Saturday 25 November 2017

Silver Anniversay

Today was a day for celebration so I was up early this morning cooking.
Part of that was two ginger cupcakes for the Silver Anniversary.   Shall I tell you who and why?
Today marks 25 years since the DBEM came up to Auckland to live with me.   We have looked back nostalgically over the time, remembering overseas holidays and those in beauty spots around New Zealand; a shopping weekend in Sydney when Continental Airlines flew the Tasman (the DBEM still feels guilty about that one); concerts and shows we attended together; countless shopping trips to yarn stores and the bad years when we had frequent flyer status at the City Hospital. 
Good health and good weather combined to make today a very happy day of celebration.   Here's to the next ?? years.

PS The DBEM says she wants a commemorative photo when she is dressed in Sunday best so we will do that tomorrow after church.

Thursday 23 November 2017

An unwelcome visitor

This evening I noticed a mark on one of the vertical blinds in my sun porch and went out to investigate.   It didn't look like dirt .
When I moved the panel of the blind - here was the culprit.
At least he was on the outside of the glass - obviously enjoying the warm sun and spinning an ever growing web.   My first job for Saturday morning will be to get out the ladder and re-home this fella.
But for tonight I am back on my hardanger angel.

PS   The book about the tsunami victims didn't haunt my dreams last night.  But I did have an appointment on the 29th floor of a waterfront building in the city today and admit to a feeling of unease.   To think, they probably pay premium rent for their location and views but haven't given a though to earthquake or tsunami risk.   Well inland and single story for me from now on :-)

Wednesday 22 November 2017

In which I attempt constructing an angel

Having completed this years ration of Christmas ornaments I pulled out the next ziplock bag from the construction pile.   Blithely I opened it up to find....
the stitching is not completed.   There are several hours of fancy lacework.   I am halfway done the wings and then there is the long border of the skirt.   You can see the foundations of that at the top of the photo. 
Just as well I love hardanger!
But tonight my favourite stitching is competing with a gripping book.
I'm hoping that my dreams tonight will not be haunted by this heartbreaking account of the tragedy at Okawa Primary School during the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011

Friday 17 November 2017

A snowman

A couple of hours, some determination, a pair of rather tired eyes and the roly poly snowman is completed. 
The kit came with a circular bottle green plastic frame so tomorrow I will lace him up and slot him in ready to add to the Christmas package travelling to Kazumi.   She placed an order for him but the other contents of the parcel will be a surprise:-)


Wednesday 15 November 2017

Ornamental

The 2017 Christmas ornaments are done!   I was in such a hurry that one is already wrapped and ready for the post.   But here are the others.
And now I have started another.   My good friend Kazumi fell in love with this snowman kit which had Aida fabric and thread of unknown provenance.   I swapped out the fabric for a 36 count linen even weave and am now stitching.  Believe me each cross is a labour of love!
It has been a really busy two weeks back at work and I am once again in sleep deprivation mode.   However tomorrow I have the afternoon off for an appointment which should also be a good opportunity to sew the cover for my piano.   Recently we moved furniture around so that the DBEM doesn't face into direct sunlight which makes her vision even worse.  And the piano is therefore living against a different wall.   To keep the dark wood from changing colour in the bright sunlight I will be like my late Grandmother, suitably Victorian, and cover even the legs on my piano;-)

Saturday 11 November 2017

After an absence

No blogging for a week!  I've been helping the DBEM with her knitted sweaters.   She knits, I sew.  Believe me, stitching up knitted garments is not my favourite occupation but it is a job that needs to be done and currently I have no stitching project gripping my attention.  So voila!  All sixteen of them.


And with only 44 sleeps until Christmas I need to make a start on finishing this year's batch of stitched ornaments.   The current state is this...
So tonight is to be spent lacing ornaments to card and tomorrow will be cord, ribbon and titivating.  Two are complete, which leaves five to finish.   

Saturday 4 November 2017

An answer to a question

"Heritage Hall" asked where the Snoopy Christmas ornament came from but is no-reply so I will answer here.

Well, I googled images of Snoopy and that came up on this link  so I chose my colours and away I went.   It has turned out as expected but I didn't really like the large blocks of colour and if doing it again would use a finer linen. 

Hope this helps.

Thursday 2 November 2017

Back to my favourite

After a marathon of Christmas ornaments (finishes to follow later) I'm back to my favourite - hardanger.
However this is to be a tote bag so the fabric is a coarse 30 count linen and the threads are Perle #3 and Perle #5.
At the moment this is side one but hopefully it will look good when done. The jury is out on what colour lining I should use.  The blue of the blanket it is lying on for the photo isn't satisfactory.  Any suggestions?