the penultimate, penultimate christmas tour post [ probably ]

... and I have to address one of the recent comments:
OzJane asked about the current whereabouts of the sumptuous set of superfluffy cream hand towel / face washer with embroidered Christmas motifs that she gave me mid year, and I have to 'fess up. I was hoping to avoid this but there's no way 'round it.
Y'see, the collection of such things was lovingly and artistically laid out in the main bathroom with a red hand-towel-with-teddy actually over the towel rail - red being a more visitor friendly colour than the cream.
Cue the first visit of the festive season by a small person and the immediate consumption of the obligatory Catsmum offering of a striped candy cane and the ensuing sticky fingers and face. When the attending adult requested a hand towel, I, assuming the presence of well developed powers of ESP, called out "It's okay, they're there to be used " , thinking she'd grab the red one.
wrong
and don't panic, it has come through the wash unscathed but was out of commission when the pic was taken.
Also on the bathroom post, one of my relatives found it necessary to comment on David's choice of aftershave. Basically if people are nice enough to give it to him, he's gonna wear it and quite likes it.
... and the final comment-worthy comment, which caused high hilarity here at the House-Of-Many-Animals-And-Much-Dust, otherwise known as Chez Catsmum, was WartyMammal's plaintive assertion that my house was soooooo clean
Girl, you should investigate the possibilty of a career in stand-up comedy ... you so funny !! :] !!

... and it just shows you how good I am with the creative camera angles!!

back later today with the penultimate post containing the kitchen photos - because the camera has expressed a need for some recharging

Day whatever-it-is of the Christmas House Tour '08

Today I'm going to drag you at lightning speed through the rest of the bedrooms:
This is Nadie's room when she's up here and it's normally blue, purple and turquoise. As I don't actually have a spare Queen sized Christmas quilt, I've settled for one of the winter ones which is backed in burgundy print flannel, and it's just on the bed backing side up, paired with green and cream bedding and a couple of lengths of japanese fabric wrapped around the cushions. The quilt over her bed has morphed into a child's red kimono, accompanied by the two painted geisha tiles that my friends, Terry G and Nic S, jointly gave me for my last big-O berfday. The tree is simply silver and is surrounded by a small hug of bears. ... next to that, the Log Cabin Xmas Tree quilt hangs over her mahogany chest.

... and now we've moved on to MissC's room.
I've used the 'quilt with a burgundy backing upside down' tactic in here as well, and folded the Log Cabin quilt across the end of the bed.

There are several hugs of bears in here as well, although I didn't pile them all on the bed as I have in the past. The reason for the change was mainly to do with the position of the bed ... when it was against the wall, I could line up a lot more bears without danger of MissC knocking too many off. You could always refer to that picture of MissC in the sidebar under 'Santa's Little Helpers'.
It did look better when they were all piled on there together but I wasn't going to move the bed just so's the bears could socialise a bit more easily. In any case, the constant chat was keeping MissC awake and she gets cranky enough without missing her beauty sleep.


David's room is the only one in the house where tinsel is allowed and even embraced. He also has a few small Christmas wallhangings in the bright reds and greens of the mid 80s [ which may be too dated for the rest of the house but I don't think David minds ] and a couple of those tabletop trees but I hope you'll understand why, for reasons of his privacy, this is all you're going to see

tomorrow: the kitchen and then we'll finish up in the rumpus room.

bears in there

and we're up to the guest bathroom:


which is not all that different from last year ... swag, snowflakes, bear figurines, towels in seasonally appropriate colours ... although looking at that post again made me realise that I hadn't brought out the white Christmas tree soap dispenser. Better do that after I publish this.mmm perhaps I'd better break out the silver polish

... and following on from the final statement on last year's bathroom post:
I actually saw some good quality, tasteful Christmas themed loo paper at the supermarket last weekend, but at $9 a roll ? I think I'll stay with the plain, white, quilted 3ply.

After all, as RoseRed said, it'd be a shame if I ever went overboard!


ornament attrition by cats - 0
ornament attrition by dog - 1

ornament attrition undetermined - 1

and I have noticed that certain other bloggers [ Sheepie I'm looking at you girl ] are also keeping an ornament count so we may be able to come up with some meaningful, and potentially earth shattering, statistics by the end of the Christmas season. Because, y'know people, this is important stuff.

the Great Caprine Caper

Guess who just got home from town to find four goaty girls happily scoffing the remains of my garden ??
Ever tried to wrangle four goats in fast fading light when two of the Harriet Houdinis have also managed to shed their collars ?
and no, there are no photos ... I was too busy rounding 'em up ... this involved [wo]man handling the smallest one into the pen by putting her in a headlock and dragging, and then trying to hang onto the two that DID still have collars - while 60 kilos and aound 90 kilos of goat tried to head in two different directions and neither of them the way I wanted them to go - and then as I waited for the feeling to return to my hand and wrist, Lady Fortune smiled upon me. I grabbed up a colander of feed and Renegade Robbyn who is historically the hardest to catch, trotted happily into the paddock with minimal fuss.
Just time for a quick scouting of the perimeter followed by a temporary fix on the fence they'd demolished and by that time it was full dark so I'm fairly glad that I didn't get home ten minutes later.

Day 4 and she's still in the same room!

This little tree wallhanging was one I designed - I used to have to come up with something new each Christmas to keep my regular students happy and it was always great fun deciding what the annual project would be
and we'll just pretend that you can't see my stash of spare frames under the coffee table, okay ?

So it's Day 3 of the Christmas House Tour '08 ...

and we're at the other end of the same room as yesterday
so we'll start off with the tree which is all in silver, glass and crystal. I didn't put the lights on this year because of the puppy, and it looks a bit bare but still elegant I hope, except for that rather unfortunate empty space straight through the middle. I've never noticed it before ... maybe I'll have to tweak a few more branches.

Those boxes piled at the base may just look decorative but they do actually serve a couple of purposes.
During the year some of the decorations are stored in them [ and that big burgundy one at the front holds the Christmas cards that I still haven't found time to write ... hangs head in shame ... a bit ]
You may think that I've just stacked them there under the lower branches to be extra decoration but it is in fact all part of my cunning plan, m'lord [ apologies to Baldrick ]
They are, in point of fact, a physical barrier designed to foil the tree denuding plans of certain four-footed guerrillas.


If we move slightly to the right, here's my mum's early 20th century oak buffet:
an 1870s Christening gown and mum's wedding dress serve as 'bookends' to a grouping of naive Saint Nicks, cranberries, the silver teaset, my redwork stitcheries and some of my miniature quiltsFor some bizarre and unknown reason, this has become Bear's new favourite napping spot. [ note the dried pig ear he has so thoughtfully added to the decorations ... can't say he isn't a helper ]
As always, if there's anything that you'd like a closer look at, you have but to leave a comment!

and IT IS RAINING!!!
always an occasion worthy of note

I'm about to drive out to the other side of Bendigo [ 50 km or so ] for my second Christmas breakup of the day, so I will be driving carefully, I promise
and I may just leave you there until tomorrow

Up at the crack of dawn ... and day 2 of the great Christmas House Tour of 08

There we were, David and I, up at some ungodly hour - for a Sunday - so that we could be in town for a quick choir rehearsal before braving the crowds intent on snagging the best bargains at the last Midland Market before Christmas.
not to shop
to sing
I think everyone was pretty well resigned to the possibility that the majority of our "audience" might keep on shopping / ignore our vocal offerings, and some did ... but an equal or greater number stopped, and propped, to listen to some or all of our set.
Of course there were the odd, ill mannered few who decided to barge through where we were standing [ on one of the walkways leading from the historic Castlemaine Market Building ] rather than go a few feet further around ... and I suspect one or two of them were totally oblivious of the fact that they were pushing through a choir. Some knew perfectly well what they were doing and chose to do it anyway. Such is the single mindedness of the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy!
Anyway we did 10 songs, none of which were what you could call traditional Christmas music, although there was a definite thread running through the choices - peace, justice and the joy of vocalising ... in 3 part harmony.

Two were indigenous pieces:
a Torres Strait Island 'Allelujia'
and the anthem,'Yil Lul' [ which means we sing ]
We also did Cat Stevens' classic 'Peace Train', a happy little piece called 'Sing,Sing' and Kavisha Mazzella's wonderful 'All God's Beggars', as well as repeating all of the repertoire from the Peace Concert.

so that's that

and moving on to day 2 of the house tour, we are now in my workspace:

which the architect mistakenly thought was the living room
Silly beggar... my house so I get to decide how the spaces are used
This has to remain a functioning studio space so the decorating is done with that constraint in mind.
This is the first time in decades that I haven't put all that blue china, up the top there, away ... mmm ... I think next year I'll go back to stashing it, but at this stage of the game they can probably stay there for this year.so, ignoring that flash of blue, a collection of vintage Christmas postcards keeping my sheep tape measures company
rustic santas and a beautiful Heartwood Creek angel given to me by my friend Raelene
nativity sets
Marc made several of the rustic stables from old fence palings.
My mum and Dad bought this little printed card nativity their first Christmas together as a married couple, and I happen to know that this was all they could afford. It has picked up the odd crease along the way but don't you think it's holding up remarkably well considering that it's been used every single solitary Christmas since 1950 ? I just love it, and while I'd appreciate the style and graphics if I found it at at some antique fair, it's the history that makes this special. Nadie take note !!
The other one is an Italian one I found a few years ago, and any librarians amongst you should have no trouble identifying the picture bookLong shot down the room: You can see next year's Christmas quilt on the board... it may well be the year after that's as well. I think I started sewing those strips together about 2003 and unearthed it again a couple of weeks ago.
If you look over near the window you can see that the ironing board still hasn't been moved - and probably won't - and while the table remains bare of the sewing machines that got relocated for the luncheon last Tuesday, as I have absolutely no intention of doing without them for a month, they'll be back on the table tomorrow. Or tonight.

House Tour Day 1

This year I'm starting at the opposite end of the house from last year.
and if I get my timing right, we'll end up at the rumpus room just in time for BooMama's House Tour on the 15th.
So
this is my bedroom, which goes slightly Victorian, slightly shabby chic for Christmas.
There's a lot of cream stuff, silver, crystal [ and glass and plastic pretending to be crystal ] and lace, some touches of burgundy against the backdrop of the green walls. Bedlinen gets changed for burgundy - although still with cream lace for the top layer of pillows - and even though you can't see it, I know it's there!!


There are hunter green-and-burgundy plaid bows tied in strategic places, like on my gooseneck bedside light.**
and see - I told you - burgundy sheets

Of course there's a tree - and because it's my room - it has vintage bell knitting needle gauges, an ivory needle case, antique silver [and not-so-antique-nor-silver ] scissors, although I've left the bellydance coins off this year.



It would be fair to say that it's not overtly Christmassy but I just lovelovelove waking up in this room all through December ... which is kinda weird because I'm not normally a frilly girlie girl

**Actually this is an official Catsmum Christmas Decorating Rule : if it sits still long enough, tie a big bow on it. This applies equally to light fittings and fixtures, chairs, corners of tablecloths, bed ends, cats, dogs, goats and visitors.

and:
current ornament attrition by cats - 0
current ornament attrition by dog - 1 ... and dogs don't just knock 'em off the tree. They EAT 'em!

The Princess Diary

Tuesday lunchtime saw the arrival of Purl's Princesses, and the Patchwork Princesses - half of whom are in the PP knitting group anyway - augmented by Sarah our one representative of the evening knitting group who was brave enough to front up on the assumption that we probably wouldn't turn out to be axe wielding wackos.

The house was [reasonably] clean and the decorations were in place. The 'table' was my three work tables pushed together, covered with two cloths because I don't currently own one that's 13-14 foot long and I'd hauled out the good silver, china, and crystalware because one should treat princesses in the manner to which they are surely accustomed ... or so I would like to think.

There was massive amounts of food, a liberal application of champers and/or lemon, lime & bittersleft to right:Marg, Fay, Robyne, Jeanette and a some of Ann
Left to right: Fay, Robyne, Jeanette, Ann, the tip of Liz's nose, Sarah, Zoe and young Nyla ... the black clad arms belong to Nyla's nanna, Maggie whom I managed somehow not to photograph along with Alison. The only evidence of Alison's presence is this armand a ring-in who was very well behaved, unlike Bear who got a little overexcited and had to be banished outside with a plate of chicken

There were pressies, goat appreciation, and a mass invasion of PND's place to see yet more goats and sample his wonderful homemade goat cheese.
There was Christmas music, chat and good cheer
and David's plum puds were duly consumed with great gusto
As is the wont of such happenings, it all went by in a woosh ...

far too fast
AND I'd forgotten to put on my tiara !

at the end I was left with enough food to keep D and I going for the forseeable future and a mountain of dishes, silver and crystal to be washed and put away
and don't get me wrong
the girls offered to help clean up but I declined.
I need the washing, drying and putting away time to myself to de-hyper and process the occasion.

had a lovely luncheon yesterday

obviously ate something I shouldn't

migraine
bucket
couch

proper report later

Mini Christmas Puddings

... and so it begins
The Christmas china is out - well, the mugs have been in use for a couple of weeks now but the rest came out this morning.

Nothing like having your porridge [ oatmeal ] in a seasonally appropriate bowl

This afternoon, David and I got stuck into the first of the edibles:
namely the mini Christmas puds...
the simplest Christmas 'recipe' ever

and just in case there's a deprived individual out there who's never had these yummy little comestibles, here's the 'how-to':

First drive or walk to the supermarket and buy the cheapest no-name generic brand Light Fruit Cake, 200 -250 grams of white cooking chocolate and some glace cherries ...
every year I put the leftover cherries up the top of the pantry in some sort of sealed container and the following December I inspect the remains, determine that they aren't fit for human consumption and go buy more. So if you need any you know where to find 'em.

Once you're home again, clear the decks, and assemble a sharp knife and a mixing bowl. Oh, and a half cup measuring cup.
Okay?
The first bit's sooooooooooo difficult :]
open the package and crumble the cake into the bowl


Add a half cup [ imperial ] of orange juice, brandy or a half/half mixture of the two. Mush it up well.
Around here it's juice because I'm too cheap to go out and buy a bottle of plonk that I won't drink when OJ does just as well

Roll into small balls - maybe an inch in diameter

pop into the fridge for half an hour or so to firm up

when you're ready to proceed, chop the glace cherries [ red and green ] into very very small pieces
This is the fiddly bit and also where I take over for obvious reasons
Then melt the white chocolate gently in the microwave or over a double boiler

Now you have to move fast before it sets again
Drizzle a small amount on top of your puds and place one red and two green cherry pieces on top [ it's supposed to look like holly ]

I'd strongly recommend doing them in batches of about a dozen at a time unless you are superhumanly fast !

I've also seen these done with white icing [ frosting] instead of the chocolate but I like the choc ones best

Anyway that's it. Done !

Awooga! Awooga! This is not a drill !

Some of you are familiar with my friend Sheepish Annie and her occasional co-bloggers Rational Mind and Hysterical Mind, or RM and HM as we Sheepie cognoscenti prefer to call 'em.
I have never claimed to have either a RM or HM
what I do have
normally
are my own teeny tiny 'inner voices'

Ms Restraint and Ms Goodtaste
whom I keep tied up in the attic

but tomorrow is December 1st and so Ms Restraint is off her leash and about to depart on her annual vacances.

tomorrow we move into full-on Catsmum Christmas mode [ if you weren't around last year you may want to check the December '07 archives ]

Restraint has left the building
I think she's left the state
She's probably halfway to Maine as we speak

I've still got Ms Goodtaste hogtied, blindfolded and stuffed in a suitcase so that she can't similarly flee the scene, but there are no guarantees.

you have been warned