back to her new home...

Angel Messages...

Happiness will never come to you

from the outside,

Not unless you open wide

the door of your heart.

181

My girlfriend has been to sleepover at our place this w/e... it wasn't all play as she had to work during the three days... but t'was so great to catch-up on girly talk & the like in the evening...

We both did a bit of crochet while we chattered...

What a laugh this morning when I went looking for my glasses...

ummm which ones will I take??? there were only the two of us but, L forgot her glasses so she had to try a few pairs of mine out before she found... just the right pair...

We did seem to solve all the problems of our worlds so that means we had a good time... thanks L for the visit...

Angel Message...

You are protected this very moment,

always & forever.

Take comfort in this

& live your life in harmony

with your Higher Self.

181

What a mad week this has been... Hot beyond belief I reckon considering 'tis only late Nov...

Even relented & put the air-con on of an arvo to get some relief... luckily for us it's not been too bad of a night so we have been able to get a reasonably good night's sleep.

Been to visit with Mum & my sister during the week & got to take some photos of my B-I-L lovely shade clothed pergola area where he grows such lovely leafy plants, caladiums, broms & anthuriums... so I snuck in & took a few photos... this area just loves the humid heat it generates with it's little pond & all.

Our home is looking like a bomb has hit it, but, have been busy trying to do some more de-cluttering... mainly going through my massive book collection, at present... I adore art sortta books, love the feel, the smell & all the inspirational photos & works in them, but what do I do with them, then... when I've looked & caressed them enough, gleaned as much as I can outta them... when it's time to move onto something else... ohhh the dilemma... they are too good to be thrown out nobody really wants them soooooo.... maybe I will have to look into selling them on-line... just that they are good books so rather heavy for posting... ummmmm

I've been busy doing bits of crochet here & there... finishing off some things but others are still WIP as they say... wanting to stiffen some of my crochet but not sure how to do it... I searched the internet for ideas & decided that Modge Podge would be best so off I went today to buy some... first, I baulked at the price then when I read it, I remembered how long it took to dry on paper arts... dried but still sticky... that took weeks to go away, if not, not all together... so it's back to the drawing board... any ideas would be gratefully accepted...
Ideas thought of so far are... sugar solution - here, that's a disaster as the bugs love it & sometimes it collapses with the humidity... some glues leave residue... some stiffening goes yellow with age... all gets so confusing... help is needed, please...

What in the devil is thi,s you might ask too...

Well back to shifting things around with the de-cluttering. I brought my old wardrobe to my house from Mum's house... hubby put some shelves in it where the hanging space was so that I can store some of my yarns & fabrics in there - safer from the bugs than out in my Gyrlie shed but the problem was it's a shade bigger [well... dam well a lot... ha ha] so it's not fitting in as snug as I had hoped into my computer room so other furniture has to be shifted around, so... better get off of here & get it done... I have my girlfriend coming for a sleepover & we have to find her bed yet... ha ha...

Angel Message...

Birds fly in the sky without worry

and flowers bloom without fear.

Nature is a treasure trove of such good examples,

offering lessons for us all.

180

Did you notice that...

Gosh there is another one...

Look there's one over here too...

Here comes another one...

OMG there are more...

Oppps there they go again...

Where will they land next...

Ohh there is the pink one...

There they are, all together again...

My internet friend NetPets is making butterflies to sell for a good cause...

I asked her if she would share her pattern & she even went further than that she make a video... I'm so grateful... so do pop on over to her place & have a gander & then have a go at crocheting them yourself... Thanks so much A. for your wonderful good spirited sharing...

Angel Message...

There are so many different paths that you could follow.

You just have to choose the one that's right for you,

take a step forward & then keep walking.

179

Well you can see by the lovely new leaf on one of my ferns that nature is doing it's thing here without me keeping up with it all... in other words life is passing me by...

well... not really... have been doing 'some' de-cluttering... [that means not a lot but trying...]

I got a fair bit done before my friend Jean arrived but been a bit slack on it since she has gone home...

We had a great week together.. gave all the 'good' shops a good going over... also did the coffee shop 'thing'... think I've got her lovin' frappe's now... I know I'm hooked on 'em...

We got & did some Stampscapes stamping, and then we crocheted flowers... sorry no cards to show said flowers on cards... me t'ink we did too much shopping... ha ha

We also got to visit with these lovely ladies as well... the time was all gone before we knew it & now it's already been a week since Jean has left... Ohhhhhhh dear

I have been doing my share of crochet here & there... really need to focus on finishing some now... too many projects on the go is no good for me... I'll be back where I was years ago with way toooo many WIP...

Lesson learnt the hard way... 'stay on track'... 'stay focused'...

I'm really getting into the Christmas mode & found Sarah London is having a great fun time over on her blog... 'the mystery Christmas crochet project'... of course, I have joined in the fun too...

Started with one colour green - loved the yarn, didn't love the colour, so went searching in my 'old' stash [shhhh... I know... I really do have an old & a 'new' stash but, we'll keep Mum about it OK!!!]

Anyway I found a more suitable green [it's just so hard to believe that there are so many different greens around at the mo...] so am madly playing catch-up... go on over & have a look-see, maybe you would like to join in too... Sarah has lots of photos so you would have no trouble playing...

Angle Message...

Focus on the challenge in hand.

As you sincerely & diligently carry out your task,

it will change in the process.

[I just want to say that the Angle Messages are picked randomly,

like, I just let the book open itself to a page...

just blows me away the messages they keeps puttin' out there for me...]