SSCS 2014

Wow! The last day of 2014. I know I am not the only one to say this year has flown by. I have just amended my 2014 list of finishes. It was not a long list this year, but next year's list should look a bit healthier, if my current 2015 to do list is achieved. Whether it is achievable is yet to be seen.

One final thing I need to do for 2014 is show the presents sent and received in Chookyblue's 2014 Secret Santa Christmas Swap. I may have said this before, but I'll say it again anyway. This is a fun swap. Chooky matches us Aussie girls with an overseas partner, and therefore all the overseas girls send back to Australia. I think the secret stalking is the best part; learning about another blogger, their likes and dislikes and their lives; planning just the right thing to make and send; waiting for the parcels to arrive.

Thank you, Chookyblue for organising it again!

 

Well my secret Santa this year was Christin from Switzerland! How cool, is that?

I got a felt house as my hanging ornament and several machine embroidered red snowflakes/stars that I have been using in different ways,  a container I can use to hold lollies or threads, delicious chocolates and  a Santa table runner.

 The chocolates were in the fridge when I took the photo, not eaten already! LOL (But they are well and truly gone now.)

Thank you very much, Christin!

I had the pleasure to send to Raewyn in New Zealand. My stalking showed a blogger with a lot of talent, so I made personal things.

 This coat hanger was a Mum's Moment pattern.

 The jewellery roll is by Liisa Dawson of The Quilter's Corner.

 The ornament is an Anni Downs pattern that I showed in a previous pattern.
I have heard from Raewyn and I think she likes them.  :-)


One thing I realise I have not shown is the pillow I made for our Sunday Stitchers Christmas swap. It is an adaption of a Kookaburra Cottage pattern. I made it using Paris Flea Market fabric. Again some snooping was in order to make the right thing. I will say Maureen nearly didn't get it. Two reasons, it took longer to make than I thought and, of course, it is exactly my colours, after all I have been collected that fabric range for years.

 Which brings me to the end of 2014. No resolutions for next year, just some hopes and dreams.

I would like to wish everyone a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. 

May 2015 bring you your wishes and dreams.

Take care,
Cheryl (aka Kayly)

Chookyblue's SSCS

My SSCS has landed. I won't know who it is from until I open the main present and card on Christmas Day, but in the meantime THANK YOU to my Secret Santa.
Thank you also to our organiser Chookyblue.

 Well packaged!

 The ornament (one of the requirements for the swap) is a very cute little house that is now on my tree, as is the embroidered one on the right. The chocolates are in the fridge, being nibbled at.
I've been snooping and I know that the presents I made have landed, but I won't show my ornament yet as it would spoil the surprise.

 And BTW...look Robyn....there is a floor under the mess you saw in my sewing room!

Take care,
Cheryl (aka Kayly)

Going Off....

Not like a pound of cheese in the Darwin sun!

Santa picked up my SSCS present this morning... so it will be winging its way to.....secret...can't tell. Hope she likes it. Thanks to Chookyblue for organising it again this year. I know she has been very busy this year and organising it is not a quick job.

Also going off are some of my eBay and Gumtree sales. Glad to see some of my stuff going off to new homes and not the bin.

And I'm nearly packed to fly off to Bathurst tomorrow for a bloggers meet. I'm so looking forward to a little break. I have my contribution to the nibbles and my plastic wine glass.  Didn't want to take the crystal one or the bottle to go with it because, just my luck, would see my suitcase tumble off the conveyor belt. I'll have to get the liquid to go into it when I arrive. Hope the pub does take outs.

I have been crafting this month. There have been no progress photos because it is all secret stuff. I'll be able to start showing some soon.
Instead here are some of the blooms in my garden. I don't like to complain about our lack of rain because I know people in worse off conditions who rely on good weather for their livelihoods, but we have only had about 15% of our normal rainfall this winter and spring. This spring though has bought out very spectacular flowerings on trees, shrubs and plants. Maybe they thought it might be their last hurrah. Last night's thunderstorm was well received here. My very nearly empty tanks are very nearly full again.

I have had this brom for years and got several pups off it. No flowers until now. This flower spike started growing a couple of months ago. It's nearly a meter long. Great anticipation on my part and although the actual flowers are these insignificant bumps on the very ends, I love it, but maybe, it is just as well that the foliage is its best feature. 

This is a small part of my Dancing Lady orchid.

 The day lily is a garden star, as well as my Cascade lilypilly.

 Ah well, I'd better be off. I have to hunt out the bigger suitcase from the storeroom, and here was I thinking I'll only need the little one for a few days away. Cue hubby in the background - I knew she couldn't fit in the little one.

Take care,
Cheryl
(aka Kayly)

Busy Month

It's nearly a month since I posted but it has flown by.
We are still preparing for our son's return, evicting a possum, finding out why we have lost power in our extension, buying a new fridge because we thought that was the problem (wasn't...oops) and general life stuff.

I continue to work on 'Gossip in the Garden'...slowly...the others in our group have streaked ahead....ahh well, I'm telling myself  to enjoy the journey.

The Craft and Quilt Show was on in Brisbane. I did white glove duty at the Queensland Quilters Show which was on within the show. I also helped with set-up and pull-down. It was a lot of work but fun and I meet a number of new people.

 My purchases were modest. The sample bags from Vilene were really great value.

 I joined Chookyblue's 2014 Secret Santa Christmas Swap. I have stalked checked out my recipient. Talk about a challenge, this lady does beautiful work. I had to put my thinking cap on.
 

 This is about all I can show you.

 We had Sunday Stitchers this last Sunday. Here are this month's birthday girls and their loot.

I really enjoy these days. We sit, work on hand work, eat and chat about all sorts of topics.  This month we collected wrapped lollies to help one member supply them for Christmas stockings for the homeless. It's that kind of group.

Well I better get back to those swap gifts I am working on. I am determined not to have a last minute panic this year.
Take care,
Cheryl (aka Kayly)