Winners at last!!

Just a short note to say that the country is celebrating today as the world's biggest stadium held its collective breaths until 11pm last night when the final whistle was blown in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. 4 million New Zealanders gave a collective hurrah as Ritchie McCaw and his boys led the country home to the William Webb Ellis Trophy Champions. 24 years ago we won the inaugural cup in Auckland and it seems like Auckland is a lucky place.
Diane

busy holidays

Well another holiday break has nearly finished and I have had a busy time, catching up with friends, rugby world cup is nearly over and some of the planned projects are done. The holidays started with a trip to Wanganui to take a canvas class in making a needle book or book cover which was loads of fun and inspiring as well.

Members enjoying a break at wonderful Payne's Palace Beach Retreat.

Last weekend was the annual Central Taranaki Embroidery Guild retreat to Opunake where we had ten people undertake a project from Stitch magazine - a winter sky. It was loads of fun and I have mostly completed mine as well as completed most of the bargello section from canvas two on Walk on the Wild Side. Nothing further has been done on this canvas this week but I expect to get some done when watching the rugby final tomorrow night.

Ten of the stitched projects from the weekend. My piece is the bottom right sunset piece.

The reason no stitching this week is a new toy - I am the proud owner of an IPOD Touch and it has been loads of fun loading stuff onto it (took me four hours last night to get my music from one ipod to the other) and I have nearly got all the music ready to go plus some new stuff to listen to tomorrow.

Erin's roll

One project I have finished this holidays is the needleroll or lavender roll for my neice Erin. hopefully my brother will get it and be able to take it home with him on monday. I started this as my plane piece on our trip to USA last year and finished it this year with Erin's name on it.

Projects started (and hopefully finished) is the porject bag using my sudoku piece. I went to Maree's today and she stitched (I was gofer) and it was halfway there. Then late afternoon I went to marilyns and we started on a table runner for a christmas gift for our cousin. I have quilted half of it so can complete it tomorrow night when I go to feed the cat and then start one for my friend for christmas. Tomorrow morning I am going to start Marilyn's knitting bag and if it is fine weed some more of the garden.
I have finally got the stones ordered for the pebble garden and I was hoping that they would arrive before the weekend it is fine that they will be here next week and I can get to it each night.
I will report on more of my holiday break in the next post (possilby with more pictures of completed works)
Diane

Chocolate Buffet and Rugby



One plateful of yummy chocolate goodies. the raspberry mousse was kate's favourite.

I went to Wellington with Suzie and Kate last weekend for the chocolate buffet at the Amora Hotel. It was yummy but the pina colada white chocolate mousse finished me off and I could not eat any more. Did not even try everything but the things I tried were delicious. The nicest was the chocolate and Guinness mousse plus I really enjoyed the hot chilli chocolate drink. The white chocolate drink was not so nice.


Even the decorations were made out of chocolate.

The high light when we were there was the Argentinian team came in from their training so Kate got a coupleof photos.

BUT - the bonus - we parked the car at the Intercontinental and who was there but the Australian Rugby team so we had a photo with some of the players. Kate got photos with Quayde Cooper which she was thrilled about.

more Christmas balls on the way

I have been making more christmas balls. Currently I am doing a pattern from the Stitch magazine (2004) which is a petite ball and I call it a Christmas Orb as it reminds me of the Queen's Orb as part of the crown jewels.
Also over the next holiday break I will hopefully be writing some instructions for a netted and sequined ball so my ladies can make one for christmas. Currently i have made about five but i need to make it fit a bigger ball and use #11 seed beads so that is the next challenge. I make a ball and the next one I alter but for the class that cannot happen.

Also at the beginning of October I am going to be taking a canvas class for another guild and we will be making a book cover or needlebook. I have to dye some lace and do some pattern instructions plus I want to make up a kit of threads that they will be able to couch down etc.

This weekend I am off with a friend and her daughter to the Chocolate Buffet in Wellington. A whole night of chocolate and desserts, plus chocolate to drink and crepes as well as truffles. yummy.
Diane

more work done

I have been a busy beaver and completed a tiny kit from School of Beadwork - Double Delish - onsie. It is lime and blue and very cute. I am attaching it to a key ring to give away as a christmas gift on my travels in December.
Maree and I went to St Mary's Cathedral in New Plymouth last night for the unveiling of the completed Peace Altar Frontal. We went one night to stitch as guild members so it was nice to be at the end to put another stitch in. Now the construction phase begins and in two months they will have the dedication ceremony. It was a nice service with reminders about Parihaka, Sept 11 2001 and the way of peace in the world.
Also made the new decoration in Bead and Button and now have put the magazine away carefully so cannot make another one. oh well I will find it.
Nearly completed the next month for my BJP so going to watch some tv and stitch some more on it.

A very busy time

It has been nearly a month since I last wrote and things have been really busy.



My Soduku - very halloween ish.

I have finished Sudoku and here are the finished pieces from my Monday night ladies. This has been one of our most successful projects for a couple of years with five of us completing it within the same year we started. It is doing projects like this that I miss Liz and how much she would have enjoyed doing this work.

Judy's piece - same colours as Sue

Jills piece used the colours as stated in the pattern.

Mum used a monotone palete which looks great.

Sue used the same colours as judy but quite different results

Mum and I went to Dunedin to visit Alice and while there I completed a mill Hill Christmas kit plus finished the Mill Hill Scissor case 9without the long neck cord) as well as completed the outside row for my Lativan work. I have also started the May piece for BJP 4 and am back onto walk on the wild side with canvas #1 finished and number 2 underway. Mum has finished one and two so she is racing ahead of me.
My Colourific piece has been received and the exhibition opens at the end of this month in Arrowtown so it will interesting to see if Skadi comes home afterwards.

Sudoku Finished

Yeah I have finished stitching Sudoku. Mum finished hers and the rest of the class have also finished this piece. I loved doing it. it is from the ANG magazine Needlepointers and designed by a lady we met last year at Columbus "Marilyn Owen". A great project. now to finish stitching on colorific and then onto walk on the wild side.

I will also have time to make up my book cover that I stitched very quickly using cornpad embroidery. I will also endeavour to get another ATC card done so I can send one off to Karen who I am sure is waiting for one to swap.
It is supposed to snow again this weekend although I don't think we will get any but you never know - weather forecast is snow to low levels on the eastern shores of new zealand and we are in the west but not much land between us and the Antarctic.
Diane