some gifts

 Some stitchy gifts for family members this christmas. We have managed to buy things only for the immediate family (the 5 of us), and we do this because we don't often buy new things for ourselves or our children, but we believe firmly in handmade or thrifted for gifts and so I have been stitching up a storm. The embroideries for my niece and nephew have been attached to canvas for bedroom art, while others have been turned into ornaments for next year. And a pair of cushions for struan's sister and partner. The other stitched gifts for my family members are already at their destinations  waiting for unwrapping tomorrow.

I wish everyone a merry christmas, some quiet moments in a busy day, and think again of Christchurch as new shocks  unsettle their lives again.

sunday morning

The holes in my garden are getting filled in; I had enough energy to weed around my seedlings ( I managed to germinate some carrots and parsnips- my nemesis!); a parcel came for me in the mail despite the widespread flooding ( oops, maybe I enjoyed the rain too much!), from the mushroom lane giveaway a few weeks ago! A package of goodness and craft supplies, yay! Thanks Angela.

 Yesterday we harvested our apricots, split from all the rain, before they stared going moldy and turned them into stewed, preserved, apricots with cinnamon and cardamon, for the store cupboard, and enjoyed the redcurrants, fresh and unblemished. Thanks Gilly for your provisions, as I truly cannot claim any effort on my part has come into play here. The strawberries are being eaten before they are ripe, but the raspberries, we'll beat the birds to, I think.  I think the extra iron I'm taking now is helping my energy levels and my husband has school holidays, so the pressure is off somewhat. Looking forward to a more positive time, as I start the countdown to babe time ( a few months to go yet). Hope you all enjoy the solstice time and the leadup to chritsmas:)

time for me

The childrens' aunty is down from Auckland and has taken the kids for the afternoon. Its raining. I'm listening to Ani diFranco and doing some stitching, some looking for inspiration online.

  rainy days are my favourite; I like the excuse to sit inside and be crafty. I can ignore the washing for a day or two. And today  the only interruption to my own ( positive for once) headspace, has been the phone.

Lots of handstitching in the christmas presents this year, a bit of stillness. Some blankets waiting to become cushion covers. A picture downloaded for free to brighten up my "studio", from belle and boo, (see side bar of blogs I'm reading).

The view out the window of my space, red poppies wilting under the weight of raindrops, apricots ripening (?) on the tree, mud from where men ( husband and his father) dug up my garden last weekend looking for soaker pipes and pits ( we found the connection, now  waiting for water to drain away... weather forecast is for rain all week.....) Its okay I'm just stitching away....

stitching for dec5th

wee wonderfulssew la tea do

This year I've made many embroidered pillowcases as gifts, inspired originally by pip linolne's sew la tea do. Now I apply that technique to other embroidery patterns and other fabrics. The patterns I use this time were: the two elf  freebie patterns from wee wonderfuls,  The heart pattern is form the book Embroidery companion by alicia paulson, that I got from our local library.

 We celebrate sinterklaas on december 5th, although in a very low key way yesterday. The kids sing dutch songs , we share a special meal together and they get presents.  Now they get to use their pillowcases until christmas,an extended advent/ christmas season, but definately not southern hemisphere based!