Marmalade and Jam

In a couple of months time the local A&P show is happening again and I have entered a range of items for the Home Industries section ..... 20 to be exact. Two of these items will be jam and marmalade, so have set about getting ready and made some raspberry jam and grapefruit marmalade. Having never made raspberry jam before I tried this first and had good success.

Then a day later I whipped up some marmalade. 

Now that they are out of the way, to do some more entries.

I Passed!!!! and a late Christmas in July Swap Post

First things first.  I passed my Master of Nursing with Merit.  I was just happy getting a pass, so with merit it was a bonus.  All those tears were worth it.

Party time happened in Fiji as I found out about my results just after the plane landed.  I just had my recommendations to do, which are done and passed on to my supervisor who has approved what I have done and is now with the head of the program and I just have to 75 word abstract to write up and I can print in book form....yay.  I now have time to do more things finally and I have been doing that, which I will show over the next few posts. Also last month I participated in Gone Stichin' annual Christmas in July swap.  I received from Kaye over at Kitten Stitching and received some lovely cross stitch Christmas items.

I love cross stitch and loved these so much.

I sent to to Lyn and she let me know how much she enjoyed my gifts.  

Roll on more sewing now for the local A&P show in October.

A Trip to Blenhiem

Two weekends ago hubby and I head off to the top of the South Island for Miss 21's graduation for her senior course in the Airforce.  The day we got to Blenheim where she was we had time to kill so headed over to Nelson for a few hours.
This was the first time I had ever been there and I have heard the beach was beautiful there and I was not disappointed.

The next day was Miss 21's graduation - 2 1/2 years in the making - and she is LAC instead of AC and got her wings as she puts it.

Fun time had by all and luckily for me, the flights were good so minimal travel sickness

I Want to Cry

I want to cry ...... cry tears of happiness. 

The horrid thesis has been finished.  18 months of my life never to be found again .....ever.

I have just submitted the draft version for feedback with final submission in three weeks.

I can sew again, I can stitch again, I can read my books again and I will bake again.

I never knew something like this could make you want to do nothing at all.

But I am happy it is completed and only to fix up what is fed back before final submission.

FNSI Result

I don't get to do much stitching these days due to my thesis which I have about 4 weeks to complete the draft for.  However who could turn down a quiet Friday evening for the monthly FNSI.

Not much was done again but another hexagon flower was finished, while sitting watching Pretty Little Liars on Netflix (what did I do before Netflix?). 

Then on Saturday Miss 20 turned Miss 21.  As she is up in Auckland we didn't get to spend it with her but will see her again the end of May where she will be getting a special gift from us.

The rest of my weekend was spent going to open homes.  I am finding it much harder to find a house to live in than a rental for investment and out of all the houses I have seen only two have taken my fancy which are a little bit above my price range.  But you never know what happens on auction day.

Initial Heart Swap

Last month I participated in the Initial Heart Swap run by none other than Cheryl over at Gone Stitchin'.  While I was a just a bit late in sending my gift due to life getting in the way, I did receive mine all the way from the UK on time. My partner was the lovely Melanie and she sent me some lovely gifts.

The chocolate did not last long I must say and the stitchery is adorable with my initial within the heart

Then off to Melanie ....... I finally did send of my gift to her

FNWF

I have not joined in with the girls for FNWF for a while, mostly because I usually am working, but luckily I was not needed this week so got to join in.

I am in a few Hexagon flower swaps and am behind in a couple due to the mad Christmas rush, but now it is settling down I am going to catch up and make more too.  So on Friday night I cut out a lot of these 1" hexagons

Then basted them already to sew together

Talking about hexagon flower swaps,  for the last year I have been part of Hexi Mail 4 and I loved receiving my hexi flowers in the mail and sending them out. There is going to be one group for 2017 which I am admin for and we are looking for new members to join. Spaces are limited and there will be no more than 100 people allowed to join, though this may close at 75, we will see how it goes, so please head along to the link below and join up if you want to and let your friends know too

HexiMail2017

Another Xmas Tablerunner

Near the second day of the year and I have not seen much of it yet as sleeping all day due doing the graveyard shift at the local hospital.  One more night and I will be off for hopefully four days then back into normal shift work for the next month.

Here is another table runner I have made and yes I love this pattern just as much as the Disappearing 9-patch pattern.  This table runner was sent as a swap gift for an advent swap I was in.

This year also heralds in the year I am to finish my Thesis and I vow never to study again.  Roll on May, though there is so much to do before then as well.  I will be very glad when it is over.  At least I can say I have finally completed my Nursing portfolio for another 3 years ....yay!!

Hope everyone is having a Happy New Year and not to many sore heads this morning.  As this is being posted I will be fast asleep as I brought in the New Year working a night shift at the local hospital.
My New Years resolution is one I will probably not keep but I am going well so far.  It is to buy less fabric lol and use the large stash I have.

Initial Heart Swap 2017

I enjoy doing this one and have signed up again to participate in 2017.  If you want to participate as well, you better hurry as signups close December 31st

To sign up, go to Cheryls post on Gone Stitchin' here to find out all about it.

SSCS Gifts

Yesterday I showed you the ornaments sent and received for Chookyblue's SSCS.  Today I will show you the gifts.
From Tracey I received these lovely gifts.  The Yankee Candle smells divine.  I was quite amazed I could still smell it as have a horrid cold.

Then to Julie I sent this Zig-Zag tablerunner made out of Tilda Fabrics.

This is one of my favourite patterns to make, and if you want to have a go, you can find the tutorial here for it.
Again another great swap held and a big thanks to ChookyBlue for holding it again.

SSCS Ornaments

This year I cut down on the swaps I have been in previously but I did join in Chookyblue's SSCS. For those that do not know about this swap, we had to make a decoration which could be opened when the parcel was received, and then out main gift on Christmas day. Today I am showing you the ornament I sent and what I received. I sent to Julie over in Australia and this is the ornament I made her

It is a good pattern and you find out how to make it here

Then all the way from Australia I received these cute ones from Tracey