Lazy, Laid-Back Lunches!

Yessiree ... I'm starting to get into this holiday mode! (even though I'm not actually on holidays til next Wednesday!!) You see, having finalised all the gifties, I feel I can kick back and take things a little slower and this week I've enjoyed catching up with a couple of friends to help me do that.

Firstly, I caught up with Bek on Wednesday when I met her and her kids for lunch at the Chocolate Cottage coffee shop on the Village Green at Highfields. We had a lovely, lazy lunch, sitting at a table under a big shady tree and enjoying the view down into the Lockyer Valley. Ah ... this is the life!! And Bek spoiled me with a sweet little Christmas giftie. I know Stina and I made a pact about not opening any more gifties before Christmas, but Bek's kids said I could open this one, so that doesn't count!! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :0)


Aren't these just the sweetest!! I LOOOOOOVE gingerbread men almost as much as I love bears ... and cupcakes ... and birdhouses ... and ...!! The little scented sachet is going into my quilting stash to make all my fabrics smell pretty. The other two pretties will find a home in the lounge room where I can enjoy them. Thanks Bek for a very enjoyable lunch and for my sweet gifties.

So ... that was on Wednesday. Yesterday I found myself again heading for the Village Green for a pre-Christmas catch-up. Have I mentioned I know far too many people and how there's always a rush to catch up before Christmas? Next year I'm going to make a visiting schedule to spread out the catch up lunches throughout the year so it's NOT a rush at Christmas! Can you imagine the look on someone's face when I call in February to say, "Hey, wanna catch up for lunch and beat the Christmas rush?" Tee! Hee! Hee! They'll think I'm crazier than they already think I am! Now, where was I ... Oh yes, at lunch AGAIN!! This time, I caught up with my friend Robyn. We had yet another lovely, laid-back lunch, chatting and enjoying the view from the Chocolate Cottage's back verandah this time, gazing down over the Valley. You really all should come and visit me to check out the view ... once we make a visiting schedule of course! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... after lunch Robyn and I felt OBLIGED to visit all the shops on the Village Green. Rob stocked up on her fave hand-made soaps from Herbal Harmonies, before we trundled over to see Marian at Quilters' Angel. Uh oh! Did you just hear my beloved Geek Boy groan?! Tee! Hee! Hee! Oh yes, something came home with me in one of THOSE pink bags ...


The blue is backing fabric for one of the quilts I'm going to make myself during my 'rest' month of January, the green was on special and ... well ... it's GREEN!! Say no more! :0) and the little bundle in the centre was a lovely Christmas give-away from Marian - how nice is that girl!! And while it's not my usual style, I have a couple of ideas in mind to make gifties!! So ... all in all ... another restful, relaxing, lazy, laid-back lunch with a good friend. Yep! That's the way you're SUPPOSED to get ready for Christmas, I reckon!!

And speaking of gifties ... I got in trouble from Deb for not posting a photo of the goodies she sent to GB and I. I didn't unwrap these, Stina - they came unwrapped!! Tee! Hee! Hee!


She sent us each an 'Emergency' kit. GB's was a brekkie kit for the mornings he's late running out the door. There's a toast decorator thingy, a bowl of cereal-to-go, a mug that made us laugh cos it has that message everyone who uses a computer knows so well and hates: "Thinking .... please wait" and some coffee bags for his first caffeine jolt of the day. And she sent me a stitchers emergency kit for when I'm rushing to someone's place to stitch and haven't had time to get my 'bits' together. It includes a clever thread catcher/pin cushion that has a (heavy!) weight in it to balance on a chair arm, plus a kit for a lavender cross-stitch bookmark (I looooove lavender!) and a handful of herbal teas. Hmmmm is she telling me I'm already too jazzed and I need to calm down with caffeine free tea?!?! Tee! Hee! Hee! Thanks Deb! I'm sure they'll be put to good use.

Now ... a couple of photos to finish before I go and hang the washing. Last post, I forgot to show you all my complete set (so far!) of Lynette's Noah's Ark BOM blocks. Here it is ...


I'm really happy with how they all look together. Can't wait to have them all done so I can work out how I'll put them all together. I'll probably add some borders at least to make it a bit bigger to be a knee rug size. Will wait til all the blocks are done before deciding! Thanks again Lynette for this wonderful BOM!

And the last photo is of our Advent Calendar.


This is one of my earliest stitchery pattern designs and still one of my favourite. Hey Stina ... this is you and me!! Tee! Hee! Hee! We can 'bearly' wait for Christmas!! :0) Actually, I think we have a lot of company in that regard! The little pockets around this stitchery have the countdown numbers stitched on them and are just the right size to put small candy canes, little chocolates or wrapped lollies like minties, but I didn't get around to filling them this year - oops! Mind you, I think we have enough Christmas lollies and goodies to keep us happy!!

Well, I think that's it from me today. OH! WAIT!! HOLD THE PRESSES!!! Forgot to tell you something REALLY important!! If you haven't already found it, May Britt has designed a gorgeous little Christmas heart stitchery pattern that she is offering to her blog visitors as a Christmas giftie. Just pop over to her blog and hit the download button. Thanks May Britt! It's already on my list of things to do for Christmas NEXT year!! EEEK! If that list has already started before THIS Christmas, what's it going to look like by the time next Christmas gets here!! Aaaaaaaarrrrgghhh!! So ... before I have my anticipatory nervous breakdown ... I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS