My 2015 Christmas and Secret Santa's!

This year I decided to participate in 2 online Secret Santas!

Firstly is the Sew Retro Rose's Lovely Ladies Secret Santa. I believe this one was only open to those of us who have participated in Sew Retro Rose's Sew-Alongs in the past. I was matched with a lady in America, who I sent a few Enid Gilchrist books, a Vintage Dress Pattern, some Australian Animal printed cotton and a few other bits and pieces to. I used Beccie's address as the sender, so she still doesn't know who it was from. Just call me Secret Santa Ninja!

At first I thought this one was my Chronically Vintage Secret Santa, but the lady who sent it contacted me on Instagram to let me know it was the Sew Retro Rose one. The gift I received from this Secret Santa left me speechless. She had put so much thought into my present, I cried a little. Firstly, remember how excited I was to get my first Erstwilder brooch a few weeks ago? Well now, not only do I have my Second one, IT IS A CAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Secondly, I'm not sure if I have ever mentioned this on my blog, or even on Facebook, but for some years, I have been searching for Christmas themed fabric with cats on it. There always seems to be plenty of dogs (there was one at Spotlight with dogs and cats, but not just cats) and lately a lot of owls, but I have not been able to find Christmas Cat fabric, at least not any within my budget. Well guess what I have now. Secret Santa, I don't know how you knew, but Thank you! I have already been trying to think of what I am going to make from it for next year's Christmas Outfit.

Now if that wasn't enough, I was also privileged enough to get some great notions as well. 3 cute little black cat buttons, a Cheshire cat button, a vintage cat appliqué and a set of 2 cat eyes and a nose for making a stuffed toy.

But wait, there's more! Turns out my Secret Santa is a Lilyann consultant, and she put together an awesome charm necklace for me. The charms she included are a paw, a cat, a charm that says I love my cat and a sewing machine!

Now at this point I was already feeling incredibly blessed, but then I received my Chronically Vintage Secret Santa gift and it didn't disappoint. The package contained a good length of gorgeous printed cotton, a handful of cream buttons and a Vintage dress pattern from 1959, that while it was not in my size (the sender was apologetic about that) it was in a 38" bust, so is still quite a few sizes larger than I usually grade from, so grading it up will be a breeze. 

I can't wait to have a chance to sew something from all of it (although probably not all in the one dress) I love participating in these Secret Santas, as the presents are always so well thought out. You may remember my Sew Retro Rose Secret Santa gift from last year that I made my first skirt for 2015 from.

I also got a quite a few lovely gifts from my friends and family, the highlight of which would have to be this Vintage Holly Hobbie sewing machine from my dad

I also got a few home journals and vintage patterns, perfume, jewellery, a handbag and much more

We had a fabulous family Christmas feast at our house, with most of the food cooked from scratch by myself. Even the jelly for the trifle was made from scratch with vegetarian jel-it-in, sugar, flavour and food colourings. Due to circumstances out of our control we have our Christmas meal on Christmas eve, and MOST of the family respect that, but each year there is always someone who has to be an inconsiderate ass, but I guess that's every family, right?

So today is being spent doing nothing particularly important and drinking wine (and waiting to go home)

Merry Christmas everyone.

Dixie