First up, the winner of the Japanese fabrics was blondie19012k! Congrats! I’ve sent you an email 🙂
We’ve had a long weekend here – Friday was Japanese National Thanksgiving Day – and it’s been a beautiful, calm weekend. Sometimes it’s hard on weekends, when we’re both tired and just want to rest, and the kids magically know this and act up, and being “alone” here in Japan means we don’t have any family to help out. But this weekend? It was good. It was fun. It was Christmassy! We bought our Christmas tree on Saturday for an absolute song. A 240cm monster for under $10. And all because it was last year’s model. I kid you not! Who knew Christmas trees had “seasons”…
This is the first year my son’s been old enough to really know what’s going on, and he is super excited about Christmas! As we were in the shop, he was running around crying out, “This is fun!” So after lugging a 29lb box home on the train and bus, we set it up Saturday night instead of waiting for December 1st. Sunday saw us shopping for decorations and lights, and while his sister slept, our Little Man helped us decorate the tree…
I am such a big fan of Christmas – I love everything about it! And it’s been so much fun being able to share the excitement with him! The other Christmassy news from this weekend is me working away at the paper pieced Sew Seasonal blocks.
Here they all are – in their raw, not-fully-de-papered, untrimmed, unpressed states. Not perfect, but fun nonetheless! I have 4 more to go, then I can add them to my Ornamental blocks and get it all done before November 30th for the big Sew Seasonal link up! Which means I have 4 days… as do you if you’re joining in! Plus, add your photos now to the Flickr group to be in for an extra chance for prizes!
A reminder of those prizes…
And what are these fabulous prizes?! Well, so far we have:
Awesome Launch Day giveaways – check back November 1st!
2 x $10 vouchers
Joy by Kate Spain – full fat quarter bundle + panel
2 x $25 vouchers
1 x $25 voucher
$30 gift voucher
Japanese Christmas fabric – fat eighth bundle
Cherry Christmas charm pack
Oh, and that amazing Joy fat quarter bundle and panel from Intrepid Thread? Kate Spain herself will be selecting the lucky winner of that as the Grand Prize!!
Well, I’d better get back to Ellie…
marieka says
Well done with your blocks Alyce! I love the Argyle fabric that you used for the Christmas wreath. And is that a Kate Spain stocking?
Beth says
The blocks look great – I really like the wreath!
Kristy @ Quiet Play says
Ooh your blocks are looking good! Great fabric choices!
I’m so impressed with how your tree looks – I don’t think I’ll be posting a photo of ours 😉
Patchwork and Play says
Oooh! A celebrity judge! You have hit the big time! Well done! Your blocks are wonderful!
Jess says
Woah, that’s a huge tree! What a bargain :o) I love your blocks – they look wonderful together!
Amys Crafty Shenanigans says
I have wonderful memories of decorating the tree with my mom – he will always remember that day!! Such fun!! And last night I finally made my Candy Cane gift bag – off to upload it now!!
blondie19012k says
Yay, thank you 🙂 I sent you my details in reply to your email 🙂
I love your paper pieced blocks! So sweet! I chickened out of trying one of them (although I did download the patterns for when I’m feeling braver!), so I made one of the ornamental blocks instead, my first patchwork piecing 🙂 I love your tree, especially the pine cones, I’m going for wooden and fabric hanging things this year, think I’ll be adding pine cones too now!