Advent...

Yep it's that busy and exciting time; the run up to Christmas. Of course when I was working it wasn't just a busy time, it was frenetic (report writing, tidying classrooms, end of year concerts/plays etc etc)! Nowadays it's a more gentle pace and I enjoy it more. 

The tree went up on Saturday but does not have all the baubles etc on it yet...

On Saturday, DH and I went along to our parish Christmas Markets. I bought a few items including a lovely deep red/maroon geranium and DH bought some raffle tickets and won first prize! We collected the prize yesterday at the 7.30 service. 

It was a basket of goodies...I thought I had taken a photo of the basket before we took the cellophane off it and had a look at all the goodies...but I hadn't taken the photo! So this is just a few items. It was actually a very nice prize, including a $50 gift card, 2 bottles of wine, 2 lots of chocolates, tin of biscuits, a knitted santa and some lovely body lotion, bath gel etc. 

Also while at the service, I took a few photos showing the change of colours for Advent...purple...and also the ring of candles that are gradually lit during the weeks of Advent. 

Also on Sunday I had a group of friends around for our annual Christmas lunch...

Everyone contributes a dish to the meal...the buffet table is starting to fill up as friends arrive...

We also have a Secret Santa gift exchange and as everyone arrived they put their parcel in the big tub...

 Time to load up plates with the delicious food...

 Sitting around enjoying our lunch...

 Then 5 of my dear friends started on the tidy up before we had Secret Santa and desserts. By the time i got my camera, there were only 3 left in my tiny kitchen but you can just imagine how crowded it was when the 5 of them were together :-)

Ahem...some of the empties

Then today I drove little Mitzi Micra for the first time in 6 weeks! I went to the Scarborough Knit and Natter...we meet in a private home and Ron and Claire have been busy decorating for Christmas...

The first photo is an upside down reindeer who spins around and kicks his legs when the button is pushed...you can't help but laugh when you see him in action!

 A lovely knitted Nativity...

Another animated reindeer who sings and waves his foot around...

And sweet knitted Santa and Mrs Claus...

I love all those Christmas figures and animated decorations...I have 3 such decorations that sing Christmas songs...

My modest collection of singing Christmas decorations

How are your Christmas preparations going? I have a few more boxes of decorations to be brought down by DH from the very high cupboards...sounds like I'll be busy!

'Bibs and bobs' or what's been happening around here...

Firstly some photos of the Advent swap, although not right up to date...Cheryl continues to spoil me with delightful items in the parcels...
The beautiful bird ornament with the Santa hat is now decorating the long bench that the TV sits on. The purple bracelets have already been worn and I love them. The little teal and purple purse is so sweet and the vintage Santa tin has a secret...

 It's actually a candle!

This amazing Christmas bell is also decorating the TV bench

Many thanks Cheryl; I love what you've sent me!

 Now as the month of December continues to rush headlong towards Christmas,  there is a winding up of group meetings. Last Saturday I had breakfast with my high school mates and then I headed off to the last Grovely Knit and Natter for the year. Only 3 of us made it but we certainly had a great time catching up.

And of course we had some Show and tell...Dianne takes T shirts and polo shirts and turns them into a dress by crocheting a skirt and sewing it to the hem of the shirt...They look wonderful!

It's amazing how blogger turns photos around :-/ 

 Sue had made another of her knitted in the round jumpers for the Summer Challenge...

A closeup of the pouch/pocket on the front...

Lastly I'll show some of the decorations that I've put together. Usually I just decorate the tree and maybe throw a bit of tinsel on the shelves of the hutch. Inspired by other bloggers I have gone through every box of decorations stored in the top cupboards in the bathroom and consequently I've 'found' ornaments that haven't seen the light of day for years... So I've decorated more areas than usual.
When the sofa table got ousted from the loungeroom when we bought the modular lounge, it sat in the corner of the dining room. It normally has family photos on top but I put them away for a few weeks and put up the little tree that I used to use in my classroom. It has handmade ornaments plus old ones from my girls' childhood...

 Last year my friend Lee gave me some lovely Aussie animal ornaments....

It has been quite hot here and the gold candles have started to bend because of the heat :-(

Next time I'll post some photos of other decorated areas. The girls will get a surprise when they come over on Christmas Eve...I've really had fun!