December happenings

My work room is in it's Guest Room transformation at the moment, which means I have a great social life but very little work gets done around here!  We had friends from Pretoria visiting us last week and we are expecting more friends from Nairobi to arrive this weekend.

By the time Christmas Day arrives they will all have left and we will spent Christmas very quietly at home as a family.  No big family gatherings this year...

We even opted not to have a tree this year.  We are not the traditional tree type of people and I try to do something different every year.  Most of the time it does actually resemble a tree, but this time we are trying a fresh approach.  What do you think?

I had my birthday this past weekend, squeezed in between the two groups of friends, and I had a wonderful day with my family at the Aprons and Hammers Restaurant last Friday.  The weather is absolutely perfect this time of year so we really enjoyed our Al fresco seafood lunch.

Ever since I wrote this article about Mielie, I wanted to own a Mielie handbag.  Unfortunately I live far away from the lovely Mielie people down in Cape Town, so I just kept on admiring their work from afar.  Until last week.  I attended a gathering of the South African Women's Association here in Dubai and there was a lady selling Mielie products!  This bag had my name on it - I could not let it pass me by.  So I bought myself a Mielie birthday gift.  Isn't it gorgeous?

What does December look like where you are?

Leaving 2010 with a bang!

Before 2011 runs away with us, let me show you how we spent our Christmas and New Year holiday.

We had a house full of South African family visiting us in Dubai. How wonderful to have a family Christmas holiday at home! Yes, after 6 years in Dubai, this is home. It was really special to share all the wonders of this city and country with our family.

we spoiled my in-laws (and ourselves) with a night at Bab Al Shams

and then when the rest of the family (my sister-in-law with her husband and 2 children and my brother) arrived, we spent 2 absolutely awesome days on a dhow in the Arabian Gulf

Christmas lunch around our dining room table was a heart-warming affair. It was the first time our dining room table was surrounded by 12 family members!

On the 26th we decided to reach new heights on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa,

after which we had an al fresco dinner on the promenade facing the fountain...

My in-laws left the next day, so the younger generation spend the day at Atlantis, the Palm

The day ended tired but happy with a beautiful view of Dubai from the Palm crescent.

And of course the year had to end away from all the glitz and glamour in the desert.

New Year's eve in the desert, around a camp-fire, with family. Can it get any better?

Only if you can watch the Burj Khalifa fireworks from the desert...

Happy New Year!!

May 2011 be a blessed and joyful affair

Christmas Wreaths

This will be my last post for 2009.

We plan to spend Christmas and New Year in Thailand so the next few days will be very busy.

What better way to end the year and wish everybody a blessed Christmas time than with a collection of wreaths. I love wreaths. It is such a great way to welcome friends, family and good vibes into your home.

Enjoy

A great way to use leftover ribbing or recycled sweaters.

From Betz White

via Craftzine

For those of us in the warmer climates, a wreath that keeps on growing

even after the holiday season is over.

From Kraken Crafts

via Craftster

Fresh radishes! The ideal colour combination for Christmas.
From Sunset

via Craftzine

What to do with all the old magazines lying around the house?
How about a modern rolled paper wreath?
From Ragandbone

via Craftzine

Ideal for a crafter/seamstress/quilter with loads of leftover fabric scraps.

From Lindamade

via Craftzine

We've all seen the little felted balls in the craftshops and wonderded what to do with them.

Well, why not make a colourful wreath?

From Pickles

via OnePrettyThing

For a splash of colour and creativity make a wreath from canvas and buttons>
From Alisa Burke

via OnePrettyThing

My favourite!
From Sappymoosetree
via Craftzine


Felt rosettes - beautiful in white, but multicoloured would by great too...
From domestifluff
via OnePrettyThing

Loads of sweets over from Halloween? Why not make a wreath?
From Skip to my Lou via OnePrettyThing


May you all have a blessed and loving Christmas and holiday.
Have lots of fun and laughter,
but let us not forget what Christmas is really all about:
"Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you:
he is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas!