Birthday and Crafting

My Birthday month and I've been spoilt ....... Stacey and John made sure I put aside the 7th June to be down in Melbourne and I would have to wait till my birthday to find out why ........ So, I'll be attending my very first live concert with my daughter!  It's going to be a busy weekend as its also the settlement on their home (but not moving then),  as well as a few other things planned for the time.

Renee knew how much I fell in love with those cute little tea tins and the breakfast and afternoon teas are divine!  So then this package turned up right on my birthday ....... I just LOVE these tins and once empty they will all be heading to the sewing room lol

Pete found this cosy hoodie as well as a USB heated travel blanket to help keep me warm as we enter into our cold winter month ahead.

On my birthday I also had to head to Wangaratta to get the review on my hand and get the stitches
out - they are pretty happy with it but there is still one little spot which is swollen so have to keep an eye on it and head straight back if any changes!  So whilst in town I decided Miss Lucy would really love to get this for me ......   

As well as a number of patterns, it also has all the information on how to work out measurements  and the various types of heels and information all in the one place which is what I'm really needing as I'd really like to get into making more socks and having a bit of fun with them!

Deb gave me a lovely bag of goodies when we got back from taking Lucy and Bella for their morning walk on my birthday ....  

We had quite the funny start to the walk - at the end of the oval are large paddocks and at the moment a number of calves are in there ......... a couple saw us coming and came to the fence to talk ..... and then this happened .......

So Cute lol ..... and yep, Fog in the background.

I'm on a crafting roll at the moment which enjoyable ........  The Turtle Mandela Wall hanging which I'm making for Stacey and John as a Housewarming Gift is almost finished ...... in fact when I finish here I'll be working on hand stitching the binding down and then it will be completed!

It started with hand sewing the shell pieces down using blanket stitch.  And then using the machine to stitch down (machine blanket stitch) the outer shell, head and flippers

  It's been a fun project and I was really wondering what to do about the quilting side of it - until our Chookshed Zoom yesterday when Janice came up with an idea and I went with that - so pleased with how it has turned out.  This is the first time for me quilting that isn't "in the ditch" and I really enjoyed it!

I've completed the first fingerless glove and will be casting on the 2nd one before long - once the wall hanging is completed

Speaking of casting on ....... I started this last night which is "The Pressed Flower Cowl"

I love how this coloured yarn is working up with the white.

And of course I've been doing a bit more on my Fusion Quilt with the first row now having all 10 blocks completed with crochet edges.  Row B has been put together and top stitched but waiting now for the hand stitched blanket stitching which needs to be completed before the crochet can begin.

Otherwise things here are actually quite pleasant which I'm enjoying!  I'm hoping things can begin to settle down around here and I might actually be able to enjoy a bit of quiteness and peace.  Well, I'm off to make a cup of tea now and do some of that hand stitching.

Hugs

Sharm xo 

It’s May

 

Sunrise across the paddocks at Boorhaman

I did have something organised to put on here for the end of April but just never got to completing it.   So lets do a quick check in on where we are at here in May – my Birthday Month 

I managed to finish off the Bridal Shower Booklet for Stace which I will give to her in June when I am down in Melbourne next.

 

The wood Heater had the last bits finished off by Pete whilst I was at Scrub Stitchin

 

And is now busy chugging away keeping the house nice and cosy – although the weather is really quite mild for this time of year!

I’ve become quite involved in the HPKCHC Group in Ravelry and it’s been very busy with lots of projects getting worked on.  For the most part I have my plan of attach with what projects I want/need to get made and then tend to fit those into the various “classes” and things – its all for pretend points for the “Houses” but works as great motivation and comradery.

I’m currently working on several projects – no surprise there lol  

I’ve managed to get a little knitted coat made for Abbie for her first birthday (One of Stacey’s best friends - Carly’s little daughter – who is becoming our unofficially adopted granddaughter).  I’d love to be making things for little Mila, but alas, until our eldest son gets over whatever it is we don’t get to see her – It is what it is and best left in God’s hands!  Anyhow, I will get this to Abbie in June when I’m down in Melbourne!

 A start and Progress on This which will be for Stacey and John’s house warming when they get settlement on their
very first house at the start of June …….  

 

I’ve started working on the Fusion Quilt which will be made using Tilda fabrics – There will be 100 completed blocks to make up and join together.  It's been quite the process which began with collecting Tilda Fabrics from last year and this years Sewing Retreats and a couple of other "Girl" Weekends which included visits to Fabric shops lol.

I think I'll share a separate post for this project once I get a bit more completed but here is the very first finished block - I wanted to see if I would be happy with the pink crochet edging so decided to try it on a blue block - I'm very happy with the results and think it should work quite nicely!

And I've started working on a pair of fingerless gloves ....... This is yarn that came back from Ireland - the green came from one friend on a visit to her family and the white was brought back with another friend who travelled over to Ireland for her 60th a number of years ago - finally they are getting used!

 

Last week saw me getting tangled up with the next door neighbours cat that seems to spend more time at our place than where it should be – long story short it bit me which resulted in a trip to the emergency room in Wangaratta hospital the very next morning where I received IV Antibiotics and had an orthopaedic surgeon remove the infected tissue from the bite areas and give it a surgical wash out! Not impressed at all and yes, the neighbours were told and even though they are nice neighbours I have to say I'm Very disappointed in the overall  response – meantime I at least took my latest book with me and got quite a bit read ...... this sequel seems to be a bit slow getting going .....

 I get the sutures out this

coming Friday – my Birthday!

That was also Mothers Day weekend and my lovely Son, DIL and Grandchildren from Townsville sent me a delightful package which I’ve been enjoying. Stacey and John have

given me a gift voucher for the Annual Chrysanthemums which I will pick up when in Wang

during the week.

I'v'e been enjoying drinking the Breakfast and Afternoon teas so far ....... yet to sample the Earl Grey...........

Sunrise from our front garden

I’ll talk to you all again very soon

Hugs

Sharm

Scrub Stitchin 2025 - The Final Post

Chooky; Raewyn; Janice; Myself; Lou; Jenny; Sue 

When a retreat starts on the Wednesday just after lunch and continues on until the Sunday morning,

then you have to expect doing 1 single post about it is just not practical!  I'm hoping I've managed to split it up into sections that you've been able to enjoy - or perhaps skip over if it's "not your thing".  For myself, I enjoy every moment of it - from the time Christine arrives at our place to spend the night prior to us leaving on our road trip - right up until we return and I sadly have to wave goodbye to her.  It's such a joy to get to meet other bloggers - some I've been blogging with for many years (14 yrs) and others I've recently met.  This year I got to meet Lou from NZ and we may or may not be plotting a sew along for next year lol 

Working on a WIP from a couple years ago

I did work on other projects whilst there.......

Playing with colours for surprise gift.  I also started work on some crossstitch - that Temperature Tree that a few others are doing this year, only I plan to work on the trunk and a branch this year ready to begin the leaves next year!

Our group photo, which was very difficult to get anything decent given the sun was very bright and right in front of us where they were standing to take the photo ..... 32 of us this year

And the bloggers:

Front row left to right: Janice, Maureen, Christine, Sharm, Jo

2nd row: Lynda, Kate, Jenny, Lou,
3rd row:  Annette; Lianne, Sue

Back row: Betty, Chooky and Raewyn

Sunday morning we said our farewells with a stop in Dubbo for a bite of lunch before heading to Parkes for our overnight stop.

After the long drive along many country roads we made it back to Corowa where Christine was spending the night at our place before heading back to Melbourne

We managed to get an early morning walk in with Miss Lucy and friend Deb with Bella

Then a quick breakfast and cuppa before her last leg home to Melbourne!  Missing her already lol  We have soooo much fun when on our trip.  See you again soon Christine

Scrub Stitchin 2025 - Part 2 "The Coat"

 

Raewyn and I in front of one of the Quilts for Macqarie House

Months of planning go into making Scrub Stitchin what it is - and part of that is everyone having the fun of working out what projects to take to work on.  For one thing Raewyn came up with the idea of us each making a couple of blocks to take to Scrub Stitchin to put together to make a quilt for Macqarie House in Dubbo where families can stay while loved ones are in hospital.  

As it turned out we managed to get enough blocks made up to make 2 quilts .... These are the 2 blocks I made to take up but more were made while we were there.

For Christine and I, we had decided we would take the opportunity to work together to make the feltcoats for the Rabbits whilst up at SS.  The pattern comes from the Luna Lapin book which is also where the pattern for the Rabbit ( my Tilly) comes from.  As it turns out, we were very pleased we had waited to do it together as it took us 2 days to work on these VERY detailed little coats!!

Thanks to all the girls who were there cheering us on and helping to keep us going during the process - thankfully we were very happy with the outcomes but we both agree - there is not likely to be another coat made lol!

Scrub Stitchin 2025 - Sat Night "Winter Wonderland"

This years theme was Winter Wonderland and after much discussion over the past couple of months

Christine and I came up with the idea of Penguins on Parade - P1 and P2 to be exact ..... which got quite a few chuckles!

We had to make our way to the hall from Cabin 4 in our Rubber Gloved feet ..... no wonder penguins waddle lol 

The hall was decorated beautifully and there were some wonderful costumes - we all had such fun ... Here are but a few of them.....

And then after a lovely dinner it was time for the gifts ..... we all take a gift (bake it, fake it, make it) to share - numbers are pulled out and this is what I was lucky enough to bring home ..... the container is already in use with the secret project.  What a fun night!