I'm late, I'm late for a very important WIPocalypse update...

The full moon has come and gone before I have even posted my third WIPocalypse update. Slack, I know, but I have been fighting for time at the laptop.  We have just had a Long Weekend in Tasmania which means that with everyone at home I have to wrestle the computer from the laptop hoggers to even check my emails.

Progress has been mediocre on the Marjolein Bastin design...

and the attic room in The Christmas House...

I am working out the colours for the Christmas House myself using DMC threads. I think I will have to lighten the darkest green in the dress.

Happy Jan here! I have won my first blog award. Thanks Ally from Everyday Miracles. Check out Ally's talented photography skills.

Some background: Liebster is a German word, meaning favourite, dearest or beloved and the Liebster is awarded by bloggers to other, newer bloggers, who have fewer than 200 followers, to spread the word and help the new(er)bies gain wider recognition. The award comes with four conditions that each recipient must satisfy when accepting:

1. Choose five up-and-coming blogs (with fewer than 200 followers) to award the Liebster to.
2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites. Leave comments on their blogs so they know about the award.
4. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you.

My five blogs I bestow the Liebster award are:
1. Sarah from If Only I had Chocolate
2. Kaye from Kitten Stitching
3. Krista from Just Stitching Along
4. Linda from Stitchin' with my Furbabies
5. Melissa from Melissa's Stitching Room

5 random facts about myself:

1. I have a very good memory so don't tell me a story if you don't want me to remember it. One of my first memories is seeing my baby sister, Leanne, for the first time behind the glass at the maternity hospital. I was only 20 months old.
2. I don't like ice cream very much (or lollies) but a.d.o.r.e chocolate
3. I have learnt  Highland and Irish dancing
4. I don't like my hands getting dirty but pardoxically love gardening (hence, I wear gloves)
5. I am a great navigator. I have an internal GPS. Who says women can't read maps?

Thanks for making daisy chains in my garden...

                                                                     Jan x

Vessel of Madness...LOL

I am a bit late starting my Vessel of Madness for Theme-a-licious this March. I have been sewing and stitching for a school fete's craft stall instead. Well tonight is the time for ....................................the Vessel of Madness!!!

 I plunged my hand in and pulled out.....

...so it looks like I'm stitching on my Marjolein Bastin design again.  I'll plunge my hand in tomorrow night and pick another project to stitch.

Toddler Tom's grandmother, Mim (or Mimmy as he likes to call her) cross stitched him his own special blankie. Isn't this the cutest thing? I love it with the red gingham backing.  It is a preprinted design.  She chose all her own colours. If you knew my mum you would know what a stress that was. She did so well! Tom's favourite pictures on it are the raindrops which fall on the umbrella ("rain rain"). Who would have thought such a tiny detail would be the first picture he notices?

Thanks for sitting in my garden,
                                                  Jan x

Theme-a-licious Fangirl February...

The Summer is officially over here in the Land Downunder. This means that Fangirl February in the fun Theme-a-licious year long project is over. Did I achieve what I set out to do? Well not quite.
I managed a little time on my HAED (Marta Dahlig's Love)...the black has nearly been all filled in on this first page.

The bottom border of the MB design has progressed this week and is nearly a third of the way across.



I didn't make any start on The Prairie Schooler sampler at all :(  I am sewing and stitching for a school fete so that has taken up some of my "me" time. There's always March Madness I hear you say!

Next up in Theme-a-licious is March Madness!!!
Stitch or knit on something different every day...it's madness...of the funnest possible kind.

I might do what Heather  suggests and do the Vessel of Madness.  So stay tuned....

I know there are quite a few cat lovers out there so I'll leave some photos of Bob with Tom's toys.

The lego just wouldn't be comfortable to sleep on now would it?

Thanks for picking flowers in my garden...
                                                                     Jan x

Harvest time...

Ally's post got me inspired to share my veggie garden produce from today. It is my first time for growing tomatoes and I am blown away by the quantity. They taste sensational if I don't mind saying so myself. As ally did, I will serve these tomatoes with basil for a side dish with tonight's dinner.
A close friend and I are going to cook up her recipe for tomato sauce sometime soon. It is the best sauce I have tasted ever! My friend has no kitchen at present and I have no recipe so together we'll cook up a storm! I promise to share the recipe if my friend allows.

The weekend saw little time to make progress with my stitching so no stitching photos sorry. It was Toddler Tom's second birthday! He was pretty happy with how the day went.

Children's birthdays aren't only the the children, but for their Mummy's as well. It is a time to reflect on the journey of that child's life and how far they have come.

From this....

(and yes that is bubble wrap to keep him warm)

To this...

How lucky I am...

Thanks for stopping by my garden and planting seeds....

                                                                               Jan x

Bird making...

Crafting for a fair is something I enjoy. This afternoon I have whipped up some little birdie ornaments to go on the school craft stall. They are fussy cut from Spotlight fabric. Easy peasy.

The last few days has seen more progress on the Marjolein Bastin cross stitch design along the lower border of the Winter section. Click here to see my progress this week. Soon I will be stitching pumpkins.

I forgot to post my TUSAL...here tis. I think the jar is looking quite healthy and very pretty. Who knew that the ends of threads could make such a lovely collection.

It's two years since...

Dates, anniversaries, birthdays have always stuck in my mind.  I am constantly counting back and remembering significant events.  Maybe it can be seen as being sentimental. At other times I think it might be an obsession. Are there others out there obsessive with remembering dates?

Two years ago I was 29 weeks pregnant with my third child. I remember the sinking feeling when my blood pressure began rising and my mind not thinking as clearly. Yes, pre-eclampsia had struck me a third time. What are the chances of that happening? It left me wondering where this pregnancy was going and how quickly.  In only three days my tiny Tom Thumb would be born and it was such a rude shock. To suddenly not be pregnant. To not feel his kicks inside me.

I am so grateful I had a happy ending. A blonde, bubbly boy so full of character. Our little clown. 

Mummy loves you Tom so very much.

Yummy macaroons...

The recent popularity of the TV show, Masterchef have brought macaroons into vogue in Australia. I knew instantly the moment I opened the Sweet Treats book that I just had to stitch the macaroons.  Not only that I knew I had to taste real macaroons.  I am ashamed to say I had never tried one. These macaroons baked at local cake shop, Sweet Envy were too good to pass up. What's more I could match the macaroons to my cross stitch threads. Stitching from the Sweet Treats book has been a great way to satisfy my sweet tooth.



The macaroons were the only stitching I achieved on the IHSW (International Hermit & Stitch weekend). It was a busy weekend with Toddler Tom's 2nd birthday party, visitors and a highland dancing competition.

Theme-a-licious update and a local history snippet...

This summery month has seen me stitch according to the theme-a-licious  Fangirl February theme. Of course Marjolein Bastin is a favourite of mine so it has been the project with the most obvious amount to share with you. I am excited to announce I have started the lower border! You can see my progress from my previous update here.

I have done a little more on my HAED project ("Love" by Marta Dahlig) but not enough of a difference to warrant taking a photo. I have to confess I haven't started The Prairie Schooler Halloween sampler yet. Hopefully I will have something to show on those two projects at the next update.

Having the older two children back at school, Tom and I enjoyed a walk around the oldest suburb of Hobart, Battery Point, this morning. As I couldn't get Tom off this swing without tears and back arching, I soaked up the place I was in - Arthur's Circus. Can you see the circular street surrounding this green with quaint cottages (circa 1850s) lining the street.  How I dream to own a cottage here one day!

Sssshhh...don't tell anyone but the house with the red roof in the centre of the lowest photo is haunted according to local legend. 

Secret Stitching Sweetheart found!

What great vibes came from Secret Stitching Sweetheart game. Thanks Jo for organising and creating it!

The picture of my stitching was published by Nicola from Stitching by the Cornish Sea.

Here is what I made for the challenge.  Two pin cushions.  The patterns are found here and here. I desperately need a new pin cushion so now I have two!

The gorgeous tag was made by Heather from It's Geek to Me.  She explained how she did the pretty stitch in the comments section of the previous post.

Thank you for your beautiful comments.  I am having trouble replying to emails at the moment so please accept this as my thank you...

                Jan x

Secret Stitching Sweetheart...

Are you my Secret Stitching Sweetheart?????  Is this your stitching featured here????? If so, I am waiting for you...

Isn't this tag cute? I don't know the identity of the stitcher of this tag yet. What delicate stitching and beautiful threads it is stitched in! I would love to know what the stitch is called.  If you are my Secret Stitching Sweetheart that will be one question for you.

Happy Valentine's Day all!  I am busy hunting for my Secret Stitching Sweetheart.  I stitched special items especially for this special blog post.  Look out for this and this. I will reveal my projects once I find my which blog they are featured on.

My DH and I acknowledge Valentine's Day to each other but that's it...just a kiss alone. A kiss is enough for me. It's a symbol of our past, present and future. 

In Australia we usually only give Valentine's Day treats to our partners and not to our children. I changed it up this year and popped a paper heart with a message in Mary's lunch box. I treated my Jack to a special smile as he caught me looking proudly across at him.  I gave Tom the biggest sleepy cuddle as I carried him to his cot. 

Mary, Jack and Tom you keep me centred. You give me purpose. You make my life worth waking up for. You make me smile.  I hope they know the pride I have in them. I believe this photo oozes my Mummy love.
 
Thank you dear readers for your visits and beautiful messages...

                          Jan x