This week's good things

This week it has certainly felt like spring is in the air and this coming weekend sees the start of our Daylight Savings hours. It's also the end of another school term for Hannah, then she has a two week break before the last term of the school year starts. I have a few days off from work each week planned, a couple of the days I'll be at the local church hall with Hannah as she has her yearly dancing exams for ballet, tap and jazz. I'm also hoping to spend some time at my sewing machine, working on some little projects.

So onto this week's good things:

One of my favourite NZ authors, Nicky Pellegrino, released a new book a few months ago and I finally reached it in my to read pile.  This is the story of Vivi, a transplant recipient and the journey she takes to find the others her donor helped. A lovely story.

I also finished this stand alone book by Lucinda Riley. She has several books that I've yet to read so my aim is to try and read a few of these before the next Seven sisters book comes out.

The Olive Tree is told from mostly the perspective of  thirteen year old Alex, both in the summer of 2006 and then fast forwards ten years. Set in Cyprus, this would be an ideal holiday read.

On the weekend Glenn and I were invited to have lunch with recent clients of our kitchen joinery business. Glenn provided all the joinery for their new build at Shoal Bay, Central Hawkes Bay, and this is the gorgeous view we had for the afternoon. Shoal Bay is not far from the beach we visit every summer. Also, I was very pleased to meet Charity Norman at this lunch, an author whose books I've read several of this year.

Glenn and I have been working on few projects around the house and this little tub Glenn has made to grown beans in this summer.

Our vegetable gardens have been planted with new seedlings, mostly ones grown in our greenhouse, and the celery, silver beet and the last remaining winter cabbages have done well, even though it has been quite a dry winter.

I spent a few hours planting up seeds for summer - lettuces, cucumbers, capsicums, caulis, cabbages and the local supermarket has a promotion running, free seeds with pots so I've been planting these too each week.  I've told Glenn we might just need another garden to grow everything!

The gardens at work are filled to the brim with spring bulbs right now so I couldn't resist picking a few of my favourite freesias, they smell divine.

See you soon xx

Last week's stitching

I've have quite a bit of secret stitching going on at the moment, ornaments and gifts for Christmas, but I'm also trying to fit in some stitching on my own projects too.

All Joys for Thine was a 2020 Stitchmaynia start and I spent an evening stitching on this lovely design.

I also finished another part of the series on Jack Frost's Tree Farm part 6. There's only two parts to go now.

2020's Prairie Schooler Santa is underway too, I'm using 32 count vintage mocha belfast linen.

Have a fab week friends - see you soon xx

Peppermint Pals

This pretty design by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread was stitched a few months ago and it would be one of my favourite projects this year.

The fabric is a much brighter blue colour then in these photos. I finished it into a simple pillow.

I found the candy cane button in my buttons box, its probably been in there awhile since I can't remember where I purchased them from.  

See you soon x

Happy Things

 * A new sampler start for the first week of Spring here in New Zealand, Oh Joyous Day by Blackbird Designs

* a plate of delicious treats from one of my aunties for us to enjoy over the weekend, chocolate eclairs and custard squares

* catching up with family, my lovely cousins, including the newest member of our family

* the latest book out by one of my favourite authors, I hope there's another in this series soon!

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week!

See you soon xx

Holiday Hoopla - Easter

 Most years I like to stitch a few Easter designs but this year I only finished this little cutie.

 

I used the recommended threads with 32 count cream linen. I found a small hoop in my collection so it didn't take long at all to mount the stitching in the hoop and finish it with a simple bow, it's now all  ready for Easter 2021.

See you soon xx

Be Merry & Bright

This past weekend I spent a few hours at my sewing machine, making some face masks and also getting some recent stitching projects ready for some finishing.

This is Be Merry & Bright, a lovely chart from the Scarlet House.

I used most of the recommended threads on 30 ct hand dyed linen. For the backing, I used some of my favourite fabric and vintage chenille trim by Lois from Lady Dot Creations.

See you soon xx

Christmas Typography

Christmas Typography by Pine Mountain Designs was a Jolly July 2020 start and I finished it last week.

 

I used the recommended DMC threads and white linen.

Some of the Pine Mountain designs can be purchased from the Fat Quarter Shop as PDFs, yay, so you can start stitching straight away!

See you soon xx

Mistletoe Lane Part 3

This month I've been trying to get some of the projects I started in July finished, three are done, yay! I'm working on the finishing of these so will share pics soon.  

Last night I finished Part 3 on Mistletoe Lane, I'm aiming to have this finished by the end of the month too.

My fabric is a lighter grey colour but it's so hard to get good photos in the winter day light.  Spring is on its way though. 

I hope you have a good week friends.

See you soon xx

Mistletoe Lane Mystery SAL

When it was announced there was going to be a mystery stitchalong held throughout Jolly July by the Fat Quarter Shop, I couldn't resist signing up.

For the Mistletoe Lane project, I'm using some grey Belfast linen I found in my stash and the recommended DMCs.

Here's Part 1:

Last night I finished Part 2:

I've now started Part 3, so I'm a bit behind as the final part gets released this Friday.  It's been a really fun project to stitch.

See you soon x

Jolly July 2020

There's only a few more days left in July and I'm finally getting a Jolly July update done!  Jolly July is a month long stitch along organised by Kimberly of the Fat Quarter Shop and Priscilla and Chelsea, from Stitching with the Housewives.  

I had some big plans this month but I only ended up stitching on the following projects as well as some progress on Kringles. I'm definitely going to do a rerun during August.

First up, Christmas Typograph by Pine Mountain Designs. The funny thing about this one is that when I spotted that Kimberly was going to stitch this design it reminded me that I'd had the chart in my stash for many years. Of course I then couldn't find it so I was so pleased to be able to purchase a PDF chart for it from here. 

I'm using the recommended DMC threads on white linen. I've left out the third row of the pattern for now as I'm going to adjust the "white Christmas" line to something else.

Moving along with Be Merry & Bright, this is such a lovely design.

Jolly St Nick and Rudolph by Stitching with the Housewives, which I'm stitching on 32 count chalkboard linen.

I've purchased several of the ornament charts by Priscilla and Chelsea as well.  I absolutely love to be able to buy PDF charts and get them sent directly to your email. Especially with the current situation with world wide postage and shipping, orders from overseas can take several months to arrive here in New Zealand, depending on the country they are coming from. 

See you soon x