Christmas, family, lists, and lots more.....

This might be a long posting, as I am trying to catch up before the year ends. I will leave quilt photos for another post, although I did say I would catch up.

Christmas has been and gone, and I have a few photos, mainly because I "borrowed" them from DSIL.

On Boxing Day my extended family always get together, and this year there were 39 of us there. It was a bit chaotic when it was time to hand out the pressies!

Mum and Dad in the corner, and Dad probably had the hearing aids turned off!

Mum is renowned for her melting moments biscuits and the lamingtons, and a family get together would not be the same without them!

DD3 and DSIL spent time after Boxing Day with DD1, DD2, and DS and their families, before coming back here on Wednesday evening, and leaving for Melbourne on Thursday afternoon.

I received a couple of special gifts, although they were not Christmas gifts, when DD3 and DSIL arrived on Christmas morning. I did know this was coming, as it had been ordered awhile ago. It is an album of wedding photos, which is beautifully bound, and consists of very thick pages. Thankyou!

I did get a print of the family photo, taken at the wedding, for my lounge wall, but when I put a 10" x 12" frame on the wall, it was so hard to see everybody, unless you stood on the lounge. So I asked for a BIG print, and now I have it. Looks fantastic, even from the other side of the room.

I have been sorting out all the stuff in my work room and sewing room, and in the process have come across lots of interesting things. I am a great one for lists, and notes on paper, and it feels good to get some sort of "order" into it all, although there is a long way to go yet.

I came across these bits of paper, with a few designs of wholecloth quilts on them. I obviously had big plans to do another one, and even have 2 pieces of sateen, waiting patiently in the shelf!!

I even found the original plan for the wholecloth that I made, way back in 2006, when I won the Best of Show award in SA Festival of Quilts. Not too sure how I seemed to have time, (or made time), back then to do my own quilts, when it is a struggle now?? Maybe it's because I am more than 10 years older, or just got busier??

I reported recently of the arrival of my blog book, which was the 6 months, January to June, 2016. While looking back and reading some of it, I had to laugh about the things I said I was going to do, and are still not done. I also found the list that I wrote, back late in 2015, of all my good intentions, after the sale of The Sanctuary. If you look closely, you will see quite a few things that are not crossed out. Guess they will be the start of the new list for 2017?? Although a few of these things might be crossed off, in the next week, in my decluttering attempt.

And while I am talking about the decluttering, and sorting, I will put some photos up and show you where I am at.
This is the "new", or reorganised shelving in the sewing room, and all the contents on the tables ready to be moved. These shelves have been anchored to the wall now, and I have plans for them soon.

And the far corner is where the angels fabrics have been sorted to, and I showed a picture in the last post, of the angels sorting their fabrics.

And this is how that corner looks now.

And this corner has had a clear out, and the second photo below shows how it looks now.

My stash has shifted into this corner, from the other room. Today, I have managed to work my way all along the wall behind my machine, so I feel pretty good about that. 

In these boxes that have been lurking behind Max, I have my collection of "other" fabrics, that are used when I make Embellished quilts. It seems to be awhile since I have done any, but I have "intentions" to get back to it, and now it is all neatly arranged in the plastic tubs that you see further down.

My collection of organzas and tulles, that I use for making flowers, and lace.

And look how neat it all is now, well until I actually start work on a quilt anyhow!! I went down to the local cheap shop this morning and bought some of these plastic containers. I only purchased 3, but after stacking fabric, and deciding they were the perfect size, I went back to the shop, about 2 hours later, only to find there were none left! There must be lots of other people in this town, getting themselves organised too! So I bought the smaller tubs, which are ok.

 And this is where I am up to at the end of today. The collection of braids, ribbons and laces. And then I have threads to sort out. No wonder I have so much STUFF, as I don't only work with cotton fabrics! And then I have to start on the paper work piles I have everywhere.

In my sorting, I found a plastic bag with this in it. I have no clue what it is! Can anyone help me?

This has been almost a marathon, and it's time I had some "beauty" sleep, but just a little funny story before I finish.

On my last trip to Adelaide, I called into see my good friend Raelene, who had made some purchases for me that I needed to collect. She knew that I had been thinking about purchasing one of those sat nav things that you put in your car, that tells you "where to go". If I decide to drive to Melbourne, it would be very useful, because I don't know Melbourne roads. It turns out that they had one that was surplus to requirements, so she gave it to me, and suggested I get DS to put it in my car and show me how to work it. So I did as I was told, although it was DSIL who installed it in the car. When I had looked at these, there were several brands, among them Garmin and Tom Tom. This one was a Tom Tom.

When I left on Boxing Day for Christmas with my family, I sent Raelene a message with the following photo. 

I said "Tom and I are off to Murray Bridge".

Quick as a flash, she replied, "I hope you're not breaking Max's heart. Maybe you and Tom are just having a fling. Have a great day!"....... (And before any of you think the wrong thing, you all know that Max is the name of my quilting machine, don't you!!)

And it just so happens, that it is Raelene's birthday tomorrow, and I know she will be reading, so happy birthday to you, and hope you have a great day.

If you have read this far, thankyou. I know tomorrow is New Year's Eve, but I will be staying home and continuing with my sorting. I have 3 more days to work on this, before I have a quick visit to Melbourne, It might be time at the end of that, for a celebration. I hope to be back to quilting with Max by the 9th January, (after my holiday!?)

Maybe I will come back with another quick post before the end of 2016.

Blessings, From Jude