It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

Or is it?

Is it just me or does anyone else find these "Inflatable Santas" utterly ridiculous?

Apologies to all the lovers of a Fat Floating Father Christmas - harsh, I know.

 But what is the point in having a festive icon 

loll about drunkenly out the front of every store?? 

I know I sound like Frasier Crane but honestly... Where's the dignity?

I try not to post anything negative on my blog so I 

do apologise for the critical tone.

 In my defense though...

I have seen toddlers run screaming from these monstrous balloon like creatures!

Anyhoo - on a more upbeat tone...

Summer is here!

(apart from the spectacular electrical storm that Perth saw today... Global warming?)

And it is officially HOT!

Saturday and Sunday were a nasty reminder of just how serious Mr Sun gets around here.

We had the evaporative air conditioning on all weekend and still the sweat poured...

I have to keep the bamboo blinds down on the front patio

(for fear of cooking things in the kitchen without a stove)

 I've exchanged all closed shoes with sandals...

and all denim or wool with cotton and linen!

Too hot to garden - so attention is drawn to a bit of decorating...

... a bit of arranging...

... and LOADS of eating. 

I thought I ate more in Winter but truth be told - I eat a lot all the time.

Pictured above: A cheesy-mite scroll - to quote Dorcas Lane from Lark Rise to Candleford - 

"Cheesy-mite scrolls are my one weakness"

Our vegetable/herb patch is looking rather disappointing I must say.

All this wet weather has had the snail & slug numbers increasing.

Still ... we do see some promise in the tomato department.

Yesterday Hubby and I jaunted off to do the last of our Christmas shopping

(All done now! Yay!)

We finished off in Fremantle where the town is hosting the World Sailing Championships.

Cor Blimey! - I said that when I saw all the sail boats lined up on the lawn.

Looked odd seeing so many boats outside of the water.

The atmosphere in Freo is buzzing and although the weather was 

how shall we put it.... sticky ... we had great success gift hunting and I do believe there

ought to be some rather chuffed family members this year.

How has your Christmas shopping gone this year peoples?

I have made a pact with myself ... 

Next year EVERYTHING I give will

be handmade or purchased from

 Etsy/Made-it/Big Cartel etc - where some other great talent will be shared and gifted.

Can it be done?

Can I overcome a silly insecurity that calls me to the stores to 

purchase "worthier" and "more exciting" gifts 

than those I can make myself? 

I'm not sure - but I'd sure like to give it my best shot.

I'd even like to go so far as to gift my own art.

This will require quite an increase in confidence I'm certain.

Somehow that little voice still creeps in and says

"Oooh... but maybe it's not to their taste, maybe they'll hate it, maybe..

maybe... maybe...

****

Tell me what you think?

(and be brutal)

Would you mind receiving art that you have not chosen?

Is it a grey zone?

What if the art were say... small photographs? 

(small photographs of small things? - Can you tell I'm not confident enough to give anyone

a large piece of canvas art?) 

A homage to Slinkachu and Michael Paul Smith perhaps?

Mr Plod - who's spectacles have gone missing - leading to the arrest

of a plant for indecent exposure?

Or perhaps Katie - who has had her heart broken 

by Patrick - the juggler from the circus.

Or even Charles & Patricia - celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary - still as in love today as the day they first met (and decided life without each other would simply not suffice)

What say you peoples? 

I'm thinking tiny little images - perhaps in lockets?

Picture on one side and story on the other?