A Christmas Ornament Swap

 This year I again participated in a Christmas ornament swap and again thoroughly enjoyed it.  My swap partner sent me this adorable ornament and it looks like a cute granpup I have.

I sent this one and the pattern is one I found on Pinterest.  I am not use to stitching on dark fabric but done ok.  no frogging needed so was pleased.

This year i have a plan on doing more stitching, so watch this space.

Some Winnings For My Handiwork

 Recently I participated in our local A&P show and again after a couple of years entered some items in the Home Industries section.  This year I entered 9 items and got three 2nds, one 3rd and a 1st place.

I go these placings for a tomato relish, a baby feeder, and cleaned out the cross stitch section with some cross stitches I have done over the years and thought to show off.

The baby feeder was made out of a 2 1/2" charm pack and was sewn up pretty quickly, actually the day before I entered it.

I also entered a couple more things but didn't place in these such as this Disappearing 9-patch table runner

 A cushion which the judges liked and suggested calico instead of white next time

This gloved oven mitt 

and the three cross stitches I entered were these ones which you may have seen on my blog before.

A fun time and already planning for next years show.  I may even enter some baking next time.

OMG: One Month Goal

Last year after signing up to ALYoF and then long story cut short, didn't really do it because of personal issues which I have explained in other posts, I didn't get to quite finish anything I had planned to.  Nearly but not quite.  So when I saw that Heidi at Red Letter Quilts was now holding OMG: One Month Goals as ALYoF had wound up I thought this year is my year so I will join up to OMG. My first, is my first from last year which is the Redwork 'Love Is' BOM I started a few years ago that Paula from Pacific Patchwork put out.  I did baste and quilt it last year, and all I need now to to bind it, so this is my goal for January.

Along with this I also plan to get this little Cross Stitch into a frame that I found when packing up the Christmas decorations last week.  I was going to make it into a cushion, but thought the frame would be so much better.

FNSI Result & A SewMamaSew Giveaway Winner

Yay, we have a winner of the two little charms packs I was giving away.  But first, last night a participated in FNSI which Wendy from Sugarlane Designs hosted.  Lately I have been a bit lapse in my cross stitching, well any type of craft so this gave me the motivation to do something.  Also joining a few Cross Stitch groups on Facebook has motivated me.  The lovely work people are doing.
I have been doing the Sheep Virtues series and this is the one I have nearly finished.  So I stitched away at it, then got all excited because yay just had the sheep to do.  But alas I have misplaced my Ercu and spent a good time looking for it.  I know I have it, but the point is where is my safe place.  I may just have to go and purchase some more I think when in town next. It may look wonky but it is just a bit loose on the top.  Note: I will find my Ercu!!!

Now on to the winner of my SewMamaSew giveaway.  I loved all your comments and where you would love to go for a holiday.  A few wanted to do a Cruise to Alaska which is my next destination...though I must say seeing the word Tuscany a few times is nearly changing my mind. Less than 48 hours now until I am in Fiji.....exciting!!!
So who is the winner of these two mini charm packs?

Drum roll please.......

 Well done Alexis from Cinnamonchip.  Off to email you shortly for your snail mail addy

Thank you everyone for entering.  

FNWF Update

It looks like I didn't get much done this Friday, but I did un-

stitch two sides and then re-stitch them again as I was out of alignment, so you can say I was busy.  This is the start of the fifth Sheep Virtues cross stitch named 'Courage'

 

Sheep Virtues 'Peace'

The third pattern called Peace in the Sheep Virtues series, designed by Little House Needleworks,

As with my others I still have the buttons to stitch on.

Sheep Virtues "Love"

Here is my Sheep Virtues cross stitch Love is the second of the Sheep Virtues series, designed by Little House Needleworks,

I am enjoying stitching this series and have just joined up to stitch the Frosty Forest series by Cottage Country Needleworks and there is a blog calledFrosty Forest SAL you can join to show your progress.

This looks like it going to be nice project to do with the first pattern now released.

Sheep Virtues - Hope

Hope is the first of the Sheep Virtues series, designed by Little House Needleworks, I have started.

It is stitched on 30 Count Dark Chino Linen Fabric which I found hard at first but now have got a lot more use to it. Still to add is the cute little button.

Currently I am slowly working on the second design Love .

1 Xmas Item A Month Finish

Yay, I have finally finished a Xmas item.  This month it was a cross stitch I purchased a couple of months ago.

I have got my mojo back with cross stitch at the moment and have got a couple of projects on the way.

Desert Road

Miss 17 has just under two weeks to go till she is off to the Armed Forces.  Now we have been having bad weather in parts of New Zealand in the last week, though here in Gisborne it didn't come near us.  

Miss 17 because of this has been keeping updated on the weather in Waiouru where she will be based for 16 weeks on Basic Training.  She got a bit of a surprise when at the end of May she asked if it snowed there.  We just cracked up laughing.  Obviously someone had not done their homework on Waiouru weather.  Here is an example of the end of May snow which she is guaranteed to experience while there.

Waiouru Museum

Waiouru

 She has obviously gone out and got her self a few thermals now.

FNWF Check-in

So what did I do this time round?  A little bit of cross-stitch.  I bought a Celtic Knot Scissor Keep kit a couple of months ago and have started stitching it.   This FNWF I completed the rest of the outer and inner border, then last night done some of the inside pattern.  Would probably have finished last night to if I did not have to unpick some.

FNSI Results & 1 Xmas Item A Month

It was a bit of a rush and I had to do it Saturday night New Zealand time, but I joined in on FNSI again this month.  Sign ups were at the last moment, but I worked it out it was still Friday night somewhere in America.

For the last FNSI held in January I made this 12 1/2 inch block which was going to be made into a cushion cover.  This month I finished it and even put a zip in easy peasy.  Just need to go and get a large enough cushion inner for it when in town next.  

This cover also lets me sign off a project for 1 Xmas Item A Month too.

Also last night i made this block for QBSA which I am a member of. The block is for Terry in the US.  She asked for any block in Children Novelty or Brights, so I made this Churn Dash.

Next months FNSI is on March 22nd so keep an eye out for sign ups close to it.

Also lately I have completed another cross stitch keyring.

A Late FNWF Update

Well I did sign up to FNWF last Thursday and I did participate on Friday night, but I did not post about what I made as I was on night shift starting from Friday night too and was just too tired to post about it over the weekend and even yesterday.

But with further ado here is what I made.

A cross stitch keyring from a kit I recently purchased from Sewandso in the UK.  There is another keyring to be finished in the kit too and a spent my spare time on night shift stitching that one and hopefully will be completed soon too.

I also made my Initial Heart Swap item, but that one is a surprise so will post a picture of it on Valentines Day.

And one last thing is today we finally have rain.  Looking forward to seeing a little bit of green on the farm again that is not crops or weeds.

RIP Rab's

Rabs 2003-2012

Heartbreaking day today.  I had to get our rabbit named Rabs put down.  Poor boy had a horrible infection in his eye and was not getting any better...only worse and nothing was working.  It was a hard decision to make but he will now be at peace and pain free.  Miss 15 and I started bawling our eyes out when the vet nurse went to take him away.  She must be use to it as out came the tissues and another patting frenzy.  He lived to a grand old age as a rabbit...approx 8-9 years old. The vet said 7 years is average.  My son rescued him from the SPCA many years ago.  Rabs was also a rabbit that made us run.  When ever he got out we all ran to get him and living on a farm he had a big wide world to run in when he could.  We even learnt to sprint up hills and jump fences.....electric ones too..... when he got out.  Must have been why he lived so long, he was fit, and amazing the cats never got him.  We would come home and there he was hopping around the lawn happy as Larry.  Luckily the cat was too lazy and never saw him...lol.

RIP Rabs

Rabs and Snowy

Now onto a happier note.

I finished these blocks from 'A Civil War Love Letter' a couple of weeks ago but have not yet got around to publishing them.  So without further ado

March to Winter Quarters

Liberal With Furlough

I also finished this little UFO last week and you can read about it here on my other blog called Michell's Cross Stitch.