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

WIPocalypse time...

My kids were suitably loopy yesterday. A sure sign it was a full moon. A full moon I say? Yes, time for ....drum roll....the WIPocalypse update number 2!!! You can compare my progress with the last WIPocalypse update here.

My laptop and I are not friends this week so I have only one stitching project update today.  I'm hoping we'll repair our relationship over week and I can get back to normal blogging next week (rather than having to take photos on my iPhone, posting to FB then uploading onto my son's computer). And yes, it is sad but true that my 11yo son's computer is better than mine! How did that happen?

The Marjolein Bastin English garden sampler has progressed alot since the last full moon with the addition of the holly basket and finches. Next up I am working on the lower border. This sampler has kept me interested the whole way through. I can't wait to start stitching the next picture; a pile of pumpkins just in time for Autumn in Australia (and picking my real pumpkins in my veggie patch).

I have a dedicated page to the projects on my WIPocalypse list which I am keeping updated as new projects jump the queue.

Thanks for walking through my garden...

                                                                           Jan x     

Updated theme-a-licious post...

It's unusual for me to blog in the evening. I usually do it in the early afternoon when Toddler Tom is napping.  Well tonight is different. I have been in my sewing room all evening listening to the cricket (Aus vs India 20/20 match if you are interested). DH has gone to work doing a night shift so there was no excuse to spoiling myself with lots of stitching time!

I have a finish to share. Lollies stitched on 28ct antique white linen. Another adorable pattern from Sweet Treats cross stitch book.

Tonight's stitching was too much for Bob...

I forgot to mention in my last post what projects will be my focus for Fangirl February, Theme-a-licious.  These projects are designed by my favourite designers.

1.  HAED: I will devote time to "Love".  I have nearly finished the top section of black on this first page! It will join up with the rows below it very soon. Click here to see what Love will look like when it's finished.

2. The Prairie Schooler: I will make a start on this Halloween sampler that I kitted up last year

3. Marjolein Bastin designs: I will keep plugging away at the English garden sampler

Have you ever lived so close to a walking track but never been on it? That's exactly why I was determined to do this bushwalk with my family today! It has been something I have been thinking about doing for ages. Sure I have been to the destination by car but never by this track.  Being in the Aussie bush with all it's smells and textures cleared by head. It got pretty exciting at one point when I was in the lead and apparently I nearly stepped on a whip snake. Luckily I was none the wiser until after the snake was well and truly off the track.

Thanks for visiting my garden....
                                                    Jan x