Here are the hits of the week…

1.  Booking tix to go to the US for Christmas. This it the first Chrissy we will all have together since my Dad was crook, and almost gone. It was lucky thing to have us all together like that, but it was a horrid time. Watching him deteriorate day by day by day. This time there will be no impending death. Just laughs and bad Christmas sweaters. Bittersweet times. Bitter and Sweet. In equal measure.

2.  The big fuck-off bowls of pasta Nath has ready for me after I finish my late nights at work. They’re bloody big and bloody good. Just what the Doctor ordered. Thanks Nato. You rock.

3.  These grouse new cushions from Alisa of Plump Homewares. Not only has she donated a shitload of fabric for my Softie Sew-a-thon Wednesday (7-9pm at Noosa Christian Outreach centre if you are a local), but she gifted me two of these cushions today. What a legend. How fresh are they? You can visit her at Eumundi Markets every Wednesday and Saturday, or shop online here. She has a brand new range coming out this Saturday- go check it out.  *Not a sponsored post, but she did give me these cushions for nix. (She meant them as a gift, not as a blog post.)

4.  The hottest weekend in the world (well in my part of the world anyway) scheduled for Friday and Saturday. I’ll be spending a fair bit of it safetly ensconced in this seat, looking at this. Hopefully with a couple of small people, and one big one in the pic too. Weekend,  you’re looking good from here….

How’s the serenity?

5.  A special delivery I got from Uberkate this week. I can’t tell you much more just yet, as it’s a surprise, but let me tell you the lady doesn’t disappoint. Thanks Kate, and thanks BabyMac. May lovely things come your way. You are both such beautiful people. I’m grateful for you. And I promise pics will be posted once the cat is out of the bag.

**This is not a sponsored post either; I won a competition. But I do want to share that I saw on Uberkate’s website that if you spend 250 smackers you get a free ring. Good incentive for a Chrissy gift with some meaning, I reckon. Love your work Kate.

So what were your hits of the week? Do you have plans for Christmas yet?

…From The Ashers

Okay everyone, check this out: Mirabel is a cool charity that provides support for kids and families affected by parental substance abuse. So every year, they run a bit of a drive to collect cute handmade toys for those cool little kids to cuddle.

I know, I know, at this time of the year it can feel like everyone has their hand out asking for either your time or your money to help out someone who doesn’t have as much as you. And I know it’s difficult to know who to help, hell, sometimes the problems seem so big and so widespread that you can feel like you might be swamped by it all, so it’s easier to just bury your head under a sea of shiny plastic crap.

So I’ve found you a solution: Sewing for Softies.

Gorgeous Pip of Meet Me at Mikes has all the details on her blog right here.

Pesonally, I can’t sew for shit.

I once asked my family for a sewing machine for Christmas, so they pissed themselves all the way to the shops and got me one. For some inexplicable reason it came with a complimentary fondue machine, which incidentally has had quite a run. Here is a pic of my machine:

It makes a nice shelf, no?

It has ugg boots on top of it, which, quite frankly get more use all the way up here on the Sunny Coast.

So being a bit challenged in the manual arts, I have appointed myself CEO of Operations and Snacks, and have managed to get a whole lot of lovely fabric donated by Alisa from Plump, (a ripper of a local lady who is in the business of all things cushions you can see her stuff here or at the Eumundi Markets every Wednesday and Saturday), I’ve set up a venue for a sewing-bee and am in the process of recruiting a small army of sewing-ladies to do the actual work.

Easy.

Perhaps you might consider doing the same in your town? Maybe you have some crafty friends that you can bribe with the promise of sweet treats and crisp glass of bubbles for their troubles? And if you live on the Sunny Coast and would like to be involved in our night, then message me and I’ll send you the details.

Let’s see if we can make some little kids smile big toothy grins, with gifts made with love, this Christmas.

…From The Ashers