12 Days of Christmas Swap

Tags

festive season, Happy Holidays, Holiday Swap, swap, swap buddy, swap goodies, swap package, swaps, swaps2016

The ladies in South Africa were planning a local swap, for the 12 days of Christmas.  I asked to join in and was so happy to still be in time for the swap and the buddy draw.

What fun! 12 little gifts, one to open each day before Christmas.  It is the best fun to be able to get gifts for your buddy,  as you don’t have to keep to just one or two.  You can knit and create and make a whole 12 off.

Some of the items I bought, and shopped around for, and some I got to make specially for her.  She had hinted for a teacozy for her teapot, and while I was at it, I  also made teamug warmers and coffee warmers.  The stitchmarkers was just as much fun to make, I could play around so nicely.

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Blues Swap Package 2Blanket Progress

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

In return I received this stunning box of packages all the way from Melkbosstrand in SA, thanks to the very talented Pinkhairgirl.  Yes, she really has the brightest and colourful pink hair.  She excelled at stalking and surprised me each day with something that meant the world to me.  Even Miekie got in on the action, and was spoiled with doggie treats and a bandana.  Just look how cute she looked during the holidays.

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

12 Days of Christmas

I loved the soap and shell I received, it is very special, and off course, a stunning mug and tea. This mug features all my loves in one.  My favourite colour, my favourite season, and snow, and sheep.  You just can not ask for more.  It has been used a LOT this holidays.

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12 Days of Christmas

Tags

12 days of christmas, Gifts, goodies, Happy Holidays, Holiday Swap, Holidays, swap, swap buddy, swap goodies, swap package, swaps, swaps2016

Santa came early.  My package for the 12 Days of Christmas swap has arrived, and I am super excited.

It is so much fun digging in the packaging snow, finding the packages.  Some really feel very interesting. I can not wait for the 13th when I get to open the first one.

My package is all the way from Melkbosstrand (Western Cape, South Africa) put together by the very interesting and very talented Sally Jane.  We all know her as the girl with the pink hair, and you can see what she and her family get up to here.  She has a wonderful podcast that is just amazing to watch.  Pop on over and enjoy.

Thank you so much Sally Jane, I am going to try very hard to be very good and open them on the 12 Days of Christmas, and only one per day.

🙂

 

 

Happy Howl-idays!!

Tags

dog safety, festive season, Happy Holidays

The Happy Holidays are upon us.  And at the same time, it brings a whole new bunch of things for us as pet owners to think about over and above our normal Happy Holidays planning.

Thinking back to last year, when Miekie developed an abscess in a tooth, and had to be hospitalized for a day to remove it, and then subsequently had about 7 bad teeth removed at the same time, due to old age and such, I thought it may be a good idea to share the information below with all my pet loving friends.

This does not cover nearly all the issues that may arise, but I am putting a copy on the fridge, just in case.

Some items not mentioned is of course raisins and cherries.

This pretty graphic was shared with me by PuppySpot.com  Feel free to check out their website for more information.

Take care and have a safe holiday.

The last swap for the year

Tags

12 days of christmas, festive, festive season, Gifts, goodies, Happy Holidays, Holidays, swap, swap package, swaps, swaps2016

The year has started to draw to a close.  It is Festive Season all around.  The shops are full of happy shoppers and lights and sounds and gifts.

And so it is time to start getting ready for our Happy Holidays.

This is the last swap for the year that I am sending out.  (I will be showing you what I sent out a bit later, and also what I got in return.)

For this swap, we are enjoying the 12 Days of Christmas, and you get to make up 12 small gifts for your swap buddy, and then on the 12 Days of Christmas you get to open a little gift each day.  I was thinking of numbering them, but then decided against it.  My swap buddy can shake them and squeeze them and sniff them if she wants to, and then pick a package each day.  🙂  I can not wait to see what she thinks when its time to start opening these, and I really had fun making some of the items, and shopping for the others.

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

It is a new year, welcome 2016!

Tags

baable hat, Books and gifts, crochet, daughter, handmade, Handmake, Happy Holidays, Hats, Knitting, lace knitting, Little black Dog, mohair, scarf, socks, speckled yarn, yarndye, yarns

It is 2016!  A New Year!  How quickly the holidays have gone.  Thankfully I had a good break and a typical warm and sunny Festive Season here in South Africa. The most exciting thing that happened was probably Miekie having to have some of her teeth out on New Years Eve.  She recovered super fine, and is enjoying all the attention and great food and treats.

I intended to just rest and do as little as possible, but that will never happen.  🙂  I can not sit idly and let my hands do “nothing”.

So I did do a bit of this and that.  I decided I need a little splash of soft colour for my home, and worked on these three canvases.  I did the basics and some background, but I am not done yet.  They still need a bit of finishing off.  I have some pretty bronze paint to still add to them.

Thanks to AndreSueKnits and her lovely podcasts, I got totally inspired to also dye “Speckled Yarn”.  She made it look so easy and I could not wait.  These are done using food colouring, and I had lots of fun, despite having “speckles” all over myself as well in the end.  🙂

I did knit and crochet during the holidays, but only on small projects that I could take with me while on vacation.  I had been wanting to make colourful and summery coasters for glasses or mugs, and decided on these.  I also knitted the Baable Hat (Pattern by Donna Smith) This is a super pattern that I knitted up so fast.  My daughter promptly asked for one as well, so I knitted another.

Currently I am still working on my winter blanket, but since we have been having a pretty warm summer with heatwave warnings, the knitting had been few.  I am working on a pair of socks in Silverspun yarn from the Feel Good Yarn Company. This yarn has the perfect name, and I know they will be perfect gifts.  (for my daughter again)

And I am knitting with super soft Mohair from Istanbul, that my LYS had stock off, making myself a Smocked Lace Scarf.  The pattern is by Veronik Avery and is featured in the book “Knitting 24/7” that I was gifted.

And that is how my year ended and the new one started.

I wish you all a Wonderful and Fantastic 2016!  May it be an Awesome Year for us all.

Happy Crafting!

Holl and Lane online magazine

Tags

article, christmas, Happy Holidays, holiday, holiday traditions, magazine, summer, summer holidays, summer vacation, traditions, writing

I joined the online magazine Holl and Lane a little while ago. It is a stunning online magazine by the very talented Sarah Hartley.

I started reading her online magazine, as I was totally intrigued by the articles about live in the USA, especially by the stunning photographs that was the perfect way for me to get a bigger and better picture of so many places I love to maybe even see one day, and be able to visit them.

So for now I am enjoying my “desk” visits to so many places.

How great was my  surprise then when Sarah asked me to write a few paragraphs for her about Holiday Traditions in South Africa?  What a huge honour.  I could hardly believe it and was not sure what to write, but I sat down and wrote what I thought would be interesting enough.

And now my Holiday Traditions in South Africa are featured on page 64!

How awesome is that, and what a wonderful way to end a beautiful year that was full of good times and lots of fun.

 

Beading time

Tags

autumn, beaded items, beading, bugs, fall, festive, festive season, flowers, handmade, Handmake, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, stitch markers, teddies, teddy

It was time to make some stitch markers, one can just never have enough.  I simply adored these autumn colours and made rather a few.

Of course, I also had to make some for the Festive season, and I simply loved the “bugs and flowers”!  So cute and colourful.

Swap goodies #stitchingsanta Blog Christmas Gift Swap!

Tags

buddy, crochet, Gifts, Handmake, Happy Holidays, swap goodies, swaps

#crochet/knitting Santa Swap

Dear Swap Buddy,

I was just wondering if you would like to see what I have packed into your #crochet/knitting Santa Swap.

I will give you a little peep today, how about that?

Ho ho ho! Its on its way to you!!