Merry Christmas to all....

...and to all a good week :D

Oh, there's no place like Home for the Holidays...

... and I'm on my way bright and early tomorrow. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY. All my wrapping is done. Everything is made. Am I packed? No. But it takes me about 10 min. If I were a superhero, that would be my superpower (it sort of is now, since it's the only thing I manage to do quickly). I would just like to say, I'm excited to get home. My parents decorate so that it looks like the Santa's workshop exploded. My mom bakes and bakes and bakes. I'm already looking forward to the lobster newberg on Christmas Eve. Dockboy and I will OOOH and AHHHH at the tree, and the lights, and then I'll wake everybody up at an inhumane time on Christmas Day, and be fighting to not fall asleep around noon and ohmanohmanI'mexcited!!! What I'm trying to say is Christmas at my house is freaking awesome. Form an orderly queue here if you would like to join us.

Today I finished the shadowbox for my dad

Santa got his chair and matching ottoman

And along the way, I dressed up some packages

On that note, I'm off to bed. Half asleep right now, and I'm afraid of what I might type if I keep rambling on about God knows what... I digress.

Merry Christmas to all!

Can I get an extension?

What do you mean no?? Well, here's Santa. From such humble beginnings:


Well, I don't know if Santa's got a new bag, but he needs a chair, so he can sit back on Boxing Day, and enjoy his coffee and his paper. What? You'd like to see the paper that my super brilliant and talented and funny sister made? OKAY!!





(If you have a minute, click through and read, cause they're pretty darn funny!)
Okay. Off to finish and pack and wrap and.... I'll sleep after Christmas... Whew....

Ho Ho Oh No

I'm flitting back and forth between thinking I'm ahead of where I thought I'd be, and hot blinding gut wrenching panic. *cue maniacal laughter* Hmm. I wonder where my dog is.... Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the OCD/ADD/QVC *WHAT??* combination does not help this time of year. Or it does, once I'm in the sewing room, with everything in front of me andIcan'tstopuntilthisthingisdone. For the record, I don't have any of these things (well, maybe QVC). Anyway.

I'm off the WalMart in this not-as-early-as-I'd-hoped hour. Pictures to copy and then back at it. There will actually be pictures of what I have left to do, since I have no worries of my parents seeing it :D.

And most importantly:

I entered a super giveaway this morning over at RetroMummy. Such schnazzy fabric.



The giveaway is open until New Year's Eve (but they really want to come live here, so enter is you absolutely must).

Well what am I supposed to do with all those elastics now??

Oh hairdresser, it's been too long. And my hair, which was too long, is now juuuust right.

PS. I don't think my eyes are wonky. I was focused on the camera in the mirror. That's what I'm telling myself anyway, as I book my corrective eye surgery.

C is for Crafty

I am fueled by egg nog fudge and coffee. One gathered clutch done, and mailed (what is this photo nonsense??).

One secret thing done and ready to be wrapped.

One of two wreaths is done. It started out as many yo-yos
and turned into this wreath, that I really like, and hopefully my Aunt will as well
It's busy. It's loud. It's a Festive Punch In The Face! That's what I like about it.

I'm convinced my dog is a master of disguise.
This is his, "Soooo... you're sure I can't lay up there? Cause there's a spot... right there... and no one's using it, and... no? Okay. I'll be on the floor," look.

This is more his (albeit blurry) "License and registration please," look.
Oy. Back to wreath #2...

Just popping in...

....for a non-update, really. Sobusysomuchtodosolittletimenotimetoblogmustgocutandsewandwrapand
well, you get the idea.

But I wanted to share that it's Giveaway Day on Sew Mama Sew. Pop over if you have a few minutes. I missed the deadline to participate, but next year, I'm there, baby!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

My Crafty Area

It is done! The final, last, itty bitty, bits of the bathroom reno are done. My sewing room, it is clean. It is tidy. It is (as well as it can be without adequate material storage) organized. Want to see?? Huh? Do ya??

It's small. And there's a lot of stuff, I know, I know. Isn't it great?? My grandfather's medicine cabinet has been brought back from the dead (minus the poor broken door).

That's my favorite picture Poppy there, on top of the cabinet, taken on a DOT boat, somewhere around the Arctic Circle.

The internet is ruining my life.

If I don't stay away from the internet, no one is getting anything for Christmas.

Okay. That's an exaggeration, but it's definitely cutting into my productive time. The storage room is cleaned out and organized. The sewing room is almost done. I have to put some material away, and tidy up a few things (but it is mostly done, I swear; it's just that it was really a mess. Like a dump truck full of crafty bits and fabric had backed into the door, dumped, and left. Srsly). Excuse of the moment for sitting here: I'm waiting for the Aleve to kick in, because my head has just been thumping since I got up. But then, really!, then I'm back at it. Then a few touchups in the bathroom, and I will be ready to decorate!! That's pretty exciting to me right now. Tonight, I have to get my cards addressed. I picked up a pack of easy scrap book-type cards (scoff away if you make your own cards; it's a total cop out, I know ;D) and we managed to get some pictures of Rocco playing with some Christmas balls. See, we've turned into crazy dog people, so of course, we had a hat, and a jingle bell collar. But it was too cruel. It wasn't even funny. Honestly, I think my perception of him is seriously skewed, because he's far larger than I think he is. Want proof?

Sad, right? The hat is too small, and the collar is under his neck roll. Poor hound. So we're going with these ones

My to do list keeps growing, and aside from what I have to do today, and all the decorating, I have to:

• Make pj pants (I won't lie, I was pretty excited about the 8m of freshly laundered flannel I folded yesterday. Mmmm flannelicious)
• Make a Santa
• Make a shadow box
• I have a few things to make for my sister, that will not be discussed here until the New Year
• Shopping for... uhm... everyone...
• Mail cards
• Wrap presents

There's more, I know there is, but I'm not going to think too hard about it right now. I don't think my poor brain can handle the overload...

What's this Christmas I keep hearing of?

Start smoking. Santa says it's cool.
No, but really. It's not. Don't smoke. Every time you smoke, Santa kills an elf.
I'm rambling, but really, who thought that ad was a good idea?
Moving on, I got a blue tree. Normally I have a white tree, like so,

(I love this picture. After not decorating the year before, last year it looked extra sweet). However, this year, a)Adam wants a real tree, and b)I do not have the heart to put up my super awesome tree, with my super awesome ornaments, when my super awesome monster puppy would probably wreck havoc with his tail. SO. I'm decorating the top of the entertainment centre with an assortment of fake trees. I am excited. Sneak peak:

(D'you like how I didn't even bother to flip the picture? Slack, or what?)

What else was I saying? OH FABRIC. Flannel for pantses: One of these is for Adam. I'm not at liberty to say which. And a teaser that may or may not be for someone who reads my blog:
However, laundry beckons; the sewing room and storage room have to be organized (I'm making myself do this, because otherwise, it just won't happen!) before anything goes up for Christmas. So I guess I have my day planned out for tomorrow. Conveniently, the weather is cooperating.

Did I mention we have outside lights? Very exciting stuff. Oh! The craft sale went very well; my faith has been renewed in people who love crafty things.

And on that note, I'll just see myself out...

I'm a bit of a doughhead by times

I was checking my float this morning, prepping for the sale tomorrow; you know me, always prepared. Like a boy scout. *Ahem* In reality, I actually just looked in my handbag, and realized I had no coffee money. Mea culpa. Anywho, I forgot about these! Along with the Wilfred Brimley-coma-inducing amount of fudge I bought, and ate, I had to get these. The man selling them, who was also selling frames, and carded buttons, had a container full of loose buttons. He said he used to make them for his mother, who crocheted jackets, and after she passed away, he found all the "leftovers" amongst her things.

He was selling them for $0.50 each, and I would feel a lot better about only buying 4 if I had grabbed his business card!! Oy.

When I got up yesterday, I found this on the chalkboard:

Admittedly, I had left quite a mess on the coffee table (am I the only one who's driven nuts by anyone else's mess, but will happily wade through my own while I'm making something?). Everyone can rest easy knowing the mess is now contained to one box (and a sewing room who's best hope is $5 worth of petrol and a match. But that's not the point here).



On a final note, this


did not seem like a comfortable way to sleep. So I tried it.

......

Please send help.

Maybe if you all could think some postive thoughts for me...

While it's out of character, I'm still feeling optimistic about things. Maybe it's Bob Cratchit syndrome, what with it being so close to Christmas. Who knows. Without giving anything away, there might be something good happening over my way, so I would appreciate any good vibes you can all send me.

In keeping with his state of mind, I found this today via The Fable of the Table (who also has some very nice festive ideas if you have time to check out her blog), originally from The Barefoot Doctor.

8 short sharp shots of Taoist wisdom to start your week

• Each time you worry today about not getting everything done, instead visualize yourself at the end of it all, having got everything done easily, effortlessly and enjoyably.
  
• Each time today you worry about the next bit of your life not working out, instead visualize yourself at the other side of any current challenges, things having worked out miraculously well.
  
• Each time today you find yourself worrying about other peoples’ reactions to you, instead visualize everyone walking away from you thinking and feeling only the very best about you and themselves.
  
• Each time you find yourself worrying about any particular situation not working out, instead visualize yourself looking back at the situation marvelling about implausibly well it did work out.
  
• In all instances it’s unnecessary and even inadvisable to waste energy guessing how these results might have been brought about, simply see the result you wish for regardless.
  
• Worrying about something is akin to praying for what you don’t want.
  
• Visualizing the outcome you want is akin to praying for that instead.
  
• Knowing this and knowing you do indeed have the option, makes choosing simple, unless you love pain, of course.

And now, back to the felty goodness.

My Creative Space

I would just like to say first, I really, really would like something salty and crunchy right now, if someone would like to swing by with something. No? I'm on my own to brave the grocer? Okay, fine.

My snackless crafting continues, and I'm still feeling optimistic about Saturday.

Here they are, awaiting packaging. Check out Kootoyoo for more creative spaces.

The hound is bored with me now; he requests more walking and less sewing.

Bathroom do-over on the cheap

This has been brought to you by various sales, Value Village, Dollarama, Winners, the Habitat for Humanity Restore, and Adam's parents (who gave him the vanity as a birthday gift). Paint included, this cost us under $150. Brace yourself for the before (it was so bad, I didn't even like to clean it, because no amount of scrubbing made it even partways livable).

Not great pics, I know, but really not a great bathroom. My favorite part was the impossible toilet paper holder. I can picture it now: "How'd you dislocate your shoulder?" "Well, I was poopin, and...." Anyway, onto the afters.

Done, minus shimming the vanity (yeah, that cardboard is very temporary). My dad and I put the sink in, and Adam put the light in. We uncovered the floor when Adam ripped out the horrible linoleum, and after he spent about 12 hours scraping off the adhesive with razor blades, this is what we're left with. The tile baseboard (repeat the hours of Adam working with a razor) had been painted over several times, and eventually we'll replace the old floor with some black and white tiles. But for now, this is like a little slice of heaven. Now if you'd like to visit, I assure you the bathroom will be clean. :D

In other news, much crafting is happening, and I won't lie, I'm feeling optimistic about the sale on Saturday, so please send some good vibes/thoughts/prayers/sage smoke/etc., in my direction.

Yes. This. Exactly this.

I'm not really, but at least the first part is true. Off to make stew, and clean the floors and tidy up, and hang everything in the bathroom, and implement my brilliant idea to hide my blind-is-too-narrow faux pas, and scrub the shower, and put the second coat on the rad.... Bed is looking like a better option. Oh, and did I mention I started the day by missing the garbage truck and Rocco is feeling a wee bit under the weather today?

My Creative Space

Looking a little different than normal this week, but the bathroom will be done by the weekend, and THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS!! It's looking very good, my dad is coming up tomorrow to install the new vanity; then a few bits and pieces, and it'll be finished! So exciting. Altogether, the entire thing cost us less than $150, which I am damn proud of, and there will be before and afters by Sunday. I just spent about a half hour painting the radiator with rust paint; it's a very small room, and I'm pretty sure my IQ has dropped by at least a few points.
The light got a fresh coat of paint too, since a) it was "antique white" and didn't match anything, but b) it was $18, marked down from about $150. Oh, I love the thrifting!
In other news, there are also cookies...


Back to actual crafting after the bathroom is done; mostly for Christmas, but also in prep for the craft show I'm doing on the 4th. If anyone is in the area, come by! It's at the Halifax Independant School on Connaught Ave; admission is $1, all proceeds going to the school.

Also, completely unrelated to anything, I did a little Christmas shopping today and when I went into Winners, I saw a car that was fully taking up 2 spots. It was a small car, about Corolla size, and it was parked dead centre on the line. Damn it, I hate it when people can't drive (also people who don't return their carts at the grocer, but that's a whole other post). So I left her a nice little note*, that said "Nice parking job. Remember, it's like kindergarten: try to stay inside the lines, douche." Okay, so it wasn't so nice, but c'mon. It's almost Christmas, the lot was packed. In the words of Chuck Palahniuk, you are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. It's free to show courtesy to others. Oh, and I realize I said her; Adam was in the car when the woman came out. He said she put her bag in the trunk, got in the car, then got out and got the note, read it, looked at how she was parked as if she had no idea how that happened, and drove away.
*Yes, I'm aware that this is petty. I just don't care. Learn to drive, and park, or take the GD bus, Effie.

More creative, and probably mostly rant-less, spaces at Kootooyo.