Floss tag has come.

I only mailed off my HOE Floss Tag Exchange yesterday and when I got home the postman had delivered to me a package containing - guess what - a floss tag exchange!! I guess my partner was more organised than me!!

Chris said she had stitched the tag from a portion of Little House Needleworks Unicef Charity Design and there are two cute little ladies on the front and a star on the back. It is a cute and perfectly formed tag - many thanks Chris.

Last night I didn't get any stitching done - I'm working on a Coq Du Pin Quaker Chook for me and there is only a little to go so I brought it all to work and hopefully the lunchhour will give me time to stitch some more. My Christmas Ornament Exchanges (both HOE and Crazy Exchange) are completed, I have a couple of RAK's about ready to mail and then two Christmas gifts to make and finally it will be some 'me time' to write up a 2009 Want To Do list.

Have a great weekend everybody.

My big day today

Fancy having to return to work after two weeks holiday on your birthday!!! Well that's what I had to do but some of the staff made it special for me and I accumulated quite a stash. Can you tell I work with Japanese? The necklace is rouleau and fantastic glass beads, the scarf is hand dyed silk chiffon, the mobile phone "thingy" will become a scissor fob I am sure, the Victorian Rose scented hanger will be great in the wardrobe, the gardening gloves are brilliant as I plant veges this coming weekend and the Jojoba Oil is guaranteed to make me beautiful I am told!!

Anyway I am off home now for some more pampering.

I'm back and here's the report

Two weeks holiday was blissful - the three day two night coastal walk was truly wonderful. Along the golden beaches, across the shallow (or not so shallow!) estuaries, over the swing bridge (and swing it did!) up and over the small hills (at last the final lookout) and all along the way wonderful scenery.

It is still too cold for swimming - but the seals and penguins don't seem to know that! We trampers enjoyed hot showers and roaring log fires at the lodges each night but on generator power (= dim lighting) and being tired after a days tramping (= tired eyes) I didn't get any stitching done en route :-(

However just prior to this walk I managed to finish the Susanne Sampler so it is now ironed and rolled up awaiting a trip to the framers. This is my first such spot sampler and I am very pleased with the way it has turned out.

Also I see that my Mattress Pincushion for the HOE Exchange has arrived safely so here's a picture of what I sent. Marion, I am pleased you like the handcream - it was specially formulated by the local needlework store to be sure it is suitable for embroiderers!

I'm going on holiday!!!

I leave tomorrow for annual leave for two whole weeks. Oh bliss and delight - no work, no alarm clocks and no stress :-)


After seeing my nephew graduate from Police College in Wellington, I will fly to Nelson and from there join in a three day two night guided walk in the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park. My camera will join me on the tramp so I hope for grand results - rather like this picture off the published brochure.The downside of all this is that I will be away from Blogland for two weeks. The upside is that there will be lots to read when I get back on October 28th. You have been warned. I expect to find updates on all my favourite blogs, thousands of pictures and to feel really jealous of all you wonderfully creative people out there.


Hope you all have a wonderful time in the next two weeks as I plan on having.

The repair bear bag

And the last of my bears!!
This bag came from a pattern in Issue #30 of the Australian Inspiration magazine some years ago. It must be ages ago as their web site now describes it as "a rare issue" . Anyway the pouch is made of doctors flannel and is appliqued both sides. Originally I made this to give one of my nieces as a sewing kit gift but once made I couldn't part with it!!!

One side is Unhappy bear and the other side is Smiley bear. I was supposed to cut the tummy of Unhappy and stitch him up = the repair part of the title but I was unwilling to touch the velour after the effort to make the teddy and put him on so he remains Unhappy for no clearly visible reason. In the display cabinet Smiley faces out of course!

Let me introduce you to the bear clan

When reading Taija's blog she showed a teddy bear she had made herself and I remembered I had one of those too so let me introduce you to Teddy. He is made out of an old woollen coat and has silk paws and ears. Although he is around five years old I still remember how hard it was to do the embroidery as everything was round and taut! But he is rather splendid isn't he?

Don't you just love the bee on his paw. And he has a spider on his foot.

And here's a closeup of the flowery tummy.
In my cabinet he has "bear" company too with Edward (wearing the spectacles) and Posh (the small green one). Posh and Edward were given to me by others and so have perhaps less claim to fame although Posh has one outstanding feature - he has small pellets in his bottom so although he flops he can sit upright.

And Carol R you asked what fabric and thread I am using for Susanne Sampler - Confederate Grey Cashel Linen and Weeks Dye Works #2104 Deep Sea cotton floss. The combination looks good for the place I want to hang the sampler but I am a little disappointed that the variation in colour of the overdyed floss is extremely subtle.

Kibana Cookies

My colleague has just returned from a visit home to Japan and brought me not one but two boxes of my favourite Kibana cookies.

But the packaging oh la la! Almost a whole rainforest of paper on my present. First the outer wrapping - in characteristic Kibana blue. These cookies have been around for soooo long. I fell in love with them when I first went to live in Japan in 1979! Now one layer removed and there is revealed the next box - actually two boxes as one slides out of the other. Once that one is opened there is the cushion layer (I'll forgive them that one as I certainly don't want broken cookies). And finally, do I hear you say, here they are. Well not quite. They too are individually wrapped. But oh they are so good!!! Hokkaido white chocolate sandwiched between two golden cookie wafers

I have no photos of stitching to show you today - I am far too busy eating my cookies :-)

Progress on Susanne

Last night I finished page 4 - only another 4 to go! This is not amazing photography but shows how it looks to date. I am determined to have this done by Christmas and there are only two other "plans" that may delay me from pages 5 to 8. I will need another trip to my LNS to restock on thread if I am to complete it and will have to be very disciplined - that store has a very bad habit of getting my wallet to open its mouth very wide!

Its only October and already I am mentally planning my "to do" list for 2009. How bad is that?!

There's a couple of Quaker charts, a handful of Christmas ornaments from the latest JCS and that infernal Queen's Sweet Bag" - perhaps less covetousness when I read others blogs would mean I actually complete my list instead of adding to my stash :-)

Anyway have a good day

My International fridge!!

The postcards that have arrived with the interesting exchange parcels from overseas are arranged on the side of my fridge. Ballarat, Australia seems to have gone walkabout but Georgie did send me one from there too. Not only has there been a great deal of pleasure from the various pinkeeps, cushions, and other stitched items but these cards are a brilliant way for me to see other parts of the world. So I encourage all of you who send exchanges to pop in a post card of where you live and "travel the world while stitching". I am going to try and always include a post card of New Zealand too.

Last night was spent baking to supply the youth group at church who are going on a camp this weekend. So there was no stitching - but maybe tonight I will get back to my Susanne Sampler. I'm halfway and am determined to get it finished before Christmas - although to be realistic with annual leave, birthday and year end extras I may be dreaming.