Another sampler done.

I am feeling very pleased to be finishing off some projects lately. A lot of them seem to be cross - stitch samplers but seeing as this is one of my favourite things to stitch I just have to go with it - they are so much fun.
I have just discovered Blue Ribbon Designs which has got so many wonderful sampler patterns I literally don't know where to start!
 I do also really enjoy Alicia's designs and the style and feeling of her blog. I have just finished the Midsummer Spigs ABC Sampler. Alicia designed this pattern to be done on black Aida but Black is a tricky colour to stitch on to. I found I could only stitch during the day as light at night wasn't good enough to see where I was going.So I did mine on Rustic Aida and I did change the colours of some of the flowers so that they would stand out better on the light fabric.

 

 

.Now I really need to get some of these finished projects on to the wall. Trouble is...framing isn't nearly so interesting as stitching.

I grew something!

Sadly I am not the best at the whole gardening thing. This is what happened when I tried to grow stuff with green leaves last year and I had no luck with carrots. They just ended up being little orange lumps - not something that I could throw in with the Sunday roast.
However, out by the clothes line where my "vegie garden" lives something rather fantestic is happening.

 

 

Tomatoes are growing!! Little ones and big ones. And they taste great.
Now I have to add right here and now that just about everyone in Canberra grows tomatoes in the summer. And I mean everyone. Supermarket sales of tomatoes must nosedive because we all can get them from the garden however.... I am pretty pleased with myself that I have finally manged to join the crowd and grow some of those red beauties for myself.

 

 

All I need to do now is convince my children that tomatoes really are delicious even it they aren't   purreed and put on top of a pizza base!

Thankful Thursday

I'm staying with the school theme for thankful Thursday this week.
I'm certainly thankful that my three school-aged children all started school reasonably happily. That they are happy to be with their friends again, have great teachers etc.
However, what I am really thankful for this week is that here in Australia we have a school system that is so entrenched in our community as a wonderful institution that really.... most of the time.... I just take it for granted!
This week my husband drew my attention to this situation. In Mali it seems that going to school is not taken for granted. That, in fact, going to school can be taken away from you very quickly and it can take a really long time before you are able to go and sit in a classroom again.
Here in Australia, I ride my child to and from school every day on uncluttered, well organised roads. There are no guns pointed at us, no soldiers in tanks. I have more than enough to feed my family and a democracy is established to determine a government  to rule the land. This is not the case in Mali and it is not the case in lots of other countries.
Because of their age differences my three school aged children go to three different schools, three different, excellent schools. I could have chosen from half a dozen such schools just in my neighbourhood.
I am so very thankful for our wonderful education system because really without education, life is so very hard.
Thanks again, Leigh for giving me the opportunity to focus on this today.

Cross stitch for a 17 year old

Is it possible to do a cross-stitch picture that a 17 year old boy won't have to feel embarressed about displaying in his bedroom?? Or perhaps more realistically, a cross-stitch that he won't hide in a drawer and only pull out when he knows I am verturing in to give him the vacuum cleaner??
 I seemed to have hit the mark, however, a short while ago when my second son had a birthday. This son is tall, lanky, thoughtful, very funny and into "retro" computer games. So, once again, I got inspiration from my Cross Stitcher magazine. I highly recommend this magazine if you are looking for bright, contemporary cross stitch patterns. lots of colour, lots of variety.

Anyway, I saw a pattern incorporating PacMen and I took a punt that it would be appreciated by the birthday boy. And it seemed to be. Even more rewarding is that it seems to have taken up residence on his desk. in the middle against his lamp...not hidden away at all!

 

I do love a young man who is not ashamed of his cross-stitching mother :)

It rained...and the boys cooked!

It has been super hot this summer. Canberra has been baking beneath the sun everyday and it has felt a bit relentless, this heat. Canberra is known for it's cold winters which I actually really like. The downside of liking the cold is that you don't cope quite so well when it is hot! But...as they say...there is nothing you can do about the weather!
The other day thunderstorms were predicted and as the afternoon wore on it got cloudier and more oppressive until about dinnertime when it poured and it blew and it was very noisy.

Rain swept into the back room through the wire doors, our parched trees were pummelled with water and I stood at the door and let the smell of rain and the breeze blow straight into my face - it was so good.

And behind me, my husband and oldest son "cooked"dinner. There was much jostling, mucking around, heated discussion and mess but a delicious dinner was produced.

As we sat down for dinner that night in a darkened, cooler room I felt my life was pretty darned good. Rain and not having to cook dinner - it doesn't get much better than that!