Ho Ho Ho and similar sentiments

Phew. Ok, so it's a day early, but with the Australia Post strike debacle, I think I can officially call the Georgie Love Christmas rush over. I am pooped, disheveled, sleepy and satisfied. It's like a race to be run, a little bit more, a little bit more, push and then you are done and it's a good feeling, but I am ready for the well earned break. Tomorrow is going to be a hardcore cleaning and tidy and pack day and then we are hitting the road for Christmas with the family.

Is this my Christmas sign-off? I had so many different things to type about lately, but just not the time, energy or inclination. Maybe with a bit of breathing space I will get back into the groove. I am happy, it's been an odd little year, but I think we are coming out at the end of it on the top side of things. Lots planned for 2010, so it's going to be excitiing.

I HAD LUNCH with a trio of lovely ladies today, and let me tell you, I have some lovely ladies in my life, but these girls are up there. Smart, funny, generous and gorgeous. More please, which sounds sleazy and I don't mean that at all, but I mean, you know - more good people in my life is good. I am lucky, I have only met the best people through Georgie Love and blogland.

Ok, so YOU if you are reading this, I say sincerely to you: Have a great Christmas. And if Christmas is irrelevant to you, then have a great holiday season. I have my fingers crossed that 2010 is a brilliant year for you. Because seriously, the best is yet to come, you just have to wait and see. Much love!

(*sorry, that photo of Georgie and I is like three years old, but it WAS taken at Christmas time and is the most Christmassy photo I could find of us and as I am wearing pj pants and a skanky t-shirt, now is not the time for the Christmas photos. Sentiments are the same nonetheless! And dang that was a good haircut for me, I had my haircut last week, but it's a GROWING MY HAIR OUT haircut and is less than spectacular, awkward even)

Happy

(happy despite the dentist telling me today that I have 4 compacted wisdom teeth that need removing. DAMN)

head like a hole

Living in the semi-bush like we do, wandering down, down the stairs (it's three levels, so from the bedrooms it's two levels down), one can encounter all sort of wild and revolting creature wandering about in the kitchen and or laundry (did I ever tell you about the time I walked in on a massive daddy-long-legs and smallish scorpion that were having a fight MID AIR in the laundry? I am assuming because it was mid air, the daddy was in the lead. However I left them to it and found neither again, so who knows who the final champion was. So if you have ever wandered who WOULD WIN in a fight between those two creatures - we still have no answer).

This morning there was something on the side of the sink and I thought to myself "what the F&*K is that" (note: in my head, no censoring), something brown, beady and crusty. I watched and blew on it, no movement. After a few minutes of deliberation I finally figured out that was a bit off the top of some pate (you know with the peppercorns and jelly stuff) that we had for dinner last night. So safe to touch and wash down the sink.

The reason I have a Nine Inch Nails cover to illustrate this story is that on more than one occassion I have FOUND those massive centipedes in our laundry sink (which I just accidentally typed as sick), and they are REVOLTING. They make me gag as they are just horrible looking things of nightmares. But every time I see one, I do think of Nine Inch Nails, which is neither a good or bad thing. Just neutral.

Oh also here is a community service announcement for this morning, do not EVER do a google image search for "centipedes", unless you want to revisit the honey on rye toast you had for breakfast.


[EDITED TO SAY: up-sides of living in the semi-rural, kangaroos in the backyard, peacocks who visit, owls at night, goats, sheep, chickens and ducks, parrots, black cockatoos, trees and never hearing a peep from the neighbours who aren't on top of us]

Christmas Wrapping with Georgie Love

Someone reminded me about this post I did last year, which is OH-SO-USEFUL a tip for you, and so regular a feature at any Christmas or Birthday in family, that I think everyone is sick of it. BUT, IT WORKS and is a brilliant time saver, particularly when you have way too many gifts to wrap and zero motivation. Because despite my NON-STOP DOING all day every day, I am secretly incredibly lazy. So if you missed it the first time, here it is again:

__________________________________________________

Can I tell you a secret? I wrap stuff every day for Georgie Love. All packages come gift wrapped in some form or another (I change it and mix it up according to materials and inspiration). I like playing with colour and thinking of nice ways to wrap stuff, because to begin with, I was not very good. I am certainly not spectacularly great, but I am ok, if not a little lazy. I have a lot to do, so I genuinely have it down pat - quick, easy, not too elaborate. I like it when stuff I order is gift wrapped, so I do it for Georgie Love.


If people have special request - I happily oblige, gift cards, notes, Christmas wrapping. If you want it done in a certain way, you only need ask. (Christmas Paper this year courtesy of BEC - thank you Bec!)

Here's the secret part - it's Christmas and I am now officially SO OVER wrapping, so I really don't want to (can't be bothered) wrap presents for our family and friends. I have done TONS already and I think I should be exempt. I have never been a joyful wrapper and I have been looking at folkses blogs who love wrapping and get real joy out of it. A few years ago, I devised an INGENIOUS plan on how to wrap presents for the family. Note: this plan will only work if you have either a) pets or b) very small children. I am now going to share this hot tip with you.

I tell people that Georgie wraps their presents. It's incredibly lazy, quick and sort of cute (sort of). And this is how I do it.


1. Get all your supplies together before you begin. Pick your paper. You can choose either fancy Christmas paper, or newspaper, brown paper etc.


2. Place your present in the centre of the paper, as demonstrated


3. Pretend you were either born without fingers or any manual dexterity and in a haphazard fashion SCRUNCH (this is a very important technique to master) the paper around the gift.


4. Using your tape (or if advanced/confident, you could use string, wool or thread as well, but the technique remains the same) secure the paper to the object by wrapping around and around the gift in a sloppy zig-zag fashion.


5. The end result should look something like this.


6. To really "jazz" up your gift, add ribbons, bows, glitter, stickers, whatever you have handy. The more the better. And if your items clash or are the wrong season - fantastic. Your gift is now ready.


7. For the final touch, write a thoughful handwritten note to attach to your present.


8. Final result. Simple. Effective. Memorable. There will be nothing else like this under the tree.

When giving the gift, make sure (this is essential) that you make a big deal about how Georgie (insert your pet or young child's name here) went to the shop and chose the gift especially for them and wrapped it ALL BY THEMSELVES. AREN'T THEY CLEVER!

Please note that this skilled wrapping technique can be applied to Birthdays and anytime gifts as well, it's not just limited to Christmas.

upsides

Something I have never told you is that I LOVE Juliette Lewis. LOVE. Gosh this is happy-making for me.


I mean, haven't you seen? Adorable!

Ok, so I wrote a whole page of HOT AND NOT and I am sad to say that I just can't do it. Not to say that there isn't great and shit things going on at the moment, every day is a mixed bag of both, but writing about all the things that are a downer (Rubes new nasty cold, tiredness, mysterious aches and pains, long days, not enough sleep, messy house, dreary days at the University) is just a downer. Even when balanced with the good stuff (holidays, haircuts, yoga, reading, time with friends, Christmas) It makes me tired just to sit there and acknowledge it and write it down.

Hm.



Anyway, I've spoken before about my love for Neko Case and she is touring Melb on 14 or 15 Jan. I am going I have decided, I missed the last tour but I SHALL NOT miss this one. DrMr will stay home and look after Rubes (pity), but do you want to come?

Putting lots of new things on Georgie Love, still in time for Christmas. I have always been a big, big fan of Trove's beautiful pieces, they are perfectly made, absolutely beautiful and affordable. Maker Brooke is also one of the loveliest artists I know and it's a joy to work with her. I don't usually wear earrings as I have short hair (but it's growing) and I think they look weird on me, but I am SO tempted by these earrings, I think they are just stunning. Ack. They just look glossy black, but there is all this texture and sparkle underneath it. Photos don't do it justice. I am hoping that someone doesn't buy them before I cave in and put them away for me!

Love!

I LOVE these, they are just wonderful and I had bought a few creatures from Little Black Crow a long, long time before they ever made their way to Georgie Love. Am a big fan and I just put 10 more little folk in the shop. I love William the elephant's festive little outfit and ears!

MOST AWESOME THING EVER

Ok, I just sent one to DrMr to tell him he was naughty and going to get poo in a bag for Christmas, but if you have a LITTLE ONE who is DESPERATE to speak to Santa, this iS AWESOME. It's a personalised video from Santa, you put in their name, add some details and a photo and then it's sent to them to watch. LOVE!

Am desperately trying to think of who else is getting poo in a bag from Santa.

Perfect for Movember.

All my letters to you shall now be in beard font.

(here via here)

not the update I intended.

It's all quiet on the Sal-front. I have spent the past week or so feeling like I am pushing a boulder up hill. It's all huffing and puffing and all this extra work, for no outcome. UGH. Tedious and frustrating, too much paperwork, things breaking down and needing fixing, talking to people on the telephone and distractions. But we will get there. Of course we will. It's all these little niggly things to take care of. I don't cry when I am sad, I cry when I am frustrated and talking to Telstra yesterday HAD ME IN FRUSTRATED TEARS at the end and I DON'T EVEN HAVE AN ACCOUNT WITH THEM, IN FACT THEY OWE ME $80.70 AND HAVE FOR A YEAR AND THIS WAS MY FIFTH CALL TRYING TO GET THEM TO SEND ME A CHEQUE REFUND. They even acknowledge that they owe me money. ARGH.

Anyway, DrMr, Rubes and I are all good otherwise. The little nest of us is happy.

Yesterday Rubes and I spent the morning in Monbulk, cause it's close to home and quite lovely there, very relaxed and a non-touristy part of the hills with a couple of sweet cafes and quirky (not in a cool sense) shops. It even has three op-shops and my favourite (and I am telling you a big secret here) is the Monbulk Primary School one, which is a little out of the way of the main street, but it's gold. It's an absolute mess, but all books, all of them, all hard covers, kid's books, cook books, craft books etc are 10 cents. A bag of ladies clothes is $5.00. It's cheap and full of good stuff. They have some excellent vintage shoes, but whenever I visit, I have a babe on my hip and am only limited to what I can carry (seriously, you wouldn't want to put anything on the floor in there). I am seriously tempted to open an etsy store with just finds from the store (mostly books for me).

(oh yeah, that lovely picture is by Kristen Vestgard)