Happy New Year!

So its 2009 and time to get back to work!  But before I leave 2008 behind let's have a little look at christmas, starting with dress you may remember I was knitting for my unborn niece.  I talked about it a couple of times here and here.

It turned out really well and made a great present for my sister and her husband.

I also made the matching shoes which fasten with little buttons.

And here is the dress.  It fastens with a row of buttons at the back.  The yarn is so soft, perfect for a little baby dress!  When I started knitting it I had no idea what size it would turn out as the pattern called for 3 ply and I used 4 ply.  It just seems impossible to get 3 ply in nice colours!  I estimate that it will fit at about 3/4months.  We shall see...

Our tree!

Let me introduce you to some of the temporary additions to our living room that will be joining us for the festive period:

This is our tree! The husband would have liked a bigger one but as I had to pick it up by myself in a fiat punto, 7' was about the biggest I could manage!  We decided to go understated with silver and gold for the decorations, with a couple of special pieces.

Like this crocheted angel from our favourite Cath Kidston!

We have also decided to start a new christmas tradition and picked out a glass bauble from Liberty.  We plan to do the same thing every year and build up a collection of lovely ornaments that will remind us of the year we bought it.  So this is the bauble from the year we got married!

We got this garland of white metal tree shaped lights from Laura Ashley and they look lovely round the mirror.  For some crazy reason there is no fireplace in our living room which we really miss at times like this so we just have to make do with decorating the mirror!

They cast a cosy glow at night.

Nearly time for the tree...

We will be getting our tree this week so I got the christmas decorations box down and dusted it off to see what we have got in there...

Our whole collection is made up of things from the years I lived with my sister and various other girls and frankly we could do with some more impressive baubles for our first christmas as husband and wife!

Maybe something like these bell hearts from Graham and Green

Or these cute gingerbread house candles from Oliver Bonas

I think we need to go shopping...

Pikapackage

I am delighted to be involved in the December Pikapackage organised by Amy over at Pikaland.

I have sent in my Little Red Riding Hood books you may remember from here.

You can read more about the participants in the Pikapackage zine here. 

Getting into the festive spirit...

I know its still November, and I normally try not to think about christmas until after my birthday at the beginning of December, but this year I am thinking about it already.  Here's some lovely christmassy things from etsy:

Clockwise from top:

Reindeer coasters from Blyth House Creations; mini cards from mga Creations; gingerbread man from Tumus; bauble wreath from Rags to Riches Art; stocking from Primitive White House; santa nisse from Mulletin; tags from The Craft Pantry; dove ornament from Palomas Nest; heart bag from Leilalou

Birthday wishes

Its my birthday in a couple of weeks so various people are demanding present ideas.  I'm always rubbish at thinking of things that I want but have come across a couple of things:

Such as this needle case to match my sewing box from Cath Kidston

Or this book by Jane Brocket of Yarnstorm

Oh my goodness!

I can't believe I haven't posted for so long!  I have been busy with one thing and another, including getting 12 Red Riding Hood books ready for Amy at Pikaland for her Pikapackage project. I hope she gets them in time!

Also my postcards have arrived so I must start sending them out.

Cutie booties

This is the third time I have made this booties pattern - Its proving very popular! I'm loving this pink ribbon.

On a completely different topic - Why is my scanner so temperamental!!  All I want to do is get a drawing into my computer!  Is that too much to ask???

One more tree?

I think the postcard image is finished.  I feel like keeping it simple for a change!  Although I'm wondering if the two trees in the top right would look better as a three...