so things are coming along nicely then...

well I have been slowly but surely working on A Gardner's Journal, with Chookyblue and many many others


and progress so far...

I am quite enjoying doing all of this in between all the other day to day organisation stuff...

and I am not doing it in any order at all, like my sewing mates are here...

I have had such fun unpacking the parcels that are arriving with some frequency of late, it is wonderful opening the back door to find goodies like these sitting in boxes on the deck
...

and I managed to make these cushions up over the weekend,

well time waits for no man, nor woman, so off to play with the quilty toy, and see what I can do with a few quilts that have been sent my way for me to play with...

talk again soon,

New Shop opening soon...

The Rowan Tree is slowly coming to life, it has taken months of planning, and several more just waiting on the physical shop to be completed, and slowly but surely it is coming together.

How timely is it then that these 2 lovely designer ladies are both releasing their new book:



This is Janelle's first ever book to be published and it is jam packed with 18 projects to well and truly keep you busy over the winter months (if you are in the Southern Hemisphere that is, otherwise you can enjoy creating in the sunshine).



You will find such things as stitcheries, bags, applique, cushions and much much more... due to be released from the publisher at the begining of June,




and this is Natalie Ross's book "Get red red ready for Christmas". It is chocker full of fun, quirky and colourful Christmas projects, I know there will be something in it for everyone to enjoy. This is due out mid June, it is never too early to get started on those Christmas projects huh.

If you would like to pre order a copy (now that you have seen the covers) of either/or/both these books, then just drop me a line shireejohnston@hotmail.com
and when they come in I will let you know.

Have a fun week,

Shiree

p.s.

odd things happening here in blogspot, my signature has dissapeared,shall have to go looksee...

I can see clearer now the rain has gone...

well I think that I can, my head has been fear spinning these last few months ... and besides it is actually still raining. The weather forecast says that we have a few days of this, which while is not conducive to getting outside at all, does mean that the time is ripe for all those indoor jobs and chores. You know the days where you plan to get all those "List" things done, or those projects that you have been saving for a "rainy day", and I do have a number of them.

We have been living in Twizel now for the best part of a year (well rowing man since July and myself since mid-Oct), and my has that year gone by ever so quickly. Just LUUURVE it, even on wet days, when we don't have a cosy fire. Heat pumps are efficient and clean, but just do not cut the mustard when it comes to ambient heat.

I have a feeling that this post could be drawn out, so make yourself a tea or coffee and get comfortable...

Most of you know that we are currently living in our teeny tiny holiday home, we have just had the concept plans back for our new home, but that will be some time away yet, and that as they say is another story ... read on if you dare...

This is one the bedrooms... can you even manage to see the bed?? It really is very difficult to move in this room.
and this sits in our lounge...


and this is absolutely everywhere...


do you remember this post? and this one, and this pikkie?


well this building was to have been finished and ready for occupation on April 1st, yes that is 2 months ago!!! There has been some progress, in that the car park has been cleared and there is a lovely concrete & stone aggregate and some lovely boulevard areas and outdoor lighting etc etc, BUT still no internal lining in the building...

and what is the building for I hear you say... no, not our house (which is still in planning stages), but this is the site of "The Rowan Tree" -


so, now considering further options, 'cos I really have to have something to do, and I want to make this happen! ... not to mention all that fabric lying around just waiting to be made into wonderful quilt creations. The building is still some weeks away ... in fact at least 6, BUT I am a glass half full gal, so there is a rainbow hiding out there under all those rain clouds.

The Website is also currently under construction, and very likely to be up and running before the building.

Of course one of our options, and I realise how incredibly lucky I am to have options, is to move into our other house here in Twizel (which we currently rent out to holiday makers - largely groups of rowers),

and use the garage and sleep-out as shop area, which would mean applying for resource consent (again not something that will happen over night), but at least there are options abound.

hmmmm pondering... meanwhile...

these 2 lovely are ladies here and here, are both releasing their new books which I will have in stock, I feel there is enough to read however, so I shall post about that later this afternoon... oooh excitement abound!!!

thanks to all my friends, both blogging and others who have been listening ever so patiently and been so helpful to me in this process, I do thank you ever so much!!!

have a fun week everyone!

shall I tell you my secret then...

ohh OK then if I must,

well... several months ago - almost a year ago now that we moved here to Twizel, and what a wonderful place it is too - we are loving every single minute of it!!

ooooh I have a secret!!

se·cret (skrt)

adj.

1. Kept hidden from knowledge or view; concealed.

2. Dependably discreet.

3. Operating in a hidden or confidential manner: a secret agent.

4. Not expressed; inward: their secret thoughts.

5. Not frequented; secluded: wandered about the secret byways of Paris.

6. Known or shared only by the initiated: secret rites.

7. Beyond ordinary understanding; mysterious.

8. Containing information, the unauthorized disclosure of which poses a grave threat to national security.

n.

1. Something kept hidden from others or known only to oneself or to a few.

2. Something that remains beyond understanding or explanation; a mystery.

3. A method or formula on which success is based: The secret of this dish is in the sauce.

4. Secret A variable prayer said after the Offertory and before the Preface in the Mass.

---

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin scrtus, from past participle of scernere, to set aside : s-, apart; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots + cernere, to separate; see krei- in Indo-European roots.]

hmmmmm....

of course my secret has absolutely nothing to do with these...

I came across these while out walking this morning,

and simply had to go back a bit later,

and capture them,


but this was not growing on the wayside, it has a lot to do with my secret then..


have a fun week! .... well what is left of it, it is Friday tomorrow after all...

yummy delicimo fabrics!

ooh marvellous eye candy.....

and this too...

and these are just so gorgeous..... a little bit on the dark side but just think what you could do with these...

and heaps of precuts to motivate and get those creative juices flowing...

BUT... I have loaded up another quilt, this one I have had hanging about for simply ages, years, over a decade in fact... well over!

and I managed to get this done the other Friday evening,

Rowing Man was glued to the rugby channel,

so I thought I might as well do something productive, and hey presto!!

This is another of Jane Van Keulen's designs, I love them and I really do love working with these muslins... I will definitley be getting more of these...

and what about these stitcheries then...
wouldn't you have fun on a winter night with these then?

be in touch....

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY to all you Mum's out there, I hope that you all had the most fantastic day!! This is part of my gift to my mum,

we could not be together on Sunday, but we will be travelling to stay with them this coming weekend, for my younger sister's 50th birthday celebrations - what fun we will have I am very sure.

and this arrrived in the courier post today for me, how wonderful huh...

work is slowly progressing, and I am getting used to playing with my new toy, all going rather marvellously, altho' sometimes it seems like there is quite a bit to learn, and certainly a bit of thinking required in terms of trying to decide on designs and such... and I definitely need to brush up on the basic maths stuff for calculating size and pattern repeats etc. Not too onerous, but something to think about, such fun!!

Autumn is definitly here, I just love all the changing colours, and no 2 days are ever the same,

my car doesn't get much mileage at all these days, so Rowing Man and I took it for a little drive yesterday to give it a bit of an airing,

I really wanted to snap these shots before all the leaves are gone and winter is in full force,

not too much action here,

although these guys don't seem to be minding the change in temperatures at all,

and it is certainly not the time of year for any water sports... having said that Rowing Man is still out on the water training for the South Island Master's Rowing Champs at Queen's Birthday weekend (at the begining of June here in New Zealand), luckily held here in Twizel, so we do not need to travel anywhere this year!

another wonderful day drawing to a close,

Happy stitching!