Xmas swaps, the garden and a purchase

Hi team, well as we are so aware the silly season is sneaking up quicker and quicker. I have completed one swap gift and am working on my SSCS gift, almost completed and ready to post. I can’t believe how the time crept up on me, I had prepared everything, knowing exactly what I was making and thought I had heaps of time then all of a sudden its only 5 days till posting. Needless to say I have had a lovely weekend stitching.

Since I can’t show you a photo of what I have been stitching I thought I would show you my gardening angel.

I made her when I went to my first Symposium and did a class with Jean Wells Keenan from the Stitching Post. It was a brilliant class and what an amazing lady.

Well I went to Borders Bookshop on Friday as they had 30% off their non-fiction books. I said to DH “Come on, I can get Julia Child’s Book so much cheaper.” Anyway we arrived at the store and I found a couple of magazines I wanted to send away to a friend, and off I went on a mission down to the cooking shelves.

There sitting predominately in view was “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Childs etc BUT sitting on the shelf above it was a book called “The Thrifty Kitchen”. Mmmm I thought to myself, that looks a very nice book, so as one would expect I picked up both of the books, rounded DH up and said , “Come on, buy your wife a coffee so she can decide between these two books.”. He shook his head thinking here we go again.

So finally the decision was made , I bought “The Thrifty Kitchen” and decided Julia could stay on the Christmas wish list.

The decision was swayed a) because of the price, it was more expensive than Julia, so I felt it was sensible to get it whilst 30% off and b) having looked through every page there was very little that I would actually have to go out and buy in the way of ingredients. This fact was the decider. The recipes are lovely and the only things I bought in the groceries to cover myself were some curry pastes and some other spices.

Last night I made “Slightly Spicy Salmon Cakes” for dinner and they were yummy. DH is having the leftovers tonight. But they were so easy.

Well we had our bimonthly breakfast out this morning with the friends who I went to Intermediate School with- yes I was 11years old when I meet these friends and now 38years later, we still get together but with our spouses. Its fabulous and we are all such good friends.

So today we went to a lovely garden centre which has a cafe attached. Normal meals all round, eggs Benedict and bacon but DH shocked the socks off me and had Chocolate Chip pancakes with raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream. Yes this was at 9am this morning he was eating ice cream!! Sometimes he can be a naughty, naughty boy. But whilst we were having our coffee’s and waiting for our meals we had a look around us and WOW, this place had some wonderful kitchen bits and bobs. I came home with these…..

….aren’t they gorgeous. My little red “Top Cat” rubbish tin (do you remember that programme, Top Cat and Officer Dibble?) and my little red scrubber which you fill the handle with detergent and push the button on the top to release it when scrubbing those nasty pots etc. I did actually have a plastic bin on the bench for my organic wastes but this one is soooooooo much nicer, the other one is a gone-burger! So as I said to Melanie, this is the beginning of me bringing in red to my kitchen. I’m wanting red and white spots but this is a beginning and will blend easily. (lol) .

Its been a beautiful weekend weather wise here and we had a holiday on Friday for the Canterbury Anniversary Day. DH pottered in the garden when we came home after brekky today and bought in our first lot of radishes and spring onions from the garden. Yummy, every time I have walked by the kitchen another radish has lost its life. I have been out cutting more roses for around the house, I so love it when my roses start to flourish.

So my very dear friends, I hope that you have all had / are having a lovely weekend where ever you are- a shame that tomorrow’s Monday isn’t it?

Hugs in Stitching, Deb xx

What a brilliant day….

Well I did something today that I have thought of doing many times but just couldn’t do it. Why today was different I don’t know, but now that I have achieved this I can’t believe it took me so long. What was it you ask? Well……..

I went to the movies on my own…. pathetic isn’t it, but it was something I couldn’t do unless I went with a friend. So needless to say there are many times when I desperately wanted to go to a movie but DH or one of the kids weren’t interested so I just waited till it came out in DVD.

But I really, really wanted to see Julie and Julia so today was the day. I grabbed a large latte and went to the 11.40am session. There were about 12 people in the theatre, one other woman on her own, everyone else in pairs.

What a movie. I was totally engrossed whilst it was on and unaware of anyone else in the theatre. Absolutely brilliant movie, loved every single minute of it. I came out of the theatre with a smile like a Cheshire cat that I could feel across my face but I couldn’t stop it. I had a really light feeling throughout and I wanted to cook. I went to the bookshop at the bottom of the escalator from the movies and there was “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”, Julia Child’s book. It was $50.00 so I think it will have to be suggested as a Christmas present that maybe the kids could give me together.

• COVET (verb)
The verb COVET has 1 sense:

1. wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person)

So finally I have something that I can say I “Covet”, and sadly its just a cook book but a good cook book.

And if you haven’t seen the movie yet, go, hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did. Go here http://www.sonypictures.com.au/movies/julieandjulia/ to see the trailer.

The other great thing that I can tell you is the Jennifer who I was a Stitchers Angel for has let me know that she has received her parcel which is great as I was worried it may have gone missing. These are what I made for her.

Of course the roses theme- so inside the carry bag was a coffee mug with a hugger and coaster and a journal all covered in roses fabrics.

Hugs in Stitching, Deb xx

Stitcher’s Angel swap gift received

I was extremely spoilt this week as on Monday morning at 7.30am the courier delivered a parcel to my door.  It was my Stitchers Angel gift from the wonderful Veronica.  I have been really lucky and been a swap partner with Veronica before so when I found it who was my Angel it was a lovely surprise.  I had absolutely no idea who it was by the couple of emails Veronica had sent me as she had used a secret email address too-very sneaky, lol.

Anyway talk about spoilt rotten!  I know we say it all of the time and repeat it over and over but blogging friends are such generous people. Just look at these amazing gifts, I was really blown away.

This is the beautiful magazine/book /sneaky goodies holder that hangs down the side of the bed. Veronica had even included the latest Quilt magazine. I remember seeing it on Veronica’s blog and thinking how lovely it was. Veronica used a colouring technique to fill in details, what a great time she must have had, just like colouring in when we were little.

Then this photo shows my magazine, a lovely covered notebook to keep all of my secret blogging business in, a gorgeous sewing dilly bag with 4 pockets round the outside and each individual pocket contained a different packet of crafting buttons AND inside the bag was a yummy, yummy bag of Peanut Butter  Brittles which I can tell you went down an absolute treat………

 

But wait there’s more…..  This amazing bundle of fabrics was inside the sewing bag also. I was absolutely speechless and I can assure you it takes a lot to render my speechless.

Aren’t they beautiful. Veronica, thank you so very very much, you have touched my heart.

And just to finish this post off here is a photo of my first vase of roses for the spring , cut from the garden to have in the lounge. This is DH’s rose which I bought for him when we were first married, First Love, but sadly it has no fragrance.  The things which are acceptable when we are first married eh, …. not anymore..lol.

Hugs in stitching,  Deb xx 

Christmas is definitely coming and more….

Well a busy weekend but a wonderful sense of satisfaction reigns thank goodness. I thought for awhile I was way behind with things but I’m not so that’s good.

Firstly I received in the mail on Friday from Carole a piece of tea dyed calico for me to do a stitchery of some sort on which Carole is going to put together with other quilters/stitchers  pieces she has sent out, and make a quilt. Isn’t this a fabulous idea? When Carole asked for people to do this for her I thought, I’d love to.

So this is what I did this weekend and it will be in the post to Carole tomorrow, so one less worry with the silly season approaching.

Hope this is what you were thinking of Carole.

If you are looking at Carole’s blog you will also notice that she had a wee visitor inside……… well I went into the sewing room Friday and look, Frank had also bought something in for me to see….

Yep, that’s feathers. (I removed the actual body before the Forensics team started photographing.) The suspect is in the holding basket sound asleep with an extremely proud smile on his little cute face.  I have since been out grocery shopping and came home to find all evidence of any homicide vacuumed up by the suspects favourite partner in crime- DS. Great job too Jack, thanks mate, anytime you need a job give your Mother a call.

Now, last night since the house was sooooooo peaceful as DH is away “bonding” (drinking beer and telling lies like boys do! Nothing at all like our ladies weekends away!!), and DS was socialising and DD was working, and the only things I had to do was watch the last 15mins of the rugby on TV to say “I saw the game hun, yeah great game…”, I sat with fore-mentioned suspect curled up beside me and stitched.

I completed this which is going to be part of a little something I just whizzed up for Christmas……

and then I copied a whole lot of these out , ironed on weave line on the back and then started stitching them.

Now the other thing I must say girls is that I was reading Vikki’s blog the other night and she was discussing how we all have trouble or seem to at some time or other doing our posts in blogspot. Well Vicki, (yes another one) left a comment about how she uses Windows Live Writer for all her posts now.  So I downloaded Windows Live Writer and have used it for this post and the previous one and HECK YES girls it is a doddle.  So much easier to use and it just transfers the post onto your blog lickitidy split without any problems such as trying to open blogspot or being unable to load photos.  FANNYTASTIC. So thanks Vikki for mentioning it in your blog and thanks Vicki for giving us the solution. Marvellous ladies.

The only thing I have to find out is how to get my signature back …. will let you know.

 

The Final…….Canterbury Wins Again.

Well it was a tough game but Canterbury did us proud once again. The Air New Zealand Cup stays in the provence. This is their 5th “Final “ Game win, they made history. Bad luck Wellington , I will admit I felt sorry for all of your team, you looked gutted. Great effort .

I am sitting watching the television as the boys are given their medals for winning and its so cool as they have young kids , obviously budding footballers , presenting the boys with their medals.

The only thing that always makes me question the celebrations, “Why give them a magnum of Champagne to celebrate when all they can do is shake the bottle and spray it all over each other?”  What a waste.  Boys that’s what it is , I sure.

Crochet and a swap.

Well it may seem that I have been idle of late but I promise you I have not.


I pulled my crochet hooks out of hiding, have wiped off the dust and cobwebs and decided they needed an airing. DS asked me if I would make him a blanket for the back seat of his car. Well................ I thought as all mothers do, why does he want a blanket for the back seat of his car and then I very quickly thought, do I want to know. Hell no, of course not.
So we toddled off to Spotlight for a mother /son bonding morning, he picked out the burgundy wool, I made him buy me a coffee and we sat and chatted catching up on whats happening with him which was so lovely
Then he chauffeured me into town and told me he needed new undies. Now he told me as he knows I won't buy him cheap undies in the 7 pack or whatever from the supermarket or Warehouse, I buy him the nice undies like Bendon mens or Jockey brand. DS and I have worked it out that I can buy him 4 pairs of quality undies which last for ages and he literally throws them out when the material has worn holes in them because it has got so thin. Now cheap pack undies don't last a quarter of the length of time, they literally fall apart, seams rip, elastic comes out so we just don't go there anymore.
Anyway as I said to DS if his plans happen as he is talking and he ends up going flatting next year he will be buying his own underwear in the future so he will be parting with his money not mine!!





So where was I, I digressed from crochet didn't I, sorry about that. So here is his blanket, I finished it Monday night and stitched all of the threads in Tuesday night so he now has it for his car.

Now that it is finished and DD has decided she wants one for her car. She wants her's in navy blue and thankfully I have just brushed off a few more cobwebs and dust and found some bags of navy wool and white wool in the garage so thats what she will be getting. She knows that hers may take a little bit longer as I have some Christmas sewing to complete.

In the mail today I received a parcel of loveliness from my dear friend Melanie. Melanie and I did a swap between the two of us - The Seaside was the theme. We decided we would make each other 2 cushion covers. Here are the two I received from Melanie, they are absolutely fabulous.

The Seashells.....

The Ice cream cones...... Aren't they lovely. Have a closer look at the fabrics they are gorgeous.

Melanie also sent me these goodies....
some more of the lovely printed fabric she used, some cream fabric with ribbon through it, 2 lots of laces, some lovely coasters which have been made from the fabric she used on the back of the cushion covers, a fresh water pearl necklace, some seaside charms, a bookmark from Southport where she lives and some shells which she collected from her own wee beach.......

and a tea towel showing Southport.

I was so absolutely spoilt, Melanie is such a generous soul and I love her to bits.

Thank you hun.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend., I hope to be head down, bottom up stitching my wee heart out.

Fabrics, smiles and progress.

Isn't Spring grand... these is our first rose popping its head out to the sun. It unfortunately has no fragrance, so its actually very lucky to be owned by me as I normally only have fragrant roses in my garden. This one is a standard rose which sits on our deck called "Matawhero Magic". The colour is so intense, its beautiful.
Also popping up in the garden is my first lot of Lily of the Valley. I adore this small delicate little plant. The fragrance is too die for.

Just a wee bit of shopping has been done lately but I just couldn't resist. I saw this card below and had to have it...... it is so true and left such a smile on my face....

.... its rue for all of us I am sure. "I was born to make quilts then forced to go to work." Sad isn't it....

We went to the garden centre today as darling dog kindly dug the cucumber plant out of DH's glass house. He was not impressed so off we went to replace it. I saw this whilst there and bought it for DH as once again the words said it all.........

....it is now hanging from our back door. LOL

Earlier this week I saw these fabrics which were absolute must haves...... Victorian Toy Attic Panel. I have an old Pedigree dolls pram which I intend doing up and having sit in one of our bedrooms with my china baby doll in it. I thought I might make up this panel into a cot quilt/pram quilt and use it in the pram. I think holding onto to it until we are proud grandparents is probably testing fate.....

.......we would probably have all boys or none at all. Think I'll stick to the pram.

This is some of the other fat quarters I got in the same range, they are so lovely.

Now before our trip to the garden centre today we had to pop into Spotlight to pick up some Clover Quick Bias for Shiree as she was unable to get it down south. So as one does when one is in a fabric shop one has to browse the fabrics (of course there was a definite goal in mind).

These are some decorating cottons which are quite heavy and I thought how they would make up a gorgeous bag, black band round the top and the patterned bottom......mmm, I'm feeling it.

So apart from those little purchases I have been a good girl and had my Stitchers Angel goodies posted about a week ago but it had to fly to the States so might take 10-14 days and I have another swap all ready to go which I was doing with Melanie. The theme for this swap was " The Seaside" and we were doing 2 cushion covers for each other. So I will post that off tomorrow, then its time to finish my SSCS gift and some decorations for a swap and then send of my Christmas fat quarters, buttons and ribbon to my partner (when I find out who they are) for Jenny and Vicki's Quick Christmas Swap. So you'd better have a quick look at Jenny's blog cause if you blink you'll miss out on the swap, its happening quickly.