Last gasp

Having survived beyond 11.11am yesterday, I think I'm about done in now...

This week I:

* sang until my lungs nearly burst at our choir's Christmas concert - but apparently we "nailed" the last note of "NOEL!!!" so it was worth it just for that!

* stuffed my face with sticky toffee cupcakes 

* made an enormous Christmas stocking that my nephew could probably sleep inside (although I've heard he doesn't sleep...)

* sang my heart out again at Church carols

* been overawed and stunned and brought to tears by the Girl and other students (and staff) at the school carol service

* made a shoal of potholders...as you do...or as I do....

(pattern from this magazine)

* nobly walked the whippet throught the rain (well, most days...)

* had a haircut

* constructed a new wallet for Himself - to be finished this evening (?!) or at some time during the journey between here and wettest westest Wales...as long as Himself keeps his eyes on the motorway and doesn't try and sneek a peek.  And yes, he will be driving - slipstitching bias binding and negotiating the M4 don't really mix well.

Here is the unfinished wallet, with its very plain outside:

And not so plain inside (excuse pics, taken after dark...)

* cleaned the house

* made plans and preparations for the great Gingerbread House barn-raising, to take place on Christmas Eve.  We decided against prefabricating the walls and roof as we didn't think they'd travel well and that the flaked almond roof tiles would probably fall off.  They do anyway, even without being transported.  So that's the first job for when we arrive at Mother's (well, after a cup of tea)

* Not stopped.  Until now.

So here's wishing everyone - (especially new followers!!) - a wonderful Christmas and I'll see you in the New Year!!

'tis the season

to be busy...

but not as busy as previous years. 

What have I missed?  Why the blasé attitude? Yes, I still have to make an enormous Christmas stocking for the youngest nephew, to match the one for his cousin made this time last year and yes I still have lots of presents to order or go find and yes I still have ideas for stitched presents noodling around in my head that I haven't even begun to bring into reality yet...

Maybe it's just because it's been a busy term, and now I've only got one class left to teach, I've wound down so much I've come to a standstill!

Either way, I haven't been doing what I should have been doing, I've been doing this:

cutting up lots of colour copies to make these:

signatures for a hand-made sketchbook:

with painted pages, copies (colour and b&w) and tracing paper.

Quite pleased with this frosty effect:

I'm working myself up to some major pieces of work (!  Sounds so grand!  If only I can pull it off!) for an exhibition next year.  So I'm not really procrastinating, I'm making a start. 

I've actually been attempting to make a start since about October, but don't tell anyone.

I've been using ideas from this book by Sandra Meech.  And it hasn't felt like procrastinating, as I haven't really enjoyed the process yet...it's been a bit painful, so I must be on to something...

And finally, talking of painful.  Got in a tantrum the other evening because I never have "time to do what I want to do" but then having carved out some time, of course I didn't know what it was that I wanted to do.  So in desperation I got out my boxes of rejects and offcuts, and made a collage.  Hmph. 

So there.

Bags of books

Having over-achieved last week, I have since spent a week trying to find my desk.  I think I did some time around Friday afternoon, but I seem to have lost it again...

Meanwhile, here is a selection of books from the classes this week.  There will be more finished this coming week, and some pics are on my phone and I have no idea how to retrieve them...techonology, eh?

Jane's autumnal notebook cover - complete with dangly stitched bead a la Emma

Ann's very precise little patchwork notebook cover, awaiting its bead on the end of the cord

Not content with the gorgeous November notebook cover below, Tricia whipped up a photo album cover for a friend (above)

Carole surpassed herself with this pale blue nigella (love in a mist) notebook cover, with three button/cord closure:

Look at those beads! 

And Kathy had very firm ideas on the design for her notebook cover right from the start:

And finally, Tricia's book made from recycled Indian cotton (thank you Oxfam!) - just waiting for its button and some beaded ends...

Stop press!  I've had a rummage in the Drawer of Doom and found a lead to connect my phone to the PC....

Jane's little stab-stitch book - using wallpaper samples (I thought I'd gone a bit mad in Homebase, helping myself to yards of wallpaper samples, but then Jane got her mitts on a huge stack of some altogether more classy samples from John Lewis...)

And last but not least, Caroline's finished sketchbook cover for her daughter.

Phew!  There are more, and were more, but some people are coy and hide things away before I can snap a photo.