My FNSI

I love this time of the month, when I get to sew in comfort with my buddies, but I especially love this month and watching the winter Olympics, feet up on the recliner, sewing in my lap and kitten trying to ski down the slopes too!

Gee I love these little guys....one was sleeping but this little boy (he's now nearly double the size of Mocha) was a bundle of energy....and then just dropped in front of the tv- one of his favourite places to be.  Well, it beats them climbing all over me and trying to pull pins out of the pincushion and needles out of my stitching....they truly are little devils at times.

I did however, manage to finish the cross stitching part of my old Queenslander, and I'm pretty happy with it too.

Now for the trickier part, adding all the backstitched detail.....I'm always worried I'll stuff it up, a bit like when you're quilting and you put off finishing the top and making it into a quilt because you worry you won't be able to do it justice (or is that just me?).   I'll keep you posted with how I'm going with it...I'll be trying to get it done by the end of the month so I have a finish for OPAM.

It's only 20-ish days till we fly to Brisbane for our annual LGS aka Let's Get Stitched weekend with these three wonderful designers - Dawn Hay, Fee Ransley and Joy Coey and I can't wait!  Each year, we make a swap gift and a badge for two different people, one is a random 'lucky dip', the other is assigned.  This year, our swap gift is a needlebook.

I managed to get the stitchery for the front of the needlebook done on Friday night too and the needlebook itself will be made this week, followed by the badge.  Our theme this year is 'tropical' so there's lots of ideas going through my head.  I'll show some sneaky peeks when I've got something started.

Nothing else to share at the moment...about to go and visit dad-in-law in the hospital so I must be off.  Don't forget to drop by to see what all the other Friday-nighters got up to....it always inspires me!
xox sugary hugs :o)

a delayed FNSI result

What a week!   I NEED to stop and get off at the next station....just for a little bit!

I'm so sorry our FNSI draw has been delayed but unforeseen things have been happening in our world....and all at once!

I mentioned our bathroom reno was starting......well.......our building crew are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!  They started Wednesday and already by Saturday, despite a number of setbacks, they had the bathroom, toilet and bedroom re-sheeted, the bath and shaving cabinet installed and now we're waiting for the tiles to arrive. I've never seen such enthusiasm and dedication to work....they only stopped for a short lunch break after starting at 7 each morning and on Thursday evening they worked through till 7pm as they were drilling the concrete up for the plumbing!  I've never seen such a thing before.

Whilst this was happening, the electricity was on and off a number of times so I couldn't stitch, blog or much else I hoped to do.
....and then on Monday, the fridge decided to have a hissy-fit!   Thank goodness we didn't have to buy another, but we are waiting for parts to repair it.....just add it to the list!

My father in law had another turn on Saturday night so we called the ambulance and he was taken to hospital.  We were there till midnight when he was admitted and he is still in there.  On Monday my MIL and I had an appointment with the nursing home to try and get placement, but that's a looooong process.  Dad's getting more settled but he's still in the hospital and looks like coming home on the weekend.   Mum's had a bit of a rest without him at home but it's unsettling for her too, after 60 years of marriage watching your life-partner disappear before your very eyes.

Sunday we had an appointment to visit our newest members of our family.....  Meet Bailey and Mocha....

 This little pair are Burmese kittens - 3 weeks old and are browns.  My husband has always wanted Burmese cats and we made a pact that after Charlie had passed, we'd think about getting one.  Well, we are adopting two....a little brother and sister born in Finch Hatton at the Bootlace Cattery.    Two, so they can keep each other company.   I was thinking of calling them Bailey and Khalua after two favourite tipples, but could you imagine calling them???  (We had daschunds when I was a child and they were named - Whiskey, Brandy and Shandy..... so I had to keep the tradition alive!!!)  Here is the rest of the litter with mum...

She looks black but she's a dark brown and very relaxed -the kittens take after her! *bonus* 

Can you see the variation in colours?  There are a couple of blue kittens (grey colouring) and three browns...that one in front is our little girl.....just too cute!  We get to pick them up the week after Christmas as they will be microchipped and spayed at 12 weeks.  It's just so exciting!

Yesterday, hubby had to escort a load back from the bush so I accompanied him for the drive.  

I love watching him work.....he can manouvre those huge machines onto the backs of those trucks with the teeniest of spaces to spare without any trouble whatosoever!  

Back to FNSI.....so I did manage to get something done.....not what I planned but as we spent much of the night in with Mum, helping calm Dad, I did get some more of my cross stitch completed....and it took my mind off things. 

It's coming along quite nicely...I've completed the entire right side, now I'm moving onto the left.  Just like quilting and sewing, there was a little 'reverse stitching' happening as it was hard to concentrate fully, but it was still relaxing and "bonus", I got some more completed!

I've been messaging a new blogger whose joined in this month with us for FNSI.  Make sure you pop over and say a big Hi and Welcome to Sue.  Her blog is HERE.  I love the encouragment we receive from each other as bloggers and especially new bloggers.  I can remember how scary and unsettling it was putting myself  'out there' on the web for the very first time!  Sue and I are in the same swap group so I'm loving  being able to see what she's up to.

Our prize this month is a mini charm pack called "Aria" by Kate Spain for Moda.  Such pretty colours, I'm sure whoever wins it will make something beautiful.

 Now for the draw...........
from the 23 friends who joined with me on Friday night and using our Random Number Generator -

CONGRATULATIONS

Christine

I'll pop your prize in the mail and you should get it soon!  Thanks everyone for your patience and for joining in this month.  Next month, FNSI for November (can you believe it!?) will be on the 17th with sign ups on the blog from the 13th  - jot it in your diaries so you don't forget....you know how busy our schedules get!

in the meantime, big sugary hugs xox :o) 

My FNSI

How did you go at our Friday Night Sew In Part-ayyy?

Did you manage to join in?  What did you get up to?  I'll be popping over to see what gorgeous creations were worked on all around the globe, but in the meantime, here is what I was working on....

a little bit of cross-stitch.

I love the challenge of counted cross stitch...it can be a bit daunting but I like to highlight the pattern as I've done it so I know where I'm up to.  It works for me!

The feeling of achievement when you start to see the picture come to life is awesome!  This gorgeous kit depicts a typical house in northern Australia called the Queenslander.  Built on stilts, the cool air circulates beneath the house and through the windows creating a natural form of air conditioning.  It has an elegance all of its own, don't you think?  These are a popular type of house for young renovators and many have withstood cyclone after cyclone.  Funny though, not many in the tropics have a chimney....no need!

So what have you been creating?   Have you had a chance to go and see what others got up to?
Pop back HERE and see what was happening.

Off for more cross stitch this afternoon for me I think!
xox sugary hugs :o)

FNSI...take two...aaaaachooo!

Thanks to everyone who sent well wishes after my 'crumble in a heap' moment last night.    I really was feeling like my plug had been pulled out.  I think caring for a sick son, supporting a newly unemployed husband and trying to keep up the daily routines just weakened my resolve enough for me to have to give in.

I must say though, there is nothing like a good sleep to rejuvenate and restart the batteries.  I'm feeling a lot better this morning and 'almost' ready to take on the world!  However if I'm honest with myself, I'm probably still only running on 70 percent, so I'm prepared to take it a bit easier today.

FNSI......seems the viral thing flowed through the group virtually too....poor Lin is not well and couldn't get to post her FNSI this month.....wishing you a speedy recovery Lin.  Why not pop over and visit her....nothing like a group hug to make anyone feel instantly better!  (I haven't had the chance to visit anyone much either so I hope everyone else is well.)

I did try to upload some photos on Saturday, when I felt reasonably ok, but my photo editing program didn't want to play nicely so I couldn't show you anything.  So here we go.....

I started with some free motion quilting.....one of those finishes I've promised myself I'll get around to  'one day'.  A deadline approaches so it seemed as good a time as any. (nothing like working under pressure!)

I can only show you the back though.....a secret for now.....but not for long! *wink*

A finish was also in the air.......

Yep, it's done....now just to be professionally framed......but this will have to wait for now.  So proud of this one.

I finished off my Friday night by preparing some papers for hexi making.  Nice and easy and resourceful too as I use all the little subscription cards that come with the American quilting magazines....they just seem to be the perfect weight.

I love my Fiskars 1 inch hexi punch.  Makes life so much easier (and quicker too)... and I know my hexis will all be the same.  Do you have a special trick for making your hexi papers?

Now you've seen mine, I must go and see yours......you can too, just pop back to the links on this page.

We had 37 lovely stitchers on Friday night at our virtual gathering.  Mr RNG had fun picking a number to win this lovely prize.....

I wonder who it will be........here we go..... roll the dice....(well the RNG anyway!) ......

CONGRATULATIONS TO.................

DRESDEN QUILTER

and thank you to everyone who joined in this month.  You can visit them all HERE.   The March FNSI will be on the 17th so lock it in now, I'm sure I can find a great St Patrick's Day prize!

xox Sugary hugs :o)

Pay it forward, Pay it back...

Friday Night With Friends was supposed to be an all day self-indulgent session for me, however, there was washing, folding, a bathroom to clean, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping to be done, and by then it was 2pm.  I had some lunch, went into town to get the mail, came home and then sat down to start.....text message......

"Mum, can you do me a big favour?   Can you get a present for a friend's 21st?  I'll pay you back!"

Famous last words?!  So off I went, not knowing what on earth to get.   A few unreplied text messages later and I ended up at my favourite shop where I bought a gift voucher and a gorgeous photo frame for the birthday girl.

Needless to say, when the boy got home, the gifts got the stamp of approval, which shocked me no end. But I felt good.... there was my pay-it-forward deed for the day.

By this time it was 4 o'clock.  So much for my self-indulgency.  I turned on the tv and set up the dvd, picked up my cross stitch and started to stitch away, breathing deeply and satisfied I could now enjoy myself.   Half an hour or so later, hubby comes home...."what's for tea?"

Long story short, I did end up starting my FNWF on Friday night!  And here is my progress.....

I can honestly say I'm enjoying the process and loving how it's turning out.  I'm nearly there.....

I love spending my stitching time with my like-minded FNWF friends.  Thanks to Cheryll for another great night.  

....and if you're still wondering, no I haven't been paid back for the gift yet.....do you think I ever will? 

xox sugary hugs :o)

My Patch

This week has been a busy one in my patch, racing Nick around as his car needed repairing (yes, the new one!) .  Seems someone took a liking to it and wanted to get in....problem was the door was locked, so they tried to pry it open (in a very strange way)!

Six days old and it was off  to the smash repairers!  But he now has it back, as good as new and he's as happy as larry, although $600 out of pocket isn't much fun!

Hubby moved back home on Australia Day after finishing up his job. Long story but we spent two days moving stuff off the quarters on the property back to our house, and boy, did he accumulate some stuff after 13 months!  The house was bedlam!  I've spent a few days culling and sorting....the tuppaware cupboard is now thinned out and tidy, as is the pantry.  Slowed up my decluttering by a week or so, but it's still getting there, and I feel like I'm accomplishing 'something' anyway.  (and I'm getting used to having someone else in the house again, but I'm loving it.)

I've been preparing for our Let's Get Stitched retreat in Adelaide this March.  One of the items we need to make as a swap gift is one of Fee's Stitching Keepers.  The theme this year is Christmas, so I had some fun with FMQ and played a while....

Now to fill it with a few Christmas goodies and then it will be wrapped for some lucky person.  I hope they like it!

During my evenings, watching Married at First Sight (I know....I'm a sucker for this romance-with-a-twist reality program!), I've been catching up on this cross stitch.   It had been going gung-ho....... until I found I'd counted incorrectly (too many distractions maybe?) and although the stitches were ok, they didn't match up soooooooo, lots of backward un-cross stitch and starting again for FNWF this week.  

Will you be joining Cheryll and the girls for FNWF this week too?

 Sign up with me...it's always fun.  I'll be restitching this l'il birdie and hopefully getting some more done.  I have Friday off, so I plan to start E-A-R-L-Y with the help of a few good movies I've been meaning to catch up on.

What's been happening in your patch?

xox Sugary hugs :o)