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

This, that and a bit of the other

Being creative helps us while away many an hour and when you live away from suppliers you learn to make do.  Well I’ve been making do.   You see I just love making the mini pillows that a small group of us have been exchanging and have decided to increase my own collection.  There is a piece of fabric that keeps calling to me , it is nothing like I would normally include in my stash, however it is there and it’s voice is louder than the others.  Somehow I wanted to include it with a mini sampler as a wee pillow.  All of the linen and other cross stitch fabrics I had just weren’t right so it was a case of diving into my old art supplies and dyeing fabric for myself.
The first piece turned out a very soft teal and I think it’s going to work out nicely.  A mini isn’t going to take all of this piece of noisy fabric so another piece of stitching fabric needed to be dyed.   This time I went for linen and chose a pale greyish blue.  After stashing away whites and cream for ages a whole new world has opened up for me –this dyeing stuff is fun!
Speaking of dyeing, I have a friend, Donna who owns The Woolpatch. She dyes beautiful pure NZ wool and recently I have acquired just a little bit to use on needle cases.  Look at these beauties all lined up and ready to be stitched, yum, pure wool, nothing like it for appliqué.
But wait, there’s more… while taking a little break from patchwork I have dragged out the embroidery floss and finished some more mini’s.  The three of them were so relaxing to do and not one is true to pattern.  I just can’t help myself and always end up changing or adding something.  Now, who can I send these to?
Have a great day one and all
hugs

The Postie’s Been Again, yeah!

Oh what fun, this exchange business could become rather addictive.  Yep, the postie came again today with the last of my mini pillow swap, and again I remembered the camera (something else that has become addictive since I started blogging). Shiree, from one of our hottest spots made this beautiful mini pillow for me

   her  stitching is just perfect and she even pieced the back, how impressive. Thank you again Shiree  your a star.      This has been such a fun swap and I think all four of us are keen to have another go.  The guidelines were very simple, create a mini pillow, any shape that would fit into a eight inch square and using any technique or combination of. Originally we were going to send them unstuffed (think of the postage) but a couple of us admitted to being rather uncomfortable with that, so we stuffed them.  This is the pillow I sent Shiree.

I hope you all have such great friends that you have discovered through blogging as I have, they’re such fun.

hugs

  

 

The Postman Doesn’t Always Ring Twice

But he did today.  I have been so lucky as today two of my three swaps arrived.  Here in NZ four of us got together for a mini pillow swap (some call these tuffets, but this Miss Muffet couldn’t sit on them so mini pillows they became) where we all made three mini pillows and posted them out to the other three.  Well, two of mine arrived. I was so excited but did remember to calm down and take a couple of photo’s to share with you all.

First opened was from Deb in Christchurch  this  dear wee pillow is stitched so beautifully and what I nearly forgot to photograph (duh) was the fabric on the back, where  there is a lovely piece of text .

 

 

Thank you so much Deb you are a gem. Here is the mini pillow I sent to Deb.

Now for number two pressie, oooooo it’s starting to feel a bit like Christmas.

Darlene from Lyttleton sent me this little beauty, again the stitching is just stunning and the ‘country’ colours are just the best how clever of her to work out just what I like.  Thank you so much Darlene it truly is a real sweetie.

Here is the littley that I sent to Darlene .

I am truly blessed with the wonderful on line friends that I have and oh so lucky to have met some of them, like the two above who are awesome women.

Have a lovely day ladies

hugs