Finally Finished

Last year I made a disappearing 9-patch table runner top and a little mini quilt top with the left overs.  Well after sitting in my bedroom for a long time I have finally quilted and binded them....YAY!!!!

I have also just finished reading The Return: Shadow Souls - book 6 in the Vampire Diaries and very much looking forward till book 7 The Return: Midnight gets released in March.

Till then I do have Stefans Diaries 1 & 2 to read and The Vampire Academy series along with all my romance novels.

My Views and More Sewing

These photos are looking north to Turihaua Station (click on the name to have a look at the farm website if you want) which my husband manages.  Along the far beach front behind the trees are the main homestead, worker houses and woolsheds.  Our house is further around the far point so not seen in these pictures.  Also the farm extends a couple of km's behind were I am standing taking these photos and to the left of the picture quite a way.  The station is the oldest Angus Stud here in New Zealand.  The beach is obviously called Turihaua Beach, while around the corner where I live it's called Pouawa Beach.  I will get photo's when the weather is nice again.  You can also see we are quite brown.  In the last few days we have had some rain so hopefully we got nice and green again.



Turihaua Station



Turihaua Station - we live further around the point




Turihaua Station 

On the way to town most of the trip is along the beach front.  This is a photo at the top of Tatapouri Hill which is a couple of hundred metres away from the farm boundary.  It is looking south toward Makarori Beach and town is in the far distance over the hill.

Makorori Beach
  

More Mug Rugs

Here are a couple more mug rugs I have made in the last week.
Yes, they are addictive!!!!

And this is the starting of a quilt top.  It's an idea I got from while browsing Retromummy's blog last week.

Mug Rug 2

Well here's my other mug rug which I put the binding on today.  This one I had my first go at free motion quilting.  With a lot of practice I will improve.



Mug Rug

Well I had a few scarps of material hanging around and I have been hearing about these Mug Rugs.  So I decided to have a go at making one.... no actually two. The other one just has to be binded now after having my first go at free motion quilting so no picture yet.



I have also joined a Mug Rug Swap at the Quilting Gallery.  Go click on the pic below and join up if you want

Charming Hearts

Look what I got in the mail today from the Fabric Shack in Waynesville, Ohio, USA.

On a humorous note, being a nurse we love pens as we always seem to loose them so was also excited at the free one, along with a free pattern card.

So what am I got to make with it you ask??

Well I saw a quilt pattern in a Creating Country Threads not long ago and thought....no said...to myself I am going to make that.  I already had a charm pack so just had to order the rest of the material.  I am going to be using Moda's 'Masion de Garance' by French General.

Here is a picture of the quilt, which is a Val Laird design and called 'Charming Hearts'.  It will be the first time I have made something like this so will be taking my time with it I think.

Kristen's Syncro Trampoline at New Zealand National Championships 2010

Well only last night I realised that you could post video's on here so I thought to let you watch Kristen and Mitra in their 2nd placing for 13-14yr old Syncro at the 2010 NZ National Championships.

First is their set routine which everyone has to do and then their is their voluntary routine which is a combination of 10 skills they can make up.

Good Times

Well my Craft Forum Advent Swap finally got to my partner just a couple of days late.  I made a Tablerunner made out of a Moda Charm pack and also gave a pack of Moda Turnovers.  I really enjoyed this swap and plan on doing it again this year.

Advent Swap 2010

Now I said a couple of posts back that evey year the kids have a photo under the Xmas Tree (if we don't forget).  So here's this years one along with the new member of the family Snowy

Kristen, Anthony & Snowy Xmas 2010

A few months ago Tony and our shepherd Sam on the station were models for a drench gun a company is putting out.  I have no idea of the company but I do know the photographer was great. Here is one of the pictures with Tony and taken with one of our huntaway's named Hunt.  The photographer was from Strike Photography.

Tony and Hunt

Happy New Year

Vicki's Having a Giveaway

Vicki at The Pickledish Patch is having a giveaway and she has a lovely prize so click on the button and go and enter



Happenings

So Christmas is over and I have 5 days of absolute freedom from the hospital which is having its' post Xmas rush.  So what to do.  Well I will update my blog I thought...so here we go.

Xmas Day

First of all here are some pictures of our Xmas Day.  We had a beautiful day here in Gisborne... great bbq weather which is what we had.  I have got pictures of the kids under the xmas tree on Xmas morning, however I have just discovered Anthony has taken his camera with them still on it to Tologa Bay for 4 days, so will post these ones later.

Xmas Advent Swap

On the Craft Forum I belong to we have had a Xmas Advent Swap.  Some items in a previous blog are what I received and this is some of the rest.

Then on Xmas Day I got to open my 25th pressie and lucky me received a bag with a x-stitch kit and punch needle kit in it.

Primative Swap

I also have been in Primative Swap and this is what my partner sent to me.  Unfortunately I did not remember to take a picture of what I sent.

Snowy

And have a look at Snowy now. Isn't he growing





A Giveaway

Retromummy is having a giveaway. 20 fat quaters in the Flower Sugar range as pictured. So click here and enter this fab giveaway

It's A Giveaway

Has now closed and winners contacted
Thanks

Well I got a bit over zealous and this month bought 2 lots of Country Threads magazine.  Now in these packs there are 3 craft books and I don't need them all so I thought I will give them away.

I have 2 giveaways and there is nothing special to do to be in the draw just leave me a comment.  However I do need a way to contact you if you win.

The first is Classic Cushions

This magazine has patterns for 27 Cushions

The 2nd is two magazines with a Xmas theme

Creating Country Threads Christmas Special

and

Handmade Christmas In July

So leave me a comment and on Tuesday 14th I will do the draw.

Sorry been working hard at work picking up a couple of shifts.  Will do the draw tomorrow

It's Nearly Xmas And It's An Advent Swap

In the Craft forum I belong to we are having a Xmas Advent Swap. The last few days I have been unwrapping presents my partner Bucknchooky has sent to me.

Day 1 - An Angel Decoration

Day 2 - A Pincushion

Day 3 - Needles

Day 4 - Panels



Our New Family Member

Went to the pet shop on Friday and fell in love.  Took Kristen after school and she fell in love too.  So she rang her dad and begged like she has never done before and we now have a Bichon / Mini Poodle X called Snowy

It's Been A While and Lots Of Happenings

Wow I haven't posted for nearly two months.  So what have I been doing? Since my last post I ventured to Mystery Creek with Kristen and she competed at the New Zealand Gymsport National Championships.  She competed in the Trampoline and done pretty well.  2nd in 13-14yr Syncro; 7th in 13-14yr Double-Mini (with a major save on her last pass) and 10th in 13-14 yr Individual Trampoline and this one was a very close one with 0.2 seperating between 6th to 10th before finals.

Also I have been sewing a couple of item for the Home Industries section for the local A&P Show a couple of weeks ago.  I got a 1st in the Small Wall Hanging.  The pattern came with a button swap I done a few months ago on the Craft Forum I belong to.  Apparently lots of people liked the little saying on it.

Also I entered a Premature Baby Quilt which I got 2nd in and this was donated to the local NeoNatal Unit

Then last weekend the whole family went to Rotorua and both kids competed in the last Trampoline competition for the year and Kristen came home with a Gold and Silver and Anthony a Silver.  It was Anthony's first competition in over 2 years as he had quit and has justed started trampoline up again, so he done pretty well.

While in Rotorua we went to Paradise Valley for a visit and the kids got to pat the lion cub and feed a variety of animals.  I of course got to cuddle the very friendly Donkey.

Oh and I can not forget that I have spent lots on material and bits and peices.  Spotlight last weekend had a great sale on and I got material at $2 metre. So glad I was in Rotorua as we don't have one here.  Also hubby bought me a cutting mat for my birthday.