January FNSI and crafting update

Gnandad completed in the last days of December

For FNSI  with Wendy  I began with setting up and starting work on the temperature Tree crossstitch that quite a few undertook last year.  It was March/April when I decided I'd like to do it and unfortunately the BOM doesn't keep daily records for Corowa and with all I had on last year, I decided it could wait till 2026 ........ My last cross stitch was back in the late 90s and it was about 2inch square and the only cross stitch I've ever done ...... so this should be quite the "adventure" lol.

Today I also had to sew up a bag to hold the boat safety equipment which will travel in the van and need to be pulled out when we stop and want to use the boat.  I decided it would be much easier to have it all together in a large bag rather than having to look in several cupboards or various places for all the bits needed ........ I used some plastic backed curtaining material I had here left over from curtains made for the house in Maryborough and fashioned it into a bag - then decided to add a plastic pocket to the front so I could make a list of what was in the bag (handy for when things need to go back)

Then  yesterday I changed over to working on the current gnome ……working on his hat.

And managed to make up some more of the muscle relief balm which has a mix of various essential oils and works to relief pain due to inflammation like you get with arthritis and those pesky sore knees and backs - 

Gnombelberry is finished apart from his backpack which I have yet to knit ....... I have the feeling it is going to be a very fiddly process and not one for these extra hot days we are having at present!  My little family of Gnomes is growing ...... the one right up top of the post was completed in the last couple of days of December ..... Gnandad - 3 are planned for the first part of this year and then I'll see what my thoughts are about future members...

 Number 3 is the current project for Chookshed Challenge .......... it seems my Number 3 project is working on a knitted Gnome (check ✅) and making a new cover for each of Lucy's cushion pads which I actually accomplished last weekend so that's a double check  ✅✅ You can see how worn and grotty looking the old covers were - I found some thicker cotton fabric in my stash and she seems quite content with the new ones.  She prefers to lay on these when Pete and I are sitting outside on chairs

I have the need for another couple of quilts for various beds so I've yet to work out just what they might be ...... or when that might be ........ but maybe one of them will link in with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and use up lots of old stash I want gone ....... so stay tuned

Until next time

Hugs

Sharm

 

Happy New Year - Here's to 2026

 

Happy New Year Everyone!  Seems my blogger has already had a glitch and has only just decided to upload the post from November - so apologies for that delay ...... Lets hope blogging in '26 proves to be regular and without issues. 

 With summer heat beating down upon us the magpies are turning up with the babies for a daily feed of rolled oats and whatever bugs they can find in the lawn.  I also keep a dish of water in the shade for them and all the other birds that come through our garden.  It also seems our pool pump is not working 100% and we now have to wait till they are back at work to be able to get someone out to fix it.

Chooky held a zoom both New Years Eve and New Years Day - I was able to join in NYE a couple of times during the day and it was decided the Chookshed Challenge would once again be held with Deana once again hosting for us.  With that, I needed to work out what projects I'd like to work on this year so here is my list .......

Gnomes - there will be at least 3 Gnomes knitted: Professor Fungi; Gnombelberry and Gnock. I'm actually wanting these completed by the end of March so these will be worked on regardless of the numbers lol  I have all the yarn ready and sitting in a basket.

Which leads me to the need for a couple of project bags to hold my knitting in.  This below is something along the lines of what I'm  planning ......

Talking of needs ......Miss Lucy has a specific cushion she prefers to sit on when Pete and I are sitting outside.  It's a very old chair cushion that has well and truly seen better days so I'll be making a new cover for it as it will be coming with us when we head off in the van later in the year.

Whilst I'm on the sewing there are these 2 patterns I've been wanting to do for some time now ..... perhaps if they get given a number it might just happen?

For some hand stitching and more knitting these patterns may come into play .....

I'll have more knitting projects to add during the year - especially over Winter which may or may not include some WIPs but it will include socks!    And I also need / want ..... to include another quilt for our bed....... I'm just not sure which one though.  I'm sure that's more than 10 but anyhow, I'll put some numbers beside them and add the list to my sidebar so it's easy for me to find each month.

See you all soon .........

November News

The start of November, we had the old neighbours from Townsville call in with their van and stay a couple of nights.  It was so lovely to get to catch up with them again.  We took them to the Chocolate and Whisky factory 

Here they are at in front of some of the Whisky section

And then took them on a road trip to the family winery - Booths - Taminick Cellars where Pete grew up.  Its now run by his cousin., but was started by their Grandfather in the early 1900s.

Ros in front of the old barrels 

This is Petes Grandfather - Eska Booth who started the vineyard.

It's been quite busy around here as we head into our Summer and have a number of outside projects we want to try getting completed ..... and some we need to get done - like the boat which will be going on top of the Ute when we go on our big camping trip next year. 

Pete has worked hard on getting the jigsaw pieces together to build the automatic boat lifter (which also has the nifty outboard motor trolley that wheels inside the boat and attaches to be hauled up on top with the boat whilst travelling = No Lifting!

He has also been giving it a paint job to reduce the glare and is working on getting the floor installed .

Meantime the garden is looking lovely with everything out in flower

Lucy and I continue our morning walks 

And of course Crafting continues with these finishes for November.......

My little top - a Fogbound pattern "Idalou" will get used quite a bit 

The gnome collection continues with Gnettle getting finished

And Gnatasha who will be getting sent as a decoration swap

..... Currently working on Gnoel who is getting close to being finished and had lots of colourwork - He is Very tall!

I'm also thrilled to report that the Travel Caddy is finished!!!  The grief it gave me indicates its very unlikely another of these will get made - but I am (as I knew I would be )- very pleased with the final result and knowing how much use it will get coming in the car with me.

Another November Home project is getting the pergola up out the back for the grapevines to climb up and to give us a bit of shelter from the western sun.  I'm hopeful one section gets a cover so that there is a little pathway for when its raining lol  Since Pete is in charge of this project, I'll just have to wait to see if the idea grew into fruition lol. ......... Oh, and we have a Pool Blanket at last which is helping to reduce the amount of dust, dirt and such going into the pool as well as helping to heat it a few degrees (yes, its a solar blanket).