Sunday, June 4, 2017

FNWF and The Chookshed Birthday...

                           
A weekend to celebrate..The Chookshed 5th Birthday..
                        
Friday night it was time to join together with everyone for FNWF and then Saturday was spent at my bobbin lace group workday and then after just pottering around trying to advance some of my ongoing projects..
so it's been a weekend of spent with virtual friends and real time friends..and the best thing about this weekend is that tomorrow is a holiday here in NZ.. our Queen's Birthday weekend..so I will be able to continue on and hopefully get some photos taken to add to my next post..

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Any suggestions please....on what can I do in Melbourne this Thursday????

                                     
The school is sending another teacher and me over to Melbourne for a conference this week..lucky me.!!!!!! 😊😊

By travelling over late on Wednesday we will have Thursday free to shop/explore the city etc..(well as much as we can do in one day)...before the conference on Friday and Saturday and then flying back to NZ early on Sunday...so not a lot of time to spend there 😓😢.

So what to do???? Any suggestions on shops to go to or things to see..good places to eat even...anything would be appreciated, so we can make the most of the day as I really don't know Melbourne at all.

We are both interested in patchwork and embroidery so are there any shops close to the city or easy to access on public transport.

We are staying out Camberwell way as it is closer to the school that the conference is being held at and won't take too long on the tram to get to there on Friday and Saturday.

Grateful thanks for any suggestions...

Lyn



Saturday, May 6, 2017

FNWF

Some more progress and another block nearly finished on this ongoing project...applique with wool felt on linen..just 2 pins left on this block..these blocks started life as applique onto a recycled wool blanket but I changed tack on this and started over again on the linen fabric and I am much happier
                    
Today was our little bobbin lace group's get together ..we meet 2 Saturdays a month and those who can meet on a Wednesday afternoon as well....so I spent a lovely morning starting to finish off this square ..joining the ends together as I work my way down the line..not far to go now on this section..next step is to do the next round/border which will be attached to this central square later.
                     

Sunday, April 30, 2017

What I am reading at the moment...

A while back Booktopia had free shipping here to New Zealand.  At the time I was looking for a slow cooker recipe book and came across the books by Sally Wise.  I ordered the one on slow cooking and then this one also grabbed my attention.

I've been enjoying reading about their first year on the farm and the setting up of the cooking school. The diary-like entries are interspersed with recipes.  One that I want to try is for pineapple jam.  I have memories, from growing up, of  pineapple jam on the rare occasions mum would buy it for me..I seemed to be the only one in the family who enjoyed it...it came in a can and I can still remember the opening of it and getting that first taste each time...it is years since I have seen it, so I wonder if the version I make from the book will live up to my memories or surpass them..
             

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Stitch-A-Long..

Yes...I am joining in for this year's Stitch-A-Long.  It is the quilt from the book "A Holly Cottage Christmas" by Michelle Ridgeway.  I love Michelle's designs and since I already had the book the decision to join in was an easy one.  The hardest part for me is always deciding on what fabric to use...but there is plenty of time until we start in earnest in June...until then it is getting our fabrics sorted and maybe making one of the smaller projects in the book. 

The lovely Fiona and Raewyn are going to be our hosts for this Stitch-A-Long.

If you would like to join in then leave a comment over on the Stitch-A-Long page here and the book is available from Michelle  here (you will find details on her blog sidebar).


                        

Monday, April 24, 2017

I've been away on a retreat..from Friday till today

Just back from a crafters retreat with a wonderful group of ladies..360 km trip there and back but well worth it...lots of fun and laughs and of course we managed to do some crafting over the weekend..so busy having fun I mostly forgot to take photos!!!  So my FNSI was spent with a 'real life' group this month!!!

Monday, March 20, 2017

Lace progress..for FNSI

                   
I am on the last quarter of this centre of the mat I am working on..and then it will be on to making the next piece, like a border, which will then be attached.  Friday night's effort was the section that has the pins in the top left..so there are a few night's work left to see this part completed. 

Saturday, January 21, 2017

What I worked on for FNSI..

..a slow moving project that has earned me the nickname "Pins" and if you look at the photo you will understand why...I seem to have a habit of preparing blocks and getting them pinned but then time has been eluding me and the pins have remained.  So I am going to try and rectify that this year and get some stitches into each block so I can remove the rest of the pins and then move on to the next one.
                          

Monday, January 16, 2017

FNSI..the first one for 2017!!

                                               
Yes that's right...it is on this Friday.. the first FNSI for the year, so, to sign up, head on over to Wendy's blog... Sugarlane Designs .....and then start thinking of what you can work on!!

Monday, January 2, 2017

SSCS received

Well here it is 2017 already.  I am over in Sydney visiting Mum and head back to NZ next week..it sure has been warm here, not what I am used to at all.
I joined in for Chooky's SSCS swap again for Christmas.  I received my gorgeous gifts from Fiona of Bubzrugz blog..a lovely ornament and table runner to treasure..they are absolutely fabulous..
Apologies for the odd sized photos..the first 2 should be smaller and the table runner bigger but I am having big issues using Blogger on my iPad (since I updated the operating system..wish I hadn't). Will have to wait till I go home to fix it..in the meantime here are my lovely gifts..