Christmas giving

How awesome is it to receive a handmade gift from someone on the other side of the world... who you have never met!!   ... I felt very special!!
Chookyblue and Googygirl did an amazing job of co-ordinating the SSCS.... Thank you so much girls!!
I was thrilled to discover my Secret Santa was May Kristin from Norway.

She made this beautiful table runner. She worked out I like bright colours... and used gorgeous yellow tones with a soft grey background... I just LOve it!!... Thank you so much May Kristin.

As an added surprise she sent little gifts to be open on days leading up to Christmas day.
There was a beautiful heart to go on the Christmas Tree ...Christmas serviettes (that were used on the day) and a french general little fabric pack...Just gorgeous!!

Hope everyone had a Wonderful day
Cheers Floss

Trees of the Christmas kind

Muswellbrook's branch of the Red Cross hold a Christmas tree display every 2 years.
Local groups and individuals enter a tree or wreath.
Friday night was the announcement of the winners, and our embroiderer's  group wreath was placed 2nd!!  YaY!
I love this display as it is a great community event and the trees are usually "outside the square".

 The winner of the wreath section.. Georgia.
  Suffolk puffs and buttons... just beautiful

                                                                                      

The Embroiderer's wreath.....and another blogger,  Raelee

                                    The Pre School tree- 1st place

 Sponsor's choice winner ..Sth Muswellbrook School
  With Julie  ..(still no blog)!

Thimblestitch came to visit on Friday. I didn't get the camera out!!  But we had a lovely day of stitching, shopping and lunch!
It was suggested by 'the queen of zipper pouches' that I use this material to cover a footstool I found at an op shop....( I was going to make a zipper pouch!)... so here it is... I was so impressed.. I covered a chair as well!!

till next time
I hope your tree is up!
Floss

SSCS delivered

I am so excited to receive my SSCS parcel from Norway!!... I Love Norway! (on the bucket list... I'll get there one day)
I don't know who its from yet... But I know it will be lovely!

 Little parcels to open on the lead up to Christmas....like advent parcels!

This is the ornament I got to open already.... its just so gorgeous!

 .... the tree is going up today! (its on the to do list!)

Thank you so much to my swap partner ....and to those great little Christmas elves Chooky and Googie girl for organising this amazing swap!...
Its just so lovely to receive a gift from a secret sewing friend on the other side of the world.

Enjoy your day....I'm going to be wrapped in tinsel and lights.
till next time
Floss

Reunions

Last post was all about retreats...this theme continues with reunions!

I'm currently working away from home and last night went out to dinner with my old flatmate from college days.
Then a total surprise ...an old school friend of mine joined us!
I hadn't seen or heard about Bev for 37 years... I didn't even know she lived here!
Lyn knows Bev through playing hockey.....and organised the surprise when she discovered we went to school together in Cowra.
Needless to say... it ended up a very late night filled with tears of laughter as we reminisced about the good 'ol days.. and caught up on all the happenings in between.

It amazes me how people can connect after so many years and it feels like only yesterday when we were at college or school together....
 (I didn't get a photo... but I'm sure it won't be 37 years till we meet again!)

When I was in America last year, with Kerry's Needle and thread tour....a man asked me if we were a group of Ya Ya's.... not knowing the term...I was unsure!  Then I found a plate with the explanation ....

Ya Ya's.....a group of 3 or more women whose hearts and souls are united by laughter and tears shared through the glorious journey of life.

 

Recently that little group of Kerry's got together again for a stitching weekend in Nundle at The Cottage on the Hill.
What a lovely weekend of catching up and reminiscences of a wonderful holiday shared.

 We each worked on projects we bought in the USA.

 I cut little triangles for days.....to get 1/2 a block sewn together...only to find one corner was wrong!!!
It was wrong in the diagram on the pattern... so it wasn't because I had too much to drink!!
Oh well ...at least a lot of preparation was done!

I thought I'd share this gorgeous picture of a little girl checking her doll's teeth.
The dolls name is Darling. ...I just love my job when I have little clients like this!!

Just how cute is that?












Till next time
Floss

More retreats

What a wonderful week of stitching get-togethers!

Friday, I met up with bloggy friends at Cassilis. A beautiful day stitching in the garden and being spoilt by Linda at 'Plough in to Cassilis'.

 Julie's quilt- finished. A very special quilt made from her Dads ties

Very busy little workers -- (they look like they're sleeping)

                            The trafic in Cassilis. (Susan wanted to steal one of these for her Gatsby Ball)

Then today, Finders Keepers hosted a day with Kerry Swain.
About 40 women filled the Central Arcade with lots of chatter and laughter.
Of course a small project was achieved and another started.
Thanks to Susan and Karen for looking after us so well and spoiling us with a yummy lunch.... morning and afternoon tea...and even bubbles!

 
                       

  Lovely stitching projects by Kerry

                            Finished christmas balls

                             The girls... after a very successful day.

Till next time
keep stitching
Floss

Nov already?

Gosh!.. where have I been?.. I can't believe its November already !!

I promised you a kitchen reveal...  Before

            Ta Dah...   After

 I haven't moved totally in yet...Lots of things hidden in boxes around the house!... maybe I don't need them.. since I haven't seen them for 6 months!

I had a rather exciting day today...
Susan and Karen from Finders Keepers (our local fabric shop) asked  if I'd teach a class.... (after I finished laughing).. I said why not!.... So today was the day...
I had 6 lovely ladies and we did english paper piecing with hexagons.
They enjoyed their day and they are keen to continue... so I guess they got bitten by the hexie bug !!

The project was a cushion...here it is without its insert

 They look happy...

 morning tea .... I carried on the hexie theme with these gingerbread biscuits

When I was hunting through my sewing room looking for EPP samples, I found this old piece I started so many years ago that I had cut out templates from cards... and scrap fabrics from dressmaking.. no patchwork shops or laser cut papers in those days. (I think it was the 70's)

I also found this quilt... totally forgotten, and tucked away....I think it is going to come back out now....its so close to being finished... I just love all the fussy cutting.  It started as a Sue Cody pattern, but I think I extended it.

Baby Audrey's quilt is finally finished too...(The colours do look better than the photo..and the little black specks in the centres are bees.)

 I love how paper piecing is so transportable... here it is getting worked on in Samoa.

finally... some farm shots for Chooky
I never get sick of this view... just love it....thats looking towards Narrabri.

This calf has a special nose ring...its a weaning ring and stops her drinking from her mother.

She is one of last years calves.

 Merve the bull ....and no rain clouds.

till next time
keep stitching
Floss