A New Year!

Well, here we are nearly 2 weeks into the New Year....... and I'd better catch up before time does get away.... 

Bundanoon welcomed the family for Xmas 2015 - at my sister Vivien's place

 Xmas Day and here's the family adorned with various "decorations" - courtesy of my other sister Linda! - the only ones missing were my 2 - Hayley and Megan. 

 We all enjoyed the following week at Bundanoon with shopping at Bowral, a visit to Berkerlouw Books near Berrima and a drive to Robertson - what a great find this (massive) shop was - full of 2nd hand goods and new giftwear....

This nifty basket was one of my finds.... a sewing basket?.... 

.....or a basket for Dora?......

 

And....lunch at the Burrawang Hotel

 another day it was lunch at the good old Primula Cafe in Bundanoon

 We had leisurely days too and even though my stitching never came out of the bag I did enjoy some reading time and finished this book....

 the same author as "Under the Tuscan Sun" but this is a memoir of her early life growing up in the Southern States of America and the influence it had on her life.

Then it was back home for a friends' New Years Eve wedding at a local beach....

 ...and just a few days later the rain started! It rained for 3 days straight so what better way to spend indoors but start a quilt! This one being a present for the newly married couple.... batik fabrics that I had bought many years ago were just waiting for such a project....

These soon became.....

this...with a little help (?)  from a couple of  furry family members - now just waiting to be quilted ........

Another book finished during the wet weather - the first John Grisham book I've read and really enjoyed it 

 Fabrics were also cut out ready for my next project...book pillows for triplets I know who are about to celebrate their 1st birthday! 

And....finally the house was un-decorated - the Xmas tree has been put away, the Santa collection has been added to with a couples as gifts, one from Sweden sent by Megan, some bought while away including another pair of salt & pepper shakers..... 

..but they are all packed away now for another year........

Well, it's back to work tomorrow :( .... have had a lovely couple of weeks off - the rain didn't even dampen the spirits! I actually switched the Xmas tree lights back on to make everything a bit more "cheery"....not that it wasn't cosy being inside....just a bit dark and gloomy! 

That's about it from me at the moment - hope 2016 is a happy and healthy one for all my readers - with lots of creative hours!

Happy Stitching

Asta

Xmas is Nearly Here

Final countdown to Xmas !.... and I'm pleased to say all is done! Gift boxes for Megan and Hayley had to be sent a couple of weeks ago - giving me no choice but be organised!
My last update had Megan's box ready to send to France - but sent 2 weeks ago it still has not reached her -  hope it hasn't fallen off Santa's sleigh!! 
Over the last couple of weeks my machine has been whirring away.......

.... so gifts have been finished for some friends....

... a lavender (hand)bag (pattern from an old Homespun magazine) and 2 of Marg Low's patterns.....

And some gifts for family (the will have some extra's put inside!) .....

...another one of the fabric baskets that I made quite a few of last year, a Marg Low needle case and a lovely (coin or anything else) purse the pattern of which is in this lovely book....

If I don't get a chance to get back before Xmas I wish those reading a very happy and peaceful festive season... may you have a great New Year with lots of stitching hours planned for 2016!

Happy Stitching

Asta 

Snippets from the last (and a bit) month!

Oh dear... has it really been that long! Excuses? I don't really have any :( .... sometimes it was because honestly, I just didn't feel like sitting in front of a computer after a day at work... much rather sit with a bit of stitching, a book or anything else! 
So... starting from where I left off - and mainly through photos - I'll do a bit of a catch-up....would you believe my last post was FNWF way back in November! 
During November our local "Handmade Market" was attended.....

My Tuesday night embroidery group finished off the year with a Xmas dinner at a local Thai restaurant....... 

A Xmas shopping trip to Canberra saw me make a "slight" detour to Hobbysew - quilting thread for Nature's Journey quilt and just a couple of little extras...love the 30's Playtime!

Xmas stitching was started...... only a sneek peek at one though!

Some decision making on a few other gifts currently being worked on......

My sewing room which has been a "work in progress" for some time and has been mentioned in earlier posts has now gone from this.... when all my crafting supplies were gathered up from various "hidey holes" around the house to one spot....

to this....... amazing what you can do when you are in the "mood" to tidy up! 

Meanwhile a couple of books were read...... I'm sure most of us are familiar with the first one...and I also enjoyed the movie....

 ...the 2nd book was interesting - followed the lives of a (fictional) family settling in Sydney in mid 1880's - was written in 1929.

By early December it was time to post Megan's Xmas box if it was to get to France in time!

....meanwhile Les Gets (in the French Alps) had its first snow fall for the season and Megan's home for the next 6 months went from this.....

to this......

My Xmas this year will be spent at my sister's in Bundanoon... it will be the first one ever (!) not shared with Hayley (now living in Queensland and one when she was living in Canada) and Megan so... the house is a little quiet with them not coming home this year...BUT this was no reason not to decorate so here are some of my "special"decorations 

Santa collection - 39 of them!

A smaller angel collection

And my candle mat ........

also a slightly smaller tree than usual...... but it brings the spirit of Xmas to the home! 

So now I should be up to date!! 

The next week or so I will be busy finishing Xmas gifts but will be back soon to show you what I have been up to...... 

Till then

Happy Stitching

Asta