Splashes of colour

After my few weeks of non-crafting I feel like I am almost getting back to 'normal' with a few little projects showing a bit of progress.

Love Me Love My Cat received its borders -

- and a good press -

- basting -

- and now the quilting has started :-)

My evenings were a bit slow until I got back into my groove - so I carried on with my (mindless) crochet - using all the scraps of DK wool that I have floating around.

I know it's bordering on being a little gaudy but I decided that this is the look I
was going for...it will be a blanket of Ganma's that the grandies won't forget :-)

But before long I rediscovered my stitching ...

Another block from the Country At Heart alphabet from
Rag-Tag Stitchin' Designs.

 And before you get too excited and think that I must be nearly done, I'm not. I'm stitching them all out of order. I think I'm a little over half way there.

'Z' is in the hoop at the moment.
♥ that wee mouse!

This week I am linking up to SuperMomNoCape - every week there is a link up to share our embroidery projects and usually there is a lovely (free) vintage pattern to download and stitch as well. To celebrate 25 weeks of link ups there is a fabulous giveaway this week, feel free to visit (*here*) and join in too :-)
The weekend was a fabulous affair, with the sun shining and the forecast rain keeping away; a lovely hint of spring, which surely is getting closer and closer.

[If you are a long time reader of this blog you may recognise some of the scenes in the following pictures..... as I'm sure I posted similar ones last year, and maybe the year before that and quite likely even the year before that.... so you will be excused for switching off now :-) ]

Now is the time when the bush at the back of the farm comes alive with splashes of gold. And I always love to make the trek out there and just soak up the loveliness.
The Kowhai trees did not disappoint again this year. They are big old tall trees and I love to look down and see them towering above and within the other old trees.... mostly Totara in this area.
(Click on the photos to get a better look).

In the past the MOML has come out with me, but last year he got a bit naggy, telling me he was slowly dying of boredom as I walked in wonderment amongst the trees. This year I left him behind. I left the quadbike at the top of the hill (he's brave enough to drive down but I'm not!) and even while walking down I could hear heaps of Tui, Kereru and other birds feeding off the nectar. Sadly the birds were too high up to photograph; even when I thought there was one I could snap, the camera didn't like being pointed up at the sky!

 It was a lovely, magical way to spend an afternoon. The area is all fenced off now (we've put in quite a few kms of fences since we've been here) so we are hopeful that some young trees will start growing in the near future.
This week I think I'll be able to grab a bit more sewing time, my social calendar isn't as full, although the MOML has just informed me that tomorrow may be a good day for de-horning the next mob of calves :-)

Hope your week is happy, thank you for visiting,

happy creating,

Happy Me!

**Warning - babies galore - no sewing - no quilting - no knitting - no stitching**

I'm still coming back down to earth after spending a fabulous few days away at my son's. Remember those babies I told you about in previous posts? Well, I finally got to meet them!!
Of course you will understand when I tell you they are the most beautiful babies in the world - and of course all the other grandmothers out there will dispute that :-) but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Pretty certain that is Saydee on the left and Kaliah on the right.
Or is it Kaliah on the left and Saydee on the right?
Saydee has a red mark on her nose which is our main identifier! 

Naturally it was cuddles all round and I spent many a happy hour with one or the other in my arms. The girls were about 7 weeks old when I visited, my how tiny they are but growing really well...they have plenty of chubby little rolls!

And speaking of rolls, I was there for one milestone; they both rolled over for the first time.

All too soon it was time for home as duty called. We still have a handful of cows left to calve and of course all those babies need feeding.

I will be forever thankful to YD and her hubby for spending/taking holidays to enable me to 'pop over the ditch' at this busy time of the year.

Thank you so much Laura and James ♥

There's been no crafting around here for a while, I didn't take any with me (strange, huh?). Last week I got a bit snuffly so I spent my days eating oranges and having lemon honey drinks in an effort to ward off any germs.....I was dreading having to put off my trip because of it. Luckily by delaying my flight a couple of days I was alright to breath on the girls.
Ok, just one more......

 Normal transmission should resume soon, those ufos aren't going to finish themselves.

Thanks for visiting, have a happy week,

FNWF in September

I started Friday Night with Friends yesterday a little early and did some sewing before the evening arrived. During the week I had finished stitching the final block for Love Me, Love My Cat so I thought it would be a good idea to do some joining up.

Block 8 of Love Me Love My Cat, a Birdbrain Design.

The rest of the blocks are elsewhere so this was all I could do, quite a cute wee hanging don't you think?!
After tea I settled down with the MOML and did some knitting, this project has been resting for a little bit so it was nice to get the needles out and get back into it again. As you can see it's an old and well loved pattern and all will be revealed some time soon... I hope! (No prizes for guessing who it may be for...!)

Cheryll is our lovely hostess for Friday Nights with Friends. Last month I was very lucky to win the draw for taking part, and recently this wee giftie arrived from her... gorgeous fabrics and very cool button pins (for buttons with shanks - cool huh?) and a neat coaster. Thank you so much Cheryll and thank you also for hosting us all. To see what everyone else got up to visit her blog *here*.

 Friday night (bed-time) also saw me starting a new book...this is quite a milestone...since July last year (yes 2014!) I have been re-reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. A few pages a night meant that it was a slow journey but I have thoroughly enjoyed my adventures with Jamie and Clare, Bree and Roger. I was quite sad when I turned the last page so I hope there's another one out soon! I haven't seen any of the TV series of them yet, looking forward to hunting them out. Although I'll probably wait for it on DVD.

Don't they look loved?!
The books seemed to get bigger as I progressed
through the series.
(Yes there's one missing, a daughter has it.)

(Mum and I weren't exactly racing but she started re-reading them about the same time I did, and finished them PLUS all the additional books MONTHS ago!!)

Until next time, happy creating and happy weekending,