Christmas Gifts 2015

Let me record, before I forget, the highlights of the Christmas gifts -Nina's poo emoji chocolate coated meringues for Ruby, Grace's 'blue Basil with black beard and beret' for Craig, Lily's pottery bells for me and, not pictured, Ruby's handmade body wash and scrubs for everyone.

Tall skinny animals and other things

These were some of the things I made for the fete this year.  I probably made fewer items, but enjoyed making them more and was happier with the outcome than in past years.  Though I quite enjoy the challenge of seeing what has been donated and turning it into something, it's rather nice working with fabric that I really love.

The monkeys, rabbits and rag dolls are mostly fabrics that I bought back from Japan.  All dots and stripes are not equal.

I'm still not over tiny owls and mice in tiny beds.  When I was a kid I did a Saturday morning pottery course for years and years.  I made lots of different things, but I kept returning to dragons again and again, even though I was not otherwise interested in them.  I wasn't into fantasy novels at all (romance all the way) nor was I attracted to other representation of dragons (I had a pig collection).  I just really liked making dragons.  And it seems in my 40's I really like making owls.  And mice.  And possibly now, bats.  We shall see.  I think tiny bats in beds could be quite adorable.

I always do lots of things at Christmas, or at least in the month leading up to Christmas. We always have a gingerbread party and I usually make lots of shortbread and often we make some decorations (this year painted gumnuts). We always make Christmas crackers, with fortune cookies and one dollar scratchies.  The kids still make all their presents for each other and their friends, which is pretty time consuming, and I usually make the kids something each, most often a dress. Cherries are always the sign that Christmas is near and this year I splurged on a whole box, which I've never done before. It was so luxurious for everyone to have as many cherries as they felt like and still have some the next day.

So even though Christmas is always busy and I always do lots of things, there has been a different edge this year. One of my sisters is very unwell and so all the activity has an air of keeping oneself busy and distracted, as well as a particular poignance to it. She came to our gingerbread party and we talked whilst keeping up brave faces for the kids - hers and mine - and I expect this is the reason that the door of the gingerbread house is wonky and the whole thing has a rather rushed look to it. We won't find out for a few more weeks exactly how bad things are, and of course we are hoping that the news is better than we fear. It seems a bit farcical to write about the little things I've been doing and making, whilst in the background this massive, life changing event is unfolding, and yet it also seems wrong not to record our Christmas season. And however powerfully something like this puts all our other petty concerns into perspective, still those petty concerns remain and have to be dealt with. This blog is, after all, about small matters, not large matters!

I appear to have misplaced the letters to Santa Claus which were rather delightful. Ruby began hers by hoping that Santa had been a good boss, as the elves need someone responsible - so proud that she's already identified the potential for exploitation in the relationship between capital and labour. Grace is hoping for a parasol and a beret (she really was born in the wrong era), and Nina asked for a briefcase (!). Lily is beguiled by almost anything she sees in a toy shop - a Jemima doll, a Strawberry Shortcake, a real live Minion please! And Ruby just desperately wants an ipod and swears she is about the only (nearly) 12 year old in the whole world not to have one.  I struggle with the whole technology thing. It does seem that most kids her age have something - a pod or pad or phone - that enables them to link in to social media and communicate with each other and by comparison we seem the most ludditish parents on the face of the earth. Lots of schools require an ipad but ours doesn't and so far she has only been able to really engage by using my phone, which obviously I control. I've held the line because I fear that once she has a device of whatever kind, she will disappear into a world of constant texting and surfing.  I don't think she's particularly interested in games, it's Instagram and social connections that fascinate her.  I know that rules around usage can be established, but I suspect that those rules rapidly become a battleground where parents are thrust unwillingly into the role of enforcer. And I'm not even sure what rules are appropriate - how much time is too much? how much privacy is reasonable? where can she take or use the device?

Once she has a device, and I know that it is inevitable eventually, I fear that she will never  again scoot round and round on the deck for hours, making up plays and stories. I worry that she won't write or draw as much - or at all.  I wonder if she'll still play with her sisters (admittedly this only tends to happen now when she is bored, but with a device, perhaps she'll never be bored?). And I am not sure that she will continue to read as much - or at all.  I also wonder whether I am totally overreacting and whether I'll look back on this dilemma in the same way that I look back on worrying about kindergarten and think how ridiculous I was.

The year, to all intents and purposes, is over. Craig and I have finished work, the kids have finished school, the concerts have been performed, the presents bought and wrapped and tomorrow the business of preparing the house and food for Christmas begins. I'm half thinking that if I am super efficient with all of that, I might just have time to quickly rustle up a couple of Christmas dresses afterall.....

Drunkard's Path

In our revamped dining/sewing room I finally found the time and space to finish this drunkard's path quilt. I made the blocks back in June, and did nothing with them for the next six months. As is the way with these things, it all came together pretty quickly once I finally took them out again. I'm happy but not thrilled with this one. The blocks were time consuming to make, mostly because I am no great shakes at sewing curves, and they were more complicated than the blocks in any other quilt I'd made (Which isn't saying a lot, my quilts are generally very simple). I love the fabrics in this, but I'm not sure I really showcased them well. I was very unsure of what to use for sashing. I nearly went with something much brighter - even orange - which made it a more arresting quilt, but eventually decided on this rather reserved grey. I had in mind a charcoally binding and indeed the fabric I bought was called 'Coal' but when I got it home it turned out to be a bluey-black, more than a grey, and I'm not entirely convinced. In addition to which I made a complete hash of 3 out of 4 of the mitred corners. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong. I can't even bear to show a picture. I'm sounding much less happy and more critical than I feel, it's just that, considering the effort that went in to it, I hoped to really really love it and I'm not sure that I do. It's the way of things though, isn't it? It's very unpredictable what will work and what won't. At least for me.

Happy feet

there is a mirror behind these shoes - I didn't sew that many!

At the end of last year's fete season someone donated two large pieces of cream/beige leather. We had, by that time, sewed and knitted and stuffed so many things that the prospect of turning that leather into anything was just too daunting. I put it away with the rest of the craft supplies and forgot all about it till a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for some old jumpers to re-purpose. I had not a clue of what to make with it, but brought it home with me in case inspiration struck.  I quite like this sort of crafting - letting the supplies to hand dictate the product rather than the other way around.

Years ago, before Grace was even born I think, I made a heap of little baby shoes. At one time, if you knew me and had a baby, you were fairly sure of getting a pair of handmade babyshoes from me. My very first foray into internet shopping was the purchase of ribbon to stitch across the toes of tiny shoes, which is why I still have a bundle of ribbons, quarter of a yard in length - a fairly useless quantity of ribbon for any purpose other than to decorate the front of a  baby shoe.  After making about 8 or 10 pairs I tired of them. They were terribly fiddly, requiring outer fabric, inner fabric, iron on interfacing,  threading of elastic and stitching of ribbon. I stopped making them and never bothered again. Until now.

This bit of leather looked like it might just work as a baby shoe and I dragged out the old pattern, modified it to work with leather and without lining or requiring the elastic to be threaded through the front casing.  There are a million baby shoe tutorials around, the one I based this shoe on was from Michael Miller fabrics but there are plenty of similar ones about.  I've never sewn leather before, but my machine handled it beautifully and it was lovely to work with - almost like thick felt. No ironing, turning under frayable ends or bothering about interfacing.  Instead of threading the elastic all the way through, which would be nearly impossible, I stitched a strong piece several times to each side of the top casing. No great flexibility is required- just enough elastication to enable the shoe to be slipped on and enough to ensure it won't slip off.  I used up some of my stash of ribbons too. Sadly I don't have anymore little feet for these, but I hope they'll appeal to others who do. 

Autumn Days

Autumn came upon us in a literal deluge.  I cannot remember when Melbourne was last so wet and drizzly for days on end with no let up.  It's entirely wrong to complain, of course, so be clear that I am not complaining, merely noting the damp conditions.

The damp kept us indoors perhaps more than we would want, and the staying indoors meant we had to find ways to keep entertained using methods other than baiting and taunting.  To be fair, the kids seemed reasonably content with baiting and taunting but I felt my brain might explode.

I loved this sunflower next to the house Lily drew and suggested maybe she do a stitching.

She drew another sunflower which I carefully traced onto hessian for her (she found drawing on hessian difficult).  Lily's kinder has been looking at seeds in some detail so Lily was particular about includng the seeds.

Then she started stitching.  I don't know about other four year olds, but Lily needs very hands on help with this sort of thing.  Pretty much a stitch by stitch reminder of which side to go in - otherwise we end up with big loops of yarn around the embroidery hoop.

We did a bit, took a break, did a bit more, took a break.  She brings it out now, most days, and does a few stitches.  When she is upset or excluded or being annoying to the other girls, I suggest we do a few stitches.  She's done all the petals now, and the seeds. I'll post some photos of her progress when I get around to it.  It's a nice way to spend these autumn days, as we watch the season turn.

I'm easy. Oh yeah, maybe some chocolate.

Writing letters to Santa by candlelight

Dear Santa, I hope you have had a wonderful year.  I have bveen having a wonderful holiday and seems like only yesterday I was writing my last letter.  This year sure has gone fast! This year I would like for Christmas: Some surprises, something mini or a charm, an ipod nano (maybe) well, I'm not really sure what I want, anything really, mostly just surprises and anything you think of.  I'm easy.  Oh yeah, maybe some chocolate.  Well merry Christmas and I hope again you have had a wonderfull year.  Love from Nina

Dear Santa I hope youa re having a wonderful Christmas and I wood like to ash you how is Melbourne going and I wood like to have these things for christmas a charm bracelet and a picter of your family and some surprises.  Some candy to put in my candy bag a glow in the dark jumper that I can were to bed and maybe some more surprises. Love from Grace

Dear Santa, How are you? Did you have a nice year in the north pole? For Christmas I would like: Surprises, etch sketch/mini etch sketch (I don't care which) well crackle nail polish or glow in the dark or both: All I really want is surprises other than the nail polish and the etcha sketch.  Love Ruby

Sanders Theater, Harvard

End of the Revels - singing the Sussex Carol

I thought I'd put aside old traditions, at least temporarily, and embrace new ones. We went to the Christmas Revels yesterday on the recommendation of a woman from my knitting class. It was sweet and fun but I suspect much sweeter and more fun if you've gone every year for the past twenty or so, and like singing the chorus to Lord of the Dance repeatedly. Don't get me wrong, I love a group sing but I think I'm more of a Termanativity kind of girl when it comes to Christmas shows. 

On our return the girls realised they hadn't written their letters to Santa yet, and felt this must be remedied immediately. Fortunately 'a surprise' featured quite highly on all their lists. Lil did a few lists too, but it all ended in tears with her adamant claims that she is not a good drawer and that the list was not up to scratch. Is this the lot of the youngest child? To have siblings with whom to compare and find oneself wanting? It's true that at 4 she shows no particular skill as an artist but she doesn't strike me as being especially worse than her peers. Mind you, I don't think she has ever considered the other kids at kinder to be her 'peers', telling me once that kinder was boring because there was 'nothing cool' to do there. And once, when were dancing around the kitchen, she looked at me assessingly and then broke it to me: 'you ackly not really cool Mum'.

In any event Christmas letters were written and I had to capture them, even though they're nearly impossible to make out.  This one was one of Lil's rejects:

Today we went ice skating at our local rink.  $8 for our whole family to hire skates and use the rink.  We'll be making it a regular activity, even though each time we skate we seem to get blisters on different bits of our feet.  The sun came out briefly, and even though the snow has mostly melted except for dirty piles on the sides of the road, it's feeling pretty Christmassy.  We made lamingtons for our landlord and after I baked the sponge I put it outside to cool down quickly.  Five minutes later I caught a squirrel just about to help himself.  Cheeky bugger, I saved the cake in the nick of time.

As I write this, the girls are stringing popcorn and cranberries to hang on the tree.  Back home it's already Christmas.

Southern California Wrap

Santa Monica breakfast condiments

Freeways, beaches and sunshine

We spent our last two days of this little side trip in Santa Monica. Unfortunately, after 2.5 days at Disneyland we were all a bit too exhausted to do much except relax, sleep in and swim. We caught up with some Aussie expat friends who've been living in LA for about 18 months. Fascinating to hear their experiences. Despite some dread I found driving on the notorious freeways fine - much less stressful than navigating. I still have to remind myself 'passenger to the curb' frequently.  When we got 'home' to Boston the Charley Harper fabrics I'd ordered in the 'Black Friday' sales (day after thanksgiving - it's a big day for sales) had arrived, ready to be turned into Christmas stockings for the girls.  We have a week here re-acclimatising (or acclimating as they say here) before we head to New York.  Yesterday it snowed all day.  The girls have never seen snow actually falling before so there was high excitement.  A walk to the post office took ages as every snow flake had to be caught, examined, tasted and every snow drift had to be trodden on or in.  We got proper snow boots today.  Runners just don't cut it.

The Museum of Felted Wool Jewellry

If you like handcrafted jewellry and sipping tea while looking at handcrafted jewellry then the 'Museum of Felted Wool Jewellry' is just the place for you!

Take a look at our beautiful jewellry while drinking free refreshments.  Try your favourite peice of jewellry on and share a laugh with a friend or family member.  Meet the crafters and have fun all day long.

Bracelet of Water

Headband of peace

Braclet of Faith

There was great debate over whether the final piece should be devoted to justice or hope.  Which would you have chosen?

I was hoping for the ring of truth but no, it turns out it's a bracelet

Have we been taking the kids to too many museums?  I guess it's not that surprising that they decided to make their own.  The opening ceremony was a song and dance routine which required a lot of chanting of 'i'm a crafter' 'yeah' and so on.  I am a crafter but I'm not sure that chanting it in a quasi-rap is quite my preferred way of expressing that fact.

Our experience with museums has been a bit mixed.  Ones aimed at kids are a hit with them but interest me less.  The ones that I want to spend hours in hold their interest for only a fraction of the time I want there.  This results in a slightly rushed and anxious visit - I don't want to dawdle over the early musical instruments when there are are ancient and modern masters to be viewed and the pin has been pulled on the Lily-grenande.