Calf Club And School Holidays And A Little Needlework!

OK, so the school holidays are now upon us  way down south of the equator. It is supposed to be spring but I think it has sprung off somewhere else! It feels like it has been either, windy, rainy or cloudy for several weeks now. No big highs in sight to bring us some brighter sunny days. Oh dear! I hope that is not going to last all holidays!

 

The girls finished up school on Friday and we had the annual calf club day on Saturday. Thank goodness that is all over for another year. It is a major fundraiser for the school. The kids have to prepare quite a few items for the day, among them, painted rocks, vaseline saucer's with petal display, miniature gardens, decorated cup & saucer, decorated CD and a floral table display. They also have to do a project or animal rearing for practically all of the third term. Here's a snippet of their achievements.....

 

Jazmin chose to do a garden project again this year. She is in the junior school year 2. Not a winner this time but there was much more competition this year. There were so many lambs for judging last year that I think people elected to do something else.

 

 

Tigerlily chose to raise a chicken this year. She is in senior school or intermediate year 7. Athena won a 'highly commended' or 4th place ribbon and Tigerlily won a '1st' rosette for her chicken diary which is the project that accompanies the chicken. Go girl!

 

 And now for my proud mother momment! Tigerlily and all the seniors painted a corrugated iron picture to sell at calf club or to parents first of course. Isn't it fabulous. The bird is a Saddleback and the flowers are Kowhai. Both are native to New Zealand.  The green 'koru' along the left side are a national symbol and represent an unfurling fern frond.

 

I did manage to get some needlework achieved during the week. I am stretched across projects so is not quick going and I didn't manage to work on the Essamplaire casket at all.

 

The back stitch and cross stitch are comming along on the Mermaid Treasures mirror frame. You can now see the cloud, wind & sun up the top and the face and torso of the mermaids with one still bald. I am getting there!

Mermaid Treasures (Amy Mitten)

 

The Needleworker's Pocket book received a little attention while I watched the girls at swimming lessons on Friday. I got the eyelet stitch done on the edge of the flap. Need to backstitch around this now and start on the next bit.

 

 

Needleworker's Pocketbook (Amy Mitten)

 

I made a ridiculously small start on the May Your Hands. I am not sure that I can cope with the roller frame and might have to whip it out to stitch in hand for the cross stitch and maybe put it back in for the satin stitch. It is just so awkward! There are numerous pieces to do the sawtooth border around.

May Your Hands and Shady Bower (Thistle Threads)

 

I did achieve my  stitching goal for the foral glove. I am up to date with lesson #1.  Yeah!

Floral Glove (Thistle Threads)

 

I wonder what I will manage this week stitching wise with the kids being off school. Today was cleaning, tomorrow is food shop and Wed/Thurs/Fri off down to Rotorua/Tauranga to see my parents and take the girls on a tiki tour. Looking like I should aim ...... not too high! :P My mum is a stitcher too and there are always the evenings and I won't have to cook for a couple of days at least.

 

Happy stitching to anyone out there reading my ramblings.