Catching up on the news....

“Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?“

― Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh certainly had it right!  I have been meaning to write a post for the last couple of weeks, but that is as far as I have gotten... thoughts have not gone any further than my little pea sized brain and they certainly haven't appeared on paper - virtual or otherwise!

This month I have missed both the TUSAL and IHWS again... that is becoming a bit of habit, isn't it?  But I did remember to take a photo of my poor old ratty threads though.  

TUSAL Oct 2013 - ORT's and Birthday Cards

This month's New Moon happened to fall on my birthday so I decided to take the photo with some of my lovely cards.  Also in the photo is our Dubai camel - more on him later!

Not too many ORT's have gone into the pot recently as the only stitching I have done over the last month or so is my Halloween piece for the MS Lovers Exchange.  Stitching mojo and blogging mojo appear to have both gone on holiday together!!!  The Halloween piece has now arrived at its destination in Germany so I will do a post shortly to show you what I stitched.  That will make a nice change to see a stitching finish from me!!

Speaking of holidays, Hubby and I have been away and are now back after a lovely 2 weeks in London and Paris.  We have been back three (3) weeks now, and I am only just now starting to get my head around what I need to do both at home and work.  For some reason it has been a real struggle to get back on track after our holiday this time around!  We had a wonderful time while we were away and like all holidays it wasn't long enough!

The only sad part of our holiday was that while we were in London my Nana (Mum's mum) passed away.

RIP Nana
26 May 1916 - 25 September 2013

I have fond memories of all the holidays when we used to go and stay at Nana and Pops' house in Adelaide when we were kids.  I remember watching Dr Who for the first time at Nana's house and being so scared by something on the TV that I hid behind the couch!  Nana was always making us laugh... the "fun" we used to have collecting eggs in the chook house... fun - oh yeah, being chased by the chooks, who said that was fun!!  I last saw Nana in 2010 when Hubby and I went over to Sorrento in Victoria for a visit.  Unfortunately she had Alzhiemer's so she didn't really know who I was... but every now and then during the few hours I was with her that day she would remember something that made us both laugh!  That is how I remember my Nana, happy and laughing!

Nana and I - Queenscliff, Victoria, 2010

I will hopefully get around to organising our holiday photo's over the next few days and then I will do a post or two to tell you about our lovely trip away. But for now I will leave you with a photo of someone very famous that I just had to go and see while I was in London....

Paddington Bear at Paddington Station
September 2013

Not the best photo of me... but then again cameras and I don't tend to get on too well!! Isn't Paddington Bear just the cutest thing.  We arrived in London from Heathrow Airport by train into Paddington Station but unfortunately I didn't get the chance to take a photo then, so we went back on our first day of sightseeing just so that I could get to see him!!  I know I am silly, but I just love Paddington Bear!

Well, that's it for now.  I will be back shortly with a bit of stitching update and also to show you some of the pics from our holiday.

Til next time, happy stitching everyone, see you again soon!

New Moons - 2013

3 November
3 December

It's a sad day....

My last post was part of a wonderful world wide blogging event for a very special lady, however today while my post is for the same lady, it is a whole lot sadder than my last post.

I received an email this morning from a lady called Katie.

Katie is a friend of Cathey's (Pumpkin) and she wrote to let me know that she had posted an update on her blog about Cathey.

Cathey passed away yesterday, and while I didn't "know" Cathey in person, I "knew" her from following her blog over the last couple of years and it does make me very sad to know that Cathey is no longer with us, but she is now without pain. Although, her loved ones that are left behind will feel the pain of not having her around in their lives for a very long time to come.

My heart goes out to Cathey's husband and baby boy, and to her family and friends. A new Angel is now in Heaven and she will be looking down on her loved ones from up above and keeping them safe.

Thank you Cathey for the wonderful posts and laughs, and even the tears, over the last couple of years. You were, and continue to be, an inspiration to us and your fighting spirit was amazing.

Hug and cherish those that are close to you, and remember those that are no longer with us.

(Web image)

 

Posted with Blogsy

Pumpkins for Cathey

Image courtesy ABKL Designs

Pumpkins for Cathey M aka Pumpkin of Pumpkin Patch & Co

Welcome to this great idea, and wonderful surprise blog event, organised by Sharon (aka Daffycat of It's Daffycat).  As many of you know, Cathey (Pumpkin) is battling cancer and our support and participation in this event is a way to show Cathey that her blogging community is there for her and her family...  

Cathey's blogoversary is today, 27 September 2013, and by posting "Pumpkins for Cathey" this is a way that we, the blogging community, are showing our support and love for Cathey.

Cathey, I hope that seeing all these pumpkins pop up in your blog reader today gives you a much needed lift and smile, and makes your day that little bit brighter.

If you pop over to Daffycat's blog you will be able to see a list of all the bloggers that have joined in this world wide secret event.  And don't forget to pop over and visit Cathey as well and say hi and Happy Blogoversary!  And who says I can't keep a secret! :o)

Lots of prayers and hugs,

Image courtesy ABKL Designs

Spring is in the air.. or is it?

Our back garden - over run by the Nasturtiums!
Oops.. there is a shadow of me taking the photo...

Here's the latest weather report... Spring has sprung down under... apparently... the flowers and bees tell me it is so, but the sun is still playing hide and seek!  We have had lots of lovely rain since September began but it has stayed cold and the sun only shines every now and then!  But I am not complaining about the rain, as we desperately need the rain to make sure the dams are full and we have water for Summer!

My TUSAL photo for September was taken in the garden amongst the Lavender.  I love my Lavender plants, as do the bees!

TUSAL September 2013

Of course as per usual I am late in uploading a TUSAL pic... This month the ORT's are mostly purple and orange and some sparkles as I have been stitching on my exchange piece for the MS Lovers Halloween Exchange.  Pics to come once it arrives at its destination.  It has been fun stitching the Halloween piece... think I might just have to stitch some more Halloween designs - there is something about the purple, orange and black colours that so speak to me!!

If you are interested in keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2013 TUSAL pop on over to Daffycat's blog and join in the fun. The next new moon is on 5 October (oooh, that's my birthday too) - let's see how many more ORT's drop into the jar between now and then.

That's it for this very short and sweet post.  I have been thinking about my stitching goals for next year already and one thing that I noticed this year is that I haven't stitched anything like the same number of things as I have stitched in the previous couple of years - so I am going to have to think of a cunning plan to rectify that for 2014!

Now for some cuteness overload just to keep you smiling....

Mitzi & Oscar
curled up together in the craft room (my chair of course)
or is it their chair?!?

Oscar & Felix
There are 3 of these baskets side by side... but Felix likes to
curl up with Oscar in the same one!

Til next time, happy stitching everyone, see you again soon!

New Moons - 2013

5 October
3 November
3 December

Oops, I've done it again!!

How on earth did this happen? Last month I missed two very important blogging dates in my calendar... And this month I did exactly the same thing. I am beginning to see a pattern emerging - a pattern that I don't like!!

Yes, I did it again!! Completely forgot to visit Joyce's blog and sign up for IHSW. I didn't get much stitching in any way last weekend as we were out most of Saturday at the 3 in 1 Antiques, Vintage, Craft fair, and Sunday was spent playing catchup with the washing and general weekend stuff. I think in the end I managed about 2 hours of stitching all up!!

Now if you are a bit more organised than me and you want to sign up next month for the IHSW, or if you want to go a visit some other great blogs and see what others have been stitching over the IHSW, pop over to Joyce's blog and say hello.

You have probably also realised by now that I have also forgotten to show you my ORT's for August.  I think I used the cute kitchen chicken last year for a TUSAL pic.... just goes to show how boring my pics are!!

August 2013 TUSAL

If you are interested in keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2013 TUSAL pop on over to Daffycat's blog and join in the fun. The next new moon is on 5 September so let's see how many more ORT's drop into the jar between now and then. And fingers crossed I will be on time for a change!

And another thing you have probably also noticed I have been very slack over the last month and not showed you any stitching pics!  Stitching this month has been all about my latest Chatelaine and nothing else! 

I started this one after finishing the sheep for the last Margaret Sherry exchange but I haven't been taking any WIP photos.  So here you go!

Chatelaine - Mini Mandala "B"

All the cross stitches are done and now I am starting on the metallic, not that you can see them in the photo. This lovely mandala is going to now go away for a couple of weeks while I start sorting out the next exchange piece for the MS Lovers Blog Halloween Exchange.

So that's it for a quick on the fly post... I really must try and get myself organised again so that I can get back to normal blogging - both writing and reading.  I am so far behind on my blog reading as well, and my emails... so I must apologise for not being up on everyone's news and for not responding to all your emails! Things have been very topsy turvy around here lately but we are starting to get ourselves back on track again.

Til next time, happy stitching everyone, see you again soon!

New Moons - 2013

5 September
5 October
3 November
3 December