Cross stitch, tomatoes and airplanes

Over a month has passed since my last entry! I'm feeling rather sad that I've let so much time elapse - it seems a lot has happened in that time and yet when I try to remember what, I find it difficult to recall.  I know some of it was taken up with school holidays and child minding, another 10 days was spent in Auckland visiting my mum who was discharged from hospital after 3 months and spinal surgery - other days I just felt lethargic and unable to focus on too much.  A long awaited visit to my back specialist has revealed from another scan that I'm in strife with my spine again.  2 years ago I underwent a spinal fusion and at that time felt sure that would be the answer however that has not proved to be the case and I now have to face the fact that more spinal surgery (to add to the fusion already in place) is most likely.  To check whether the pain was originating from the nerve root, I had a cortisone injection into the 'spot' and that has brought relief from the pain.  I expect it should last about 10 weeks - another appointment to the back specialist will sort out what to consider as next on the treatment list. 

I've been taking a rest from my Daisy Girl cross stitch recently as the small count makes for hard work on my eyes but I've done a little on a little 'sale' item I picked up and rather liked. 

Today is our 49th wedding anniversary (date).  I can hardly credit that many years have passed.  God has been good!

The 'winter' tomatoes I planted are doing very well and now have fruit on each plant.  Need a bit more sun to ripen them.  The little black cherry has produced the most fruit and I suspect we will have a real 'glut' once they all begin to ripen at once - the mini cabbages and spinach are doing well too but the brussels sprouts have no sign of 'sprouts' as yet. The first time I have attempted them so not sure what to expect.  I think the fact that huge toadstools have decided to crop in the same bed over the past few weeks may have something to do with that - I've been assured they shouldn't have any effect but I'm not sure.  I think the spores may have come in on a summer tomato plant I put into the same area during November.  Apparently the fungi makes good compost so will wait a few more weeks then dig them all in and hope there's no more sign of them disrupting spring seedlings.

Our visit to Auckland went well in that I was able to visit with mum each day. The family feel she would really be better now in assisted living however she has to make that decision for herself.  She is very slow in movement and has people coming in to give her assistance a couple of times a week.  She has recovered from the spinal surgery but it has taken a toll on her general health as one would expect at 92 years of age!  Beautiful view of Sydney harbour on our way home - the pilot gave us a wonderful view of the city as we circled towards our landing.

Our weather is now cold and the lovely heat from the fire is so comforting. 

We are so looking forward to the visit of our family from Texas at the beginning of June and will be gathering together in a family reunion on the Gold Coast while they are here.  Another reason to  be grateful for the good effects of that cortisone injection!

Blessings dear friends!

Not much to post

I'm fine!  thanks to all who wished me a speedy 'back to normal'.  I was shaken up a little by the fall but there was no serious damage done for which I am so grateful.  I will certainly have to learn to pick my feet up though - I seem to have a bad habit of dragging them LOL.

I've had a busy week - bible in 90 days is going well - in fact I find myself 2 days ahead of myself and I'm not sure how that happened so this morning I took a break as am nearly at the end of Psalms and they tend to be much of a muchness in content.  Am at Ps 134 so almost at the end of them and almost to day 45 - the middle of the exercise.

Have been doing a lot of family history stuff in the past week.  Sometimes I can go for a few weeks without doing much at all but in the last 10 days, I've had 3 people make contact with me from a couple of genealogy sites I have my tree listed on.  Have found I have a second cousin in England I never knew before, another in Western Australia whose great grandparent is a sibling to mine, and a slightly more distant rellie in England I've made contact with.  It is an exciting pastime and I really enjoy delving into the history of it all.  Amazing things can be found out about people from the past.  On a sad note though another person who made contact with me about 12 months ago - another distant rellie on my great grandmother's side of the family has passed away after a long battle with breast cancer.  I was so sad as she wasn't a very old person.  It's still a dreadful killer isn't it?

Our weather is blessedly cool with showers at present after that really beastly 8 days we had where the temperature was so high and sleeping was so difficult.  Nights at present are cooler which is a relief.

Grandson L5.5 has had one week of school.  His reaction on the first day when he phoned to tell me all about it - "it was  AWESOME!"  The next couple of days he wasn't so sure when it came time to leave home, but he's now made a couple of little friends from his class so he's feeling much more comfortable about it all. 

Have just come in from my volunteer stint at the Visitors Information Centre - it was a fairly slow few hours but is pleasant enough as I take a book or some cross stitching to do.  Haven't done anything recently on my 'Daisy Girl' but have been working on a very simple little Dimensions design on 16 Aida which is easier on my eyes.  I'll soon get back to Daisy though.

Have finished off 2 scrapbook albums in the past week.  One for a nephew's wife who had her 40th birthday last Saturday and has a nearly one year old.  Now she can put all those gorgeous baby photos in order.  The other is a surprise gift for someone who any day should have a new baby grand-daughter in the family. This album will cater for photos of her as well as her other little grandie, a boy.

Well no more to tell - must away and get dinner started - roast lamb tonight!

Blessings!

CHIT CHAT

Another week has passed - cannot believe we are almost at the end of January! Is this how quickly 2011 is going to pass?  It must be that I'm getting older.

Another week of reading the bible each morning. Now that I've reached 'the Samuel's' it is a lot easier even though the biblical names still get me! They are so difficult to pronounce - even silently! I usually have to read them aloud to get the 'gist' of what they sound like.  They sure were a blood-thirsty mob back in those days - going to war with neighbours almost for the sake of it without any really good reason.  I'm so glad we don't operate that way these days. But it's easy to see that God had a hand in it all and David honoured Him in everything he did (well almost - discounting his discretion with Bathsheba) - but I run ahead of myself.  I've only just begun that part of David's story this morning so I won't comment any further.

At my usual weekly bible study (which doesn't commence for 2011 until next week) the title of the booklet we will be using is "Bold I Approach" (Tony Payne Matthias Media) the why and how of prayer.  I'm looking forward to this study as prayer is something I always seem to struggle with. Not the actual praying, but the words to say.

Have been doing a little more stitching on my WIP "Daisy Girl" recently and I'll include a pic of my progress.  I've also begun a little 'Dimensions' piece which is a bicycle with a huge bunch of flowers on the handlebars - just something quick as a bit of a change from working on linen which I find fairly tedious these days.  I haven't a pic of that one yet but will do that soon.

I've just come home from an appointment at my optometrist.  My eyes tested OK with no real change in prescription for my specs from last test 12 months ago but there seems to be something going on in my right eye which is causing my vision to not be great.  My GP thought it might be blocked tear ducts and I've an appt to see a specialist at the end of the week but after this mornings check up, it's possible it may not be the cause of my problem. The machines which are used these days to take photos of the eye are absolutely amazing!  Fancy even being able to get a pic of the film across the eyeball and from that to be able to see the depth of tears formed at the base of the eye. My problem may simply be 'old age' with the old eyelids sagging somewhat and changing the shape of both the eyeball and the opening to the tearduct.  Isn't it amazing what technology can do these days?

Anyway I'll know more after Friday when I see the specialist.

A few days ago a baby Noisy Miner bird came to the birdbath.  No mum or dad nearby that I could see - its the first time I've seen such a baby attempt by itself to go adventuring this way.  It had a marvellous time flapping in and out of the water. I couldn't resist taking a photo of the cute little thing.  Oh yes - instead of feeding the lorikeets grained bread recently, I've started putting out sunflower seeds for them.  I was getting really aggravated by the Indian myna birds which were stealing it all the time and causing damage to the native birds as well.  Since I've been using the seed, the mynas have shuffled off to a certain extent but we've been getting visits from some huge white sulphur crested cockatoos. They are big birds with an awful screech and all the little lorikeets are really quite afraid of them.  They also do a lot of damage to any fruit or vegies they can swipe at the same time so I don't encourage them.  Here is a pic of one having a good feed of the seed before I shushed him away! There's also one of a colourful bug I found on one of the eucalyptus trees recently.

All for now!

Blessings!



Inspiration?

Yes I need some!  I pop in to read so many but at present I just can't seem to get any enthusiasm or inspiration to write even though there seems to be lots going on in my life.

The Christmas lights look great now they are all operating as they should, but alas, lack of sunshine at times has meant that the solar panel ones are not twinkling as brightly as they should.  Whoever heard of a December morning being only 12C outside?  I don't remember it in Sydney anyway. Maybe that's a reflection of our northern cousins who are experiencing chilling  weather at present.  The photos I took of the lights didn't turn out too well so I'm not going to embarrass myself further by posting them.  Suffice to say I just love looking at them out the windows in the evenings  when they start to 'do their thing'!

As I write this at least the sun is shining but there's a cold wind.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours doing some more stitching on my WIP. I've used all of one colour thread so will need to replenish supply.  I will get to post another progress pic on this soon but at present I'm off to do my Monday volunteer at the Information Centre.  I'll take it with me and hope that I have a chance to do a few more stitches on it. 

Blessings!

It did go away - the rain I mean

It was a very shaky start to the day - from my kitchen window all I could see was fog - thick fog - not usual for early November - but I guess I felt I couldn't lose anything by pinning the washing out on the line. (For those 'northern' friends, if you didn't know, we 'down under' peg out wet clothes out on a clothes line to dry in the sun and breeze, not in the clothes dryer).  I'd managed to get some washing almost dry yesterday by hanging it over the airing rack inside, but there's nothing like bringing it in off the line smelling so - kind of 'sunny'!

So I trudged out over the very wet grass and in the coolness of 13 degrees, put it on the line.  I guess I was hoping that when the fog lifted, there'd be a bit of a flapping breeze enough to dry it.  We set off for church - the weather still not looking hopeful, but by the time we left again for home, the sun had come out and it was looking really good - in fact, brilliant. 

A light lunch over, I took my WIP with me and sank into our lovely outdoor chair and breathed in the beautiful sunny afternoon.  I could almost feel my skin taking in big gulps of the warmth.  So many days of dull, cool, damp! It was great to feel that Spring might almost have decided to visit.  It's less than a month till our 'down under' Summer officially begins, but I'm not holding my breath even though today is forecast to be warm and dry, as the weather people are predicting rain and even storms before the end of the week again.  Perhaps the long range forecaster was correct after all and we'll be still 'soaking it up' until at least December.

Anyway I'm grateful for the sunny afternoon I spent working on my Daisy Girl - I might even do it again today - it's looking promising!

Blessings!



Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (brunsfelsia) in bloom at present



WIP and Halloween

Have been battling some king of flu bug for the past week and feeling rather under the weather. Sore throat, aches and pains etc etc. Went to the doctor Friday just to get it checked out - came home with a script for an antibiotic in case it turned into some kind of bacterial infection. Feeling still poorly, and it being such a beautiful day in Sydney town yesterday I sat outdoors and took my current cross stitch piece.  I had taken it with me to NZ hoping while mum was in hospital I'd have 'plenty' of time to get some done - little did I know I'd be well occupied with other activities!

Anyway, had taken another photo of the piece prior to continuing with it yesterday so I've included it here to show where I'm up to.

Today has dawned warmer than normal but we are heading for rain by midday and this will continue for the rest of the week.  Whoever the long range forecaster was who told us a couple of months ago that we'd have rain right until Christmas is proving to be correct.  Normally at this time of the year we have quite dry weather but not at present.

October 31 today - doubt if we'll be having any little trick or treating visitors tonight.  There has been a certain reluctance on the part of Ozzie's to get too involved in this kind of activity however there is certainly a huge amount of stuff in the shops egging people on to buy, decorate, and go all out for Halloween this year. 

The two littlest grandies had a school Halloween disco and bbq last Friday night.  Apparently it was a good night for the kids but all eldest E7 got from it was a good head cold!  Boo-ey!

For all of you who do celebrate Halloween - have an exciting one!

Blessings!



Fathers Day Downunder

The last two days have been wet, cold and miserable so it was a delight to see a brilliant sun shining when we awoke this morning.  However a keen wind had sprung up overnight and continued to buffet everyone and everything throughout the day, only easing late this afternoon.  Feeling so sad for the people of Christchurch New Zealand after a dreadful earthquake struck their city and surrounds.  They are saying it is the first earthquake in NZ with a richter scale reading higher than the 1932 quake which dessimated the cities of Hastings and Napier in Hawkes Bay.  My mum actually experienced that earthquake as a child at school and it still terrifies her thinking about it.  She is still very afraid to go into elevators or escalators and at 91 years of age still prefers to climb stairs rather than zoom up or down in either of those 'travel' aids.

Is it Father's Day in all parts of the world today?  I can never remember.  I think maybe Mother's Day might be the same all over but not FD.

Our FD was great.  A lovely church service this morning where a couple of young women trainee officers (Salvation Army terminology for minister) officiated and did a brilliant job.  They are going to be an asset wherever their first appointment out of College may be.  Home and quickly out again to join our Sydney family for lunch at a local country club.

Beautiful meal and great company.  DH was spoiled by our kids and grandkids - books and gift vouchers.  We had a quiet tea this evening contemplating what a lovely day it had been.

I've begun a new cross stitch pattern.  It's a chart I've had for a long time and I noticed it was produced in 1995 so it's not new by any means. It's very different in design to my usual pieces so I'll show you the first few stitches - some of you might be able to guess what the design is.

I'm flying to New Zealand to be with my mum when she undergoes her surgery soon.  I'm nervous for her - she has been told  by her doctor that it is not usual for people as old as her to be operated on however they consider her physical health to be good so feel there is every reason to go ahead.  DH will be looked after well by the family and is very proficient at cooking meals and doing all the other household chores that need to be done.

I'm hoping I will get a chance to look in on all  my blogger friends but I probably won't get the opportunity to actually put anything on this page for a while.

Meantime, blessings to you all!

ANGEL CROSS STITCH

Haven't decided what kind of frame to use for this little treasure - thought I'd post the pics meantime. (excuse the fact that it's not quite square in the pic)

The 'A Is For Angel' is a design by Sandra Cox Vanosdall and is stitched on 28 count Summer Khaki Cashel Linen. I enjoyed stitching this little piece but found the fluffy 'Wisper' thread used for the lower edge of the angel's dresses rather difficult to work with. Two strands were used for this area and I though it rather thick however 1 strand would probably not have been effective.

The little keyrings were fun to do and very quick. I purchased them in a kit form at Balmoral Castle while in Scotland recently and I especially like the little "Heiland Coo".

Blessings!

SUN'S OUT!

It's been a wet, wet week. A tornado passed through Lennox Head - much further north from here, but it has devastated homes and property in it's wake. Film of it coming was rather awesome - seeing pieces of homes, roofs and debris being swirled around and coming towards you in that mighty tunnel must have been totally scary - but although so much damage has been caused, thank God, nobody was killed. Many however were injured and carry their wounds as they clean up.

Today here the sun is shining - as I walked out to take the washing to the clothes line I literally squelched my way there. We've had a week of torrential rain and storms. But it won't take long to dry out. DH even says it may be dry enough to mow the lawn this afternoon. I've also been out clipping back shrubs and a big lemon tree. I only clipped it in March before we went on holiday but when we got back home three weeks later, the leaf miner had devastated all the new growth. It looks so ugly. Well hopefully with this close shave and a bit of fertilizer, it may produce a few lemons next season. I'm hoping so.

My little blueberry bushes are covered with flowers and buds. I heard on the radio gardening session last week that I should be taking all of those off for the first three years. I'm hopeless at doing that. I am always anxious for fruit. Last year it did have a little but it has grown so much since then. I'm tempted to just let it fruit and see how it goes.

I've finished stitching a little Angel cross stitch piece this past week but haven't taken any pics yet. Also did a couple of very quick pieces which fit into a key ring - little souvenirs from Scotland. Will have to get the camera out and show you next time what they look like. Quite cute - especially the Scottish Coo!

Blessings!

CHIT CHAT

Not too much of the past week has been especially noteworthy. Got some long overdue correspondence to aunts and cousins in New Zealand done and posted. I only write every couple of months to these particular people as none of them have computers and it's a 'snail mail' job. Interestingly, despite all the emails I seem to get on a daily basis, I still really enjoy getting snail mail in the post. There's just something about the opening of a letter and physically handling that paper with hand-written words that gets to me every time. I get rather frustrated these days if I have to hand write anything as long as a letter - it takes so much time - and my brain races ahead of my words - then often I forget what I was planning to write when I get to the end of the sentence. Maybe it's not frustration - probably just old age! LOL

Daughter, SIL and their two boys are leaving this morning on their long awaited holiday. They were to have left last Friday however a tropical cyclone made it unsafe to travel by air to the island resort they had booked and the airline cancelled their flights for that day. Fortunately they were able to make new reservations at both the airline and the resort and we've been watching the weather reports over the last few days to see whether it was likely they could get 'off the ground' today. The cyclone passed over the coast on Sunday morning with winds of 200km per hour but although lots of flood damage has been done further inland, the island resort only seems to have suffered badly from booking cancellations and postponements. As I write, they are driving to the airport with two very excited little boys. They are celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary and we pray their 10 days away will be all they hope it will be.

DH and I are preparing to go on holiday ourselves and leave before they arrive back home so it will be a month before we see them on our return. We are excited about visiting friends and distant rellies in the UK then go on to Austin Texas where our son, DIL and two grandies will have us for 10 days. It is a bit unfortunate that they will both be working and the kids at school while we are there but we are grateful for the opportunity to catch up with them again. I saw them all 3 years ago but DH hasn't visited for 5 years. He'll see such a difference in the kids who are now 13 and 11.

I wanted to take some cross stitch with me to keep me occupied while away so sent for a Teeny kit from The Sweetheart Tree. It is entitled "A For Angel" and I'm looking forward to working on it. Hopefully by the time we get back home it will be finished and I'll be able to post a photo.

Brother-In-Law was discharged from hospital just 4 days after his brain surgery and able to go home to recuperate with his very new wife to look after him. Unfortunately the tumour that was removed proved to be a malignant melanoma so he now waits to attend the oncology clinic to see what the next move will be in his ongoing treatment. He has made a wonderful recovery post operatively and after 4 hours in surgery had medical and nursing staff amazed at how well he has done. Of course he and the family visiting him were quick to testify to staff of the healing power of a loving God and Heavenly Father and they are very confident that will continue. We do praise Him for his faithfulness!

The purple runner beans I planted a couple of months ago are now beginning to fruit and I picked the first ones yesterday. I had feared they would not be ready before our departure but I should be able to get a few more off them before we leave. The rest will go into the neighbour's pot! He is a dear and will mow our lawns and water any plants that need it while we're away, so I reckon he deserves to collect the beans.

It is now autumn here in Sydney howeverthe temperatures are certainly not reflecting that, and we continue to have what some might call an "Indian Summer" but for me, I'm just looking forward to cooler temperatures. Admittedly early mornings are somewhat cooler however overnight temps are still staying warm. I think our first breath of coolness will be when we step out of Heathrow into the early Spring temperature of London. Probably by the time we reach Austin, they will be having weather much the same as we are experiencing here in Sydney at present - oh well - a 2 week reprieve is better than nothing. The only down side to this is having to carry both summer and winter attire in our baggage!

Had my eyes tested last week as I had noticed quite a difference in distance vision. I do have to get new lenses and will go and have them fitted today but found out that the reason my vision is changing more quickly now is because my eyelids are drooping! I thought that was quite funny at first until I was told that this causes the eyeballs to change shape because of the weight of the eyelid pressing on them which then has the effect of changing the vision. I'm grateful at this stage that change of lens will compensate but looks like eventually I'll be needing an 'eyelid job'! Oh my goodness!

On that note, I'll sign off! Have a good week friends... Blessings!

TWO FINISHED STITCHINGS - FRAMED

Grandchildren are Special is a Dimensions design which I bought many years ago as a kit and stitched periodically, but never finished completely as there was always the possibility of another little one coming into the family. Once I was reasonably sure that 6 would be the limit, I finished it off . That was 2 years or so ago and have only just had it framed.




Heirloom Homecoming Sampler, design by Thea Dueck, is my first attempt at multiple stitches in a piece as well as hardanger. I was very nervous about cutting the threads for that but it did seem to be OK once I got the 'hang' of it. I was rather sad I wasn't able to purchase the little heart buttons and the mother of pearl rice beads to finish it off but despite trying a number of places, wasn't able to locate them so just went ahead and had it framed without. For people who don't know what the actual pattern is, they probably won't be missed.

THE WEEK THAT WAS - OR IS

Sometimes I feel as though I haven’t really achieved very much in a week but tonight I was going over in my head the things I’ve done this week.

Sunday worship began the week followed by our monthly Bible study at our friend’s home. Nine or ten of us meet and take something towards lunch and spend a pleasant afternoon in each other’s company.

Monday I took my two finished cross stitch pieces to be framed and met with my D-I-L and grand-daughter E16 for lunch. It was good just sitting and chatting and catching up with news. E16 has begun a Business Certificate course this year at a technical college, instead of going back to school and she seems to be enjoying it so far. She has 16 hours each week of lectures which allows her to work her part time job for 3 days.

Tuesdays are regularly my ‘other’ Bible study day but this week it was a ‘study break’. At present we are studying 2 Timothy so while I had the morning ‘off’ I did a bit of preparation for next weeks lesson. I also went and bought a new pair of jeans for myself. I’ve attempted to do this a few times in the past few weeks but after trying on my regular size and finding it too small, got rather disgusted with myself and didn’t go any further. Any way I did find a nice pair made from a stretch material which seemed to fit nicely so I went ahead and got them.

Wednesday E5 and L3 arrived bright and early as usual and after dropping E5 off to school, we came home and L3 ‘helped’ me trim some shrubs in the front garden. Me with the hedge clippers and he with an old pair of scissors and my gardening gloves on. “Ganma” he said, I need your pink ‘glubs’ – so cute! The rest of the day was spent amusing him, and he amusing me at times by blowing bubbles which he got tired of fairly quickly then proceeded to ‘cut’ the grass with the bubble ‘blower’ which has a tiny fan run by battery. He has a great imagination when it comes to gardening activities!

Today I returned my books to the library and chose a few more along with some DVD’s. I hadn’t really thought of borrowing DVD’s before until recently when I discovered there was quite a good selection. I brought home “Mrs Miniver”, and “Come In Spinner” an Australian mini-series, the story of 3 young women during WW2 who worked in the beauty salon of a large city hotel, following their families, their loves and their lives.

The books I borrowed today? A Barbara Delinsky, two by Anna Jacobs and an author I’ve not read before whose name escapes me – think it was Katie Flynn. And a DVD “Against the Wind” another Australian mini-series which I’ve never heard of before.

This afternoon I shortened the length of the new jeans and took the waistband off a skirt which has become too tight. Do you get the feeling that I’ve gained weight recently?

My week so far has been quite busy when I actually analyze what I’ve done and tomorrow will be another day of activity. E5 and L3 are here again early in the morning but tomorrow will just be ‘dropping off and picking up’ for them both. Laundry is on my ‘to do’ list and probably a trip to the supermarket for a few groceries and I hope to finish off the sewing I started today. Hmm… should think about some housework too while I’m on the job – but that usually seems to come in last on my list!

CHIT CHAT

It's 1.47am - oh yes, I've been to bed but wasn't able to sleep so got up to make a cuppa. As I sit here the rain is simply 'hosing' down outside. Our weather has been in the range of extremes recently to say the least. From 40C a couple of weeks ago, the last 10 days or so have been blessedly cool - even down to 18 - 19C a few days with rain, rain, rain. The pool is almost full to overflowing and the ground is absolutely soggy - but hey! whose complaining? Not me - this is great compared to those who are flooded out to our north - and have been burned out to our south. I'm grateful that I don't have to water the garden and that everything is beginning to look so beautifully green again.

Have been home from the wedding over 2 weeks now but I don't seem to be able to settle somehow. Had morning tea last week with son, d-i-l and daughter which was really great and the first time we've been able to catch up like that. Now that daughter's eldest is at school and youngest at preschool, maybe we can do that on a more regular basis. I have finished off making a baby cardigan for a friend (thought I'd better move myself since the baby is now 5 months old!)

I've finished all the stitching on Heirloom Homecoming Sampler but haven't been able to buy the tiny pearl rice beads to finish it completely. I think I'm just going to have to leave them off. I really want to get it framed. There's only been a couple of times that I've ever had my stitching framed from scratch as I like to stretch it myself but this time I haven't been able to find any foam board either so I may just have to resort to taking it and getting it done.

Well I think I'll try my bed again and see if I can get some shut-eye. I've got the boys coming tomorrow so need to have my wits about me!

BULL BY THE HORNS?

Well - at least scissors cutting thread!

I did it - I 'bit the bullet' as we say here 'down-under'. (In other words I gritted my teeth and did it - even though I was nervous of making a mess of it)

Here's the result.

CROSS STITCH WIP

I know I said the next photo of Heirloom Homecoming would be the finished piece, but having worked on the hardanger section on and off over the Christmas period, I felt rather pleased with the way it's turned out - so far - so here it is. Now will be the hardest part for me - I hate cutting - never feeling quite confident that I'm doing it in the right spot.

I'll have to be brave though and hope I don't ruin the whole thing!

HEIRLOOM HOMECOMING WIP and other things

Had a really busy but enjoyable weekend. BBQ lunch at North Avoca (NSW Central Coast) with 'Top of the Hill' friends. Rushed back to Sydney to change and head of to Artarmon for an engagement celebration of a nephew. Sunday went to church service and later to another BBQ lunch at Greystanes with friends for a casual bible study afternoon. A very satisfying weekend all round!

Work in progress - report. Heirloom Homecoming Sampler section 2 finished.

Coming up - hardanger. Not at all sure about how to do this - will need to seek some advice I think. Only attempted this stitching once before on a tiny bookmark. This will be a challenge for me.

Next pic should be the finished piece I hope but I'm really enjoying this one even though I am having to use a headband 'blow-fly' type of magnifying goggles over my regular glasses. Not sure how good that is for the eyes generally but will have to persist despite all my best efforts originally to do without it.

Maybe my next project should be a visit to the optometrist to order a new pair of stronger 'close up' glasses!

HEIRLOOM HOMECOMING

One of the shops I browsed when in Bowral recently (girls weekend away) was filled with the most delicious fabrics, threads, charts and gifts I’ve seen for a long time. I could have spent much more time there just taking it all in but one chart ‘took my fancy’ as soon as I saw it. I recognized the type of work that it contained as similar to a magazine chart I’d kept from years ago and on investigation found it is by the same person – Thea Dueck. I love the way she combines my loved cross stitching with little areas of other types of stitching including hardanger.

I had to buy the chart – and without even looking too far into it to see what I needed to stitch it! After checking that all out found I didn’t have any fabric that was suitable so made a visit to my local stitching shop the next week and got started on it. It will be quite long when finished but the stitched area is only about 5 ½ inches wide.

Here's the first section of it:

THE PIN KEEP - Jacaranda Tree

Having finished the design I bit the bullet as it were and decided to try and make a pin keep. Never having attempted one before, or even seen one – except for pictures – I checked out the internet and got a bit of an idea of how to put it together.

Well here’s the finished product. Is there supposed to be a set number of pins around the outside? I have no idea. I just kept putting them in.

I’ve put the cross stitch aside now as I really don’t have any charts for small projects so I’ve started on another pair of socks.

THIS AND THAT CONTINUED

A few months ago I decided to jot down a few of my childhood memories to eventually put them into a story form for the generations to follow me. I wrote up a few pages and over the past few days felt the inclincation to have another look at it and continue the story. In some ways I’m not sure whether it’s a good or bad thing to be doing this! Many forgotten memories – both good and not so good – have resulted in my thinking and jotting. It’s nowhere near finished so I’ll just keep plodding with it and hope that it will work into something the grandies might enjoy reading some day.

Oh yes – a bit on the wonky side (sorry, my crook photography), here’s the cross stitch I finished which I have no idea what to do with! It’s from a freebie pattern of years ago – I think from DMC. I didn’t have a coloured picture to go by, just the black and white chart so I’ve used slightly different colours to those suggested.

It measures 3 x 3.75 inches which I think might be a little too big for a pin keep. Would anyone have any other ideas? I could always frame it but I’m more inclined to perhaps use it in a greeting card. I’ll have to give it a bit more thought – I think!

THIS 'N THAT

I can’t believe it’s over 4 weeks since I wrote. It’s not that I’ve been over busy – just cramming a few extras into the past few weeks I guess. Like having my eyes tested. That not only involved going for the appointment, but on finding my eyes were not as good as they once had been, I needed to order new lenses for my glasses. Went to pick them up a few days later and when they were not feeling right had to trail back again. Now that would be fine if the optometrist were around the corner, but travelling 25 kms there and 25kms back took up most of the day! Anyway, that’s finished now and I’m certainly seeing a lot better since I’ve resorted to my specs instead of contacts – after nearly 20 years. I far prefer the contacts, but I guess when they aren’t doing the job well, then the alternative has to be resorted to :-(

I've also done a few other things like helping a friend put away stuff in cupboards after a big house move, and going out for dinner with friends from church. But then that's not really any excuse for not writing is it?

Anyway, I haven’t been too slack and have finished a pair of woolly socks which now are warming my mother’s toes, plus a couple of small cross stitch pieces which I’ll post later. One of them I’m in the process of turning into a pinkeep – a first for me. The other I haven’t decided on yet so for now, I’ll just put the socks up.