2006 ... on to 2007

Well, it's New Years Eve ... lucky us get to spend it with my in-laws ... MIL, FIL, SIL .. and cousin from the MIL side of the family who fits in well with them - good thing is? There is a one day cricket match on today - which means I can leave the TV on, watch that and knit while pretending to listen to them ;)

Anyway - 2006! I went back and looked at my goals and really, I didn't make any LOL - I said I'd go back after I'd sorted through all my stash etc ... but well, probably in tune with how 2006 was, I never got around to it.

So here is what I finished - I've put some years next to the bigger things that were old pieces that I finished this year - I'm pleased that I did indeed finish a couple of older WIP's.

2006 Finishes
16 Ornaments
6 RR pieces
Christmas Elf Fairy - Mirabilia
Apache Wedding Blessing
Season of Rest - LHN
October Sky Sampler - ED
Kitty Sampler Cottage - LHN
Rose Arbour - Mirabilia (2002)
Toy Shop - Patricia Anane (2002?)
Birdhouse Needleroll - SB
Love and Wisdom - DT
To the Sea - JBW
Celtic Summer - L&L (2005)
Britty Cat - Brittercup
English Garden Pocket - DT
Redwork Needlebook - DT
Rose Sampler - LHN
Tall Oaks - PS
Be True - SB
Daisy Lane - LHN
Little Pink Houses - M Designs
Halloween Fairy - Mirabilia
Christmas Sampler - PS
Woodland Cottage - ED
Summer Fairy - HAED
Pink Carnations - Sweetheart Tree
Evergreen - Blackbird Designs

Wow! I sold quite a few of these on ebay - so haven't kept them all, and quite a few were exchanges - which were a lot of fun this year!

Now 2007 ... I still need to think about this and list some things down (gosh, that sounds like 2006!). But my biggest goal is to become more organised and selective about what I stitch. I'm only going to start things that I plan to finish completely, as in get them framed, make them up into smalls, or whatever. I plan to do more quilting, card-making and sewing - so the finishing part will hopefully be more realistic. I have SO many unframed pieces and I end up selling them because we need the money or they just sit rolled up. I think over the past few weeks this has affected my mood and enthusasim - hence my new goal, I want stitching to become exciting for me again :)

I also plan on digging out all my WIP's (I have more than a few) and listing them on my side bar and crossing them off as I finish them - another 2007 goal is to be a lot more organised with my stash - it is all over the place right now!

So 2007 -

• Finish every finish - therefore selective starts.
• List and work on old WIPs
• Organise my stash

With that - Happy New Year everyone, may it be a happy and healthy one!

Bags, Bags, Bags ...

Just a quick post to show the four bags I made for Christmas Gifts ... anyone sick of bags yet? LOL (Pauline, I'll email you about them!).

First one was for Tracy, my niece - more of a late Birthday gift, thank you for being good with my girls gift (we don't usually do gifts for nieces/nephews - too many of them!), Teddy one for my mother, cats with quilting fabric for David's Aunt and nice bright pink one for David's cousin. They were all received very well!

As you can see, I'm also trying to set up my Blog ready for 2007 ... there's things I've noticed in other peoples blogs I like, and lists I want to keep :) I'd still like to set it up with pretty pictures etc but haven't worked out how to do that with the new Blogger - not sure if I ever will!

Next post should be my 2006 update - 2007 goals, should be interesting! LOL

Christmas Eve

The kids are asleep,
Magic dust has been scattered over the front lawn to guide the reindeer,
The gifts are wrapped,
All is ready to go!

I must say there is nothing like the magic in a 5yo's eyes who is still enchanted by the magic of Santa and Christmas ... Charlotte was straight to bed, and straight to sleep so Santa could come as soon as possible :)

Merry Christmas everyone ... thank you for the friendship and support over the past year, I'm only sorry I haven't had the time to be as supportive to other people as I'd like. But 2007 is a whole new year with lots of promise :)

Relax, and enjoy the Christmas spirit ... travel safely and be happy!

Gifts galore!

'Tis the season for giving (and receiving!).



First up - a bag I made for Cameron's teacher - she has taught him for two years and is just the most amazing teacher. He is VERY sad that he can't have her next year! His request to me was that Mrs Ross loves giraffes, so I had to make something with a giraffe theme. After looking and looking, I finally found the perfect fabric (with a bit of help from a friendly shop assistant!) - I love the way this one turned out, and she was very appreciative too :)

Next, it was time for gifts for teachers and gym coaches - lots of kids = lots of gifts! So I made (with help from two little girls) lots of gingerbread men, which we then put into plastic bags and tied Christmasy ribbon around ... everyone seemed to like them.



Next up - Christmas, just wouldn't be Christmas, without our NZ Doris exchange! ... this is the ornament I stitched for Wendy, I put in some other little goodies, but didn't have time to take a photo (being Queen of last minute putting things in the mail, that I am!).



I was lucky enough to have Kath draw my name out, she made me this lovely Noel banner and added these wonderful gifts - I have got right into the card making lately, so these were perfect! Thank you again Kath!

Then I had this beautiful ornament turn up in mail box from Katrina ... just a "because" ornament - as usual, Katrina's work is perfect! Thank you again Katrina!

Next up ... my work always give all their employees a gift every year (lawyers are obviously doing all right ;)) - and they always do a good job ... as an aside, I can't believe the way some of the women I work with complain about their gifts not being any good etc etc ... I don't know anyone else who has employers so generous! I am apparently in the minority this year at thinking this is a GREAT gift! LOL ... you can't see properly on the photo - but the top part unzips (as shown) and there are four wine glasses, good utensils (real ones, not plastic!), a cork screw, bottle opener, salt and pepper shaker, napkins, chopping board ... everything needed for a picnic. Then the bottom is quite big and upzips to show a nice big cooler bag - with separate bag inside with a picnic blanket, plus of course a bottle of wine AND the book of Wellington walks - which we've been saying we must find ... so perfect.

and last, but definitely not least - a sort of gift - Rhiannon made this cute little ornament at a class at the local scrapping/card making store yesterday - her friend paid for the class as a birthday gift and the two of them went and did it yesterday - isn't it cute! She also made a gorgeous card.

Evening Carols ... NZ Style

Something our primary school does annual is have a Christmas Carol evening - a final evening as the end of school is coming to a close. I've always loved community carols, so this is one of my favourite events of the school year!

We had a perfect evening for it - which was wonderful after such an awful start to summer, there is hope! These photos are taken about 7.30-8.00pm in the evening, I bet the lighting and battle with sunlight shining straight into the camera is different than the carols by candle light in the cold, dark, snowy Northern Hemisphere :)

Charlotte (in purple ducked down) and their syndicate item.

Rhiannon's syndicate - but gives a view of the school and bright summers evening.

Rhiannon in full voice.

I should note that Josh and Cameron, where indeed there - and I do love them just as much as the girls - but the lovely photo I got of Cameron has mysteriously been deleted off the camera (little toad), and Josh managed to hide at the back of lots of people for the whole evening!

Thank you Joanie!

*I won't even mention my lack of blogging updates!*

Thank you Joanie! ... I received a lovely pin-keep ornament in the mail a few days ago ... apologies for the lateness in letting you know it had arrived, lets just say it's crazy time of the year!

Here is a picture of the ornament, and goodies.

Not only is it a lovely ornament - but I can use it to copy *blush* ... I have about four ornaments I have put together, but they are waiting for cording - instead on slow sewing cording on I'm going to copy Joanie's and make them into pin-keeps instead - it looks MUCH faster!

Thank you again Joanie ... I love the Lizzie Kate chart and little notepad too - they are perfect for me :)

Life is definitely slowing down now - so I hope to update my blog more regularly AND comment on other blogs. My New Years Resolution is going to be to say NO! ... which equates to making more ME time ... which means more exercise, more time to eat right, and more importantly - more time for my hobbies and blogging :)

Life ... and all it's trials!

So, what's been happening over the last week? ... remember everyone, I said life would SLOW DOWN when Charlotte went to school, and I'd be finishing soccer at the same time ... shall we do this as bullet points? Lets see what I can remember ...

• Charlotte has settled into school.


• I've been on an Estuary Trip with her class.


• Soccer AGM was yesterday - organised all of that, minutes, agenda, remits, accounts etc. Done and finished now. I am meeting with the lady taking my place on Wednesday - hopefully I will hand everything over and be finished with it then.


• Cricket Rep Manager decided he was too busy to get together quotes etc for their matches - away/accommodation/vans etc plus funding for them. So I got landed with the job. Fast forward to last week when he threw a hissy fit because he didn't know what was happening, say what?


• Cameron has played two rep matches and done very well - but DH is manager so for a couple of Sundays/weekends I've been flying solo.


• Charlotte went away this weekend just gone! ... but I was too busy to savour the peace LOL


• Gym prize-giving yesterday - Rhiannon got Most Improved, that makes a clean sweep for her this year, Cricket, Soccer and Gym - she received the Most Improved award for each sport - she must have been working hard all year :)


• It's rained, and rained.


• Just over a week ago I managed to *nearly* rip my big toe nail off - it's been yucky and sore ever since. Not sure if I should go and get it cut/ripped off (oh yay).


• Which has meant my good intentions of walking have fallen flat - I did last week with my friend but ended up with a really sore foot from scrunching it up in my shoe to avoid my toe hurting - wayyy to much info, right?


• Um, not sure what else ... but just to carry on with the never quite doing what I want too - the Chairperson of cricket just rang to see if I could go and have a meeting in half an hour about the budget ... so much for putting ornaments together!

and ... can't have a stitching blog without pictures, right?

Here are a couple of things I've stitched in the last week :)

Our NZ SAL Ornament selection for November.

Evergreen by Blackbird Designs (stitched to sell on ebay)

November to December

Ohhhh November just wasn't a good month for me - high hopes, that fell flat! LOL ... surely, surely December has to be better.

November Hopes
1. NZ SAL Ornament - yes
2. 2nd Mirabilia RR piece - mostly, need to add beads and I'm missing 2 Krienks I still need to order to finish it.
3. Wall-hanging thank you for Charlotte's kindy - yes
4. Finish (as in put together finishing) the ornaments I've stitched this year - some
5. SBEB Ornament exchange finished and sent off - no
6. Cross Stitch Crazy Ornament exchange finished and sent off - no
7. Cross Stitch Crazy 12 Day gifts to send off - yes
8. Couple of "mummy" board gifts, including an ornament, to send off - no
9. NZ Ornament exchange to finish - no
10. Teachers gifts to make/organise (Kruser, Ross, Trim and McDonald) - no
11. Gym coach gifts to make/organise (Sandy, Helen and Gill) - no
12. Bags to make for Christmas Gifts - Mum, Betty, Deb - no

Guess what my goals THIS month are? Remarkably, like last months ;)

December Goals
1. Finish off 2nd Mirabilia RR piece and send off.
2. Carry on finishing (as in put together finishing) the ornaments I've stitched this year.
3. SBEB Ornament exchange finished and sent off - will be doing TODAY.
4. Cross Stitch Crazy Ornament exchange finished and sent off, another TODAY.
5. Couple of "mummy" board gifts, including an ornament, to send off, just need to add a couple of small gifts, will send off this week too.
6. NZ Ornament exchange to finish
7. Teachers gifts to make/organise (Kruser, Ross, Trim and McDonald)
8. Gym coach gifts to make/organise (Sandy, Helen and Gill)
9. Bags to make for Christmas Gifts - Mum, Betty, Deb

... and stitch whatever I want!