In The Land Of The Living - Mostly!!

I know I promised I'd be back much earlier in the week to tell you about my weekend, but as I was writing my post on Monday, I was already being stalked by something NASTY, HORRIBLE and MERCILESS ... A COLD!!! SIGH! Yes, My Beloved Geek Boy very KINDLY shared his cold with me (he says he can't figure me out - I'm always complaining he doesn't share enough with me!!Grrrr!!) and for the last few days I've been feeling BLAH! You know how it is ... you're not really SICK, just a bit miserable and snuffly with no energy. I'm feeling a little better today, though, and hope I'm on the mend, cos that "To Do" list just keeps getting longer and LONGER!!

So ... what did I do last weekend? I went home to my mother! Tee! Hee! Hee! You see, the performance dates for the theatre restaurant I'm part of are creeping closer and we all have to have costumes organised by this coming Monday. And, although I'll happily sew CRAFT projects til the cows come home, I'm not actually very handy with PRACTICAL sewing, and trying to follow a dress-making pattern ... well ... let's just say I'd probably stand a better chance of understanding the instructions if they were in FRENCH! :0) My Home Economics teachers all despaired of me - though, they'd laugh their butts off now if they saw just how much of their pattern drafting lessons I actually use!!!

So Saturday morning saw GB and I up much earlier than a Saturday morning usually warrants, the overnight bag was packed, the costume fabric and guideline pictures were thrown in and the dogs both loaded themselves into the backseat while GB had his back turned ... just in case we'd been thinking of leaving them behind!! Really must remember to get a photo of this next time we travel - very funny!

So this was how I spent Saturday afternoon ...


Watching Mum sew and being stuck with pins whenever she needed a fitting. (side note: Why is it that no matter which way you point pins when you're dressmaking, they invariably dig into the person trying on the half-sewn garment?!?!) It was nice, actually, to sit and chat to Mum while she sewed. And, Sewing Dynamo that she is, Mum managed to finish the two dresses for me that I needed - how clever is my Mum!!! Shame I don't take after her! :0)

While waiting for Mum to need me for a fitting, I peeked out the window and spied Tiffany ensconced in her hammock, so snuck upstairs to get the camera and a better angle for the photo ...


It looks like the hammock is swallowing Tiff!! Tee! Hee! Hee! For those of you who haven't met Tiff before (via my blogging sagas!) she came to board with Mum and Dad about four years ago ... and hasn't left yet! :0) She's kind of like a foster sister these days and part of the family - not quite as silly as the rest of us, but we're working on that! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And when we arrived at Mum and Dad's, this is the sight that met me when I walked into "My" room (you know, the bedroom that was mine when I was growing up and is now the guest room).


And on the other side of the room ...


We were quite convinced that in the middle of the night there would be an ominous rumble and we'd be buried alive in an avalanche of Christmas boxes! Tee! Hee! Hee! Now ... why, I hear you asking, does Kris' Mother have hundreds of shoeboxes covered in Christmas paper stacked up in her guest room? Actually, this is only a portion of her stockpile!! Let me explain ... Every year for the last 8 or more years, Mum has been the co-ordinator of their Church's efforts for "Operation Christmas Child". This is a campaign run by the charitable group, Samaritan's Purse, which sees millions of Christmas boxes distributed each year since 1993 to children throughout the world who are the victims of natural disasters and/or poverty. Each box is chock-full of goodies - practical things like items of clothing, toiletries and school supplies, as well as fun things like jewellery and toys. It is such a simple thing to be involved in - just pick up a few little bits and bobs each time you do the groceries and keep an eye out for back-to-school sales - and it doesn't cost a lot, but makes such an impact on the lives of disadvantaged kids. I'll often get funny looks going through checkouts with 20 packs of coloured pencils or 50 sharpeners or something similar because I've found a good special! :0) I know there are all sorts of very worthy charities out there that you're all involved with, but if you're looking for a simple way to lend a helping hand to someone, this might be right up your alley. Take a peek at the website - there's a really cute, short video clip explaining Operation Christmas Child, starring some of the "Vege Tales" animated characters.

OK ... so ... that's what I got up to for the weekend - always great to catch up with Mum and Dad (and drop off a few more things for the Christmas boxes!!) but as I said, I've come back this week with a cold, so haven't been up to too much else. I have been, however, doing the final edit of my "Fairy Bears & Butterflies" quilt pattern and you'll all be happy to hear (I hope!!) that it will be printed on the weekend, so I'll be back with a pattern launch give-away next week - but I'll warn you now, it's not going to be a simple one, you'll have to put your thinking caps on!!

And now ... I think I've earned a cup of tea, then I'm hoping to get into my sewing room and do a bit - who knows, I may even manage to get another finish registered for my August OPAM list - don't forget to update your sidebar lists, gals!! May Britt's turn to choose the winner and send a prize this month, so stay tuned! In the meantime, hope you're all gearing up for a great weekend with some "fun time" scheduled! Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS