Sunday's Quilt

I finished a quilt last week,

one that I started a long time ago.

Came across it while I was tidying,

and the top was all finished.

I've got the perfect floor space for putting a quilt together,

but it does mean several hours of crawling round

on hands and knees,

pinning it all together,

and every time I do this,

I forget

 that the next morning my behind

and the backs of my legs

are going to hurt like hell!!

There is a complete set of muscles

that I apparently never use for anything else,

but oh boy,

do they make their presence felt

every time I put a quilt together!!

Here it is ..

...it's pretty simple,

just some of my favourite fabrics,

with plain calico,

but I like the look.

It's Sunday's quilt.

We took a wee trip up to Nelson,

a couple of weeks back,

for the child,

(and me :)

He was racing the Nationals.

I love Nelson -

maybe that's where my next adventure will be one day :)

How cute is this? Very :)

Flower boxes down side alleys...

And "cute as" cottages...everywhere...

...cuter than cute ...

... and cuter still, if that's possible :)

Plants for sale...

It's a pretty town,

and just maybe .... one day?

See you

Jenny

Treasures

I know that the New Year has well and truly arrived,
but,
I'd love to show you some
Christmas treasures
I was lucky enough to receive.

This gorgeous notebook cover was made for me
by a very special friend -
we went to primary school together so
we go waaaaaay back :)
Margaret's stitching puts mine to shame.
So incredibly small and neat.
Beautiful, isn't it!!

And Anne-Maree always seems to be able to find,
the perfect bunnie treasures,
'cos she knows how much I love them :)
How cute is this little creature,
and what about all the little bunnie cutouts -
bunnie heaven :)

This box of treasures came to me

across the water,
from Barb :)

What a treat ...

You can imagine the smile on my face

when I opened the box..

and this is what I found...

Divine birdie brooch...

And simply the sweetest little peg doll :)

Thank you for such
beautiful treasures :)

Making Jam

I've been making jam this week.

There's not been much stitching going on lately -

but there's been a whole lot of gardening,

and a whole lot of bed and breakfasting,

and a little bit of jam making :)

I remembered to pick my gooseberries this year,

before they over-ripened,

and then I thought,

what should I do with them,

and I decided that it couldn't be too hard

to make

gooseberry jam.

So,

after much boiling,

('cos the recipe said

"boil til the berries turned pink"

and it seemed to take forever for them to turn pink!)

I got jam :)

It looks quite pretty,

and honestly,

it tastes fantastic !!!

This year for our New Year's Day walk,

we went flat,

instead of uphill.

We went to some beaches we had not yet explored -

Long Beach first ...

...and no walk is complete without

flowers...

...and not technically flowers,

I know,

but still so pretty ...

Then it was over the hill

to Purakanui,

which seems to be the perfect place

for a lovely wee holiday bach.

It's truly delightful :)

This is very probably

the cutest

bach you will ever see :))

... and yes,

more flowers...

... and again,

not really a flower,

more of a weed, really,

but quite beautiful all the same.

Not another flower,

but a gorgeous boy chook...

isn't he fabulous :)

So,

that's the end of our New Year's Day walking tour :)

It was a nice way to start the new year,

talking stuff over,

making plans,

and dreaming of what may be :)

Hope your year has started happily too.

Jenny

Are You Reddy?

Are you?

Wish I could say I was...

but that would be a fib :)

I've been playing round today

getting reddy...

Merry Christmas!

I probably should stop playing around now,

and go and get reddy  :)

See you next year

Jenny

Sweet Sixteen :)

I'm not entirely sure that applies to boys, does it??  But he sure was sweet way back then ...

Actually, he's still pretty sweet, just in a more ''blokey'' way :) Just like to know one thing, though - how did those 16 years go so fast?? Makes you think, doesn't it.  Happy birthday, Jake - may you achieve everything you work hard for, may you always live life with a sense of adventure, be truthful in all that you do, be kind to your friends and don't break too many bones when you are hurtling down mountains at ridiculous speeds!!! 

In between making beds and breakfasts, I've done a little more stitching - and I've finished the sampler - I love it:)) I'm thinking I might have a go at framing it myself - any tips?

While I was finishing off the sampler, I was thinking about my next project, as you do.  Way back, who knows when, certainly pre-Dunedin days, I started a gorgeous Lavender and Lace cross stitch called ''The Spirit of Christmas''.  I worked on it solidly for a few months, and then for some reason it got side lined.  Well, how's this for discipline - I found it, and I'm finishing it:)  When I pulled it from it's hidey place, I realised I still really loved it, and it definitely needed to be finished.  So that's what I've been working on for the past few nights. He's pretty gorgeous, don't you think! 

I think I may just have to stitch a little more on Santa right now :)  It's like a winter's day outside, the child is working, and I've got about an hour before I have to begin birthday dinner preparations.  So really, what else is there to do:)

See you
Jenny

Hearts and crosses.

I remember now one of the reasons I stopped doing cross stitch all the years ago - because it is horrendously addictive!!  But it's very very enjoyable, so I can forgive the addictiveness of it :)  This is where I'm at with my Stacy Nash Tribute to Summer sampler...

... so I'm just working around the floral border now, and then I get to choose another pattern to start :) 

Also made some wee Christmas hearts this week - some of them have Barbs gorgeous buttons on them, and the others, I played with words.  Hearts are just the most lovely shape to work with - anything with hearts is okay by me.

Tonight I get to go to the childs' senior prize giving ceremony - I was semi looking forward to it, until he told me that it will last for three hours!!!  THREE HOURS!!! Give me strength!!!  Do you think they would notice if I take my stitching??

See you,

Jenny

What can I say?

Ooops - what can I say?  The last time I was here, our boys in black were about to kick off the competition, and now they are about to close it!  Guess where I will be come 9 tomorrow night - bring it on!!

I had to laugh this morning - the child obviously did not have much to do last night. Instead of spending some quality time with his school books (I have been gently reminding him about a certain event happening in a few weeks time, called exams!!) he clearly decided that my lappie needed a facelift.  Normally I have a pretty flowery picture as my screensaver - you know, something to make you smile and think of summery days - well, this morning when I logged on - not a single pretty flower in sight!  Instead, an action shot of a mud-covered downhill rider, in full flight. Kinda feels like my lappie has been invaded or hi-jacked or something!! 

What between a very busy month at the B & B,  Jakes downhill race season in full swing, spring gardening and rugby games to watch (of course:) - there 'aint been a whole lot of time for stitching.  I did put a few sweet little hexies together for a new cushion for one of the guest rooms - I wanted pretty spring colours....

   ...and I made up some little lavender bags, using lavender I had cut from the garden last year, and decorated with a gorgeous little birdie by Barb ...

I've done a little more on the cross stitch - Stacy Nash's Tribute to Summer - it sat idle for a few weeks, but now I'm back into it - I pulled a colour out that I didn't like, and feel much happier with the look now.



Spring has been keeping me busy - there's more about that over on the cottage blog.  The growth is phenomenal and the colours extraordinary. And I so wish you could smell the perfume of the wisteria that is starting to bloom - it's heavenly...



We've been all over the place these last few weeks with the child and his bike - up here at Living Springs where he was given the dubious award of ''crash of the day'' - wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry about that one, but both he and the bike miraculously escaped relatively unharmed.  What about the views though - it's such an incredibly beautiful part of the country..



...and down to Bluff for the Secondary School Champs where he did good !!   And yes, we did go to the chip shop - how could we not - they are the best:)...

This weekend I am delighted that the race is right here in Dunedin - yah!!  I am not even going to think about what state he will come home in tonight after practising all day, cos we have had so much rain this week that I'm sure it will be a mud bath and he will be caked from head to toe in the stuff. 

Time to go - I am trying to decide if I will feel too guilty about sitting down in the middle of the day and doing some more of my cross stitch :))  It's just so lovely and peaceful, and there's no one in at the moment, so who would know:)

See you later
Jenny