Thursday, December 23, 2010

Hello folks.

I can't believe Christmas is just a day away. Wow.

I'm pleased to report that I'm done my 'elving' (a term I picked up from another blog I read here). I didn't get it all done... the PJs for my friend's son didn't get finished nor did I made a fabulous pair of wire-work ear rings for A. I ended up buying an easy setting and a pretty bead to put in it. Less work but still looks adorable.

I did tons of baking and have one pie left to make - a raisin one for dad. I baked up the last of the goodies for my work pals - an apple crisp that I delivered today much to their delight. I told them that Christmas is the one time of year that you get to bake for a solid month and no one questions you! Seriously - its my favourite part of the advent season.

I'm recuperated from my 'illness'. I had a combination of strep throat and tonsillitis which was incredibly delightful! And then the antibiotics gave me oral thrush. That was almost a fate worse than death. I don't know how to put this delicately but it felt like a regular yeast infection, only in my mouth. There were moments where I wanted to scrape out the inside of my mouth! Fortunately the doctor I saw gave me a prescription for a mouth rinse that gets all that lovely yeast under control. Charming.

I'm almost all done wrapping gifts. Only two remain! I took a page out of soulemama.com's books and sewed cloth bags for all my gifts. I have a crisis of conscience every Christmas about using wrapping paper... it all goes into the landfill and just takes up space. So I opted for reusable wrapping this year and they sure look cute, I think. I had tons of ribbon from another project which came in handy! Here's my gifts all wrapped up:


Hope the season is bright for you all and that your Christmas is blessed.

Moving Forward with Joy.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Christmas is upon us! 15 days to go. Yikes. I have two major projects left to make plus a few little ones... and a couple extra projects I'd like to do if I can swing it!

The two major projects are of equal importance - one is a blue crocheted bunny for my little 'nephew' Eli for his birthday. The yarn is still in skeins and has yet to be made into balls... I want to have it done by Wednesday so I can have it in the mail on Thursday. A tall order, I'd say! I'm working Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights so I'll have time to just sit and crochet. I think it can be done!

The other project is a white karate uniform for my friend's son (yet to be born), though its really a gift for her husband who loves all martial arts. She asked me to see what I could dream up so I've picked up a pattern I can alter because, surprisingly, they don't make karate uniform patterns for six-month-old babies. I know, I was shocked. But I'm eager to do this, I just need to block off an evening so I can cut out the pieces and alter the top in the karate fashion.

The 'minor' projects is an ongoing one that I pick up and put down whenever the mood strikes me. They're adorable crocheted Christmas tree baubles that I've been making as gifts for family and friends. A friend from school forwarded me the pattern a few weeks ago and asked if I could show her how to make them. She's due here any minute, actually. I've made about three dozen so far...

And if I have time, I have two other projects I'd like to make. One is a crocheted angel tree topper for mom and dad's tree. I started it the other night and got the head about half done. It looks good. Its awaiting the last four or so rows and the stuffing. I've been dreaming up ways to make the body and wings that don't involve starch. If anyone has any ideas... feel free to post a comment. Right now I'm leaning towards wire - I've got some 30 gauge craft wire in my bead box that I might try experimenting with. We shall see!

The other project I'd love to make is a repair of an old braided rug that mom's Grandma (Mattie, for those of you who know my mom's family) made. Its old and the stitching that holds it together is rotten. I've picked up some invisible nylon thread but the tricky part is trying to get the rug into my hands without mom finding out! I've sent dad on an expedition to find it but he's come up short both times. I'll have to send Jill in to have a closer look. I know its upstairs somewhere.

All my baking is done except for a few things I plan to make for dad a little closer to Christmas. Oatmeal Lace Cookies, Christmas Cake and Raisin Pie. And if dad is really lucky he might even get a mince pie out of me, too. We shall see! All my cookies have been baked, delivered and devoured and the ones I'm sending out of province are waiting patiently for me to finish the parcels.

But in all the hub-bub of Christmas crafting, baking, visiting not to mention the goings-ons of our regular lives, I hope we're all able to stop and reflect on the real reason we're going out of our minds with busyness. God sent Jesus down as a baby so that he could do some really rad stuff on earth... including is death for my sins. I need to remember that Jesus doesn't expect me to have everything done by December 25th, that he loves me regardless of how much or how little 'Christmas Spirit' I have!

Love to you all.

Joyfully Moving Forward.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Hello!

Hope you're all doing good.

So... its been a while since I blogged. My life feels like it's a never ending cycle of busy, busy, busy. But when I look at my calendar at the end of the week I see very few 'booked' things! It never ceases to amaze me that I no longer have time to sit around and craft! I don't have spare time anymore. I gotta say, its a good problem to have! So beyond crafting, blogging as taken a backseat to all the things that happen that keep me out of the house.

Work has been extraordinary. I really can't tell you how much I love my job and the people I work with. The business actually won an achievement award a few weeks ago for a business with 1 to 10 employees. There's only 10 of us but I think we do great things in the world of towing. *cheeky grin*.

Last night was the staff Christmas party. It was a good shin-dig and even though I ended up on the floor in a seizure at the end of it, I don't regret going. Everyone was pro-star, taking care of me. I've received countless apologies from the people who were playing with the flashlights that triggered the seizure. But really, they're not to blame. Yes, they triggered the seizure but really its my fault for not educating everyone enough about my freaky seizures. We all learned a lot last night but whats important for everyone to remember is that, in general, I'm not breakable. Yes, I'm sore, bruised and a little off balance (I just about went ass over tea kettle into my clothes drying racks this afternoon!) but this is normal. This is my life. Seizures suck but I don't blame anyone. Accidents happen.

Some reliable information on Epilepsy

So Christmas is upon us and I've got a list of projects and baking that need to get done this week. Its a frighteningly long list but I think it'll all get done. My first priority is a pair of flannel PJs for a friend's kid and then a gift I want to make my sister. Plus I have high hopes of baking up a storm... I'm not going to overwork myself trying to get it done but I think there's hope!

I hope your Advent season is going well.

Moving Forward with Joy