My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Friday, January 10, 2014

A New Year!

It is still that time of the year where I lose track of what day of the week it is but already it is 10 days into the New Year! Christmas is well and truely behind us but summer is in full swing here in New Zealand.
And the new year is a time for promises and resolutions and maybe even a bit of soul-searching. I"m steering away from a resolution this year as I truely don't know where to start! Other bloggers have been coming up with words to help them guide their year...all the words that I have seen I've been able to relate to, thinking 'oh yes, that would be a good word for me!' But I've tried to be original and come up with my own word and it hasn't quite happened yet.
So I am wordless and resolutionless. But I have plenty of goals and personal challenges so I will work with those and see what 2014 brings.
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I've been working on a few things lately —
— the final block of Birdy Love a quilt-as-you-go project I've been doing for my favourite shop —
... still need to do a photo shoot of the final quilt...
— I've been making hexies again —
Yes, more of my 'NZ series'
 — I've been stitching —

[I need to keep quiet on these projects for now.]

I recently won some 'leftovers' from a cute quilt Sigrid from sigisart has made .... they zoomed across the world really quickly..turning up on my doorstep only a week after they left Germany.
They are such happy prints and I love the special packaging they came in
- very fun and very cool. Thank you again Sigrid.
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I recently plunged feet first into the swapping universe, with two swaps at Christmastime. (I have swapped occasionally before but never on this scale!). Cheryll, who ran the Santa Sack swap, is encouraging those who take part in her swaps to 'take the pledge'. I think the sentiments are perfect for any swaps we do, so I am happy to pledge as well.

MAKE THE 7 STEP PLEDGE

I, Raewyn, will try my utmost...
·        To always swap on time.
·        To always email a THANK YOU to my partner.
·        To be considerate and thoughtful when choosing a gift.
·        To give my partner the quality of gift that I would like to receive.
·        To communicate when it’s required.
·        To NEVER over commit and let a partner down.
·        To advise the swap mama when I receive my gift.

This I sewomly pledge....

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Cheryll is also hosting Friday Night with Friends tonight so I'm going to join in that too. A simple tea is in order and I have found a yummy sounding biscuit recipe that will be perfect for sustanence. I'm looking forward to a productive evening, thank you Cheryll! {To-Do list for this afternoon, bake cookies, decide which project I want to work on!}
Click here if you want to join in as well, it's always nice to put aside a little 'me' time, and share it with others around the world.
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Now, we all blog for a reason... today, the photo below shows the real reason why I came along to My Palace when I did ... I couldn't bear to watch and listen to the MOML across the road mulching the hillside. It doesn't look so bad but believe me it is pretty steep and although he tells me he knows what he is doing, I fret like anything when he is doing stuff like this!
Ok, now to start on my 'to-do' list ; the baking will wait till the MOML is off the hillside as you can see it from the kitchen, so I will rummage for a project instead!
Happy stitching everyone, have a great day,

21 comments:

  1. I really love the Birdy Love. Beautiful appliqué. Your hexagons are wonderful. I don't think I've seen them with solids on the outside and the print in the center. Can't wait to see what you are doing with them.

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  2. You do such fine stitching! The swapping pledge sounds like a good idea. Hope the mulching finished without any problems. Nice to see a lush green landscape. Hope you get lots done during your Friday night stitching.

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  3. Wow! Such wonderful projects! Especially love the little red birdies!

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  4. You can be wordless and resolutionless, and I will be clueless. How's that? : )
    Each of your projects looks charming--and the little peeks have me very curious. Beautiful work!
    Sometimes I'd just rather not know what DH is up to, you know?

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  5. I too am wordless and resolutionless as I find I don't keep them.
    Oh I must make the swapping Pleadge though....
    Love the projects you are working on, nice NZHexies...
    I know what you mean about your DH working on the steep hill. My DH used to work underground. Best not to think about it or look at them.

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  6. No resolutions from me either......I'm not so good at keeping them. I could always use the perennial favourite "try to use my stash more". These boys in their tractors can be a worry.

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  7. Hi Raewyn, no no resolutions here either as I can never get past about week 3!!! But I quite like the one word idea.
    Your sneaky peek projects look very interesting, your tiny stitched details are just so lovely.
    I can well relate to your fretting over your hubby on his tractor ... its always a worry on steep hillsides & they seem oblivious to our worry. Have a great weekend Raewyn, hope you get lots of creative time x0x

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  8. Lovely projects! I usually go and hide in a hole when the boys are doing something like that on the tractors - in fact if I am in a tractor and it leans to one side I am getting ready bail out - the boys don't give it a second thought though!

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  9. You will have to post a photo of the completed Birdy Love, I saw it yesterday hanging at our fab shop, you have a done a fabulous job, really beautiful.
    Mmmm I have a few secret things too that I can't show yet.
    No resolutions for me either.
    I can see why you would fret over the hubby doing that stuff, it's our job, cause we love em!

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  10. Loving seeing what you have been up to. I'll be sewing hexi's tonight - and sewing the garden path together not more to go now.
    Love Leanne

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  11. So much in this post! Love the birds. Can't wait to see the whole quilt. The hexies are looking great. Wow, you do the most perfect stitches! That top fabric, the cats, that's adorable. Hope the rest is that cute! Getting excited about our trip! Tell your husband that we don't want to see any broken bones when we show up, LOL!

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  12. some nice pieces you have shared today, I see you like to hand stitch, very nice.Your new fabric looks interesting. best of luck with the two groups you have signed up for,

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  13. Lots of beautiful "content" Raewyn and I am sure you are far better at sticking to your goals than I am . Hope your man safely finished his stint on the hillside.x

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  14. I hear you, I've been thinking about goals etc for the year, but have decided not to overthink it, and instead just get on with it! I can see why you get nervous, that is very steep...

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  15. No words or resolutions for me either , just plugging away ;-) your projects are lovely , especially love the little bird . I'd be a tad worried too on that steep hill.

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  16. Great post Raewyn. The final Birdy Love block looks great. I can't wait to get down to my favourite shop to see the completed quilt.

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  17. I take every days interruptions as they come...lol.
    I just try to enjoy! :)

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  18. Love the NZ hexies, will look forward to see more and what you do with them. My DH goes out on the ride on mower and does the steep bits, he has tipped it once so I always worry when he is out too! Your stitcheries look lovely!

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  19. Beautiful projects you are working on. I think I would be hiding out if someone in my family was on that tractor too. Hope you had a fun Friday night.

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