R B and S Challenge

Hello,

The Stitching Challenge with Anita and myself for this month was to make a cushion with R S and B.
It took a while for me to work out what I was going to do. I knew R had to be for Roses so I started with that and after a while it all fell into place.

S was for Sunflowers and B was for Butterfly's. Three of my favourite things. I was tempted to add some ric-rac. I even had it cut and pinned across the top but I didn't think it went together.
Anita will be putting her cushion on her blog over the weekend. It is different to mine. For next months challenge our theme is "Love" we can make it into whatever we want.

I had to share this photo of a ceiling full of roses. This is one of the theatres in the cinema at Matakana Cinemas in New Zealand. We were surprised to see how these cinemas were done up. We were actually in the wrong room. The movie we saw in another room had a beautiful chandelier and the most amazing ceilings.

I will hold off drawing the winner of the patchwork material until late Monday 2nd November This gives everyone a fairer chance due to different time zones.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Bev C

Charmed.

Hello,

Not a lot of sewing has been done here at "Kainga" I have been busy with family. Although the postman has been extremely nice to me,look what came in the post yesterday.I was certainly smiling and doing the "Happy Dance" when I realised it was the charm that I won on Amanda's lovely blog. Amanda's friend Missy made this as the prize. It was personalised to suit me. I chose a "Rose"themed charm. I am so happy with this it is just me down to a T.

How beautiful is that rose on the front. I wish I could be talented enough to make this kind of jewellery. Even the other side has a beautiful floral arrangement. Plus I do love the charm attached to it which says "Live." Thank you so much Amanda and Missy.

As I had to wait about 20 minutes for my prescriptions at the chemist yesterday I decided to take a wander down to my favourite shop "Good Sammy's." Gosh,they were very busy. I managed to take home only two items. Two brand new,unopened cross stitch kits. The boat themed one is on 14 count Aida cloth and the Fir Tree Sampler in on even weave linen. I haven't stitched on this before but I am sure once I get started it will be just the same.

I have finished stitching my Monthly Stitching Challenge with Anita. I will be back tomorrow with the finished items and the theme for next months challenge.

Happy Friday.

Bev C

"Being brave Blogiversary"

Hello,

Being brave is very hard sometimes. It takes courage to do something you are not used to doing.Trying something different brings out skills you didn't know you had. I was very very brave back on 14th October 2008. I pressed the start button on "Kainga Happenings" Since then I have met online some wonderful people and even had the chance to talk on the phone and meet some in person. I have been involved in swaps and received some lovely unexpected gifts. This is all part of being a blogger. To celebrate my first year of blogging I am giving away two half metre cuts of the material in the photo. I saw this in the local patchwork shop this morning and thought this would make a great prize for the giveaway. So all you have to do is leave a comment on any post on my blog in October. So some of you have already been entered. Each comment will give you an entry for the draw. On the 1st November I will announce the winner. I am willing to post anywhere. So good luck to you all.

Happy Blogiversary.

Bev C

Thank you Simone.

Hello,

On Friday I had sewing. I managed to get a fair amount done on a quilt I have been working on. I went to the Two Storeys Cafe afterwards for afternoon tea with Mum and Lucy. I had Ricotta Slice which is a all time favourite of mine. When I got home I had some mail. Simone told me she was sending me something. I didn't realise it was her beautiful wallhanging which she had on her blog recently. I was completely surprised when I opened the parcel. Thank you so much Simone. Our blogging friendship means so much to me. Earlier on in the year I sent Simone some Australian Homespun Magazines and some machine embroidery samples. I certainly didn't expect some of her beautiful work in return.You know I have learnt so much from wonderful people since starting my blog. Blogging is such a great way to learn customs and habits of people in other countries.

I picked this vase of flowers this morning. Most of these are David Austen roses except for the big one.
There are some poppies which will only last a day but are so pretty and some geramium which is putting on a wonderful show at the moment.The purple flower at the rear is a perenial statice which is good in dried flower arrangements.

Yesterday I made this journal cover for a present. I machine embroidered a butterfly on the front and hand sewed the ric-rac and added some buttons. Journals make a quick and easy present and are very handy to have in your own handbag. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend.

Happy times to you all.

Bev C

"Friendship Bag" arrives at Kainga.

Hello,

Yesterday I received my "Friendship Bag" from Barb who lives in Canada. I was also lucky enough to get some fat quarters and some quilting cotton. I couldn't believe that it is the very same cotton that I had recently seen in a quilting magazine from the US. The cotton comes on a wooden spool just like they use to before the plastic ones we have now. I will be keeping these for display after using the thread.

These little bags would make a great Christmas present as they are just the right size to put a few gifts in.Thank you so much for being my swap partner Barb. I will certainly use this little sweet bag.

Today I spent quite sometime drawing cutting and ironing for the "Beach Quilt" I have one more block to cut out. Then comes the fun part,working how the blocks will come together.

Happy sewing.

Bev C

The Garden at "Kainga."

Hello,

I hope everyone is having a good weekend. It got up to about 38 degrees here yesterday. The forecast was for about 34 degrees. The same is predicted again today then a change of about 10 degrees for the rest of the week. To think we had the fire going last Sunday!!! Bobbie Lynn has requested some photo's of my garden. This is a row of Rosemary and Lavender. All of these were grown from cuttings a few inches high. They don't get watered at all. The bees just love this area.

This is our rose tunnel that is down the front of the garden. We placed the star pickets about 10-25cm towards the centre at each spacing to create the tunnel effect.
To the left is a Quince tree."Cydonia oblonga" It is very hardy and grows 5-8m with a compact shape. I only watered this the first year it was in the ground. It has to survive on its own and it does. The smell from Quince fruit is divine. Great to perfume the house.

This is the garden right along the front fence. You can see the rose tunnel towards the side.
The roses along here will be blooming shortly,lots of buds on them. They are all pink roses

which are mulched with lupin mulch then I was lucky enough to get some straw and this was put on top.
This is the fruit and veggie area. You can see the raised bed we built earlier on in the year. We have just finished building another one against the side wall of our little garden shed. In this bed I have planted rhubarb,strawberries,peanuts and tomatoes. I was lucky enough to be given some peanuts in the shell. I have grown peanuts before and they certainly do well. I had a taste test before I planted them. They were certainly much nicer than the ones we get at the shops.
I have lots of poppies and nasturtiums growing amongst things. This attracts beneficial insects. They can then be either mulched or some get given to the chooks to scratch over.

I have lots of silver beet which just reseeds itself. I haven't bought any for years. It is so handy to just walk out the back and pick your own veggies which you know haven't been sprayed. We still have lots of broccoli coming along. As broccoli is one of the most sprayed vegetables I much prefer to grow our own.

Today is Bonnie's Birthday. Bonnie gave us a quick phone call during the week. Could Dad please cook a Roast Beef for her tea on Sunday night. Bonnie your usual Birthday request will be cooked to your satisfaction. Happy Birthday Bonnie and all the best for the coming year.

Happy days.

Bev C

Motivational Mail

Hello,

Yesterday I went to the Post Office to pick up a parcel. I won a giveaway of wonderful gifts.

These came all the way from the USA from Lee Anne . When Lee Anne first sent the parcel it came back to her a few days later!!! She then tried another Post Office which obviously was a bit better at sending parcels than the first one. There is a Butterfly cross stitch kit and some beautiful shades of silk thread amongst them. Yes the Skittles are still intact. They will get eaten tonight. Please check out Lee Anne's blog as it contains some lovely items of cross stitch and a beautiful Grandson called Levi.

Plus there is a giveaway for October which closes soon.

While I was waiting for the parcel to arrive I decided to start a little cross stitch from the book I bought not long ago. I have some of these towels in my stash. I paid $2.00 each for them. Brand new with the label still on them at Good Sammy's. Yes Pat if you are reading this I do do something with some of the things I buy.

I used DMC No 321 for the stitching. I had to add one or two extra stitches for the antennae as I had miscalculated the middle of the stitching. I think it still worked out OK though. I have at least two more towels that I can use. Although I am using things from my stash can someone please tell me why it doesn't seem to shrink.
I sprayed my roses this morning for aphids. I have seen a few ladybirds but I think I need some like these to keep the numbers down.

Happy cross stitching

Bev C

"Flutterby Stitches" Super Special Mail and a New Blogger.

Hello, The other week I was lucky enough to win one of Natalie's
patterns called "Flutterby Stitches" which includes a pattern for a Armchair caddy and Folder Cover. I decided to make the Armchair Caddy. I made it with material from my scrap bag so I really didn't have enough material in the quantities required.The back of it was supposed to be done in strips of material so I used a piece of gingham and appliqued some more of the butterflies on this piece. It folds up very neatly. This will be a permanent fixture on my chair from now on.

I had just enough of the pink to do three butterflies randomly on the other side.

The front has several pockets and a pincushion in the middle. Thank you so much for the pattern Natalie. Just love it.

The postie has bought some lovely mail to Kainga this week. Dzintra and her daughter Joanna sent me a pattern called "Walk in the Garden" by Runaway Quilts and a fat quarter called "Carnations are for January" by Concord Fabrics. My carnations are flowering in the garden so good timing Dzintra and JoJo. I do love the Rose Card which is "Roses on a Riverbank " by Madeleine Lemaire (1845-1928). Thank you.

Yesterday I received this lovely quilted heart made with love by Bobbie Lynn. I saw one of these hearts on Bobbie Lynn's blog and asked about them. Bobbie Lynn kindly said she would make one for me. They had been a project for Mother's Day. It is just beautiful and I will treasure it. I will hang it up in my sewing room. I also got a beautiful card made by Bobbie Lynn as well. This present topped of a lovely week. Yesterday Lucy and I had a "Girls Day Out". Visits to the Book Store and Movies and I managed to tuck in a visit to a Nursery. We watched "Julie and Julia." I

have never laughed so much at the movies. I can guarantee that you will love it. On the blogging front my friend and partner in crime in the monthly stitching challenge Anita has started a blog. Please drop by and say hello. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Happy days.

Bev C

September's Apron Stitching Challenge.

Hello,

September's stitching challenge was to make an Apron. It is interesting to see two completely different aprons. Aprons seem to be making a comeback. There are many different styles of aprons a quick search on the net reveals some amazing patterns. This is Anita's apron she chose some stripe material and her favourite Debbie Mumm fabric.

Look even one of her dolls made it into the photo shoot. Anita has had some luck finding Debbie Mumm fabric at one of the local op shops. She eyed off the material and it was tucked under her arm in a second. Good on you Anita.

For my apron I used some black homespun and some ribbon I had on hand for the neck and back ties.

I chose to embroider a rose on the apron. It has been put to good use already.

I have a book on loan from the library called "Sew and Save" by Joanna Chase. ISBN 978-0-00-731377-8.It is reproduced from the original 1941 edition. There is a small section on Apron Making. It states the following;

Aprons from Old Cotton Frocks. Never throw away faded or torn cotton frocks,and rather then tear them up for dusters,make yourself house-aprons with them. You get two aprons from every frock. Cut out the sleeves,then from the lower arm-hole cut straight across the top. The side-seams should be cut open, then hemmed down flat again.The back and front bodices are hemmed into square bibs.A couple of yards of ribbon,or coloured tape to attach to the bib of each apron,taken back over the shoulders,crossed over at the back,and brought round to tie at the waist-front will complete the garment." There are two other books that have been reproduced from the original books. One is about gardening and the other about your kitchen. The hints in these are still relevant today. There are several knitting patterns in the back of Sew and Save for gloves clothes socks etc which could be made up. The stitching challenge for this month is to make a cushion which has something in it starting with R S and B. It will be interesting to see what we both come up with.

Happy sewing.

Bev C

Liberty table runner and "Kathleen Harrop"

Hello,

I started this machine embroidery a little while ago. Then my embroidery machine had to go into be serviced. I had the centre block already done so chose two more of the same design to go on the other two blocks. The designs are designed and digitized by Sue Box from her Golden Classic Collection. The Liberty prints had birds on them as well so this complimented the embroidery designs.

The liberty prints were two curtains samples which I had on hand. I used up all of it except for about a half inch strip. This was lovely material to sew with as it was slightly heavier than patchwork material. The final measurements of the runner is 37 inches long by 14 inches wide.

I found this multi-coloured rose which is a once only flower of its kind on "Kathleen Harrop" climbing rose the other week. I have waited to see if the other buds on the same stem would be the same but they are not. "Kathleen Harrop" is a Climbing Bourbon from 1919. This rose is a sport of "Zephirine Drouhin". It has semi-double pink blooms and is sweetly scented. It is also thornless which is great.
"Zephirine Drouhin" has very bright cerise pink flowers so I guess this is a bit of a throwback to its heritage.

I hope to get out into the garden this weekend. I know I have some painting to do as well.

Happy gardening.

Bev C