FOR CAITLIN

I really enjoyed stitching these five little penguins, they were part of Caitlin's Christmas present and were one of two felt board sets I made for her. Along with these I had collected several rhymes which I printed onto card and laminated.

Caitlin has completed her degree in Early Childhood Education hence Grandma making teaching aids for her these in the form of felt board sets. We have collected plenty of ideas for the future too.

The other set I made for her was Five little Ducks went out to play.

Here we are at the end of the month, so this is my last post for the year, looking to the new year I wish everyone best wishes and blessings for 2019.

Post script for Maree here is the latest addition to the Peppa pig set , Candy Cat went in the post today.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

It is Christmas morning here, and I wish all my blogging friends very best wishes for a day full of blessings.

I WAS INTRODUCED TO PEPPA PIG

Barryn came up and spent a few days with me after I came out of hospital, and I was able to learn more about what Finn now two and a half enjoyed in books and his favourite tv programme, hence I learnt about Peppa pig. He also recalled the felt board activities he had as a child and thought something like that would be an ideal Christmas gift for Finn.
Peppa pig was easily researched and although I do not think she is the most attractive character, I had no problems creating her and her family.

I was told there must be the red car and yes you can fit all the family in it.

The house I made with pockets so each of the pig family can go inside.

Peppa has lots of animal friends and I plan to make them and post them down, one or two at a time to add to the story. Instead of a felt board I made a fabric roll lined with felt and Jan when shopping bought some backing material for me and chose the Very Hungry caterpillar fabric.

Now there is a story that inspires me, and I just had to create the caterpillar.

and all that food of course results in a very fat caterpillar which I made with the cocoon on the reverse.

and finally the butterfly

Caitlin who has just completed her degree in Early Childhood Education has requested the hungry caterpillar set to add to her teaching aids, she will be staying with me after Christmas so together we will be creating her set. There is nineteen years between Caitlin and Finn yet at present  I can make the same things for both as what what is teaching aids for one is toys for the other.   When I next post I will share what I have made Caitlin  for Christmas,. We now have a new shop up the road in Inglewood, The Felt Factory, who has a wonderful stock of different coloured felt and an excellent service, I order on line and its in my mail box the next day.

 Thank you to all who left messages on my last posting, it was nice to be welcomed back.

BACK AT LAST.

I never got to share all the stitching I did for the Christmas tree stall at the church fair. In fact I did not even get to the church fair. Unfortunately health problems put me in hospital for a few days then it was home resting  and recovering slowly. I am glad to be able to report I am back to normal again now, its been a long couple of months.

I had set up the tree ready for the stall, which was a big help as two friend came in and took everything down to the church, set it up and them did the sales on the morning of the fair, They raised $250.00 which was great. I had put the decoration in three price groups $3.  $5.  $7 so nothing was too expensive for hand made items.

Hearts designs  were very popular  and I will be making more like these in future. Here are some of the hearts I made.

I am now busy stitching Christmas gifts so hope to get some photos and share with you the fun pieces I am making for Finn and for Caitlin

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CAITLIN’S GIFT

Caitlin has just turned 21 and following the tradition of what I did for her mother  and sister  I have made a box for her, I have used very dark purple silk which my sister bought specially on one of her oversea trips.  On the top of the box stitched a gold work beetle,

open the lid and the tray underneath has her 21st birthday key, for Caitlin I stitched this in black work which is her favourite embroidery technique, which she has stitched several pieces in.
 

 and inside the box were  a piece of jewellery, something handed on from the past generations, for her I had chosen a pendant that had belonged to her great grandmother Westfield, its very dainty I hope she will love it and wear it.

As with her sister I wanted to share a small item that Paul had given me so that although her Grandfather is no longer with us there was something to remember him by, I decided on a small hand carved wooden squirrel that has sat on the top of my computer desk (she was thrilled to have the squirrel am so pleased I made the right choice). and there was a bag of 21 coins one for each of her years.

The gift all wrapped up  and topped with purple violets, purple being the favourite colour.

Now on to the next birthday gift this time for a dear friend was will be 80 this month , we don't see one another very often now but its been a friendship started in  our teen years

Problem solved

A big thanks to Heather and others who contacted me about the take over of my blog... yes I really thought I had lost it and had started preparing a post on my other little used blog   "the other side of the mountain"    Following some advise found on line I hope I have finally chased the takeover away.

 The last month found me busy stitching Finn's book which has now gone south and in return I watched a delightful video of the parcel being opened. The only photo I Have of the finished front cover all bound is one that refuses to  upload so here is the page before it was finished the idea came from Pinterest and yes that smiling face is Finn himself. I have loaded all the photos of the pages onto my other blog if anyone is interested. here is the link if anyone would like to see them

Along with the computer problems the battery in my iPad died, must admit Apple service was great but still trying to upload everything again I have more photos to add but think that will be next time so I leave you for now with just this one photo.

GOOD TO BE BACK

Its good to be back.... better still its good to feel fit and well again. with out going in to details the first six weeks were a bit rough and since then each day has slowly brought me back to being able to do things again.  And  there has been little stitching in that time, once I took up my needle again I made a set of finger puppets for Finn's birthday. Finn turned 2years old while I was sick so birthday gifts will be extra surprises over a period of time
The puppets were the characters in a favourite book" The Gruffalo" and I have seen a short video of him playing with them

I realise I have not share the finger puppets I made for him at Christmas, these were for the book "Dear Zoo"

I am now working on pages for a quiet book which I hope to get to him later this month. I found lots of ideas on Pinterest that I was able to use or adapt. This one is colour matching.

here is matching the pairs......

and this page is my favourite so far....... numbers 

The lady bugs lift off and I have yet to make a large ladybug pocket to store them in.

I do have to get back to some embroidery stitching as Caitlin will be 21 next month and I need to make a box with a gold work beetle on the lid and an embroidered birthday Key inside.

Meanwhile its count my blessings and take one day at a time

A LITTLE STITCHING

I am finding small pieces enjoyable to stitch at present and have been working on some Christmas decorations for a sale later in the year. So far I have stitched  2  Christmas robins. 3 wishing on a star ( little mouse) and 2 shepherd boys, have also stitched some more felt decorations but no photos of them yet. Aim is to have at least 20 of the cross stitch ones and possible 30 of felt decorations ( more would be great) and to display them on my little Christmas tree at the sale.

I keep finding great designs but I don't seem to stitch as fast as the ideas pile up !! 

My other distraction has been scrapbook. I am mounting the Church Archives, and this has lead to lots of interesting research to be able to write up on the photos I can see it taking three volumes.  At this stage I have cover all the ministers since the beginning in 1889 and only 1photo missing ......the minister in the early 1900's must have been camera shy as we have not been able to track down  one of him. Also the buildings have all been covered three different church buildings and I love the fact that the first one was move twice after it was built, shifted by Bullock team and sledge. Its final resting place is where today's church stands. Am now finishing off the first 100 years up the the Centennial Celebrations. Five years ago when we celebrate 125 years  the amount of photographic history we had to display was very poor , so its great that so much material has been unearthed since. 

The late Autumn here has brought mild sunny days and  from the garden I have brought in the last of the tiny Cecil Brunner Sweetheart roses, rock cyclamen the last of the harebells and found the first of the winter irises flowering.

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EASTER GREETINGS

My tree is decorated for Easter, however I thought it had a few gaps that needed filling so I have made some more Easter eggs which I will hang today

 This one is made using the border of a  piece of sari silk, the colour is richer than the photo shows.

I made six in all,  there are two with silk ribbon embroidery these are an old embroidery cut up and recycled.... only showing one as the other photo is upside down and no matter what I do I don't seem to be able to turn it over.

    and my last photo is a special one, stitched as a gift for daughter Jan's birthday, which this year is just before Easter and is now hanging on her Easter Tree.I really enjoyed stitching this design which I found on Pinterest.

Easter morning has come mild and sunny, the clocks have been turned back and a new season has begun., and I welcome a month that I hope will allow more stitching time.

 To all my blogging friends may your Easter time be blessed.