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.