New Starts, Knitting, 18 Birthday Candles and more

 Hello friends,

well, I can't get this photo the right way up but this is a recent start on Mother's Day last Sunday. Birds and Bees Sewing Roll by Stacy Nash. I actually had another piece of linen chosen for this project but when the Fox & Rabbit linens I'd bought for my May Fabric club arrived, I thought this would be perfect. 36 count Prehistoric linen with the recommended Weeks Dye Works threads.

The other linen fat quarter I'd bought is a newly released colour by Fox & Rabbit, Tuscan Path.

Recently I went into a shop in town that has a small selection of yarns and knitting accessories and found this pretty sock yarn.  My other rainbow socks have been relegated to "file 13" for now, ha ha. 

These have been my lunch break project lately.

Another new project underway has been one of Teresa Kogut's Santas, lots of stitches in this design. I love the DMC red colour, DMC 22.

Our darling Hannah May is now 18, wow, where have the years gone?  

We celebrated with takeaways, an ice cream cake and treats as Hannah had been late at school, involved in the dress rehearsals for their latest production, in the hair and make up team. 

It was Mother's day here last Sunday and for a treat on Saturday night, we went out with friends to a restaurant we'd not been to before. It was delicious and I enjoyed a crispy salmon and pork belly salad for my main followed by sticky date pudding for dessert, so divine!

On Sunday afternoon Hannah and I watched the school production, Alice in Wonderland.  Wow, there are some incredibly talented young adults at our local high school and I really enjoyed watching several of Hannah's good friends taking to the stage.  

I'll finish today with some recent photos of the goodest boy ever, Mr Diesel.  We've had to put our river walks on hold for a week or so as he's had a sore paw but we'll be back walking our limestone tracks hopefully this coming weekend. 

See you soon x

All Sorts

Hello friends, 

another week nearly over, and it seems the days are just zipping on by lately.  We've been enjoying some really nice weather  - I love the weather at this time of the year, cooler mornings and evenings but gorgeous sunny days, hopefully it stays this way for a bit longer into autumn. It's also crazy to think that Easter is just around the corner now. This year we are heading away over the Easter break for a big family catch up with Glenn's Dad's side of the family up north.  We've hired a house for a couple of days with Paul, Jude and the girls, and then will have a night at Taupo on our way home, which we are also looking forward to, as we haven't been there for several years.  

It's been a busy few weeks around here, lots going on and lots of happy events to attend.  Good friends of ours got married several weeks ago, one of my uncles turned 80 years old, and then last weekend, we went to the wedding of one of our school friends, which was an amazing weekend, so wonderful catching up with all our good friends.  Hannah's school year is well underway, and she has had lots on too, this year she was chosen as a House Leader, so there's been extra activities she's been involved with. 

This year I've joined Cathy from Hands on Designs' Patreon ornament club and have the first two month's designs now stitched.  

I'm using 32 count natural linen and the recommended DMCs.

My current lunch break project is some sock knitting, these socks have been on the go for ages, and I did have to reverse quite a few rows as I'd made a major muck up in the heel part. 

New Mill Hill Santa in progress, because apparently I’m addicted to stitching them!

I recently renewed my lapsed subscription to the Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher magazine, and I’m so glad I did — this sweet Crocette a Gogo design immediately caught my eye and I started it straight away!

During 2026, I'd decided to create my own fabric of the month club, where I purchase a fat quarter of linen each month, whatever colour or count, and February and March choice's recently arrived from Helen at That Crafty Kiwi.  February's choice was 36 count Dust Bunny by Fox and Rabbit, which I'm intending to use for this newly purchased Stacy Nash design.

March's choice was 40 count Saltbush by Fox and Rabbit, and as it couldn't travel alone, ha ha, I added this cute Primrose Cottage design to my order.

I haven’t ordered from 123 Stitch in ages, so I’ve got some fun new stash coming — a mix of Nashville releases, wish‑list charts, plus some threads and fabric from a NZ stitching store.  Photos to come!

This week at work we’ve been treated to some beautiful dahlias from one of my staff member’s gardens. They’re brightened the place up so much, absolutely lovely.

See you soon xx

Spring has Sprung & Current Project Progress

Spring is in the air - what a good feeling, and our Daylight Savings hours start in a few weekends too. It's been quite busy at my work this week as several of my staff have been on leave for various reasons so the days seem to be flying by quickly.  

Yesterday afternoon I was at my parents, they live in the same street as me, so I snapped a few pics of currently what's flowering in Mum's garden. Daffodils galore, 

Sweet smelling violets,

and pretty hellebores.

Last Sunday it was a fairly good day so we packed up a picnic lunch, put on some warm clothes and headed out to the beach.  Glenn has two new purchases - a drone which he is going to use for fishing, and a new vehicle, a 2025 Nissan Navara, both needed testing out of course!

It was a sunny out there but boy, the wind was freezing! We enjoyed a brisk walk along the beach, then a hot cuppa.

Glenn had a good practise with the drone - it will be great to see it in action with his fishing line one day soon.

Stitching at the moment, I'm focusing on getting a few small projects finished, and would you believe it, I've been actually "finishing" a few items.  I've also been making some good progress on several wips including Stacy Nash's Gingerbread House Sewing book, sorry I can't recall what fabric I'm using for this design. 

Americana Blue by October House Fibre Arts, which I'm stitching on 36 count Fibre on a Whim Affogato linen with WDW Blue Jeans threads. 

Humming of the Bees by Blackbird Designs, I'm stitching this on 36 count vintage mocha linen.

These photos looked a bit washed out, sorry!

Spring time here in Central Hawkes Bay also means the start of the CHB Spring Fling, with various events being held during September and October. This Saturday is one of my favourite events, the Spring Market, where there will be lots of stalls, food trucks and entertainment. I hope the weather holds out for it as the forecast is not looking too good.  Glenn is off to Auckland with some friends to watch the All Blacks rugby team play South Africa, Hannah has her yearly ballet exam, and my niece Zoe and her Dad Marcus, my younger brother, are visiting so it should be a fun but full on weekend!

See you soon x