Wrapping Up September

Hello friends, we're in the last few days of September already! We've just had a great weekend weather wise, it was quite warm yesterday.  Glenn and I have been super productive outside and over the past two weekends, we were able to get some trees cut down and cleared away, eight huge loads of green waste taken to our local dumping station. Wow, I was so tired and worn out at the end of the day! Some other outside jobs have also been ticked off the list - vegetable gardens prepped for seedlings to be planted, the greenhouse tidied up, outside house windows washed, gardens weeded, lawns mown and edges clipped - lots of work but it felt good to be out in the sunshine.  

This coming weekend, we are going to start getting our campervan ready for the coming summer months (cleaned, cupboards filled with non perishable food, linen aired out, etc) as we are so keen to head out on our first trip to one of the local beaches.  Mid to late October is when we usually go on our first trip but if the weather is good, it will be earlier.   We're also in the process of organising a summer roadie trip in the Christmas holidays, to a part of New Zealand we've not been to before so that's exciting.  

More finishing has been happening, and I'm really pleased how the next piece turned out - my first time at trying a stand-up finish.  This is the French Country Santa, Pere Noel, by JBW Designs.

A little freebie by Hands on Designs, which was from the 2024 Jingle Ball. 

Love and Joy by Heartstring Samplery

Bids that Sing by Michelle, from MommalovesyouGB

Another freebie by Hands on Design, also from the 2024 Jingle ball.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it but all the Christmas stitching I've been doing this year, it either for gifts for my family or to be donated to a craft sales event in late November.  

A lovely bundle of fabric came in the mail recently, this is some of the new Tilda fabric from the Merry Little Christmas range, so pretty.  Not sure what my plans are for it yet.

I decided to purchase a Kindle recently, previously I've used the Kindle app on my phone. This will be so handy over the summer months when we're out and about in the campervan.  

Over the past few months I've read more books than any other previous winter - you should have seen my library pile last month!  I'm on Goodreads here if you want to check out what I've been reading lately. 

See you soon x

More ornament finishing and other stuff

Hello friends, I hope the week is going well for you.  We've had some high winds here over the past week, so gusty, a very big branch came down in our back garden yesterday morning and landed on the fence by the vegetable garden. Oh no, we'll have to replace a small part of it as there's now a rather large dent it it! We've decided now to remove some of the trees along that fence side and replant some smaller shrubs or hedging. Another job to add to the list, ha ha.

Last Sunday it was a miserable day here so I spent the afternoon at my sewing machine and worked on some more items from my finishing pile.

This is Cookie Klaus by Notforgotten Farm - stitched on 32 count cream linen and I changed the red thread to Gentle Art sampler thread, Holly Berry (I think!)

Little Nick by Notforgotten Farm,  same details as above

Christmas Magic by Primrose Cottage Stitches, stitched on 32 count natural linen using DMC threads

Christmas Fawn by Satsuma Street

Jim Shore's 2024 Santa Christmas Santa and Cardinal Birdhouse by Mill Hill

I have been following Anna from Justamum for many years on her blog and Instagram. How exciting that her first cookbook has just been released, and contains some fabulous recipes. 

I made the apple and walnut loaf for this week's lunchboxes and it is delicious. 

I always love to try Whittaker's new releases and picked up these two from the supermarket recently - the strawberry would be my favourite.

Hannah has a couple of days left of the school term, then two weeks holiday break, and once she goes back for the last term of the year, she'll only be at school for a few weeks before study leave starts for end of the year exams. She's recently decided on her subjects for next year, her final year at high school, and will be returning to study one day a week at the local polytechnic. She has thoroughly enjoyed her studies there this year, and it's looking like she'll head there in 2027 for full time study in her chosen course.  Exciting times ahead.  

See you soon x

Finally some finishing

After work last Friday afternoon, I set up my sewing machine, got out some supplies, and spent quite a bit of time over the next few days finishing off a whole pile of stitched items. That's in between catching up with friends, going to the local spring market, dropping Hannah off to the dance studio a few times, having dinner with my parents, niece and brother, doing the usual housework jobs, and keeping the dog entertained as he was missing Glenn!

Jingle all the Way by Crafty Bluebonnet Designs

Wee Santa 2024 by Heart in Hand

A Little Bit of Joy by Hands on Designs

A Whole lot of Joy by Hands on Designs

Several Stitching with the Housewives ornaments 

Joyful Christmas ornaments 2024 by Stitches by Ethel

I've been wanting to make one of these project bags ever since Elizabeth put up her tutorial on her You Tube. This was a fun make, quilting the fabric first.  I used some pretty Lynette Anderson fabric on the outside and inside, with a pink glittery fabric for the binding  - just love it.  I'll definitely be making more in this style. My new project bag is already filled with a special project.

Lastly for today, our gorgeous ballerina, so proud of all the work Hannah has put into her ballet this year.  

See you soon x

Spring has Sprung & Current Project Progress

Spring is in the air - what a good feeling, and our Daylight Savings hours start in a few weekends too. It's been quite busy at my work this week as several of my staff have been on leave for various reasons so the days seem to be flying by quickly.  

Yesterday afternoon I was at my parents, they live in the same street as me, so I snapped a few pics of currently what's flowering in Mum's garden. Daffodils galore, 

Sweet smelling violets,

and pretty hellebores.

Last Sunday it was a fairly good day so we packed up a picnic lunch, put on some warm clothes and headed out to the beach.  Glenn has two new purchases - a drone which he is going to use for fishing, and a new vehicle, a 2025 Nissan Navara, both needed testing out of course!

It was a sunny out there but boy, the wind was freezing! We enjoyed a brisk walk along the beach, then a hot cuppa.

Glenn had a good practise with the drone - it will be great to see it in action with his fishing line one day soon.

Stitching at the moment, I'm focusing on getting a few small projects finished, and would you believe it, I've been actually "finishing" a few items.  I've also been making some good progress on several wips including Stacy Nash's Gingerbread House Sewing book, sorry I can't recall what fabric I'm using for this design. 

Americana Blue by October House Fibre Arts, which I'm stitching on 36 count Fibre on a Whim Affogato linen with WDW Blue Jeans threads. 

Humming of the Bees by Blackbird Designs, I'm stitching this on 36 count vintage mocha linen.

These photos looked a bit washed out, sorry!

Spring time here in Central Hawkes Bay also means the start of the CHB Spring Fling, with various events being held during September and October. This Saturday is one of my favourite events, the Spring Market, where there will be lots of stalls, food trucks and entertainment. I hope the weather holds out for it as the forecast is not looking too good.  Glenn is off to Auckland with some friends to watch the All Blacks rugby team play South Africa, Hannah has her yearly ballet exam, and my niece Zoe and her Dad Marcus, my younger brother, are visiting so it should be a fun but full on weekend!

See you soon x