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,

Forgotten works!!!

I have shared before about the 'Sewing Essentials' items I made for a Project of the Month club The Country Yard ran last year...some of the items I have shown photos of but in the rush to get each item finished and into the shop as a sample (I made them all at home) some quickly left my brain and missed out on blogland while I moved onto another project.
And, in my end of year 'cleanup', I've come across them again! So that they can be recorded for OPAM I will share them today, at the 11th hour of 2013!
We did two colour/fabric ways; most of the samples I made were in one as that was the most popular.

Armchair hussif

Rotary cutter sheath and clamshell 'thimblecase'

Sewing tidy

Tote

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Also in my camera waiting to be shared are these photos of some honey our beekeeper dropped off just before Christmas. A great big honey comb.... the MOML scooped all the honey out into one of his honey buckets and is now enjoying it on his toast each day. It's from the hives and trees I showed here and is as rich and pure as can be!

The MOML doesn't mind the little bits of honey wax, saying it adds to the experience but I prefer to spit them out later, as you would pips from a fruit! (Sorry that doesn't make me sound very ladylike does it!!)

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And one last photo for the year, showing relaxing with friends and family. A Kiwi Christmas!

Happy New Year everyone! May 2014 bring you joy and happiness, health and wisdom, with a whole lot of stitching thrown in as well :-)
Thank you for your visits, comments, feedback and friendship. Thank you for enriching my blogging and creating experiences. I look forward to doing it all over again next year,
Hugs to you all,

More gifts...

Gosh with the last OPAM deadline of the year rapidly approaching it's time to do a quick post of the things I couldn't share earlier on —

~swap gifts~

Christmas hanging for Noela

Desk tidy and needle case for Noela
(filled with all sorts of goodies!)

Bet you cant guess who this was for!!

A pouch for Michell

Christmas hanging for Michell

Kitchen towel for Michell

~other gifts~

YD started making herself this nightie 2 years ago.
I thought it would be nice to finish it for her!

I made another little pouch so that's 5 of these -
important to get the numbers right for OPAM!!!

I made some more gift-tags!!

Hopefully I have got everything - it is easy to lose track at this time of the year!!
Happy stitching everyone, have a great day,