Christmas Swap and Giveaway

Jo at French Knots organised a Christmas swap back in September. My swap partner was the delightful Kali form the colourful Tasmanian blog Poppy Lane.

The idea was to make a handmade gift that took a few evenings to complete that we would send to our exchange partner. Once we had been assigned a partner we then all busied ourselves making the gifts ready to post out by out mid November. Kali and my gifts arrived on the same day... how weird is that. We both decided to wait until nearer Christmas to open them and it was worth the wait as look at all the handmade goodness that I received... Thank you so much Kali!!!



Everything was beautifully wrapped in tissue paper and labelled with pretty handmade tags. Firstly I unwrapped a sweet cat softie made from the prettiest bright red floral cotton fabric and also a lavender scented house softie. I have placed both of these on the dining room mantle. They are lovely but I especially love the cat. Then I unwrapped a floral scarf a stationary wrap complete with notepad and vintage postcard. Kali also kindly sent me a tiny tape measure with a felted cover which my girls love and a perfectly stitched and very useful pin cushion. I was just bowled over by her kindness and she also sent some chocolate biscuits which the girls also have their very large eyes on. In the bottom left hand corner of the photo above you can see some festive little tree decorations too. These match perfectly with the mainly red and white theme to our Christmas tree.


A departure from my usual colourful display but what with the kittens, the colourful but fragile vintage glass baubles had to be left off this year... just in case! (I did add one though high up).
So a final huge thank you to Kali for being a very generous swap partner. x

Christmas this year has been a fun family time, pretty low key as always but with us entertaining my family on Boxing day for the first time. All went well and although we had veg left over it was perfect as a fry up the next day.

As this year draws to a close I am now reflecting on 2008. I have a book which I write all my resolutions in... It is good to look back and see the same old ones popping up time and time again... mainly... get fit! Sadly I am unfit and as the nature of my work is sitting at a computer, desk or sewing machine inside, I realise that often (apart from my mouth) I don't move much... it is hard to break out of this habit and get moving. The regular swimming fizzled out way back this year and the regular walking did not do much better.
2009 will be different. My main aim now I work at home is to spend more time growing and cultivating the garden. This is good in terms of health and thriftiness (I have been planning the veg growing these past days). I will also be slowing down, rushing less and walking more as when I do I love it.

I think thriftiness is going to be our family word for 2009 and I know that many others will be looking to this way of life too. I found a great blog yesterday about downsizing which has some great info and links about being thrifty and living simply.

I shall post one more time here at The Flour Loft and there is still time to leave a comment today with reference to your funniest Christmas present ever (last post) to be entered into my final Flour Loft Giveaway.
Here is a final picture of the stockings that the girls made for Magic and Paws from their own designs of mice and cheese. The cats are so loved x (by all of us).



G x