Holiday stitching

Today was the last day of the school holidays

Ellis and Harvey were with me for the day

Ellis was happy to play on his play station

5 year old Harvey wanted to do some stitching
So he looked at all my buttons and threads and decided

he would stitch on beads and buttons with coloured thread

It was his choice of fabric

With only a little help, this is his master piece

Do you think we have a budding designer on our hands

Grandma then turned it into a wall hanging

Mid Winter Christmas Stitching Song

This will amuse all stitchers

Sing to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas

But just the last verse

On the twelfth Day of Christmas my true love sent to me

Twelve .. Pairs of scissors

Eleven .. Golden Needles

Ten .. Cuts of Linen

Nine .. Bags of Buttons

Eight .. Silver Thimbles

Seven .. Fine New Patterns

Six .. Chatelaines

Five .... Skeins of Silk

Four hours .. free to stitch

Three .. stitching frames

Two .. sewing birds

And a Hatbox full of over dyed threads

1940's birthday tea

Happy Birthday Bev
( in green top)

Bev, one of my lovely friends at Embroidery Guild turned 70yrs old today

She has been through so much in the last year including heart surgery

and she stayed cheerful through thick and thin,

her husband also has been through cancer surgery.

So today we gathered at her house to celebrate

with a 40's Tea Party

Everyone was to dress in the period,

it was a great afternoon with such lovely

food and a great cup of tea,

all sereved on lovely bone china crockery.

School Holidays

Ben stayed with me for 6 nights we had a great time, and

he was as good as gold.

We played a lot of games and watched a few DVD's

and he learnt to sew on buttons.

I believe the highlight of his week was going to Rainbow Quilters

on the tuesday evening.

He was a hit with all the members and he was so proud to show

his fabric with all the buttons stitched on when

we had "Show and Tell" he just loved all the quilts and he 'oo'ed

and Haa'd in all the right places

We also spent some time on a few of the local playgrounds,

where Ben swung from Jungle Jims 6 ft from the ground
some times it was enough to turn the rest of my hair grey.

On one of the days Ellis and Harvey came while Mum was at work.

So my 3 little computer buffs spent a fair amount of time showing their

prowess on the computer
So it was a great week.

It was just a shame that the weather was so cold

and we had to spend so much time indoors

I am way behind

I remember this stuff...I think it is called fabric.

I have done hardly any stitching for 2 weeks now.

Main reason being school holidays.

Last week I had Ben ( coming up 6 yrs) for 6 nights so not a lot was achived.

This week is going to be taken up with 3 days of Ellis and Harvey

While their Mum works.

Will have lots to tell you about our experiences, when school starts again

Hope every one in NZ is keeping warm.

This is the worst winter we have had since 1980 something

and I have had enough so any time it wants to finish would be good for me.

So what am I up to

A small snapshot of a few of my pincushions etc.

Here in Rotorua we are dealing with fog the last week, and as thick as "pea soup" today ...You don't hear this saying today, my Mother and Grandmother had a million sayings for every occasion wonder why we don't use them anymore ?
The temperatures have risen a slight degree or two, and most of the frosts have left us, may be I should not speak to soon. This is the worse winter I have known since coming to NZ, mind only been here 8yrs, and the last 2 yrs in the Middle East have not helped my tolerance of the cold.

So what have I been up to and doing these cold days. I am working on a framed hexagon hand stitched quilt so have quite a pile of finished 5 inch hexagons, will not join them until I think I have enough, .........the size ? don't know yet may be when I run out of backing fabric, so guess that will determine it.
Weekend before last saw the Rainbow Quilters Show it was a great success and we were really busy all weekend.
I am also an Embroiderer with Rotorua Embroidery Guild ( can't be anyone who did not know that snippet of info surely) and our regional exhibition is coming up in Rotorua 15th - 18th July worth a visit if you are this way.
I have an embroidered quilt that will be in this exhibition plus some other small items. Here is part of a block from the quilt



Fabric crafts have also been on the agenda a Suffolk puff Christmas tree and some Japanese purses, and of course my great love pincushions and needle cases.
I actually sorted my UFO's into a pile or two, there is quite a few but hey! have seen worse piles.
Keep cosy and warm, Happy stitching.

A lovely day

This morning we awoke to sunshine,

everyone I have spoken to seems to have a good feeling

after all the rain and frost of the last few weeks it was great to see the sun again

amazing what this can do to peoples mood.

The weather forecast is not good for later in the day,

but Oh well ! enjoy the sun while it is shinning.

What has happened to the Men in our society

I normally try to speak about nice things on my blog.... I don't like blogs used as soap boxes......

BUT

Today, I witnessed a brute beating up his wife / partner at our local BP petrol station, this assault carried on for at least 10 minutes. Starting outside of the car and then in it, with full fist punches to her body and head in front of 2 small children ...... The garage people called the police. Then stood by and watched.

There are businesses all around the petrol station, Burger King, the AA, a Tire Rack business , plus the people who got out of their cars and an Equestrian shop. Everyone came out of their buildings and there must have been 12 or 15 men at least standing watching this thug carrying out this assault .

Do you know not anyone of them, as an individual or on mass lifted a hand or a foot to walk and assist this helpless women. I would say he was near to killing her........

What has happened to our society that grown men can stand by and watch this kind of thing....have we all gone PC nuts, or are they just frightened of getting involved or hurt themselves. What if it had been someone from their family a wife or daughter may be, I am sure they would have wanted someone to go to her assistance.

It is now 3 hours after the incident and I am still shaking with shear frustration that no one went to her help ... I am a 5ft scrap of nothing he was about 6ft tall how I wish I had had the strength to help.

The police by the way did not get there in time, although we did have the number of the car ....

I know what will happen, the police will go to his house and the woman who will be Sh*t scared of him will say there is "no problem ".

So I would like to say to all those men who just stood like lemons and watched,

" well done !! he has probably gotten away with it."