My FNSI sewing helper

Well, the assessors did come to look at the damage and now it's just a waiting game.  The carpet has dried, at least, and thank goodness we have a spare bathroom otherwise this stressed little bunny would be a tad MORE stressed!  Yep, FNSI came just at the right time!

Nothing like a bit of stitching to take the stress down a notch or two.    I started a new project I've been planning on doing for quite a while.  I'd seen it in one of my copies of an Australian Country Threads magazine (2007) and fell in love with it.  Called 'On the Shelf'' by Pieceful Hearts, it touches a spot in my country girl heart.

I sat down in front of BH & G and got comfy and cosy in my track pants and jacket with the rain falling in the background (a rarity up here unless there's a cyclone looming), grabbed my stitching and began stitching away..... and I'm sure it's like waving the starting flag at the V8s as it seemed to be an indication to 18 yr old Charlie to climb up and cuddle in for the night.

I tried to stitch 'over' him but he showed his disgust so cuddles were in order for a while so the stitching had to take second place for a bit.  My 'helper' had put me in my place! I did manage to get some done though (although not as much as I would have hoped), once he decided he wanted to go to bed.

I'm using 'Salvia' Cottage Garden Threads for the hutch and I'm loving how it's coming out.  Subtle changes in the green give it a dimensional feel.  I can see this one coming along quickly.

We had a welcome visitor in the backyard yesterday....over the past couple of days we've had a huge rain event which dropped 9 1/2 inches of rain in our area.  Was lovely and cool but today you just wouldn't know it had happened.  This little guy dropped by and perched himself on one of our bare branches outside the laundry window.  Makes you appreciate nature and all its beauty, doesn't it?

Have you caught up with everyone's FNSI projects?  Pop back here and click on the links to visit - many lovelies to inspire, that's for sure!

Off for some more stitching, before Charlie wakes up!

xox Sugary hugs :o)

Stitchy fun and FNSI housewarming prizes

There has been a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ stuff happening at Sugarlane, but that hasn’t stopped some stitchy business going on too……

I’ve managed to do some stitching on the latest  Cottage Garden Thread Collectors’ Club design….a cute stitchery designed by Liz Stanaway of Teddlywinks called The Dressmaker’s Mannequin, using the gorgeous Cottage Garden colours of Wheat, Blue Cypress, China Doll and Kookaburra.  Can’t wait to do some more on this one, the threads just slice through the fabric like a hot knife through butter and the colours are just so perfect.

The theme here must be teddies of late…..I’ve just realised my own design that I recently finished also features a cheeky teddy of sorts.  He’s stitched using Cottage Garden threads too, but this is all I can show you of this project….this little fellow is off to his new forever home, ready for lots of sweet cuddles.

Perhaps he needs to make his way to a whole lot of new homes??  He may just make an appearance as a new stitchery design in the shop very soon! *wink*

And I haven’t forgotten……Wednesday (USA time) is to be my moving day…..if you missed my last post, I talked about it HERE…..so if you’re ‘Downunder’ and you’re wondering why I’m still at ‘exactly’ the same address, it’s because Wednesday in the USA is really Thursday in Australia….so the move won’t happen till then.   Hopefully, if you’re reading this mid Thursday, the move was a simple, smooth and successful process….I’ve got everything crossed and I imagine it’s going to be a restless night in this Sugarlane household.

But……despite that, I’ve got a prize for one lucky housewarming guest to our FNSI this Friday night…….  as I’m convinced everything will be A-OK.  Nothing could be more appropriate than a Rose House Sampler pattern and a Shabby Roses ‘moving’ bag pattern by the very talented Jenny of Elefantz., especially when you’re settling in to a new house……or should I say, home?

So if you haven’t already done so, make sure you join us for our FNSI  this Friday…..remember to sign up HERE and to post about your Friday night accomplishments over the weekend so we can see what you’ve been up to, join in the fun and gather up some gorgeous ideas from each other, along with gaining the chance to win our May Housewarming FNSI prize…..you don’t want to forget that now, do you?

Invite all your friends, share the news , there’s a housewarming FNSI party happening  and as we know, the more the merrier, right?

xox Sugary hugs :o)

What I got up to at FNSI

Well, I was expecting to be stitching in the motel for our last day with Dad in hospital buuuuut…….he decided to tell the doctor Friday morning that he was fine and didn’t need to stay in any longer, so signed himself out!  The doctor agreed, he would be ok if he’d been able to pass a good amount of urine by himself, ensuring his kidney was working properly…….sneaky dad told me later that even if he hadn’t, he would have filled up the jar from the tap in the bathroom so he could come home! 

What do you do with them?  But isn’t medicine amazing?  He had a whole kidney removed on Wednesday, up walking Thursday and going home by 10am Friday morning….and yes…..he was a bit wonky Friday but he’s been good yesterday and today, but still naughty….doing things he shouldn’t like bending over, taking his blood clot stockings off and refusing to wear them, and lifting things ….ggggrrrrr…..do men EVER grow up?

Anyway, that meant that Friday night was at home and I got time to do some stitching of a few new designs….Christmas ones I’ll be releasing soon….

…and yes, it IS meant to be blurry…..can’t give too much away now can I?  But I can tell you I’ve been stitching them up in these gorgeous threads….

 

….aren’t they just perfect?

I’m off to see what everyone else got up to at FNSI…..have you been for a visit yet?  You can find all the links HERE.  And for those of you participating, don’t forget to blog about your Friday Night….I’ll be drawing the prize tomorrow afternoon, my time (AEST)……which reminds me…..

this month’s prize is one metre of Whisperweft and some easy thread needles……the perfect way to stitch up a storm. (I DID manage to do some prize shopping in Townsville after all!)

Sugary hugs xox  :o)

Prepared

This morning we are on our way to the hospital for Dad (FIL) to have his surgery tomorrow. We’re quite positive about things going well…..the doctor assures us it’s going to be fine, but Dad is 86 and has been through a lot this year already so all prayers and thoughts will be gratefully accepted. So, to keep occupied, I’ve prepared a few new little designs to stitch whilst I’m there…..six little Christmas designs…. …you didn’t think I’d show you yet, did you?….(terrible aren’t I?), but during the course of the week, I may show you some sneaky progress shots.  If you look closely, you’ll see some Cottage Garden Threads hiding in there too!  And some essential reading material that arrived in the mail today! …which just happens to feature my Love Life bag on the cover!  I think it’s a sign…. Remember, I designed this bag whilst sitting beside Dad at his last surgery?  Reminding us to love every blessed minute of our lives and those people who hold special places in it. If you’re not able to get your hands on a copy, you can purchase a PDF pattern on my Craftsy store.  Just follow the link on my sidebar. I think we’re absolutely prepared this time….(in no particular order)….

stitching – check essential reading – check loving family – check skilled doctors – check a faith that rocks - check friends who care – check…..

yes……I think we’re ready!  Sugary hugs xox  :o)  

Prepared

This morning we are on our way to the hospital for Dad (FIL) to have his surgery tomorrow.

We’re quite positive about things going well…..the doctor assures us it’s going to be fine, but Dad is 86 and has been through a lot this year already so all prayers and thoughts will be gratefully accepted.

So, to keep occupied, I’ve prepared a few new little designs to stitch whilst I’m there…..six little Christmas designs….

…you didn’t think I’d show you yet, did you?….(terrible aren’t I?), but during the course of the week, I may show you some sneaky progress shots.  If you look closely, you’ll see some Cottage Garden Threads hiding in there too!  And some essential reading material that arrived in the mail today!

…which just happens to feature my Love Life bag on the cover!  I think it’s a sign….

Remember, I designed this bag whilst sitting beside Dad at his last surgery?  Reminding us to love every blessed minute of our lives and those people who hold special places in it.

If you’re not able to get your hands on a copy, you can purchase a PDF pattern on my Craftsy store.  Just follow the link on my sidebar.

I think we’re absolutely prepared this time….(in no particular order)….

stitching – check

essential reading – check

loving family – check

skilled doctors – check

a faith that rocks - check

friends who care – check…..

yes……I think we’re ready! 

Sugary hugs xox  :o)

 

A FNSI Winner

  ….But before I get into that….here’s what I’ve been up to…… I bought myself a new printer….well….technically it’s called a ‘multi-function centre’ (sounds impressive doesn’t it???) I decided I really need a nice big A3 one so I can print out and scan my patterns from now on in one decent go, rather than making you print two dodgy pages and match them up!   You see, my old faithful died, the printhead was damaged and you know what it’s like, everything these days is ‘disposable’ so its much cheaper to go and buy new rather than try and get it fixed so, what a great opportunity to buy one that will be much more user-friendly!!!!!! That was last Thursday….took me till late Thursday night to set up space for it (which also gave me an ‘excuse’ to tidy up the office to accommodate her!!) and print out the necessary documents for a little ‘procedure’ I had done on Friday.  I have cysts on my thyroid and the doc has decided they’re not really a problem but something is causing me discomfort so off for a camera down the throat to check……..seems I have a ‘tiny’ hiatus hernia….don’t know exactly what that means but I guess I’ll find out on my re-visit to the doctor, but all in all, it IS good news!?! So it was about 7pm before we got home and I got to join in on FNSI…..this is what it looked like when we left Townsville….. a gorgeous big full moon shining on the ocean……was so lovely to have it guide us home! Then I got stuck into some stitching in front of the telly….nothing like a good relaxing stitch……. I finished off this adorable Rosalie Quinlan design made for the girls at Let’s Get Stitched in Melbourne this year.  Couldn’t resist using a Cottage Garden thread…..Peacock…isn’t it just lovely?? …and then I thought I’d revisit an old friend, in Fee’s Framed Hexagons…… Didn’t get too much done on Friday night…..just partway through one block…..but I felt really under the weather on Saturday and then Sunday came down with a rotten case of gastro……so my stitching and I became close again…….along with the toilet!!!!!  uuurgh!!!  I managed to get 6 hexies done and ready to frame….now I only have the last month’s hexies to do to be caught up, then the last lot of the alphabet hexies of Fee’s and I can put it all together!!!! So, I see you’ve all been busy on Friday night too and got lots done……I love these nights where we can all stitch together and get things done….it’s a bit like a catch-up in more ways than one!!!! This month’s winner has been drawn, and it is…….. Sue….of Just Sew Sue she finished her gorgeous Fat Quarter Shop Bom from 2012 on Friday night ….well worth a pop over to take a look! Congratulations Sue…..just swing me an email with your postal address and I’ll send you out this gorgeous charm pack…… If you haven’t had a chance to visit the girls…….you can go back to this post and link up to each of them for a visit….. can’t wait until next month! Sugary hugs xo :o)

A FNSI Winner

 

….But before I get into that….here’s what I’ve been up to……

I bought myself a new printer….well….technically it’s called a ‘multi-function centre’ (sounds impressive doesn’t it???)

I decided I really need a nice big A3 one so I can print out and scan my patterns from now on in one decent go, rather than making you print two dodgy pages and match them up!   You see, my old faithful died, the printhead was damaged and you know what it’s like, everything these days is ‘disposable’ so its much cheaper to go and buy new rather than try and get it fixed so, what a great opportunity to buy one that will be much more user-friendly!!!!!!

That was last Thursday….took me till late Thursday night to set up space for it (which also gave me an ‘excuse’ to tidy up the office to accommodate her!!) and print out the necessary documents for a little ‘procedure’ I had done on Friday.  I have cysts on my thyroid and the doc has decided they’re not really a problem but something is causing me discomfort so off for a camera down the throat to check……..seems I have a ‘tiny’ hiatus hernia….don’t know exactly what that means but I guess I’ll find out on my re-visit to the doctor, but all in all, it IS good news!?!

So it was about 7pm before we got home and I got to join in on FNSI…..this is what it looked like when we left Townsville…..

a gorgeous big full moon shining on the ocean……was so lovely to have it guide us home!

Then I got stuck into some stitching in front of the telly….nothing like a good relaxing stitch…….

I finished off this adorable Rosalie Quinlan design made for the girls at Let’s Get Stitched in Melbourne this year.  Couldn’t resist using a Cottage Garden thread…..Peacock…isn’t it just lovely??

…and then I thought I’d revisit an old friend, in Fee’s Framed Hexagons……

Didn’t get too much done on Friday night…..just partway through one block…..but I felt really under the weather on Saturday and then Sunday came down with a rotten case of gastro……so my stitching and I became close again…….along with the toilet!!!!!  uuurgh!!! 

I managed to get 6 hexies done and ready to frame….now I only have the last month’s hexies to do to be caught up, then the last lot of the alphabet hexies of Fee’s and I can put it all together!!!!

So, I see you’ve all been busy on Friday night too and got lots done……I love these nights where we can all stitch together and get things done….it’s a bit like a catch-up in more ways than one!!!!

This month’s winner has been drawn, and it is……..

Sue….of Just Sew Sue

she finished her gorgeous Fat Quarter Shop Bom from 2012 on Friday night ….well worth a pop over to take a look!

Congratulations Sue…..just swing me an email with your postal address and I’ll send you out this gorgeous charm pack……

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the girls…….you can go back to this post and link up to each of them for a visit….. can’t wait until next month!

Sugary hugs xo :o)

Computer Glitches over and out……

….so now I can wish you all a very Happy Mother’s Day! I now know never to try to install a new Windows version without proper advice…..nothing like wiping your entire computer clean!!!…..no drivers, nothing……..couldn’t even access the internet to reinstall the drivers!……thank goodness for knowing a very clever computer man….but it took a while! I can show you some things I’ve been up to now too…. I’ve finished this pincushion for Clare’s pincushion swap….a Rosalie Quinlan design called “Kiwi-Berry Stitches” using Cosmos and Cottage Garden Threads ….and apart from a bit of gardening……. giving my oven a well-overdue cleaning…. …..and then initiating it with a yummy apple strudel……   …………going to a friend’s wedding…… and a couple of hospital visits….all routine, nothing major…….and not all mine!!!!!!, life’s been pretty hectic! DS gave me these beauties for Mother’s Day….. …even finding the vase and setting them up on the table for me as a ‘surprise’…….(just makes me all gooey inside!!!!!) ….and I set to and made this potholder as part of our present to my Mother-in-law…… Being married to an Italian family means LOTS of cooking….hence the 15kg I’ve gained since marrying my darling man!!!…….so cooking stuff NEVER goes astray, and is NEVER received ungratefully by an Italian in our family!!!!  I hope she just loves the Riley Blake fabric like I do! Have a fabulous Mothers’ Day…… Sugary hugs xox :O)