Rosy Red

Let me tell you a story about kitsets that come from hardware shops, with promises from the sales person that it's a ''piece of cake'' to put together!! This is Rosy, our brand new wheelbarrow. She looks pretty smart, don't you think?

I had given in to the child's constant ''suggestion'' that we really needed a wheelbarrow, so we duly purchased one, with, I assumed,a complete set of idiot- proof instructions. She arrived at Maitland Street at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, in several pieces, as the word kitset would suggest. And yes, there were instructions - one little sheet with words and diagrams so small that a magnifying glass was required. But, what intrigued me the most was the clever use of space on that one little sheet - the way the manufacturers had managed to squeeze as many steps as possible into one diagram, so that realisitically you needed an engineering degree to actually figure out how the diagram worked, before even beginning to put the wheelbarrow together. You would not believe how many times we put nuts and bolts in place, to then have to remove them and try them from a different angle - and what in heavens name is a ''spring washer'' and where does that go!!! Emotions on the day ranged from utter frustration to hysterical giggling. There were a few choice words muttered on occasion, and at one stage I clearly recall telling my child that I would never ever listen to his ''suggestions'' again!!! (Actually, I think I may have told him that more than once!) At 4.00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, mission accomplished - two and a half hours to put 12 nuts and bolts, and let's not forget the spring washers, in place so that the wheelbarrow functioned the right way up, with handles pointing in the right direction and a wheel that did not sway from side to side! Give me a sewing machine and patchwork pattern any day! So, Rosy has been christened and the ''fun'' we had putting her together will be a memory I shall cherish, lovingly retold to Jake the next time he tries to tell me we need something from a hardward shop that has to be assembled!!!

Turns out that red is a bit of a theme with this post. I've been playing with a little bit of cross stitch - this is a gorgeous little house design by Viginie Gousse - http://cmonmonde.over-blog.com/. Now I am just looking for the perfect little frame for it - maybe I might paint one.

And this is something I stitched on the gorgeous French General heavy weight cotton/linen fabric that I got some weeks ago - I found the pattern in a Country Living magazine and I'm really pleased with how it looks - I will make it into a cushion wrap.

Last week Scandinavian Christmas got an airing - I thought it was time I did the next block - so here's block three finished.

And now for something that is not red - I've finally finished the borders on The Gingham Girls. I've got the backing and batting ready to go, so over the next few weeks, hopefully I'll make a start on quilting it.

It's officially the first day of Spring on Wednesday - only one more day of Winter! Yippee!!

Happy Stitching

Jenny

Triangles and Hexagons

The morning walks over the last few weeks have really tested my dedication - I'm a bit of a sook in the cold. But, this morning as I was leaving I spied the child's MP3 - aha, I thought - some music will help! Now, apart from my sewing machine and my lappie, I don't do so well with gadgets, so it took me a few minutes to work out how to make the thing go - not being able to find a simple ''on'' button I thought it must have been touch screen start - so I spent several minutes patting the MP3 allover before discovering a miniscule, tiny, almost invisible switch thingie on the side!! Certainly not designed for those of us who have less than perfect eyesight. Anyway, it started off pretty well with songs I knew, then there was the occasional one I'd never heard of, and then....there was the song I probably would have preferred not to hear. Flipping heck, I nearly tripped over when the opening lyrics blasted in my ears. Woohoo!!! I decided it was best I didn't know the rest of the contents of the MP3 and maybe I'll go get my own one, and load it up with music that I like. Though, in all fairness to Jake, he did have one of my all time favourite Santana songs loaded - excellent taste!

So, he's been starting to do some serious downhill practice for races that start this month - seems that the track doesn't have to be dry to ride it....

...the amount of mud that's on his bike was about a quarter of what was one him! He rode in my car covered in muck - up and down the hill - at first it was kind of funny, but then it just plain stunk. Muck stinks! I am desperately hoping that the next practice session will be sunny and dry.

The garden is starting to unfurl - have been spending some time making a few changes and starting to tidy things up cos the daffies are coming!

This has the most amazing perfume.

Other than gardening and running round after the child, and the occasional walk I have still been stitching. Finished a few more Jane Austen blocks - here's another gorgeous bonnet...

...and the Bay Window at Bath...

...and a quote from one of Jane's letters...

I've also been playing with a little bit of cross stitch - one of the Stacy Nash designs that I've had for a while - it will make up into a lovely little sewing roll.

And I've started my hexagon quilt - another project I've been meaning to start for a couple of years! This is very probably going to be the equivalent of my crocheted blanket - in 5 years time I will still be stitching hexagons together wondering why I ever started! But I really do love paper piecing little hexagons so am in no rush - it can take as long as it likes:)

Another project I started last week is a simple half-triangle quilt - inspired by a photo in a recent magazine - I just loved the simplicity of it, and wondered how it would look in my favourity soft colours. These are the rows I've done so far - a few more to go over the weekend, perhaps, and then I can join them all together. Then to hand quilt or machine. I think the hand-quilting will win
.

So, that's what has been keeping me busy for the past few weeks, along with the usual other stuff:)

Time to go do a few more hexagons, and make a cuppa.

Happy stitching

Jenny

Done counting - time for Chocolate!

The last couple of weeks have seen me counting!?! Not stitches or rows though, 'cos that would mean that the counting would have been associated with something fun like knitting or embroidery. Nope - counting buttons, threads, fat quarters, patterns etc etc etc blah blah blah! Stocktake is such a mindless task but IT'S DONE!!! So now I can count stitches or rows instead :)

Needless to say, not alot of stitching has been done lately, mind you there is some that I have done but can't show cos it's secret stuff for the retreat in September. This is just a tiny peek at one....

.... and a little bit of another....

I have finished just one more lovely little block for Jane Austen's quilt....

Pretty meagre stitching helpings today, but I aim to make up for it this coming week! Early on in the week Jake and I took to the hills for the day - just across the way from here - the view from the top of Signal Hill.....

.... and this is where we had lunch. We did have to be a little careful where we sat - lots of gorse!!!

While we were having lunch there were dozens of gorgeous little fantails playing around - tried to take a picture of them but it was pretty much impossible - too fast for me! So I turned the camera onto these instead. Don't you think they're amazing - they push up through rock hard ground ...

.... some are tall....

... and some are short...

I have always loved these gorgeous bright toadstools - or maybe they are mushrooms - not sure?

On the way back up the hill we came across this tiny little pond - I've been up and down the hill dozens of times but have never seen this before. These two were enjoying the peace and quiet.

Now I'm off to package up all those boring accounts and papers and send the whole lot off to the accountant - I don't have to think about it for another year! This has to be a decent excuse for chocolate - I know that some of my excuses for chocolate are fairly flimsy but this one's a goodie, isn't it?!

See you later

Jenny

Went for a nice long walk this morning - I took my ''lazy days'' track - I couldn't quite face the gazillion steps on the other ''track'' even though I really had no reason to feel lazy. I mean, it's not as if yesterday was spent doing anything more strenuous than stitching and watching a pile of DVD's, and then, even though I meant to get up at 2.00 a.m. this morning (does that hour actually exist!) to watch our fabulous All Whites in action, I didn't!! Well, I did sort of - just briefly - to wake Jake who had decided he would also watch it - but I am ashamed to say that we both decided that our beds were more appealing at that hour of the morning - and now of course I wish we did get up 'cos we drew with the Italians!!! How amazing is that! I don't normally get quite so caught up withany sporting event, but how can you not!!

So anyway, today being the shortest day of the year, I thought I would look for early early signs of spring - ever hopeful I know, but I did find one! I know these aren't real spring bulbs, just little old onion plants, but they do still look pretty...

... and the ground under these trees will be covered in daffodils in not so many weeks away.
I'll show you this photo again in Srping - it's quite beautiful here. Then I saw these - in real life they are absolutely tiny - I thought they were just so cute - can you have cute toadstools?

Spent some time with Jane again over the last couple of weeks and I have finished two more gorgeous little blocks - this first is one of her fans...

... and then I did the autumn hollyhock window...

On the weekend I also stitched the next block of Lynette Andersons Scandinavian Christmas - 'cept I've just realised that I still have to put a patch on Snowie!

This has been a lovely diversion today, but sadly now I must attend to bookwork. Hmmm - I'm sure if I look around, there is something else I can find to do instead .... cuppa tea and stitching anyone?

See you later

Jenny

Chilly!

Thought I'd show you where we went on the weekend - it was time to get out for the day - blow away the cobbies! We didn't go far - just out to Aramoana - half an hour's drive away to the beach. When we left Dunedin it was coolish, but okay (just). When we got out there - well, no chance that the cobwebs were going anywhere - they froze in place!! You think this looks chilly ...

... colder still ...

... and, if possible, even colder....

... notice the beach attire!! Yep - chilly was an understatement. But, I was determined to go for a walk on the beach, which I did ... for three and a half minutes!!! Even though it was colder than you can imagine, it was still fun - and the ocean on a stormy day is pretty spectacular. We scurried back to the car and decided that hot chips and in my case, coffee, was needed to stop hypothermia from setting in (a good excuse don't you think, to scoff hot chips!). We had a picnic in the car overlooking the harbour - and these lovely girls waddled past - so close I could have touched them ....

.... gorgeous aren't they. Then we had a wee wander round Port Chalmers - I really love some of the old buildings out there. This church up on the hill is amazing...

Love this one too...

...and the windows in this one took my fancy.

Got your hat?

So back home, and unthawed, I finished a little bit of stitching - the next gorgeous girl in Jane Austen's Bonnet quilt - she is quite beautiful.

I love stitching the little posies.

I'm going back to Aromoana in the Spring. I have a beach to walk!

See you

Jenny

How did it get to June already?

My goodness - it's been a while - and now its June! Is it just me, or did the last month seem to whiz by just a little too quickly. Nearly half way through the year already - before you know it they will be doing that countdown thingie for Christmas! Which is not so bad, really, 'cos I like Christmas, but I'd also like the year to slow down a little.

We had a good frost yesterday morning - the first real white crunchy one, with tricky little icy patches on the pavement, as I discovered while out on my morning walk! Going down High Street was ''interesting'' to say the least, but not nearly so much "fun" as going up some of the steps along my walking route. I really really hope that no one was looking as once or twice I must have looked like a right wally - doing an ice dance and all the while trying to stop from going down on my backside - that would have been too embarrassing! Trouble was, by the time I figured out that I probably should not have been out walking, I was past the half way point and I decided it was possibly a safer bet to keep going. I think yesterday's walk (skate) definitely qualifies as another one of those times that I just didn't think it through to the end - should have stayed home, had another cuppa and read the paper for a little longer!!!

I've finished just one more block of Jane Austen - the words for the second strip...which do make me smile...

... and the next block of Down in the Garden.

Had a gorgeous delivery of fabric last week (or maybe it was the week before - what with the way the month has flown) and I had to have a play. So ... I made a bag!!

And I've also been busy with samples for the Christmas Retreat - so these little guys happened...

... and you can read more about that on the other blog :))

I need to go and pile some more wood on the fire - it's nice and cosy in here - the perfect stitching place to be. Keep warm and happy stitching.

Jenny

Dear little deer

Guess what I've been doing for the last couple of nights ...the first block of Lynette's Scandinavian Christmas...




... just as well I didn't have to get up to do an early breakfast as they were sort of late (ish) nights?!?

Tonight? Knitting socks - thank you Polly for my latest obsession!!

Off now to watch a soccer game - need to go find scarf, gloves and large warm coat (and probably gum boots!)

See you later
Jenny