A friendship, a trip, & a Win

Hello dear friends & readers . . .& "welcome" to the month of May

When I found myself (at 27 years of age) living in strange town where I knew not a soul, with 2 small boys to raise on my own,  Carolyn was one of the very first friends I made.

We met through our eldest sons who, at 5 years old, became very good friends ... as did Carolyn & I.

Ours is a friendship that has endured through the decades as we have watched our children grow up with all the trials & tribulations that that brings with it.

7 1/2 years ago Carolyn moved to the beautiful seaside town of Kaikoura in the South Island ... we kept in touch but as each New Year rolled around I would promise her that this would be the year I would visit.

Last month I finally kept my promise - I flew down to help her celebrate a "significant" birthday.

From the airport Carolyn drove me into Christchurch City Centre to see the reconstruction of this beautiful city
I have always loved the very picturesque city of Christchurch

It is most certainly a city rising out of the devastation & destruction of the earthquakes ... there were lots of examples of the new alongside the old

We walked around the new Re:Start Container Mall - shops made out of old shipping containers - cosy & warm & inviting inside too...

A fantastic example of "making do & mending" ...

Where Carolyn lives now - Kaikoura - is very much a tourist town but at its heart is a great little community of people
She has made some lovely friends ... two of them, Jean & Marie, were undertaking a project to "revamp" the Public Loo's in the centre of the town - I snapped the mural they were busy painting on all of its walls

click on the pics to enlarge them

We did lots of things during our week together ... we walked way, way up high

We saw seals sleeping in the sun, right beside where we parked the car

Carolyn drove us out to Ohau Point to a baby seal colony where the seals swin upstream, away from their mothers, to play for several days at a time

It was kind of like watching baby kittens play . . .  you could watch them all day long & not help but smile . . . 

(apologies for all the seal pictures but they were just so adorable)

The water fall at the top of the stream was spectacular

On the way home we stopped at the colony where the "grown up seals" congregate & play & laze about on the rocks

Carolyn is a very talented mosaic artist ... her home is filled with many of her amazing creations

I especially loved the shoes on the "girl with bird" that sits on her decking steps

Carolyn even designed & mosaiced a splash back above her kitchen bench area which looked just stunning

 This was our constant canine companion for the week ...

dear old cheeko ... always one ear up in case she missed something  :-)

Just down the road from Carolyns is a house converted into a lovely little Patchwork Shop called A Patch of Country

Now as many of you crafters will understand, it is physically impossible to go into a Patchwork Shop & not buy 
(theres a distinct possibility ... that your arms may drop off!!!!)
 ... so (just to be safe) these few little bits came home with me ...

Thankfully I had handmade Carolyns birthday gift well before I even knew I was flying down, so I secretly packaged everything together once I got to her place

I had made up a little drawstring project bag using this free friendship stitchery design from  here. . .  
& also stitched a journal cover from the Natalie Bird book "from the heart"

For the weekend of Carolyns birthday 3 of us drove to Hanmer Springs to stay - this was the views from our chalet up in the hills

We had a most wonderful weekend, chatting, eating, swimming in the Hot Pools & sharing friendships. 
 All too soon it was time for my flight home again

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to win Michelles giveaway from her gorgeous blog ... "Rag Tag Stitchin' " 
I had quite forgotten about it so it was such a lovely surprise to come home to a package waiting for me all the way from Australia

I was rather spoilt ... 3 of Michelles patterns, fabric, buttons, thread & trim beautifully packaged along with the most gorgeous handmade card ... thank you SO much Michelle :-)
Michelle is such a kind & generous crafter & often shares free patterns on her blog

Thank you dear friends for staying with me through this lengthy post - wishing you all a wonderful weekend 
Thank you also for all your encouraging comments about little Bob in my last post - you will be pleased to note, he has advanced UP a step & will now sit on the deck watching me ... so long as I stay inside the kitchen that is ...

dear little Bob - such a sweet little face now that it no longer hisses at me  :-)

with love & friendship to you all,
Julie x0x0

Happy Easter ! ! !

Hello dear friends & readers,

Just dropping by to wish each & every one of you A Very Happy Easter

from Pinterest

& to share a little of my trip to Mums with you all   :-)

Mum had a very enjoyable 85th birthday - our week together went by in the blink of an eye

As Mum received lots of photographs this birthday I forced, coerced persuaded her to purchase a small table to display them all on, kind of a little gallery

I came across this gorgeous little oak table in Ethel Annes Antique Shop & it did the trick perfectly 

I just loved the detail of the heart shaped legs on this wee table 

Mum was happy with the table runner I made her but preferred to use it an a "quilt" on her 2-seater couch

While I gardened lots for her, the rains came & I was forced indoors ... Mum had quite an overload of courgettes this year so we made a batch of bread & butter pickles one wet day

These 3 traditional gollies came home with me . . . 

This is some of what my Mum knits for my cottage - at 85 years of age she is still knitting away - a little slower now, but still beautiful handiwork

Mum stuffs them all & sews on the buttons & I do their faces & ribbons ... her work is an inspiration to me

No trip to Mums would be complete without a visit with my dear friend Claire - this time it was a quick cuppa on my way home - but I did remember my camera :-)

Although Claires lovely home has been much photographed & posted about on my blog here (& Michelles blog also) I continually find sources of inspiration from Claire

The swag above was a new touch in her country bedroom - she had affixed it along a painted beam ... it was just beautiful & so perfect for the room

curtains = op shop lace tablecloths

I wander around with my camera while Claire makes a cuppa - she is used to me by now clicking away 
(gosh, just as well!!!)

This was an old dark wooden corner unit from the Op Shop which received one of Claires amazing make-overs

I was inspired by the "mirror wall" in her bedroom as I am trying to think of ways to lighten our bedroom as we redecorate it

 more gorgeous Op Shop needlework pictures . . . 

. . .  & fascinating tabletop displays 

I commented to Claire I didn't think I had ever seen her table so "bare" ... this was quite minimalist for Claire ... just a touch of pastel Easter decorating - stunning!!

The last 3 pics are her entry porch where she always has beautiful displays which change & evolve with the different seasons - I am always in awe of Claires amazing ability to put things together so effortlessly


My friend Lois popped in a few days ago with a treasured cup & saucer that had been her late Mums
Lois had poured tea into it & it had leaked from a fine hairline crack around the base

 Lois asked if I could "do anything with it for her"

I decided a pincushion would be the solution as it was still in such good condition apart from the crack
It turned out lovely & dainty ..... Lois was thrilled with it   :-)


I wanted to share with you (some of) my Op Shop finds from my trip down to Mums

Although I usually prefer the plainer vintage linens, for some reason I found myself drawn to the more coloured doilies this trip

Although the Mexican Men arent really my "thing", I just loved & appreciated all the detailed handwork in them

This little number from the Hospice Shop felt like I had hit the "doiley jackpot"  - it is a tray cloth & the cup on the bottom right has a little pocket to tuck a serviette into

The little crochet lace edge is the pocket

(I think it only fair to add however, they were most definately not in this condition when I purchased them & have since had a long soak & a wash & iron)

Lovely Op Shop tablecloth, hydrangeas (from garden), tin bird (from Claire) & berry candle (from Mum)

(And flowers sitting in $2 glass Op Shop Jug)

Thank you all for your very kind comments last post on the anniversary of my beloved dog Nero
After Nero passed away, I confess I dreamed for a good many months about a lovely fluffy little cat curled up on my lap or sitting at my feet while stitching ... a female cat quite possibly named Pearl ??? ... or Poppy perhaps . . .  ???

Instead . . . it appears . . .  this is what I have "inherited"

A feral ginger tom (whom I have named Bob) who sits here on the top step each morning (& evening) waiting for me to feed him on the lawn - we have a gap with a board missing under our deck & he sits here looking out & watching me
I cannot get close as yet but I have managed to get him to stop hissing & spitting at me ... plus he now eats off a plate instead of on the lawn
Not quite what I imagined in my dream ... but I shall persevere with Bob - lets just say its lucky he's cute cos he is quite naughty !!!!

Thanks so very much for your visits today
I hope your Easter is a happy & safe one for you all
with much love & friendship,
Julie x0x0x   (& Bob)xx