It's A Boy

Such an exciting day.  Today we learnt that we are going to get a Grandson.  He is due in May.
Here he is waving his hand at us

Second Start to The Year

As tired as I was I was determined to start my second new project for the year.  It is a huge bunch of flowers in a vase and the chart I believe is called Deep Love.  This design will be about 23 inches by 28 inches when finished.  Tonight I put in 100 stitches.

Today Alan and I went into Bunbury.  Bunbury is a large town, very small city (so they say) some 65-70 kms fromm here.  I travel in twice a week to go and visit my dear mother-in-law who is residing in a nursing home there.

We went and visited Beryl for several hours.  Today she was unsure of who we were but was never-the-less very happy to see us and even happier that we came with some small cakes for her.  She does love cake.

We then went and had our eyes tested.  Crumbs that is an expensive exercise.  Ended up costing us over $700 even with our discounts etc.

Anotheer chicken had hatched overnight.  Three of the little darlings now.

January 1st 2014

Happy New Year!

I had a great day today.  Decided to stay in my PJ's, cleaned the kitchen and then decided to clean out my food cupboards. Didn't have that much to throw out, mainly just putting open foods and cooking ingredients into containers.  Did have some out of date rolled oats to throw out so went up to the chook pens to give them a treat.  Was thrilled to find out that I had 2 new babies that had hatched today.  There is nothing cuter than little fluffy chickens.

Have a heap of stitching waiting for today to start or to start working on again.
I started on a Joan Elliott design called Medieval Lady.  She is very pretty. 

Asked Alan to get a tub of fabric out of my shed as I needed to source some 38 or 40 count fabric to dye for a SAL I am in.  Found all sorts of lovely fabric that I haven't seen for nearly three years.  I probably have at least another tub of fabric in that shed as well.

Anyhow, the fabric I decided to use is a 38 count Italian fabric.  I love this fabric.  I boiled up a good few tablespoons of loose leaf tea and then poured it over the pre-washed fabric scrunched into a jug.  I will rinse it out tomorrow morning and hang it out to dry.  Hope to popmy first stitches into The Snooty Parrot tomorrow.

A Fantastic Weekend

I have had a fantastic weekend.

Yesterday my brother and sister-in-law came down from the city for an overnight stay.  Jarrad and Megan had friends also come down for the weekend.  We had a lovey day little party (late lunch) at our house.  Cinnamon and Mark have the most gorgeous little 14 month old boy called Bryn.  He has the bluest eyes and is such a happy little man.  We had lovely Sesame Chicken, cold meats and a couple of salads with desserts of  home made Lemon Merange Pie, Chocolate slice and Pumpkin Cheesecake.

It was a tad chilly so we sat out on the back lawn surrounding Bryn and enjoying his babyness.  He was delighted by our dog Panda and the free ranging chickens.  Fascinated by the leaves on the lawn.  And then top it all off our broody chook, Vanessa, her eggs started to hatch. 

The young adults left as they were staying at Jarrad and Megan's place and then us grown ups had a lovely evening talking and chatting.  It is so important that we see each other now that our Mum and Dad are no longer alive

Today we went down to Balingup to visit with Jarrad and Megan at their home.  We had brunch at a lovey cafe and then toured the orchards where the boys work.  We then had to say goodbye as our visitors had to return home.

It is Christmas decorating time in my home.  Alan kindly got the decorations out and tomorrow I shall decorate our home.  I am only having 2 christmas trees up this year.  

I even popped some stitches into my Mary Sampler that Plum Street Samplers kindly released as a freebie as few weeks ago.

Some Finishes

I have been doing a fair bit of stitching these last few months. I have finished 2 old UFOs (small ones) and started and completed a project. I stitched this design on a piece of hand dyed fabric I had in my stash. I have no idea what count it is. I stitched it 1 thread over 1 thread with DMC threads. The design is a freebie by Bev from Love Thy Thread

Gosh I can't believe this tiny design was a UFO for so long. Started it in Perth before the big move. Just Nan's Noela Christmas Robin. A collaboration between Little House Needleworks and Crescent Colours.

Kenneth James Nock 1926 - 2013

At the end of April my gorgeous Daddy passed away.  I loved him very much and as with any loved person in a family, who passes away, it takes awhile before life gets back on track and routine returns to normal.  We were so lucky that we had Dad for 9 years longers than we thought and they were mostly a good nine years even though his heart was very dicky.  My dear sister looked after him in his last year of life and I know I can speak for my brother in that we are so thankful that she did and he did not have to spend any of  the last year of his life without family around him.  He wanted to go and was excited to be joining Mum.

 Dad, taken on his last birthday. My sister Annette.

Dad with his great grand daughter Evangeline.

Dad dressed up to go to the Melbourne Cup lucheon at Daddy day care

  
Last time at our place here in Kirup a month before he died.  He was desperately ill but so wanted to come down one last time to see our dog and visit with us at our house.

My Daddy I loved you so much.  Many wonderful memories you have left me.  RIP in peace with our Mummy

Becoming a Hooker

Thought that would grab your attention!  A rug hooker that is.  I have found a wonderful group in Donnybrook that hook rugs.  It is at the Arts and Crafts place and Robyn runs the show.  What a lovely, gorgeous person she is and all the other hookers are lovely as well.  Very friendly.  Anyhoo, I have started my first little piece which is a primitive crow.  I will make it into a cushion when done and then possibly do a sheep and then a black and white cow.  That will take at least all of this year to complete those 3 I am sure.

Hooking is good and I am quite surprised how much I enjoy doing it.  Robyn and her group use recycled materials so it really is a cheap craft.  I have a collage of pictures here that show you some of the rugs finished and some in the making.  I need to remind you that none of these are mine.

I also had a visit from some friends of mine who live in Perth.  They gifted me these lovely pair of scissors which they got from the little french shop that is in Boyanup.