Butterfly Garden - This weeks miniblock.......

Added the little stitchery buddleia (Butterfly Bush) flower on this weeks miniblock last night.....................

Sorry about the poor focus on this closeup of the stitchery.........definitely still need to work on my photography skills!

I'm hoping to get into my garden and have a major tidyup this weekend, so maybe not so much time for stitching this weekend, unless of course the weather doesn't co-operate with me!

Thanks for looking........ have a lovely weekend whatever you have planned.  Nicky

A trip away........ a finish, a WIP and a new start

It's nice to be home after a few days away in Wanaka, staying with my lovely in-laws, being waited on hand and foot!(Thanks M & B!) Hubby had to stay at home and look after the stock, but the girls and I had lovely relaxing time, enjoying some beautiful crisp winter weather, lots of walks, movies, reading and a little stitching for me too.  Neglected to take photos while there, but got a couple around Lake Dunstan and Cromwell on the way home.  This is beautiful Lake Dunstan, with the mist starting to lift off the lake.

And the iconic fruit sculpture at Cromwell.  Central Otago is New Zealand's home of summer stonefruit and of course yummy NZ pinot noir.

I'm very pleased to say that my Lizzie Kate Christmas Spirit Flip It is now finished. 

It's getting hard to get a pic of the whole piece - so sorry for the blurry effort below!  I will sew the little charms for each word just before I get it framed.

And, I'm also happy to say that I have not forgotten about A Gardener's Journal SAL.  I am well through the orchard, just the apple basket by the ladder, and some more grass left to complete.  Just pretend that it is only the middle of June not July, and I would be up to date!  However, it really is July and I hope to get some more done on these blocks over the next few weeks.

And finally after about three years of collecting fabrics, planning and dreaming about starting Leanne Beasley's "Butterfly Garden" quilt, I have done it.  This is my very first miniblock from Block 1.  One down, eighty to go...................  at one block a week, I should have it done by next Christmas..........no, not this Christmas............the one after that!

The green floral with the hydrangeas is my main fabric, most of the other fabrics I am using are shown below.  They are very.......... Oh I don't know..............me!  No apologies for that!

Have been without computer for most of the week, so I will catch up on reading blogs over the weekend, and some more AGJ stitching.  As ever, thanks for all the kind comments, and also to those who don't leave a comment, but still manage to make it to the end of my ramblings, I really appreciate you stopping by.  I know before I started this blog I used to read lots of blogs, but never felt brave enough to leave a comment. I can say I have received nothing but kindness and lots of inspiration from the crafty blogging community, so thank you one and all! 

Have a great weekend.........................Nicky

Confession time........and a Lizzie Kate Christmas update

Okay, time to 'fess up and show the goodies I purchased from Lesley at the Mid Winter Christmas workshop last weekend.  Mostly fat quarters of fabric and linen, some bundles of the lovely new Parlan iron on stabiliser/wadding, a new embroidery hoop and the set of strips in the middle which were for the Bluebird project bag.  Under all of this is Rosalie Quinlans gorgeous book 'Gift'.  Rosalie was kind enough to sign my copy for me.

This is a stunning book, with a little bit of everything inside, dolls, quilts, bags, cushions, lots of little things perfect for making and giving. 

Also long overdue is an update on my Lizzie Kate Christmas Spirit piece.  I hadn't done much cross-stitching for a while, as I've been trying to keep up with A Gardeners Journal SAL, and that seems to be taking up most of my(never enough) stitching time.

Over the last couple of evenings I have finished Cheer, Gifts and Wonder, and started on Carols.  Only have Carols and Peace and the border to go, so it will be great to have a finish.  They have been a little thin on the ground lately as most of my projects at the moment are pretty big ones. Could also be good to cross another WIP off my list as I have received a little(?) challenge from May Britt to start stitching on Leanne Beasley's Butterfly Garden quilt.  She and her friend Hanne have committed to stitching a miniblock a week.  There are 81 mini blocks in the quilt, so I guess over a year and a half to get it made makes this acheiveable. They don't have this many to do, but I haven't started it yet!  I have made a promise to myself that I WON'T start anything new until I cross something off that list though!  Before I commit to this I need to be sure that I can still keep up with AGJ stitchalong.  It has been wonderful to see everyone elses stitching and blocks being finished, definitely makes you want to keep going with it. I have been playing with a large selection of fabrics for Butterfly Garden and will show some pics of what I'm planning to use soon.

School holidays started here yesterday, so it will be great to have the girls around, we have a few outings planned for the next couple of weeks - it's always nice to get out of the routine of school and sports etc for a while.  Hopefully some quality stitching time too.....................

Thanks for visiting here, I really love reading your comments, it's also nice to know I'm not just talking to myself!!! lol Catch you again soon.