I'm TRYING

I do love Christmas. I DO!!!!
I love it so much that I have lobbied this year to host the family Christmas even though it's officially not my year. There are lots of reasons for this..

• kids wanting to hang around exploring their stash
  
• parents (having both sets in the one place so as to avoid the doubling up of biliousness after the feast)
  
• general trashing of everything
• being able to "open house" in the morning and invite all the friends & neighbours to pop in and celebrate

I am not generally speaking the chaos loving type, but I feel that that's a bit of my comfort zone that is worth breaking out of. (sometimes)
I am planning an early champers & orange sort of breakfast cocktail, hopefully to prepare myself for being as relaxed & wonderously fun as possible.
I will try not to shriek at my kids like some demented extra from a horror film.
I will try not to get the dustpan & brush out until everyone goes home.
I will try not to overdo it on the champers too early.

Yesterday we took a little ride up the street to engage in one of my fave Christmas activities. Each year I take the kids to choose themselves one special Christmas tree decoration. We have made decos in the past & still do a bit, but these special tree ornaments are just gorgeous.
Soon we will be able to dispense with the cheap baubles from earlier days and just festoon the tree with the SPECIAL ONES.
So, even though I am stressed, and disappointed in the rudeness of some Christmas shoppers, I still love the event & I am so looking forward to the day.

I want to say a BIG thank you to all the lovely warm & friendly people who have supported my tiny cottage industry this year. I have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of retailers for my Utter Puffery range of clips & elastics & badges. Thanks to Pip & Cam at Meet Me At Mikes, Cintia at MyPoppet, Mira at MiniMeek, Melissa at Dymocks Melbourne, Liz at Rickety Kate & Sally at Lulu.
It's been so much fun to make something by hand which has been so well received.
I have loved the blogworld & being allowed to take a peek into the crafty world that is out there all around us, and honored to meet & spend a little time with some of those special folks.
I was delighted to get involved with the Mirabel Softie push.
And I thank Pip at Meet Me At Mikes for her enthusiastic & generous support of the local crafting community.