Can Cats be Trained

My mum certainly thinks so. I just think Millie is smart, and she will do ANYTHING to get fed.

Nope, don't look at me, I don't have any food for you

At least she is cute

What I Like About Xmas

One of my favourite parts of Christmas is Christmas Eve. Every year we spend it with some family friends, who are actually more like family. The two families take turns in hosting Christmas Eve festivities. This year it was the turn of Aunty Diane and Uncle Phil. Their house always looks amazing at Christmas, it feels like I have stepped into some sort of fairytale when I look at all the decorations in the place. This year I decided to take some photos of some of the decorations. I am sure they won't mind me sharing.

Scrooge

The tree and my dad and sister looking like they are having a great time! Haha

And some of my favourite ornaments! Alice in Wonderland!!!

And more decorations...and cakes

Whilst I was taking photos I had some visitors

Kimmy...

And Kath...(yes they were named after the show!)

Is it sad...

...that I keep opening Blogger in the vain hope that someone has written a new blog to distract me

Came across this amazing wind farm whilst on the road to Cervantes in WA

Procrastination

It's a Sunday, I have work to do, and yet I insist on procrastinating. This procrastination has resulted in me trying to 'spiffy up' my blog page. What do you think? I am not sure about it yet. I also seem incapable of mastering how to get my header photo to stretch the length of the header banner space. Oh well! I did add a new feature of the books I have read, or am about to embark on reading for this year. Wish I had kept lists for what I have read over my lifetime, that would be interesting.

Now I have done that I can go back to watching the cricket...oh yeh, and doing that work stuff I am meant to be doing. Or maybe it is arvo nap time..... hmmmmm.

A little picture to end my post

I took this at The Pinnacles in WA during my trip a few weeks ago. If procrastination takes hold again I might share some more pics from the trip

Chrissy gifts

I didn't want to post these before Xmas, just in case the receivers saw the blog, but here are the very few things I managed to make in time for Xmas gifts. I was pretty slack this year. Not intentionally, but with the job and the move and all that stuff, I just plain ran out of time to put much thought or effort into making presents for people. What I did manage to make though was....


This necklace for the work secretary....








This rosary for my Dad. I think he was surprised I made it....

And this pendant necklace for the lovely Brona, one of the PhD students at work. This year was her first Aussie Xmas.

2010 shall be interesting with my move. Thinking of starting a Brown Owls chapter with Amelie and Atticus. Any other takers? Would love to meet some new crafty people. The chapter will be around Sydney, the Shire/St George region most likely.

What's Hot and What's Not Wednesday

Ahhhh Christmas time. So much fodder for WH&WN Wednesdays! I thought it was about time for a random posting.

What's Hot

• Catching up on lost sleep for the year over the Christmas break
• Books. Yep, they still rate up there. Just finished reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Highly recommended! Next few on the list include 'For the Term of His Natural Life' (Chrissy gift from the lovely James) and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (a loan from Darren). I also have a few more floating around in my place to read, if I haven't packed them
• Moving back to the city! Yep, gonna be awesome living back in Sydney

What's Not

• Getting too much sleep and eating too much over the break. I think catching up on sleep is actually not conducive to my energy levels (which are crap at the best of times!). I feel like I have been hit by a truck most of the time
• Agreeing to do a book review for an academic journal at this time of year. Why, why, why did I say yes?!?! This thing is hanging over my head and is due Jan 16. I am still up to reading the intro, so god knows what the hell I will be able to review of it!
• Packing. My place is a mess and I keep dreaming I won't get everything done in time for the removals. The other crap thing is trying to organise all the moving stuff, such as carpet cleaning, internet, storage, blah blah blah. On top of that I also have to find a place to live in (staying at the parentals initially)

I think there are lots more things, but I can't think of them now. Not falling asleep until 4am is affecting my already dull brain!

Once a Slacker, Always a Slacker

Yep, that slacker is me! It has been a whole month and I haven't posted. But I do have a letter from my Mum. Well, not quite, but I do have excuses (when do I never have an excuse really?!)

So it has been a strange month. I think I mentioned in my last blog that I was off to Perth for work. Well, I did that, went to a conference which was good, and hung out with my bro and his fiance. Also went on a little road trip with my friend Elaine up to Cervantes, Jurien Bay and the Pinnacles. I would have added some piccies, but as you will shortly see, it is picture overload in this blog!

When I got back from WA I got notice that I had been shortlisted for a job. With a weeks notice I had to prepare a detailed presentation and prepare for the interview (it was practically a full day process), all whilst trying to tell as few people as possible as I REALLY wanted the job. So I went to the interview, thought I bombed out on part of it, came home thinking I would hear either way in a week or something. Given my lack of sleep, I had a little nap, but was woken about 6:30pm by my mobile ringing. I didn't recognise the number, but I thought I better answer. Anyway, much to my surprise it was the Dean from the university I was applying to offering me the job!!!!!!!! So of course I was very excited, as the job will bring me back to Sydney, but also more than a little sad because of all the good stuff in Bathurst that I will be leaving behind. Apart from work and the friends I have there, I also have my wonderful crafty friends, and my non-work friends who I met whilst playing netball. All in all the past 2-3 weeks have been really surreal! The coming challenges will be Christmas (nope, I haven't bought ANY presents yet, so I am pretty screwed), packing, moving, my Hawaii trip, and starting the new job (which is 2 days after I get back from Hawaii!). I certainly wouldn't feel myself if I wasn't insanely and hectically busy!

But, in all of that craziness I have actually managed to be a little bit crafty too. My bank of photos below are testament to this. So let me go through these for you...

First, remember AGES ago I did a stitchery at the dodgy Rosehill craft show? It sat idle for ages, until I made a bet with a mate who is a drummer. Either way the bet went, he was getting the drum stitchery, all I had to do was actually frame it. And didn't it turn out pretty?

And I even made the back pretty! He was pretty stoked with it (unless he was lying to me, as really, how many men are thrilled by crafty gifts?!)

My next item was actually finished by Mum, as I was lazy and let her do it. It was my Santa softie thing that I also started a LONG time ago at the Christine Book class at the Home Patch. It was my first decoration on my Christmas tree!

Tonight, in my last sewing class for the year, I also finished my wall hanging! Yay. So pretty. When I get my new place in Sydney it will be hung with pride near my matching table runner.

I also had a bit of time left in class tonight, so I sewed and stuff another oldie I got at the craft show, a Red Thread Sweetie Petite. All that is left to do is sew up the bottom...

Earlier this week (actually, yesterday to be precise) I finished my wool felt Christmas baubles. I love them. I think I have actually forgotten to take a photo of one of the baubles here, but these are the ones I did manage to photograph, taking pride of place on my tree! I love them, so they better not be thrown out when I die!

Another addition to my Christmas tree was this cute little ornament from Mum. Love it :)

And tonight one of the lovely ladies at sewing gave us ornaments she made herself! Another perfect tree decoration...

So my tree is looking pretty snazzy now. All I need is some tinsel and a star for the top. And maybe a few more ornaments....as you will soon see, I am working on those still

On Sunday Mum and I did a punchneedle class at the Home Patch. Wow, how fun is punchneedle....and EASY! It was a good day and I have been inspired to perhaps turn some stitchery ideas into punchneedle creations.

This one is going to eventually be turned into an ornament for my tree. I should probably attempt to do that before Christmas...

I also made a star, which I think could also become an ornament...

And speaking of ornaments, I am still going on embroidering these things....they might be on the tree for next year at the rate I am going!

I did most of those whilst I was in Perth (or on the plane to/from Perth). The challenge is to come up with a variety of embroidery designs. I think I need to expand my range!

Anyway, so hopefully that little run down just about makes up for the month long silence. I can't promise I will blog much over the coming months. Hopefully I will get some in before I move. I better make sure I don't pack my sewing stuff into storage otherwise there will definitely be no craftiness!

Well, it is late so I think it's time to get back to watching The Bachelor hahahaha.

Oh, and don't even get me started on books. I have read a few, but to give you the low down, my current book is called Mathilda Savitch. Weird, interesting, and I can't wait to see how it ends. With any luck I will finish it tonight (last night's attempt failed when I fell asleep, book in hand).

Until next time.........