Not that crappy vampire movie series for teens: twilight Craft 2.0 is happening after school/work on Thursday 3 December 2009. Come along and see me.

A while ago when Helen and I were op-shopping in Palmerston North I bought a floral smock-fronted dress that I had on intention of wearing. It was beautiful though and there was something about the fabric that I couldn’t pass up.

Ever since it’s been sitting in the sewing pile and was recently made into a petticoat for me (by adding lace detail) and a zip purse for my friend Abby’s birthday. Here it is:

My new petticoat made from an op-shop dress

Front smocking detail of the zip purse

Back pleated detail of zip purse

Inside detail of the zip purse

There’s a sign down the end of the road near my work that’s been counting down to Christmas since it was about 45 days to go.

It kills me. Not so long ago I was writing this post about our Christmas plans.

It was always going to be random this year: Ross had hired a clubrooms where his Dad played rugby (or something sporty) and the family was gathering – a family I would meet for the first time. Now of course Ross is dead and I’ve met all the family. Christmas is still on, at the clubrooms but missing a major piece of happy Ross wearing who-knows-what-hat grinning from ear to ear at the simple pleasure that is eating whatever the hell you like for lunch on Christmas Day.

I’m sure Christmas will be fun and Julie, Tom, Matt and I will enjoy ourselves (or dull the pain with a LOT of wine) but right now I can’t get in the mood. Tinsel no longer excites me, Christmas shopping, sales and advertising seems grotesque and I have no desire to hear Christmas songs or see Santa.

I can’t imagine Christmas shopping (I’m wondering if I can do it all online) and quite honestly am pretty much stuck for ideas, which is very unlike me.

This Summer holiday I’m looking forward to gardening, sun, the swimming hole and fresh berries from the Greytown orchard. I’m hoping Julie will come and visit and that the new spare room will be done in time. Forgive me if I seem a little bah humbug.

Our sandwich wraps

One of the best things I swapped at the last Craft 2.0 was these sandwich wraps (pictured) that have saved me, Tom and the planet metres of Gladwrap.

Essentially, you make your sandwich, stick it in the middle of the unfolded wrap and then wrap it up, securing it with a velcro strap. They’re made of oil cloth so wipe clean and fold down flat in your bag once lunch is over.

I can’t say enough about how great these are. There are heaps of patterns, they’re New Zealand made and you can get yours online from this shop.

My new wheels

In 1978 Tom’s Dad had a bike accident that wrecked his bike.

At the time I lived in Geraldine, Tom was three and it was a whole 22 years before we would met. However, the result of the accident was that Ross’s workmate gave him an old bike from their shed, which he’s ridden round ever since.

Last weekend the bike came to our house – it’s my inheritance from Ross and I plan to ride it around the streets of Featherston.  The fancy black seat came from the dump shop in Wellington on a shopping outing that Ross and I took. And this week I bought some new, black handle grips thereby tripling the value of the bike (according to Tom).

I’m looking forward to putting things in the saddlebag and riding home with treasure.

This bumper sticker is a fundraiser for the Featherston Community Centre and it cracks me up. $3 each + 50c for postage if you want one too.

Photo by Cindy_Funk on Flickr.com

For more than two years we’ve followed Tom’s journey learning to drive. Here as Tom practiced by driving us home from the station each night and here when Tom got his restricted licence.

The Monday just been Tom took his full drivers licence test and passed! He can now drive himself wherever he wants, whenever he wants with whom ever he wants.

The 17 year journey from learners licence to full licence is complete. Yeeha!

This weekend I was in Palmerston North and Little-Friend-Helen and I went to see Julie and Julie.

It’s a recently made movie about cooking legend Julia Child and modern day girl who cooks all 500 recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking in  a year and blogs about it.

It was brilliant, focusing more on Julia Child and her husband Paul (my favourite character) than the slightly whiny Julie.Lots of scenes of food, Paris and the 1940s, great houses and a chock-full New York apartment. Although I’m not a super cook and rarely enjoy it it also made me want to cook this.