Thursday, January 2, 2014

Goodbye 2013

Well we have been missing in action from blogging land.  I guess there is never enough hours in a day but hopefully in 2014 I will make more of an effort to get on here and let you know what we have been up to.  I thought I would do one long post to let you know what we got up to for the rest of 2013.  Liana and I did a few more markets, a couple at Old Perth Rd Markets in Bassendean.




We introduced a couple of new products ready for Christmas - the Advent Calendar and tags.




In September we said goodbye to our dearly loved dog Kimba.  He was 16 years old and was starting to get "Doggy Dementia" and just not himself anymore so decided it was time to say goodbye and thought this was a kinder option than waiting  for him to become in pain and having the option taken from us. Liana and I took the day off work so we could spend the day with him and when Mark got home from work we all went together to the Vets and put him to sleep.  It is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and was heartbreaking but it was for the best.  It has taken us along time to get used to him not being here and the house is not the same without him.

 
The beginning of November Liana, Matt and I took part in the 5km Color Run in Perth.  Sadly the night before the run I put my back out but there was no way I wanted to miss out on participating.  I went to bed early and the next morning took a couple of anti-inflammatories and was determined I could still do it.  I had been waiting to do this for months.  I was in a fair amount of pain walking down to the start but was determined I wasn't going to miss out.  Matt & Liana arrived and were happy to walk it with me instead of running.  We walked the whole 5km and had such a fantastic time.  I was rather sore and feeling sorry for myself on Monday as I could hardly walk or stand up straight but a trip to the Chiropractor sorted me out and I was feeling OK after a couple of days.



                                               

October we went on a family holiday to Melbourne and Canberra to catch up with family, do some shopping and we went to Bathurst to see the great race.  We did lots of shopping, had to buy another suit case to bring it all home, caught up with family, went to the Finders Keepers Market and just had some lovely family time together.  Then we headed to Canberra and visited the War Memorial which was just so humbling. 
 
We then drove down to Bathurst and stayed there for 3 days and went to the race each day.  This is a photo of the three of us on Sunday the day of the big race.  We were all very happy Ford won too :) 
 
I think it is one of the best holidays I have had.  It was so nice spending the time with Liana now that she has moved out of home and meeting up with other members of the family.
 
In November we did an "open house" with our friends where we both set up our stalls in our friends backyard to sell all our handmade goodness.  We just invited our family, friends and work colleagues and Holly made a beautiful afternoon tea and for a gold coin donation you got a cuppa and yummy afternoon tea.  The money went to the Fred Hollows Foundation and she managed to raise enough money to save 3 peoples eye sight.  It was a really successful day and everyone went away happy having done a lot of their Christmas shopping.




Before we knew it December was here and I had a bit of trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year.  It has always been our tradition that Liana and I set up the Christmas tree on the first weekend of December but now Liana has moved out of home I had to do it by myself and it just wasn't the same. I really struggled but I did get it done and must say that I loved looking at it when it was all done.  We have a lot of handmade decorations on the tree plus as I work in a school I quite often get little decorations for the tree from my students so it is nice each year putting those decorations back on the tree and remembering those children that had given them to me.


I also received a couple of new ones this year from dear friends.

This one was from my friend Rose's Mum who lives in England and does beautiful lacework.  I received this one in the mail and it was such a lovely surprise.  It is beautiful.


I also received this one from Mel at One Crafty Mumma who I have been writing to this year.  It is so lovely having a pen friend to write to and receiving some lovely snail mail in the letter box instead of bills.  We exchanged Christmas presents and Mel included this gorgeous little heart on the front of my package.  Now each year I will think of her as I add it to my tree.


We managed to fit in one more market for December and we went to the Mandurah Indoor Markets.  It was handy being so close to home and was our last chance to sell our Christmas items for the year.




Christmas morning arrived and it wasn't quite the same without Kimba.  He used to be there under the tree looking for his present.  He had his own stocking which usually contained smackos which he could smell and he used to love opening up his presents.  We did have Liana's furbaby Willow who hopped up to the door and she decided she would help me open my present :)


Well that comes to the end of the year.  I hope you had a lovely Christmas and hope all your dreams come true in 2014.  I will make more of an effort to blog more regularly.  Thanks for popping by :)