A Finish and Yummy Treats

This design has been so much fun to stitch over the past few months. It's pretty well travelled too, having been with me on my trip to visit my cousin, and then to the beach several times as well.

This is Christmas Cuckoo Clock by the Tiny Modernist, last year's mystery Christmas stitch along.

I used all the recommended DMC threads and 32 count vintage grey Belfast linen. 

So happy to have another of my 2024 projects ticked off the list!

It's been quite hot here this week, we've days that have reached 30c plus, so a friend and I went along to check out a newly opened cafe in town, Rubylicious Cakes.  This lemon meringue raspberry cupcake was divine, 

So was this passionfruit ice cream, yum!

See you soon xx

Lots of stitching and other news

Hello friends, how quickly the days seem to be going right now. It's been quite hectic at my work and I've also been helping one of my aunts that recently moved, with packing up and then unpacking at her new house. 

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 had her annual dancing exams, and has also had a visit to our local polytechnic, where she is going to be studying one day a week from early next year. Exciting times ahead for our girl.

Lots of stitching happening here right now too. I've been really enjoying stitching on some of my sampler projects including Oh Joyous Day by Blackbird Designs. I love the colours in this design.

More finishing is happening when I have a bit of time to get my sewing machine out. These two adorable bunny designs are from Lila Studio's Spring Parade 1 & 2 booklets, stitched on 36 count vintage mocha linen.

Strawberry car 

Carrot Car

Winter Rose Manor, which I started way back in January 2021, is nearly done. I don't know why I left the house stitching until last though!

Stitched on 36 count Wren by Picture This Plus linen with the recommended threads, WDW Conch for the house.

Part 1 of the 2024 Christmas Cuckoo Clock mystery stitch along by Tiny Modernist is finished and I'm looking forward to seeing what Part 2 will be on the 1st October.

One of my work friends recently made this pretty set of stitching accessories for me - needlebook, pumpkin pin cushion and thread catcher. I love the pink fabric.

A new start recently - I waited patiently for this chart to be released as a PDF, Beautiful Things by Primrose Cottage Stitches.  I think this design will look awesome on the front of a project bag.

I hadn't done any lunch box baking in ages so on the weekend I made a walnut, apple and carrot loaf, yum, 

Chocolate chip and banana slice, this was so tasty. 

                                                      

                  

I always love to try Whittaker's new releases and picked up these two from the supermarket recently - being a dark chocolate fan, the raspberry and strawberry would be my favourite.

I snapped a pic of these gorgeous irises in my aunty's garden the other day - I really do miss the spring bulbs at my old work place. 

This coming weekend we are catching up with some friends we haven't seen in ages, and our Daylight savings hours start on Sunday. I can't believe that October is nearly here!

See you soon x

New stitching starts and poor Diesel!

Hello friends, each year I look forward to joining the Tiny Modernist's mystery Christmas stitch along, which gets underway on the 1st September. Parts are released each month leading up to Christmas. 

This year's design is a Christmas Cuckoo Clock - looks like I'm in for a lot of stitching on this one!

My fabric choice is 32 count Vintage Grey Belfast linen, which I was able to buy at my local sewing shop, Curtis Fabrics.

My stitching so far

I also decided to start this sweet design on the weekend, the threads in this design are so pretty.

Spring time here in Central Hawkes Bay means it's the annual Spring Fling time, with various events being held throughout September and October. This Saturday's event was a market held at one of our local parks with lots of stalls, food trucks, and entertainment. Hannah and I went along with my friend Sherryn, and we had a lovely time strolling around in the sunshine. So many people out and about.

 

Hannah had her annual dancing exams over the weekend too, jazz and ballet, and she was very happy how they went.  

We went along to our local movie theatre Saturday night to see the new Beetlejuice movie, which was bit of a laugh, quite cheesy. I was a teenager when the first movie came out, I don't know how many times I would have watched it. I also used to love watching any movie with Winona Ryder in it.

Glenn has made a great job on getting the small deck done off our laundry.  The boxing part to the left of this photo will eventually be a small garden.

Poor Diesel, he was so unwell late last week, which was very worrying We'd noticed a few days earlier he seemed really lethargic and snorting a lot, and then on Friday morning, he was making some loud "coughing" noises. I was able to drop him into our vets on my way to work Friday morning and after a thorough check up, Glenn was able to collect him after lunch, three lots of medication and lots of $$ later, it turns out he has an ear infection again, skin irritations and congestion. After lots of care and attention, and the medicines kicking in, this week he is a lot better and will go back to the vets on the weekend for another check up. 

See you soon x

The Tiny Modernist Mystery Sampler

 For the past few years I've signed up the Tiny Modernist's mystery Christmas Sampler. It starts on the 1st September each year with the first part of the chart being released, then parts 2, 3 and 4 follow through until December.  

It soon becomes a "non mystery" though, as I can never keep up with the parts being released ha ha.

I have totally enjoyed stitching this fun design and the colours used are so bright and cheery.  I made this my focus piece late February and have pretty much only stitched on this during the week, with smaller projects on the weekend.

I think this will make a lovely Christmas cushion so I will take it along to my local sewing shop to match up some backing fabric.

Fabric used was 32 count Prehistoric linen by Fox & Rabbit and the recommended DMC threads.

See you soon x

All the Stitching

 Lots of stitching happening here lately - as well as my own projects, I've been stitching away on ornaments and a few gifts for Christmas and birthday presents.  I'd really like to get a few things finished as I have several new charts on the way from the US, the 2023 Jingle Ball is coming up and there's bound to be lots of lovely patterns released for it, and I have several other projects waiting to get started.

During the recent long weekend I pulled this lovely chart out and made a start.  It's the first time I've stitched a Silver Creek Samplers design. I'm using some cream linen from my stash and the recommended threads. 

Over the winter months here, I stitched a lot on this cute design and now only have the last part to go, Welcome to the North Pole by Primrose Cottage Stitches.

For the past two years I've participated in the Tiny Modernist's Mystery Christmas stitchalong and decided to join this year's - The Night Before Christmas. 

Part 1 is done - I'm using the recommended threads and the linen is Elephant Run by Fox & Rabbit.

Several Stitching with the Housewives ornaments have been stitched and finished. 

Have a fun weekend - see you soon xx

Nearly March -Cyclone Gabrielle, Stitching and More

As you may have heard, two weeks ago now, Cyclone Gabrielle left a trail of destruction around New Zealand's North island, including here in our lovely Hawkes Bay region. Our property was fine and most around our town, there were precautionary evacuations in place for some areas situated by the river. Schools remained closed for the week and many businesses too. The nearest town to us and outer rural areas suffered extreme flooding, including the business where my sister in law works, and the school where my brother in law is the principal. Further north, near Napier, some of the surrounding areas suffered devastation, ravaged beyond repair, including Esk Valley and Puketapu. Entire communities were cut off. There were ongoing power outages, lost of communications and we recently had a Boil water notice lifted that was in place for nearly two weeks. Tragically, the death toll from Cyclone Gabrielle is 11, with most of these deaths in Hawkes Bay.

The emergency response has been like nothing we've seen in New Zealand and so many people have assisted in rescues to get people and animals to safety, reconnecting power and communications, roading, etc. It's been absolutely incredible. Local community volunteers have been out there helping with clean ups, food and supply drop offs, and getting rid of flood damage goods. With homes, businesses, wineries and orchards destroyed, the damage bill is estimated at least NZ $13 Billion. 

It's been a very surreal time and today, the last day of our NZ summer, it's raining again and there's rain warnings in place for the east coast again and some of Hawkes Bay.  

Before I move onto an update of stitching and other stuff, I just wanted to say thank you to those who reached out and checked in with me, greatly appreciated, thanks so much for getting in touch.

Back in early February, we spent a long weekend at one of our favourite beach spots, the farm at Blackhead Beach. I was so happy to be there as our January holiday week was cancelled due to bad weather. The weather was glorious, sunny and hot, and we enjoyed the days, fishing, going for drives along the beach, reading, and enjoying time with our friends.

Perfect spot for some early morning stitching with a cuppa.

This little stitching project was one of my February ornaments, Rudolph and Friends by Brenda Gervais. My 2023 ornament stitching is well underway, and I have four stitched so far, they just need to be made up sometime.

Now to share a few recent finishes from during this month - 

Dasher & Dancer by Natalie Bird, the Birdhouse

2022 Christmas Stitching along by the Tiny Modernist, Christmas Snow Globe. This was my Christmas holidays project and I really enjoyed stitching the fox, deer, nutcracker, penguin, polar bear and snowman. 

Lois Stocking by Shepherds Bush, name to add and charms, stitched on Floba linen with DMC pearl 5 threads.

A new start and it's Hector's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush.  I just love stitching these stockings.

Lastly for today, a good boy update - Mr Diesel is now 7 months old, and he's just such a joy, brings us so much laughter and fun. His latest trick is to bring in a piece of wood from the pile we have drying out on our driveway ready to be stacked away for winter and proceed to spread bark and bits of it around the entire house before we can catch up with him! 

Hopefully from today, I'll be back to some regular blogging, fingers crossed!

See you soon x