A few finishes, beach weekend and more

Hello friends. 

Wow, what a wild few days it’s been. High winds and heavy continuous rain have caused so much damage around New Zealand. Our main street even flooded during one of last week’s downpours, and several shops were hit hard. My workplace didn’t escape it either — one of our rooms is still drying out a week later. Such unpredictable weather for this time of year!

After all that wild weather, it's meant more time for cross stitching. I’ve actually made some good progress on my current projects, and even spent some time at my sewing machine.  

This little cutie, Sweetly Sayn', was included in one of the weekly newsletters from Primrose Cottage Stitches, I used some pretty Tilda fabric for the backing and some Lady Dot Creates chenille for the trim. 

Another fully completed project, Stitching Quaker, also by Primrose Cottage Stitches. This was stitched during 2025, fabric was 32 count ice blue Lugana and I used the recommended DMC threads.

Cathy from Hands on Designs is offering an ornament club through Patreon this year, and I've joined in on the fun.  This month's ornament is called Sweets for Santa and I'm using the recommended fabric, 32 count raw Belfast, and threads. 

Now for a couple of finishes from my holiday stitching.

Candy Cane Santa by Mill Hill - I love stitching these designs and hope to get another on underway soon.

This next design has a lot of stitches!  Deer Santa by Stitching with the Housewives, stitched on 32 count black Lugana fabric and DMCs. Not sure yet how I will finish this design.

We did get away earlier in the month, heading to Porangahau Beach over Waitangi weekend. It was a wonderful few days, sunny and hot, and we really enjoyed the break.  The fishing went well too so we enjoyed fresh fish, and homemade fries for dinner one night.

We had some very special visitors come out to see us one day, my uncle Paul and cousin Chelsea, from Melbourne. They were in NZ for a family reunion and it was awesome to see them, it's been a good few years since our last catch up. 

Even though it was a cold windy day, we went to Hastings and Napier on Sunday to get out for a few hours and stopped by a cafe I haven't been to in a very long time, Westerman's, this one used to be a favourite of Glenn's Mum.  My coffee and brunch, Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, was delicious.

Diesel enjoys the cold weather as he gets to snuggle up and snooze the day away zzzzzzzzzzz

Have a happy week, see you soon x

January stitching - new starts, and new stash

 

Hi friends, isn't this dahlia gorgeous, one of my favourites, cafe au lait.  This is in my aunty's garden, mine doesn't even have buds on it yet :)

During my holidays, I spent some time sorting through my stash, putting away threads and fabrics I'd finished using last year, and then I kitted up several new projects to stitch on.  

First up, a new start on the 1st January, the Midnight Santa stocking by Teresa Kogut, a purchase from the 2025 Jingle Ball.  There is a stitch along running on Facebook and Instagram for this organised by Karen from Fox & Rabbit, and Liz, the Wandering Stitcher.  

I'm using 40 count ancient ruin by Fox & Rabbit and most of the recommended threads. 

Next up, Nativity Quaker by Primrose Cottage Stitches, I'm using 32 count lambswool linen, and DMCs.

Another Teresa Kogut santa, the Pink Coat Santa. I just loved this design when I first saw it. I'm using a suggested fabric from Helen at That Crafty Kiwi, 36 count Rivergum by Fox & Rabbit.  

Started back in late October 2025, Garden of Quilts by Lori Holt, I've stitched more on this lovely design. I'm using 36 count Rhyolite linen and recommended threads. 

Peace on Earth by Samplers Not Forgotten, the linen looks much darker in this photo.  It's 36 count Cafe au Lait by Fibre on a Whim, Weeks Dye Works threads.

Couldn't resist starting this cutie too - The Postmouse's Christmas Delivery, using recommended threads on 36 count vintage mocha Belfast linen.  Not sure if I'm happy with the mouse colour, my skein of CC Whately Woods is quite yellow and brown variegated compared to the model picture colour.

Primrose Cottage Stitches send a freebie in their newsletter on the first Friday of the month. I thought this was so sweet.  I'm waiting for a skein of the darker pink thread to come before I can finish this. I'm using a light pink Country Stitch linen and recommended threads.

On one of the rainy days during my break, I got out my trusty over locker, which I've had for many years, and went through all my stitching fabric boxes, ironing and then overlocking all the edges on every piece.  It did take a few hours!   But it made me realise that I don't really have a lot of bigger pieces anymore, just lots of fabrics for smaller designs and ornaments.

So this year I've decided to do my very own Fabric of the month club and purchase a fat quarter of linen, maybe 36 count, or 40 count, or even 32 count, whatever colour I chose for the month. Some months I might purchase more linen, especially if there's new projects to start.

For January's choice, I purchased Fox & Rabbit's Dust Bunny 36 count from Helen at That Crafty Kiwi. 

A very lovely order arrived recently from Rebecca at Rainbow Stash.  I ordered some of the new Lori Holt happy charms, a new vinyl bag, some fat quarters, another pair of scissors, zippers and another  panel of her bags to make up. I've yet to make up the other bag panel I purchased last year but a friend and I have plans to get together one day soon to get going some of the bags underway. 

I think that's about everything caught up with about my recent stitching and new purchases. I do have two finishes so I'll share them next time. 

I have also spent a bit of time going through some Christmas charts and have kitted up several ornaments and other smalls, all ready to get underway for 2026. Earlier this morning I signed up for new Hands on Designs ornament club on Patreon, so I'm excited to get the first design underway. Like during 2025, I see a lot of Christmas stitching coming up this year. 

We have a long weekend coming up, a public holiday on Friday for Waitangi Day, so we're off to Porangahau Beach with our friends for a few days. The weather is looking good, lots of walks along the beach, catching up with our friends, maybe some fishing, it will be a fun weekend.

See you soon x

Welcome to 2026

 Hello friends, and happy 2026 — even if we’ve some how already arrived at the start of February!

Glenn and I are back at work after our summer break, and Hannah is currently on school camp for a few days. She officially starts her last year of high school, Year 13, on Wednesday. 

So here's bit of a round up from Christmas and New Years before I go onto this year's happenings.

The weather after Christmas was a bit unpredictable.  We had a lot of rain and wind so a few of our summer plans didn’t quite happen, but that was ok — there was plenty to keep us busy at home, and Glenn made great progress on painting more of the house and tackling a few other jobs.

Christmas Day was a lovely day, we headed up to Bayview, just out of Napier, to spend the day with my niece Zoe and her partner Dylan, and Dylan's family.

Zoe loves Christmas like Mum and I,  and she had made their house so festive, it looked awesome!

Even their little dog was dressed up, so cute x

I made our favourite for Christmas dessert, chocolate brownie trifle, and this was a big hit with Dylan's family, not much leftover!

I also had made up some treats -Russian fudge, chocolate salami (pistachio and cranberry), chocolate marsh mellow truffles and rocky road, yum!

(We enjoyed another catch up with Glenn's brother, sister in law and nieces a couple of days after Christmas as they'd been with Jude's family over Christmas). 

Boxing Day we were up bright and early to head up to Hastings to purchase an outdoor furniture setting we'd seen on a previous visit, but first we fueled up on the most delicious breakfast. Eggs Benedict with salmon is always my go to choice if we're out for breakfast. 

Then it was home to unbox our new purchases, and Glenn was able to get this all together in no time. 

The days between Christmas and New Year were filled with house painting, a couple of shopping trips, family catch ups, a bit of decluttering, and plenty of sleep ins after late nights binging tv series, and of course, stitching time.  

After New Year's, we packed up our camper van and then spent a week at one of our local beaches.  The weather was great, sunny and warm, and we had a wonderful week, lots of beach walks, reading, stitching, visits from friends.  

The ice cream truck was out and about, yum, this was just perfect on one of the hot afternoons.

Diesel, as always, was in his element, loving the beach walks and playing in the waves.  He was absolutely worn out by the end of the week. 

Glenn went back to work earlier than me so I had a few days before I returned to work to get on with some house jobs, sort out some stitching stash, and spent a lovely few hours with a friend, catching up over a cuppa with our stitching.

Our vegetable garden is going ok this summer. I have downsized the amount of seedlings I plant, and this summer have chosen to only grow beans, cucumbers, lettuce, a few cabbages, and we have several tomato plants going well in the green house. 

Next time I'll have an update about what I've been stitching over the holiday break, and some stitching plans for 2026.

See you soon x