What a lovely Christmas!!!

I hope you all had a super wonderful Christmas. Ours was just fabulous. The only thing missing was our DD1 Tahlia and her boyfriend Luke, they are still on the other side of the world. BUT, we got a phone call from them on Christmas morning - we were over the moon. It was so lovely to hear her voice on such a special day :o). I can't wait 'til they visit in February!!! DS Ross and his gorgeous fiance Alicia came over in the morning too. Within minutes it was wrapping paper and pressies everywhere ... loads of laughs, they are all still just big kids - bless ;o).I finished the bag for my MIL just in time!! I put the last stitches in on Christmas Eve afternoon ... the same with a couple of little toiletries bags that I made for Alicia and my SIL Cheryl. Phew ... I was cutting it fine ;o) LOL I always do. Here's the bag for MIL ... the stitchery on this one is by Bronwyn Hayes, it matched the fabrics perfectly (I love her stitcheries!!!) but the bag is a JoyPatch design, it's called "Sowing the Seeds of Love" and you can find the pattern with the original stitchery on it here :o). I'm pleased to say that my MIL loved the bag :o)!!!I finally got to unwrap my pressies from Dawn (my partner in Janet's Christmas swap), and Maria in UK,who was my 'mortal' in Helen's Stitcher's Angel Swap. This is what Dawn sent me, an armchair caddy and a matching pincushion ... aren't they gorgeous, the stitching is so neat - thanks so much Dawn, I love them :o)!!!! Thanks also to Janet for organising this last minute swap ... it was such fun :o)!!! And this is what Maria sent from UK ... gorgeous Kaffe Fasset fabrics!!! I love them Maria ... you really are a sweety!! Can't wait til 2010 ;o)!!!!! I also got a lovely gift from Julia - she let me open it early after she read my last blog post ... so of course I didn't need to be told twice ... and this is what I got!! I just love it, it's now hanging with my Christmas quilt in the loungeroom :o). Thanks so much Julie!!!The morning was spent with my side of the family, then we went off to DHs family for lunch ... what a magnificent spread, and everything was so festive. We had great fun ... the guys all had Chrissy ties to wear and the girls all had flashing brooches!!! Here's DH and me in our finery ... lol you can see the tie well enough but the brooch is a bit harder to spot!!I ate so much I thought I'd burst!!! ...... this is just what we had AFTER dessert!!!!!!

We went home for a quick nap then it was back to my brother's for tea. Everybody loved their pressies, and we got some great stuff too :o). Today we've just stayed at home and been totally lazy!! I'm having such fun reading about everyone's Christmas Day :o) - I hope everything went well for everyone and that Santa was good to you :o).

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the tutorial ... I'm working on it and will be posting it very soon :o).

Take care,

Hugs,

Joy :o)