Christmas arrives early!!!

So this one time in India.....

I met this crazy chick called "Choppy" who happened to have just spent the night camped out in some dodgy back alley. Apparently they where supposed to meet up with us but the group she was with came in late and didn't know how to find our group.

Anywhoooo...long story short...it's one heck of a way to meet a new friend!

And years later it is that friend who reached out across hemispheres, through the country we first met in order to land this gorgeous little package on my doorstep in time for the holidays and to celebrate my renewed health for 2010!

She chose the green Tourmaline for healing and if I am not mistaken it is one of her designed pieces (Hey Babe...you gotta website??) I know she was once making these amazing vegan leather bags and purses.

The card is also from an artist friend of hers in Melbourne and I have to agree with her, Love the work. You can find her art here. Clare Whitney.

So thank you My Friend...you did indeed Pep me up!!!

And speaking of sleeping in alleyways...

Mervin monkey was 'dropped' today as part of the Toy Society's Global Christmas drop, and I am pleased to report he has been a very good monkey indeed. He was found by a homeless man, and the story is truly heartwarming. Journey well my little monkey! You can read his story here. "Mervin Monkey on walkabout"

Monkey on My Back!

So Hurricane Jax is out for the day and I had great plans to clean up the house prior to the Christmas madness.

Oh but wait...It's 2009!
How could I forget?!

This cheeky bloody monkey of a year causing chaos the world over.

In a final bid to be remembered well, it popped my house into darkness, my appliances into shutdown, and the oh so lovely sent of an electrical fire wafting through my first 5 minutes of peace!

Arggggg...

Just in case I hadn't got the message, I was met at my back door by a billowing cloud of smoke and fumes where my washing machine lay sheepishly awaiting a good swift kick up the backside!

Harrrrumph!

Well Plan B - madly race through the apartment tidying rather than cleaning in the hopes that the landlord (who just happened to be in the area and would be arriving in 15 minutes) wouldn't notice how disgraceful the place looked. Couldn't really blame the washing machine for everything!
Of course... a spanish 15 min. isn't exactly in keeping with swiss protocol so after waisting a good 45 min waiting, another 45 with the landlord and perhaps yet another just trying to find my to do list...I gave up. I'm much more productive with a needle and thread than a rag and mop anyways!

So here is the monkey off my back!

He's getting ready for the Toy Society's Big Global Christmas Drop this weekend.
If you haven't checked out their link from my side bar yet; I suggest you take a quick peak, it's a wonderful project.

Now if only I could drop 2009 as easily!!!

Quilting Me a Straight Jacket!

So this is what my creative space looked like last week!

After dragging my butt back into the drug den I decided to creatively fight back at this one. I went in armed with my dear friend Foxy, who not only came to hold my hand but was willing to take up the scizzors and battle some felt with me during my 4 hour stint in the little room of horror.

I was planning to couch hop over the weekend and attend a christmas party, so was madly trying to get some goodies finished for the kids. ( I did mention Chemo makes you slightly mad didn't I) So to the couch I went to overcome my side effects and my insane self induced crafting deadline.

I think they turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.

And a big WhoooooBloodyRahhhhh, as not only did I not have to use that lovely shiny sickie bucket, but I also managed to attend said Christmas party only mildly feeling like an overgrown construction worker had hit me in the back of the head with a 2 x 4 plank!

C'est La Vie...

Good friends, Christmas cheer and a Bucks Fizz or 2 and I was happy enough to flip that Builder the Bird!

_________________________________

Another project I had on the go...

Ohhhhhhhh it's so delicious I just swoon every time I look at it.

I attended a rummage sale a few weeks ago and whilst Fhubby sat in the car with a snoring toddler,

I went searching for treasures....

and found

this!!!

Is She not Gorgeous!!!!!

You should have seen the look on Fhubbies face when I held her up in front of the windshield.... all beat up with broken dangly bits and 'no love' written all over her.

Fortunately my craziness amuses him!

And unfortunately for you, I misplaced my camera the day I started to deconstruct her so wasn't able to take a proper Before picture which truly would have given you a sense of just how much the Fhubby must love me!

Ok...she sure was scruffy, but..
"She followed me home Honey... we just have to keep her!!!

You'll have to stay tuned for her unveiling!

And yet another new project on the go (I told you I felt good the week before Chemo!!!) I had begun a new line of Shabby Chic Boutique Buntings.

I'm so excited to start digging into my fabric stash and start creating these!
Definitely on this weeks to-do list now that I'm back on my feet, and might just have to get crackin before that 'Final Round' date sneaks up on me.

Hmmmm, you might just see these again for that celebratory give-away. ?!?!?!

Right Oh...I got some work to do! Hasta Proxima Xo

Sharing, Caring, and Tantrums OH MY!

Today is Chemo number 5!
I DO NOT want to get in that chair!!!
And yet...It's one more mile on the road to the finish line...
But this Mama just wants to kick up a huge fuss, chuck a wobbly, drop my bottom lip and hope someone much stronger then my steroid rage will be able to throw me over their shoulder and drop me into it for my own good!

Harrumph!

But honestly, I feel great, (don't make me go!) I always feel great in the 3rd week after treatment.(oh I want to stay home!) I feel coherent (please) and focused (NO NO NO) and am crafting like a maniac ... seriously...grab some ear plugs cause I'm going in screaming!

So I didn't win the giveaway, darn it.
However I did happen to fall upon the motherload of all giveaways hosted by Sew Mama Sew!
So here I sit madly blog surfing and entering and posting comments and being inspired and wishing I had just a few more days of feeling great to get everything done, and wishing I had found the contest earlier to participate and share in the giving.


Well I didn't, so no giveaway from Choochmagooz this year. However, a lovely sense of calm came over me when I thought about entering the great giveaway next year.
Ahhhhh, Next year. How often I have uttered those words in the past 9 months as we've navigated this road through (H.E.double hockey sticks!)

Next Year I can travel again,
Next Year I'll relaunch the shop
Next year I'll have my memory back
Next Year I'll stop typing backwards
Next Year mummy can take you for a bike ride!

Next Year won't be taken for granted.

So although I have missed out in entering the great giveaway this year, I have decided in celebration of my FINAL Chemo treatment on Christmas Eve and the gift of a clean bill of health for the New Year, that I would start 2010 with a Giveaway of my own.

Check back the first week of January for your chance to win something special and to Celebrate with Me, Fhubby and Jax as we turn "Next Year"...into "Today!"

In the meantime if you're keen to win some fantastic goodies from all over the globe...head over to Sew,Mama,Sew and check out the Participants master list...make sure you're comfy, well fed and have gone to the loo, cause there's a whole lot to win!