Category Archives: 12 Days of Gifting

High 5 for Friday!

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, cross stitch, family, grateful, High Five For Friday, me, Mirabilia, round robin by

It’s been a busy few weeks. To be honest, I am struggling – with pain & loss of function, the return of the Screaming Teen, a tired partner, feeling oh-so-obliged – and being grateful went by the wayside.

Yesterday was a big day in the household; (bottom left) Mase’s group had a concert at school (they are repeating it at local resthomes today & for the public on Saturday evening) and (top left) Zac graduated intermediate. He also got a Service award!

IMG_20151211_115901.jpg

(top right) I am very nearly at the end of Lenna’s tail – there has been a bit of juggling to get the colours right in the roses. I can’t justify the drive across town for the three Waterlillies threads, especially as I’d be in so much discomfort after, so I dug in my 3 thread boxes and came up with something true to the original picture but also unique.

Mase is totally into Christmas – the last pic of the layout is my new Rudolph. He kind of reminds me of Beaker from the Muppets!

I am just about at the end of the “12 Days of Simon” for this year – but I think I will just number them and place them under the tree. I saw this boy at Living & Giving today & it’s perfect for Day 11 – my (frog) Prince 🙂 cheesy, yes. Who cares? If you’re looking for something similar, these are by Zoku and widely available world-wide.

frog prince

Hi Five for Friday!

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, Christmas, cross stitch, DIY home, grateful, High Five For Friday by

I’m feeling so so grateful right now. Here are some things I love this week:

  1. The doctor & physio are on the same wavelength & ACC has approved the claim. I have a referral to a hand specialist already!
  2. Simon fixed my old tapestry stand. It took me about an hour to attach the fabric to the strips on the frame (I kept stopping to rest my hand and to oogle the sheds in George Clarke’s Shed of the Year) & I will have to learn to stitch either with two hands or left handed, but I will be able to stitch! Next step is to sort out a smaller frame so I can stitch smaller projects.
  3. The forecast for the weekend is awesome. School fundraiser fireworks show tonight, bonfire at the FIL’s hobby farm tomorrow. Neither will be rained out.
  4. Plenty of flowers on my dwarf apple, and lots of bumble bees!
  5. I started shopping for the 12 Days of Simon that I will do again in December. I have a set of Jelly Moulds (that will be day 8, as there are 8 moulds) & a T ornament (for his last name).
  6. While one of the fish I brought last week didn’t thrive, it was easy to get a replacement. Meet Refund (the grey gourami, he’s very curious about hoomans) and Reward (the yellow gourami, I used my reward voucher to pay for him). Yay for Animates.

IMG_20151106_082206

Christmas Spirits

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, Christmas by

Two things for today. One cynical, one warm fuzzy. Both reflect my personality, but I hope the warm fuzzy makes you smile.

The cartoon in the Herald:

NZH0556129846

and a story from the Herald:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/christmas/news/article.cfm?c_id=1500988&objectid=11377720

…contained a card inscribed with the exhortation “Work hard, have fun, help people” and two $50 bills… Maybe something for a mystery 12 Days next year?

 

12 Days Project Update

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, photos, travel by

Si is now looking for the gifts. Only took a few days! Today’s is a photo frame with four openings. I had initially planned to have one shot of each of the kids holding up a word but put that aside as being a bit naff – plus he’d never display it! I quickly printed out four shots he liked from our recent trip to New South Wales:

20141205_192049

Wollongong Harbour (with the old lighthouse, he made several comments about the construction as we walked around it. You can take the engineer out of the workshop but…actually, you can’t take the engineer out!)

20141206_103425

The post office at Kiama

20141207_080645

Nobby’s Surf Life Saving Club at Newcastle

20141207_160127

The WWII memorial at RAAF Rathmines

I wrote a quick note on the gift tag that he should choose what he wants printed. Will be interesting to see what he does pick!

Last night I went with B & M to St Lukes mall. It was empty. As in, no queues in the food court nor in any shop except the supermarket. We rocked thru the place. Like most people in retail, I’m waiting for the Christmas rush. As with summer, it’s not yet hit us (one retailer reported a huge rise against last December in thermal clothing (!!!). What’s it like in your part of the world?

And finally – my friend M and her hubby M need your prayers. They are seeing consultants regarding recurrent miscarriages; as a mum I can’t imagine being without my children and (usually) regard them as both inevitable and a blessing. I never, EVER thought that I wouldn’t be a mum and my heart hurts so much for them. Thank you all – I pray in turn that you feel absolutely blessed as you pray for M&M.

Feeling grateful

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, grateful, Nora Corbett by

No matter how blah I feel, I’m not like one of my poor gouramis. He’s bloated! Concensus is its because he’s greedy and swallows air when he feeds, so everyone is on a 48hr fast. Tomorrow they get de-shelled peas. Hopefully that deflates Captain Ego quickly.

image

I also managed to get some stitching done. Maybe around 100 stitches and I had to frog a bit, but I’m happy to be stitching with minimal pain. Photo on Wednesday!

Also Si kept playing with his Batman ornie, and loved his gift today. Sucess!

WIP Wednesday – NaBloMoPo twenty six

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, me, NaBloPoMo, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

Can’t quite believe that it’s less than one month to Christmas. I have brought a couple of things but am planning on buying when we’re in Sydney next month. Also can’t quite believe that I have made it this far without missing a day! Thanks for sticking in there too.

Z changed some of the 12 Things in the car last night. He’s the one who thinks long and hard about the right answer.

  • Five commando comics
  • Six Coruba RTDs (as he drinks Coke all the time, so my suggestion wasn’t special enough!)
  • Eight Wheels Washing (the kids will clean & valet the cars)

Ten is definitely Lotto scratchies then. Easy!

Today’s WIP isn’t large, as I finished the Scarlet Tanager on Sunday night. I think he’s gorgeous, lovely colours. I changed the background blues, more to match the other two already completed than for any other reason.

Tanager 3

This is another Nora Corbett – the Letter L for my L. Colours are being converted bc I can’t afford the Crescent Colours threads (and they aren’t colourfast) so it’s a little slower than first thought. I also haven’t chosen the replacement for the purple Letter interior. Fabric is 25ct beige Lugana.

L fairy 1

CC DMC
Bejeweled 562
Cobbled Peach 819
Key Largo 3817
Deep Fennel 502
Old Blue Jeans 501
La Tierra 840
Hickory Sticks 3031
Vintage Violet 3756
Cloud blanc
Argyle Socks ???
Mill Hill
42027 40123
02001 02010
02072 02053
12126 12286
02001 in hair 00557