Another Year Over a New One Just (about) Begun

I seem to have so much to share today, so forgive me if I seem to ramble.

Firstly, I had the pleasure of meeting Chookyblue and having lunch with her yesterday.  She is just delightful and we hit it off straight away.  Isn’t it amazing how you meet fellow bloggers for the first time and it is like catching up with an old friend.  We look forward to catching up again at Nundle for the Girls Day in the Country in March.  I can’t wait for that weekend, it will be so much fun.

Remember the Verandah Views BOM that Cheryl from Willowberry Designs kindly shared in 2009? (She has just announced some projects for 2011 – Yay!)

Well, I started it and was very good at completing my stitchery each month at the beginning of that year.  We were going away for a few weeks, so I prepped a couple of months worth and took them on holidays with me to work on, and then brought them back home in the same state as they left.  LOL

Therefore, I was behind the eight ball and stayed that way.  I finished the stitcheries early this year and even embroidered the label WITH THE DATE 2010!!!

The only problem was that apart from the stitcheries I hadn’t done any more.  So, I thought I’d better start on the rest today – yes on the last day of 2010 and I have at least completed the top.

I’m quite pleased with the way it has turned out. Now I just have to quilt and bind it and then find somewhere to hang it.  Maybe that will be completed by the end of 2011.  You can’t rush into these things.

I do have a couple of little finishes for this month though.

A friend of ours was due to have her first baby on Christmas Eve, but he hasn’t arrived yet.  As I know he will be a boy I have made a few bibs for him.  I really enjoy making these.

I have also made a few tea wallets as gifts, but I keep forgetting to take a photo.  Anyway, here is one of them.  They are so quick and easy to make.  The tutorial is from here.  I just substitute hat elastic instead of the fabric loop as a closure.

Also, here is what I sent to Terry in Ohio for her SSCS gift.

The pattern for the table runner was in an old Country Threads magazine.  I also sent a tea wallet and one of Anni’s woollen pincushion patterns.  It was a great swap to be a part of.

Finally, just because, here is Joey helping with the washing.  Isn’t he a good boy, stopping the wind from blowing the basket away. (He is normally impossible to take a photo of.)

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year and may it bring everything that you hope for. Summer has finally arrived here so it should be a lovely evening to celebrate.

By the way, at the beginning of this year I actually wrote down a list of 10 goals for 2010.  They were not specific items, more ideals.  Well, I read over them today and I can’t say that I really achieved any of them, so I think they will be my carry over goals for 2011. Let’s see how I go.

Cheers

Janice

Post Christmas Doings

After our big day on Christmas Day we had to do it all again on Boxing Day.  This was when we enjoyed the day with all of Mick’s family.  We travelled to Orange to his niece’s new house, which is lovely.

It had rained overnight here on Christmas night.  We had received 26mm.  Halfway to Orange we started to notice the creeks running a banker, and as we got closer to Orange there was water everywhere. They had received about 70mm overnight!!! I’m glad we didn’t receive that at home.

After we returned home we had a nanna nap.  Showing our age aren’t we.

When we hopped up I went out the back and was greeted by this.

I stitched the photos together the best I could.  It was quite an impressive front coming through.  We ran around, battening down the hatches before the worst of it hit.

Fortunately, we only received a further 30mm, but once again we had water through the shed and the driveway is a river again.  About 15 minutes away from us received 100mm and caused more flooding, so we missed the worst of it.

Anyway, by yesterday morning the rain had stopped so we arranged to meet some mates and go for a bike ride.  We need to get some miles up on Olga before she is shipped off in March.

We were just about to leave home when it started to rain again.  Oh well, we’d go into town and see if the rain eased and if the others were silly enough to come out.  It rained quite heavily all the way to town.  They were silly and the rain eased.

Our original plan was to go to Boorowa via Wyangla Dam so that we could see it nice and full for a change.  That plan changed after all the rain out that way.  We decided to go in the opposite direction, past Windermere Dam to see how it was filling up.  It has still got a long way to go.

It was then on to Rylstone for coffee and to play it by ear from there.

As the weather was clearing, but still nice and cool – perfect motorcycling weather – we decided to continue on to Mudgee, then to Hill End via Hargraves.  Along the way I was playing with the set up of our new toy. It has  a few different features from our old one.

Hargraves has some lovely old buildings.

The roads were lovely and quiet and seemed to be going uphill all the time.

Next stop was the lovely old mining village of Hill End for a late lunch and a wander around.

I love the shady avenues.

Lunch at the Royal Hotel.

The pub has true country character.

After lunch we went for a stroll before heading home.  It had turned into a perfect day.

When you are headed back towards Bathurst it feels like you are on top of the world.  The best thing is that the road is now sealed all the way.  It was a bit of a goat track before.

We had to cross the Turon River.

You don’t see many timber bridges these days.

The river was still raging, but nothing compared to what it had been.  Apparently the water had been two and half metres over the bridge.  I’d believe it when you see the high water mark.

Then it was down into the valley – looking lovely and green – and onto home.

Considering the day out very nearly didn’t happen and we had not planned to go anywhere near where we did, we had a wonderful time.  Often it is the impromptu days that are the best.

By the way, Olga didn’t miss a beat in about 350kms of mainly steep and windy roads.  It looks like the gearbox problem is all solved.  Hooray!!

Christmas Day and SSCS Gift Reveal

We had an absolutely wonderful Christmas Day. 

Despite the predictions, the weather was fine and sunny, but not too hot, the company was great, everyone was nice and relaxed and the food was good (if I say so myself).

I had a surprise phone call from a friend from primary school on Christmas Eve, so she and her daughter also joined us for Christmas lunch.  We try to see each other at Christmas, but it isn’t always possible, so this was a lovely bonus.

As always, there are lots of lovely gifts.  I was really excited about opening my SSCS Gift from Linda.  I think Mick, my Mum and Mick’s Mum were as excited as I was.

Finally getting to open the parcel.    Wow! What a gorgeous Santa. Ooh!  Look at that!  I get to try some Hershey’s chocolates!  That put a smile on my face. Mick’s Mum thought the bag was just lovely.

Here is a clearer photo of the lovelies I received.

A beautiful Santa table topper.   However, I think he will become a wall hanging as he just so lovely.  He is all worked in wool. Gorgeous stitching by Linda.

The bag is nice and roomy.

It also has lots of practical pockets.

There was also some peppermint bark hiding in there as well.

Thanks so very  much Linda.  You did spoil me.  Thanks also to Chookyblue for all her work organising this swap.

Now, I’ll just show a couple of other gifts I received.

My dear friend Loulee from the Isle of Man sent a mysterious parcel.  Look what was inside.

I wonder how she knew I like Cath Kidston?  Let’s see what what is inside.

Aren’t they terrific.  I’m sure they will get used lots. Thanks so much Lou and Tony.

Finally, Mum gave me these.

Some quilting gloves and a slice of pink cake.  When you turn it over it is revealed to be a fat quarter.

How clever is that!   She found them at a quilt shop in Boorowa.  I think we’ll have to visit one day.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.

(I just hope Joey doesn’t try this trick this year – it wouldn’t be nearly so cute now.)

Tuesday Treasures – Christmas Scrapbooks

When Teresa shared her Christmas album a couple of  weeks ago I decided to share the scrapbooks I made when I was little.  Isn’t the cover on the top one so cute and 70s.

When I was seven, an old friend of Mum’s came to stay for a few days and she got me started on a scrapbook (the top one) using old Christmas cards.  Not long after that I came down with chicken pox and had three weeks off school.  These were a great way to keep me amused.

Mum had cards back to the 50s and then I raided Grandma’s which went back much further.

I had fun making up stories with the pictures and creating themes.  Unfortunately, nearly forty years later I can’t remember the details.

Anyway, here are a few of my favourite pages.

There were some lovely cards back then and most were on a heavy paper rather than card.

Most cards also had a second picture on the inside as well.

White Christmas themes seemed to dominate, but as we received several cards from England they may have come from there.

I used to love looking through them and it has been nice to look back now and recognise certain pages.

Pop over to Melody’s to see what other treasures are on show this week.

I think I will make this my last Tuesday Treasure, as I am running out of things to share.  It has been great fun each Tuesday and I will still pop in to see what others are sharing.  Thanks so much to firstly Clare and then Melody for organising it all.

Making Christmas Gifts

I actually made a gift for each of my nieces this year.

These little pop-over sundresses should be nice and cool to wear (if ever we get any summer weather).  The pattern comes from Oliver + s and is one that they share for free. They were so quick and easy to make. I’ve also popped in a little white t-shirt to wear under the dresses for those cooler days.

The pink one for my seven year old niece was made from my stash.  The main fabric was actually left over backing from a quilt I made for her first birthday. The ric rac trim on both of them is as old as the hills from Mum’s stash.

After I made the blue dress for my three year old niece I have learnt that she loves butterflies and has just started to only wear dresses and skirts so that she can twirl like a princess.  Phew!  I think I might have got this one right.  Funnily enough, I had also bought a “Princess” colouring book for her.

This is the first time I have made clothes for them as I never know what size to make, so hopefully I have got it right.

We are back into nearly winter clothes yesterday and today.  It is freezing! Our minimum was 5 deg C this morning.  That’s crazy.  Also, we had another 21mm of rain over the weekend, which followed 70mm in just half an hour on Tuesday.  Our driveway is a mess.  Poor Mick is trying to fix it up enough for family to come down it (and then get back up) on Christmas day.  Just what he didn’t need at this time of year.