Tai Chi and OPAM

Whew what a hectic week, every day I've had ladies in the shop sitting and sewing and so many that I hadn't met before. Even on our 'closed' day the shop became full with about 18 members of the local Women's Institute.  I was so in awe of the stories they were telling me that I forgot to take photo's, these women, some with gnarly hands of age and work recalled crafts that they did and do enjoy.   They were so inspiring, mind you later on I recalled the movie Calendar Girls and struggled to imagine any of my visitors doing tai chi upon a hill top, or taking it all off for charity.  I'd like to thank Jenny who took the time to introduce them to myself and the shop - I know I will see and have seen some of them again.
Wednesday, four of us sat hand stitching for the day just enjoying each others company and getting to know each other better, then yesterday four ladies, Roberta, Ngahuia, Marg and Lovey came over from Christchurch for a sewing pouch class.  So as you can see, it's been all on.  But wait there's more...
Yep, I got a number of things finished and a couple of goodies in the mail.
First off my finishes, on the right here is Avlyn Crystal Fusion, a wall hanging that I'll be teaching as a class project in the near future.  It's this little sew and sew that I broke my machine on while quilting - mmmmm! 
Then, after many starts in cross stitch I finally finished a number of mini pillows - funny though, the bigger I get the more I like the smaller things. I'm sure some one a lot more intelligent than me could have all sorts of fun with that statement! LOL.
O.K., I'm sorry you can't see them that clearly so here they are one by one 


Here's a close up of the heart one, I kind of got carried away with the beading.






My goodness this post is turning out to be  rather long so I think I'll add these to my OPAM finishes and post about the goodies that arrived tomorrow.
hugs

Think Pink for a Cause

Last week during  our quilting group a friend informed me that she had had a mammogram  and that there was the odd 'nasty' that had been detected. As you can imagine my mind started racing.  Do I stay serious, do I keep things light?  What does one say?
Fortunately my friend was staying very calm and patient while she waited for further results.  The following day this patient woman phoned to tell me that the results were in and that she is facing surgery plus radiation. I suppose helpless is how I felt and still feel, there is nothing I can do for her except pray and be here when she needs someone.
My friends plight just wouldn't get out of my head so to the computer I went - cross stitch patterns that have something to do with breast cancer.  Being a lover of mini pillows, I thought I would make her a mini that she could pop in her bag and if I couldn't be there in person  I could at least be there in the form of the mini to remind her that my prayers are with her.
The computer came through!    A wonderful pattern was found by      'Ink Circles', they have a freebie  Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon Mandala and it was just perfect for what I was after.  So,  for the last few days the housework has been left, so have the gardens while I stitched away (sorry no Gardeners Journal sewing done either).  Today I added pearls around the edge of the pillow and stitched a few tiny crystals on top.  I hope this little  keepsake gives her the warm fuzzy feeling that having some one who cares, brings.
On that note I think it's a timely reminder for all of us to self check.
hugs

The Week That Was

Well, that has been one heck of a week here on the West Coast.  The changing temperatures of Autumn have had a number of us running from goosebumps to hot flushes and back again, then we have gone from fierce winds to still balmy days, from rain that hits the windows so hard you imagine yourself sleeping in a firing range to blazing sun.  I’m sure all of this is natures way of keeping us on our toes so I’ve done my best to oblige.
Early Monday I went into the garage, this is DH’s inner sanctum and while he is away I’ve had just a little mooch around.  10litres of satin finish white paint called out so did the same amount of ceiling white.  Well, they called so hard I just had to find paintbrushes and other necessary painting gear to make enough changes.  Three ceilings and one bathroom later the paint is spent and so am I.  So much white it’s dazzling!
In between painting a few little projects have been quietly stitched.  This little mini I made for a dear lady, Laurie who had previously commented on her like of the minis that myself and Deb, Darlene and Shiree had been swapping.  Now she has her own.  By the way Laurie I borrowed the photo off your blog as I forgot to take one – thanks.
The next wee project has been more cross stitch, this time it’s ‘Bird in Hand’ from Blackbird Designs .  It may only be 5 1/2” square but by crikey it takes some time to do.
As if I needed something else to keep me busy I was drawn to a stitch along – A Gardeners Journal.  Anni Downs stitchery quilt book had been long looked at and the incentive of stitching along with others was way to good a chance to miss.  Chookyblue, Peg and Dale sounded so convincing that this would be a fun way to get through each of the blocks that my willpower gave in and I signed up, now I just hope I can keep on top of it. Mind you, OPAM was supposed to get me into the finishing mode and here I am starting something new – well, if Peg and many others  can do it so can I.
Then… with the end of the financial year looming stock take needed to be done.  Now we are only a little shop and have been open nearly two years but gosh the stock has almost double in quantity.  Each piece needed to be measured then recorded and reboarded.  I’m very fortunate to have some great friends who spent at least six hours with me laughing, joking and measuring. We are about 2/3 of the way through then it’s onto all the notions – whew.  With a good supply of nibbles and plenty of coffee we kept high spirits and got to learn a lot more about each other. Blessed I think is how I should describe myself today as without the help from Liz, Kathy and Linda this job would have taken me for ever.
So there we have it, the week that was.  Nothing too exciting but lots happening, and Miss Deb, get well soon, mwah xx
hugs to you all

Visitors, Wildfoods and Cross Stitching

Today has been a great day where I caught up with a blogging friend in person, yeah! Darlene her DH (who is a whizz at computers and got mine sorted in no time – what a gem!)and friend came to visit on their way home from the Hokitika Wild Foods Festival .  It was great catching up with her again but not long enough unfortunately.  This is the second time I have met Darlene here in Hoki, so I had better make sure that when DH is home we meet up on the other side of the island, and make sure Miss D is there too. We  missed you Deb – hugs.  I even forgot to ask Darlene which wild foods she tried and… I forgot to get the camera out – dim wit eh? Duh!

The Wildfoods Festival is held here every year and I guess is a celebration of all sorts of ‘bush tucker’. The whole town becomes inundated with thousands of people.  I have heard that the town triples in size and every nook and cranny in town gets filled up with campers as there is never a spare bed at any of the hotels,motels or holiday parks'.  People like Darlene and family often just come over for the day, however that’s a long drive at three hours each way.  From what I have heard the entertainment is fantastic and the centre of town becomes a precinct with market stalls in the main street and a variety of performers.

Now, getting on to why I gave this post it’s title.  Lately I have been really getting into little cross stitch projects and although I have Anchor and DMC stranded threads by the dozens I would like to try something new.  Can any of you suggest stranded threads that give a really nice finish and are available in New Zealand and if possible where in NZ I can get them?

Thanks in advance.

Yeah, purchases arrived

A couple of weeks ago and prior to the loss of my wallet I spent an evening letting my fingers do the shopping.  Amazon was where spent just a little bit of DH hard earned cash – don’t tell, he doesn’t know!   Anyway, I found three lovely books from Blackbird Designs, lookee here , aren’t they just yummy?  Well, they arrived the day before yesterday and after pouring over the contents I found a dear wee cross stitch pattern.  So with teabags at the ready I put my fabric in to soak.  White just wasn’t doing it for me, I wanted that aged look.   The cross stitch design is very small and I altered it just a little bit but I’m pretty happy with this new, old looking sampler that I’m going to put into another mini pillow.  Unfortunately the flash on my camera has made it look a lot lighter than it really is.  In real life it’s almost a tan colour.

Sunday’s bag making class went down a treat. Although small in numbers the ladies were such fun that teaching them was easy and at the end of the day they all left with a completed project which I’m thrilled with as all to often I find many classes don’t see the project through to completion.  In the end UFO’s from courses gone by just pile up.

Well, I guess that’s it for now, I’m busy with yet another cross stitch for another mini pillow, then once that’s done the patterns for more that I ordered last night should be here (yep, I did it again), so I can get stuck into those, then I should be just about ready for getting into those stitcheries I got a while back.  Busy, busy.

hugs one and all