Sunday, December 22, 2013

A festive Thank You

Festive Greetings dear friends & readers

I wanted to pop by & wish you all a Very Merry Festive Season

And especially to say a heartfelt Thank You to you all out there who stop by to read my blog posts
Many blessings & joy to you ALL this christmas season




To those of you that take the time to leave a comment or to "follow" my blog - thank you SO very much 
To those of you that just "pop by" for a quick read - thank you SO very much
And even to those of you that read my posts & think to yourself "she sure knows how to waffle on that rather odd threadbear girl . . . " !!!! - thank You so very much
Because you have still taken the time to read my ramblings

In the countdown up to christmas it is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything
I felt a bit like that this morning ... so I decided to begin by clearing my table off ... & then just take small steps from there ...



Its surprising how picking a small bunch of dahlias can change your mood somewhat  :-)
(notice how I dont photograph any of the rest of the house which currently looks like a complete bomb site!!!)

I had been making more citrus potpourri, so I filled my old scales up & the kitchen smelt delicious (for a change!!!)




The Mr came in with some fresh pickings from the garden last night - (honestly the way he carried on, you would think HE had planted & tended to them!!!)
 but it was lovely to see the first of the cucumbers as it is something we both really enjoy eating


Cucumbers, courgettes & rainbow beet freshly picked

And yesterday I sowed radish seeds as the lunar calendar is good for planting things that produce below ground at present - (all your root crops)

These have been busy days on the farm with silage making - I love to see the paddocks all cut & drying in the sun



And then the men come in with their "big boy toys" & make the silage into bales 


You can just see the fluffies garden to the bottom right - a bit more in bloom now

And then the bales sit in the paddocks waiting for the "wrapper" to come in & do its thing  :-)
The weather has been great for the silage & hay making so the farmers ought to be are happy !!!!!

I have had a few last minute completions this past week



My sons fiance has been rather partial to all things "Paris" since the return from their trip -  I was looking through my scraps & came across this Paris piece of fabric which was just big enough to embellish a good sized carrier bag ... the handstamped ribbon was a trademe purchase many months ago ... I knew I would find a use for it oneday - I continued the ribbon around the back of the bag also



My neighbour has a lovely young English couple staying & requested me to make up some more of my Spice Mats to give them as gifts using some N.Z native bird fabrics (incidently Spice Mats are fabric coasters filled with wadding & cinnamon & cloves - the fragrance is released when you sit a hot drink on the mat)
Yet another good old fossick in my scrap bin & I unearthed some lovely kiwiana bird prints . . . 



I also made some vintage doiley covered notebooks for some "secret santa" family gifts & for popping in stockings



Finally a bit of wool felt stitching to put together some coasters & adorn a gorgeous piece of  french linen which I made up into a tea towel/table mat/tray cloth



Dont forget to take some time out in this busy season to stop & "smell the roses" dear friends





I hope you all have a happy & safe time in the coming week & that Santa brings you a little (or a lot) of what your heart desires



Thanks so much - as always - for your visits
with much love/hugs/friendship & joy today & all the days of the year
Julie x0x0x

11 comments:

  1. I love your "waffling"!. Keep it up! Have a great Christmas.

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  2. Great post and lots of lovely gifts. A very merry Christmas to you

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  3. Love the Santas. Have a very merry Christmas, Julie. Don't stop waffling! Jacqui xx

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  4. Hi Julie, I loved your post as usual. It has been so nice finding your blog this year, visiting you a couple of times and getting to know you a little! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and holiday, hugs Wendy xx

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  5. Lots of lovely bits for us to read and see Julie - you seem to be keeping up a good pace so I hope you take your own advice and slow down to smell those roses :-) Love your Santas and your pot pourri looks great on the scales!! Merry Christmas to you and yours also!

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  6. Merry Christmas to you too!! I hope everything slows down for you
    and you can relax. Flowers are a good way to feel yummy all over!! lol
    Love your photo's, very nice.
    Cheers, Anita.

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  7. Please don't stop your 'waffle'............I love it! Your posts are always an inspiration, not quite as good as popping in for a visit, but it will have to do.
    Your felting crafts look good, as do the sweet notebooks. You have many lovely Santa's at your house, is that because you have been a good girl??

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  8. Your house is packed with your creativity dear Julie for the festive season.
    Love seeing the hat being cut for silage - a real sign of Christmas on the farm!
    I look forward to seeing your next photo of the girls peering over the fence in the home paddock - you obviously keep them entertained with all your garden visitors - they're such stickybeaks!

    LOve your Angel and Santa beautiful touches of decorating.
    All your handwork makes treasured gifts for your family - such great ideas.

    I hope you can close the gate and the shop for a few days and have some quiet time with your family.
    A lovely touch to see the Fluffies final resting place happily blooming away.

    BIG Christmas hugs and thank you for your friendship this year Julie.
    love
    Shane XOX

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  9. wow those cukes are huge ours aren't even under way yet. Your roses are beautiful too. Bet your home smells divine with the pot pourri . Enjoy the sunshine and festive time Love Leanne

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  10. Lovely photos Julie, the haymaking pic is such a nice one, don't know why but it seems so American and for some reason gives me warm fuzzies.Delightful Santas, I know you like making santas of all sorts. The potpourri looks wonderful and I'm sure I could smell it. Take care dear Julie and Merry Xmas to you all.Shirley

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  11. Hello dear friend, what beautiful flowers & veges you have! Your dahlias are way ahead of anything around here. Such production...with all that silage & potpourri. The doily covered notebooks are a delight. Do you use pva to stick them down? It's all the little details in your work that make it extra delightful...lovely to see much of it. Hope you have a wonderful day...today!! (just ticked over) Merry Christmas!! Much love Catherine x0x0x

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Hello, & thank you for taking the time to comment on my posts - I read and appreciate each and every one of your comments :-)
I always prefer to reply to your comments by email unless you are a no-reply-blogger in which case I will reply to your comments in this section here. Thanks so much for stopping by to read & comment on my blog x0x