Two Cross-Stitch Kits Finished This Week

I'm continuing my lucky-dip challenge to get through may huge stack of Discovering NeedleCraft series, it actually looks like I have close to 100 issues, so that is nearly 100 kits to do.

The first this week is from Issue 2, the Baby's Wall Hanging.  It uses 18 count aida fabric.
I had to cover some rust marks from the needle which was in the kit and added a few of my own touches.
I will have to put a backing on it and actually make it into a 'hanging' soon.

I don't have any babies in my life, so I made it for Salem as I had never made him one when he was a baby.
He had to wait 13 years!!!!!

The next one I did was from Issue 86, a gorgeous Woodland Fox.
It is on 14 count cream aida fabric and was nice and quick to do.
I have to find a nice frame for it.

The colours are lovely and the black outline really makes this little fox come to life.
It says in the magazine that this is part of a set which includes a badger, a squirrel and a fawn.

I will have to wait to see if those ones come up soon in my lucky-dip.
I have now started on a Robin Pincushion.

Beautiful Blackberries

My finished x-stitch blackberries

I was a very lucky gal and was given at least 75 issues of the Discovering NeedleCraft magazine series from 1993
....... for free!!!!!!!
Each issue has a kit to do so I have decided I am going to do every single one, and so the other day I had a lucky dip and pulled out issue 4.

The pattern

The kit was for a cross-stitch jam pot cover with wild blackberries on 27-count evenweave fabric.
It took me an evening to do and looks very lovely but I didn't have a jam jar wide enough for it to go on.
I'll have to look for a jar wide enough at the supermarket with something yummy in it.

The kit came from this magazine.

So I have started on my next kit which is from issue 2, which is a baby's wall hanging.
I'm doing each kit regardless of what it is.

Since the kits are so old, some of the needles have gone rusty which isn't very nice when the needles are kept in the fabric.  I like it when the needles are in their own wrapper.
But never mind, I can live with a rust mark .....especially when these are free.

Hill Street Matariki Winter Craft Market

On Saturday the 23rd of June we had a stall at the Hill Street Market.  They had a special Craft Market along with the usual farmer's market for Matariki (Maori New Year's) and the Winter Solstice.
The weather was absolutely awful so our stalls were inside.

Salem went around the market selling bits and pieces from our stall to the brave people who dared the weather.  He also sold many raffle tickets  for the hat, scarf and fingerless gloves pictured above.

I had spent the previous three weeks frantically crocheting to get more stock together.

I used every opportunity to crochet, on the bus, the train, while waiting for Salem at his dance classes and while watching telly at night.

We did have stock left over from our last craft market stall, but we did need more.

Salem had made the toys.  I think he was a bit tired this time to make too many things.  He is very busy with his dancing.

I must say that I am now having a bit of a break now from knitting and crocheting.  I think my next project is to continue with some of my cross-stitch, especially my Colonial Cottage one.

We made a good profit considering the awful weather.
We haven't been to the normal Hill Street Market for a while due to Salem's dancing commitments but it is now the school holidays so no dance classes for a couple of weeks and then we will be going into Wellington for rehearsals for the Royal New Zealand  Ballet's "Cinderella" as Salem has a small part in that.
He's looking forward to that.

That's all for now

Nellie B

I'm Back.....Really....

Hello everyone, I am back.
I haven't been very well for a while but I've got everything under control for now (knock on wood!!!)  This blog has been put aside while I have had to contend with my health and everyday life of being a mum and everything that entails plus making supplies for craft markets, my sons dancing etc....
I've made lots of neat bits and bobs and will post some of them up on future blogs.

Salem, my youngest has just turned 12 years old, wow....where has the time gone?????
I made him a High Tea for his birthday, both my boys love that, even my grumpy teenager.

Birthday High Tea

Yum Yum

Salem did another Children's Craft Market Stall at the Hill Street Market in Wellington earlier this year and it was a big success and were able to pay his first term of dance fees.
It was a lovely day and plenty of people at the market.

The egg cosies were very popular.

The milk jug covers dissappeared quickly too.

We are still getting orders for pot holders and dish clothes.

Salem the Stall Holder.

Catnip Balls and fresh herbs, rhubarb, seeds and the ever popular homemade sherbet.

We are slowly getting together stock for the next Craft Market next month.  We will keep you up-dated with our progress.

Last week on Friday the 11th May, a new Tea House opened up here in Kapiti down at Paraparaumu Beach.  We had to try it out as we love our tea shops!!!!!!!

It is "Over the Teacups" at 44 Seaview Road, Paraparaumu Beach.  Ph. 04 9044504.
www.overtheteacups.co.nz 
The website isn't up yet.

It is a lovely bright and inviting tea shop with table cloths on the tables, lovely food, great tea and friendly staff who made us feel very welcome.

The Proprietors Dee Ryan and Martin Halliday

Lovely decor.

We ate our yummy cakes and sandwiches before i remembered to take a photo.

We had a nice lunch of club sandwiches which were made on the spot for us, Salem had a piece of Pecan Pie and I had the Pineapple & Brazil Nut Cake and both were to die for!!!!!!!  YUM!!!!!!
They didn't have ceramic/pottery teapots for the tea but they did look the part dressed up in tea cosies.
And Salem thought it was so neat that the tea was served up with a small bowl of sugar cubes.  He said that it was a pity that he doesn't take sugar in his tea any more.  So he just had to eat one anyway!!!!

Lollies, lollies, lollies...and our wonderful friendly waitress.

 What was really cool was that they sell lots of old fashioned and english lollies.  Salem just had to get some.
He's been very good so he deserves them.  He got his rations worth.  We are still doing the wartime rationing and visiting a teashop fits in with it too as people did eat out.

So may to choose from......

Lots of yummy treats to choose from.

Lots of choice for something to read while having your tea.

I did like that they had a choice of reading material, not your usual tatty magazines.  Some nice books, some on New Zealand history, kids books and Salem got to read a book on the "Goodies" the old english comedy series which we have on DVD and is watched very often.  So that was a nice surprise.

What a great way to offer water.

We will be definitely going back, it's very handy as it is around the corner from the dance studio.

Well, this is a start to getting things going again and I will update nelliebswartimerationing.blogspot.com tonight.  I'm going to make it my mission to blog at least twice a week, more if possible, promise.

Merry Xmas Everyone

 We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and best wishes for the New Year!!!

 Salem on Xmas morning with his Cristmas Cat I made for him.

Notice our bunting?

I made this as our xmas decorations this year.

It didn't take me long to crochet it.

I was inspired by the knitted bunting that was created by the English Womans Weekly

Centenary Celebrations in which they created a world record bunting of over 3kms in length.



Pantries Update

This is my Pantries sampler, I've still got a bit of work to do on it.

I put it down a while ago as I have had alot of other projects to complete for our market stalls and for selling on-line.  I must get working on it over the holidays.

Autumn and Winter Pantries

I'm very pleased with my progress on my autumn, and now winter pantries.
I still have a little bit to do on the autumn, I have to go through my stash and find the right colours.
The winter pantry is nearly finished.  I love the cat in it.
Then next is Spring.

It is officially Autumn and nearly the end of daylight savings time.  Yay....now I can get the boys to bed at a decent hour as it will be dark nice and early.

All washed up

Knitting dish cloths

I've needed to have a break form doing my cross stitch so I have come across alot of patterns for old fashioned knitted dish cloths.  I'm half way through my third one.  When I 've finished that I will finish off my Winter House cross stitch.

Valentines Lollies

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentines Day and got lots of choccies, wine and love!!!!
I got lollies!

Tea Shops and Winter Houses

The Winter House so far.

Last night I finished The Winter House and am now working on the border and then can add the poem.  It has been a fun project to work on, can't wait to see the finished result.

Some of our yummy treats

On Saturday it was pouring down with rain (so much for summer) so we decided to go to the local tea shop for a change.  We hadn't been there before.
It is the Cafe and Tea Shop on Rossetta Road in Raumati Beach.

Rossetta Rd Cafe and Tea Shop

It had lovely food, good tea and the staff were really nice.  I don't think it has been open long as different cafe had been there previously.  Salem and I decided it needed more clutter for decoration as it didn't have the homely feel like Martha's Pantry has.  Martha's of course is our all-time favourite.
We had a very nice lunch there.

Craft Camp Summer Softies and Wild, Wild Wind

Salem's Ghosts

Salem went to Craft Camp again on Monday and he made two lovely ghosts modelled after Pac Man.

It was the last Craft Camp for him for the holidays.

Schools went back today, it was my eldest son's first day at college (high school).  He had to wear a school uniform so he looked alot tidier than usual.  My baby has grown up!!!!!!!!



The remains of my fence

We had REALLY strong winds again on Monday and it totally destroyed our fence.  It was blown completely the other way and is not attached anywhere now.  This weather is awful.  This summer has been hot, humid, rainy, dry and very windy.  Roll on Autumn!!!!!!!!!!!

Craft Camp and a lovely day out.

Salem's stamps and stationary

We had a lovely day in Wellington yesterday.  We caught the train in which wasn't late for a change.
We had a very yummy lunch at the Jimmy Cafe at the St James Theatre and bought our tickets to TUTU'S ON TOUR (Royal NZ Ballet).

Then Salem was off to Craft Camp and had a great time and made his own stamps and stationary.
Meanwhile I had a pot of tea and a delicious piece of lemon meringue pie while I did a bit of my Winter House cross stitch at Martha's Pantry.  After that I was at my leisure to wander around the antique shops and retro clothing shops.  Salem is not to keen on looking at the shops so it was the best time to do it by myself while he was doing his crafts.

After Craft Camp we went back to Martha's Pantry and had a very civilised afternoon tea before heading home.

Winter House progress

The Winter House so far.

I haven't done too badly, making a lot of progress.
I'm really enjoying doing it and am getting impatient as usuall to see the finished product.

Salem is off to Craft Camp tomorrow so I will be sitting over at Martha's Pantry with a pot of tea and a lovely cupcake stitching away.
I must remember to take my scissors as I always keep forgeting them.

Summer House

Summer House

I have just finished stitching this lovely cross stitch design by Brooke Nolan from Brooke's Books.  I've added a border and four lines of a poem which I think goes quite well with this.
I'm quite pleased with the results and will be starting the Winter House in the morning.
I just love Brooke's designs!!!!!!!!

Here is the poem I found to go with the house...........

     Our House

It should be yours, if I could build

The quaint old dwelling I desire,

With books and pictures bravely filled

And chairs beside an open fire,

White-panelled rooms with candles lit--

I lie awake to think of it!

 

A dial for the sunny hours,

A garden of old-fashioned flowers--

Say marigolds and lavender

And mignonette and fever-few,

And Judas-tree and maidenhair

And candytuft and thyme and rue--

All these for you to wander in.

 

A Chinese carp (called Mandarin)

Waving a sluggish silver fin

Deep in the moat: so tame he comes

To lip your fingers offering crumbs.

Tall chimneys, like long listening ears,

White shutters, ivy green and thick,

And walls of ruddy Tudor brick

Grown mellow with the passing years.

 

And windows with small leaded panes,

Broad window-seats for when it rains;

A big blue bowl of pot pourri

And--yes, a Spanish chestnut tree

To coin the autumn's minted gold.

A summer house for drinking tea--

All these (just think!) for you and me.

 

A staircase of the old black wood

Cut in the days of Robin Hood,

And banisters worn smooth as glass

Down which your hand will lightly pass;

A piano with pale yellow keys

For wistful twilight melodies,

And dusty bottles in a bin--

All these for you to revel in!

 

But when? Ah well, until that time

We'll habit in this house of rhyme.

 

1912

Christopher Morley

A Fishy Tale

Still on the subject of homemade xmas gifts, my eldest son (who was 12 at the time) made the largest fish for his brother (Salem) for xmas 2009. 

Salem loved the fish so much that he had to make a whole family of fish to keep it company.
It was his favourite present that year.
A good use for an old pair of my pyjamas.

What to do with old jerseys.

Teenage Monster

 I was given some old kids jerseys (sweaters) just before christmas and since as a family we only make our presents (no buying presents allowed), I decided to use the jerseys to make my two boys presents.
For Daemon, my "lovely???" teenager, I made the monster.



Mother cat and kitten

And for Salem, I made the cats.  They both loved their presents.

Ballet time again!!!!

Russian Winter - Kapiti Competitions



In the boy's dressing room.




Outside the St James Theatre, Wellington, New Zealand.



Scene from the RNZBallet's "The Nutcracker" Nov 2010

It's about that time of year again, the summer holidays are nearly over, I've had to re-enrol Salem in all his ballet, jazz, contempory and stretch/strength dance classes and get all his dance gear ready making sure they still fit him.
He loves his ballet and is making it his career.  Last year he had a part in the Royal New Zealand Ballet's "The Nutcracker" and had an absolute ball. That was over a month of rehersals and performances.  He was very pleased with himself as he was part of the A cast.  He will be auditioning for a part in Sleeping Beauty near the end of this year.
So it's another year of classes, rehersals, shows, exams and making costumes.
During his classes I get alot of craft work done, last year it was knitting, crocheting and tatting, this year I am wanting to do some filet crochet, I have a lot of vintage patterns from the 1890's to the 1950's.  Good stuff.
Oh yeah, in the top photo, I made Salem's costume that he is wearing.