This first month has been to my liking, apart from the hot weather, which always makes me tired and cranky. Still, it's the perfect excuse for staying indoors and reading or stitching (or having a nanna nap - you don't have to be a nanna to enjoy a nanna nap!)
Little projects make me happy and there have been a few of those so far - a wool pincushion, a linen and Liberty pouch, a mini featuring a little red hen (no surprises there) and a few other bits and pieces. The pouch was a gift for Anorina of sameliasmum, who designs and makes lovely things and is very generous in sharing her tutorials. I'm in a year-long trans-Tasman birthday swap this year and she was our first birthday girl. I must admit to having been a little daunted to be making for her but it turned out well and there was such a lovely response from her and others. You can't beat the combination of linen and lovely Liberty.
Gail Pan is one of my favourite designers and when she announced late last year that she was having a summer school in January there was no way I was going to miss out. Apart from plentiful food and drink, it was a BYO sort of day for whatever project you wanted to work on. I took the wool applique pear design that became the pincushion, as well as some simple embroidery. There were stitchy treats in a bag and the potential for lots of shopping to be done - Gail's latest Stitch It For Christmas came home with me, as well as other goodies. It was such a pleasant, friendly, chatty,stitchy day and I enjoyed it so much.
Each year ace blogger and all-round good person chookyblue hosts her Secret Santa Christmas Swap which is looked forward to by crafters all over the world. My partner to make for this year was Josie at dillydimple, whose blog is always fun to read. I was really chuffed to have Josie as my partner because she's in Scotland, where I was born. Nice one, Chooky! If you want to see what I made for Josie, visit her in blogland.
And making for me was Marion in Germany (kunzfrau.blogspot.de). I received a cute cardboard Christmas tree ornament with gold lacework in the middle - so unusual and lovely - and these fabulous oven gloves. I've never had handmade oven gloves before, and certainly not two of a kind of shop-bought ones. They're so practical and I use them a lot - and they look good hanging up in my kitchen too.
And making for me was Marion in Germany (kunzfrau.blogspot.de). I received a cute cardboard Christmas tree ornament with gold lacework in the middle - so unusual and lovely - and these fabulous oven gloves. I've never had handmade oven gloves before, and certainly not two of a kind of shop-bought ones. They're so practical and I use them a lot - and they look good hanging up in my kitchen too.
