SSCS

Well it is all over for another year.
We had a lovely day here filled with family.
I did very well on the present front this is my lovely gift from Kim I had a box filled with lots of wonderful things. A tree wall quilt which has so much work in it...... lots of bits and piece...it is fun to get things from over seas even the little ones like the sewing machine thread cutter I have never seen them here in Oz. Kim must have know my fav colour is green ...now to think of something to make out of the lovely jelly roll. Some bags handles and a couple of patterns.

Thank you kim it was a great parcel I will try to adhere to the message on the mug.
"LIFE IS GOOD"
Do what you like.
Like what your do.

A big THANK YOU to Donna for her fantastic organising of such a large swap.

Before Christmas I won a give away on Lisa and Sarah's blog and this lovely goodness arrived 2 days before Christmas so I tucked it under the tree like a good girl.

Thanks girls the magazine is very nice.......... Lisa has a section in it filled with her wonderful crafty ideas.

Merry Christmas from Mel & me

As Christmas day closes in Mel & I would like to wish you and your families a safe and happy Christmas.

This one's for all my bloggy friends in the northern hemisphere.

2 posts in one day

I received the sweetest card today all the way from England.

It was handmade by Milo see here

THANK YOU MILO

SSCS

Firstly is anyone else having trouble with Bloglines the other night I logged on and had 4,0000 posts waiting to be read ......I thought boy you guys had been frantically busy then I looked at Chookyblue and she had 200 posts waiting for me to read. I decided to clear everything and then the next day when I logged on it happened again. I have cleared them all a second time and all seems to be back to normal. However I have missed some posts.

Now on to the good stuff. My SSCS parcel arrived all the way from New Jersey it

PASSED



It was opened by someone other than me.



I have only opened the card so I could let Kim know it had arrived.

I have been very good and the box remains sticky taped shut under the tree.

My work is moving in the first week of the new year so life is a little more hectic than usual so if I am missing in action for a while forgive me.
I have been given some awards and been asked some questions from No -reply bloggers so will attend to all that stuff soon.

A special thought

I don't usually do this but there is an amazing give away happening over here so go check it out. More of this should happen it's what life is really about.

Mel goes skydiving a few other things

I made this pin cushion last night it is an Anni Downs pattern "Larry the Lamb" it is one of those things that when you have made it you just love it. I will make some more as gifts. I even sourced some silica sand which makes it feel really great.



I also made this bag as a shop sample for Hettie's Patch.





For Sean's birthday Gemma bought him a Parachute jump....it wouldn't be a day out without Mel tagging along.



It was a nice day with a gazillion flies.....Mel desperately wanted to jump out of the plane but due to Oc health and safety he was not able to(take that as I couldn't get anyone to strap him to their chests and jump out of a plane).



he just had to hang around and watch.



Benny is a seasoned jumper coming up to his 150th jump he has all the right gear which is important when your jumping out of a plane.



This is Lisa and it was her second jump she is Benny's girlfriend and they are friends of Gemma & Sean. I was mighty temped to have a go myself as she got to jump strapped to the front of that very nice looking man ......



This is part of the preamble I'm pretty sure it's nothing like the real thing.



Here she is coming into land.



Only Lisa can land a parachute jump waving like a princess.





This gives you some idea of it all............ this was Sean jumping.





A FUNNY STORY
When we got to the sky diving place there were heaps of other people there some who jump all the time others like Sean and Lisa doing tandem jumps. Gemma & Lucas tolerate Mel but I have to behave myself while around their friends however Lisa and Benny have been out and about before with Mel. I put Mel down on my camera bag alongside Gemma and went for a walk. A little time later Gemma came up to me and said a man had come up to her and said "I know that monkee it is on the internet sitting on a bike" She answered it's my mums and she is a bit mad.......my answer would have been why are you trawling women's quilting blogs???????.
Mel was just excited..... like the good old days he can't go anywhere without being recognised.

I went to Ikea today and bought a



frog and a funnel as you do.

Some Xmas decorations

A few weeks back I was lucky enough to win one of Natalie's patterns I made these little decorations using the stitcheries.

P.S.I posted my Chooky Blue's Secret Santa off last week to ?????? I have not put one hint in any of my post as to what I made so when she visits here she will still have no idea what is in her parcel. Heee Heee.

A nice afternoon

Yesterday a group of us girls met at Amanda's for an afternoon of stitching. It coincided with Mrs Martins cyberstitch.

There was some very yummy food thanks to Amanda.

Here we are looking very industrious.
All except the other bloggers who were up taking photos......Granny Loz is taking photos of the food.

Amanda made all of us a lovely present ........ thanks Amanda.

I even did some stitching which is unusual as I usually talk to much......I did one of Viv's other Christmas patterns.

Seaworld

Since coming back from my lovely Queensland holiday I have struggled getting back into the swing of things. Bloglines was a frightening thought so last night I bit the bullet and deletes all the posts that were sitting there getting larger and larger each day.
Today I got up and did my usual thing read and commented while eating my breaky I feel much better about opening bloglines I am not going to ponder over what I have missed and just move on.

Let me take you to Seaworld in sunny Queensland.



I loved this fellow he was amazing such powerful creatures.







The dolphins were fantastic.





I love this one mother and baby.



I wished I could have done this.







These made me smile I don't know anyone on this ride but when you study it....
the girl in the top right hand corner "it's a walk in the park a bit boring really"
The ? mother and daughter in the middle on the left with eyes closed and terrified.
The dad at the front telling his son "it's not that scary".



I also love this photo again I don't know the girl but look at that gentle kiss and huge smile.

There is a lot of talk about keeping wild animals in captivity but I truly think that these animals are well cared for. I wonder if in the future this is all that will be....... as we are not treating our planet very well. We had drinks one night while staying with my friend with the HR manager of Seaworld and I asked about the dolphins he said most had been breed at seaworld from resue dolphins.