June ornament

This is my June ornament for the ornament challenge. I stitched the piece a few weekends ago but didn't really know how to finish it off as it was too big for a Christmas tree. So I decided to just make another cushion. At this rate I will have a nice collection of Christmas cushions! It is stitched on 35 ct linen & I used SSS Apples thread. I am trying to use up the SSS threads as they are not available anymore. At least if I use some I can buy some others instead can't I? I have some of the Carrie's Creations thread which are lovely, & also the Threadworx threads. They are at least available locally so that's handy. They are lovely threads.

I have been doing some sewing this afternoon too. Have some more cut out for the MSPCA. I need to go & do some hand sewing on them now so I get them completed. Tomorrow I should be able to finish them off.

Okey dokey, stay tuned for more of my menagerie.

No tears on my pillow

I left them behind

And I found me a better place

Somewhere inside

And I know I won’t cry these tears

Won’t cry these tears anymore,

oohTears on my pillow,

oohNo more tears on my pillow, oh

No Tears on My Pillow - Mya

I decided ...

that Handy needs some accessories. I will have to see what I can come up. I think a scarf is going to be it cos it is winter after all & every good pair of gloves need a scarf to complete the outfit doesn't it? I don't think a scarf will take long to do for a toy dog! I will raid my new supply of wool from last week for it. I don't think I will miss the little it will take.

I did finish a sock last night. I did start the new one today while BJ had nap time. I started a new book on cd. Makes time go by quite quickly when you are knitting & listening. I didn't think my mind would stay on the story but it did. This is the fourth audio book I have had from the library lately. Last week I listened to Walking Ollie by Stephen Foster I think. Can't remember, as I didn't really take much notice! It was good to sew too all the same & better than keeping daytime tv on for the noise anyway.

I am loving the book Meet me at Mike's & I am definitely going to get this one for myself. Hopefully this week. I have a project from that lined up for the next couple of days all going well. Stay tuned for that...

I have been busy with some book work too. It is the end of the financial year already! So I have to get the stuff finished & off to the accountants for tax time I suppose & then the tax man will take all my money! Or maybe he will be nice & give me some! We'll see....

Let me tell you how it will be

There's one for you, nineteen for me

Cause I'm the tax man

Yeah I'm the tax man

Should five percent appear too small

Be thankful I don't take it all

Cause I'm the tax man

Yeah I'm the tax man

Taxman - The Beatles

Banjo would like to introduce .......

Handy!

Handy was my afternoon project today during nap time. Well someone finally had his nap! (no not Stuart, he was at work!) Handy is from the book Sock & Glove by Miyako Kanamori. I love it. It is one book I have purchased cos it is terrific. I also have the follow up one Happy Gloves. Handy is the same as the dog on the front cover of this book. Same but different (as we learnt on Sesame Street this week)! Of course it is going to depend on what sort of gloves you use. Handy is made from a pair of grey acrylic gloves that I grabbed at Woolies. The buttons on his face are "Oma Buttons". (Anyone who has an Oma will know what that means! lol)

Now I really need to go & do some knitting or stitching or something! If anyone is interested in joining the MSPCA just contact me! Oh, you don't know what the MSPCA is?

MSPCA = Mandy's Sewing Production of Cute Animals

Any donations in support of this worthy cause are greatly accepted. Hahahahaha...

Mandy

If only I could have a puppy,I'd call myself so very lucky

Just to have some company

To share a cup of tea with me

I'd take my puppy everywhere

La la la la I wouldn't care

Then we'll stay away from crowds

With signs that say no dogs allowed

Oh we... I know he'd never bite me

We... I know he'd never bite me

The Puppy Song - Harry Nilsson

Introducing Banjo...

Here's my new little friend Banjo. Oh, technically I made him for Brandon of course. Stuart named him. That's the only name he came up with as a suggestion so that's the name he got. The pattern is another by Melly & Me. It's the same designers as the horse I made the other month... The main body blue fabric is Rainbow Garden by Prints Charming (I love that name) for Marcus Brothers & the red fabric has dog words printed all over it. It's by Nancy Wolff for Robert Kaufman fabrics. The collar & tag were done with scraps I had. Banjo did want his picture taken outside this morning but it was so wet out there & he was a wuss & wouldn't get his paws wet. So inside it is.

I will try to get some knitting finished this week too. Plus I have another project lined up for this afternoons nap time. We'll see if that works out like I hope...

I guess I had better be a bit domestic today too!

Mandy

Well they say the sky's the limit

And to me that's really true

But my friend you have seen nothin'

Just wait 'til I get through...

Because I'm bad, I'm bad. Cause I run UPT.

(Bad bad-really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad. You know it.

(Bad bad-really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad. Cause I run UPT, you know.

(Bad bad-really, really bad)

And the whole world has to answer right now

Just to tell you once again, Who's bad...

Bad - Michael Jackson

The week has gone again...

I am well! I haven't been sick all week... just trying to catch up on some stuff after sleeping for a few days. I timed being sick well for the weekend. Stuart could at least look after Brandon.

I have got back into a bit of knitting. Almost finished the sock I started last week. Looks very groovy. My local wool shop had a sale this week so I did my bit & went in & saved her some stock to count. I did tell her I was thinking of her & being as helpful as possible! lol So I must not buy any more wool this season. I was excited as she now stocks the Kaffe Fassett sock wool. Yay! It is pretty. So I have that in 2 colours. Here is an Aussie site with them on there.

Kaffe Fassett wool I got 4251 & 4351.

I am excited as I finished off some sewing tonight but it's too late to post pics or even take one for that matter so stay tuned for the morning & I will show you something else I started last week & finally got done. It's cute! lol

Better go to bed cos Brandon will be awake soon no doubt! We are trying to get him to learn to sleep all night. Not going well with the few disruptions to the routine this past week...

Mandy

Looking Out

Across The Night-Time

The City Winks A Sleepless Eye

Hear Her Voice

Shake My Window

Sweet Seducing Sighs

Human Nature - Michael Jackson

1958 - 2009

I'll be back...

when I am well again. Battling the flu this time & waiting for it to turn into a head cold. Oh well, if it isn't one thing, it's another... so not much going on while I am doing nothing but being sick. lol
Back soon....
Mandy

What I've been up to lately...

If you missed me for the last couple of days, that is very sweet of you! lol I doubt anyone did but hey, I haven't actually been anywhere. Just had nothing to talk about for a change. But I have spent the last week knitting this scarf. It is with some wool that I got at Spotlight cos I liked it. I did a double rib as I call the K2,P2 pattern. I like it. Makes it thick & warm. I could have done with it a little longer probably but I didn't have any more of the wool, & a whole ball would have been too much so I didn't bother with getting more. Probably a good thing cos I can't imagine I would have gone to Spotlight & bought only one ball of wool so leaving the scarf at that length it has probably saved me a bundle. lol

I will move on now to another pair of socks or something. Oh I did do a cross stitch ornament on the weekend for the ornament challenge but I haven't worked out how to finish it off yet so I can't show you that yet.

Mandy

I've been missing you, more than words can say,

And that I've been thinking about it every day,

And the time we had just dancing nice and slow,

And I said now I've found you,

I'm never letting go;

Missing You - Chris De Burgh

Assisi Butterflies

These 2 butterflys are for quilt squares for Cole's Quilts in the USA. Cole's Quilts is a group that makes quilts for children with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy). The design is one I use often from a UK stitching magazine because for one thing, girls seem to love butterflies & that is a common theme among the quilts. Also it is a fairly quick stitch for me & uses cool colours of varigated threads. The colours used here are DMC 99 & DMC 111. One of these is going to a girl called Paige & the other will be used as a spare for when they need one quickly or to fill a quilt.

It is really cold here today again. It's been raining too so it is pretty drab. It will be a stay rugged up as much as I can sort of day I think.

Good day to knit & stitch I think.

Butterfly that came and butterfly in June

So colour in my wings

And let me hold your hand

I could be the sun and you could be my moon

But all you ever say is catch me if you can

Feel like a butterfly

Searching in the summer sky

A perfect love so hard to find

Butterfly - Jamiroquai

I have my cake & I'll eat it too!

The Cake

The birthday boy & his mum & dad.

Mmmmm..... Cake!

MMMMMMMM... mess!

Well what else can I add really. The pictures speak for themselves. lol He seems to have enjoyed it.

Mandy

The party's over

It's time to call it a day

They've burst your pretty balloon

And taken the moon away

It's time to wind up the masquerade

Just make your mind up the piper must be paid
The Party's Over - Nat King Cole

Birthday fun in the park

It's such a nice day today though the air is freezing, so we went to the park. I didn't realise quite how freezing until we were there of course so I was not organised enough to have the hat & scarf with me for either Brandon or myself. Either way, he loves it on the swing. He kept doing these excited squeals which you see in the first photo. The other 2 pics are just things that sort of boing a little. He was rocking them himself though so that was funny. He tried very hard to make them move harder & he didn't even fall off. We also went on the whizzy dizzy & some boys pushed us but not to fast. lol I did tell them I would be sick otherwise & they looked at me like I was really weird. (well I am weird so that's no surprise)

Ok, back to the kitchen again. Brandon is having a good sleep in readiness for his little party after.

Toodle -ooo, Mandy

Brandon is 1!

Well it is amazing but Brandon is 1 year old today! No birthday pics of him so far, but for now I can show you the bunting I made a few months ago. It was a lot of cutting, sewing, cutting sewing. This is the first time we have hung it of course so finally I get to see it in all it's glory & I must say I am really rapt with how it came out. It's very festive & will hopefully last a lot of years. For more info on making your own bunting just visit one of my favourite blogs, The Purl Bee . There are a lot of other things there to see too.

Stay tuned for more pics tomorrow at least. There will be one of the cake at least. I am no cake decorator but between the 2 of us, Stuart & I had fun making this one. Apparently the first birthday cake is very important (I think that is only for the parents & not the child so much! lol) I showed Chris via webcam this morning & he was impressed with the cake (or maybe he was just laughing at me & what I had attempted!) . I think he was impressed by it anyway... Better go! Lots to do.

Mandy

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear Brandon

Happy Birthday to you.

Scrap it or keep it Poll on the right...

Please help me decide...

This is a scarf I started recently that I was going to undo at one point but kept going. But I am still not convinced. It is for Brandon really but is too wide. Also I am not sure is the pattern suits the wool, although I like both, I'm just not sure I think they go together. Maybe that's just me & my idea. So please go to the poll on the right & vote.

This weeks holidays are...

Did you know that there are holidays for everyday of the year! This week coming we have some really good ones we must remember to celebrate. Some of my favourites for this week are...

7th June - National Chocolate Icecream Day
8th June - Stolen car day (first reported stolen car was in 1896) Oh & I guess I should point out that we are also celebrating with Queen Liz on the Monday in this part of the world.
9th June - Donald Ducks Birthday 1934 & also Best Friend Day
10th June - Beside this being Brandon's first birthday it is also Ball point pen day!
11th June - National Hug Day
12th June - National Marriage Day
13th June - Weed your garden Day (ok, I don't like the sound of this one much but I didn't really care that it was Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen's birthdays so the weeds win!)

So there you have it! Those are all occasions we should remember this coming week. I think today's is extremely important so go out & grab yourself some good chocolate icecream & celebrate!

Very crappy day today so we aren't doing much of anything.

If we took a holiday

Took some time to celebrate

Just one day out of life

It would be, it would be so nice

Everybody spread the word

We're gonna have a celebration

All across the world

In every nation

It's time for the good times

Forget about the bad times, oh yeah

One day to come together

To release the pressure

We need a holiday

Holiday - Madonna

I'm having a ball!

Ok, I didn't make all of these today. Only 3 of them. They are birthday presents for the children in my mother's group. We are going to have a combined first birthday party for them all soon. The mums saw the toys I had made Brandon when they were here & I asked a couple of them if they would like a ball or rocket. Well they picked a ball so the whole lot are getting a ball now. They are good fun. Brandon has really started playing with his this past week so that's been interesting to watch. He tries to throw it & also pushes it away. Very cute. The best thing about making these though is that I have used some of my fabric stash. I have a lot of prints with dogs on them so you will see most of them are dog related.

This is fun! Currently I have Brandon & Juneau both sitting under the desk! I don't think Juneau will stay long but it is lasting longer than I thought it would.

Anyway have a good weekend.

"Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,

I don't care if I never get back,

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game."

Author: Jack Norworth

Composer: Albert Von Tilzer

Published on: 1908, 1927

Published by: York Music Company

Something fishy...

I have just stitched up this cute little fishing boat today & yesterday. It is small so really took only about 4 hours or so. Can't remember as I had a lot of interuptions. It is part of a new range of cross stitch kits called Minuets by Derwentwater Designs. This one is called Fishing Boats. I did this as a shop model for my local shop Cranberry Crafts. It's as cute as can be. You can't tell really but it is stitched on mottled blue/white aida to make it look like sky. Nice stuff.

Mandy

You bet your life

That your lovin' wife

Might catch more fish than you

Any fish will bite if you got good bait

And here's a little something

That I'd like to relate

And when it's time to bite, Lord, the fish won't wait

I'm a gonna fishin 'cause everybody's fishing

And I'm a gonna fishing too
I'm Going Fishing - Doc Watson

And then there were two!

Finally a decent picture of my feet showing off my socks! I actually finished the second one on the weekend, but haven't been able to get a pic of my feet in them properly until now. So here they are. They are the same but different. Very weird, but the colours in the wool went in the same places but the stitches must have been a little bit out to make the patterning go differently on the second to the first one. But I don't care. I am really quite proud of myself as I never imagined I could do it. But it really wasn't so bad after all! Plus they are really warm!

Nothing much going on here in this place today. Just a whole lot of rain & finally a bit of sun in which time we managed to get a dry enough time for some fun at the playground. Brandon is addicted to the swings & does not want to get off! Spent most of the day at the mower shop with mum keeping her company. Brandon just goes flat out in there the whole time & finally conks out. So many fun things to play with. He likes riding around the shop in the lawn mower trailer! Will post a pic some time of it. He grins from ear to ear. I did get some stitching done while he had a sleep though so that was a bonus. Better get back to it as it is almost done.

Empty as a garden in the summertime

Captured by the falling rain

Now the playgrounds standing still are empty

No one else comes out to play

Warm spring that never came

I never even knew your name

Fill me with completeness

Fill me with your sweetness

Now the sun has gone

Everyone's gone home

No one else comes out to play

Icy Cold as Winter - Swing Out Sisters

We'll miss you Sasha

It's been a hard day today with my mum's dog going to Rainbow Bridge. She was 12 & was doing well to last with the heart problems she did for the last 2 years. But she can go on no more. I'll miss my "sister" dog a lot.

Happy at the Rainbow Bridge where her dad is waiting to meet her.

The Rainbow Bridge

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth.

It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colours.

Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge, there is a land of meadows,

hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place.

There is always food and water and warm spring weather,

and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill

and old are restored to health and vigor;

those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again,

just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content,

except for one small thing; they miss someone very special

to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together,

but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.

His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers.

Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass,

his legs carrying him faster and faster.

YOU have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet,

you take him or her in your arms and embrace.

The happy kisses rain upon your face;

your hands again caress the beloved head,

and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet,

so long gone from yourlife but never from your heart.

THEN you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated.