3 sleeps but who's counting

3 sleeps but who is counting. have got everything into the bag and sorted out the purchasing for friends and family so things are tracking well. done all the christmas shopping and have only one present left to finish plus make a couple of extra things if I have time.
another busy day at school tomorrow with all the jobs to be done but I managed to get my 2012 diary done tonight so I feel prepared for the first week back.
decided at the last minute to buy a new handbag but can't find one I like so taking my current bag and will keep an eye out for a new one. This could be my christmas present. I am very picky with a handbag.
new phone is going okay and downloading songs onto ipod so have about 1500 so far done 50% of library.

Last week and getting excited

Only five sleeps to go. Getting excited about the travels, but still busy at work and hoping to get all the jobs finished before thursday.
Lunch out today with the senior management team and they were all very impressed with our presents. Weigh in Fridays club has been a success in that we managed to pay ourselves lots of money to buy presents and go out for lunch and movies but not so much in the weight loss field. Still it saved us all putting in money for the presents and we managed to buy really nice things this year. Red / Yellow card cufflinks for Phil, a mini cake stand for Barbara and a mouse magnetic noughts and crosses for Wayne.
Opened a couple of Christmas presents tonight, since I will be in England I am not taking them with me.
Suzie gave me a trendy passport cover and luggage labels and Toni and Jack gave me a mini casserole dish and spoon. Most awesome as I love the microstoven ware by Maxwell and Williams. I now have four pieces.

New Christmas Tree

Mum and I took delivery of these new christmas trees last weekend. They are really neat and a great way to display all the decorations. no leaf drop either.

I had my class make the sequinned dainty ball which was really fun. Another lady came along, Naomi and she really enjoyed it so we have another person to come to beading classes next year. 

Tony and Dot outside my house with the mountain in the background on Tuesday night.

Dot (spare sister from Melbourne) gave us short notice that they were coming to stay. We had a great couple of days with them (Dot, Tony, Geoff and Pauline) all mixing in with the Stratford families. They managed to get to see the mountain, the only overseas visitors this year that have had the privilege so that was good.

Busy Finishing

The election day went really well and I drove into the garage at 8.59pm so I was really thrilled. a low turnout which was a shame but we had a reasonably busy day so that was okay.

I have been busy finishing gifts for the trip overseas and also deciding on whether I will pariticipate in the BJP 2012. I am debating this and think that if I do it will be a series of small icons, gods and goddesses.
I have done four coathangers, coffee cup holders and half done a runner for a friend. I was going to go to Marilyns tonight to get the binding put on but i have done some christmas bookings instead. the train to my cousin's is booked and that is another thing off the list. I have also made ten christmas decorations, sat at the Percy Thompson gallery for the art society and started two more decorations for the class on monday night.

Work has been crazy and I have had two hours out today with Ultranet training and all day tomorrow with the practical session so I will be at school early to get things done before the class starts. I have to get the newsletter printed and the office staff will have to fold the senior reports into the envelopes ready for handing out. We have the last day on friday with the junior students prizegiving so that is it and then next week it is activities week and posting out of reports and other things.

guild christmas a success

The 2011 Central Taranaki Guild Christmas party was a success with 30 members and guests enjoying a night of fun, frivolity and friendship. I did up the project kit which was found on the purl bee website.
I had lots of fun cutting them out and joining them up with vibrant threads.
The bottom photo is some of the finished brooches on the night. I will be using the remainder of the kits with a group of students at school during the activity week. Lots of fun and thanks to Molly and Laura of the Purl bee letting me us this pattern.

Stitching news

Just a quick note to say that i have nearly finished all the bargello on canvas two of walk on the wild side - yeah.
started a 15 sided biscornu with my night class girls and it will be interesting. think mine might become a couple of cubes by the time i am finished as dont think i will get 15 sides done.
also onto christmas decoration number 6 and about 6 to go but need to find some more balls to use. It is a small pattern called sequin dainty that I have designed so quite excited about it and very simple. writing instructions next weekend and giving them to mum to trial.
been reading up on stuff for election and have training day on saturday so that will be fun. watched the DVD and it is great.
will publish pictures later this week.

One Present finished

A Runner for Heather

Marilyn and I spent an evening sewing during Labour Weekend. She showed me how to do the French Braid pattern for quilting. I made this runner using Kiwi fabrics for Heather so it was quite fun. Taken me a while to hand stitch the hem but finished half an hour ago so I am posting it quick.

I have made the quilt top for another one to take to England and I need to quilt it then she can help me do the binding again. I have also made the outside for her bag and have now the inside with pockets and zips to close make then I need to put it all together. My night class ladies have asked for a class in this bag so I will continue this next year after a saturday class.

Organised my polling place for the national election on 26 November so it will be exciting. It looks to be a busy day as they have allocated me more staff than normal so I hope we are busy to make it worthwhile. The training will be fun.
I also have three visits to the theatre this month plus senior prizegiving so life is quite busy.
Keep up the stitching as I have started yet another project.
Diane