Great weekend away

 Every year the Thursday group heads to the coast for a retreat. I missed it last year as it was the start of Covid and I sadly had a cold! So it was good to go this year. There was a lovely swim (even me), too much good food, games, puzzles for some and even stitching. We stayed in a great house in Mollymook and were blessed with perfect weather on Saturday. It rained on Sunday but that didn't dampen our enjoyment. We enjoyed fish and chips in Batemans Bay and it was interesting to see the new bridge next to the old one.

This was our view from the house.

On Monday we headed up to Milton for morning tea and a bit of a browse in some of the shops.

We then stopped for lunch at Braidwood and I enjoyed looking and perhaps purchasing something from the Altenburg Gallery. I was tempted to buy myself an early birthday gift!! We also enjoyed looking at the Textiles on display. 

Lovely day out

 It was lovely to catch up with Ma on Tuesday. She came to town with a friend and then we picked her up and had a nice day together. We visited the National Library and enjoyed seeing some amazing dresses that have been inspired by the beautiful floral watercolours by Ellis Rowan. She was born in 1848 and painted many of the paintings in the early 1900s.

She also travelled to New Guinea and painted the beautiful birds found there. They are wonderfully detailed.

Stitching away

 I feel like the time flies and not much gets done but there are some slow projects on the go! My tree skirt is getting there slowly. I am not too motivated though I do like it. Anyway here are a few more houses. I know I will enjoy decorating it with stitching soon.

I have enjoyed this cross stitch sampler and it now has its beads. Needs a frame of course.

My quilts, 5 of them, have just come back from the quilter. Two were tacked for hand quilting and 3 were quilted all over.  So The Simple Life needed a label.

I have been binding the United Stitches quilt and it is nearly done.

I also started hand quilting the Stitch Therapy 365 quilt. This will take a while.

Jayne had made a gorgeous pin cushion recently. It is just lovely.

Finally....for the bird lovers, another of hubby's gorgeous pictures

A little progress

 I feel like I have been stitching but not getting very far. My cross stitch is progressing well and I have so enjoyed it that I have felt like just doing that! Doesn't matter does it? Doing what we enjoy is not a bad plan these days. I will probably be sad when it ends.

The afternoon girls have started making this Bareroots tree skirt. Here are my houses and trees so far. I had forgotten how long it takes to choose the perfect fabrics for each window etc.

Finally....I organised to take these quilts to the quilter! Some will be quilted all over and some just tacked so I can hand quilt them.....eventually!

And... another lovely little bird that hubby caught flittering around the garden.

Stitching

 As always there  has been some stitching happening. I have loved working on the Santa, the Tree.....BOM by Anni Downs. Here is block 5. I must admit that this one is my favourite!

I have also been loving working on this cross stitch too. It is a pattern from the 90s by Shepherds Bush and it has been in my stash all that time. The colours are lovely and though I need to concentrate, it is good fun! 

It was special as always to catch up with the afternoon stitching girls. Jayne has been finishing things and we were so impressed with these lovely cushions and the cute zippered pouch. Jayne is such a whiz at zippers!!!

Just a bit of nature for you, These little birds were in our garden or nearby! Great pictures by our resident photographer.

Back to school

 Luckily here in Australia, the children are able to head back to school. The excitement in our family is that little Jack started Kindergarten last week. How nice to have Old Ma here to see him start. He was rearing to go and could barely say goodbye quickly enough.

The others went too and had a happy, though tiring, week at school once again. Here are a few action shots of them in the pool in the holidays.