Totally Naked

Warning...not my usual type of post....

I woke up this morning with my usual mixed emotions - I was excited to be seeing The Tuesday Girls for today and hearing about their holidays and what they got up to over christmas, and then those thoughts started coming in..you know the ones - what will I wear, I look terrible in everything, I hate my hair how it falls, I hate my round belly - always having to wear a belt as being apple shaped, my trousers just slide down eventually.  Should I get my nails done to make my  hands look prettier.  Should I start wearing different or more make-up to hide the wrinkles, skin discolouration and blemishes..  I hate my wardrobe  - why does it feel like I have nothing nice to wear or which outfit will hide my round belly more..  And then there are other thoughts - those ones when I think of the day ahead of me - reminding myself to ask about the others holidays, and how they are going, remember to remark nicely on something they are wearing to make them feel relaxed and happy about themselves.  Trying to remind myself to be a good listener and not ramble on in my hyped up way.. And of course, the ultimate thought - am I good enough for these girls - do I fit in?

I have so many other negative thoughts that include family - the usual - am I doing enough for them without smothering them.. am I letting them learn at their own pace without trying to add my four cents worth in all the time..  Do I nag too much about the messy house...

These lists go on and on and why????

Then I stopped and thought for a minute - why do I hate such stupid things...I don't judge people for what they wear or look like - to be honest, it takes a great effort to remember to remark on a pretty outfit or hair style etc cause it just isn't what makes me like the person.  I like them for them - not the shining stuff we adorn ourselves with. I don't care what they look like - I just like who they are..  So why can't I put the same level of thoughts upon myself?  

It's time to change - I don't want to be that person anymore..  I want to hate things that are worth hating - things like that bloody disease - cancer, or child abuse, anything truly important that matters and not things that don't.    

I have so many things that I am grateful for - healthy family, wonderful hubby, fantastic friends...etc

So why do I dislike myself so much...how do I change my thought pattern?  Something to work on this year - maybe I should add it to my UFO list...

I don't want to live like this anymore...

Anyhow thanks for listening... sorry it's not my usual rambling..

xxx

First week of January

Lots of bits and pieces today - firstly, I have joined Fee's Little Craft Studio so I can, hopefully, do all the 50 little projects she will be doing over the year..  If you are interested then pop over to her blog and check it out.  Fee has already posted about the first project and I am looking forward to doing these (I did cheat and have bought the kit) so I will be making them after this has arrived..
You will find her blog here - http://www.feeslittlecraftsstudio.com/.

I have completed my first week of photo challenges with a Facebook group - the first three I have already posted previously, so here are the next four photos.
Day 4.. What I wore.
Day 5.  Clouds.
Day 6.  Looking Down.
Day 7.  Every day.

There has been a little prepping  going on in my craft room... I am going to be making this quilt from The Red Boot Company for my grandson this year.  So for the last couple of days I have been sorting colours, cutting, ironing etc and now I have all the blocks ready to be blanket stitched (hoping that this doesn't end up as another UFO).. I plan on using my machine to blanket stitch to save time.

While I was prepping these blocks, I had this series playing on the TV..  I had forgotten how amusing

it was - sometimes reminding me of the craft groups I belong to.  One of the characters, played by Dawn French, was a little hard to get use to but by the end, she was one of my favourites.. Oh and the vicar and  Kate Bales were my favourites too..  I love this series - it's light-hearted and funny but also shows how women - especially ones united by a group, are their to support each

other.   Has anyone else watched this series...if not then maybe it's one to look out for..

You will recognise a lot of the characters - if not by name but by facial recognition..  The first time

I watched it, I don't know how, but I totally missed  that Delilah was Joanna Lumley..  lol 

I have done a little shopping on-line - and couldn't resist this book when I came upon it.. I have already chosen a couple of projects to do later in the year...

I have started to read (re-read) the first Harry Potter book .. Even though I read this series - oh I don't know - maybe 10-15 years ago, I'm glad to be re-reading it as I had forgotten so much.. and I am only up to the fourth chapter... lol.. 

Isn't this little guy cute - my daughter gave it to me to protect my re-charge cable...  You see, we have naughty fairies in our house and they are always breaking my cords - I know it's the fairies as it couldn't possibly be my fault...  Anyhow, this little guy is suppose to prevent them getting broken (by the fairies), so we shall see whether it works or not..   time will tell...

That's all for me today... I hope you all have a great day..
xxx

Well Hellooooo 2019

Welcome 2019... you are holding so many possibilities right now and I am feeling enthusiastic about seeing where we end up this year...  I am hoping it will be a year filled with lots of laughter, fun,
sewing, craft, adventure, road trips, and a whole lot of other things...mmmmmm - oh yeah - and yummy foods..
I have joined in with the No Fuss Stitch-a-long (here https://nofussswappers.blogspot.com/)  - this is an easy sew-a-long with no pressure.  I have already stitched my first block and am looking forward to doing some more..
If your interested in joining in, it truly is an easy stitch-a-long - pop on over and add your name..

I have also been working on some flower hexies to go towards my flower garden quilt..  I think I have another -oh I don't know - thousand to go (only kidding)....(or am I?).

Hubby and I checked out our local Stellarossa Cafe for breakfast on Sunday, and it was pretty good...
I tried one of their special soda drinks with fresh blood orange juice and a delicious brekky..

Today I started dragging out my fabrics to start a new quilt for one of my grandsons.. This is as far as I have gotten...  The back grounds so far..

I am also participating in a 30 day photo challenge on facebook... Here are my first couple..
Day 1 - Self Portrait  This is the one I went with..

 And these were the rejects - gawd I hate taking selfies.... (need to push myself out of my comfort zone)..

 Day 2 - Orange..  Now this was a hard one - until I cooked up some eggs for brekky...

 Day 3 - Bad Habits - I could have put anything here - chocolate? shopping? coffee? but while I
                                    was watching 'Outlander' I realised that I could find any excuse to sit back
                                    and put my feet up...and watch a bit of Telly..  so this one seems apt for
                                    today's challenge.     

Well that's all for now - three days into the new year and already I have done heaps... I think I might have earned some rest and relaxation...lol
cya soon..  oh and Happy New Year Everyone...
xxx

Goodbye 2018

I'm soooo looking forward to this year - it's been such a busy  couple of months with moving house, daughter's birthdays etc that I have felt exhausted most of the time... Next year I want to take more care of myself and have more fun (not sure if that is possible, cause life is usually fun anyway, but I'll try)...
 I first want to start this post with the last 8 or my advent presents from Miss Teresa..
Day 17 - 25 (day 18 was our main pressies)..
Treat (lasted all of 5 minutes - enough time to boil the kettle), Wild card, Glasses cleaning cloth, bought ornament, reusable shopping bag, nice soap, pretty fork, and serviettes.  Just look at this gorgeous bunch of goodies..  Thank you  Miss Teresa,
I loved having you as my swap partner to end the year... I'm going to miss this tradition next year but it's time for a change....

Have I got any sewing to show you - NOT A CLUE - I don't think I have finished anything off lately but maybe I just haven't taken any photos and my memory is playing up.. Oh well - move on..
Thanks all for writing your blogs, so even if I 'don't get around' to blogging myself, I can always count on your blogs to read.  I hope everyone has a fabulous 2019..I look forward to reading all about it next year..
xxx

Card Night

Boxing day for us, meant catching up with some friends we have had for a very long time... When we married 30 years ago, we bought our first house and these guys were our neighbours..  We all had kids around the same age and money being tight, we started playing cards...  Come to think of it - I don't think inflation has crept into our card games, because back then we played with 5 cent pieces and to this day, we still play with 5 cent pieces... 
Not a good hand...lol

Wayne and Jimmy were trying to out do each other with colourful shirts - both as it turned out, wore hawaiian shirts...lol

A lot of photo's but I'm not sure which one was better than the other...so just put them all in...
Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but we always have a great time with this rowdy bunch...  Merry christmas guys - looking forward to our next game.. (I might need to save up some more 5's before then...lol).
cheers
xx

Christmas with the Family

Michaela and Jaxon hosted our family christmas this year and what a wonderful job they both did too.

We arrived to find the table beautifully laid out and christmas music playing on the TV.. 

 Silver bells adorned our napkins..

 Lit candles added to the festive feeling..

 Christmas music - well who doesn't like chrissy songs...

Ginger bread houses were being decorated, supposedly by the kids, but the girls seemed to enjoy it more..

Being a warm day, the girls tried to place the houses under the air-con to encourage the setting icing to set but this didn't happen quite like it was meant to...

 Not too bad.....

 MMMM I think Elle lost her temper with hers....lol  deciding eating it was better than trying to make it pretty...lol

Sibling rivalry - now which sister graffitied  the other... I wonder..

We had an abundance of food on hand...

OMG - lunch was just too nice - I don't think I need to eat for a month...welllll at least until tomorrow..  and I didn't even get to take a photo of the desserts...oops.

We celebrated christmas on christmas eve so I was able to give the grandkids their christmas eve boxes...  I had ordered them during the year and had their names put on the front..

Inside I put PJ's, little brekky cereals, colouring books, pens, reading book, and christmas dvd's..

I took heaps of family photos, but as you know, it is hard to get a good one..

We do a secret santa in our family and Michael gave to me..  Many many years ago, I read the Harry Potter series and over the years my books had become shabby and some were even missing some pages due to when the grandkids were added to our family.  Anyhow I have always wanted new ones and "ta da" - brand new ones - already on my bucket list to read them during 2019...I wonder how it ends...lol

 I also received a bag of LUSH bath bombs - I love LUSH products - again - going to enjoy using these..  thanks Mike - I'm one lucky mum...

Wayne and I went in a different direction this year when it came to buying each other a pressie..

We both agreed on buying a shared present - a decent sized Magnolia tree for our new home..

 This one apparently blooms more frequently than the other types...one will see..

Now every year the girls seem to enjoy the tradition of 'vandalising' my christmas tree and this year was no exception...  (oh and I don't know they have done it until I find them).

The first year we had Miley Cyrus swinging on a ball..

The second year it was a superman hero ornament...

And this year it was three Grinches and his dog... (most likely because we took the grandkids to see the Grinch at the movies)...

Now after being caught out the first year, I do check my tree regularly to make sure no one has added anything and this year was no different.. But I still did not notice anything odd..Maybe next year I will catch them..

Merry Christmas everyone - lots of love to everyone..

xxxx