15 Minute Challenge and Christmas Greetings

 Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.  Ours was pretty stress free, Mo helped with the cooking, there was only 5 of us for lunch.  The Turkey was particularly good this year, probably because we didn't fuss over it just left it do do its thing in the oven.  Mo was in charge of the roast vegetables which have to be cooked in a separate pan so she will eat them but I snuck the shallots in with the turkey to get some of the yummy goodness (she doesn't eat them).

We didn't have any desert this year and 3 days later the pudding hasn't been cracked.  As per usual no dinner was planned and Mo and I made a cheese platter and that served as tea.  

Below is the gingerbread house her and her boyfriend made on Christmas Eve.  After the photo they divided the house in two to share with his family.  After Christmas Day we decided he can have the whole thing next year as we only ever just pick of the lollies and never eat the gingerbread so his family may as well have it. 

Its been a lazy few days after Christmas though DH has been hard at work clearing out one of the sheds to set up Mo's pottery studio, I've just been muddling around.  Mo worked boxing day for a few hours and Maestro has worked double shifts every other day.  I realised this morning that today is a public holiday so I should have gone food shopping yesterday as we have nearly run out of left overs but I'm sure we won't starve. 

Well its been a funny old year stitching wise.  I haven't been to many quilting classes this year so my quilting mojo has fallen away a bit.  I am sure it will return soon once we can get back to classes.  A couple of my quilting friends have got into crochet.  They have finished lots of blankets, I have managed to finish lots of granny squares but not many completed projects, and I have just started another one oops.  

This week I finished Granny Square Academy and decided to start on Granny Square Flair (both books are by spincushions.  I thought that the squares could be combined, however  the finished sizes are different so that is not to be.  Granny Square Academy was a great learning exercise though I can now pretty much read patterns in words and most charts as well so I'm pretty happy with my crochet progress.  Below are the final 2 Granny Squares.  

Yesterday I took the plunge and started Granny Square Flair which has 50 patterns.  The first square was a bit of a challenge, probably because I made a mistake in the 2nd round and had to unpick all the way back a couple of times till I realised where the error was.  The 2nd square has 2 more rows to go and even though it looks more complicated it actually was a bit easier, its very pretty I can see a whole blanket made using this square....oh another project.  I've decided to work through the whole book and make one square each which will almost give me enough for a sampler blanket.  There are quite a few projects in the book but the sampler project is made up of 56 squares so that will be my aim at least it is something I can pick up whenever and just do a square.  

I finished the top of my cross stitch pincushion.  I have started on the side band but haven't got very far yet as I have had sore eyes and the close work is irritating but I will get back to it.  I also finished some embroidery on my gifts for the girls we will be catching up the first week in January so I need to get the articles finished.  

Well it was a 6 out of 7 week for me the only day I haven't done craft is Christmas day so that was pretty good for a busy week.  

Check in with Kate to see how everyone went. Catch you next year

15 Minute Challenge and Last Minute Gift Making

I am pretty sure it was a 7 out of 7 this week. I have stitched every night sometimes just for 15 minutes sometimes more.  Yesterday I decided to get started on Christmas Gifts for the girls nothing like leaving it to the last minute.  We are not catching up until the first week in January as one of them is just recovering from heart surgery and the other 2 have lots of grand babies and lots of Christmas planning/running around to do.  

Both the kids are working lots in the lead of to Christmas, Mo is still getting use to working (and not really enjoying it).  For Maestro its all about he money and he is happy to do as many shifts as he can as he may have to pull back when Uni starts again.  Though he has selected his classes  and has said that he only has to go in one day a week next semester so he might be working just as much.  

Mo got an email from Uni and due to her excellent ATAR will likely be offered a place in the first intake so we only have to wait until January to find out.  

Its been more cross stitch for me, I will be really glad when my new glasses are ready otherwise I will have to go up lense in my magnifier, I've really struggled this week seeing or maybe I just have tired eyes.  

As you can see the top is nearly done a couple of trees and more snow flakes to go.

Head to Kate's to see how everyone is going in the lead up to Christmas.  

  

15 Minute Challenge and Lots of Holiday Running Around

 I don't know where the first week of my holidays went but it's been and gone.  I haven't been idle most of the Christmas shopping is done I've run a few errands, got my eye's tested new glasses are coming in a couple of weeks.  Dentist trips and dropping Mo of to work and staying up late to go and pick her up has meant that I have been stitching and crocheting way more than usual in the evening to stay awake.  

We went to see a financial adviser today to see if DH can retire in the next 12 months he is also on holidays from this week though he has to go in to conduct interviews tomorrow but I'm having my hair/nails done so the day is already filling up fast with activities.  Then I think we are pretty free apart from taxi service for Mo's work until Christmas.  

I'm still working my way through Granny Square Academy.  I'm up to No 8 square which is really testing but is going to be really pretty when finished.  

My Blackbird Design pincushion is well on the way.  I'd say I have a few more nights to finish the top then it will be on to the side which will probably take a while.  Don't know if it will be finished for Christmas but fingers crossed it may be.  

It was a 7 out of 7 for stitching this week. We have been watching MidSommer Murders on Amazon Prime while I stitch but we are just about out of episodes to watch.  DH doesn't like the New Barnaby Season 14+  and on but he might have to suck it up.  

Mo has made coffee cups for a few Christmas presents.  They have finally be fire and I picked them up today.  She is so impressed with how they turned out.  Mo also got her results today and she got one A- and the rest all A for year 12 and she has enough ATAR points to comfortably get into the course she wants to do at UNI.  

So how did your week go.  Head to Kate's to see how everyone else met the challenge.

15 Minute Challenge and Weekend Getaway

 It was our 25th wedding anniversary this week and I booked a weekend at the Adelaide Oval Hotel.  We had a lovely room overlooking the Cathedral.  The hotel is built into the eastern side of the Hotel so all rooms have a view.  We did a bit of shopping in the afternoon and purchased a watch for Mo for doing so well in her year 12 even though we haven't got her final results yet 4+ A's is pretty good.  

We walked into the city for dinner at Parlemento's.  We use to eat here a few times when we were just going out and I worked in the city around the corner from the restaurant.  The food was good as always and they were very busy.  

We had breakfast in the morning in the restaurant overlooking the Adelaide Oval.  We ordered our breakfast with a couple of extras (big mistake) because before the main came this plate was presented   Both of us ate left than half of what was on offer but it was a wonderful meal.  We didn't eat anything for the rest of the day.  

We came home to ducklings in the pool, after more than 20 years in this house we have always managed to keep the ducks from nesting in the yard.  I honestly hadn't noticed any this year, they were sneaky.  Mo said she found them on Saturday afternoon in the pool.  DH wasn't happy.  We ended up herding them out the yard and down the road to the local wet lands.  It took all 3 of us about 20 minutes to get them there but they were happy once they saw the water and made their way into the creek.  

I think it was a 7 out of 7 this week.  I have started Granny Square Academy again and am doing one of each of the 10 squares then  I will be moving onto Granny Square Flair which is more challenging and see how I go.  This time I am just using the book to read the pattern instead of relying on the youtube videos so far I've worked it all out.  Each square you learn a different technique.  

I've also been working on another blackbird design cross stitch.  This one is Early Christmas Morning it is a nice big pincushion with a cross stitch band around the side.  I think it will be very pretty when its done.  

Today is the first day of my holidays, so far I've had a big sleep in and written this post then I think Mo and I are going Fruit and Veg Shopping and maybe get some lunch.  

Check how to see how everyone went this week at Kate's.

15 Minute Challenge Who knows what is to come with restrictions over Christmas

 Although there haven't been many cases with this latest outbreak of COVID.  Someone that was a casual contact with one of the people, has developed COVID and hasn't been in quarantine.  They went on a shopping spree last week and have hit 7 shops.  So now there are more alerts.  A couple of the places we have been too but not at the times when this person was there but it all is a bit close to home for my liking.  They were going to open up more tomorrow, if that goes ahead with these latest development remains to be seen.  

Mo got school awards for Art and IPP (which is basically graphics design) and a medal for excellence for achieving 4 or more A's in year 12 as she has done 6 year 12 subjects we aren't sure which subjects were in the mix for an A.  It was really hard to hear on the video when they read them out so we will have to wait for her SACE score.  

I think its safe to show off her Art Prac for the year.  She has put it on her instagram page.  Apparently it's about growing up.  Her 2 friends are serene and accepting of moving from childhood to adulthood but she is resisting trying to cling to the mask.  

It was only a 6 out of 7 week.  I think I was just a bit tired one night.  

I did finish my latest cross stitch stitching and I need to put it together.  I also got 2 kits this month one was a bonus.  But there are another couple of projects from the book that I want to do (more drum pin cushions) I'm hoping that I have enough threads left over to get them done.  

But I'm putting them away for a bit as I want to do another Blackbird Christmas pin cushion which is quite large before I go back to the book.  I am going to make sure that I check Crewel Goblins Newsletter to sign up for their next project because I have found these quite fun and rewarding.  

Last week we had a few hot days, probably why I didn't have a 7 out of 7 and we headed to the beach for a bit of a walk.  The area in front of the jetty had way to many people for social distancing so we walked further down to another ramp.  We ended up sitting and watching the sun set it was perfect down the beach not too hot and not to cool.  

See how everyone is going this week by heading to Kate's 

  

15 Minute Challenge & Lockdown

 What a week we have had in our state.  I mentions in the last post that there was a COVID cluster discovered.  We haven't had a case for 3 months which had not been in quarantine from people returning from overseas.  

Some how one of the cleaners of the quarantine hotel got infected and spread it to her family and other people.  The government immediately started raping up testing and quarantine all contacts from that large family.  To date I think it is about 5000 people.  The clincher came when one of those infected lied to the contact tracers about how they got the virus.  He said that the only contact he had with one infected people was that he ordered a pizza from one of the contacts place of work.  That lie caused panic and we were all ordered into a 6 day lock down because if it could be caught by receiving pizza delivery how many people could it have been spread to.  

2 days in to total lock down, only essential business open, after they seize the guys phone and work out he actually works at the pizza joint so the decision was made to open up again but still with tightened restrictions.  The government has stated today that we have escaped the second wave the cluster number is at 37 and the only people that have come back positive are those in quarantine.  

We have been asked to wear masks for the first time, but I notice today not many people around my work aren't wearing them.  We had a few places close to home that are on the alert list for having covid positive people there so most people out my side of town 9 out of 10 people are wearing them.  

The 3 day lock down was pretty severe we weren't allowed to leave the house unless it was to go food shopping or seeking medical advice and then only 1 person from the house was allowed to leave.  As soon as the lie was discovered we were allowed out to exercise.

So Mo's formal was cancelled as was the Valedictory Assembly.  Turns out Mo is getting an award so she has been contacted and is to go to a Senior Assembly on Wednesday to receive it 😞. They were talking about live streaming but that was before the school was shut for 2 days so I doubt that we will get to see it.  

So how did my sewing go this week.  Surprising well.  7 out of 7 for me.

Wednesday I pulled out the sewing machine while watching all the COVID new unfold and made masks.  Here is the pile that is at the front door.  

I also have been continuing on with last months Crewel Gobelin project.  I'm just over half way through.   I'm not loving the colours on this one but I think it will look ok once done. I may have bought another xmas pin cushion blackbird design that I want to make for myself.  

So how did you go this week.  Head to Kate to see how everyone else is travelling.  

 

  

15 Minute Challenge and new COVID Restrictions

 I'm hoping down the track I can look back at my 2020 posts and remember what we went through.  Today our state has tighten restrictions as there is an outbreak of community transmission.  We are waiting to see if Mo's formal is being cancelled which is to be held on Wednesday.  We have once again been told to work from home. Mo is taking it in her stride.  

I've been stitching my 12 days of Xmas ornaments.  I have finished 2 sets of Partridge In Pear Tree and this afternoon finished a Turtle Dove.  Don't think I will get much of a chance (if formal goes ahead) over the next few days to start any more.  I think I will be happy with getting one done a week.  

We put up the new tree on the weekend, a bit early this year, I usually don't like to put it up before 1 December but giving 2020 as it is its gone up early.  

Mo has been working on xmas presents, hopefully we can get them fired in time for Christmas, she has a couple more to do.  She has now put handles on these two and she want to make one more.  

So how has your week gone.  Mine was a 7 out of 7.  Head to Kates' to see how everyone has gone this week.  

15 Minute Challenge and a real finish and another start

 Don't ask me where the last week went because I have no clue.  Still doing a fair bit of running around with Mo for school stuff.  She also had an induction day for her new job but they said it would be another week before she got any shifts, which is good because we have dentist/hair appointments that have been put off because of COVID and school. 

Maestro has just finished his first exam, a couple more to go, they are all online and he is doing them at home.    

It was a 6 out of 7 week this week.  I started a new cross stitch project and finished mounting last weeks finish to the match box.  I painted the match box and finished it with melted bees wax.  It is a cute finish.  

I made a start on the 12 days of Christmas.  I am still waiting on my tree and the felt to match the coloured baubles that we purchased so these will probably end up as gifts.  

Mo has shown me pictures of her finished pots and mugs that she has been working on for her Design class.  They have been fired at school and they look fantastic, sound like she has sold most of them at school, a couple of the teachers have already put dibs on some of her items so it doesn't look that I will be getting any of the finished products.  She brought a couple home to plant succulents in which she has been propagating and will take them back for her stall.  Not too sure when the market will be or if we will be able to go with Covid restrictions.  By the sounds of it she will make enough cash to buy some more glazes and pay for some of her wheel set up.  

So how has your week been.  Head to Kates to see how everyone is travelling.

15 Minute Challenge and an almost finish

 I honestly don't know where last week went.  Not much happened, Mo did a few things with friend, Maestro went to a couple of parties.  This week he is doing more study for exams the following week.  

Victoria has recorded 3 days without COVID cases and the state government is easing restrictions.  I read in the paper that on the same day in June they were equal with UK for new cases when their lockdown was started.  Have a look where the UK are now and although it has been really hard on the Vics they now can see the light and the UK are in real trouble again.  Here in SA the only COVID cases are from people returning from overseas and they have been kept in hotel quarantine to ensure it doesn't spread.  So things are looking up here.  

Yesterday I finished the tiny cross stitch I was working on.   Definitely glad that is over a done with.  I can't tell you how many times I unpicked the stitches and it still isn't perfect but I'm happy with it and that's the main thing.  I have to paint a box to mount it on, I think that will be next weekend.

It was 6 out of 7 last weekand I spent the whole time on the cross stitch, though yesterday I did make a belt for Mo's formal dress which is back from being shortened.  

Mo and I ordered a new Christmas Tree (we only ever do fake) for this year, and some coordinated decorations and I plan to make Twelve Days Ornaments by Larissa Holland to match.  I have only purchased the first 6 patterns to see how far I get this year and then I might get the final 6 next year.  I think I will be happy if I get the first couple done I already have to many projects on the go.  

The boss approved 5 weeks off for me for Christmas I will be having most of December of and go back to work on 11 January.  DH and I are off to see if he can retire some time next year.  He has been so stressed this year it was beginning to affect his health so if he can plan to finish up soon I think that will help.  

So how has you stitching time been this week.  Head to Kate's to see how everyone is doing.  

15 Minute Challenge - Official end of school for Mo

Official classes finished last week for year 12, Mo still has to attend her Design Class on Wednesdays for a few more weeks.  This subject has been a bit hit and miss for Mo, parts of it she has loved and parts of it she has hated and those sessions have caused a lot of anxiety especially this last week.  Thankfully that part is all over and they just have to produce a product in the next few weeks which she is well on the way to completing.  

Her job will start soon she has been doing online training this week and once that is complete she can start work.  That will probably involve a bit more anxiety but I am sure once everything isn't new things will pick up for her and I am sure it is going to be a job she can continue once she starts Uni.  

Maestro has cut down his shifts at work so he can study for exams in a couple of weeks so we have had lots more visits from him, instead of just the hello/goodbye's we have been getting up until recently. 

This weeks 15 minute challenge well it was a 6 out of 7 as one evening I met up with the girls for dinner first time we have met up since February.  It was lovely to return to normal get togethers.

This week I've been doing my tiny cross stitch, still not loving the 1 thread over 1 linen thread, but I'm nearing the end.  I'm still one project behind but I might skip to the latest project as it is another drum and I don't really like the previous project so may pick another one from the book to do in its place.  I have plenty of thread left over.  

 

Mo went to a halloween/end of school party on the weekend. She went as Peppa Pig.  I was called on to make pigs ears and a snout.  She painted her hair pink and her face, glued eyes to the sides of her face as Peppa's face is always side on and made a tail to go on her orange dress.  We could get Wellies but she also wears black shoes so that finished the outfit.  

How did you go this week.  Check who met the challenge this week. 

15 Minutes and A Finish

Its been a good week for the challenge 7 out 7.  Work has been quiet which means I haven't had to catch up on too much after our big September.  I talked to the boss today and its probably because he hasn't been absent doing work travel/conferences this time of year so things aren't left until he is around.  Wonder if we can make it a policy in the future.  

I have finished the Blackbird button bag, here is the picture all pretty resting against my antique sewing machine.  The next project is 1 thread over 1 linen thread a bit of a challenge something I probably won't be repeating anytime soon.  

More crochet was done and I managed to work out a decent layout of the colours, playing with my second sampler pack when it arrived.  Still haven't finished the first pack worth of granny squares but I think I will try and get half of it together if I have enough cream.    

Last week of offical classes for school for Mo this week.  She has only one more assignment to hand up for year 12.  We picked up here potters wheel on the weekend, she can still get things fired at school for a few more weeks so she wants to throw some more pots over the next few weeks.  

So how did your week go.  Head to Kate's to see how everyone is traveling.

15 Minute Challenge Back to School

Mo went back to school today.  She was a little bit cranky this morning but seems to have brightened up this afternoon.  Yesterday she finished her Art Prac and I helped her put them in frames.  Photo's have been taken these are what are submitted to the board for grading.  

There has been no more dress making progress but I'm guessing she will get back to it once school is finished 2 weeks and 3 Wednesdays (Design Class) to go and she will be done.  

We went and had a formal dress fitting for the hem to be done.  The shop was a zoo, all the schools have left formals till the end of the year, luckily we had an appointment as they said they had to close the shop to more customers earlier in the day as they had reach their max people allowed in the space.  I'm glad we took the gamble of getting her dress early.  

There isn't any news of when she starts her job yet, so it looks like she will be well and truly finished with school before she needs to start.  

I've managed to make time for crochet, sewing and cross stitch everyday this week.  It was a long weekend last week and I had an extra day off which was lovely though I had to really hustle at work to get things done.  I'm planning on having 5 weeks off starting in early December this year so I can spend some more time with Mo and Maestro (if he isn't working too much).  DH is hoping to have a similar break, he has already started working out his summer projects.  

I traced a couple of more smitten blocks and just about finished the cross stitch I have been working on, tonight should have the cross stitch all done and I can make up the bag on the weekend.

These are all my granny squares, I nearly have run out of coloured balls, but I was able to get another sample pack so I should be able to make a 10 x 10 blanket out of them now.  The cream is on back order  so I have given up on alternative cream blocks, so I will undo what I have done and use that for the edge.  I am going to start putting them together once the first group of sample colours is done.  Not sure how I am going to do the colours if i will just do pot luck or arrange in colour rows like the original design.  

How has your week been?  Head to Kate's to see how the crew has gone this week.