Summer holiday

We have just returned from our summer holiday at Papamoa beach and it was one of the best holidays ever.  The weather was perfect, the water was warm and I had a swim every day (that hasn't happened for years!)  We spent time walking, snorkeling, catching up with friends and playing games; "Rage" is our favourite.  I also had time to start stitching a new cross stitch and got lots of knitting done.  Knitting is so transportable and perfect for all the time spent travelling in the car.
The first finish is the Reminisce hat (ravelry link here).  This hat is designed by Libby at Truly Myrtle and I was able to test knit it which was pretty special for me.  I used a beautiful merino and possum yarn, made in New Zealand, which has a very soft feel. The hat was blocked on a dinnerplate which gives it the slightly slouchy beret look.  The pattern is released now and is a gorgeous design.
The sock pattern is Dancetty (ravelry link here) and is an Abbey Morris design.  I used yarn left over from the shawl I made last year.  I love these socks and especially love the stitch used on the heel which makes it feel reinforced.
I knitted the Checkerboard mitts (ravelry page here) for Josh (15 year old) as I wasn't very happy with the ones I knitted for him last year.  These feel comfy and warm and have plenty of room for my growing boy.
I love all three of these knits. It's almost enough to get me looking forward to winter (Yeah Right!) Wendy xx

Summer holiday

Summer holidays, oh how I love them!  The teenagers are happily occupied with their friends in the camping ground and I rest and read and stitch and walk.  One of the things I appreciate most about our holiday is the complete break away from work and lists and responsibilities.  Then somewhere along the way I become ready to grab my diary and write lists of things I want to accomplish at home, things I didn't have the energy to do at the end of last year.  Once home I am refreshed and motivated to get my list done :)
My summer holiday stitching consisted of a red wool coat ornament for my January Christmas item, made from this kit, and my Chateau Hexagon quilt.  I am loving the addition of the rows of hexagons.  Now I'm up to block eight, stitching a row of pretty flowers.
Thanks again to Narelle for hosting the one Christmas item a month, this year we have a dedicated blog here.
I have lots of blog reading to catch up on, I will do my best to do that over the next few days :) Wendy xx

Unfinished things

Oh dear, I seem to have more unfinished things than finished at the moment.  I spent most of my crafting time this week knitting and sewing; knitting my cardigan, sewing a swap block and starting to quilt the cot quilt.  Not much progress has been made on my Chateau Hexagon block and my sundress seems to have stalled with just the lining made.
The weather is starting to change, summer is on it's way and the garden is colouring up.  In just a week the bottle brush has burst into flower and my roses have budded.  The birds and bees are enjoying it as much as me.
Last night we attended our annual church bonfire and dessert evening.  Guy Fawkes is a good excuse for enjoying fireworks and fun although it seems a strange thing to commemorate! Wendy xx

Holiday sewing

Tomorrow we go on our Summer Holiday, yippee! I remember our family always having a summer holiday at a beach, sometimes tenting, sometimes in a bach (NZ beach house) and even a few times in a converted tram car.  With seven children it was no mean feat for my parents to organise and there would be quite a bit of tension in the air on packing day.  Once we had safely arrived the tension seemed to magically disappear and we could all get down to the business of enjoying ourselves.  We have continued that tradition on with our children and my year doesn't feel like it has started properly until we have had our January beach holiday.  We have tented for many years but this year we have booked a two room cabin at the camping ground we regularly go to at Papamoa.  Luxury.  As I ignored my Vignette quilt for most of 2012 I have decided that will be my holiday sewing and I am also packing a Christmas decoration kit for a bit of variety.  See you in ten days, Wendy xx

School holidays

On Easter Monday we spent the day at Raglan, an hours drive away which makes it our nearest beach.  It was the perfect day and so beautiful.  Charlotte and Josh loved spending the day in the water and enjoyed being with their cousins.  Tuesday night we went out for dinner for Paul's belated birthday, yum!  And yesterday we went for a walk through an arboretum, the leaves are just starting to change colour.  The lighting was a bit gloomy so I don't have any photos worth sharing.  On the sewing front I have finally pieced and traced blocks 8 and 12 of my Vignette quilt, whew!!  I had refused to put my Vignette fabrics away this week until I had sewn it together, I am so pleased it is at this stage today, now I can slowly plug away at the stitching.  The last photo is a gift that arrived yesterday all the way from France, from Florence as a give-away for her 150th post.  Can you see how gorgeous and tiny her stitching is?  I love the pincushion and the colours are perfect for me.  Florence also included the decorative pins in my parcel, have you ever seen pins so cute?  Thank you so much Florence, I love my gift!  Wendy xx

Cutest little fawn - EVER

How can you resist a title like that?  I couldn't, so this "cutest little fawn - EVER" is now mine!  I thought he would be a perfect Christmas decoration but my husband thinks he should stay out always!  He is a little vintage fawn and he is my Tuesday's Treasure.  Pop over to Melody's to see other lovely treasures.

Last week raced by and this week looks like it is going the same way, but the above photos are some of what I have been up to.  Last week I was inspired by Lily to do some extra cleaning, I chose to polish my dining room table and set it nicely ... We went to Raglan in the weekend for our church camp, a lovely weekend but very short on sleep!  The camp is high on a hill overlooking a bay, such a beautiful spot ... I have fitted in a little bit of sewing, I started cutting lots of squares to make the remaining shoo fly blocks for my Vignette quilt ... I completed one more block for Charlie's quilt ... and I finished my second item for the Christmas angel swap, the 4"x6" stitchery, although I still need to frame it.  Next on my sewing list is my Farmer's Wife blocks for March and I joined another swap (I am so weak!!), the Friendship swap with Sew Happy House so I want to start that too.  Whew, I better get off the computer and back to my needle, Wendy xx

Monthly make and lucky, lucky me

Diary cover - In the Life of a Bag by Anni Downs

I was so tempted to spend a fortune on a new diary and organiser from one of those beautiful stationery shops but after looking through Anni Downs book "In the Life of a Bag" I decided to improve the one I had instead. I used American-themed fabrics I was given in last years Christmas swap.  I am feeling pretty pleased with myself and this is my February Monthly Make with The Felt Fairy.  Valentines Day treats included heart lollies from my husband and white chocolate cupcakes made by me, yum!

Leanne and I shared a fun swap together and I was blown away when her gift for me arrived.  Inside were all the goodies above:  lots of fabric, thread, tape measure, stationery, a gorgeous Gail Pan pattern, and lovely gifts Leanne had made - a heart ornament with beautiful stitchery, a pincushion and a needle book.  I love the look of the heart hanging on my china cabinet door.  A huge thank you to Leanne for spoiling me with such generous and perfect gifts!  Once Leanne has received my gifts I will post about them and I'll be back in the weekend with my Friday Night Sew In results.

Home again

Holidays always go too fast.  I love the feeling of anticipating a holiday, then the enjoyment of being somewhere different and seeing new things, and I love coming home again.  Our little house seems fresh and welcoming, and new treasures get put away.  Bay of Islands was as beautiful as I remember from 18 years ago and Paul and I loved sharing it with the kids.  The weather was perfect and the colours amazing.

Isn't this a fun photo, we had so many laughs over it!  The kids were amazed at their father's dexterity!  We were on 90 Mile Beach.

I had plenty of time to relax and sew on holiday, it was the perfect time to get all those berries stitched on my Vignette blocks.

I am now halfway there, here is how all the blocks look together.

I completed two more blocks for Charlotte's quilt, gerberas and hearts.  This photo doesn't show the colours at all well, they are much brighter and vibrant.  

Three blocks were made for the Farmer's Wife quilt (I had already made the first block here.)

Block 1 - Attic windows, Block 2 - Autumn tints

Block 3 - Basket, Block 4 - Basket weave

So I was happy with our holiday and with my sewing and I'm happy to be home.  The cats missed us and are giving us lots of rubs and cuddles, sweetest cats!  And now January is almost over and Charlie and Josh start school again next week.  I am a little sad to say good bye to January, my month for lingering and ignoring lists.  But I am also looking forward to getting back to routines and getting things done!

Wendy