Christmas workshop
This Saturday we are having our school christmas workshop, and I am up to my neck preparing tons of 'interesting' kiddie christmas activities, that seem to be taking up all my time this week.

Here's one of the things we will be making...its a christmas card ball, thingy, very pretty and colourfull to look at, but a real bugger to prepare.

I 'thought' I had a sack of old used cards in the garage, and spent half a day looking for them, only to vaguely remember one of those New Years clutter purges, when I decided that I would never need those cards again. Not till NOW I didnt! Note to self - never ever throw anything out ever again!!

I am busy: cutting up calico squares with blunt pinking shears for some lino printing, printing out a self made xmas word sleuth, branding all the new pinking shears I bought with name tags in case they accidentaly go ' walk about', shopping for tiny bits and pieces to stick onto the Xmas trees we are making thanks to Enchanted Learning.com, and funneling tons of glitter into shakeable jars. There is probably more, but I'll think about it all tomorrow. Man-yana is another day!

Reunion
Its been ten years,I kid you not.... since our kids left primary school.
A few weeks ago I received an invite to attend a 'mums reunion at a local shindiggery while our kids - class of 199- (?) ...something went and had their reuniuon in the old school grounds.
DD managed to rally her old friend to go with her, while I went alone hoping to catch up on gossip and chat once more with mums who I used to hang out in the school grounds while waiting for school to finish each day.

I was dissapointed to see only 12 'old' faces, but glad in a way as it gave us a chance to catch up in the noisy food hall.

There was much laughter, photo albums passed around with wedding photos, and off course catch up chat.

It felt great to hear everyones news, and really, just to see people whom I have'nt seen for a long time - well....ten years now. I see a few of them occassionaly at the local shopping centre, but apart from that some have moved on to live in other suburbs.
We all eased into comfortable chat right away, feeling as if we'd all seen each other the day before, rather than had ten years pass by!

We chatted like long lost friends hoping to do the same again very soon, hopefully with a few more faces on board.

It was just fantastic to see you....Marlene -your'e still the same, crazy and amusing - only now - non blonde - and bless you for your funny stories and smiles, Kathy - see you in the shop probably tomorrow...Kathy gives me great wardrobe advice! Nika, Annette, and the rest....hope you enjoy the photo of us all here! I think we all look really great!

Tea for two

Between you,me and James Bond

Tall shopping
We went late night shopping on Thursday night, to get Dh some more bottles as he prepares to brew lot no. 2 - a lager this time. The pale ale having been a resounding success, he feels confident enough now to create his mini brewery in the back shed!
We went to a nearby shoping centre. This area has a demographic that is made up mostly of migrants who are new to Oz, and get state funded housing as they wait to get temporary or permanent residency status granted.
The shopping centre was a - throng with people - mostly from an Ethiopian/ Somali background.They were dressed in colourful clothes - the women tall and handsome in flowing kaftans made of wonderful hued cloth. I know for a fact a that lots of them reside in the area and for them its their local mall. Many of them turn up for classes at the centre I sometimes teach at - as a computer teacher. They are wonderfully polite and good conscientious students willing to learn fast! A refreshing change from the usual reticent type.

What struck me the most was their height. Most of them - men and women alike are exceptionally tall - and look about 7 feet tall. They tower miles above the other shoppers. I was the shortest person at the mall that night!

I think I'll shop at Gnomesville from now on!

Tea - pot

Just in keeping with the tea theme - here is a drawing I did yesterday. I love this tiny minature tea pot, that my SIL bought for me when she went to Hong Kong.

I am having lots of trouble with perspective, but never having done a drawing or art class in my life, then it's either quite good considering that fact, or boy! its time to take one...you be the judge. Comment box down below.

Scep - tea - cal
Tea has suddenly become the in thing to consume.

Catering for this trend and the impending Christmas rush, Target is selling tea kits, complete with chinese-y looking tea pots ( I must admit to being tempted to buy one)along with fortune cookies, and tea blends in visually attractive looking bags. Clever marketing here.

At the expo last week, there was a very interesting stand devoted to organic teas, which affect different part of the body - in a healing way of course. No marketing here, just bucket loads of dried grassy looky stuff, boiled up and served in cups.
I've been a huge tea consumer all my life, never making that perceived 'adult' change over to coffee. I don't like coffee, it gives me a headache, and makes me jumpy.
While loving teas so much, I have been prepared to try out different flavoured ones on offer ( peach and lemon, even caramel flavour - sounds better than it actually tastes )just to stem the boredom of drinking the ordinary black stuff.
But I am going to draw the line at trying out the stuff that purports to heal while looking like the dried remains of someones weeding spree in their back yard, and probably tastes....well I was hoping to sample some, but the girl on the counter did'nt offer me one. She looked totally disinterested in the product she was selling. Or maybe it was the latent effect of drinking the stuff?

Hokey looking teas are not for me. Call me unadventurous.

Tried and tested .....pour me another cup!

A little light bondage
Bondage

I am a slave to
Diets
Fads
fashions
Trends
to expectations
To the master of commands
I serve him well
Fulfill every desire
Without a sound

I succumb in silence.

By Krissie

Bottles

A quick black and white line drawing for today:

A Thank you - for a thank you card
.....from Stefani at...Stefani and check out her amazing cards at Pine Tree Designs.

This card has the tiniest crystal embellishments that sparkle in the light. Its got that very 'Escher' look! I love it!

Stefani is seriously talented, not only in the card making dept, but also in her day to day journal entries. So Thank you for the thank you card Stefani!