*OK Perhaps Just One More*.......

I think I mentioned a couple of posts ago how quite a few of the items I had made for my Website had walked out the door most to be given as birthday pressies to friends of Taska's which is why among other reasons I am so far behind in opening my site up....OK so I have now given myself a date (it will be the start of October) as I have also realised it is going to take me quite sometime to upload everything not to mention that fact that I honestly have no idea how to go about this, should be interesting huh, but I AM up for the challenge! plus I still feel that there isn't quite enough items yet to put on....
Years ago I made some cushions & a quilt when I first learnt how to Candlewick... I love this peaceful form of embroidery... anyway the cushions were given away, the quilt I still have but it really needs new fabric placed around all the squares, will keep you posted on that when I get it done. Anyway the other day I came across a square I hadn't used so have decided that *perhaps just one more* cushion for the site!.......



A sweet Butterfly made in a cream cotton onto a white cotton fabric, perhaps for a little girl....

Satin stitch used for the body & inside the wings.......

Cannot remember how many *French Knots* I made, quite a few believe me.....

At the four corners tiny flowers & leaves have been embroidered, hours & hours of work that I just soooooo enjoyed doing, perhaps should do some more......

Thanks for popping over to visit oh & sorry about the last photo it really isn't all that clear, when I have made the cushion up will take some piccies to show you....

Have a great day.....

*Where I Create*.......

Ooooops I forgot quite a while ago I promised to show piccies of my new sewing room... sooooooo here they are, better late than never..... I love this room, I honestly do.... although the size has not changed, it is still little more than closet size, I have a lot more space than before... no more yellow walls instead rich cream, no more fabric piled high on the floor where I no longer had any idea what fabric I had, laces, trims, doilies, braids, ribbons, sewing needles, bits & bobs all in there own marked boxes, even a box labelled *things you can't find* it really is bliss....

The photo above shows my new sewing bench.... no longer are my sewing machine & over locker crammed together on a tiny sewing table..... I even have room for my Laptop, on the left in its new grey *Belkin* case, newly painted white stool with the ever so *bum* friendly cushion, even more bliss....

Above is the *memory* board I made up with a couple of family photos, vintage lace trims, two hearts with *forgive & dream* written on them, hand made fringing I made years ago which took hours & hours to make, a newly finished pot mitt patiently waiting for its partner to be completed, a luggage tag from my last trip home, heart lavender sachet I made waiting for a ribbon bow to be placed on it & lastly a business card I made up just sitting there as I'm not sure it's quite right yet.....

A close up of my *Memory Board* made from a gorgeous soft green fabric with pink roses & rose buds scattered all over, pale pink ribbon. A cute tiny teddy with a pink bottle & a pink bon bon hang near my business card, heart sachet filled with lavender & a pretty frill across the front, pacific blue luggage tag.....

Hand made fringing, hours of pulling threads from fabric, vintage laces & a sweet *forgive* sign...

A shelf full of some of my creations, hopefully these will not walk out the door to be given as birthday pressies to my daughters friends, although I must admit am very flattered that they were even considered good enough & special enough to be given........

I love the black & white boxes they are actually white fabric with black velvet. I bought these before I went home & found I didn't have enough.... went to buy more & of course the shop was sold out of them so had to settle for the white ones.... will keep an eye out for more though...

My sister bought me the beautiful frames that are placed either side of the one & only window, below this one I painted & placed the word love.....

On the other side I painted & placed the word *create* right above my sewing machine, (boy does that machine know how to create) I just have to look up & there is the one word that means so much to me..... loving the roses on the calender as well..

A black & white photo of Ryno when he was quite a bit younger, painted *diva* sign......

On top of what was once a tallboy in my sons room which has been given a new coat of paint & now holds even more fabric, sits a sweet little box I painted cream & pink & have place vintage flowers in, on top sits a miniature sewing machine, candle holders & to the left under the shelf is my *Keep Calm & Carry On* sign..... on the wall above the shelf I placed *inspire* sign, the white painted mannequin sits waiting for me to dress her, love the blue glass jar next to her.....

My old tallboy packed full of fabric......

Bottom section of shelves, the little mini recycling bins have fabric scrapes in them, the large plastic bag above is chocker full of the most delicious smelling lavender, above to the right are my favourite books.... complete Rachel Ashwell *Shabby Chic* - how good is her new one have read & reread it already - At home with White - thank you Rebecca for putting me on to such a great book I love it - & others.....


So there you have it my new sewing room, it is not quite finished yet one thing I really need is a clock in here but for now I am just loving the time I spend it here, it makes sewing such a pleasure.....


Let me know what you think....

*Of Sewing,Face Serum & My Favourite Colours*.......

The other day was one of those days you know the sort where everything just seems to go wrong from the moment you open your sleep filled eyes... well that was me. I was finishing off a cushion I was making & if there is one thing I learnt early on when making cushions it was NEVER EVER cut the back out until you are ready to sew it on.... ok so this day was no different, cut out the first back only to find it too small. measured it again, re cut it only to find too small again, oh come on what is going on here the measurements were right. I was getting pretty hot under the collar by this stage even considered turfing it when I looked over to my wall & saw hanging there the words..... Keep Calm & Carry On...... how true these five little words are, so measured yet again, cut & what do you know.... perfect fit. I have always believed that things come in three's.... so was not at all surprised to find the other day that the packets of serum hiding in the back of my bathroom cupboard that I thought I had bought for my face quite awhile back & began applying every night before bed.... were in fact on a closer look.... for my hair!!!! Written in tiny writing on the little bottles was the description of how *soft* the hair would feel after application & the brilliant shine that would be achieved! Have to admit the same can now be said for my face.... yes it is a lot softer although the shine has disappeared by morning! After a bit of consideration I have come to the conclusion that no harm has been caused & as I have had all my hair chopped off super short again.... well my face needs it more than my hair...... Am still waiting for the 3rd little mishap to happen.....
Yesterday I decided to make a cushion cover for the stool in my sewing room, made of wood it can get very hard under bum so went through my stash of fabric looking for the *right* shade of faded soft *blues* *pinks* & *greens*...... finally remembered the fabric I bought last year to use in my bedroom & set to cutting & sewing.....



A sage & white stripe was used for the back ties & the all round frill........



I love the soft mutted colours of this fabric..... it reminds of the the fabric that was around when I was young used for dresses, pinnies, cushion covers & tablecloths......

The end result, am loving it with the stool that was once wood stained & I painted white... taking pride of place in my sewing room......

Wishing you all a great weekend......

*A Gathering of Thoughts* is having a Give-A-Way....

If you have not visited the very Sweet Miss Rebecca over at http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.com/ then you are in for a real treat when you do! I have followed Rebecca's creations from *afar* for years now first when I found her selling her wares on ebay all those years ago & still to this day I marvel at just how talented this special Lady is.....



The stunning pale *PINK* Christmas Stocking you see below is Rebecca's latest offer for her Give-a-way, but I'm going to be honest here & tell all you Ladies out there *THIS ONE IS MINE*! it would look so at home with the gorgeous chrissie decorations I bought from her a couple of years ago but hey it wont hurt to leave a comment on any of her posts dating from September 10th through to the 19th September, you never know your luck......



So Miss Rebecca think I've now done everything now to make sure I have heaps of entries just to be on the safe side, I just sooooooo want this......

Sometimes you just shouldn't look back......

A couple of Sundays ago I travelled down the east coast of the South Island, New Zealand, from Nelson to Christchurch with my brother & sister in law in order to catch my flight back to Oz the next day. It had been around 28 years since I had last made this journey & to be honest I had forgotten just how *breathtaking* the scenery is. New Zealand is the youngest country on this earth after making her grand entrance by rising out of the sea, a land that has huge Mountains, beaches made of both white & black sand, unique animals & birdlife & scenery that to me is the closest you will ever get to heaven.....
So the day started off with rain it was cold & to most probably a real miserable late winter day but I loved every minute of that drive as it brought back so many happy memories of my childhood. When I was young all those years ago (hahaha) my family would drive up to a place called Blenheim for the Summer school holidays & as my Mum & Dad usually had their time off work in January I sometimes spent my birthdays away which I loved. We always stayed with friends of my folks Bob & Hazel Stagg while in Blenheim a couple who I grew to love like my second parents. Their house was built on a very large block of land which on one side had rolling lawns which led down to a river. Fruit trees were out the back, sometimes in the mornings we would go & collect muscles which Hazel would place into a huge pot of boiling water on top of the stove, real lazy hot summer days & at night the record player was turned right up & I loved to watch the adults dancing away in the lounge. Innocent days when it was still ok to smoke inside (boy was there some nicotine of them there walls) & seeing for the only time in my life the most humongous fiery red setting sun. Both Hazel & Bob are now long gone but their house is still there, such a sad run down little house with houses built where the rolling lawns use to be, even out the back has been built on.....



So on we travelled seeing the amount of vineyards where farms used to be just blew me away millions & millions of grape vines, the Cob Cottage I use to love seeing just before you get into Blenheim, the hills towering on both sides of the road dotted with sheep which really got me wondering how on earth they got up such rugged country, the lambs in the paddocks surely born too early to survive the cold winds, but survive they do, & seeing my favourite black faced white bodied sheep just pure joy. (Yep I have to admit here I'm a big lover of sheep!) Then round a bend in the road & my breath is taken away by the sight of the hills still capped with snow, how I had forgotten their beauty even on this overcast day is just beyond me, I couldn't take my eyes off them....








Varying off the highway we went in search of our Great Grandmothers (Nan as us kids called her, an amazing Lady who lived to be quite a few years over 100 & who I adored to visit each summer) home in Hapuku, became lost, rang our Mum to find we were nowhere near where we were supposed to be, finally finding it & also finding it was a lot closer to the sea than either of us remembered as kids, Shirlene & I laughing our heads off as we stumbled over the cattle grate at the front of the driveway in high heeled boots, holding on to each other in case our foot caught, taking that walk down the driveway, hoping another piece of my past wasn't left rundown, a smile as I see although not as grand as that home once was it still had a small piece of the large wrap around veranda standing, a new coat of paint, boxes in rooms waiting for the new owners to unpack, the stables out back still standing, as was the huge hedge out the front, the little house my Great Aunt & Uncle used to live in, gardens although also not as grand but making a comeback, & I felt that these people whoever they are would hopefully restore her back to her former beauty. Walking on further down the back we found a large pond someone had put in down the back & that this which was once where my Mum used to ride my Nans horse *Janetta* was now up for sale. Oh to have the money to buy this little plot of land, this little piece of my families memories....

No one was home the day we came to visit which was a shame as I would have loved to have seen inside again, what I could see through the French doors & windows still seemed the same just had new paint on the walls...

So down the road a ways we go to where my Great Aunty Lily used to live, a gorgeous little cottage which was once I think if my memory serves me right painted a pale blue & white, the house that from a very early age decided for me I just had to one day own my own little Cottage, & there before me was the second shock of the day... what stood there now was the same house but painted a hideous green & also in great need of some TLC... sometimes you just shouldn't look back.....

Back onto the highway with the sea *right there beside you* I searched for the roadside stalls I remembered where you could buy Crayfish for $1 each, no longer there but I bet if they were the $1 price tag wouldn't be, stopping to see the Sea lions on the rocks & wondering how on earth the ones in swimming weren't pounded onto the rocks, then driving into Kaikoura for a spot of lunch. So tell me did you have Fish & Chips wrapped in Newspaper when you were a kid??? I know I did & the thrill of ordering mouth watering *Groper & Chips* was only out weighed by finding them wrapped in Newspaper when cooked. I think there were a few fellow customers there that day that wondered about the sanity of the Lady squealing with delight - another cherished memory. Looking for my Great Aunty Pearl & Uncle Bob's home which we mixed the street up & thought had been pulled down but found out from my Mum when I got back that it was still standing one street over from where we were looking, maybe I was spared another rundown house to witness, who knows. Also missing seeing our only surviving relative in Kaikoura, our Great Aunty Dorie who is now in her nineties nearly blind & living by herself, a Lady I would dearly have loved to have seen just once more....

Driving over the Hundalea's the hills that as a child I would always *throw up in the back seat of the car* & laughing to myself that they really were nothing to get sick over, on & on until with night falling I catch the sight of the Summit Hills surrounding Christchurch, the twinkling lights of this beautiful City, my City where I was born & brought up for the first 16 years of my life, a City I have loved, still do but now find it too cold in winter to ever be able to live there again, & sadly I realise that this very special journey is coming to an end, that tomorrow brings an 3.45am rise to get to the Airport & then a very long day of travel until I finally arrive back in Coffs at 10.30pm that night, but it also shows me how giving my brother & sister in law are, they too rise at 3.45am, take me to the Airport & then have a long day of work in front of them. The flight back always sees me in tears, leaving my family is always gut wrenching & although this visit was not under good circumstances that days travel I will always cherish & now realise ok so somethings have changed my memories never will....

Wishing you all a great day.....

*A Special Little Lady Called Cindy*.........

Last Thursday was a sad day in my Mum & Dads home as they had to have their little Australian Terrier *Cindy* put down due to bladder cancer. She has brought my folks so much joy over the years that she lived with them & was quite a character having quite a stubborn streak in her but very loyal & loving......



Their Vet came around to their home to put her to sleep something I have never heard of before (except in cases of horses etc) & took her body away to be cremated. He will also be bringing the ashes back to Mum & Dad & has told them not to be in any hurry in making payment..... to find a man who knows what they are going through at the moment due to this loss is a true blessing, & is what more Vets should do. She was in no pain but the bleeding had become quite bad so the time everyone was dreading had arrived.....

Thank goodness for memories huh..... oh & compassionate Vets!

Hope your loving YOUR special member of your family today.....

For the love of a Dad... Part Two............

On August 4th I made a very hurried trip back home leaving at 12am & arriving in Wellington at 11.30pm! My beloved Dad had been flown from Nelson to Wellington Hospital by Air Ambulance the day before to have a MRI scan on his heart to see whether a mass that was found on his heart was Cancer, which thankfully was not. We all thought he would be having a triple Bypass that week but due to a meeting between Specialists in Nelson & the Surgeons at Wellington Hospital which was not scheduled until the Friday the wait was on! Finally on Friday we received the news the day of the Op would be Monday 10th & although my family were apprehensive my Dad just wanted it all over with. Saturday the Doctors discovered where he had had an Angieo Plast before leaving Nelson & was quite swollen had turned into an Aneurysm & every time he moved was leaking blood. He was taken to have a Scan done as they felt there was a good chance if left he could loose his leg & were looking at Surgery. The decision was in the end to leave it until the Bypass Op & do the two at the same time but also meant that my Dad was very limited in his movements.

7am Monday morning & Mum & I were at Dads side to go down to the theatre with him. After a six hour operation we were told Dad had had a 5 bypass which was quite a shock to both of us & the Aneurysm removed. We had to wait around another hour or so while he was hooked up to all the machines in the ICU before we were finally allowed in to see him. I knew what to expect as a brother in law of mine had had a triple bypass 10 or so years ago but I was real worried how my Mum was going to handle seeing the love of her life hooked up to a life support machine with a large tube down his throat along with all the other tubes going in & out of him. Although I could see she was upset by how my Dad looked her inner strength came through as always in order for her to handle what lay ahead. That first visit on Monday was short & sweet we had been told before hand all the things that could go wrong & also what to expect over the next 5 days, one day in ICU, 2 days in ICU step down then back to the ward where he would be discharged 5 to 6 days after the operation. Yeah Right! The day after the op what they class as *Day 1* the patient is awake & off Life Support, sitting in a chair, eating etc. In my Dads case he had not woken & was still hooked up to the Life Support machine, obviously not sitting in a chair or eating. Day 2 (Wednesday) he was awake with very slurred speech, very restless, in pain, couldn't coordinate his hands but off Life Support. It had never entered my head that he would not pull through this operation until that day. I had promised myself that I would not cry in front of either of my parents, they needed my support not to see me breaking down but when I looked at the state of this beautiful man that I love so so much I had this over whelming feeling that he was going to die & as I stood there the tears just flowed down my face. Well he did make it through that day & on into Day 3 (Thursday) where he looked even worse! The Doctor arrived to tell us that if there was no improvement in 2 days they would be doing tests for the possibility of Dad having suffered a stroke or fluid on the brain neither of which we needed to hear! For me there was no chance of him having suffered either, having pulled through the day before I just knew he was going to be fine just needed a bit longer than others to get over the op. This was the day however that my Mum cried to see that broke my heart as she felt that day she was going to loose Dad, he lay there in bed telling her not to cry & she made the excuse that she had hay fever! They had to take Dad off the Morphine this day as he was having very bad hallucinations one which we had a laugh about - he informed us he had a Mouse in his mouth another when he was telling the Nurse how sore his foot was he told Mum that *Louie Armstrong* hurt his foot! He also had a lot of bad side effects the worst was when he was given 2 drugs that reacted against each other which led to quite a nasty scene from my Dad, that is when they decided to take him off the Morphine! Day 4 (Friday) he was finally transferred to ICU step down where he was to stay for a day. This also turned out to be a longer stay than expected but at least to us he was improving but we knew that the discharge on the 5th day was not going to happen. Day 6 (Sunday) finally saw him back in the ward & on Day 9 (Wednesday) we all flew back in the Air Ambulance to Nelson Hospital. Once there he was put into isolation in case he had any bugs from Wellington Hospital & whereas at first he seemed fine had days where his breathing was difficult so was back on oxygen. it was discovered while in Wellington that he had fluid on his lungs & they tried to remove it by inserting a large needle via his back into the lungs to draw the fluid out. After the third go (should say VERY painful third go) they realised the fluid had moved so decided to leave it & rely on the tablets he was on to remove it. Because of this whenever he laid down the fluid would move back into his lungs therefore making it difficult for him to breath. Day 10 (Friday) Dad was discharged in the late afternoon much to his pleasure in all he been in hospital for 29 days! That night he spent sleeping in his chair after going to bed & waking to find once again he couldn't breath. Saturday my brother & sister in law arrived up surprising us all (great surprise) but also that night my Dad was rushed back into hospital with breathing problems again. All through this my Dad had been working out the days leading up to his birthday, he really wanted to be at home for it but Sunday 23rd August (his birthday) found him in hospital once again. Tuesday & he was home again, Friday was another trip back in. Saturday my sister surprised him by coming up & Saturday night we celebrated his birthday with party hats, blowers & a special *Fart* blower I bought for Dad that didn't work!!





My Dad's late 76th birthday Dinner with my sister Sue really getting into the *party* theme!

Sunday for me was a very sad day, I drove down to Christchurch with my brother Deane & sister in law Shirlene. I had been dreading this day (as I do whenever I go home to visit) but more so because I knew it meant my Mum & Dad were left by themselves & if anything happens to Dad Mum doesn't have any family support to help her out. Monday I was up at 3.45am (1.45am Aussie time) to get to the Airport to fly back arriving at Coffs Harbour at 10.15pm. I thought once back I would finally be able to let all the emotions I have kept inside for the past month to come out but apart from feeling very drained today (after spending yesterday cleaning flat out & looking after my poor Dylan who is off school with a very nasty bug) it hasn't happened yet!

I have to admit that my Mum & I did have times where we busted our guts laughing, like the time we went into Wellington & my Mum walked into a shop & missed the step & went crashing into the counter sending everything flying, then after looking at a new Mobile phone didn't put it back on the holder properly only to see it drop to the floor in front of every one she said *shit where the hell did that go* not something my Mum would normally say & something I missed as I was in the shop next door at the time. Also the time we were in ER with Dad when he was bought back into the hospital & we would only have to look at each other & crack up laughing, I suppose it was our way of letting the tension go.

I consider myself so VERY lucky to be married to Mr MP&CC, not once did he ask when I was coming home he knows how much I needed to be there for my Mum & Dad, he went to work every day, did all the washing & ironing & cooking & kept our family together, he to me is one in a million.

I also cannot thank the Nurses in Wellington Hospital enough they are the most amazing people I think I have ever met, their dedication is just incredible.

So now my Dad is on the long road to recovery, we have been told it will take up to 12 months before he is back to normal & although I have found quite a change in his attitude which at times was very hard to take I realise it is normal for Bypass patients to act this way, the main & most IMPORTANT thing being is he is still here & for that I am forever grateful......