On the first day of Christmas

Vicki from Christchurch sent to me . . .

an angel . . .


a beautifully hand stitched scissor keeper angel . . .


opened in bed this morning by the ever helpful Princess


a most appropriate person to open my very own 12 Days of Christmas swap gift, as last night she dressed herself up and called herself . . .

Mrs Claus!!!!


Vicki's gift was gift one in our down under, 12 Days of Christmas, craft swap. Beautifully wrapped with a wooden hand painted tag and a handmade cinnamon star.

Thank you Vicki!!!

Rachaelxo

On the Second Day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas Melanie from Germany gave me, a beautifully wrapped gift from under the tree!

I tell you my own Christmas wrapping this year is going to be up graded - a lot!!!

I was having a little quiet time in bed this morning when The Princess raced in saying "Mummy we have to open no.2" I like this 'we business', translation, she has to open number 2! I wish I had been more on to it because I would have organised 12 gifts for her. Never mind, next year . . anyway, its working out, she opens, I photograph and we are both happy!

Melanie created the most incredible handmade journal. Mum and I have not seen anything quite like it before. The spine is made of thin skewers and each page is 'woven' through the skewers. It is truly amazing.

Sorry the photo's are not great, they are taken on my white bed sheets! But this will give you an idea of how the pages are woven together.

I think I'm going to use this as an photograph album for the 12 swap gifts.

Its been a lovely week for receiving!!!

You all know that I have a Princess, well I am also a Princess. I attended Natasha's Virtual Vintage prom and was crowned a Princess at the end of it.

I have proof I am a Princess, I have mail addressed to me using my title!

My Princess gift from Natasha is this incredible beaded hair pin, I love the big pearls and gold tones it has, highly fitting for a Princess and suits my natural (and un-natural) colouring!!!!

Did you make it Natasha??

Thank you Melanie and Natasha for the most beautiful of gifts.

Call back tomorrow for the Third Day of Christmas gift.

On the First Day of Christmas . . .

Mum and I took part in The Artful Christmas Swap hosted by Holly our Happy Swap Hostess. You had to make 12 identical gifts, send them off to Holly and in return you would receive 12 back. Women from different countries around the world participated in this swap.

Here are the 12 gifts I received back. Each gift is wrapped so beautifully.

Today I opened gift no.1 from Chris. Lovely Christmasy paper,

Actually The Princess opened the gift!


The gifts, beautifully and thoughtfully made.


A Christmas ornament, this is the other side of it,

This dear little book is held closed with the tiniest gold clasp and its own little gold safety pin bookmark. The book unfolds to reveal Chris's wishes, I must read this everyday . . .

Squares of beautiful Christmas scrap book papers, a wishes list ticket, a craft R,

and a stamped card that says

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:

The presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other"

That is so beautiful.

Thank you so much Chris, I will treasure your gifts always.

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Santa visited Pre School yesterday, a very young handsome Santa at that!!!

All the children received a gift, "The Cat in the Hat" book.

They then had a photo with Santa, The Princess wasn't so sure about that! But cute anyway!

I am still visiting Karla's "What I love about my holiday home" party daily, I am trying to visit each person who participated, there are so many!!! I think Karla must have broken a blog record!

Come back tomorrow to see my Second Day of Christmas gift.