BRIDE'S TREE SAL

This year I have registered to take part in the Bride's Tree SAL, this is based on a German tradition that a couple's Christmas tree needs 12 specific ornaments for Happiness in their lifes journey together, even though I have been married many years, the idea of this  set of ornaments appeals to me.
There are  one a month, so thats not too much extra stitching to fit in. Each one has its own theme and there are no set patterns, just stitch what you would like as long as it is keeping to the theme.

The first for January is a House- (Shelter and or protection.)

I have chosen to stitch Groatieburn Cottage where I live.and have stitched it on 40 count Permin Linen using a variety of Embroidery stitches.  Design size-6 x 4.5 cm
I will wait till I have done several before I decide how I will finish them off, however they will all be mounted on the same size circles of cardboard.

THE TREE IS UP AT THE LITTLE HOUSE

Our tree is decorated here at Groatieburn Cottage with white, cranberry,gold and silver decorations, no lights this year they have been packed away at daughter's house and not found this year!. The living room at the cottage is in pink tonings hence the colour choice for the decorations.
This afternoon I put the tree up in the little house. "Summerlee" is the lovely doll's house we built, and completed 11 years ago.

 We designed it to look like one of the old homes in Hawkes Bay NZ and have furnished it as at the 1890's

Here is the resident dolls, Henry and Sarah Barker view the christmas tree this afternoon. The children Emma , Caroline and baby John are still upstairs with Nanny. I will add their photos later.

SPRING FRAGRANCES AT GROATIEBURN COTTAGE.

We brought the name "Groatieburn" to the small cottage we purchased in  Stratford in 2001.
 To our home in Coromandel, we had given this name and Paul had a lovely swing sign made with the name and the small bird, the waxeye on it.( see my entry for July 6th) which we had brought with us when we made the move.

 The original name "Groatieburn" my Great grandfather had given to his home built in the 1870's in Ashburton in NZ. Donald Williamson was of Scotish origin (Caithness)and the "groat" I took it being the small 4d coin and that the property took all he had down to the last small coin to purchase it, the "burn" in his case a forks of the Ashbuton River. Today's Groatieburn, our cottage was built about 20 years later.
 Visitors to the cottage come through the gate from the drive and in spring are greeted by the lovely fragrances, first of Daphne bholua,  followed by daphne ordora 'rubra' and 'alba' and still to come Daphne burkwoodii, but missing this year has been the gentle fragrance of the Australian bush,Boronia megastigma.

Our bush faded out during the last year, although short lived they are well worth growing for their fragrances. We now have a new plant waiting for the weather to lift and to be abled to be planted.

 I have meanwhile picked sprigs of the lovely scented blooms from it and placed them around the house, near my computor and by my stitching chair. Boronia flowers keep their scent long after they have been dried.