Almost Christmas Trees

 

1. sugar candy christmas tree 2010, 2. a 'whatnot' gleeful tree..., 3. Festive Felt Christmas Trees, 
4. twiggy tree, 5. Crepe Paper Tree......, 6. christmas shelf, 
7. My little Christmas..., 8. christmas tree amiegg, 9. rag topiary trees (4)

OP Shop Swap Posting Day is TODAY!

I've had fun finding, working out & creating treasure

for my OP Shop Swap Christmas Parcel

and today, being 21/11, the designated posting day for said parcel,

it's time to check details, like

 the address of my partner

before shutting & sealing the santa sack

for, in my case, its journey to the other side of the world.

  

This is a hectic time of year for most

and the idea behind posting our parcels today 

was so that we'd have one less thing to think about 

before having to think about our own Christmases.

Let your partner know how you are going with regard an EPD (estimated postal date) 

by leaving a message here, on our Flickr site or by emailing them directly. 

By signing up for the Swap we all made a commitment to another person

and the key/secret to any successful relationship is

communication.

Please don't forget or dismiss posting photos of your loot 

over on the Flickr Site 

cos it'll be lonely round that Christmas Tree without you!

I want to REinvent like Regina.

A box was waiting for me upon returning from shopping the other day.

It was a lovely gesture by the courier to bring it in through the gates

and tuck it safely behind the chair outside my Studio

because I know the whole time he was here 

the dog would have been doing an excellent impersonation 

of a rabid wolf threatening to rip his throat out.

I recognised the hand writing immediately

and knew it to be the long anticipated & much alluded to 

birthday present from Regina (my birthday's in July).

I'm glad I waited until I had some me time to open it 

because my children would have been traumatised 

by me squealing O.M.G's 

 for about 5mins.

Have a look for yourself and tell me if you think I over reacted

 According to the creator it's a Candle Holder -

if anyone comes near it with a candle I'll kill them!

It doesn't have to be anything in particular - to me it's pure whimsy and

will be a constant reminder (because I'm not likely to let it out of my sight for quite a while)
 of my friends

humour, talent & generosity

and that bunny makes my heart sing.

There was other gorgeousness in the box
which I'll share later
and a lovely card
saying she'd make sure my Christmas present arrived in time for my Birthday :)

Dear Regina, if I never get anything else from you
I already have too much
and when I grow up
I want to REinvent clothes like you REinvent bric-a-brac. 
x

A little bit of Thrifting/OP Shopping in New York

(Debra Rapoport - Advanced Style)

If you haven't come across Advanced Style yet

and you're over 40 and you're a REinventor (or not)
and interested in developing, maintaining, enjoying & celebrating your own style
then you're in for a treat.

Debra is a regular on the Advanced Style Blog.

Hope she bought the leather dress!

Shopping with a List - what a joke!

 Yesterday we went shopping. 

I had a list. It was a small list.

I don't remember looking at the list 

which is probably how we managed to fill a trolley 

and still not get what I was after.

Poppy Wall Decals weren't on the list but I don't know how I've lived without them!

I've got 2 Poppys left and I'm not sure if they should go up or not....

Vintage Crochet Cardys go with Everything!

I'm honored to have helped Vic choose the theme for this weeks My Place & Yours

and am excited to share my
favourite piece of clothing.

Here I go bending the rules again - at the moment I have 3 favourites 

however one of these will always outshine anything else 

and that's my vintage crochet cardy

simply because it goes with everything

and like my Doc Martens is the reason I don't like summer.

The other 2 faves at the moment are my latest REinventions,

in fact it was toss up whether or not to do this on the cardys or the garments.

(Flirty French Farmhouse Frock)

I chose both
because I'm usually in love with whatever I've just created
and I'm definitely still in the honeymoon phase with the latest two.

(Around Town Apron Tunic)

Vintage Crochet Cardys are a little like comfy shoes or a good frock, 

once you've experienced the delights of one,

you'll want one in every colour.

I have to admit to owning more than one

and did a bit of a post a while back on just how much I love them!

I'm also honored that Melissa deemed the Piece of Cake Frock 

worthy of her favourite item of clothing :)

(Halter bow detail)

I've also joined in this weeks Creative Spaces - hope it's okay to use the same post in different places.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Lake Grace was a blast!

While the weather was stormy outside 

we managed (in between cups of tea & laughing)

to create our own REinvention storm inside. 

There's images over on Flickr & FB of what the girls created.

 There's lots of reasons it was lovely to come home from my weekend away,

mostly though,

for the first time in in a long time

he gave me flowers.

Having lived with him for 25yrs 
I realise this gesture for what it is
and in so doing
it was really easy for me to forgive him for being a thoughtless prick person before I left.

I'm not going to do it

I don't want to ruin your day
by carrying on about how certain people really piss me off
when they treat my home like the 'Do-Drop-Inn'
and when
D acts like the Proprietor of the 'Do-Drop-Inn'
or share the frustration of finding my 10yr old still has the face book page she was told to get rid of yesterday and is collecting 'friends' at an alarming rate

instead I'll share with you the image that greeted me when I pulled up in the driveway this afternoon

 

 

What is it about the garden that makes all the crap disappear....

For me, inner peace is found in the garden & on long drives 

and tomorrow I've 5hrs behind the wheel as I head over to Lake Grace 

where I''ll be spending the entire weekend creating a storm of REinventions 

with a wonderful group of women.

mmmm feeling better already...

OP Shop Swap Christmas Party Partners announced

WooHoo - doors are open, time to partey!

(Image Google)

I'm so excited & thrilled that I wasn't the only one that thought an
Op Shop Swap Christmas Party
would be a good idea
and I've already started Op shopping with my Oppy mate in mind.

I read on another Swap, that when giving

'give like you would like to receive'.

I would just add, take note of your partners likes & dislikes

and remember quality over quantity.

(Image Google)

You will be able to contact your partner by clicking on their name below and
all the details for the Swap are over here.

If you have any trouble shoot me an email and I'll track 'em down investigate.
Don't forget to come back and leave photos of your goodies
on the Flickr site cos we're all dying to know what you got!

Interestingly Julie is our only International player.

Being conscious of postage costs, 

I offered to partner Julie if she still wanted to play.....glad to say she still wanted in!

~Partners~

Nadene (Nadene72)  &  Regina (The Mad Queen)

Jess (Whinging Ninja)  &  Helen (Stitcharooney)

Leonie (Kiwileonie)  &  Vic (Punky & Me)

Yvette (eeveeadams)  &  Nicole (Dabbling All Day)

Lisa (Sweet Lil Pretties)  &  Jackie (Jackie@Back Shed)

Sandra (Surly Seamstress)  &  Margaret Marshall

Rebecca (I am Scoobylou) &  Trudie (My Vintage Vow)

Charlotte (The Hours Between)  &  Leonie (Lottisworld)

Julie (Moments of Perfect Clarity)  &  Jody (REinventing - that's me!)

   
Here we go girls

grab ya partner and let's go shopping!

A little Op Shop Swap Christmas Party Housework

Thankyou everyone who has signed up for the Christmas Op Shop Swap!

The doors are nearly open,

trifle's made, decorations hung

and I can hear Dean Martin crooning from the corner

but before festivities can commence

a little housework needs to take place.

At the end of this week I am heading for Lake Grace to conduct a weekend workshop 

and would like to have all partners partnered tomorrow

sooooo

• can those that have signed up and not left any details please do so before the end of today.
• Flickr people that have left details and no way for their partner to contact them please email me so I can pass yours on.
• Blog people please check you have an email address accessible to your partner.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions :)