Bunny Love

Happy Easter to everyone

A quiet affair for me this year, as Anna and JP stayed in Wellington looking after JP's elderly granny, and Lauren is now ensconced in Melbourne. I will have a visit in a week or two from Anna and JP hopefully.

So to get me in the Easter mood, as it were, I have some lovely bunny cross stitched to share.  My lovely friend Katrina recently had a birthday.  I had had this pattern in my stash for quite some time (years!) and decided it was high time I made it up.  I and tickled pink with the result and have started to stitch myself this design too.  A Brenda Gervais design, Hoppin Along Sampler

For many years now, Katrina and I have had an Easter swap.  I cant tell you how many hours I spend looking on Pinterest, (gosh that is a real time waster, but I just love it) and then run out of time! Ridiculous!!  I had a few lovely patterns I wanted to stitch this year, and had put them away in a safe place.  Yes, it is was so safe I couldn't find them!  I continually surprise myself!  Anyway, the design I stitched for Katrina this year is a wee Prairie Schooler design, called Peep.  Its cute.  I finished it with my favourite finishing method of the moment, ruched ribbon.

And my swap from Katrina, this gorgeous, and I mean gorgeous Brenda Gervais design Spring Greeting Bouquet.  I have photographed it a little late in the day I think, but you can still see the little french knots that really do make this design.  Katrina has finished it beautifully too.

So that is Easter for 2017.  I have spent the morning doing some chores, making some soup, the days are going to be a bit cooler this week, and this makes for a nice warming lunch or dinner for me with some warm savoury muffins.

Until next time

Kath

Oh! It's April Already!

I sit here and wonder where the time has gone!  Coming into Winter already and Autumn has hardly been here.  I just love Autumn and I am feeling quite robbed already, as the next few days are meant to feel like winter.  No, that does not make me happy!  On a happier note though, our weekend coming should be fine again, so I can live with that.  Oh what a lot of waffle!!!

I haven't been over busy on the crafting front, although I have made a few things.  Let's take a look...

There have been two birthdays since I last posted, Clare had a significant birthday late February.  I made her a wee pouch with a Lynette Anderson Stitchery, followed up with some Lynette Anderson Fabric.  I thought it came out quite well!  I must admit, I do enjoy making these wee pouches, and adding the stitchery to them makes them just a little more personal.

Then a couple of weeks ago, friend Wendy had her significant birthday too!  So I stitcher her this wee Lizzie Kate cross stitch...

It's call Gratitude.... and I love it too. I have made it into a wall hanging, with a ruched ribbon edge, and have sewn a little hanger on the back too.  I do hope to stitch this for me in the not too distant future.

I have also started something new, knitting socks!  Gee, I never thought I would see the day, but there you go,  Never say never!  Here is the start of my first efforts...

I am really enjoying knitting again.  There is something really quite peaceful about knitting.

In other news, eldest daughter Lauren, has moved to Melbourne permanently.  I am so sad to see her move over the ditch, but she is totally career minded and this is the right move for her.  She started her new job today, has moved into a flat with a fellow Kiwi lass and I hope it all goes well for them both.

Here she is saying goodbye to us all.  Photo taken by her school friend and best friend, Tash.  Before she left, she spent some time with here little sister Anna, and their fathers dog Brax.  I really love this photo.

We are about to be hit by a few days of rough weather, and cold too it seems.  I took a photo of my wee outside garden yesterday, and the scent of the roses was absolutely gorgeous.

I really am still developing this little area.  Landscaping is not my true forte I must say!

Well with that all said, time is racing on by and the end of another day is nigh.  I am still not working.  It's all quite ridiculous now!!

Thanks for stopping by, and I do love your comments too.

Kath

The Festive Season 2016

Happy Festive Season to you all.  I hope you have had fun with your families, eaten too much, and hd a few glasses of the bubbly stuff.  We did!!

The days leading up had been totally frantic, I had a bit of a meltdown, but things did get done - mostly.  I had been making things for a friend to gift to her family, and time really did just get away on me.  I think I just lost the motivation for a few days (weeks). Don't usually lose my cool either.  I did get finished and this is what was made....

Three beach bags.  I was totally thrilled with how they turned out.  All fully lined with a three pouch pocket inside.  I really enjoyed making these and will made some more I think.  One for me anyway.

This is a knitting bag I made.  It has a lot of little compartments for needles and plenty of room for all the wool you will need for a garment. There were three table runners too,  see the last post for their pics.

A couple of Santa ornaments, loved how these turned out too.  My very first log cabin anything. Instructions were in Spanish I think, but I got the gist of it all.

A sewing machine pad, I really like this too.  A bit more log cabin for a lady who loves French General.  I will make one for me eventually. Need to practice a bit more on my stitching in the ditch, this one is a bit wobbly I think.

This is a Christmas pillowcase, gee I absolutely loved making this.  All the seams are enclosed, with making a french seam.  Made for a special 8 year old!  Annie Downs fabrics, from Hatched and Patched.

Here is the finished pillows I send to dear friends.  I so love stitching these Gail Pan designs.  I have traced of a whole to more to stitch and make up in the coming weeks.

So that is me for the moment, thank you for popping in and leaving comments, it's great to hear from old friends.

xx

A While Between Posts

Yes it has!  Too long.  I did actually write a post way back in Autumn, had issues with posting it so have deleted it and started again.  What else is a girl to do??? Windows 10 has had its challenges.

A lot has happened since I last posted, and I have kept it quite to my inner circle and myself until quite recently.  Sadly my position at work was disestablished and I have been unemployed for a few months now. A company reshuffle that no one saw coming and some offices lost up to five staff.  Receptionists were hit hard. I have had interviews, but alas no offers.  To say it is not disheartening is an understatement, but it is one foot in front of the other each day.  I keep telling myself I am unemployed, not unemployable.  So, each day I look.  Sadly in our area, jobs are hard to come by and I may need to move yet.  I hope not, I love it here.  I have always worked and need some real normality in my life.  I am sure others in this situation would understand what I am saying.

I have been sewing a bit, some lovely sewing for friends, and that has kept me going mentally.  My head is always going 90 miles an hour with ideas, but putting them into fruition is another story.  My confidence has been badly knocked and I second guess a lot of what I do, even with my crafting.   Having said that, I have watched a lot of tutorials from YouTube, and there are some marvelously clever people in craft land. I have learned a lot. Here are a few pics of what has been made, and finished!

Some lovely little pouches....

A table runner or two...\

I have done some embroidery

And even a bit of cross stitch

Spent a lot of time with the boys

And celebrated another '0' birthday with some wonderful friends and my eldest daughter Lauren.

The angels are ready for Christmas, and I just love this display each year.  The latest addition to the group is the beautiful rose gold angel standing right in the middle.  

So that's me over the last few months. Who know what the New Year will bring, but a job would be good!

Good Friends

The last couple of weekends have been very social. There is a small group,of us who meet once a month and have done so for a while. Lovely group of stitchy friends who laugh tell stories and share the ups and downs of life. We have been friends for some time now, quite long fo some of us. Last weekend we met at Katrina's and had a wonderful time. It's often hard to come home!

Here  we all are with our pieces we are stitching. 

This weekend Katrina and I were privledged to meet up with old and new friends. Anne, who lives in Sydney Australia was in NZ visiting her parents. Anne and her very funny mum made the trek to Hawkes bay for a meet up with another friend who has come back to NZ to live. It was lovely to met Nicki and her DH Martin.  To think we have all met up over the Internet, amazing! We spoke of other friends who we knew, our stitching and of life. It was a lovely time, and one I would l would love to repeat.

Thank you so much for hosting us Nicki, the afternoon was most entertaining. And yes, we did stitch, eat some wonderful nibbles and even a glass of bubbles! 

Thanks for dropping in...

Stitching Pouches

I have made a few of these for friends and they always go down well.  I do try to personalise them to colours I know the recipient will like and make them special. All are a little different too. Here is a few I have made for friends

For Janet 

For Katrina

For Clare

For Wendy

I love finding little stitcheries and cross stitch to make these special. 

Thanks for dropping in...

Summer Pie

This has been a favourite in our house for some years. The girls both love it, as do I. Great with a nice crisp green salad.  For those of you who remember Hudson & Halls, this recipe came from their TV programme. It was many years ago. Too many!

Summer Pie

3 carrots - I use small carrots, they look better in the pie and may add another if I think it needs it

3 stalks celery

1 green pepper

1 brown onion

6 rashers bacon

1 can corn kernels 

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp chicken stock mixed with 1 cup boiling water

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp butter

Flakey pastry - I use ready rolled sheets and need 2 for my pie dish

Heat oven to 200 degrees C.  Dice onion and add to frypan with butter. Cook gently, adding the bacon rashers, carrots, celery and pepper. Cook till almost done add the corn. Mix the chicken stock and water. Sprinkle the flour over the cooked mixture and add the stock mixture and stir in to cook. Place into prepared pie dish.

Topping

2 slices of bread

2 tbsp parsley

3/4 cup grated cheese

Put all into kitchen whizz until bread is crumbly and parsley chopped. Sprinkle over pie and cook 35-40 mins.

Serve hot or cold with green salad. I prefer it hot. 

Thanks for dropping by.  Enjoy