What's A Girl To Do On A Cold Winter Holiday

The short break is over, the sun shone but it sure was cold and still is. That southerly wind chill sure is mean and makes for sitting in cafes in Tauranga who all had the doors open and NO heaters, rather a cold affair. I don't really get that, not an outdoor or indoor heater in sight!!!

But we had fun none-the-less and what's a girl to do on a round trip when things are chilly, head indoors of course at every patchwork shop you pass!!! All that excitement generates it's own heat!

Hubby decided to go through Gordonton and through Cambridge to Tirau which was the first destination. I course I let him sort the navigational plan and then quietly suggested that...since we are going this way....he walked right into it LOL

So Grandmother's Garden was my first quilty related stop off....youngest daughter in full support of the decision....

Then it was on to Tirau for lunch and a most definitely planned visit to my favourite homeware shop Notting Hill Interiors. I found a couple of trinkets most suitable to sit in my studio. The birdie paper weight will be great for holding down the edge of projects worked at my desk and....

....this sweet little jewellery holder  has been repurposed as my applique pin dish

Kiddies and their father went off to the sweet shop and came back loaded with stuff to satisfy their sweet tooths, we were all happy.

Then it was off over the Kaimai's to Mount Maunganui. The sky was clear and blue. The surf was not up to much on the main beach though so no easterlies passing through there of late but there was of course plenty of activity along the boardwalk.

This was the sunny view from our apartment at the Oceanside Resort the whole time we were there.

But of course that didn't stop the entire family spending the early parts of the next morning on iphones and ipads and ignoring the view....

Of course....what was I taking the photo with!!! 

We spent a cool couple of days visiting parents and eating way too much but it was nice to get away for a change of scene even if you did have to rug up big time.

My parents live in Rotorua and so I of course I could not resist the opportunity to check out the new and improved Cottage Flair while visiting them for lunch. Jill's new shop is lovely and my Mum is a regular customer, lucky her. Couldn't walk out empty handed of course....the family went off to occupy themselves at the local ice cream parlour and were gone a suspiciously long time....I know this because I didn't have anyone come back telling me to hurry up....when they did turn up just as I was ready....turns out hubby took them all on a short scenic helicopter ride and they loved it. Again, all were happy.

On the way back to Auckland we took the scenic route up through KatiKati and Waihi. And, you guessed it, Cushla's Waihi is on the way. Hubby and eldest uninterested daughter parked up on the kerb outside the shop next to the very ironically located telephone booth where there is a Telecom Wifi hotspot so they were sorted and the youngest and I went for a gander inside. Again I was tempted and I did find a great Yoko Saito book called Strolling Along Paths of Green that has the best pictures and instructions for her techniques that I have seen. Score.

Heading North again we stopped off for a planned lunch at Karangahake Gorge at a place we have visited often the Ohinemuri Winery. We always share the platter and the kids love it. Once again it did not disappoint.

Back home today chilling and laying low away from the chilly outdoors before school starts again tomorrow.

I did get a few stitches into my Patchwork of the Crosses while I was away but not as much as I planned. Still it is all progress.

Before we left for holiday on Wednesday I did manage to get this far with my four Mountmellick borders....loving the look so far

I found a brochure while we were away....something to look forward too....not long now....

Rae

Where Bloggers Create....My Creative Paradise....

I have just seen the most gorgeous studio, filled with creative ephemera on one of the blogs I visit. Oh my, I love, love, love seeing other creative spaces where amazing talent brings  beautiful objects to life and vintage objects abound. Where the parts of a stash become a whole and beautiful creation displayed side by side with the aged patina of pre-loved treasures. What an inspiration! And what do you know....it's a party....can I come....yes I can....I just need to share my creative space to join the party....

This is the link to the party facilitator Karen over on My Desert Cottage and this is where I saw my first ephemeral eye candy of the party over with Vicki at 2 Bags Full

Now for my 'space sharing' so I can link to all the party fun....

My name is Raewyn and I adore having a space that I can call my own, my own little bolthole within my home, an oasis of calm where the stash is housed and the creative passion can stir without having to put everything away all the time, but, it's not big enough!!!

This is my beloved stitching chair, my night time hangout with my needles and thread....

The pieces of the stash on the journey to evolving as one object of beauty....

Surrounded by vintage and handmade treasures whilst I relax in my Queenly stitching throne of an evening....

My studio is a room just off the front porch in what used to be the church minister's office, we live in a converted church in semi rural New Zealand....

My stash is ever growing but feels teeny tiny compared to some creative spaces I am seeing on this party....what I am also seeing on this party is that I need to have a tidy up....feeling guilty....yes!

Now this stash needs to be stashed....but it's SO pretty that I just want to look at the cool threads all the time....

Plans are underway for stashing this stash more attractively, I am repurposing a large mirrored jewellery box and it is ordered....I am eliminating plastic storage from my crafting space, there is something about storing beautiful natural fibres and threads in petroleumn based plastic that is so not right in my world and likely the planet!!! It is a slow process of finding gorgeous & often vintage storage possibilities that will fit the bill....

I love my ORT jar,  I only started this a few months ago!

I have a small space off my studio set up for designing....

I have so much stash now and so many projects on the go that my Creative Paradise needs a bigger footprint. I want to move out here and include some of the balcony in my studio....

....but my DIY hubby is too busy renovation more important parts of this....

So I will carry on feeling most gracious about the paradise that I have and enjoying the visual eye candy of this party....off to link up....and to stop by some more blogs. Thanks for stopping by if you come visit me.

Rae 

Holiday Repository

We are going for a small family holiday at the end of this week. It's winter and the weather is not the best. In fact it has been windy for the last week, as in blowing a gail, and now it's raining. I am pleased I didn't book for this week just gone as it certainly has not been school holiday conducive weather.

But there was last night for the first time in over a week, a sunny logo on the weather map on TV at about Tuesday. Dare I hope, we are leaving Thursday for two nights in Mount Mauganui staying in an apartment overlooking the ocean, please be sunny!!!!

In anticipation of being away from my regular well lit and magnified stitching spaces I have been prepping some quilting bits and bobs for some easy hand piecing. The 'holiday repository' is starting to get well stocked!

 Glue basting some more honeycomb hexies for my Patchwork of the Crosses. 

This block's gonna look like this....

I have pulled three more sets of colourways for the next three blocks....better get cutting....that's 72 honeycomb hexies including the background ones to cut, baste and stitch....might be piecing these still next holidays....

Reproduction fabrics, they sure are top of my favourites list! There is just something about the 17th - 19th centuries that has a hold of me!!!

Finally I gathered the energy to start proceedings on part III of Di's mystery. Been pottering away getting bits done on Mountmellick for the past week or so. Part IV has come out this week but if the magazine takes as long to arrive this time as last time, I have got a bit of time up my sleeve. The next instalment is nowhere as involved and time consuming as part III.

Hexies are basted, all 84 of them, leaves are cut, all 56 of them, along with the four corner pieces....

The four border strips and cut and the bias stems pinned on....I still have to cut heaps and heaps of broderie perse out of that already holey piece of chintz! Later!!!!

First stitching completed on the borders....the stems are on....leaves next....then the hexies....then the broderie perse....ways to go yet!

Hexie's waiting in the wings for assembly into flowers....

Amazing how much I have managed to achieve this week actually, stink weather outside does help a lot.

I also managed to get in some fancy stitching. I still haven't completed the Winter Casket Keepsakes as I have to make a finger loop braid and I haven't done it before. It requires all your fingers and zero interuptions....not something that is likely to happen while school is on a break so it will remain waiting for this last task. So in the meantime I picked up the Spring Casket Keepsakes and completed all the tent stitch and back stitch for the calyx pieces. Just some french knots to do for the stamens and then onto the needle lace petals and there are lots of them!!!

A tiny tiny amount of background stitches in Soie Ovale went into the Mirror this week but every bit counts as you know.

I picked up some goodies for the Yoko classes when I passed by Patchwork Passion this week on the way to visit my sister. I just adore the muted shades of the Japanese fabrics.

 The ladies did explain to me further why the classes are on the expensive side. Firstly she normally teaches to classes of 150 and the classes will be much much smaller here for more one on one as is the Kiwi desire, she also has an interpreter and gosh darn...morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are all included.

Whats not to look forward too :-)

I hope my blogging friends who live further up the island in Northland are all ok. It's been much windier and wetter up there by all accounts. Won't we all be glad when this weather system leaves us for good!!!!

Still it could be worse....you could have been out there in a kayak trying to be the first to cross the Tasman solo and alive in the dead of winter as your claim to fame....that man should take up a more rewarding hobby like quilting.

Rae 

The Pure Joy Of Stitching

My sweet little daughter Jaz, who is a half a year away from turning 8 years old wanted to learn how to knit today. So off we went off to the local craft store to purchase some kid friendly needles, in pink, of course, with smiley faces on the ends. It always helps to have just the right equipment!

So then it was into Mum's stash where some cool purple wool was located. Not wanting to freak her out at the first hurdle, Mum cast the first stitches on and did the first row just to loosen things up a bit and we were away....

Now she's left handed and so I started thinking just how the heck am I going to do this and I have to admit I couldn't get my head around it so I said to her that I will just show you how I do it. It wasn't a problem. I think 'lefties' by default just  learn to be somewhat ambidextrous just because most everything is made or setup for 'righties'....like the computer mouse for instance and she's cool with that.

Her very first row of knitting ever was started....

Trucking along....through the loop beside the needle, under and around, through the loop and over the needle....

Success....her first ever row of knitting completed....The Pure Joy Of Stitching....passes to another generation....check it out Grandma!!!

I hope it becomes a life long passion!

Rae