Damn you, Christmas! 1*

So, I spent last November to May with minimal work, and Mr B has not been working for the last 18 months. This has been less than financially optimal, I calculated how much money we were down over the period: it was a Very Distressing Sum. Happily I charge such an egregious amount for my services that we've been able to keep going without too much stress, but I have been Making Economies.

And, being a crafty type, I thought to myself: why spend a fortune on gifts when I can make them!?

Which is why, a week from Christmas, I have a huge pile of gifts to finish making and a massive blister from hot glue on my thumb. Cold water really does work, though: three hours of alternating water and ice packs last night shrank the size of the blister by about 60%.

I am SEWING the rest of the gifts. Maybe a spot of knitting.

And if you are not in Australia or New Zealand and are yet one of the few people I have been organised enough to get a card to (a ridiculously small number, sorry!), let us pretend we are Italian and Christmas goes through until 12th night, at which point La Belfana will arrive and clean our houses!


* It's ever so likely there'll be a 2 …