Spreading the Joy ~6

Advent Stockley Style ~6

Spreading the Joy ~5

My Personal Wish List for the Cosmos!!

Warning! There are people in my life, lovely sweet people, kind hearted amazing people- YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! You are expressly FORBIDDEN to use either of the lists below... these lists are for the cosmos NOT YOU.

Fantasy Shopping is something we do every so often... we look through a catalogue or the property press and decide what we would buy.

This is my top 10 Fantasy Shopping List; ( For if I don't get the winning Powerball numbers BEFORE the draw)

1. A LARGE house with a 'Kieley House' and a purpose built and refurbished Scrapbooking room and an amazing garden with a pool and playground built for entertaining. And a flying field.
2. An all expenses paid trip to the Dentist- I need a lot of stuff done some cosmetic and some functional.
3. A trip to CK University
4. If I have to stay in MQ then I'd like a full clean from top to toe- every room in the house!
5. And If I have to stay in MQ then I'd like a Fence solid timber six foot... all the way around.
6. A PA/House Keeper so all I have to do when Will is sleeping is scrapbook.
7. Two big raised garden beds for veges
8. For Elle McPherson/Bendon to bring out the old style of Bra/crop top that I love.
9. And If I have to stay in MQ then I'd like new Lino.
10. Three weeks of solid Scrapbooking!

Top 14 semi-realistic Wish list (not including scrapbooking stuff that's in the another post)

1. A trip to the dentist for the 4 worst holes.
2. A mini House clean- kitchen, loo and bathroom
3. 1-6 really good pairs of Jeans- brought because they fit properly and I like them, not because they fit vaguely and they're cheap.
4. To find that Pillowcase I lost.
5. A cabinet/sideboard that suits the storage ahortfall I currently have.
6. New Underwear.
7. A smoked salmon bagel from the cafe on Base- no capers.
8. Saskia's garden finished.
9 A pineapple slicer.
10. Romeo and Juliet on DVD's (Baz Lhurman's one- I'd like the old one as well, but Claire Danes and the guy who plays Tybalt are both HOT!)
11. Olive the Other Reindeer.
12.One of those Mandolin slicer thingees
13. A Boinker for my car.
14. An upgrade on the Vacuum cleaner.

There you have it Cosmos- Bring it on!!!

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Advent Stockley Style ~5

Spreading the Joy ~4

Daily December #4: Giving Joy

For the first time this year after Christmas I hid the Christmas books... there may have been one or two I missed but for the most part they have been stashed away in the cupboard waiting for today. And it's been lovely- like greeting old friends home for the holidays. Each year we buy a new Christmas book for Christmas. Meaning that we have quite a collection. It's lovely to pull each book out of the bag and remeber the yummy Christmas goodness in them all. This year new book is Slinky Malinki's Christmas Crackers (although we may also buy Olive the other Reindeer if we can find it as Wills advent calendar has us all intrigued!).



By the way I may write a Christmas book blog post if I get a chance but in the meantime top of the list obviously has to be... Suess' The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

I used to have a massive collection of Christmas books when I was younger but I loaned them to a fellow student teacher who had a term 4 posting in a religious School- much to my devastation she never returned them... Bobbi if you happen across this I want them back!!

Yummy Stuff for Makers of yummy stuff...

Tim Holtz is doing his 12 Tags of Christmas again this year...

And Lisa Vollrath is doing her Christmas Countdown...

Hooray for goodly and kind talented and amazing artists!!

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Daily December #3: Giving Hope

Today we delivered a large package to Jozlyn to deliver to her friend who works for Women's Refuge.
The package is for 5 year old 'M'. M's Mum isn't really in a great position to be throwing a big Christmas this year so we are helping out. It could be that the presents we gave are the only ones that M gets this year.
Normally we put a gift under the K Mart Wishing tree but this year it's different we have a name and an age... and we have a tiny snippet of background... that made it both harder and easier to get our Good Will gift this year. I probably went a bit overboard... in fact I am a little worried that if M has brothers or sisters there will be an imbalance and as a Mum I know all too well the call of 'it's not fair'- that's the hard part.
On the positive side knowing the small details that we do I feel a lot more connected with M and her Mum... for the first year we also got a (small) present for M's Mum. We'd love to be able to invite M and her mum to join us for Christmas Dinner or something... we'd love to be able to do something more- to make a real connection. It's not really possible I don't think. So we'll have to be content with what we have done... and what we've done feels pretty good- so that's cool. Merry Christmas M and your Mum! May 2009 be a truly good one for you, love Us. xo

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Scrapbookers Christmas List

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Ok here's my list I had hoped to check it twice but no time.... This is what I think any self-respecting scrapbooker would be happy to find under the tree come the 25th.....

Anything Jenni Bowlin. I'm a huge fan of the vintage look she has going on and I love that practically all her stuff is red, black and white/off-white. Check out these and these and these and these and these and these and these.

Sassafras Lass make really fun scrapbook papers and while I already have TOO MANY papers I am hanging out for some more of theirs! Check out these and these and these and these and these and these and these.

Basic Grey; Rub-ons; Stamps and Wassil Paper

Crop-a-dile Big Bite

Hambly screen prints; Rub-on Trees; 12 x 12 Acrylic Stamps, and these,

Heidi Swapp; Clear Extras; Butterfly Mirrors; Gel Blossoms;Masks

Fontwerks; Ringo Stars Stamps; plant a tree stamps; Flitter Clear stamps

KI Memories; Sheers and here, and Lace paper, and here and here.

Fancy Pants; 8x8 Album; About a boy PP.

Making Memories; Slice; labelfetti.

Prima; Flowers, Papers, transparencies, and here, and tape,

Karen Foster; Christmas Village and sleigh

Scenic Route; Garland; and here; and here; and the stamps;

Tim Holtz masks, sprocket gears

My top 10;

1. K & Co; The Village and the Sleigh
2. BG Offbeat
3. HS Bird Mirrors
4. TH Masks- All of them!!!
5. Mini albums; These ones from BG are really cool! and this wee one
6. BG Wassil
7. BG Precision File Set
8. Blank Board Books
9. The Zutter Bind it all
10. Crop-a-dile Big Bite

I realise that this post should have pictures but I am a bit nervous of displaying other peoples pictures in case of copyright issues. So apologies!

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Advent Stockley Style ~4

Spreading the Joy ~3

Advent Stockley Style ~3

Spreading the Joy ~2

Daily December #2: Giving Thanks

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In the good old days we used to put beer out on the last rubbish collection and we'd leave a bottle of wine for the postie. In the good old days you'd get a calendar from your corner dairy, hairdresser, butcher, fishmonger, 4 Square and green grocer - heck I think we even got one from the petshop one time.
These days the postie and the rubbish guys have to e.s.p our kind thoughts and as we don't live in a small town where traditions are carried on we are only going to get a calendar from the video store! That said it is good to show gratitude, and where yesterday's cards showed those closest to us that we care todays gift is for people who touch our life often but aren't so close... and who better than those lovely barista's who make my Frappuccino!

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Daily December #1 Giving Love

More than 96 people will soon know that they are important to us! That we care about them even if we don't say so often enough. 96 families will see that in our minds they are worth making the effort for! That's why I send my Christmas cards because all of these people have touched our lives in some way or other and I want them to know that we absolutely 100% care about them while we may not have any contact at all during the year because of the silly busy lives we lead we do still think of them! This year there were 96 envelopes going to 7 countries- 20 were/will be hand delivered, 11 were going overseas, 65 throughout New Zealand from Dunedin to Helensville including 3 which will end up in our letterbox tomorrow most likely. So while some people may think it's silly, or over the top, or may consider it expensive- I'm always going to do it... every November... and come the 1st of December I'll be ready! Cause I think Christmas cards are important- and I think the people we write them for are even more important!

Advent Stockley Style ~2

Round-up ~ November

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What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

Creating Keepsakes, Healthy Food Guide, Next, New Woman (what a load of crap that is!), Notebook and Better Homes and Gardens Dec Issue.

What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month?

All Saints (boo hoo hoo it's finished now). The Leaders Debate on TV3- blah, blah, blah!, The American Presidential Election Coverage.The New Zealand Election coverage, Rove, Pulp Sport! Under The Mountain (thanks for the loan Shannon!)

What special days did I celebrate?

Kireran's Birthday, Taine and Jaden's Birthdays

What gifts did I give and/or receive?

Lego to Tony, a page for Granny Rae, Kieran's pressie's; Lego, DVD's, Lollies and books. I got my Starbucks Diary. :-)

What illnesses or health concerns did we have?

Will had a fever and cold. Les had a really sore arm. Merenia got Chicken Pox from the twins in her class.

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?

Visited with Granny Rae. Went out shopping with Les and the kids. Went out window shopping w/ Les and Will at Takapuna. Went to Mt Wellington and the Mexican Cafe with Les. The Carrington's Party. Kieran's sleepover with Jake.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?

Niamh's Choc Caramel Slice- Oh my Goodness/Badness!! YUM! Not new, but we had BLT's with lettuce from the kids gardens. The three Christmas Frappunccino flavours- Dark Cherry Mocha my new fave! The Mexican Restaurant in Mt Wellington- Chicken Tostada's, Creme Caramel, Guava and Mango Nectar and Chilli Chocolates!

What special or unusual purchases did I make?

Something cool that may be Les' Christmas present. Starbucks Advent Calendar and Reindeer decoration! Tampons- in a cute tin! The last of the Christmas Pressies and Will's birthday stuff. And I went to the Hasbro sale. Way cool Christmas trees for our mantle.

What were this month's disappointments?

The return of poor sleep (teeth and illness related I think- Will's not mine) and the arrival of Will bad eating.

What were my accomplishments this month?

Actually I got quite a bit done mostly organisational stuff reducing the paper pile that we have at our home. Teacher scrapbook gifts and decorations for my fave barista's. :-) My week in the life album and the December daily. Kieran's camp album. Progress on two other family Christmas albums! My Christmas cards all ready to go.

Anything else noteworthy to record?

Will's first tooth and second and third and fourth. Will pulling himself up on the furniture. Barack Obama's election/ The National Party wins in NZ Elections. Will's First word- Birds :-)

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Advent Stockley Style ~1

Spreading the Joy ~1