Christmas Greetings

The days of this month of the year seem to have less hours in them than any other.
I love Christmas, anything Christmassy but particularly handmade Christmas, there is nothing more satisfying to me than knowing I have made something from scratch with my own two hands, be it food, decorations, cards or presents.  My problem is, no matter how much I plan and prepare, I never get through the list of Christmas Things to Do.  My husband tells me it is my own fault, if I just relented and went to the shop for a pack of beautiful cards, that would free up about 15 - 20 hours and I might get some of the cooking underway sooner.

  I know he is right and I don't know why it is that I can't bring myself to do it, there are beautiful cards available that I would be more than happy to give, or receive for that matter, but it's just not quite the same for me.  And so I stress myself to the limit trying to get the cards done and posted so that they will actually be received before the big day.

I not only make the cards but I make each card individual and a little bit different from the rest, meaning no time saving with a production line.  This year I did get my son involved in making some origami embellishments for some of the cards and I think he will be employed next year too, in some form or other to speed up the process.

I don't know if any of the recipients know just how much time or energy goes into their card and that's not the point, I know and it makes me feel good.
I did outsource the little gifts for my daughter's class mates this year - handmade by a wonderful lady I have befriended via Facebook (you can find her at Cards by Cassy on Facebook).  And they went down a treat.

Speaking of treats I have managed to make a start on some yummy treats for our tummies too, these are always a hit at Christmas gatherings.

And here is our advent calendar, I made this one three Christmases ago with the idea that would fill each box with a little handmade something, that plan came to fruition the first year but these last two I have had to fly out in a mad rush on the 1st of Dec to find 24 little somethings that will have the children oohing and ahhing each morning.

I still have so much unticked on my To Do list this year and there is no doubt I will get to 10pm Christmas Eve and once again say to myself  'Oh well, there is always next year' and the list will be mentally folded and put into the little box in my brain labelled Things to Do next Christmas.

There must be others out there like me, let's band together and spread the homemade, handmade Christmas spirit, in the hope that we may learn to cherish these things again.  Not enough is cherished these days, or kept, in order that future generations might have something to hold and feel made by the hands of an ancestor.

And on that nostalgic note, 

Until next time,

Kazza.

Fire!.... no wait...... I've got it covered.

Well we are all settled in to our new house and are absolutely loving it, though the garden is very neglected and with the current bushfire risk I do get very nervous about it all going up in flames.  On that note here is what happened in my kitchen earlier this afternoon (written minutes later crying and laughing at the same time). The oven just caught on fire, in the back where the fan is, like real proper orange flames and smoke. I stand there going through the checklist in my head: fire - extinguisher (used to have one, left it in the last house we sold, FLUCK (tempered for parents/grandparents) water (no it's an electrical f

ire) blanket (what the hell do you need blankets for in 35 degree days, no idea where they are, FLUCK) Shut the door it might suffocate (Holy Flucking Shit the gas lines run right behind there for the stove (I know nothing about gas and whether the pipe will catch alight or not but I saw the big red digital 10 on the second clock flash in front of my eyes and knew I was a gonna, Dear Lord just save the children, just save the children..... oh and the cat) BLOODY HELL SCOTT WHY ARE YOU NEVER HERE WHEN I REALLY REALLY NEED YOU TO TELL ME TO CALM DOWN YOU STUPID WOMAN!! ok think, think, think.... Casey arrives, I'm running around in circles repeating the ovens on fire, the ovens on fire, the ovens on fire. My darling sane Casey, I'll call triple zero. Yes good, you do that and get me some towels. Nek Minit (there must be some common sense left in this addled brain somewhere) wet towels, smothering back inside of oven, lots of sizzle and hiss and no more flames. Case ends 000 call before it's answered and I sit on the floor staring at the inside of the oven wondering if it's still going to explode in my face. Phone Scott, 'honey the oven was on fire' Scott 'what! hang up and ring me back on the other phone' What if that was the last 5 seconds of my life and you want me to call back????????????? :) All good, I'm still sitting here so guessing no explosion, no dinner either however as I'm not going near the bloody thing anytime soon!!

Please forgive the language, it just erupts out of me in stressful situations!

On a lighter note my sewing room is coming together nicely and I hope to be back behind the machine very soon.

Till next time,

Kazza.