"Executive Decisions "for OPAM.

Hello,

Guess what? It has been raining here. Not a great amount but enough to lift our spirits and we actually got to use the windscreen wipers in the car. Haven't used those very often this year. I have had to make some "Executive Decisions" with my projects that I have been working on this week. Yesterday I cut sewed and ironed all morning and into the early afternoon. I finished my Row-of-the Month Block. This months theme was "scraps". I did make one mistake,if you look at the second block from the left. The centre purple shape which is supposed to be a five sided shaped is only fours sides. I was wondering when I was making it why it was working out so different to the others. Then came the light bulb moment when I ironed it. This was where the "Executive Decision" came in,the block was staying in there. After all the theme was scrappy!! . Anita is also making this quilt with me. I wonder what she did for this month's scrappy block?

Another "Executive Decision" involved my blue crochet doily. I was running very short on thread and I found no-one else who would have some. When I used to go to crochet each Tuesday I was about the only one at the time crocheting in colours. The rest of the ladies stuck to white and ecru cotton. So I decided to finish it off. The rest of the pattern was more or less using double the amount of thread due to the pattern. Crochet takes a fair amount of time and I didn't want to continue on and find I couldn't finish it. This will be another finish for the OPAM Challenge.

I have started on another cross stitch project. A sampler from the book "Made in France"

cross stitch and embroidery in red,white and blue. The authors of the book are Agnes Delage-Calvet, Anne Sohier-Fournel, Muriel Brunet and Francoise Ritz. I am just using the one thread colour DMC 221.

So I have lots to keep me busy this week.

I would like you to pay Jenny a visit. Jen has decided to join in the "Makes Me Happy Monday" postings.

A pinch and a punch for the last day of Winter.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 35.

Hello,



Happy Monday to you. This week I am happy that the Geraldton Wax is blooming. That is the pink bloom in the vase with Sophy's rose. Sophy's rose is a David Austin rose with dark cerise pink rosette shaped blooms. This has a light tea fragrance. The Geraldton Wax (Chamaelacucium) is a attractive West Australian small tree or shrub. It has needle like leaves and has waxy pink or purple flowers.

I am very happy that the jonquils have finally decided to bloom. I bought a pot of these at a garage sale a few years back. I subdivided them when I bought the pot and now I have several metres of jonquils.

I am very happy with the Rosemary. It is covered in bees which are good for the garden. Rosemary is great to put on some meat dishes to flavour it.

I am very happy with the blooms on my stocks.

Several other things have" Made Me Happy" during the week including"

The smell of fresh laundry when it comes in from the line.

The lady at the craft shop,I needed some needles for my over locker. I broke my last needle during the week. On Friday I went with my manual to make sure I was getting the right ones,she quickly rang up and ordered them and they will be here in a day or so. Happy with that kind of service.

Lucy and Ian were happy on Saturday. They went to watch there favourite team Swan Districts win a great game of footy.

I am happy that I was able to spend Saturday afternoon doing some cross stitch while Ian and Lucy were at the footy.

I am happy that I was able to get another one of those plastic quilting frames that click together.

I am happy that the weather is warming up, I can go for two walks during the day. It was just to cold for me in the mornings lately.

Please let me know what is making you happy.

Happy Monday

Bev C

A Special Sunflower arrives at Kainga.

Hello,
Look at what I received in the mail yesterday. It came all the way from Mylene who lives in Texel Thank you so much Mylene, I now have my very own Sunflower scissor fob.

It was a complete surprise to receive this parcel as Mylene said she was just sending a postcard. Mind you this parcel took its time to get here. There was some concern it had gone missing. Have a look at the parcel it hasn't been postmarked at all. It just has a black texta line through the stamps. I wonder what sort of journey it had.

I finished the cross stitch I have been working on. Sorry for the not so clear photo. I changed some of the writing on the newspaper things in the bottom right hand corner. I left one blank because I was thinking of what to put on there. This morning I decided to put the date we visited Kerkeri but will have to wait to Lucy comes home from school. She wrote a diary while we were on holiday. I will be putting this aside for a while. I do have plans to incorporate into something else though.

I have found another "project on the go" a crochet doily that I started some time ago. I was only up to round 14. I am now on round 22 and there is 33 rounds to complete the doily. I just hope I have enough thread. I doubt that I will,hopefully it is still available or else I will have to finish it of earlier.

Today is my sister Chris's Birthday. Happy Birthday Chris and all the best for the coming year from everyone at Kainga.

Happy days.

Bev C

edit--- it seems that I am the one growing old!!!!Happy Birthday for tomorrow Chris.

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 34.

Hello,



Welcome to week 34 of "Makes Me Happy Monday". This week my topic is a mystery man we call "Mower Man".



"Mower Man" has been mowing in our street for the last couple of years. We have had no idea who he is,he just turns up and mows for hours. On Saturday he mowed the verge opposite our home. This verge is very wide,not your normal average verge. He did the whole lot on a normal mower,not some fancy ride on mower. "Mower Man" pushed for hours then he went up around the top of the cul de sac and mowed some more verge.Now I wonder if "Mower Man" has some desire to own a lawn mowing business instead of being in his present job!!! All I know is that "Mower Man" does a far better job than the council does. Thank you "Mower Man."

Have you got someone in your area like "Mower Man?" I would love to hear about them and what they do for your neighbourhood.



Happy Monday

Bev C

Spring is peaking its head around the corner.

Hello,

Well it is not quite Spring here in Australia. It is not far off though. Having a walk around the garden I found quite a few signs. One of the youngest plums I only planted a year or two ago has its spindly branches covered in blooms. This ones fruit doesn't ripen until February/March. It is having a great start to the season.

When we first shifted here we planted a Hardenbergia on the fence right up the back yard. This is one of its offspring. It has seeded itself everywhere. I suppose there would have easily been about 20 plus plants. Some didn't make it through our last summer though. Last weekend we burnt the original plant. It was to tough to pull out.

This is another shade of the Hardenbergia. Several different colours have grown so I guess it is a throwback to one of the original colours.

I have to show this photo of a truck leaving with its load of hay in the main parking area of Goomalling last Sunday. I didn't get all the truck in the photo because he was leaving as we left the cafe. It was a real rush to take the photo. I wonder where the hay is now?

I worked on my cross stitch last night for the Friday-Night-Sew-In. In the end I decided to make a few changes to the pattern. I was disappointed to see that I was given the white Aida cloth instead of the Vintage Blue that was stated on the packet. I will do some blue sky around the building to compensate for this.

The bird fabric that the cross stitch is on I bought from Cathy, who was featured in last Monday's "Makes Me Happy" posting. Yesterday while walking back from the chook yard I had someone follow me. It was a little Robin Red Breast. They seem to have a home nearby because every Spring they fly around the garden.
Enjoy your weekend.

Happy days.

Bev C