Season’s Greetings to all my dear readers and friends – I’ve been tardy again with posts.  Way too busy making stuff and creating a gorgeous and extremely well organised art space and watching my garden grow to actually take any photos.  Today our official photographer called round and was coerced invited to take some shots – so here is a small update to record progress on the various projects in action.

The up-graded Arty-Crafty Room is almost complete – there are just a few doo-dads to be completed and hung across the window……

Back in 2011 the room looked like this –

 WARNING, WARNING, BEWARE!!  BEWARE!!

Go no further if you are not a lover of BLUE!

In this first shot you of the keen eye may notice the Dangler has found its home.  It also now has some very tinkly bells and a pretty stitched candle applique sent over to us from Marlene Herself just in time for the reveal.  “Thank you Marlene! xoxo”

I painted the old ‘Create’ letters and re-hung them and made a new frock for my trusty old office chair.  The only purchases were the gorgeous blue butterfly fabric – I splurged and bought two metres and then spent hours making it go as far as four metres would have – and the plain blue which was a dress fabric on sale.  The rest is from my stash of fabrics, or old stuff made over.  This is once again a makeover / revamp done on a minimal budget.  Which is incredibly satisfying!  

The full view of the back wall where I hung an A3 copy of all the current completed work with the expectation of filling up that entire wall by the end of next year with examples of completed pieces – hopefully not just faces!

Totally inspired by the lovely Alys over at Gardening Nirvana who did this to her dressmakers model in honour of Christmas, I swept up some bits and bobs, beads and ribbon and did this to my mannikin who previously had spent all its days naked, standing atop  this same shelf.  Everything was hand sewn as I went along, as I had no idea what I was doing until I was doing it.

My Indoor Sid made the move from the living room to the art room, just for a change of scenery.

I’m currently crocheting a long vine of leaves to wind around those blue flowers I made for the front of the shelves.  I made many more flowers too, they will hang in the window along with Claire’s stars when all is ready.

The garden has been busy too.  I promised some photos ages ago – but the weather was just poo until a week ago.  Here you can see that while I wasn’t paying attention, the peas wove themselves through the garden chair

Lettuce, arugula, silver beet [chard] various herbs and tomatoes

Out-door Sid and his companion Cat are being swamped by the rampant Jasmine and Boston Ivy [Note to self – for goodness sake, cut it back again!]

And in case you missed it – yes apparently you can grow peas in a 2 x 4 metre container garden

Orlando and Siddy are both in good health.  [I know you were wondering!]  Siddy is in desperate need of yet another hair cut and may go under the scissors tomorrow.  The boys have been receiving Christmas parcels from their blogging friends.  There is a pretty aqua package from Boomdeeadda   Orlando’s Mini-Me got a dinky Christmas Cap from Gentle Stitches and of course there is Siddy’s tinkly Christmas flower from Mollie and Claire.

And just this morning the postie brought us all some bunting from Teddy and Tottie. [Sorry, that package arrived just a little too late to be included in the photo].

Top this all off with an unbelievably wonderful invite from three of our American friends which I’ll share later – and this is one highly blessed Contented Crafter and furry family!

Whatever your beliefs, religion, or inclination – this is the season for shining our lights.  Don’t forget to tell the people you love that you love them.  Don’t forget to thank the people who taught you the hard lessons and don’t forget to love that you learned from them.  Shine your light for yourself, for your loved ones, for those who are alone and in pain and who cannot, at the moment, see the light.  Remember, it’s not about the stuff.  It’s about the love.  Wherever you are, whatever you are doing – Be Blessed xoxo