Mixed December Bag

 It's a showery old day here this morning in my little corner of the world. I'll take that after the early ramp up of Summer storms of late.

Yesterday was a little emotional as I oversaw the last day of my Father's in laws house clear out. Wandering through my late husbands childhood home....one where I had spent so much time in as well, since I was sixteen years old, bare and empty is hard to put into words. So many memories. We even had a little gathering here for our engagement. Found these treasures so please excuse my indulgence. 

It's a difficult process as you cannot absorb another's lifetime into yours even when you keep treasures and memories. My in laws on their wedding day.

This is my husband as a child....such a cutie.

I was cheered up by their wonderful neighbour and dear friend with one of her delicious Christmas puddings to share with my family.

This week I also gathered with my stitching friends for a Christmas lunch. It was lovely....Beer battered fish and chips and salad for me....any chance I get lol! We have been dear friends and gotten together on a fortnightly basis for nearly 40 years. So much shared and celebrated between us.

Each other's company is now our Christmas gift to each other but some sneak a little treat in just the same......sweet gingerbread from Leanne.

Gorgeous white Christmas bird from Bev. Anyone would think she knows me well lol!

This beautiful ceramic coaster with my initial from Jackie.

And we all have a lotto entry from Moira...fingers are crossed lol!

How very cute is this Frosty Christmas trim from Lorel. Lots of beautiful cards were also exchanged. 

I have added a little more Christmas here and there....so I'm proud of myself.

My Handmade Decorations tree has become two now. They are so special and I enjoyed remembering where and whom they all are from.

Such lovely treasures from lovely stitchy friends! I also added a little Christmas to my living room coffee table.

I am still deciding on my dining room table as I still have to box up some items from the FILs that are languishing there.

Whilst at lunch my friend Lorel whipped out this treasure that was her Grandmothers to see if I could use it for my slow stitching....of course I hated it and definitely couldn't use it....sigh*

I mean seriously how gorgeous is it! Thankfully there is some damage so I can cut it with good cconscience. WE definitely have a date in the future. 

My stitching has been working on my Treasures quilt....very nearly there. So nothing really to show. 

Righto....coffee and maybe a little gingerbread man awaits.

Be good to one another.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

And Just Like That it's December

 December has certainly snuck up on me this year. Last year my December Frosty didn't see the light of day....so it was only fair to give him an outing.

My seasonal decorating has been quite small.

I really enjoyed making little ornaments featuring the lovely Tilda range.

I have made them my Christmas feature along with the others I showed on a previous post as well as my slow stitched Angel.

I have added a couple of my favourite Heartwood Creek Santa's to add to the festive feeling.

I am planning on putting up my Handmade Decorations tree shortly.

I was recently at my friend Sandra's home for lunch and she had these sweet twinkly little arrangements....so pretty!

Don't you love the professionalism of the phone in the mirror in the first pic lol....oh dear!

We also had gorgeous Gerry for company too. He is such an adorable boy.

Thankfully it's been a little cooler this past week so I got some more stitching done on the last prompts for Roxy's Journal of Stitchery. They were random stitching and filling in the gaps. I am seriously addicted to seed stitch!

Still a bit more to do and then backing and quilting decisions to make. Next year's project has been announced and it's six booklets inspired by six of your favourite books....RIGHT up my alley much! Really looking forward to it. It will be so hard to decide....so many candidates. They can be fiction, children's, art books....sheesh! Watch this space!

Art wise....all my Galahs have made an appearance now and I can get to the fence and details. 

Some little glimmers.....

My lemon Clivia has decided to grace me with some blooms....she's a bit of a Diva and does not flower every year....no clue why?

Two of my Grandies....siblings....both received academic awards at school. Very proud of them both!

And a 'just because ' gift from my Daughter....the final book in a trilogy I have loved....saving it to read over the Christmas break!

Hope you've all been well and thank you for all your lovely comments. Appreciate them all.

I'll leave you with this absolutely silly meme but as I am sure that my marbles have been misplaced...it made me giggle and I will take that when it comes.

Take care,

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

 Hello! I had hoped to be here earlier but I was incommunicado due to not having phone or internet for 2 days. After the initial gasp I just settled in with some stitching, old fashioned CD playing and reading. It was actually quite nice.

On Sunday before my enforced Telecommunications issue I popped along to Sunday Stitchers. We were a small group but lovely just the same. You just have to be ready to smile when Helen has the camera out lol!

I worked on my framed hexie quilt and got a few more made for the pile.

I now have the width I want and just need to add the length.

I completed the Nature prompt for Roxy's Journal of Stitchery Vol 8.

I have wanted to try my hand at a slow stitched Angel this year. My efforts.....

I used the pretty Tilda Christmas range. I really enjoyed playing with these.

When I recently spent time with the lovely Robinson's, they took me to a spot to get some great reference photos of some old post and rail fences for my art.

So this one is inspiration for a new drawing. The sketch took me ages and is now on the "good" paper and has the first underlayers down. I have added in some galahs as we saw some around the area later that week.

Hope you can get the idea as it's still very light. But I am excited to get going on it.

It will be a special reminder of a lovely week with kind and special friends who indulged my peculiar fetish for old fence posts x

I received this photo from my cousin this week. My Aunt with her Gardenia drawing I did for her 90th proudly hung on her wall....giving something from your heart I am sure does as much for you as the recipient. 

My youngest Granddaughter introduced me a while ago to sushi. So we have been diligently trying to learn to use chopsticks. She is much more proficient than I am. This week she bought me a gift.....

They are practice chopsticks to help you learn to use them...usually for children....hahaha!

Bless her....hope it helps me!

This morning lying in my bed, a lovely scent wafted through my bedroom windows....mmmm!

The "Frangies " are out in flower.....this will always be the scent of Queensland summers for me.

I wish you a lovely day.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

Summer Has Arrived

 My goodness! November already.....this year for me has just flown by! Thank you for all your lovely comments after my last post.

I thought I would start by sharing some lovely treasures I have recently inherited from my late in laws. I have always loved the white Fentonware and just love these two pieces. Gifted from my husbands Grandfather. 

There were so many vintage linens we discovered that I didn't know where to begin. I have kept some that could be used and shared with slow stitching friends. One's that could be chopped up because of damage. But some too beautiful to not keep in tact. 

These are the work of Hubby's Grandmother and have never been used.

I also discovered a wooden box that I had embroidered the covered insert on for MIL.

Once again never used. So it's returned home to me. It's that left over feeling of scarceness and saving things for "good " I guess.

Last weekend I had the loveliest day. My dear Auntie (in fact my favourite Auntie) was celebrating turning 90. She's a gorgeous woman. We gathered for lunch at her favourite girlhood Gold Coast beach. She adores the surf and let me tell you went in several times!

I caught up with her sons, my cousins and their families and it was such fun. Tales were told amongst loads of laughter.

My Son drove me (seated next to my Aunt) and shared the day with me.....

So Happy 90th Aunty Dawn xxx

I am not a fan of Halloween but two of my Grandies are and had asked me a while ago to make a runner to show off their collection of spooky stuff.....

I went over to keep them company whilst their Mum went out.....we watched spooky movies and even enjoyed spooky donuts lol!

I did think DD spooky little pumpkins and ghost she crocheted were rather cute!

So all in all a fun night with them.

I am still working away on my Roxy's Journal of Stitchery project but have also started a little Christmas stitching.....really didn't want anything remotely to do with it last year but after dear friend Fiona gifted me some gorgeous Tilda Christmas range for my birthday I found them to gorgeous to resist!

I love all the tropical flowers in our Summer. Recently I snapped this gorgeous Hibiscus at my friend Leannes home. The colour......so pretty!

Ok folks that's it from me....a little funny to finish....enjoy your weekend. 

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx