Another Couple of Kindness Bears

I have been trying to get these couple of Kindness Bears made for nearly two months - I don't usually take this long, however this month (November) just seems to have flown by and we have had a few extra things that had to be attended to.

These are for some friends up near Murgon (near where we go fishing at Bjelke Petersen Dam), and I have heard back that they were well appreciated - that makes me feel good too.


For now though I am putting my feet up and resting waiting for the 1st December when I am to start a Mystery Advent Stitch-along.


Wherever you reside, look after yourselves and take care,


                                                                                        and thank you for visiting my blog.

A Couple of Christmas Gifts - Done

As mentioned in my previous post, I have signed up for a mystery advent stitch along, and as I am not sure exactly what I am in for, I decided to really get stuck into finishing off some other Christmas gifts sooner rather than later.


Here are a couple of cushions I have been making for some friends.

I made some of these some years ago and decided to make them when one of my friends said she had done some candle-wicking years ago, but had given the items away, never to be seen again. Picking up on this comment, I decided to make her a little bit of candle-wicking and hopefully make her day.


There is still another project I wish to finish this month, let's hope I manage to get it completed so I am free for next month.


For now though,

                                                                                            and thank you for visiting my blog.

Countdown to Christmas - November

Time is flying by and there is so much more that has to be done before the 'Big Day', and me being me, couldn't help myself when I signed up for an Mystery Advent Stitchalong for the month of December - ah well .... a new stitchery pattern to do each day with the finish I understand to be revealed Christmas Day - should be interesting.


This coming Christmas will be a little different for us, sharing it with our daughter-in-law's family and they have chosen a Secret Santa theme along with the fact that they seem to be very much into sustainability and no excess wastage. So for this month's countdown, I created some Santa Sacks for my our Secret Santa gifts.

Another thing I would like to ask my stitching blogging friends - I have decided (don't ask how many years it has taken me to get to this point - it is quite embarrassing really) that I need to find out the correct needles to use if I am to continue on what I consider my 'niche' for my sewing, that is my hand embroidery pieces.


I got in touch with Kris of Tag-A-Long Teddies and asked her advice, all good, and I purchased said embroidery/crewel needles #9 and felt they were too thick, hmm ...... so when I was doing a bit of fossicking in the cupboard, came across another packet of said #9 embroidery needles - tried one of those and was very happy with it. How can 2 packets (different brands) of the same size needle be so very different?


Put one from each packet side by side and asked Pete if he could see any difference in them and he agreed with me that they definitely were different - can I ask what your opinion is from the following photo.

As you can see from the price on the packet on the right - it appears I may have had then for a while. The ones on the left cost me $3.25 week before last.


It is time for me to close off and go do some housework, although that would not be my preference for the rest of the day, as I am still trying to finish another project before the end of the month.


'Til next time,

                                                                                                   and thank you for dropping by.

We Are Getting Too Old for This Stuff!

Last weekend we were made aware of the death of a member of Pete's previous family (we have bother been married before), and it was decided that we would make an attempt to attend the funeral. First issue was that it would be in Mackay - the best part of 7-800 kms north of where we live. We were given the day (last Thursday) of the funeral, but not the time. OK, down the Flight Centre and booked our flights, I chose the early morning one to go up - just our luck it would be a morning funeral if I decided on a later flight, but no it was to be at 2pm. Flight back was OK, it was at 6.15pm, no worries, but it was what they call a 'milk run, coming through from Cairns, stopping in Townsville, then Mackay, then Rockhampton with a change of planes before continuing onto Brisbane.






Our flight up left Brisbane at 6am, meaning we were up at 3am, leaving home at 3.30, drop the car off, and the shuttle bus out to the airport by 5am. It meant of course we had quite a bit of time to fill in before attending the funeral.




First off  on arrival in Mackay we picked up a rental car and away we went looking for a bite of breakfast come morning tea at the major shopping centre in Mackay called Canelands.




It was Pete who suggested maybe we might find a couple of craft shops - why didn't I think of that? Well, when you think about it, it is not something you would think about when you go somewhere for a funeral is it?






Anyway found two, the first one was a little bit ordinary, but oh boy, the second one was unreal. It was called Needleworx, the hardware store for ladies, and it was, it had everything you could possibly want in the sewing department.

Being conscious of not having any bags so to speak with us, I purchased just two patterns. There was a lovely 3 square Christmas swag hanging up, and on enquiry found they had sold out of the kits nor did they have any patterns for it either - did I want them to let me know when they got more kits in - no we were not from Mackay. Thought about this on the flight back and have since sent them an email asking if they could let me know when they get them in - here's hoping!






Here is a photo of the two patterns I did get, one for making Christmas stocking cutlery holders and the other one, ooh ... I just love it, it is a small quilted hanging saying 'A bear lover lives here' - does that sound like me or what?

The funeral went off as good as funerals can, and the 'afters' was quite pleasant as well. It was then off to the airport to hand back the car and check in.




On descent into Rockhampton the Captain announced there was a colony of bats crossing the runway and we were to circle for about 10-15 minutes so our arrival time was delayed a little. Once on the ground, we had a cuppa and a sandwich to fill the void for dinner, then found the plane to take us back to Brisbane was delayed about 45 minutes.




Finally we were away, landed in Brisbane, got the shuttle bus back to the car storage place to pick up our car and an hour drive home arriving about 11pm. We then fell into to bed around 11.30pm.




Have to say, both of us felt absolutely terrible after getting up around 7.30am on Friday morning, and have been recovering since. A 20 hour day is not something we do well these days, however, would we do it again if the need arises, yes we would - sometimes you just have to do these things.




For now though, it is time for another little snooze.


'Til next time.


Sorry this has come out with big breaks between paragraphs - not sure what has happened, by my apologies.

Small Projects for the Caravan

What an awful week for all around the country with bushfires flaring up in every state, however it seems the worst states have been New South Wales and Queensland, although thankfully, we have not had any where we are, but there certainly plenty in surrounding regions.




At this point in time, the fires closest to us are one on Moreton Island and another at Ningi which flared up last night with lightning strikes. Oh joy, oh bliss - we got 51 drops of rain last night!


So this morning we have had a float plane dropping down into Pumicestone Passage and scooping up water for the fire over on Moreton Island. We have however like everywhere else been covered with a combined smoke and dust haze.

Have got to say a very heartfelt thanks to all the firies for the fabulous effort that all of them have been putting in. Also our thoughts are with those that are going through the horrendous issues of fighting to save their homes etc - our thoughts are with you all.




Because I am one who does not cope real well with being out in smoke/dust haze, I have been busy in my craft room catching up on making a couple of small, but necessary projects needed for our caravan before we have our next trip away.




First off, I needed to buy some windscreen shade thingys, cut them to size and make 3 (so far) panels to place against both bedroom windows and another for the window on the door. These will keep out the sun, particularly when the van is parked up and gets the severe western sun in the afternoons and I now have one very rotted terylene curtain and to save the others, I felt making these panels would help.

I also decided that my bolster cushion (Barney) that I need in bed to stop me rolling onto my back and possibly having choking fits in the middle of the night, a cover to complement the covers etc on the bed, and although you can't see it all that well, you can see a little of it in this following photo.

I have also made a lovely mug rug from a pattern I purchased from New Zealand a couple of years ago and finally I have got around to making it up, quite pleased with the way it turned out too.

With a little under two weeks to go for this month I had better get moving with a couple of other projects I am working on,


so for now .....

                                                                       
                                                                           and thank you for dropping by and visiting my blog.

Girl Time

Yesterday afternoon whilst Pete was down at the Bowls Club umpiring some competitions, I had some time to myself and along with some sorting out of what projects I intend to make this month, I also decided to try a pattern ...... bother, where is my brain, should be recipe I found on the internet the other day, for mini banana bread muffins. Thought I might share the recipe with you ......

Mini Banana Bread Muffins

Mix together 
        3 bananas (mashed) and 2 eggs.
Now add 
        1/2 cup greek yoghurt
        1/3 cup honey 
        1 tsp vanilla extract
Lastly, add
        1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
        1 tsp baking soda

Mix altogether, and using an ice cream scoop, put into muffin tin.
Top with strawberries or blueberries, chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (175g).
Bake at 350 deg f/180 deg c for 20 mins.

Here are some suggestions from the comments below the recipe:
            Use oat meal flour instead of whole wheat flour
            Use regular Yoplait yoghurt instead of greek yoghurt
            Used 1 1/2 tsps. baking powder and added 2 tsps. cinnamon & nutmeg

It was also suggested that leave them in the oven for 25 minutes - and I have to concur with this.

Makes 12 muffins, and they are s-o yumm.

This has made my mouth water, so I am off to make myself a cuppa and have another one of my muffins.

For now though .....

                                                                                        and thank you for visiting my blog.