Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Teaching & a Birthday (Catch Up #2)

Happy Wednesday to you dear friends & readers!
 Today is Catch Up Post # 2  😊

Thank you all So Much for the lovely comments you left on my last post .... I appreciate each & every one of them!!

You may remember in this older post where I had been asked to teach a handcrafted item to a small Rural Women Group this coming winter.
I decided to make the felt mice below - an easy handstitched item achievable in an afternoon - I half filled their bodies with dried lavender to make them fragrant.


The Craft Day was held on June 29th in my small rural town .... 15 ladies attended.


A week prior to this I sat down & prepared all my kitsets ... I kitted up a range of both the cream & the pink mice.
Remembering everything I have to take is always a bit of a mission with these classes.

As I found myself unusually rather organised for me ... I decided to make up another couple of class samples ... 
this time in a Christmas theme

One wet, stormy morning I sat at the work table & handstitched my Christmas Mice while my staff members Supervisors napped on the job!!



I think the Christmas versions turned out wonderfully & even though I added the dried lavender to them, 
I think you could just as easily omit this & then scent them with some Christmas Pine Oil.  πŸŽ„



All made using up scraps & bits & bobs I already had in my craft stash.


This year I was able to take part in the full days craft activities... we made Christmas Cards in the morning 
under a lovely tutor, Irene.

Some of the ladies working away happily
These are my 4 cards below ... there was some stamping/embellishment on the inside also 

My photo does not do them justice, they are actually a 3D  layered effect

Though I remembered to quickly snap a couple of pics while the ladies were crafting their mice, I did not get a chance to photograph everyone's creation at the end, as some of the ladies left earlier than others

It would've been nice to show the 15 completed mice all lined up on the worktable.
But the ladies had a fun day & all really enjoyed themselves - when the afternoon sun came into the old Church Hall, the scent of lavender was divine! 


On the last day of June I had a Birthday .... 58 years around this clock of life !!
My wonderful Sons & Grandsons .... that is me to the right holding my grandson Sid.
Though we had planned a picnic morning tea in our local Park, the white-out frost put paid to these plans so we went to my youngest son's home instead.
My dear friend Carolyn was up this way so she was able to come to our morning tea & presented me with a beautiful homemade (carrot) birthday cake.


I was also lucky enough to receive some gorgeous handmade gifts from friends ... spoilt indeed!!

My first attempt at a scrubbie .... apparently you can get 4 from 1 ball of yarn
Amongst my friend Donna's gift was this fascinating yarn ... it felt like it had a bristle thread running through it.
A quick google search & I was able to find a pattern to knit up a "scrubbie" ... (a pot scourer)
You will find the free link here if you should like to have a go ...
or here are some other free patterns to knit using the Washknit yarn


The Mr presented me with a Coffee Maker ... I must admit one of these had long been on my wish list .  .  .  .
.  .  .  .  though my coffee making skills are improving I think it's only fair to say I have quite a wee way to go yet !!!

The Mr is milking at present (we autumn calve) so he is gone by 5 am.
On the days that I have Sid I like to get up & get the house warm before he arrives
Her Royal Highness resting by the fire !!
 Someone else thinks the fire is entirely for her benefit of course!!
 
Have a wonderful day dear friends - thank you all again for your visits!
I hope to be back before Saturday with Catch Up #3 (my last catch up post)
 With much love & friendship to you all,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x














21 comments:

  1. Love your wee mice, they are so cute. I bet the hall smelt divine with the smell of lavender. Your cards look lovely. Happy Birthday. Wonderful gifts you received. Hugs,xx

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  2. Hi Julie lovely post ,love the mice and your cards are beautiful,i also love the smell of lavender,happy birthday my friend xx

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  3. Your craft day looked wonderful Julie, I can imagine that smell thru the hall. Your assistants/supervisors are a bit slack aye, sleeping on the job there!! The mice look so cute, I bet the ladies had a wonderful time with them. Happy belated birthday, lovely to see you and the family together. Enjoy that coffee machine πŸ˜† beautiful present collection for you.πŸŽ‚πŸŽ‚ haha the cats always find the best place to be don't they!! It must be very cold for the Mr getting up to milk at present.

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  4. Hi Julie, I think next time you come to the Naki you might have to take a class for us! Love that your assistants have there own baskets each. I had to smile that you get up early to warm the house for Sid as I do that every morning too before Ruth and Hunter get up and Ruth goes to work :O) Looking forward to catch up number 3!

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  5. Happy Birthday Julie - looks like you had a lovely day. The kits look successful, and I love your assistants doing their job so well.

    Julie Q

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  6. Those Christmas mice look so pretty. I can imagine how divine the room smelt of lavender - one of my favourite smells. Your assistants look like they would like to sleep through winter and catch up again with life in summer! Hmmmmm.....now with a wonderful coffee machine what will be your favourite smell, coffee or lavender.....

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  7. Ah! The Christmas mice are really lovely Julie..
    I do hope you've made two extra for..you~know~who..! :).
    And..Nice to see a little pink one..Bless! :).

    And..You kept your Burfday a bit quiet..Goodness! I shout
    mine from the roof tops..21st SEPTEMBER....See! :).
    Anyways..Happy Burfday for the last day of June...! I expect
    you were quite spoilt by family and friends..! :).

    The coffee machine that hubby bought you looks a bit special,
    yes, nice that, you'll be opening up a cafeteria next..Don't
    forget the sticky buns...! :).

    Finally...Well..another lovely photo for my pussy~cat folder,
    lying in front of the fire, warming ones tummy up...HeHe! I do
    it all the time...Bless!xx /ᐠ≗ᆽ≗ᐟ \

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  8. Happy Birthday to you, beautiful Julie!! Oh I do love the look of that coffee machine. How fabulous in red! Those little 'meeces' are adorable. How wonderful to meet with a group of ladies and craft the day away....sounds like you all had the best time. Those furry friends of yours truly do have the best life, don't they.

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  9. Those mice are adorable! A happy belated birthday to you Julie, Some lovely gifts there. I see you have spoiled your furry helpers with matching baskets. Love the colour of your coffee maker. Looking forward to the next catch up.

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  10. loved the mice!
    lovely pressies there too!
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comments you always leave me Selina Xxx

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  11. Looks like your crafting day was successful and fun. It appears that you are a natural at the handmade cards.
    Glad you had a great birthday, in spite of the change of plans.

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  12. I love your coffee maker! I know it's cold there but your house looks so cozy (that fire!) and the idea of warming the house up reminds me of our summers up in far northern British Columbia when we'd go work at a camp. I loved my little cabin, the rain, the views, the fire, the coffee. Sometimes it would pour rain for days and days but it was so cozy. Hot weather isn't so cozy.
    The mice are adorable. The ladies looked like they were delighted! Who doesn't love being a mouse maker?
    I used to have that Sew Pretty Homestyle book. I think I gave it to a blogger friend. As I recall it has some fun ideas. Take care and stay warm, good Julie!

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  13. Happy belated birthday, what a lovely present. Your little mice are just so cute and I love that you’ve put lavender in them. Christmas cards, eek, if only I could be that organised. Love your fur babies asleep in the baskets xx

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comment Cheryl. Yes I know about the Christmas cards .... don't worry - the only reason I have any done is because I attended the class!!!

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  14. Happy belated birthday Julie, the best ones are always with our kids & Grandies.
    Beautiful work as always, have a wonderful weekend & looking forward to reading your next blog. Xxx

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  15. Hi Julie, A belated Happy Birthday to you. So nice to celebrate with family! The mice are so cute but I love, love those Christmas mice!! Wish I belonged to your craft group! I really like that old scale with the plant on it. Your house looks so homey and the cats make for a relaxed feeling. Hugs, Nancy

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  16. Happy Birthday Julie, lovely that you had your family with you. Your home looks so warm and inviting. The mice are delightful. I think your coffee machine is a wonderful present, I have one and it's so nice to have on in the mornings and when a friend comes round, the machine can do it much better than me!

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  17. Hi Ya Julie, a belated Happy Birthday, you don't look a day over 21, beautiful gifts you received, love the mice, that's another pattern I have on the must make list hehe. Your cards look fabulous, as does that fire, oh I need that, so cold in Melbourne today brrr, the gas bill will be high:-( Loving these catch ups, Chris xoxo

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  18. Those kits look like a delight to stitch. It must have been a fun afternoon. Many lovely makes on this blog. It's been a treat visiting. I shall return soon for another round. Happy birthday!
    xx Beca

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