On the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth day of Christmas!!!

A little blogging catch up here, I have got way behind, crafting, baking, cleaning for Christmas but all done now. Santa has been early and left cookie crumbs, half a glass of milk, chomped up carrots and tipped over reindeer water!!!

I am doing this and then off to bed, big day tomorrow!!!

Anyway . . .

On the eighth day of Christmas Adrienne from Kaikoura gave to me . . .

a beautiful velvet and bead covered Christmas ornament, just gorgeous, quite Victoria looking. Thank you so much Adrienne, I adore it and will be trying my hand at some next year.


On the ninth day of Christmas Wendy from Nelson gave to me . . .

a fabric bag tied with a beaded cord, opened as they are every day by the Princess


and inside a wonderful mosaic cross. Thanks so much Wendy, just love it!


On the tenth day of Christmas Jean from Cairns, Australia gave to me . . .

the most amazing origami wrapped parcel


containing 4 exquisitely made gift tags with an delicate Asian style to them. Jean is my mother in law and is a wonderful origami artist. Thanks Gamma, they are going to be framed!


On the eleventh day of Christmas Amah from Auckland gave to me . .

a hand stitched hanging lavender bag decoration. Amah is Babes grandmother, she is 82!! This work is two sided so she made 24 pieces!!! Her work is perfection, my eyes are not as good as Amah's. Thanks Amah, just beautiful.


On the twelfth day of Christmas Miranda from Nelson gave to me . .

the most incredible crocheted bookmark in a fan pattern. Miranda, I love this, can't believe you can crochet, a hidden secret??? I am going to frame it and have it downstairs in the dining room, goes with my colours!!! Thanks Miranda, love how you presented it also!


So much fun opening a present for twelve days in row, all such diverse craft work and so much talent and thought put into it. Thank you so much everyone. This is my second year of a 12 day swap, if you ever get an opportunity to join one at Christmas time do it!

That's it my friends, I'm off to bed.

Wishing all the happiest, safest and best Christmas day.

Take Care

Rachaelxo

On the seventh day of Christmas

On the seventh day of Christmas I gave to me . . .

a fabulous embellished and sewn bag,



with a fantastic, fabulous fan created by me!!!



This is Babes 82 year old Grandmother who we call Amah, wearing the button necklace she received yesterday from Marion in Dunedin.


Christmas crafting going well, table a little clearer!!!

Bye for now

Rachaelxo

On the sixth day of Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas, Marion from Dunedin gave to me . . .

A green wrapped parcel as shown by the pretty Princess,


and a really cute button tag,



inside the most fabulous button necklace, in browns and creams (Beth imagine how many of these you could make!!!),


which I wore all day today and received many compliments!. Thank you Marion from Dunedin, love it!!!

And as promised, this is my dining room table . . .




Bye Bye

Rachaelxo

On the fifth day of Christmas . . .

My very own Mummy gave to me . . .

a Christmas Bon Bon


opened by The Princess



and inside a fabric covered box, and as Babes would say "with embellishments"


and inside the box, a green thing . . .








which turned out to be a fabulous felted cuff. Mine has a bow on the top, lots of sparkly beads and blanket stitching.

All in all, very gorgeous, very funky, it has not left my wrist this morning!

Thanks Mummy!!!

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The house is finally decorated for Christmas, I bought my first three presents this morning and the Christmas crafting is coming along nicely!


I have experimented for the first time with dyeing with tea, these silk taffeta roses are embellishments on gifts I am making, that I can't show you right now as some recipients of those gifts read this blog. Very pleased with how they turned out. Next time I will use less tea bags for a lighter look.

Tomorrow I will give you a good laugh and show you the state of my dining room table . . .

Rachaelxo

On the fourth day of Christmas

On the fourth day of Christmas Aunty Eileen from Auckland gave to me . . .

A hand stamped bon bon . . .



holding two Christmas napkins and beaded napkin rings!



Thank you Aunty Eileen!!!

We seem to have a Baby Jesus impostor . . .



I am surprised you did not hear my great snort of laughter when I noticed it this morning.

The Princess at work!!!

Bye for now . . .

Rachaelxo

On the third day of Christmas

Hazel from Nelson sent to me . . .

a Christmas Pudding . . .


recipe and



and two dear little Christmas Puddings (phew - thought I would have to cook something!).

One made from sequins and one hand stitched felt.



They are so, so very cute - thanks Haze!!!

If you read my last post you will see I am so not ready for this party


and if you continue to read this post you will see that nothing changed overnight (I watched Desperate Housewives instead of decorating!!!)

So anyway, the front door is open, come on in


mind the vacuum cleaner, well actually if you could see your way clear to just . . .

never mind, here is the grown up tree, all balls and beads this year, note the lack of pressies under it, that because . . .


and moving right along, still in the grown up room, the mantle, mine and The Princess's stockings (sorry Babe's nothing for you!). See the blue tack dots, I had thingies hanging up there, didn't realise until I was editing the photo that they had fallen off, oh well . . .


into the family room, the hutch, I couldn't show you the whole thing as the sewing machine is sitting in front of it, its been there for weeks!!! Can you just make a start on folding that huge pile of laundry for me . . . no well, I will tell you a wee story then


This sweet but worn little nativity set belonged to my Granny. When I was a little girl I used to love to play with it at Christmas time. It now belongs to Mum but is having a little visit with us. On Saturday the Princess told me she had been playing with it and Joseph and Baby Jesus had gone on holiday to a stable while Mary stayed at home and had a rest!!! Love it!!!


Right oh, up the stairs we go, not much up here, just this white tinsel tree with pink and silver decorations in the Princess's room. Which reminds me, I need to put the topper on it!!!


I'll leave you with this Christmas Prayer, embroidered by my Mum.


Have a great day, bye for now

Rachaelxo

On the second day of Christmas

Cheryl (my cousin) from Dunedin gave to me . . .

a fabulous patchwork bag, made from 'scraps'!!!


Loving it, my colours, already using it!

If you are not ready for Xmas here is a photo to make you feel better . . .

its a box, a box of Xmas decorations, tonight I have frantically tried to finish the Xmas decorating so I can join Heather Pretty Petals party, I still have one tree to put up and lots of titivating and final touches to do.


The reason for being behind is because The Princess and I did this over the weekend . . .



it became an obsession !!!

Don't even ask how my Xmas present crafting is coming along . . .

Rachaelxo