Catching up on FNSI

Just sitting here on the couch, relaxing before the busyness of a new term starts tomorrow.  A bit hard to take clear photos without shadowing but I'm too comfortable to get up to take them somewhere else!!! Friday was the last day of the school holidays and it gave me time to have a wander around the shops (much more enjoyable than the time I had just spent unstacking the desks and chairs in my classroom and setting things up for the new term).  I spotted this pattern as soon as I walked in to one shop and it just had to come home with me

                             

.. and they just happened to have the supplies that the pattern recommended so they came home too...

                        

Then it was on to spend the whole afternoon with my stitching group friends and I took along another tea cosy I am knitting for Mum..I've made the large and extra small one and this one will be for her medium size tea pot..which only comes out when she has visitors ..but it will complete the set. I thought knitting would be easier  to keep track of all the conversations around the table..

                              

I hope you all had an enjoyable FNSI ..now to try and visit to see what everyone else has been working on...

This and that and FNWF

Time flies between posts..especially when it has been the busy end to the term...now with the holiday there's time to 'catch my breath' and catch up on all the things that I haven't had time to do..like reading blogs and seeing what everyone has been up to and getting back into some stitching. 
 The weather has been great over the Easter weekend (if we don't count yesterday) and it has been good to get outside, spend a bit of time in the garden and just enjoy the sunshine.  Our little tomatoes are ripening each day and I've just picked another bowl today.

                          

Not a lot of stitching has been done lately but on Friday night I got out my bobbins and started on a bookmark..just for something relaxing to do...and it is far easier on tired eyes at night..

                                

...and a bit of a close up with some pins removed ..

                                            

DD2 made her favourite cheesecake for dessert on Sunday and used her special plate to serve it..it was so delicious as always..white chocolate cheesecake with raspberries..

                       

Photo frustration..

..I'm not sure if it's the new laptop or not but it sure is frustrating when I am visiting blogs and all I see are blank spaces where I know there should be photos.   I really want to see all the great things that are being worked on out there in blogland, .  It has been a real hit and miss as the odd one works and then nothing on a lot of others..I'm even having trouble seeing photos on  my own blog at times and the pages are taking a long time to load....it really is annoying..hopefully things will right themselves soon..

A Finish for FNWF

I can mark this off the list  as my first finish for March..rather pleased with my little mini quilt..which can hang on my mini quilt stand....now on to the next one...and time to visit and see what everyone else worked on for FNWF

                                           

Initial Heart Swap.....Part 2

I've been waiting to hear that the parcel I sent had arrived before I shared it.  At times I felt a bit like a stalker as I kept checking the blog of the person I sent to (to see if they had posted that it had arrived) as well as our Swap Mama's to see if they have been marked off.
As the days dragged on I was really starting to worry that it had gone astray.  The other night I saw that the recipient's name has been marked off the list on Swap Mama Cheryll's blog, so I am relieved to know that it has arrived.  This is what I sent..

                           

..and a block of Lindt Dark Orange Chocolate..as the sweet surprise..

                             

..and I'll be able to count this as an OPAM finish for February

FNSI

My FNSI this month became a Saturday Stitching Day.  One of my Friday Stitching Group friends and I set off early Saturday morning to drive an hour north, pick up another friend along the way, and then on to spend the day with a lovely group of ladies at their monthly quilting workday.
The drive up the hills out of town saw us travelling through some rather thick mist and it thankfully cleared as we went down the hills on the other side and along the coast.
  What a great day I had.
I did manage to do a little stitching (oh dear it doesn't look like much does it..but there is more to add to it..)  amongst all the chatting and looking at what others were working on...

                 

I hope that everyone else had a wonderful time for FNSI this month as well

Initial Heart Swap

This beautifully wrapped parcel from Kerrie of  channelbankcreations arrived in the mail for me..

             

Inside was a pattern folder..just look at the gorgeous heart that Kerrie stitched on the cover she made....all those lovely stitches and embellishing..

                  

and a view of the inside with a few treats for me to enjoy..

              

all set for me to now organise the patterns that I am working from..what a wonderful gift.

A big thank you, Kerrie,..this is going to be so useful.. just perfect!