Ending the old year!!!!!

Well all I have to just show the projects I am working on at the end of this year.

I am slowly hand quilting away on Matthews quilt and am now 3\4 complete.

 This is my latest cross stitch project l am also working on, but have not had much time lately.
But planning on getting it done with year with some other ufo's!!!!

A few finishes and then Christmas time!!!

Finished this mandala from a new book by Di van Niekerk and Hazel Blomkamp. Added the mirrors.

Finished this very old table cloth received from an old friend. Added a nice border too.

This is a basket that I got from my Mother many years ago and had to 

decorate it in her favorite color and flowers.

Tonic has now forgiven me for taking her to the vet to get the cancer sore on her nose

treated. The sore is now healing very nicely. Thank goodness.

Our small tree decorated by Neil.

Put up some lights.

My dwarfs also put their lights up!!

The geranuims are looking great. Need to get some bigger pots.

Need new quilts for my bunk beds,

Started this quilt a few days ago. A nine disappearing patch.

Beading Sunflower busy!!!

I have had this, finished sunflower embroidery, completed a long time ago. But have always wanted to add something more instead of the usual frame. Well got the inspiration going and also all the beading. After starting on a different path, this sunflower told me that I need to do something else and now the sunflower is very happy with what I have done so far. This took me all day today, every bead is sewn on one by one, and I think it looks great. Will show when totally completed.

  

Finishing up!!!!

This is the different stage of the renovations of our home here in Port Alfred.
First is what the place looked like the day we moved in- nothing interesting!

 This was after we had the place painted.

 Now we have a nice verandah in front instead of that big awful pimple as my hubby called it. It was also decided because of the wind which mostly blows from the back of the house we can now have a place to sit and enjoy our morning without wind and also the roof is light and no harsh sun rays come thru!
We decided to use a pergola with the house because the windows have small panes and it goes with the pergola. Now just need to add the creepers and some pots on top of the cut off pillars and then decide what color are we going to the verandah floor because that awful red paint has to go.

Life is fun!!!

Had a lovely dinner at Tasha's Craft Bar here in Port Alfred and the Kowie River flowing around the Restuarant

Here is when the sun sets!

Just had to have this new book by Di van Niekerk and Hazel Blomkamp!!!

Its a great book and worth the money!!!!

  

  This is what my first mandala embroidery looks like.

                                                                    It was great fun!

Big stitch quilting!!!

I am having fun with all my quilts lately.

I have found that l just love big stitch quilting by hand and it is such fun to see what the quilts tell me what they want to look like when quilted. I also use crochet cotton nr 5 and in lovely bright colors. love the contrast of this green on the black. Also will be using the thicker batting in all my quilts in future. The thin compressed batting does not add to the cuddly feeling that I want my quilts to have. 

So great that I have now after many years of quilting have now found my favorite quilting.

Now to get this lovely quilt done!!!!!

Some stitching done!

I am busy stitching this printed tablecloth. Its very old, it used to be very popular in the older days! Finished this quilt top. Color chosen by matthew. Da Gama Textiles are the best quality cotton and colors.

Quilt done!

Quilt completed and on the bed with new Sri Lanka cats that was stitched about 2 years ago. Now need something colorful for a wallhanging and a new cloth for the side table!

Sophie Throw!

Completed Sophie (designed by Dierdre Uys in 2015) today! Learned a lot of new techniques with basic stitches! Even changing the pattern. I am left handed!

Big stitch quilting!

I am having a lot of fun quilting this quilt with big stitch quilting and using crochet cotton nr 5.

Cat quilt

I now have my quilt on my frame to start hand quilting. I just go with wbat l want each section to look like. I prefer little quilting it keeps the quilt together! Dont like the quilting to be overdone!

So much happening here!!!

There was a special sale at Head's and I just had to get myself a lovely cute dragon. Going to be a pillow for my favorite chair.

 Matthew our grandson also had a win with his swimming.
A huge congrats.

This is a block for my next row in my newest quilt. A disappearing triangle and very easy to make.

Well here is a snippet in our local newspaper Talk of the Town and its a picture of the quilt that was made by our Kowie Quilters and it was  my special technique that we used to each make a block. Donated to local Child Welfare.

My new quilt!!!!

Finished the top of the quilt now have  to add borders all round to get the size I want.

Daily life in Port Alfred.

Arranged with the neighbour to rise the wall for more privacy and also
busy laying concrete in this sections. Doing it ourselves and one section at a time. Need to keep the dampness away from the houses walls. Also helps with the dust as lawn does not grow there. 

Treated ourselves to a nice lunch at Guido's and that is the entrance to the Kowie River.

Our first planted hibiscus is flowering, the double yellow!!

A sad day today, we had to renew car license and change our number plates. This was ours for 20 years and now have to get used to the new ones. 

Very Blessed and Thankful!

Have not posted here for a while. Reading a post today made me realise that l prefer blogging to being on fb. So here goes!
First photo is Hubby supervising the baking of Christmas cookies.
Next is Neil our youngest grandson with the Christmas tree and when he switched on the lights, he bumped the tree over. But seeing the enjoyment he got from the lights was so special to us.
Third is the first hibiscus being planted in our garden. We have now finished inside and have started changing the outside.
We are so thankful that our daughter lives nearby and keeps us busy with the grandkids around here daily!