Back Home

Hello folks, well, I'm back home from my little trip away last week. I went to Rotorua with a bunch of my staff and clients from work for our biannual trip away. Our clients, and the staff too, had fundraised really hard over recent months to be able to do lots of great things while we were there so we had a blast!

You might remember that just last month, Glenn, Hannah and I spent a day in Rotorua on our holiday. Well, compared to then the weather was just perfect this time around, lol.

This is the view from the top of the gondala looking over the town of Rotorua.

We enjoyed lots of different activities and sightseeing and one of the highlights for me was the "duck" tour - this vehicle can go onto the lake and cruise around, and also drive around town, it was awesome fun and our tour driver was hilarious!

We went to a farming show at the Agrodome - check out the size of some of these sheep, especially Prince the merino, in the top row

Wendy, my co-worker, and I checking out one of the locals at the farm.

***************************************************

Of course, a trip out of the town is always a good excuse for some stash shopping. I found some pretty fat quarters for Hannah's hexagon quilt, and I'm not sure what I'll use the blue fabric for, hee hee.

I also picked up some pure New Zealand wool to add to my ever increasing wool stash. I'm planning to use some of this to knit some doll's clothes for my niece Zoe.

I found this interesting Chrismasy craft magazine, it has some really quick but cool things to make.

One of the projects are these yo yo ornaments, they look like fun to make, umm, I wonder if I can squeeze a few of these in over the next few weeks!

I have had a small stitching finish this week but as its for a gift, it will have to remain secret for a few more weeks. I hope to have some pics to share later in the week of the Shepherd's Bush stockings I've been sewing, I've only got the top bands to attach now.

Thanks for all your wonderful comments, I really enjoy hearing from you. Until next time, have a good few days.

xxx

Quaker Ornie & Ackworth Friendship RR

Here is the latest ornament to put away with my other 2009 gift ornies -

Christmas Quaker Ornament by Historic Stitches

stitched on 32ct belfast linen with Belle Soie Cranberry

(front & back)

Because I was nearly out of the cranberry thread I couldn't make the tassel for it and used some gold thread for a hanger instead. I've got two other patterns in this series of ornaments by Historic Stitches so they are already on my 2010 ornament list, lol.

And yay, my part on Barbara's RR is all completed. This was the last round for me, I can't believe that this project has come to an end. Its been a real pleasure to stitch this round robin.

I'm unsure as to the thread that I used for Barbara's piece but it looks wonderful and will look gorgeous when its all put together.

This coming week I'm going away for work, leaving Glenn and Hannah for a few days. I'm looking forward to the trip but I'm really going to miss my girl, and DH of course, as this is the longest I've been away from her. At least I can phone home whenever I want and we've got that much to do jam packed into our days, I'll be home before I know it. I hope to get a bit of stitching or knitting done in the evenings too, that will be good, uninterupted stitching time!

I'll back later in the week! "Til then, take care :)

A Fun Time

Gosh, the four day weekend went by quickly, but then holiday weekends always do, don't they? My cousin Donna arrived on Saturday night to stay with us until Monday afternoon. We always have so much fun hanging out together, Glenn just shakes his head and laughs at us, at our non stop chattering. Hannah had a great time with Donna and on Monday we took a trip to the local park.

We had discovered while we were away in Taupo that Hannah loves the slides, couldn't get her off it without a few tears, so this was the first time she tried out the big kids slide at our park.

Wahoo what fun she had.

We even had some nice weather over the weekend, surprise, surprise, three sunny and warm days in a row! Unbelievable. But of course, it didn't last and as it was back to work yesterday, it was back to some rain and cold weather again.

This week I'm concentrating on getting the last few stitches done on Barbara's Ackworth Friendship RR so I can get it in the post before the deadline. If you'd like to check out some of the other ladies finished pieces you will find them here.

Some Crafty Finishes

We've been enjoying a day of sunshine today. Earlier today, Hannah, Zoe and I went into town to do a few things and had lunch out at one of the local cafes. I also picked up some vege seedlings for our garden - lettuce, cucumber, courgette and capsiscum to go along with the tomato plants and beans Glenn has ready to plant. This long weekend break here is usually when we get our garden planted for summer but we've been a bit hesitant to get it fully planted as we're still having the occasional frost some mornings.

Last night we put on a family barbeque and had a few friends come too, it was great to catch up with everyone and Hannah enjoyed herself playing with Zoe and our friends' young daughter.

I had a small finish the night before, a small design that I'd started while we were away on holiday. I just love the colours in this one.

Loving and Faithful by Little House Needleworks

stitched with Crescent Colour Belle Soie on 32ct cream belfast

Ever since I'd spotted the pattern for a giant pincushion on the Moda Bakeshop blog I've been wanting to make one for myself.

I was really pleased with how it turned out so I might try and get a few more made for Christmas gifts.

Next up are my recent knitting finishes, my first ever dishcloth, using this really easy pattern I found via Christines blog

Double Bump Dishcloth by Missy Angus

And some fingerless gloves for one of my Mum's friends at her work.

Wafflestitch Fingerless Gloves by Jill Toporkiewicz

These knit up so quickly, and its such a pretty pattern. I'm planning to knit several more and hopefully some for myself.

Lastly for today, here's two pretty girls having fun this morning, watching Glenn working outside.

I can't remember if I've mentionned we are doing some extensions to our lounge and dining room? Glenn has been working really hard the past few weekends to get the foundations ready - he only started pulling up our front deck this time last year and then things came to a halt over our hot summer, then winter, lol. Oh well, good things take time :)

Our Taupo Holiday

Last Wednesday morning we packed up the car and headed to Lake Taupo, which is 2 1/2 hours north of where we live. As you'll be able to tell from these photos, the weather wasn't the best, drizzly rain, wind and cold for the few days we were there.

We arrived at our motel eary afternoon and after dumping off our bags, etc, headed out for some lunch and bit of a look around. Glenn was born in Taupo and spent his early childhood living at Kinloch, a short drive around to the other side of the lake. So for him, this was bit of trip down memory lane as we spent a few hours in Kinloch by the lake and at the local playground.

On Thursday we headed over to Rotorua, about an hours drive from Taupo. Rotorua is the thermal wonderland of New Zealand and a great place for sightseeing.

We visited Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park, where Hannah feed the rainbow trout, and we tried to spot a kiwi :)


We took a ride up Mt Ngongotaha, 487m above sea level, in the gondala. Unfortunately our view at the top of Rotorua was minimal due to cloud and fog.

We stopped by Huka Falls, the largest waterfall along the Waikato river - very impressive!

The sun came out briefly so Glenn took Hannah for a walk down by the lake to feed the ducks.

So in all, a lovely family holiday. I came home feeling refreshed and relaxed after our break away, pleased with myself that I managed to read two books, watch three dvds I've had sitting there all year, knit and stitch heaps too.

This coming weekend is a long weekend for us, public holidays both Friday and Monday. We don't have alot planned except for hosting a family barbeque Friday night, and we'll probably spend a bit of time planting up our vegetable garden if the weather is ok. Today is our fourth wedding anniversary, can't believe its four years already!

Thanks for stopping by.

"Just Because" & Holiday Stitching

Our holiday week went by in a blink! I'll share some photos from our trip away in my next post - we had a wonderful, relaxing time. And even though the weather wasn't very good,lots of drizzly rain and cold, we were still able to get out and about with Hannah, she had so much fun :)


When we arrived home on Saturday, there was a little parcel waiting for me that had crossed the ditch from my buddy Anne. I'm a lucky girl as she sent me one of her gorgeous fobs, in my favourite colours too, and Anne also sent some pretty threads and needles. Thanks again so much Anne, I can't wait to attach the fob to my scissors :)


Isn't it so pretty?



I spent one of my holiday afternoons sitting at my sewing machine and made up a couple of small projects I'd finished recently, including my September and October Christmas ornaments.


This one is for my niece Zoe, my favourite ornie from the 2009 JCS magazine.

Joy - Midsummer Night Musings

Just Cross Stitch Ornaments Magazine 2009

And another ornie for the collection of ornaments that will be going out to family and friends very soon.

Prancer - JBW Designs (stitched over 2)

Just Cross Stitch Ornaments Magazine 2004

I always like to pick a special project to stitch over a holiday break and this was my choice, Shepherd's Bush My Pins, a little kit that had everything in it, and it stitched up very quickly.

At the moment, two of the trees lining our driveway are in full bloom, this is one of the Snowball trees.

Just gorgeous, and hopefully the wind that we usually get late October will stay away, so we can enjoy the pretty flower balls a bit longer.

Til next time, keep smiling xx

Holiday Week

Spring? Whats that? Since the start of our spring you could probably count the number of fine days we've had on one hand - the changeable weather is driving us all crazy. This past weekend you would have thought it was back to the middle of winter. But I'm not complaining today, lol. The first day of my holidays has been a beautiful day. Yay, Glenn and I both have a week off and this Wednesday we're taking off with Hannah for few days to Taupo, one of our favourite holiday destinations, and its only a 2 1/2 hour drive from here.

Last week I was home sick for a few days with bad cold/headache/achey body so I didn't get alot of stitching done, well alot of anything really. But once the headache went I was able to sit quietly and stitch so finished the needlecase part to LHN's Travelling Stitcher.

A couple of lovely goodies arrived recently in the mail, the latest Gingher scissors which I'd ordered through Carol's DH's store, and the 2009 JCS Ornaments magazine. This was a complete surprise and I have no idea who may have sent it to me? Thank you to whoever may have sent it, I'm thinking its a reader of my blog? Thank you for thinking of me, and sending me one of my absolute favourite stitching magazines.

I picked out some wool today at the local shop to make up a few "accessories" for Christmas presents over the next few weeks. The black wook is to knit some more fingerless gloves for a couple of my Mum's co-workers. I'd knitted some for Mum and she was asked if I would like to make some more pairs, of course, I said yes :)

Couldn't resist sharing this pic of Hannah - this is where I found her the other day! She was hanging out with DH while he was digging a hole in the lawn for where our new clothes line was being situated and Hannah wanted to get in!!

Well, thats me for today, I'd better get a move on and go and pick Hannah up from day care. Have a great few week!

A Few Finishes

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a great weekend and even found some time for a bit of stitching?

Thanks for all the positive comments left about the fabric ornaments - I hope to see some pics pop up on your blogs over the next few months perhaps? I'd been meaning to post my version of the instructions for quite some time so thats another thing crossed off my To Do List!!

Last weekend my stitching buddies Kath and Clare came around for a stitching/chatting/snacking session :) We always have such a neat time hanging out - sharing what we've been up too, or showing off recent stash purchases, and enjoying a bite to eat together. I must have had turbo needles because by the time the ladies left I only had a few stitches left to do on Travelling Stitcher, which I then proceeded to finish the following day.

Travelling Stitcher - Little House Needleworks

stitched on 32ct cream belfast linen with Crescent Colour threads

I've almost finished the needlecase part too then it will be off to the local fabric store to match up some fabric to make up the stitching case. When I purchased this pattern I decided not to go ahead and buy the premade case.

On Sunday, DH, Hannah and I spent the afternoon with DH's brother and his family, including our niece Alice, who turns 1 year old today. They had an afternoon tea party for her and we all enjoyed sitting out in the sunshine. Hannah just loved running around their large garden. She was quite worn out by the time we reached home.

I found a frame that I thought would be just right for the Tralala design I stitched earlier in the month and was able to get it framed on Saturday afternoon.

We've had some real changeable weather here so far this spring, one day it will be fine, sunny and warm, and the next it will be like the middle of winter. At the end of last week we had a real cold snap and really unheard of for this time of the year, there was snow falling about 15 minutes away from us. It made me feel like getting my knitting out but I don't have a current project on the go. So I decided to knit up the wool I'd bought from the craft show. This was so simple, cast on 30 odd stitches and then knit every row.

This is going to travel to my friend in Sweden in time for her winter. I hope to make up some gloves to match, perhaps in black wool.

Finally for today, here's Miss H enjoying her little sofa couch that we bought when we were out and about on Sunday.

Its been a real hit, even Poppy has already enjoyed a nap or two on it.

Thank you all for visiting! See you soon :)

Fabric Ornaments

Hello, how's your week going? Not a lot of stitching to report on here at the moment. I have made some good progress on Travelling Stitcher but over the past week my mind has been on all the gifts and goodies I'm planning to make for Christmas this year. Must have been all those lovely Christmas fabrics I bought last weekend that have gotten me inspired!

Which brings me to these - remember these from last year?

If you go here, you'll find my version of how to make one :)

I've also put up my instructions for another ornament that I've made recently. These ones are really simple to do too.

Have fun and I'd love to hear from you if you have a go at making these. I hope my instructions are clear and easy to follow!

A Super Weekend

This past weekend I headed away with some friends to visit a large Craft Fair being held in Hamilton. We left Friday lunchtime and got to our motel about 4.30pm. There had been a bit of a mix up with our accommodation booking, which luckily we had found out about earlier in the week, so we ended up staying in a smaller town about a 40mins drive from Hamilton.

After a lovely meal out at a Thai restaurant Friday night, a few hours stitching and chatting, we were up bright and early to arrive at the Craft fair not long after it opened. Several hours, and dollars, lol, later we left very happy with what we'd seen and purchased :)

So do you want to see what I came away with? My 'haul" also includes some fabric from a new- to- us quilt shop we found on our way home yesterday.



Pattern and fabric for the middle bolster cushion (I saw the model of this and thought it was so sweet)

A very cute baby bootie pattern

Some lovely mohair merino wool -I'm going to knit this into a scarf for an overseas friend's Christmas present.

More girly fabrics for the hexagon quilt

Couldn't resist the Christmas fabrics - oh my, I could have spent all my money on these!! They are my complete down fall when it comes to fabrics :)

A really cool Christmas project, can't wait to start on this!

Some locking stitch markers, and something I'd never seen before, a fabric glue pen. Might make stitching up those hexagons at lot easier, without continually sticking pins into my fingers.

We arrived back to some great weather yesterday so DH barbequed for dinner last night -the perfect way to end a wonderful weekend.

Have a great week!