Photos!

This morning I finally remembered how to transfer photos from the gallery on my tablet to the PC so I could download them to a blog post - because posts are so much more interesting with photos, don't you think? Then I took some more photos later and it didn't work no matter what. Foiled again. It would be much more convenient if I could upload to a blog post on the device but I can't. The Blogger upload photos thingy comes up but nothing happens. Oh technology, I really really love you until you do something annoying...

So - when it worked ever so briefly this morning I decided it was time for a new header photo. The old one - masses of colourful begonias - was taken at Ballarat's annual Begonia Festival a couple of years ago. The new one is of the crab apple tree in our back garden. It's no longer blossoming but when it was, just a week or so ago, it was eye-catchingly pretty.

Apart from the usual household stuff, reading and wandering in the garden, I may have purchased some fabric from time to time (too much of it, I have to admit ... but I'm sure it will all be very handy ... someday). I now have a small collection of Heather Ross fabrics - her designs are so quirky and appealing. These latest purchases are from her Tiger Lily range - aren't they sweet! I particularly like the cat fabric, which I bought especially for my daughter, who adores cats in general and her own ginger cat particularly.

A few months ago, as mentioned in a previous post,  I took part in a needlebook swap organised by Jenny at elefantz.blogspot.com. The brief was to use one of the designs from her monthly stitchery club. I sent the one with the pear on the front and received the other. What a nice swap it was.

 With Christmas getting frighteningly close, I've made a few little festive ornaments. Felt is so great to work with and the handstitching is so relaxing. The embroidered tree is one of Marg Low's gorgeous designs.

 

I'm taking part in Chooky's Secret Santa Christmas Swap again this year (thank you very much for your ace organising, Chooky, and for my allocated partner; I'm thrilled to bits) and have gifts to make for family and friends too, so I'd better stop messing around  and get on with it.

Bye for now - hope you're having a great day, whatever you're doing.

My FNWF...

.... was during the day. I rarely sew at night because I don't have a good light so had a lovely relaxing time in the sunshine fiddling about with felt, embroidery threads and Barb Smith's cute little robin buttons to produce two more Christmas decorations. Barb designs under the name Theodora Cleave. Her buttons are just delightful and quirky and she has all sorts of ranges - Christmas, French style, gardening, birds and animals ...They really add a special fun touch to small projects. Can you tell I'm a fan?

Hello again.

A pinch and a punch for the first of the month! I can't believe how quickly this year is disappearing. It will be Christmas in no time. Do you give handmade Christmas gifts? I do like to make at least some of mine - my 3 brothers all received drawstring bags for Christmas last year and I've made them also for my daughter this year and for my husband's birthday on Sunday. Handiest things ever (and quick and easy too - can't beat that combination! ) SOTAK Handmade  has a great tutorial. And I've made a few decorations with felt and some of Theodora Cleave's gorgeous buttons. Quick and easy again. But that's it. Every year I plan to start early and make more gifts but it never happens.  Oh well, there's always next year.

The weather has been terrific this week and I'm feeling terrific too, which is pretty nice after weeks of having a cold and generally feeling blah. Winters here in Ballarat are long and chilly but I'll be complaining about the heat before too long. There's just no pleasing some people! The Mister and I went off for a drive to one of our favourite places just out of town this afternoon.Lambley Nursery at Ascot has beautiful gardens where you can wander to your heart's content. The tulips are still gorgeous and the countryside is so green, with flowering canola adding touches of vivid yellow. I'm sorry I can't show you how lovely it all is - I'm still unable to add pics through Blogger. Annoying, but not the end of the world.