This Week's Finishes

Meet Besty! All finished, and what a lovely stitch it was.

I choose to replace the US flag with a little bit of Betsy's own stitching

Besty by Sheepish Designs

stitched on 32 ct Lambswool Jobelan

with DMC threads

I've also finished Hannah's 2009 ornament

Santa by Knotted Tree Needlearts

Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornaments Magazine

stitched on 32ct mocha belfast linen

using Weeks, GAST and DMC threads

I also have a new knitting finish, this sideways jacket is for a friend's new baby - the wool is actually not as pink as it shows in this photo but more red/orange.

So its been a very productive week. All round in fact, as Glenn and I have had a major sort through in our garage, tidying up and getting rid of unwanted things. He's recently put in some new storage - our Christmas tree and decorations have their very own cupboard! LOL. I've also been sorting through the clothes in my wardrobe and have been very selective in what I'm keeping, hee hee, I'll look forward to some clothes shopping in the spring time!

The rain continues on here, I think this our sixth wet weekend in a row? So my oven is certainly getting a good work out on these wet days, making soup and trying out some new baking recipes. On today's baking agenda were banana choc chip muffins, apple dessert cake, a tea loaf, and pikelets for Glenn and Hannah's lunch. Its quite funny though, although I love baking, I'm not really a big eater of sweet things.

Til the next time, happy stitching and thanks for stopping by!

Rain, rain go away

For four days now, its been teeming down with rain, and its been so cold, so so cold. But oh so nice and cozy, to be sitting beside the fire, stitching or knitting the evenings away.

Hannah is much improved now, thank you for your get well soon wishes. Her appetite has certainly returned with avengence, lol. She's always been a happy eater so that is a sure sign for us that something is going on when she turns down her food. She's also recently cut three new teeth so that had probably added to her misery.

I'm feeling rather pleased with myself - Block 3 & 4 are now done on Leanne's House. Just the stitchery bits to add on later, and the applique pieces.

(My pics today aren't too flash sorry)

My progress so far on Ladybugs and Bumblebees by Country Cottage Needleworks, I've wanted to stitch this since it first came out.

I also got a wee bit more stitched on the Santa ornament:

And a few rows knitted on the jumper - the wool looks very grey here but its actually more turquoise.

I'm counting down the sleeps until Saturday - I'm going on an overnight trip with a friend to see the show Starlight Express in Wellington. I can't wait, we're hoping to hit the shops and maybe go out somewhere nice for dinner. Its going to be a lovely weekend all round as on Sunday, relatives from Australia are going to be arriving to spend a few days at Mum and Dads so it will be wonderful to catch up with them.

Now I'm finally going to get around to replying to a few recent comments left me:

- Kim B, I purchased several of my Tralala charts from The Thread Basket. Great service, and my orders arrived very promptly to here in New Zealand.

- Maren, I'll try to remember to write up my lasagne recipe in my next post.

- Deb, yes, I am using the DMC threads listed in the Betsy sampler. I hope to work some more on this tonight so will have a new progress pic to share next time.

- Alice, I can't seem to find an email address for you so can you please email me? my address is in my profile.

Have a happy day!

Part Three Ackworth RR

Poor little Hannah has been very sick over the past few days with a nasty flu virus - we've had her to the doctors twice to get checked over, and now fingers crossed, she's on the mend. I've been at home most of the week with her so I've a bit of extra time to stitch and sew while she's been napping.

I've finished my blocks on Nicki's RR and its now on the way to Barbara.

Nicki has chosen a great colour combination for her piece, it looks wonderful and it was a pleasure to stitch with the lovely silk thread. You can more progress on our RR here.

I've started two new projects this week - Ladybugs and Bumblebees by Country Cottage Needleworks, and a funnel neck jumper for myself. I found a pattern in this book that I really liked and have chosen a lovely turquoise wool for it. Might take me a while though!!

Well Hannah is due to wake from nap very shortly so I'd better get going. Have a great weekend and I'll be back with some new progress pics soon, and also, to answer a couple of questions that have been left for me.

Bye for now, take care :)

A Stitchey Get Together

Yesterday afternoon I invited Kath and our friend Clare to spend the afternoon and evening stitching at my house. Its been quite awhile since we last stitched together and we had so much fun stitching and chatting away.

I decided to start on Hannah's 2009 ornie - Knotted Tree Needlearts Santa from the 2007 Just Cross Stitch ornie magazine.

I also worked on Betsy a little. There's now a whole flock of sheepies- too cute!

Kath was working on one of her Leanne's House quilt blocks - looks wonderful :)

and Clare was stitching on a new project too, some Homespun Elegance Santas.

I made beef lasagne for our dinner -yum, my favourite!

Clare brought along a salad,

and Kath provided the dessert, some little date cakes that we had some butterscotch sauce with and it was delicious! What a lovely time we had :)

I sewed the buttons onto Hannah's new cardigan the other day - she loves it, calls it "pretty". She stood still long enough to snap a quick photo of it! For anyone that is interested in the pattern, it can be found as a free download at Ravelry.

You have to request an invitation to join and this particular pattern is called Boheme

I couldn't resist ordering this exclusive Just Nan biscornu recently and it came in yesterday's mail - I've got it all kitted ready to start later today.

Here's a small finish from earlier in the week, the 2nd of the Be Blox ornaments by Lizzie Kate.

Finally for this morning, when I was sorting through some photos I came across the ones of Hannah's birthday cross stitch that I framed recently and remembered that I hadn't shared a pic of it.

There's a bit of glare from the glass showing, I'd forgotten to take a photo before the glass went in, lol.

Hope you're having a great weekend, and thanks for the wonderful comments! See you soon!

Ahh its the weekend

We're enjoying a bit of sunshine today, just what we need after some dreary cold winter days this past week. I might even head out for a walk later :)

Betsy seems to be a very popular design as many of you had mentionned you'd either stitched it or have it as a wip. Here's where I'm at after a few hours on it the other night.

Those sheepies are too cute!

Last night Zoe came to stay with us and this morning Hannah actually let her put a hair bobble in - they only last five minutes in when I try!

as you can see, Zoe recently lost one of her front teeth.

I have started on Nicki's RR but this weekend felt like stitching something quick and easy so here's the first of two Lizzie Kate Christmas ornaments from the Be Blox Kit.

And finally for today, guess what's finally seen the light over the past few days? My Leanne's House Quilt blocks!!

I recently had lunch with Kath and she got me all inspired as she's been working on hers - our friend Clare has been giving Kath some help with it. So I decided to get mine out on Friday afternoon while Hannah was napping. Here's Block 1 & 2 all done, just the stitchery work to do on them.

I can't believe I haven't done anything on this since early 2007!! I'm going to make this my Friday afternoon project over the winter months.

righto, I'm going to find some lunch then tackle the weekly pile of ironing :) Thanks for stopping by!

Knitting and a Betsy Update

Can it be the middle of another week already? And its been a pretty full on few days too, with work and other things.

Hannah and I spent last weekend in Palmerston North, staying with my cousin Donna for a few days. We did a bit of shopping and went visiting, a change of scenery was just what I needed after being sick.

I haven't stitched much lately as I've been knitting for Hannah - since this photo I've almost reached the end, just need to measure the length on Hannah and cast off. A pretty quick project as the wool I used is very chunky. I'd bought two balls but will only need the one to complete it.


But when my stitching has come out, Betsy by Sheepish Designs is my current focus project. I really love the colours used in this. I chose to stitch it on 32ct Lambswool jobelan fabric, such a soft fabric.

I've actually stitched a bit more than in the pics, probably over 3/4's done now? I'll have to put this aside for a few days as Nicki's Ackworth Friendship RR is waiting for me to get started on it.

Looking forward to a few quiet days at home this coming weekend, we've got no plans except for my niece Zoe coming to stay with us Saturday night, which will be fun, and catching up on some bookwork for Glenn.

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the rest of the week!

A Long Weekend

Its a public holiday here in New Zealand on Monday so we are having a three day weekend, yay! Last night Hannah went to stay at her Nannie and Grandad's so Glenn and I were able to go out for dinner with friends for a delicious meal at our favourite local restaurants.

I was up early this morning as I've been on a mission - to tidy up one very messy office/craft room. Whew, its finally all done! I'd actually started sorting through some things before I got sick and haven't been able to get back to it since so there's been boxes and piles of magazines, patterns, etc, everywhere. Now I can see the floor and my desk is actually clutter free. Boy, that feels good. My niece Zoe is having a gala day at her school in a couple of weekends time and they are looking for donations of goodies to sell, well, I have two boxes for Zoe to take along now, lol.

Just in time for the end of May, is another Christmas ornament I finished stitching on Friday:

Christmas Angel Ornament

Midsummer Night Designs

Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornaments Magazine

stitched on 32ct mocha belfast with DMCs

I've made some really good progress on the knitting project I showed the wool for in my last post. Its knitting up quite quickly so I might even get it finished in the next few days.

Later today I'm to a baby shower for one of my cousins - it will be lovely to catch up with some of my aunties and cousins. I'd better get going as I still have to wrap the gifts.

Have a fun weekend!

First May Ornie and Some Knitting

At long last I'm starting to feel back to my normal self, still a bit snuffly and sore throat, but my energy levels have greatly improved, even since just the weekend. I've actually felt like stitching this week, some nights I haven't wanted to put it down to go to bed, but early nights are what I need at the moment.

This is the first of my May Christmas ornaments, a cute little design I've been wanting to stitch for quite some time.

Design: Jingle all the Way by Angie Williams of Sweet Pea Designs

Just Cross Stitch magazine December 2007

Fabric: unknown 32ct

Threads: DMC and Gentle Art Sampler

I mentionned that I've been knitting booties -this pattern is so simple. One of Glenn's aunties made some of these booties for Hannah and I found they were really good at staying on, lol.

I recently joined Ravelry -there are heaps and heaps of patterns on there I want to knit for Hannah, lol, this one I thought was just gorgeous. Yesterday I stopped by the local knitting shop and found some variegated wool that will be just perfect.


Lastly for today, here's a latest pic of Miss Cheeky, she's watching Barney on dvd :)

Have a great rest of the week, take care, bye for now!

Catching Up

For the best part of a week now I've been quite sick with a nasty viral infection. I'm coming right now, so hopefully in a few days I'll be back to my normal self. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I've already had my fair share of germs for the winter season!

We celebrated Hannah's first birthday on the Saturday after her actual birthday with a few of our family and friends. Hannah and all the kids enjoyed themselves, and she loved her birthday cake :)

It was also Mother's Day here the same weekend so I made a few gifts for my lovely Mum and MIL, Heather.

These are the cards I made:

and some painted canvases - these are so easy to do.

From Hannah I received her first ever painting to hang on the wall, and DH took us out to a local newly opened family restaurant for dinner, it was delicious.

There hasn't been alot of stitching going on here lately but I've done a little bit of knitting,some booties, as I've got two close friends having babies early next month. I do have a new stitching start, Betsy by Sheepish Designs, so will share a progress pic next time.

Thats all for today, as always, thanks for your lovely comments and return visits. Until next time, take care :)

A Year Ago Today.....

A year ago today we welcomed our precious darling daughter Hannah May to our family. I can't believe how fast the time has flown.

Hannah, aged 5 days old, May 2008

Having Hannah in our lives has been an amazing experience and I know its only going to get better.

Hannah, aged 11 1/2 months, April 2009

Our baby girl never ceases to amaze me with her boundless energy and cheerful nature, her laugh is infectious, and she is so busy, SO BUSY, a little exhausting at times for us, but we love to watch Hannah play and learn. I look forward to what the next year might bring.

Happy first birthday my darling, we love you, to the moon and back :)