Happy New Year

There are only a few hours left of 2009 here in New Zealand, so I thought I would pop in and wish everyone all the best for 2010. I hope whatever you are doing that you enjoy it! DH and I went out for an Indian meal, and that is the height of our New Year celebrations.

Today I noticed a parcel sitting at our front door. I didn't want to get excited as I thought it might be for DH. But I picked it up and saw it was for me (yay!!) from Kathy. Thank you so much Kathy!

Kathy included a Canadian oven glove, Christmas pencils and erasers, some Christmas fabric and a beautiful zippered pouch which she made herself.



How funny that I was just recently thinking that once we move house I need to gather together all my scissors, needles, needleminder etc in one place so I can find them more easily - and now I have a zippered bag to do just that!

Of course, while I loved everything Kathy sent the most lovely thing was the thought behind it. Thanks Kathy, for ending my year on a high! :-)

This year has been full of highs - getting married in February, catching up with relatives at the wedding (some from overseas), my niece being born in April, lots of awesome day trips to beautiful places nearby, a break in relaxing Fiji, making friends through blogging and Flickr, catching up with old friends via Facebook, attending Ronnie's cousins wedding in October, catching up with our estranged niece and nephews at the wedding, adopting Petal (our disfigured, but beautiful cat), catching up with friends from Northern Ireland while they were out in May, seeing shows - Ed Byrne (comedian) and the Rhythms of Ireland, joining the gym and finding out I really enjoy it, buying the house we are moving to in two weeks time... and finishing my Long Dog Mystery Sampler (of course!). LOL. Sometimes it is easy to forget the good stuff until you start listing it!

Anyway, enough babbling. This is what I am starting tonight as my new project for 2010 (it's a Moira Blackburn sampler). If it takes as long as Long Dog, you can expect to see a happy dance in 2013!



Before I finish up, I thought I would let you all know that I really enjoyed seeing 'New Moon' at the movies last night. The same can't be said for Ronnie. After about half an hour or so he adopted his bored pose, looked at his watch and huffed and puffed a lot. My sister and I were quite excitable, have both moved to Team Jacob and are already talking about going to see Eclipse when it reaches New Zealand.

Thanks for all your comments recently, and Happy New Year 2010!

Last finish for 2009

I imagine this is my last finish for the year, it is 'His Heart Belongs to Me' by Carriage House Samplings. (Ballymena is my DH's hometown in Northern Ireland).



I'm off to the movies tonight to see New Moon. My DH suggested we go. He tells me he quite enjoyed Twilight (cue surprised look). From memory he was surfing the net at the time I was watching it, and isn't it really for teenage girls (or your inner teenage girl)??? Still, I won't let on. lol

Hope you're all still enjoying the holidays!

It's a mystery no more!

Hooray, I finally finished my Long Dog Mystery Sampler. It was nearly three years in the making!! I started on 20 January 2007, and finished it nearing midnight on 27 December 2009. Spurred on in determination by cheeky comments from my DH about when it might eventually get finished!



I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. Ours started off a little differently than other years with a trip to Te Papa to see the 'A Day in Pompeii' exhibition. I highly recommend it if you live locally (or are visiting Wellington between now and April). We mostly had the exhibition to ourselves (which was the plan by going on Christmas Day), so it was great to look around at our leisure.

Then it was lunch and dinner at my sister's house. Phoebe got lots of lovely pressies and stayed up late (she obviously didn't want to miss the party!). Here's my favourite photo from Christmas Day of Phoebe getting a Christmas kiss from Grandma(my Mum).



Ronnie is back to work tomorrow for a couple of days before New Year, but I don't go back until next Tuesday. I plan on doing some more stitching, hitting the gym, watching some movies and packing some more boxes in preparation for the house move on the 15th.

Hope you are all enjoying the holidays!

Merry Christmas

I thought I would do another post before Christmas, so I can wish all my friends and readers a very Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

I have been busy stitching. I have finished Just Nan's Christmas Wishes. I'm going to make this into a small cushion for next Christmas.



I have also been busy getting a WIP closer to being finished. Not long to go for my Long Dog Mystery Sampler. I know it would not be to everybody's taste, but I love all the colours in it. I started it on 20 January 2007, and it WILL be finished by 20 January 2010. It will, it will... lol





I forgot to share some nice mail I have received in recent weeks. I won the marking pins on MaryKathryn's Facebook page, and the threads are a gift from Judy. Thank you so much ladies!



It is already Christmas Eve here. My DH shut up shop yesterday, so today we took a long drive to Cape Palliser. It is one of our favourite destinations. The views are pretty...



... and the wildlife is cute and laid-back!



More photos in my Flickr album for anyone who is interested.

I will finish up this post with a picture of my niece, who is having her first Christmas tomorrow :-) She'll be in bed by the time we have the main event, but we're going to see her earlier in the day. I can't wait!



Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Little while, no blog...

Paula left a comment noting that I'd been rather quiet lately. Hmmm, it has been over a month since I posted to my blog so it is about time I did an update :-)

The only stitching finish I have to report is Just Nan's Blitzen Glistens, which I made into an ornament for my niece Phoebe's first Christmas. I chickened out of doing a beaded edging, but found a little hanger in my stash for it.



I thought I would share this Christmas card from my sister too (using Phoebe's photo). I thought it was very cute, and a neat idea.



In other news I joined the gym (and am really enjoying it) and we are no longer searching for a section to build on, because we found a house we love and are moving in on 15 January. We managed to sell our house within 4 days of it being on the market, and it was all tied up within 8 days. I think it was just meant to be!

That's all for now, off to find something to stitch on!