Today was spent trying to get this place sorted.

Piles of books were moved, they were dumped in the living room last week when our old entertainment unit was moved into my craftroom.  Was hoping to sort them but I wanted it done quickly so just packed them back into the cupboards.

Watched/listened to ARiver Somewhere DVD, not much of a fishing person but I love Tom and Rob's humor plus the scenery of the places they visit.  At one stage I got tired so pulled up a pile of books as a pillow and just watched the show for a while. 

I finished tidying the sewing room, ok I just stacked most of it in one corner but there is now floor in there and the sewing machine is accessable for the Christmas sewing I probably will wait til the last moment to do.

 I also started on Christmas decorating,

Dining room dresser

Kitchen dresser

Haven't gotten the rest of the decorations out of the ceiling yet, will probably wait until Monday for that.  Am working tomorrow, not happy it's supposed to my weekend off, but the boss has a wedding this weekend.  Had planned on starting my gingerbread making tomorrow, my niece is coming over on Sunday to decorate a house to take to school on Monday.  I'll just make a batch of dough tomorrow night and we can bake them on Sunday morning.  Probably even make 3 batches and freeze the dough ready for baking a few days before Christmas. 

A home coming of sorts.

When my daughter was in year 5 or 6, her class went on an excursion to Canberra and the snow.  Silly me didn't read the note properly and thought we needed to provide appropiate clothing for the snow.  So decided to make her a snow outfit.

At the time I worked in Spotlight and we just happened to have duck fabric that they were selling out of, I t bought a purple and a black fabric.  Used a thermo graded wadding and used a fleecy fabric as lining.  The pattern came out of a magazine, now sadly discontinued, called TOPKIDS.  The only change I made was to add a full length zipper, one that opened from top and bottom.  The original pattern was for a pullover top, with the zip only down to the chest, I wanted her to be able to get in and out of the jacket easily.  Made the pants as per the pattern. 

Well the school hired snow gear for them, but my daughter was able to wear the jacket whilst in Canberra.  She loved it and was so warm in it. She did get a little more wear out of it here, but our winter isn't as cold.   She never wore the pants.  So they sat in her wardrobe for years,

A few years back was talking with a friend who mentioned that her eldest daughter had outgrown her winter jacket and was about to go to the snow.  She didn't know how she was going to be able to afford one, with my heart in my mouth I made the offer of my daughter's coat.  She was so happy, her daughter loved it and I remember her running to me and thanking me for it.  I was sad to let it go, almost regretting that I offered, but I didn't want it just gathering dust in the wardrobe.

So last weekend, I saw this freind, we don't see each other so much these days, not since I left the girls group we helped out in.  She mentioned the coat and told me how it's been passed on to 2 others since her eldest grew out of it - a niece and then her younger daughter, each has grown out of it.  I asked if she had anymore use for it as I was thinking it would be good for my niece.  She said she would give it to my mum on Tuesday.

So there I was expecting to get a 10 year outfit back, you know, one showing it's age.  I was amazed because the coat and pants still pretty much looks brand new.  I remember being so particular when I made, everything was padded so I tacked everything in place, hems pockets, I never tack. 

Am so pleased that this lady looked after it so well, she said her daughters loved the pants.