some days...

some days I just want to sit and read everyone else's blogs...

 but I have to tell you about the gorgeous goodies that Cat sent me, Cat was my swap partner for Cheryl's Initial Heart Swap for Valentine's day

 thanks Cat, I am really going to enjoy this cup!

so after having the lounge walls painted some months ago... and we are not counting so I don't have to tell you how long ago that was, I have finally got around to putting up some of our artwork, and bits

 looking a lot better, and far more homely and cosy

 I love these plates, they were a pre-Christmas purchase from this outing here.. at the Broad bay China Shop... I just love that place!

 and a bit of piecing, my niece had a baby boy last week, and so we will be travelling to Dunedin this weekend, so I shall get to meet him and take his quilt down to him

and a bit of playing going on as well in my studio this weeknow it is February, back to routines...holiday time over...
have fun!

so what have I been doing in January then

well I did plan to do a post this day...

 but it didn't quite happen..

 I took lots of photos of old house, barns and sheds.. I do have a plan...

 enjoyed a pedicure ~ mine are the black toes, and no, I haven't gone goth! 3 generations of feet here

 made a cushion for a 90th birthday present

 watched my puppy grow, and play

 stacked fabric in my shop - boy have I stacked fabric!

 read some of these

 enjoyed some creating of a different sort - my latest craze ~ mini books/albums... and I do have a plan for these too

 read some more of these

 and finished this off for a friend

January ~ a great time for smelling the roses... and a great start to 2012
I hope you are having a great time too!

what are your plans today?

I love this time of year, time for reflection, remembering, tidying, sorting, planning, plotting, ...

I haven't been doing much blogging, or even that much commenting on blogs, but I have been reading, and slowly catching up on all the Christmas and New Year adventures that you have all had, some quiet, some rowdy, some filled with family and friends, some holidaying, some playing...

I have been trolling in blog-land, and YouTube, ... pretty much every morning this past week, I have spent some time just cruising before my morning walk. Rowing Man gets up and heads off for his early morning exercise about 5.30am, and I cuddle up in bed with a cuppa, Ellie and my laptop - yeh I know sounds boring - but when I gave it some thought, not a lot different from lying in bed reading really - then I started feeling better about wasting my time relaxing and taking a few breaths and really got into it. And it is so nice to have Ellie all cuddled up and sleeping beside me whilst I do this. See I just can't move and wake her... a little growing puppy neeeeds her sleep now huh.. I have even checked out Etsy this morning.. a site that I have not previously explored - my oh my, some very clever creative people out there!

But ~ the YouTube clips that I have watched - oh boy, how addictive! .. and you can watch a YouTube on pretty much anything at all from how to.... to how not to... to... well, anything, and I mean everything. It's a bit like Google - you just type in words and see what comes up ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING!
So, laptop and cuppa at hand, I have found a whole heap of inspirational sites, here are just a few that I have been on this morning:
http://carolwingert.typepad.com/creatologie/
http://cindyadkinswhimsicalmusings.blogspot.com
http://pansycottagegarden.blogspot.com/
http://justlilla.blogspot.com/
http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/
even if you are not on holiday it is still possible to feel in holiday mode, so spend some time on you and go check 'em out.. (then I won't feel quite so slothful either - and we can be partners in crime.. or blog stalking, internet trolling... or whatever..)
what a great way to start a new year ~ welcome to 2012!

where are you heading then...

welcome to 2012

p.s. I will be back very soon...

where ever you may, who ever you may be with,  I hope your Christmas Day is full of fun, friendship, and family

Have a super fantastic Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas,

SSCS, FNSI, Christmas cake 'n' more...

...well this post has been in the making for a day or two, so I apologise now for all the randomness, and the photo overload, it is that time of year and so much is happening, and like most of you, I have been rather hectic, trying to get Christmas organised alongside of daily life in the country and the quilt shop

my childhood friend visited with her Mum recently and stayed overnight, it was absolutely fabulous to catch up with them after so long, Beverley and I grew up across the road from each other, went to primary school together, but different high schools. We met up again when we both ended up doing our nursing training together in the same cohort, and keep in touch, even though Beverley now lives in Qatar.

..and Rosemary (from the UK), visited my shop too, when she was holidaying here with her husband - they were having a fab holiday in NZ, and I am so pleased that she called in. We are both doing the Sue Spargo 2011 BOM Imperial Blooms, along with many others worldwide,

When we went to Dunedin to see the Elton John concert recently, we stayed with our good friends Mike and Sarah, while the blokes were out rowing, Sarah and I headed to The Broad Bay China shop, this is a delightful little boutique junk shop, with  the most amazing treasures galore - vintage linens and laces, and the most impressive collection of china - a true treasure trove!

and a bit of time in the garden, we have so much rain for what we usually have at this time of year, and everything is sooo green, of course that means that while the flowers and grass are flourishing, so are the weeds

YIPPEE - my SSCS present arrived from Lorraine - how exciting seeing who my swap partner was - THANK YOU ever so much Lorraine, see the lovely handmade ornament that Lorraine sent, and 2 more BIG presents for under the tree, I was so tempted to rip into them, my present to Kate has arrived as well, this has been such a fun swap, THANKS Chookyblue!!

BUT as the ribbon says ~ no peeking!

I played with these tags...

to create this which I saw here,

and finally got my December Daily album together ~ with some pages completed but lots more to do yet!

I have to show you my new funky chair, isn't it delightful, and great for sitting stitching, quilting or sewing on  bindings,

some more treasures from Omarama, Ellie and I had to make a trip there Monday for her vaccinations, and I simply could not drive past this shop ~ not that I need any more of these, however I do have a few ideas....
Whilst I was poking about seeking out these goodies, I heard a car alarm go off, not once but 3 times. On investigation, I discovered it was my car, Ellie was buckled into the back seat but had some room for movement and set off the alarm ~ which I now know that we have!

finished the quilting on this Christmas quilt, can you see the Christmas trees?

and the fireflys on the back of this quilt, these are both Christmas presents..... and my effort for last Friday nights stitch-in, there is another one this Friday night as well to help us all get that Christmas stitching completed, head on over to Heidi's blog and sign up..

 the binding now on this one

and some social time at the local pizza bar, just one of many end of year do's... I am so over wine and food right about now,

and this delightful little towrag, has been munching pine cones and made such a mess in our lounge,

oh and I finally made the Christmas cake...s 

Saturday...

well what a fabulous Saturday... I headed off off Friday afternoon with my friend Gaynor, and travelled over the Lindis, a must stop at Mrs Robinson's in Tarras to lighten the wallet a bit, on via Cromwell, through the gorge to Queenstown, quick bite of tea... and then off on the Southern route to Invercargill for the night.

 Early Saturday morning saw us setting up our stall for the Southern Artisan Fete at The Hideaway in Lochiel, about 15 mins NE of Invercargill,  what a perfect venue..

 what a fun day we had, the weather couldn't have been more perfect, warm, slightly overcast... which is great for displaying quilts and goodies..

 and the best site ever with wooden gates to hang the quilts over

and trees galore to hang skirts and quilts

and the view from our gazebo AMAZING!

more of Gaynor's fabulous skirts ...( more on these in another post, I promise you these are fantastic!!)

yeh... I have to leave you with a morning photo of Ellie... she is soooo good... sleeping most of the night with little or no noise now - she pees and poops in the right places... and just loves cuddle time!.... oh yeh and chewing EVERYTHING!
hope your weekend is a fun one!