End of the Month wrap up

 Hello friends, I hope all is well in your world. I thought I'd better get one more post in since we're right at the end of another month.

Things have been a little crazy busy around here lately, mostly my work stuff, so I'm really looking forward to the Easter break coming up soon. We have no set plans, just going to be at home, Glenn has a couple of projects planned and I'd like to spend some time out in the gardens. Hannah's first term break is coming up and these holidays will be filled with dancing practises for her as she is going to be in a local show production at the end of April.

Daylight Savings ends this weekend too, can't believe it, it feels like we hardly had a summer with all the rain and then the cyclone.  We had our first taste of winter this week, the temperatures really dropped and we switched on our heat pump for the first time, not quite ready to light the fire!

Some lovely new charts arrived this week from 123 Stitch, along with some threads needed for a few projects. I'm going to kit up the Primrose Cottage Stitches chart this weekend and make a start. 

Glenn and I spent last weekend at one of our local beaches in the campervan, this time Pourere Beach, which is not far from Blackhead Beach, and only 40 minute drive from home. When I was a teenager, my family used to stay there every summer for two or three weeks.

Of course, Mr Diesel was in his element, he just loves the beach - zoomies in the water, the walks up and down the beach, sniffing everywhere he goes.

The weather was lovely Friday evening and most of Saturday, Sunday morning it was raining we woke up so we decided to head home. 

This was probably our last trip out in the campervan now until after winter.

A few weekends ago we popped up to Hastings for some shopping and lunch out, haven't been up there since after New Years. Hannah was happy to purchase a few things of her shopping list, mostly beauty products ha ha.

In other happy and exciting news, our very good friends' daughter Georgia and her partner Mike, had invited us to celebrate their recent engagement and then completely surprised everyone by announcing that they'd actually got married several weeks ago!  Only their parents knew and we were all so thrilled and happy for them. Just amazing, and it was a wonderful evening celebrating with them both.

I hope to have some stitching projects to share next time, I do have a couple of small finishes and making good progress on a couple of things. I've been knitting too, recently made some hand warmers for birthday gifts and have a baby blanket on the go for my cousin's baby due in a few months. My sewing mojo unfortunately has disappeared, but I hope to get to my sewing machine over the Easter break perhaps. I have some fabrics picked out for some new project bags, and several things that need to be made up. 

Have a lovely weekend, See you soon xx

This Week

Even though I'm trying to stick to my plan of stitching on projects I already have on the go  and left over from last year, I recently ordered some new charts and fabric. The charts came from 123 Stitch in the US and didn't take too long to get to New Zealand, and the Fox & Rabbit linen I ordered from the Ribbon Rose in Auckland. 

I can't wait to start This Happy Morning - I have a few threads to collect and then I might start on it during Easter this year as my birthday falls on Easter Sunday.

We enjoyed a family lunch out together to celebrate my niece Zoe's 22nd birthday on Sunday at one of our favourite local cafes.  Zoe recently got a promotion at her work, so very proud of her.

Eggs Benedict with salmon, my first choice always if I'm out for brunch somewhere.

What else for today - my current books to read, I've been reading a lot this year and currently have a huge pile waiting, either reserves that have come in at the library, purchases or books I've been loaned. Have you read anything good lately?

Cheeky boy Mr D, this is how I found him the other day, he'd sneaked into our bedroom, found my dressing gown and was settling in to have a sleep on our bed!

In other news this week, we've had the last of the plumbing work done in one of our bathrooms, yay. This was a major redo- new ceiling, new shower, new toilet, new hand basin and vanity, and new wall paneling.  Glenn did most of this work himself, with help from his Dad, and then work was done by our plumber and electrician. Photos to come. 

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

Fully Finished, Gifts and more

The end of January is here already, and what a few days its been here in New Zealand. On Friday night, Auckland and surrounding areas experienced unprecedented rainfall over a couple hours that caused an epic deluge and severe flooding.  It was surreal watching on tv the flooding through the international airport, the Auckland Zoo, Eden Park (where Glenn and I went to the Guns and Roses concert in December), family homes, schools  and work places. It was absolutely chaotic and a state of emergency was declared.  Schools due to open for the new school year this week are to remain closed through until next week and people have been asked to stay home and not travel anywhere unless they need to.  Tragically four people lost their lives and millions of dollars of damage has been done.  More heavy rain is forecast this week for the region and further down the North Island.  My thoughts continue to go out to Aucklanders, especially those hit the hardest by flood damage. 

 Also, we now have a new Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, after a resignation from our current prime minister Jacinda Adern. This year is an election year so it will be interesting to see how things go there. 

Now to some stitching. Late last year I stitched several small pojects that I didn't get fully finished. I was able to work on these during my holidays.  

Joy & Good Cheer by Brenda Gervais, stitched on 36 count vintage mocha linen using most of the recommended threads.

 

Merry by Mojo Stitches, I think the fabric was 32 count natural linen and I used the recommended DMC threads. 

Heart in Hand's 2022 Wee Santa - I love the colours in this design, stitched on 32 count vintage mocha linen and recommended threads.

The 2022 charms were purchased from Ali Express, must order some for this year.

I received the following charts and felt fabrics as part of my Christmas gifts from Kath, so sweet:

The next two photos are of gifts received from my friend Elizabeth, she is such a talented stitcher. 

Last week's sampler out of my stitching basket was This is the Day by Plum Street Samplers - the fabric looks quite washed out in these photos, it's more golden in colour.

Weekend baking is back on the agenda now we're back at work,and I like to make a few treats for my parents and Glenn's Dad. Forgotten Fruit muffins are a great way to use up fruit and this time I had some peaches that had started going a bit soft, yum!

Have I shared that Mr D is now six months old and what a character he is!  He is such a bundle of fun, so stubborn at times and makes us laugh. He's become my shadow, everywhere I go, he's right there -when I'm brushing my teeth and doing my make up, putting laundry on, etc. He does the same with Glenn and Hannah too.  

See you soon xx