Our Santa

Hi everyone

If you were reading my blog last year you would have noticed how I love Christmas.

Well this year has beeen totally flat - no decorations - nothing.

Last night, hubby insisted on getting at least something out this year.

So he chose the Santa which he bought

Here is our lone Christmas decoration

He stands just over 65cm/2ft tall and you should be able to just see the Fibre Optic Lights which constantly change while his head slightly rotates

Merry Christmas to all

and a Fantastic New Year

Just a little something

I have been knitting this while contemplating my jacket

It is missing an essential item, which I have yet to find

Any ideas as to what it might be???????

Want a gift idea?

Maybe a stocking filler or a Charity gift

Well pop on over and visit Linda at Chalky's World

She has just put up a very cute little pattern that I am positive children of all ages will love

She calls them "Luvvies" and "Hearties" - so cute

I know I will be knitting and crocheting up a few for Knit4Charity when they require a toy

She really is a very lovely lady

So drop in and say Hi

Carols by Candlelight

Browsing the web yesterday I came upon an Australian first.

Something I had absolutely no idea about.

Quoting from Wikipedia, which quotes from an old Australian newspaper "The Argus" 24 December 1949 p25 Supplement (which if your interested can be accessed via Trove)

"Carols by Candlelight is an Australian Christmas tradition that originated in southeastern Australia in the 19th century and was popularised in Melbourne in the 1930s. The tradition has since spread around the world. It involves people gathering, usually outdoors in a park, to sing carols by candlelight, accompanied by a band. Today, the largest such event is the original Carols by Candlelight, held annually at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne's King's Domain Gardens on Christmas Eve, since 1938, 71 years.One of the earliest forms of Carols by Candlelight began in the 19th century, when Cornish Miners in Moonta, South Australia would gather on Christmas Eve to sing carols lit with candles stuck to the brims of their safety hats. The tradition spread through Victoria and Melbourne until it was popularised in 1938 by Norman Banks, a radio announcer then with Melbourne radio station 3KZ. Whilst walking home from his night-time radio shift on Christmas Eve in 1937, he passed a window and saw inside an elderly woman sitting up in bed, listening to Away in a Manger being played on the radio and singing along, with her face being lit by candlelight. Wondering how many others spent Christmas alone, he had the idea to gather a large group of people to all sing Christmas carols together by candlelight. The first ever such event was held in Alexandra Gardens the following Christmas, 1938, and was attended by around 10,000 people"

I am always totally amazed at what I learn while doing genealogy research.

You just never know where it will lead you :-))))))

P.S. I was going to insert a photo from Carols In The Domain (Sydney), but I really don't want to invoke copyright - SMH has a great shot here from 2006

P.S.S. Trying really hard to get the Xmas spirit and failing even easier

Just noticed

Hi everyone

I have just noticed (due to an email I sent Kimbles) that I may have been replying/sending emails to "noreply.blogspot" or something like that when I hit the reply button to your lovely comments.  So there are must be lots of replies floating out there in the nether world.

Sorry - I should pay more attention

Oh my, so sad

I have been working on a project for about a month now.
The first attempt (which I only gave a glimpse here) did not fit - loved the project though
Second attempt ( a glimpse here) has come to a screaming halt with only the border to go

Love the jacket, love the pattern.
I felt a real sense of achievement while making this as it was graded "Intermediate"
A lot of frogging did go on while making it.  Not because of the pattern.  Because of my lapse in concentration.

The problem ?????
Well, in the photo the back V sits so very nicely
But on me the ?@# thing curls and won't sit flat and looks totally stupid
Hubby warned me as I tried it on at different stages
But I kept hoping and hoping and fingers crossed that the weight would make it sit flat
But nope - it just won't - very, very sad Maria

It would seem that this wool is cursed for me.  Not my usual choice of colour.  But I wanted it to go over my coloured tops and a neutral seemed best

Back to square one

Aussie Maria's Australia

Hi everyone

Another memory post

And yes they are scans of photos ☺

CUTTA CUTTA CAVES

Northern Territory

Apr 1988

A tropical limestone cave

Very humid and warm down there

I have a bit of fascination with caves

I have visited Cutta Cutta Caves, NT; Jenolean Caves, NSW; Wombeyan Caves, NSW; Naracoorte Caves, SA; and Princess Margaret Rose Caves, SA 

Bye for now

Give-away

Pop on over to The Garden Bell for a fun give-away

And while your there keep reading

Kate is such fun

Wonderful taste in music

Speed demon with the hooker - crochet variety ☺

Not a bad artist either

And an amazing amateur photographer

Just got to love her posts

Rambling

It's raining, it's pouring

The old man is snoring

He bumped his head on the back of the bed

And couldn't get up in the morning

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but I have been erratic with posting lately

Having a lot of difficulty with what I should write

Thinking it sounds great in my head at night

But total rubbish in the morning

Well last night I decided to write that rubbish

Just cause!!!!

Hopefully you won't find it all totally wacko ☺

A couple of sneak peaks of what I have been creating

Yes, I have been crocheting and knitting

You may recognise this yarn from a previous post here Unfortunately that project got to 80% completion, only for me to find that it was a bit too small for me :-(
To adjust it I would have had to undo the lot and start again
So instead I frogged it and started a completely new project

and then there is this

Yep a little knitting too ☺