From Morn till Night

Up early this morning to make the DBEM's favourite gingernut biscuits.   Then I finished this....

I'm rather pleased with this and will mount it on a blue silk book cover - once I find the stationery shop selling the notebook I want.
Next was the ironing, the shopping, the housework and then the DBEM and I went to a city park for some time in the sun.
I went for a walk around the park narrowly avoiding all the avid joggers and the numerous dogs taking their people for walks.   A jogger and I crashed when I stopped to take this photo.

What is happening?   It's winter here and the snow drops were flowering in abundance!   Even some beautiful yellow daffodils and some jonquils.   
And tonight I finally plucked up courage to try my hand with this.

Some faded black jeans needed to be re-blackened.   A colleague at work assured me that dyeing was a doddle and gave me a packet of the necessary.   I wasn't wearing the faded jeans anyway so if it doesn't work then nothing is lost.   They have "cooked" in their dyebath and are now in the washing machine being rinsed in"cool water and soft detergent".

After all that I deserve a rest I think....(These photos were taken on my iPhone and I'm not so pleased with their clarity.   It will be back to my proper camera from now on).

And another flowery offering

My cousin has a birthday coming up later this year so I have made a start on a hand stitched gift for her.   These flowery offerings can become very addictive!   I am so far pleased with how this is turning out and will affix it to the cover of a notebook when complete.   

My cousin doesn't know about my blog so I am safe showing this progress report :-)

Welcome to my angel

Here she is in all her lacy glory. 

I'm rather pleased with her - she fulfills a long held wish and due to the very great kindness of Heather from Whanganui I was able to finish her.   Thank you very much for the heads Heather.  Plastic spray bottles, bamboo skewers, some pellon and a few yards of ribbon - and voila!

I wasn't able to obtain proper "hair" so dacron pillow filling had to suffice.   A couple of strands of gold cord for a halo and I will keep my eyes peeled for some tiny stars to sprinkle in her hair.

She's all lace and ribbons at the back too. 

And beside her colourful smaller older sister she looks rather gorgeous.   I'm leaving them both out to enjoy for a few days before they go to their special box for storage until Christmas.   Lace Angel is described as a tree topper in the chart but her body is an empty plastic spray bottle so she will stand on her own and won't go anywhere near my tree:-)

Construction Zone

It has been a busy day chez nous but I did manage to go for  a long walk in the sunshine, do the grocery shopping, visit the library and take the DBEM out for lunch.   Clever moi!
Tonight I have completed the gift tags -  voila.   These have turned out just as I envisaged and I am pleased with them- there just may be more on the horizon.

Also I completed 2018 Ornament Number 4 - as a a small hanging pillow.   Yes I am satisfied with this one too.

And now I have the Hardanger Angel half clothed, needing arms and some hair on her head.   Photos will follow as she is not looking very beautiful yet. 
Then the only thing in the finishing basket is a Quaker Friendship Book which I had forgotten about.  I will get busy on that one as it doesn't appear to be too difficult to finish off.
But now, the DBEM has her hot water bottle and I have a date with The Hotel Inspector.

And another

Another scrap of linen and the gloss not yet put away in the cupboard so I've started Ornament number four.   This looked like turning out too big so I opted for over one which will try my patience!

The colours are Threadworks Christmas Green and Christmas Red - at least that's what I call them.

It's cold again tonight but we've had a mild patch for a week or so and today as I walked to work I noticed that the cherry tree in the churchyard had a couple of blossoms on it.  Maybe we will skip winter this year?

The DBEM gets worried when I walk in the rain.   This is the same woman who years ago thrust me out into raging southerly storms telling me I wouldn't dissolve in a little moisture!  Positions are sure reversed now and I am slowly coming to the conclusion that it must be far easier to care for an aging parent if one has raised a child.   But day by day we grow older together:-)

Christmas is coming

It's almost the shortest day here in New Zealand and soon we will literally be counting down to Christmas. 
I had a scrap of linen left over from the last ornament and rather than waste it created these which will be stuck to card to make gift tags,   What a good idea do I hear you say?   Well I think so.
I've not decided whether to fringe all four or not.   I'll stick this scarlet suede effect contact adhesive to thin card and glue the tags on.   With a ribbon through one end they should make effective gift tags.

Each year I make an ornament each for the nieces and nephews - five in total.   Tonight I started number four so am well on track.   But I do have another deadline project to be completed by September so must keep up the momentum.

I'm off to bed with a hot water bottle tonight.

Completed.

This weekend I had a long list of chores and then the DBEM added to it so I've been very busy.
And now with all the items crossed off my list I am feeling tired and virtuous.

The sweet peas are planted out.   Hopefully there will be a fragrant show in Spring.   11 of the 20 seeds planted actually sprouted which considering the seed was two years old is not a bad strike rate.

Christmas ornament number three was completed.   All three have the word Joy so I am going to look through my books for something a little different for the others.   Meanwhile I am stitching small red and green baubles for gift tags to use up the scrap of linen left over from this ornament.

And then next on the list is to construct the large hardanger angel.   I finally found a plastic spray bottle the correct height and have all the ingredients ready to go.   So next weekend's project is an angelic one.

Help please

Does anyone know why the changes to European Privacy laws and the consequent actions by Blogger would have stopped me receiving notifications by email of any comments on my blog?   I tried Help and it was none; so can anyone out there help me?

Progress

Today was the first time this week I was able to walk to work.  Heavy rain on the other days meant I drove and parked at the Prison carpark across the road from my office.   All very convenient but not so good for the health.
So it was with a spring in my step that I set off today.   Along the way this beautiful gingko tree provided a golden carpet - somewhat slippery after the rain but still very pretty.

Tonight I have finished the outlines of the upper jacket for a hardanger tassel. 

Currently my right eye is again a patriotric blue and red from yet another haemorrhage so I will leave the delicate one over one embroidered rose for another day.   (And I swear that if another of my colleagues makes comments about me losing out in a fight I will lay a personal grievance - why can't they just leave me alone?) 

She's arrived

The new cabinet for my faithful sewing machine was delivered this week and I am really happy with it.

And to the left is

This is the opposite of the old cabinet and will take some getting used to.
Think I need to make a hardanger tassel for the key though.  Shall I make a plain one or embroidered roses?  Watch this space!

Finally a finish

Today is a public holiday here - the official observance of the Queen's Birthday.   Little Brother and his wife visited but I did have today to catch up on my long list of To Do. 
I made a new back cushion for the DBEM's armchair.   She's happy to have a softer back rest.   Little Brother had helped me staple new fabric on the arm rests which had worn through.   That particular armchair was given to my maternal Great-grandfather when he retired from some exalted position in his masonic lodge.   Whatever, it is a very comfortable chair and one day I intend to inherit it and at that time take it to a cabinet maker for a "rest and restoration".  Meanwhile the DBEM will happily continue to use it.

And the apron is complete- here modelled by the DBEM.   I am pretty happy with this and can see several others being created between now and Christmas.