Author Archives: paulainauckland

Book Review – The Callaghan & McFadden Series

Posted in books, grateful, growing by

I re-discovered an author last week. Turns out I’d read the prequel, A Handful of Flowers, a few years ago but for some reason I never moved into the series. I can tell you I’ve certainly fixed that error now!

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Blurb Book 1: This Christian romance novel of 80,000 words is the second book in The Callaghans & McFaddens series from author Kimberly Rae Jordan. A HANDFUL OF FLOWERS (ASIN: B01APAIXM6) is the prequel to this series.

Makayla McFadden has been part of her family’s business since it started. At sixteen, she’d helped her dad by answering phones and doing the filing when she wasn’t in school, and now she’s the office manager for C&M Builders. As the company has grown, they’ve had to hire new people, but the core of the company has always stayed the same. When her father announces his plan to retire, Makayla knows change is coming. Hiring from outside the family will disrupt the way they’ve run their business, and she’s not happy about it.

Upon learning that his father and step-mother plan to move to a new city with his younger sister, Ethan Collins knows he needs to move there as well. The day he gets a call from his first choice for a job, he figures God has answered his prayers. But then he meets Makayla McFadden and realizes that she doesn’t want him there. After they offer him a job on a three month probationary basis, Ethan knows he not only has to convince them he can do the job, he has to somehow convince Makayla that he is a good fit for her family’s company.

When he finds himself falling for Makayla, Ethan tries to fight it since he refuses to do anything that might jeopardize his job and his sister’s future. But when the heart can’t be denied, will Ethan take the risk for love? Or will Makayla be reluctant to embrace change on a personal level and leave him without love or a job?

My thoughts: There’s little risk in trying these books – they are available on Kindle Unlimited (and from memory, book one was free on a lot of platforms). I enjoyed getting to know the characters in depth, from children to adults, and the way the books overlap opens up a realism that often isn’t in a saga. If you like interconnecting books, I can recommend you give this series a try.

Books in The Callaghans & McFaddens series by Kimberly Rae Jordan:

  • A Handful of Flowers
  • A Change of Heart
  • For the Love of Grace
  • The Love of Her Life
  • Believing in Tomorrow
  • Crossing Center Ice
  • A Touch of Romance
  • A Little Ray of Sunshine

Philippians 1 6

WIP Wednesday #224

Posted in cross stitch, family, friends, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hey everyone! Its hump day… it’s also “difficult-talk-with-the-boss” day; if you pray, I’d appreciate it.

Stitch-wise I had a wee break over the weekend. I was out and about so really only stitched for a little bit on Saturday and had Sunday/Monday off from any crafting (I discovered a new-to-me author and yeah. It’s hard to stitch and read at the same time!). I took the boys to Stardome on Wednesday as there was NO parking to be found around the Museum and we played in the park. Both Lou & I fell asleep for a bit during the movie about Super Volcanoes (Benedict’s voice). Don’t think we snored, or the staff were too polite to mention it!

TULIPS!
last rugby game
Mase & Noah

So here’s Renaissance. I’m into the home stretch! Less than 250 stitches to go, then the back stitch around her hand, a bit of Kreinik then I’m beading!

last week
as of this morning

WIP Wednesday #223

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, family, goals, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

As you read this, I am enjoying the day off work, as our Primary school teachers are striking for better pay & conditions today. Mase the Ace has his bestie, Noah, staying overnight from Tuesday after school (his mum is a teacher) until rugby training today. I’m likely running on coffee fumes but also having a blast.

WIP-wise, I have been throwing a few hours into Persephone but also a couple of smaller pieces. I am feeling the need to accomplish and finish, so first up was the quick Portrait of Antique Vines. This is the 25th Anniversary cameo from Nora Corbett of Mirabilia designs:

My changes included changing out the white linen for a Crafty Kitten hand-dyed opalescent scrap that was in my stash (thanks to Lynne for including it when I brought some fat Q’s). I’ve omitted two of the three Caron Waterlillies, and changed out the other for 229. I was pretty careful to stitch down from the mirror top down one side then the other so that the blends matched vertically. Then some of the black beads are also omitted (most noticeably in her “crown” as I liked the younger appearance of just a tiara. I changed the beads to the petite black (42014 I think) to add delicacy.

Next up is my Mirabilia Mermaid Round Robin (on Countrystitch Cook Strait lugana). The missing piece was originally planned to be Enchanted Mermaid, but as her face is much larger than Waiting for Ships I’ve happily changed her out to Renaissance (which came out post my original plan). I’ll have to ask Stephanie (HI STEPHANIE!!) to help me work out the SFS credit, as I’ll have stitched two portions plus all the frames plus all the beads…

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Hope you all have a lovely week!

NEW Stash Cache entries (lots of Mira!)

Posted in cross stitch, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stash cache app, stitching patterns by

Part of my new/limited Mirabilia stash arrived, so I’ve updated my phone Stash Cache and uploaded the files for those of you who use the app.

  • Alice
  • Lady Mirabilia
  • Lady of the Flag

NOTE these are “pure” and don’t have my planned conversions.

WIP (it’s Wednesday somewhere) #222

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, family, friends, grateful, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Yay! I had yesterday off work, and I spent the day in a totally self-indulgent way, reading, stitching or spending time with Mase & Renee while we watch a local musical production, The Wizard of Otahuhu! It was super clever & I’m grateful for the opportunity from Auckland Libraries to go. Mase wants to go again (sorry kid, Mama has to work today).

WIP-wise, I got stitches into the surprise Santa (& now I know the recipient is reading my blog, I can’t show photos until after she’s received it). I am tracking my anniversary Mirabilia purchases (have already on-sold the duplicates I ended up with) and working away on Persephone. I am doing the heavily confetti parts with the flowers as I STILL haven’t been to the LNS to pick up some silks for the hem.

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Hope your week goes well!

Scrap Sunday #1

Posted in family, goals, Journal, me by

I’m taking part in the Creative Club’s 52 Weeks of Me. Part of the week was too challenge yourself, so I went out of my comfort zone & enrolled in a one-off art class.

Two hours of wandering around Cornwall Park, looking at nature & choosing interesting pieces, then learning some basic techniques. I’ve not done anything traditionally art for decades, can only just draw a decent stickman so this definitely fit the challenge!

I took Lou with me, as she’s very clever with her pencil & I thought it would be singe good time out for just the two of us. Loved nearly every minute!

WIP Wednesday #221

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, friends, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Sorry peeps! I missed a week due to illness and work and all the horrid things. Life should be sorted out soon, I miss my summer routine & can’t wait for winter to be over. Not least bc it’s 7 bucks for a small punnet of tomatoes right now. I am craving tomatoes.

Not a lot of progress on Celebration Santa; most of this was done last week. I’m changing out some gift boxes for hens as the recipient has chooks galore.

I’ve worked on Persephone for 6 days now out of the 50. The beading on the top skirt is done, some fill in is going on & I’ve sorted the cream DMC conversion for the hem. Pretty happy with that progress.

That’s all from me, hope you are all well & getting lots of good things.

June WIPocalypse

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, goals, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

WIPocalypse is hosted by Mel at her blog http://measi.net/measiblog/ ; it’s my favourite SAL, mostly due to the host organisation (which is spot on), the range of topics & the wide variety of stitchers participating. There’s always something to oooh over! Click on the link to the right.

I haven’t posted in WIPocalypse since the March check-in, so here’s some catch-up.

April Focus:

  • Finish the Mira RR piece – done, & mine has come back!
  • Continue with the Satsuma Stocking – yeah, nah
  • FFO a 2017 ornament into a flat fold – again, nope
  • March Flosstube update – even tho it’s going to be very short! – I *think* I did something

June/July Focus:

  • Celebrate the return of the stitchy bug by recording something every day (only missed one so far)
  • FFO Mill Hill honey pots (almost done) – DONE*
  • FFO Trinidad Santa (backing) – DONE*
  • FO Celebration Santa (with greyhound instead of cat, as this is for Becs)
  • Look to stitch last portion of my Mira RR – POSTPONED*
  • Look at available beads for Mira RR – POSTPONED*

*as you can see, I wrote this post a week ago in prep, so I wouldn’t miss it again. I’ve actually knocked out the two mini FFOs and revised my Mira plans. Jocelyn from the FB group Mira Madness has started an event – 50 Days of a Mira UFO & I broke out Persephone, who had been in storage since May 2016. I *think* #50daysofPersephone will get us to the finish, especially as I’ve sorted out what thread type I will use for the skirt hem. Here’s a start, then a shot from yesterday:

STITCH FROM STASH – I had my first “no purchase” month in quite some time in May. This has gone out the window as Nora Corbett is celebrating her 25th anniversary with her Mirabilia designs. There is the usual monthly release (Alice), then the 25th Celebration piece (Lady Mirabilia, complete with butterfly charm), a booklet with an exclusive design (cameo) and five re-released OOP designs, of which I have attempted to purchase Seaside Kingdom & Lady of the Flag (which I will convert to Zealandia).  However as I don’t yet know and haven’t been invoiced, I *might* finish this half in the black, but I’ll be so far out in July! Never mind, it’s the thought that counts…

April – Talk to us about your longest-running WIP or UFO. For WIPs, that’s Tapestry Cat by Teresa Wentzler. At least three of my children are older, but I’ve had it a shamefully long time. I do still intend to finish it however. UFO – I have an American type village, Stoney Creek style, that I started on aida back around 1998/1999. Simon wanted it & but I lost the love. It’s languishing in a draw & my worry now is that my threads wouldn’t match. It’s about a third done, from memory.

May – Where do you love to shop for stash? This year I am trying to shop used or local. I am looking in Opportunity Shops, on stash clearance sites – I need to list the opalescent evenweaves that I know I’m not going to use. That might balance out my Mira spend too…

June – Tell us what you think the ideal stitching retreat would include. Food that doesn’t stain! Comfy chairs, heaps of light, unlimited stash fund. My children quietly occupied elsewhere on the cruise ship (cause I like stitching at sea!).

Hope you all have a lovely month – & I’ll see you Wednesday for my “normal” update.

WIP Wednesday #220

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, stitching patterns by

I’ve been sick since I last wrote – I spent 3 days working from home (hooray for flannelled pyjamas & sunny spots & kids being in school & work laptops & internet connections & flu medications) – and didn’t get to my stitchy goals. A head cold and over-one stitching do not mix, and I didn’t want to tempt the frog.

One more session on Fairy Idyll brings me to not a lot, not really worth showing…

And three more sessions on Trinidad Santa and voila! Both are ready for me to back, so I am considering them done.

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Two sessions on a repeat stitch, the Celebration Santa, & I have a decent start.

Hope your week goes well & you get lots of crafty time.