While I'm on a roll blog post wise

here is what I am working on at the moment...



Summer Cottage Garden by Country Cottage Needleworks (not Little House as previously mentioned - thanks Hazel!), and a little black and white kitty-cat for my nephew (who is cat and animal mad!).

I have a couple of big things happening next week - first up on Monday we are getting new doors. Yay! We're replacing our upstairs and downstairs ranch slider doors with funky new bifold doors. At last we'll bring our 1970s house into the 2000s :-)

And on Tuesday I go and sit my full driver's licence test. I'm definitely a late bloomer on the driving front at 33 years old, but as someone said to me 'better late than never'. I'm a fairly confident and sensible driver, but I worry that my nerves may let me down on the day!?

Some of you may remember that I sat a driving test last year too - that's because it is a graduated system here in New Zealand. Before you can even get behind the wheel of a car you must pass a theory test to get your Learner's licence, you then have to pass a driving test for your Restricted licence and then you have to pass another test to get your Full licence.

Well hang in there folks, it's Friday tomorrow (yay)!

As promised, a photo of my Biscornu exchange...

...from Sandra in Barbados.

The gifts included a snow chart, beading needles, tissues (which are far too cute to use!), pins, a postcard, card and the biscornu itself. It's so pretty!





Thanks again Sandra for a fabulous exchange!

Biscornu exchange

Now that I have heard Joan has received her Biscornu for the Hooked on Exchanging board exchange, I can share a photo with you.

Don't look too closely please, my finishing still needs some polishing!





I also received a parcel from Sandra in Barbados today with a biscornu for me. It's sooo pretty, but I'll save it for another post (it's getting late-ish).

I was so excited to get a parcel from Barbados... now I'm dreaming about tropical holidays... :-)

Happy stitching!

Fair and Square exchange revisited

Last night I felt like making something... so out came my beautiful squares that I received from Kathy in the Fair & Square exchange. As my finishing skills are pretty limited, I made it into a little cushion to put in my basket of smalls.

It's a pity the photos don't do the sparkly crystals and beads, and the squares themselves justice. They're so much prettier in real life!





In the meme 'Four things', I mentioned that my Mum's trifle was one of the things I love to eat. Barbara wanted to know what trifle was - it's a very scrummy dessert - fruit, jelly, sponge, a drop of sherry, a layer of custard, and then cream on top. We only have it at Christmas time, and it is a tradition that we have it for breakfast the next morning too. LOL! I've never tasted another trifle that is a patch on Mum's. :-)




Enjoy your weekend, whatever you might be doing!

Hot off the Q-Snap...

My piece 'Dragon Rampant' on Hello Neighbour RR
Originally uploaded by rosie_kiwi

here's Dragon Rampant (a Teresa Wentzler design) for Dani's Hello Neighbour RR.

I really wanted to get this finished ahead of time, since I was late last time. Mission accomplished!

I've been tagged by Kathryn :-)

Four movies I'd watch again
* Jane Eyre
* Tears of the Sun
* Casino Royale (Daniel Craig - swoon!)
* The Mummy

Four places I've lived
* Upper Hutt, New Zealand
* Canterbury, England
* Ballymena, Northern Ireland
... I can only do three :-)

Four TV shows I watch
* Border Patrol
* Escape to the Country
* rugby... not by choice
* more rugby... not by choice lol

Four places I've been
* England
* Fiji
* Indonesia
* Cyprus

Four things I love to eat
* chocolate (be gone Easter!)
* raspberries
* custard
* my Mum's trifle

Four places I'd rather be
* lazing on a beach in Fiji
* Fiordland, NZ
* stash enhancing in the USA
* Kent, England

Four things I look forward to
* finishing the huge project I'm working on at work
* watching our family business take off
* getting married
* completing my Diploma in Photography

Four people to tag
Carol R
Kathy A
Barbara
Nicola

QFRR ready to be posted

QFRR ready to be posted
Originally uploaded by rosie_kiwi

I finished this late last night, so now it's all ready to be posted. What an enjoyable stitch this was!

Quaker Friendship RR started

Quaker Friendship RR
Originally uploaded by rosie_kiwi

I'm stitching mine in DMC 115 on 32 count Haystack from Country Stitch. Like Edgar and Carol R, I will probably stitch the wee rabbit in a different colour.

Afternoon visitor...

Just thought I'd share a photo of a cute visitor we found in the garden this afternoon.

You can click for a clearer view



I definitely prefer four legged visitors in the garden, than those of the eight legged variety!

Fair & Square exchange

Fair & Square Exchange - Squares for Kathy A
Originally uploaded by rosie_kiwi

I've heard today that Kathy received her squares from me (I stitched Papillons Tiny Little Quaker in DMC 99 - I love how it turned out). It was fun to get to know her a little better, and be involved in an exchange with such a lovely lady. I hope we'll keep in touch.

I'm a bit quiet on the blog front at the moment, but I am stitching. I'm close to finishing my part for Dani's Neighbourhood RR (I can't wait to show you what I'm stitching on her Fairytale themed neighbourhood), and I'm just stitching the borders on the Hooked on Exchanging biscornu to get it ready to put it together. Luckily I've made a biscornu before, so I'm sure it will be easier and quicker second time around. I'm finishing-challenged you see. :-)

Hope you're having a great weekend!