FLOWERS!

Don't ya just LOVE online shopping?

I do for sure.  It's so much fun.

Yesterday not only did I manage (after 4 freakin' hours) to find and order new thread, I also ordered some flowers!

I decided I wanted some Peony plants ... their flowers are just gorgeous.  I have two bunches of them in our home, but they are artificial ones.

ABOVE:  I have ordered these five.  This afternoon I can go and pick them up from Wairere Nursery.  They have a 'contactless' system whereby you drive into their car park, pop ya boot open, and they put your plants in the car and you drive away.

I've already paid online, so I don't even have to touch an EFTPOS machine. 

So this morning I will have a wander around the garden and work out where I want these plants to be.  They will be in Tuber form, and they are about to sprout, so I will need to get them in the ground this afternoon.

They will flower in Spring... so that will be something to look forward to.

ABOVE:  I REALLY like this saying.  And don't ya just love that heart?  It's my favourite from all that I've made over the past few days. (edit:  Stew noticed the typo btw!  Corrected now).

Don't know what else I shall do today.  I have three pieces of wood that need titivating... might do that.  *smiles*

Catch ya later.

ONWARD...

11.45 am: We started the day with a thick fog again... so Stew went for a walk before work in it.  If he'd given me time I would have gone with him... maybe tomorrow?

He had to go into work this morning, so I went along for the ride.  SO MANY more cars on the roads now!  Not as many as 'normal', but still lots.

Just as we drove in our driveway this guy in a van pulled up, wound down his window and...

ABOVE:  Yeah, took a photo of the tree. lol

He's putting it on his Instagram page apparently.

Not long now till I can go and pick up my peony plants.  Then this afternoon it will be gardening time.  I shall be planting them, plus the hydrangea cuttings we took weeks ago from up the road.

I'm tired today... don't know why.  It might be a nap day later.  *smiles*

So Lacy and I went and picked up the Peonies.... and I've just planted them.  It involved moving quite a few other plants.


ABOVE:  I said in the video that they wouldn't come up till Sep/Oct?  I might be wrong about that.  I think that's when they start to flower?  Don't know for sure, but I'm sure I will find out eventually.

I'm now off to have a shower as I'm filthy.

Lacy cooked dinner tonight, so nice not to be doing it myself.  She can stay... until she completely drives me nuts!

We had chicken kebabs and home made wedges.

Now?  Watching the telly and just relaxing.

HRV

Today I need to contact an HRV company.  We need the filters cleaned or replaced asap.
I seriously doubt the previous owners of this home had them looked at or cleaned at all during the 18 months they were here.

Now that we are at Level 3 we should be able to get someone here to do it, keeping all the necessary precautions in place.

Also today we are hoping Lacy finally gets safely home, after being in lockdown up in Whangarei.  Hopefully we hear from her soon to say she's on her way.

What else?  Not much!
Stew will be working all day.
I will do more sewing after attending to the housework.

It really is the same stuff every day right now!

A couple of mornings ago we had a cracker jack fog hanging around and it was horrible and cold.

And it prompted me to say to Stew I really didn't think it was worth me doing the Cambridge Market any more.

Two reasons really.  1. It's not profitable most of the time and 2.  I hate standing out there in the cold for 8 out of the 12 markets in the year.

Seriously... I get so cold I could cry.  And now that we don't live in Cambridge anymore, Stew has to stay with me the whole time.  So he's cold too.

For what?  Certainly not for the money!  I do enjoy the social interaction... but not when I end up freezing cold and miserable.

So... I am handing in my notice.  Then I shall just concentrate on the two Church markets that are profitable for now.  And also perhaps go back to having an Online Facebook page for selling my stuff?  There might be a few once a year markets I can get into as well in the area?  I will check it out over time.

I could also set up a space in my garage (once Lacy's out of it of course) and have a go at selling from home too?  Worth a thought.

So... plenty to think on and do/find out about.
But for now, enough waffling.  I'm off to do some housework.  Oh yaaa.

ABOVE:  Too funny not to share with ya.

ONWARD...

I had a quick look on Facebook while having my brunch just now.  And I'm so incensed.

So many people seem to think going to Level 3 meant they could just travel anywhere within their 'region'.  Ah NO.  You still have to stay LOCAL... not go 50-60 kms away to catch a bloody fish!  Or walk on the beach. Or climb a mountain.  WTF are people thinking?
I fear we will be back in Level 4 before we know it.

I applaud EVERYONE who is doing the right thing.  THANK YOU.

So I rang the HRV place here in Hamilton and left a message. Still waiting to hear back from them.

I've spent the last 2 hours on the phone/internet trying to find a particular cotton thread I need for my cot quilts.  Still no luck.  Grrrrr.

ABOVE:  Two of my dearest friends in the entire world, Sandra and Chris D.  They live in Palmerston North.  I miss them so much.  Anyway... Chris has been on her own during Level 4, but yesterday she was added to Sandra's bubble.  So happy they are together again, and Chris is not alone any more.

Though she does have her two adorable little dogs, Buddy and Harley to keep her company.

We got a knock on the front door  just before.  It was one of our neighbours and her little Grandson, Arlo.
Arlo wanted to hand deliver a letter to me.
Just the cutest little 5 year old!!!

He's usually very reluctant to write his Grandma told me... but he had no problem writing a letter to me:

ABOVE:  How darn adorable is that?  
He rather enjoyed looking at our fish too... though I had a couple of mini heart attacks with him on the bridge!

STEVE:  we do need side rails!  ASAP.  In a very rustic sorta way ... we can discuss it when we get together again.  *smiles*

Lacy... is half way home.  There goes our left overs every day.  lol

And FINALLY... I have found a stockist of the thread I want!  Way down in Petone, Wellington.  I'm just waiting to hear if they have the colour I want, and when they can send it to me.  Until then, I'm not stitching the cot quilts.

Whoop whoop!   They do have the thread I want, and more.  So I just ordered a heap... enough to ensure I don't run out in a hurry.  So relieved.
Now I just have to sit and wait for it to be delivered.  

ABOVE:  AND ... she's home.  Marley hid behind the curtain until she got enticed out for a cuddle.
Lacy had no problems on her drive home thank goodness. 

A lovely dinner tonight of chicken steaks, fresh bread rolls and a lettuce/egg salad.  It was actually just as nice as the takeaway meal we had last night!

Time to sign off and enjoy an evening of TV, maybe some craft in me sewing studio?  Dunno yet... depends how lazy I feel.  lol

SLASHED HEARTS

I had a couple of emails overnight asking how to make slashed hearts.

So here goes:

ABOVE: Start by having three different sized paper hearts as your patterns.

ABOVE:  Now, using different fabrics, applique a medium heart on top of a large heart, then a small heart on top of the medium heart.  Make several like this, so you have lots of options for the next steps.

 ABOVE:  Next, using a ruler and a rotary cutter (or scissors if ya don't have a rotary cutter), cut each heart in half, right down the middle.

 ABOVE: And now, mix the halves up, so they coordinate nicely.

 ABOVE:  With right sides together, stitch the two halves together.  Open and press the seam.

ABOVE:  You will now have a slashed heart.  Last step, applique the heart onto your backing fabric.

ABOVE:  And this is the first lay out with the slashed hearts added.  Once I've stitched everything down, I will add borders, quilt it and add the binding.  edit:(the top heart is not working for me, so I will be replacing it later on)

I expect the stitching down to take a few days, provided I don't get distracted by some other project.

LOL... which is highly likely.  I am enjoying mixing up my projects.

Stew is back to work today.

Lacy is NOT due home today after all.  She will probably come back tomorrow.

And that's all I have for now.  Catch ya later on in the day.

ONWARD...

Stayed in bed till 9 today.  Just no rush to get up is there?
Stew is working, but even he doesn't have to hurry in the mornings now.

I've topped up the pool this morning, it was a bit low.  Then I went and put the next addition on the tree:

ABOVE:  You can hardly tell it's there, it's a 'natural green' section.  I'm using some of the wool my neighbour's gave me.  I still have quite a bit of my own too... so I doubt I will run out.

Oh there's a new pale blue pom pom too.

It's a lovely day out there... not cold at all.

On a side note...

I've GAINED 1 kilo since lockdown started.  Not bad considering all the home baking we've been eating!

I will not complain about the lack of comments today... NO REALLY.  I'm sure you are all so busy, and today's blog is a bit ho-hum after all.

An elderly couple on our street just lost their daughter (61) from cancer.  Sadly, it's their second daughter to die this way.  So as you can't have big funeral gatherings at level 3, most of the neighbours are going to line the street at 4.30 pm this afternoon, as they leave for the funeral.  Just a show of support.

Stew and I will be joining, even though we don't personally know them.  It's a nice thing to do.  And Stew can get off his butt for a little while.  *smiles*  Actually, so can I.

I've been sewing all day. 

***  SQUEALS *** ....

I just ordered our first TAKEAWAY meal in over 5 weeks!  BURGER FUEL Burgers, and chips, and thickshakes.  OMG I can't wait.

I hadn't actually planned on doing that today, but then as I was about to start something for dinner I remembered we can order and pick up a takeaway.   Whoop! Whoop!

So I rang and ordered dinner at 5 pm, for a pick up at 6 pm.

 ABOVE:  Stew and Brylee went down at 5.50 pm and stood and waited... and waited... with the other 40+ people standing waiting... and his name was finally called at 6.45 pm.
So... they were overrun with orders, but we were still happy to have our first takeaway meal in over a month.

ABOVE:  Burger, fries and a thickshake.  I feel kinda sick... so full!

I don't think we will be doing that again for a few weeks.  It was nice, but I'd forgotten just how expensive takeaways are!  

Signing off for the day now... just going to blob out in front of the TV now.  

HEARTS

So... Stew and I thought about what I could put in the blank spaces on the cot quilts?

We thought about baby toys, like a rattle, stacker rings, bath toys etc.  Then I hit on the perfect thing!

HEARTS.

Pretty hearts.  I've done cot quilts with hearts before and they look adorable.

So, today I will be cutting out hearts.

Today is a public holiday.  So Stew is still not 'at work'.
Tomorrow when we move down to Level 3, he will still be working from home most of the time.

Lacy will be home sometime tomorrow, all going well.  I'm still not sure if Griffin is coming home.  I suppose we will find out tomorrow!

Perhaps the only other changes for us at Level 3 will be the ability to drive to say the lake for a walk.  Or along the river bank or the Hamilton Gardens.  And being able to get limited takeaways via pick up or delivery.

I hope this new Level only lasts 2 weeks.

I would like life to get back to some sort of normality eventually!

First up for today, I will be adding something to the tree.  Then I will do some more sewing.

ABOVE:  Kinda funny.  Every now and then I think a cat would be a nice addition ... then I remember the DOZENS of notices on Facebook about lost cats/dead cats on the road, or in a ditch, and go "YEAH NAH".  Been there, done that.

So, time to get a move on, start the day and so on.

ONWARD...

11.36 am:  Well it was a very foggy start to the day, and I'm thrilled to say the DVS is working perfectly.  Absolutely NO condensation on any of our windows.

Stew has done a few little jobs for me this morning.  He took the nasty holland blind down from above our bed, then he secured my fat quarter boxes onto the shelves in the Sewing Studio:

ABOVE: Now I can see at a glance what I want in them.

After that he raised my trestle, to make cutting etc easier on my back:

ABOVE:  It might be a bit too high, but he can easily saw the tubes down a bit if necessary.

Meanwhile, I added this to the tree:

ABOVE:  Just a standard addition today.  Can you see the fog in the background?  It was really thick today.

I'm now making a couple more additions for the tree, before going back to making some hearts for the cot quilts.

6 pm:  And I've had a wonderful afternoon.  I made some slashed hearts for the cot quilts I will be making.

ABOVE:  Not very good lighting ... but you get the drift.  They are so cute.

I have done a lay out of one quilt... and will show you tomorrow.

Stew has cooked dinner again... we are having roast pork, roast potatoes, kumera and carrot, cauliflower cheese and home made gravy.  He's showing off now.  I use sachet gravy.  *sigh*

Because I had 'brunch'... I'm starving!  

Dinner was fantastic!  Stew's a damn good cook.  *smiles*

Time to head off to bed, bloody tired.

COT QUILTS

I will be finishing the 2nd Bird Runner today, then I can make a start on TWO cot quilts that have been ordered.

With that gorgeous fabric that arrived the other day.

I can't wait to do them!   Cot quilts are so much fun.  

But before that... I shall go out and put another addition on the tree.  I didn't put anything on it yesterday.  I felt the Poppy/Cross was my 'addition' yesterday.

I was watching a random video on Facebook last night, and it gave me an idea.

During this Quarantine/Lockdown time ... what have YOU turned into / been doing ... it could be more than one thing:

A. An all Day Cleaner
B. A Hoarder
C. A Baker
D. A person who drinks wine all day
E. A Workout fanatic
F. An 'over 30' who's joined TIK TOK
G. A person who LOVES home schooling
H. A person who HATES home schooling
I. A Gamer
J. A Stress Eater
K. A Feeder
L. A DIY'er
M. A Zoomer
N. A Paranoid person
O. A Netflix Binger
P. A person who sleeps all day
Q. A person who stays in their pyjamas all day
R. A person who's learning a new skill

TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE!!!   OR... do you have something to add to the list?

Me?  I'm :  C,J,K,L and O.

Brylee is :   I, O and R.  Learning to cook is a new skill!

Stew?  None of the above!  He's still 'going to work'.

Right, that's me for now... catch ya later.

ONWARD...

Well... I've been busy.  I drained all the yukky water and debris off the top of the pool cover and then tied it down a bit firmer.

Then I decided to show you a comparison of the Family Room, Pre-ownership of the house, and now:

ABOVE:  before

ABOVE:  now

ABOVE:  before

ABOVE:  now

I think it looks a bit more 'cluttered' now... but then the before photos were staged for sale, so they had no personal bits 'n' bobs showing.

Now I'm in me studio and am going to sew for a few hours.

A...  FEW...  HOURS... LATER... and I'm done for the day.
I finished the Bird Runner:

ABOVE:  SO... I have two of them made and FOR SALE  ($50).  I have joined that group Mel, just have not listed anything on there yet. 
I think I will investigate a few different options for selling my products in the near future.

After finishing that, I stood and cut out the individual blocks from the cute animal fabric.  That took me a while !  And now my back is killing me.

I have laid out one cot quilt:

ABOVE:  Now I just have to think of what to put on the blank spaces.  I will give it some thought, and then work on making the pieces to applique on.  Above is just a very rudimentary start.

Each cot quilt (there will be 4 in this range) will also come with a matching pillow slip.  NOT for a pillow of course, but just to lie under baby's head.

So... as I said earlier, I'm done for the day.  Stew is cooking dinner tonight.  I'm just going to sit and let my back settle down.  Bending over a cutting table for hours is not fun.


I know what I'm putting in the blank blocks now. More tomorrow.

It's the end of the day and OMG am I ready to go to bed.  So tired.  Catch ya tomorrow.

LEST WE FORGET

It is ANZAC weekend.  A time to remember all who have lost their lives during wars in the past.

Because of Covid-19  shutting everything down, there were no poppy sales this week.

ABOVE:  So I made my own.

And I will put our little remembrance tribute out on the grass verge very early this morning.

ABOVE:  We all have layers... some are public and some are private.  Like an iceberg, most people's private layers are hidden from view, and only a few are privvy to them.  My inner circle just got smaller.  It happens. 

Moving on...

 ABOVE:  The fabric I ordered from Grandmother's Garden turned up by courier!  I had no idea they could send it during Level 4!
I love it... there's enough there for either 4 or 8 cot quilts, it will depend on how many sections I use per quilt.

ABOVE: OMG ... just OMG.  I asked him for a nice birthday photo!

Today I will probably flog Stew into doing a few odd  jobs around the place.  Though for the life of me I can't think WHAT right now!
Seriously, there is so few things we need to do now.

The 2nd Bird Runner will get finished today... then I have two more lined up to make, so I have plenty to do.

ONWARD...

Well contrary to popular opinion... we CAN relax!  Which is pretty much what we have been doing.
I even had a nap after lunch.

I'm running the pool filter today, and added chlorine too.  Something I will have to do every 2 weeks over winter.

ABOVE:  Stew cut the TV shelf corners with the jigsaw and I painted the edge white.  Now it doesn't jut out so much and has nice curved corners.  Much safer.

And before you ask/wonder, YES, the TV is screwed to the shelf and the shelf is screwed to the wall.  So it's NOT going to fall off on anyone.

I had a lovely chat with me Mum (THE OLD MOO) today, just explaining latest family interactions.  She's beyond ANGRY, like we are.
But oh well.  Shit happens.   


Stew had just gone out to the chemist to pick up his prescription, then he's going to the supermarket for some things we ran out of.  Like ice cream.  lol
Nah in all seriousness, we did need a couple of things. 

I'm now back in my happy place, sewing.

***  Oh THE OLD MOO has ordered a cot quilt from me too! She just loves that new fabric.  ***

For the second day in a row, Stew came home empty handed from the supermarket.  Not because they were closed, but because the queue was far, far too long.  It's damn crazy. 

So, no damn ice cream.  Oh well... like I needed it.  I'm craving sweet things though.  We have nothing in the house that is sweet to eat.  I might have to  make a dessert.  Might be apple crumble.

7.15 pm:  Stew cooked Spag Bog for dinner, super yum.

I got this far with the 2nd Bird Runner today:

ABOVE:  I was sewing the eyes on and managed to stab my finger ... bled like a stuck pig.  Before I could help it, I got a drop of blood on the runner.
So I had to stop and immediately get it cleaned off... so now it's drying.
I'll get it finished tomorrow.

The rest of tonight is dedicated to relaxing again.

Stew has gone to the supermarket again... hoping there is no queue now?


And success!  There was NO queue at 7.30 pm.  So he got the things we needed.  And some ice cream.

I'm off to bed a bit earlier then usual tonight, there is NOTHING worth watching on the TV tonight.