Another year has ended and a new one has begun.

I thought it might be time for another blog post. Christmas and the New Year have come and gone. We had a quiet one this year. We stayed at home and were joined by my parents, who came over from Holland to be with us. It always is a different experience celebrating the holidays with my folks, in Holland Christmas isn't celebrated the same way it is over here. It's a much more quiet and sedate kind of affair. No presents are given at Christmas in Holland, that is what they have Sinterklaas (St Nicolas) for, on the 6th of December, although Sinterklaas is all about giving presents to the children in the household.

The best thing about Christmas this year was that I got to spend some more time with my mum in particular. I miss her a lot and it had been over a year since I last saw her. Of course we talk on the phone and email each other a lot but it's not the same as having her stand next to me as I'm trying to make my first batch of Italian gelato :o). Well, the in-laws gave me an Ice Cream Maker for Christmas so it had to be tried out. Okay that first batch didn't quite live up to expectations, the flavour was there but the texture left a lot to be desired. My second batch, chocolate gelato was much better, great chocolate flavour and the right consistency. Heaven in a frozen desert!

Since the New Year I have been busy doing some more sewing. I got commissioned to make a grooming bag for an acquaintance. She wanted a bag that was big enough for all her dog grooming tools and sprays and what I came up with turned out pretty nice. I went for a subtle quilted look, that helped the bag keep it's shape. The end result was bigger than anticipated so I decided to add a detachable shoulder strap to the bag. The lady I made the bag for is over the moon with her new bag.

I've also been thinking about dog showing and in trying to find a solution to my exhibitors number clip problem. Basically when I show my dogs I use a Belgian Shepherd Dog number clip, it's a gold coloured metal clip I pin to the front of my jacket and then clip the exhibitors number card to it to wear in the ring. Unfortunately when I run the card gets turned around or mangled so that I always have to fiddle with it to get it to show the number printed on it. I was thinking that it would be a lot easier I could display the number on my arm. Of course you can get those plastic ID armbands, but lets face they look cheap, nasty and they are really boring. So I came up with this pretty black and white rose design, for my fancy armband clip.

I went to an open dog show this past weekend and tried out my design there. My fear was that the armband wouldn't stay put when running around the ring. My fears proved to be unnecessary I put the armband on and it didn't move until I removed it after I finished showing. I had a lot of interest in my armband exhibitor number clip/ holder and I came away with a request to make another one on commission. 

Better still were the results, our puppy Seina won the puppy class and was Best Puppy in Breed. Not bad for her second show! Seina is seen here on the right, next to her Aunty Savannah. I was very pleased with this result. I feel she thoroughly deserved the win, she behaved beautifully, letting the judge look at her teeth without any fuss. She stood still while he ran his hands over the rest of her body to assess her construction and then looked alert and stood like a little pro when it mattered.  Ebony, Seina's sister came away with a  third place in the puppy class. Which I was very pleased about, considering Ebony hasn't done a lot of show training and her mum is pretty new to the whole showing thing. Luna, Seina's mum came 2nd in the open class. We are now looking forward to the next show in the middle of February, which gives us another chance to practise for Crufts in March.