Sunday, December 23, 2012

Merry Christmas :)

I was sitting on my back porch late this afternoon,
sipping a glass of wine in the sun,
enjoying the warmth and 
thinking about Christmas Day.
Thinking about all sorts of things,
actually.
Mostly about the last few months,
and how so many things have changed.
I know that I have not been here much lately,
and I regret that.
But I know that that will get better
as I settle into my new job.
Some sense of normality will return,
after what seems to have been
the most frantic few months of setting up,
and now managing the new store.
 

I have a confession to make -
my stitching of late has been non-existant.
And my garden is growing wild,
although luckily it still looks so pretty
that's it's easy to forget there are weeds among the flowers.
But you know what,
I worked out a few weeks back,
that it doesn't matter!!!
I will stitch again,
very soon,
and the garden will get weeded,
also very soon.
 
These last few months have been the most exhilarating
and challenging,
and in all honesty,
the most exhausting as well.
But wow,
what a ride it's been.
Am loving this new adventure :)
 
So,
with only a couple of sleeps to go
before the big man
in red suit,
long white beard,
round tummy,
and cheeky smile
comes knocking at the door
(well really -
 there is no way in the world that he will fit down my chimney,
and I'm betting it's the same at your house!)
I would like to wish you a very very merry Christmas,
lots of love and laughter with your families,
peace and happiness,
and
lots and lots of chocolate
and trifle
and cake
for Christmas Day:)
Luv
Jenny :)
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Posies

I'e done the teensiest bit of stitching
over the last two weeks.
 
 
How to make a teensy bit of stitching
look just a little bit more than what it really is?
Take a picture of both ends:)
 

I have a project in mind for these
sweet little stitchies,
although I do have a feeling that it may take me
a smidgen longer than normal
to complete.
 
Thought you might like a wee sneak peek
of some of the absolutely gorgeous Christmas goodies
we've been unpacking at the shop
this week.
 
 
...little felt trees...
 
 
...wee folk with cute knitted red coats...
 

 
...one of my favourites - cable knitted skinny trees
with buttons :)
 

 
It's been such a tough few days,
setting up the Christmas displays:)
Wait til you see them!!
 
Tonight I went for another wee wander
round the garden.
Can't believe the growth over the past two weeks,
it's almost scary!!
My tomatoes are growing inches each day,
and some of the flowers have shot up atleast a foot or more
since the last photos.
 
My first roses...
 
 
...fabulous deep purple and blue irises...
 
 
...favourite delphiniums...
They self seed so easy and now,
after three years,
they are scattered right throughout the garden.
Love them:)
 
 
...poppies...
 also just self sown from last year,
they're taller than me!!!
 
 
...foxgloves...
They are everywhere - all shades of pink
and some white as well.
 
 
...my garden...
 
 
...and a bit more of my garden:)
 
 
 It's a pretty little garden at this time of the year,
a nice place to wander for a while,
think thoughts,
and dream a little:)
Have a lovely week.
See you
Jenny
 


Saturday, October 27, 2012

A Walk in the Garden

You wanna come for a walk with me through my garden
while I tell you all about the past few weeks:)
 
 
I took these pics last weekend.
Didn't want to miss out on capturing the wisteria on film.
As I walked up the steps after coming home from Christchurch
I knew it was in full bloom -
the perfume lingering on the air was amazing.
 
So,
I've been to Christchurch for two weeks training.
Not sure exactly how to describe those weeks,
but probably it would be a mixture of...
exciting,
daunting,
fun,
challenging,
busy,
inspiring,
and exhausting (but in the best possible way!)
 

 
Last week I was back in Dunedin,
starting to set up the store.
It's so much fun :)
 
 
Next week the fun really begins
with boxes and boxes and boxes of stock to be unpacked,
and shelved.
Have got lots and lots of helpers:)
The sheer quantity of stock is mind boggling.
 
 

I've been lazing about today,
and just might do the same tomorrow,
as I'm fairly certain
that there may not be much lazy time for over the next month:)
 
 
Popped out into the garden for a short time before the rains came,
and sorted the strawberry patch.
It was deliciously warm
and I was layering straw around the plants. 
The smell of the straw was divine.
Hard to describe how it smelt,
but it just reminded me of when we lived on the farm,
many many years ago.
 
 
I have no stitching or crafting to show.
Sad I know,
but I do intend to change that!
I poked my head into my sewing room today,
just to remind myself it was there:)
I started tidying up bits and pieces...
 
 
...and tonight I have a little stitchy project to work on:)
Inspired by the soft late spring colours.
 
 
Might be worth your while checking out my
Makers Studio blog :)
I think I found some bits and pieces today,
that looked pretty nice together...
 
 
...nice enough for a little giveaway:)
 See you
Jenny :)
 
 
 

Sunday, October 7, 2012

My New Adventure :)

Soooo....
a couple of weeks ago
I saw an ad in the ODT for the perfect job :)
Seemed like it had been written especially for me.
I decided to apply for the job,
and the tiny spark of the
possibility of a new adventure fizzed.

I got an interview :)
Kind of a daunting process
if you've not been to one for over 20 years!!!
 
Waiting for the decision was ridiculously hard.
I don't think I realised quite how badly I wanted this job
until I had to wait for the decision.
I got a lot of sewing done on Jane's quilt
while I waited....
 

And then came the call to say,
the job was mine!!!!
All of a sudden,
the possibility of a new adventure became a reality :)

Lincraft is coming to Dunedin,
and
I'm the new Manager :):)
I'm still pinching myself occasionally,
just to make sure it really is real,
and yeah, it is :)
I'm soooo excited.
It's all about the things I love,
and what a challenge!!
 


Packing my bags today as I'm off to Christchuch tomorrow
for the first of two weeks training in their store
at Bush Inn.
Can't wait :)
 
Soooo,
it's been a crazy week here...
had to make some decisions about what stays and what goes,
and as you will know my wee website was one of the things to go.
The other thing to go is the B & B -
I realised that there was no was to do both things,
so I have closed my B & B.
To be honest,
it was a little sad closing both the website and the B & B,
but there is a time and place for everything,
and a new adventure awaits :)
 
 
In amongst all that was an impromptu trip to Queenstown.
Had promised the child a day trip there during the school holidays,
for him to ride the hill.
Had an amazing day -
perfect weather,
retail therapy,
stunning scenery,
and even an idle hour of just lying in the sun,
waiting for the child to return
from his excursions.
 
Yesterday, another day on another hill,
this time in Dunedin.
Another race,
but a little bit of a shame about the weather!!!
I was the lucky one to be standing
right at the top of the hill,
doing the starters duty -
gale force winds,
a little bit of rain,
a little bit of snow/sleet,
and some sunshine with absolutely not a speck of warmth attached.
Sub zero temperatures for most of the day.
How much fun can a person have in one day!!!!
He had a good race though:)
 
Soooo...
that's what I've been up to,
that's what I'm going to be doing,
and did I mention I'm soooo excited :)
Off now to pack those bags,
see you later
Jenny :)
 
 


Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Stitchery Sale

A quick post to let you know
about the last two days of sale,
over on
The Stitchery's
website -
Not sure if my emailed newsletter has been delivered,
as we are having major hiccups with Orcon,
so thought I would let you know this way.
Check it out -
two more days,
then all finished:)
See you,
Jenny:)

Friday, September 21, 2012

Jane Austen's Bonnet

So I've started...
 
 
This little black box
has been the ''home'' of a pile of little stitcheries
that I finished a couple of years ago.
I remember -
as soon as I saw the pattern for this quilt,
I fell in stitchy love
with it:)
Jane Austen's Bonnet,
an exquisite quilt designed by
Brenda Ryan.
It sort of got lost amongst other treasures
in my sewing room,
and when I opened the lid a few days ago,
I fell in stitchy love all over again:)
 

 
They were all there,
piled on top of each other,
just waiting...
 
 
...I'm not sure how could I have done that!
Just left them,
packed them up and
went away
and left them!!!
Have a feeling it might have been around the time
that I lost that stitchy feeling for a while :(
You know,
 when stuff happens,
and you just pack things up
and push them towards the back of the cupboard,
just for a while:)
 
 
 

 

 
Bit naughty, ay!!
But,
now I'm on a mission
to complete this beautiful beautiful quilt.
So I sorted out the fabrics today...
 
 
...and I cut all the stitcheries into diamonds ...
 
 
...and I sewed the first block :)
 
 
Me and Jane -
best buddies again:)
See you later
Jenny
 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Hellooo :)
Just to let you know,
I've just posted about a rather yummy
September giveaway
over on The Makers Studio blog :)
See you there,
Jenny
 
 

Monday, September 10, 2012

Stitch, paint and run!

 The "springie blue" giveaway
that I did last week,
inspired me to make a new cushion out of
one of the fabrics...
(and it's in my Etsy shop).
 
 

And I made another one of my
line and lace
cushions.
Love doing these
cos you just make it up as you go:)
Bit of this,
bit of that...
 
 
In between gardening,
and stitching,
I've also been revamping some furniture,
from plain brown...
 
 
...to shabby white...
 
 
I think it looks lots better:)
 
You know that thing on the bucket list
that I was working on,
well,
I've done it:)
Yesterday I ran the Dunedin Half Marathon:)
Had a moment (or two)
where I wondered if I could do it,
or more accurately,
why I was doing it!!
But I did do it:)
And,
well,
there you go....
I'm still grinning about it today,
and I'm pretty sure that I will be doing it again...
next year.
I'm not a natural runner,
in fact,
I'm not the sporty type at all.
But it's been on my list for quite a while now,
for no other reason than that
I just wanted to prove something to myself.
So now I can put a ''tick'' beside that one,
relax for a few days,
 catch up on some stitching
and other crafty stuff
and
I think that I have earned
extra chocolate:)
See you later
Jenny:)
 


Monday, August 27, 2012

A snippet of blue.

Just popping in to tell you,
I'm doing a ''springie'' blue giveaway,
over here.
Here's a wee snippet of what's there...
 
 
See you there,
Jenny :)
 

Monday, August 20, 2012

I luv Spring :)

I know that it's not officially
Spring
for another couple of weeks,
but in my little corner of the world
it definitely feels like Spring,
and the garden certainly tells me it is .
I soooo love Spring,
but must admit that the handwork
takes a back seat for a few weeks,
while other stuff takes priority.
I've been busy packing up the Studio,
and getting the guest rooms
back into perfect order
for the coming season.
The garden,
of course,
is keeping me on my toes
(but no complaints there,
I love it to bits!)
You can read about that, if you want,
over on the cottage blog,
and then there is the,
(....shudder....)
painting!!
Add to that mix
something off my ''bucket list''
that I'm working on,
and a certain child
whose race season has once again started,
which means I get the sheer pleasure
of countless hours of driving
up and down "the hill"
(and no, there is not an ounce
of sarcasm in that last sentence:).
Not to forget the late night driving lessons
with the child
in his newly acquired vehicle,
(which, I must say,
have usually been quite uneventful 'cos he's
a darned good wee driver,
perhaps with the exception of the time
that he stalled the van
directly outside the Dunedin Fire Station
in a mild state of panic
as the doors opened
and the fire truck was coming out!!!
Probably didn't help matters that I was laughing
so hard
that even the blokes in the fire truck
were grinning.
So mature, I can hear you say!
Well, it was funny :)
And we did get out of their way,
pretty quickly!)
So,
truly,
it feels a little like
I'm running around
like a
headless chook
at times:)!!!
All I can say is,
thank goodness for chocolate:)
So...
please excuse my lack of stitching
to show:)
This is about all I've managed to do
these last few weeks,
but I'm pretty happy that I have done it,
cos it's been on the ''doing'' list
for about 10 years,
and its finally finished.
He is gorgeous, don't you think.
And in plenty of time for Christmas :)

Actually,
I've just remembered,
I have done something else to show you...


... yep, I think I started these last year!
I wanted to match a pair of cushions
to match the quilt I've got hanging
in one of the guest rooms.
Well,better late than never.
Now..
I think I will go take some time to smell the roses,
or in this case,
the blossom:)


See you,
Jenny



Wednesday, August 8, 2012

It's Pink!

Teensy post -
if you like pink,
and giveaways,
go check out
The Makers Studio blog
over here
and leave a comment,
or
 check it out on my Facebook page
(on the sidebar).
See you :)
Jenny



Thursday, July 26, 2012

Treasures and Friends :)

This week I've been finishing off
some lovely little treasures
that I have stitched
using designs from Barb's gorgeous new booklet,
''When a Bird Sings''.

As you can see I had to use the
sewing machine
just a little bit
to make the wee pillows
but
you will be pleased to know that
my fabulously tidy sewing room
is still
fabulously tidy :)


Don't you love it
when a surprise package turns up in your letterbox.
I've had a couple of these lately
and
'wow'
don't they just change the whole flavour
of the day.


Inside this "oh so pretty" paper,
(which I will be recycling
'cos
it's far too nice not to)
were these adorable
little
handwarmers :)


I've filled them with rice,
stitched them closed,
and heated them up,
and
they are wonderful!!!
(and very very cute:))
Thank you so very very much
for such a gorgeous
and totally
unexpected
gift:)
My hands thank you too :)

And a few days earlier
these arrived ...


...aren't these colours simply delicious.
Makes you think of spring.
These are beautifully hand dyed
by another friend
I've met
through the blogging world.
She was telling me about her fabric dyeing,
and said she would send me a few pieces to play with.
My goodness,
a few pieces indeed -
it's a whole stack :)
Thank you so very much
Hylda :)
The picture doesn't do them justice,
girls,
they are absolutely gorgeous.
I have been thinking about a project
to show them off,
and I think I have settled on something,
but
not telling
quite yet!
I've been spoilt, ay.
Ta ever so muchly,
you are such lovely amazing friends :)
Happy stitching,
Jenny:)