Confused

Updated to google plus and lost blog on iPad. Here are the photos of the room ready.

Ready to party

The house is ready to party. i will post photos from the ipad later today.
Graeme Pitman took the kids up to the top of the mountain today. I would have been a great experience and I am sorry that MJ did not go. she would have loved it. Having the first bbq of the holiday break tonight with all the family at marilyns so that will be nice.
hope that the day goes well tomorrow and it does not rain, as have plans to borrow a table for outside.

The family Christmas

Here are a couple of snaps of the family at various Christmas tables.

Boxing Day lunch with the burnnands.

The hungry horde at mum and dads for Christmas Day lunch.

Rein decorating my tree.

Birthday dinner

Have the family here from California so we are having a dinner for Ewan's birthday. Went to see the hobbit movie yesterday in the TET Kings Theatre in Stratford which was great. Looking forward already to the next one next December.

Today Mj, Erin, Mum and I went down to hawera for shopping, lunch and mum's appointment. Nice day wandering around then went out to Tawhiti to look at museum shop and around. While mum at doctor we went for a walk in King Edward Park which was nice. 

Christmas sampler

Helen our team manager for Stampin' Up had a challenge a couple of weeks ago which I participated in and here is mine hanging on my wall. It looks great, although I haven't quite got the pieces all straight. Thanks Helen for letting me take part.

All the parcels are under the tree but the tree isn't up yet. Think Erin might have to do it on Sunday afternoon. Went bike riding today, lunch with the girls and afternoon tea up the mountain with mum and dad. My cards aren't all quite written but getting on with that job so it will be done for tomorrow to bike and post them all. Hopefully once new year is over stitching time might kick in and a stay at the beach will also happen.

A busy day

It's nearly a month since I last posted and I think this will be a long on written over several days.

Only ten days left to work and then tidy up for the Christmas and wedding anniversary party. 

Today, Saturday had a visit from Marilyn with some need for scrap booking experience is that was a first. The dad came in to use the facilities, no time for a cuppa and then we had mum to visit and chat. Discussion about Christmas and what to eat ensued so now sorted I think. (But I will need to write it all down for my reminder list.) have shopping list for New Plymouth so that will be in a fortnight I think.

 This is what I have spent most of the day doing some thank you gifts for my Stampin up ladies and bits and pieces for a Xmas present. Hope they all enjoy.

There will be more to write about embroidery, night class, and exhibition so keep coming back.

My busy week and Successful night

It has been another busy week. Life has been a bit of the fast lane since

labour weekend when Marilyn, mum dad and I rushed over to Melbourne for Vernon
and Marjorie’s 60th wedding anniversary. It was an amazing party and so much
fun to catch up with all the family. How all the children have grown – most
are taller than me now as well.
On our way home I managed to catch up with Raewyn and John at Tullamarine
Airport – sat in the bar for two hours talking. Since then it has been all go
with the senior prizegiving sneaking up quickly and being a very successful
day on Tuesday 5th November.
This week I went to see a silent movie (Spanish) with Maree and Alice. It was
the story of snow white and the seven dwarves with a bull fighting twist. So
much tension in the old silent movies.
Last night was institute with a theme of the letter “M”. I went as Minne
Caldwell from Coronation Street (you have to be old to remember her). It was a
very successful night for me as I won the cluster with my granny bonnets and
then was placed second to a marmite jar for the costume. No photos I am sorry
but hope to get one from our secretary. Mum went as merino with her merino
clothes on. My second choice was to wear a giant ? and go as a mystery.

This weekend looks to be just as busy with lots happening and tomorrow is
Ngawai’s wedding. She is one of the students that I went to Australia with in
2005. I am looking forward to the afternoon and evening and hoping that the
weather cooperates with another nice day like today.
Then Sunday will be some beading and stitching as well as going to look at an
open home of a friends. I hope to also get some sewing done tonight. Oh I busy
I think I should be.

 My winning granny bonnets and prize for costume.

Weekend

Another finish

A week of  highs and lows in this country. The week started optimistically with NZ poised to win the Americas Cup. I finished twisted stitcher and completed the piece above Harmony -Earth by Thursday which was also the day we lost the Americas Cup. It was a valiant effort by our team but in the end it was money talking and extra millions we did not have. I am so proud of Grant, Dean and the whole team including NZ media who did such a wonderful job. It shows that we as a nation are supporters of all and we don't need to win at all costs. I will continue to wear my shirt with pride.

I have stitched more on amazing grays, as well as my small floral ribbons piece. Also started is the next beaded piece a red heart so I hope to finish that this week and post to Lynn for Creative Stitchers. 

The term has finished and I made an trip to Auckland to see the musical "Wicked". Stephanie and I saw this in New York in January 2012 and really loved it. I was inspired by the story once again and will listen to the CD with fresh ears. Getting to Auckland was a trip this time, first time flight has been cancelled but I was lucky enough to get a lift with a young man Phil who hired a car as he needed to be in akl for business. Arrived at the international terminal four hours after leaving np airport. Hoping that the flight home tomorrow is fine. 

School finished well with a cultural afternoon for the students and a quiz afternoon for the staff. We were once again the worst team but we only had five members so a disadvantage before we started. 

Another month done

I have finished the ginkgo leaf for BJP and Creative Stitchers this month. 

The ginkgo leaf belongs to Alison when I checked my records not Glenis who often uses it in her sample works. As this was a pieces tried to do quickly I decided to layer chiffon fabric over the vilene shape which allowed the vein lines to show. Once I started stitching the bead lines I decided not to encrust the shape as this would takeaway the texture of the nobbly veins and bring relief to the smoothness of the leaf. I beaded the edge with a single bead buttonhole stitch as I will not be applying this piece and felt that this would give a suitable edge to stitch it on with. This was a meditative piece using a very  small palette of colour.

A week back

Its been a busy week back from seminar and things have been busy on the stamping up front. Friday night we had our usual evening with the ladies making a number of items including a card holder using pegs and crystal effects. very stunning looking. This week I have been to the team meeting where we used Gorgeous Grunge stamp set so it is now on my wish list and also went to Megan's for the first lot of Christmas card making. Using some of the sets from the new holiday catalogue, this was a great introduction to getting to use some of the stamps. All items in this catalogue are available from me and I love the DSP

On the stitching front Mum has finished the Sue Reed piece, "Twisted Stitchers" while I am nearly finished. Just the last two rows on the border to complete and also the stars in the centre need to be done. In Stitches is having a fat quarter sale so I got two pieces of fabric to make a bag for the Exhibition and I think then it will be a great little snappy bag.

Struggling with sore fingers and trying not to get a cold this week has also meant that early nights have been the order of business but getting back onto an even keel and waking up earlier so will have time for exercise in the morning, even if it is 15 minutes. I am so blessed to live in this lovely warm home and not have to suffer lots of sickness each year with my asthma.

8 September: finished twisted Stitchers and getting on with harmony piece. Here is a photo of both my pieces. 

10 September. Spoke to soon about not getting sick. Had severe asthma with cold so doctor visit and now the steroids for 12 days. I have had two days in bed with the ret of the week off so resting, sleeping and hoping to do some embroidery as well.

Also here is a piece that one of my students has completed and it has been framed by another student. Yeah Judy and Jill great work both of you. This is a Laura Perin pattern and here is my piece that I am doing. Much smaller in scale but other class members are doing floral ribbons and Victorian ribbons.

    

Last updates before home.

Nearly time to board our flight home so we are just finishing off some stitching on the piece from Friday morning - Twisted Stitches. It is a fun piece and Sue the tutor was lovely. So inspiring I am going to sign up for her workshop by mail piece next weekend. We saw the finished piece and mum and I were both inspired, so will both do it I think.

 Mum and I both spent the shuttle drive stitching the border as that was easy slanted Gobelin stitching. 

Our work to date. Getting on plane now. See u all soon.

Seminar over

 This is how much I got done on amazing grays after two days. I did not spend anytime stitching after class so was very impressed about how much I got done.

Class has finished and we have been to the welcome banquet with the friends we have made. It has been lots of fun and I have enjoyed my classes, thanks to Nancy andSue for being such inspiring and enthusiastic teachers. I am sure we will both finish our projects and I look forward to being able to send photos when they are done. Also bought more threads to stitch another pieces a different colour way. I am looking forward to the challenge of this and hoping it will go with Sue's harmony piece.

Started amazing gray's

First day of the two day class and most exciting. A comprehensive selection of grey and white beads with mostly bugle but some delicas and #15 seed beads. Here is a picture of the first two squares and in the  morning I will post a picture of my days stitching. 

Have met a nice group of ladies and have been having lunch and dinner with them some nights. tonight I went off with Anne, Jessica and Chris to downtown Disney for dinner and fireworks. Really amazing show and went on for 15 minutes. Mum and dad had dinner in the hotel. Last night we went with Ewan to the outback restaurant across the road for dinner.

First day of school

It was the first day of school for Erin today. She is a junior at Sacred Heart Cathedral in SF. She has been busy with tennis trials as well this week as getting her summer assignments finalised. 

Erin ready to drive to school. Another couple of months and she will be driving herself. She has driven mum an I around the city which was great.

Final photo of Erin with mum and dad. We are off tomorrow to Los Angeles to the needlepoint seminar. 

First day of holiday

Had a good day yesterday with arriving a couple of hours late after delays with the plane. Good flight and lots of sleep so I was pleased. Today we were up early and Ewan and I went down to have breakfast with mum and dad at the hotel.
Off at midday for a shopping trip for Alex in his new apartment at university. He will be all sorted with some stuff for his room. After a quick side trip to Joann's for mum and I, MJ drove us down to the waterfront to go to the America's Cup park and watch the second race. In fortunately damage to both boats and an increase in wind speed meant that racing has been postponed for today, but still saw the boats go past on their way back to dock area. Had nice lunch and time for drinking while enjoying the ambience.
Tonight we dined out at a nice local restaurant which was a good meal and evening. When we got home Erin and I got into Alex's mardi gras beads which was quite fun. They were really heavy and he collected them over a number of days. MJ took this photo.

 The mardi gras queens.

Adventure begins

Just sitting in the koru lounge in Auckland airport waiting for flight to San Fran and then to Los Angeles for Ang seminar next weekend. Here is a photo of the yummy biscuit I am enjoying courtesy of Marie's sister Cheryl who made day of the dead cookies for her birthday today.

Unfortunately I ate the mouth before I took the photo.

I only bought a mill hill kit with me to stitch as still have prep work to do only seminar piece and also thought that my Latvian is tired of travelling the world and not being finished. Also bought a little bit of beading for the BJP but have done two pieces so currently only july and August behind now. 

This is one of the creative Stitchers pieces which I have been using for my BJP pieces. Turtle for month of June. I currently have a heart and ginkgo leaf to do. Ginkgo leaf is started buried did not bring it with me as too fiddly with the range of bead colours I want to use.

Back to stitching.

With the holidays over and not as much hand stitching done it has been a busy week at school with lots of changes to our phone system. Just when we think it is all going well it turns to custard.
I have managed to get some stitching done though with snap trays made for Lee and Sonia as well as one for mum to take to seminar. Also made some ATC cards for a swap. They all used tissue as the basis with embellishments. The paua series were fixed onto pellet vilene and then machine stitched a picture. I wasn't sure if it would work but had to use the old sewing machine, which worked out fine. I beaded the steam giving the impression of heat and punched a label to affix. The dress series was a tissue which had two printed layers. The first layer was stuck on across all three labels then the top layer trimmed, fixed on and coated. I then added the fringe and diamantés. Thought they turned out well so hope that the recipients like them, for a swap bot swap.

     

 My ATC cards made. cannot turn picture around no matter how many times I save it.

 
Snap trays are my latest craze. These have been made for a variety of friends and the NZ piece (in right photo) for mum to take to seminar. Snappy bag in left photo has mum's piece of stitching incorporated in it as well. This weekend I hope to make a snappy bag and tray for me to take to Seminar.

Day 2 pantry redo

Nearly back together. It's been a bit of a discovery tour examining the pantry from five years nearly of being in this house. Found the cornflour container so that was a discovery as thought i had put the icing sugar in the wrong container.

Not a great day today so washing is in the conservatory once again. Went to see pacific rim last night at the movies and going to the Lone Ranger tomorrow so that will be great. Seeing the Calendar Girls at the Little Theatre in New Plymouth next week. 

Pantry sort out

Recently I went to make a cake (don't die of shock all you readers, I can bake albeit not well) and could not find the icing sugar in the pantry. Decided that holiday job one would be the pantry clean out so today is the day. Started with the top two shelves and found the espresso cleaner so did that job too. Here are the photos to prove the start. Hopefully the break to go to school won't be all afternoon so I get it finished.

Stitching finishing

It's been a busy month with bits of stitching nearly completed as well as a new little project started. I made a number of snap trays so that was a bonus and hope to sell them. It started with making one to match the snappy bag I made for Maree. She really liked it so that was cool and I am hoping to make a couple of kiwi ones to take to Los Angeles in August.

Card demonstration at Sarah's and the wonderful items they made. All different but from the same starting point.

Finished pieces from night class project.

Night class have finished with our Christmas tree project. It has been a really stunning project to stitch and I have enjoyed mine on the 45 count Florence and single strand of silk as well as the 100 count silk for the hardanger sections. You can see the difference in the fabric count quite markedly as mine is half the size of the other pieces.

May also saw the cold weather return with a vengeance and we had snow settle on the ground on the 22nd May.

Tulip flower for Mary V.

This is the latest piece that I have done for the Creative Stitchers 12x12 challenge. I have been doing beadwork on each of these and also using these as part of my beaded journal project items for this year. I made the decision that I would bead something each month and so this is the piece I have finished for May. I am not certain if I have a copy of Aprils face but I will be able to take a photo at another stage.
For March I completed a snowflake on Rosalind's piece and for this month I have a pear to complete.

Most Fabulous Product

As most of my friends know I love notebooks and this set on the Stampin'Up product range is a great new one. I am thinking of getting one for myself and having an afternoon to show it off later in the month.
http://www3.stampinup.com/nz/documents/DEMO_this_and_that_flyer_SP.pdf

You can order one yourself via my web presence on stamping up.So if you would like toorder online you can do so by following the link below.
http://www3.stampinup.com/home/en-NZ/find-a-demonstrator

Search for my name and join me, then follow the promptsthrough the agreement. This will mean that you can order items at any time andthey will be attributed to me. They also will be delivered direct to you so nowaiting time for me to deliver to you.

have fun and I will show you my latest cards here which I have sent to some of my swap-bot friends.

Wonderful weekend

Just finished the nicest weekend with Stephanie in Sydney. Really relaxing time and not a lot of anything done except a Busy day on Anzac Day with parade watching in Sydney, ferry to Manly for lunch, cruising around the town for the afternoon then dinner at Hard Rock Cafe in Darling Harbour. Friday was spent going to the Blue Mountains and doing the explorer bus. We did all the scenic skyway, cable car, etc and a couple of walks as well as Devonshire tea. It was fabulous and the weather was stunning so could see for miles with only a distant blue haze.
Saturday we wandered around the city doing window shopping and looking at the cupcakes but decided we didn't need one so had chocolate waffles instead for lunch. We then did a couple of ferry / train rides to use up our ticket and queued for Jamie's Italian restaurant. Waited an hour for our table, while the queue outside seemed just as long. Had a trio of starters then entree sized main dishes and shared a dessert of lemon meringue pie. Felt that we had to waddle home afterwards the one block.

Busy weekend

It has been a busy weekend and although wet and rainy on Saturday, Sunday has been a nice day.


The weekend started with Stephanie arriving on Friday night to stay for the weekend and also getting tow birthday presents (cups from Harrods and England with 2012 / Stratford on them). Thanks guys it was great and the chocolates have been tasted by Stephanie and myself. Saturday I spent the day the Regional Embroidery retreat in Eltham with mum and about 35 other stitchers so caught up with a few friends and finished my patchwork placemats for the arts festival. Also stitched a couple of mittens for Christine for the arts festival. Dinner at the retreat was wonderful and I finished with the most delightful brownie but paid for it in the middle of the night as it was very rich.

On Sunday Stephanie and I started off with a nice breakfast in the conservatory before we were overtaken by the Nintendo fans. Luke, Callum and Virginia came to visit so the boys tried out the Nintendo Treasure Hunt game which was fun.

I took Stephanie to her mum’s after lunch then came home to stitch and complete some of the projects needed for the arts festival in two weeks. I have sewed handles on my tote bag, made another snappy bag after undoing it as I sewed the wrong seams first, made my mittens and nearly completed my fabric brooch for the arts festival. Also here is a picture of my latest two swaps – tea cups and mitten so enjoy them.

Stitching on Christmas tree is coming along but unfortunately I have not done any more on Pot Pourri but hope that Thursday will see more samples done.  Sorry about the sideways photo but I cannot turn it around today. Think I will have to go back to taking the photos with the camera not the ipad.

enjoy your week.
Diane

A busy month.

Life seems to have got very busy and I am not sure where the time has gone. March was a busy month with a weekend trip to Wellington with Stephanie encompassing a visit to the zoo with Loreece, dinner with Alice and seeing David's party flat. On the way home an overnight stop with Liz was a welcome break, before seeing Jennifer on the way home.


Christmas in the Heartland.



Night class has been busy with most of the class working on a linen piece. Below is my start on the piece "Christmas in the Heartland". I am working on Florence linen, using a Kathy McLauchlan red silk, Gloriana green silk and Kreinik copper blending filament with some #15 beads as well as Corticelli silk for the finer stitches. I am really enjoying this piece and looking forward to the end result. Sorry about the photo but it won't turn around.

Our embroidery guild have moved locations so it was nice to be in a smaller room that will be easier to heat. During the last month I also received this package of wonderful silk ribbons from Trish http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog which was a real surprise.

I am also doing a cyber class with SHEAR Creations and have stitched the first two samples so need to get on with the next ones so as not to be too far behind. It is called Pot Porroui and through the shining needle society which has lots of interesting classes. It is a study of 12 stitches using some interesting threads and I am stitching extra samples using the extra threads. It will look good with my thread notebook.

Ashley's quilt.



Our chicken dinner.



Christmas wreaths sent on swap-bot.



Easter has just been and I had a visit from Liz and family as Ashley wanted to make a quilt of her travels. It was fun to talk about places that she has seen and done with so much changed since I was in the same part of the world. She has been in some random places due to her time with the Royal Navy. Also this weekend I had dinner with Cheryl and Maree, with a lovely roast chicken dinner. Good night watching twilight movies, and did a bit of knitting. I am making a couple of entries for the Institute Arts Festival so need to get the knitting of dolls clothes, placemats and fabric brooch finished so I will have at least three entries. Also I have a picture of my Christmas wreath that I swapped with Swap-Bot. It was well received by Brenda so I was pleased.

Below is my latest christmas decoration design. This is for the ANZEG embroidery conference in 2014 so I am hoping it gets selected. Otherwise I will have a new decoration to teach next year and several other ideas for decorations to make.

My latest ball design.

Weekend stitching

Mum and I went to the beach for a nice weekend, while dad stayed home to watch the first weekend of rugby. It was a glorious warm time with just enough breeze to site the air. Friday night we had fish and chips from Oakura fish shop which was slightly disappointing.
Started stitching on canvas three of walk on the wild side with some of the Bargello as this was easy to see. Saturday morning a leisurely start and out on the deck enjoying the weather, mum and I both set up with our canvas. I finally got section one nearly finished and discovered that I had stitched half of it in the wrong place so pulling out was undertaken. I then started on section four for a change of pace and three crescent circles were completed by evening. Sat night I stitched a bead tassel project from the craft fair. Sunday was a late start with potato cakes with tomatoes for brunch. Another nice day saw us on the deck again watching the neighbours pack up tents and vans while getting on with more stitching. Finished the rest of section one and got a bit more stitched on sections two and four.