And This Little Pig said Crazies 2012 + Special Gift

Oh I don't know if I've ever been this unorganised! Well at least with my stitching, but I have managed (so far) to keep on track with my Crazies :@

Day 2 – LHN 2011 Ornament of the Month 01 Cardinal Winter

Day 3 – LHN 2011 Ornament of the Month 02 Bringing Home the Tree

Day 5 – LHN 2011 Ornament of the Month 04 Gingerbread Village

Day 6 – LHN 2011 Ornament of the Month 05 Silent Night

Day 7 – LHN 2011 Ornament of the Month 06 Pine Tree Inn

Day 8 – LHN 2011 Ornament of the Month 07 Baked Goods

Have yet to start Day 9, but I will get it started, even if it is just 1 stitch, as I am going out for dinner tonight.

Day 10 is my biggie for the year, PSS The Flood, and I am still to choose the fabric and then dye it!!!!! And the only reason it is in the middle of the LHN Ornament of the Month 2011, is because I am still waiting for the patterns to come. See told you I was unorganised.

Maybe now is the time to start praying to my new little pig.

And look she is laughing at me :@

My friend Sue is in China at the moment, will be there on and off for the next two years, her boy's went to visit for Christmas, and this is what Jacob dropped off to me this past weekend. Isn't it a lovely little box, with a beautiful pheasant on the top.

But the surprise did not stop there, inside was my very own Chinese Pig, from China :@

Catch up with you all later... LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Special Day + Crazy 2012

First to start off on a very different note, for those of you overseas, well mainly in the US, cricket in Australia is a national past time in summer. Think of baseball, but not really :@ a Test Match can go for 5 days, and while it can finish earlier, it never goes longer than 5 days.

Today is 3rd day of the 'New Year Test' the Sydney Test Match, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, this year we are playing India.

The 3rd day of this Test is a very special day, as it is Jane McGrath Foundation Day.

Jane was an English girl who was married to one of our greatest test bowlers (pitcher) Glenn McGrath. At age 31 she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer this wiki link partly explains her courageous story. She and Glenn married and had two beautiful children.

So back to the 3rd day of the Test Match, a big fundraising day for the McGrath Foundation, it is also a day when the Cricket ground and everyone who attends the game, wears pink, pink clothing, pick shoes, pink hats, pink bandanas and pink hair. It is a day filled with fun and laughter in memory of a very special woman.

To make today an even greater day, the Captain of the Australian Cricket Team, Michael Clarke scored 329 runs not out. I know most of you don't understand this, but let me tell you it is a huge thing to score 100 runs, is consider a great feat let along scoring 300 runs in an innings. And as Jane's best friend said at the end of today's play, the score was 90% talent, and 10% Jane.

Michael Clarke after reaching 300 runs.

So today share a thought for an extraordinary woman, who was not only beautiful on the outside, but had a most beautiful soul. Battled bravely an awful disease, with style and class, and why she did not win the battle, through the Foundation and the sheer determination she showed in life, Jane continues to strongly fight the war. She will forever be imprinted on the heart of the Australian people.

I promised a Crazy Challenge update, so 10 of the Crazies I will be stitching this year.

Day 1 Plum Street Samplers - Sophie's Sheep, stitched on 28 count linen.

Now silly me remembered my camera today, but left Day 2 LHN 2011 Ornaments Cardinal's Winter and Day 3 LHN 2011 Ornaments Bringing Home the Tree starts at home, will have to photograph tomorrow.

Day 4 Little House Needleworks 2011 Ornaments Deck the Halls, 32 count Belfast Linen, hand dyed with Parisienne Essence, double dipped.

I finally decided on Crazy No 15 Little House Needleworks Warm Winter Woolens, seem to have a think for sheep this year :@

Catch up with you all later... LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said May the New Year Bring You Joy

So the end of the year is very fast coming to an end, a year filled with joy and sorrow, but not a bad year all in all.

And hey I joined in with a lot of other stitches to complete a Crazy January Challenge, and it was so much fun, with so so much achieved, and now I just confirmed that I will be joining in again in 2012, yep still crazy. And enjoying it!

So my list...
1. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Cardinal Winter
2. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Bringing Home the Tree
3. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Deck the Hall
4. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Gingerbread Village
5. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Silent Night
6. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Pine Tree Inn
7. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Baked Goods
8. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Hallelujah
9. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Joy and Peace
10. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Snow in Love
11. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Winter Forest
12. LHN Ornaments 2011 - Good Things
13. PSS Sophie's Sheep
14. PSS The Flood
15. To Be Decided

I can tell you number 14 has me worried :@
 
I only just arrived home from the Farm today, and my emails are well and truly out of control! Have not had time to look at them or really look at any blogs for the last nine days.
 
So I hope you have all had a wonderful festive season, and I leave you with My Prayer for 2012.
 

Dear God

My prayer for 2012 is for

A fat bank account & a thin body.

Please don't mix these up like you did last year.

AMEN!

So wishing you all a joyful New Year :@

LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Crazy Finish No 15

Yes finished my Crazy January 2011 Challenge, my last piece LHN Ornaments 2010 Under the Tree. Now all that is left is to 'finish-finish' my 12 ornaments, in time to hang on the tree :@ I've add up all my finishes for the year, 19 in all!

I have my baby sister staying with me at the moment, she has a job driving a truck in the mines, anyway what has this to do with a photo of the Long Dogs and Meah's shadow, well we have decided to it is time to renovate, well more up date the decor of my little house. Don't you love the way the Long Dogs are all laying so that they are touching, and the fact that Podge managed to collect one of my cleaning gloves.

Enjoying the morning sun, with the curtains down at the moment.

This is the main reason for the update, as the paint man at Bunnings (think Home Depot) called it... Caravan Cladding... I call it 'that fake pine brown stuff' except I didn't say stuff :@ I have lived with this for over 15 years, if it had been the lighter colour it might not have been so bad... not it still would have been bad.

Anyway the Bunnings man (our new Uncle Leon) gave us this brilliant paint called Zisser it will apparently adhere to the Caravan Cladding in a one coat undercoat. So last weekend was spend sanding back the window trims and cleaning up all the dust. We have to finish washing down the walls, undercoat, then decide on colours, but more of that later. I will be sure to involve you all with my/our decisions.

As for stitching, I still have to decide if I am going to do the Crazy January Challenge 2012, thinking really hard about it, but for the time being I get to work on my LHN Family Sampler, something I really want to finish.

Seeya tomorrow with Cow-Day-Wednesday... LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Crazy Finish No 14

Yes you heard right Crazy January Challenge No 14 finished!!!! Gracewood Designs Northern Nights.

Colours used 5 Blues  - Antique Blue from very dark to ultra very light 3750, 930, 931, 932 & 3753; 3 Golds - Old Gold very dark to light 3829, 729 & 676 and 3 Greens - Fern Green dark to very light 520, 522 & 524. I  also shortened the design, I left out a couple or three bands, changed some of the small interspacing bands. I really enjoyed individualizing this design.

Top

Middle

Bottom

Different points of view

After reading about Kathy and Rory's run in with those who think what is your's is theirs, this is what greeted us this morning at the Saleyards office. The police only let us in this morning, they broke in over the weekend, well they broke into the manager's office, and then they went through the wall! Yep you heard me, they went through the wall, and ransacked the back office. MY part of the office! They took the loose change in the drinks jar, and made a mess.

But we are thankful that they didn't take or smash the computers, and everything still works for the sale tomorrow. On the plus side the office was given a really good clean, which included watching three men (bosses) help, wipe, wash and vacuum :@

Seeya soon, with Crazy finish 15.

LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Crazy Finish No 13

Whoo Hoo! A short but very sweet blog Crazy finish number 13, Little House Needleworks Ornament 2010 Frosty Flakes, so that leaves two to go, Little House Needleworks Ornament 2010 Under the Tree, and Gracewood Designs Northern Nights, which is just under halfway done.

Doing a little happy dance, I really didn't think I would get anywhere near the 15 done, but I have finished an extra four charts as well this year. Makes me start to think about next years Crazy January Challenge 2012 we will see.

Seeya later LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Crazy Finishes No 11 & No 12

Well Crazy January Finish No 11 and No 12 done and dusted! Oh this is a long post.

I finished Little House Needleworks Ornament 2010 Red House in Winter on August 15, it was around this time that my old Boss was having surgery, and then the unthinkable happened, and he passed away, so these two ornaments will always be Neil's ornaments.

Little House Needleworks Ornament 2010 Pear Tree, was what I was actually working on, when he passed. I love all of Diane's patterns, but this one from the moment I put the first stitch in all the way back in January, never gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Every time I picked up my unfinished Crazies, this one was always shuffled back into the dwindling pile. What made me pick it up to finish it, I will never know. It will hang on my Christmas tree this year, but I think it will be tucked around the side only just in sight... poor Pear Tree, it has never done anything wrong.

So in my month long blogging break, I have been cross stitching like a woman processed, Little House Needleworks Ornaments 2010 Frosty Flakes is very close to being finished, fingers crossed tomorrow, if not early next week. And I have really gotten stuck into Gracewood Designs Northern Nights, which I am loving.

My beloved dogs (that's Podge above and don't let the cute and innocent look fool you) ask to be let outside anywhere from between 5am and 6am, so have fallen into the routine of stitching for about an hour before starting to get ready to go off to work. A friend has lent me their Hawaii Five O the original DVD's, which have been fun to re-watch, a lot I don’t remember, well I was young :-) anyway it is nowhere near as corny as I thought it would be, but there is no comparison between Jack Lord and Alex O’Loughlin (pause for a moment, well a few minutes to imagine Alex swimming in my imaginary pool) but it has been great to pop in the DVD's and watch while I stitch.

This is a result of what cute and innocent can do, you know when you are scrambling for something to write on, thankfully I had copied this hastily written note on a proper note pad before Miss Podge helped herself to it, and I have no idea where she found the floss.

Evie and Quincy enjoying the morning sun, while trying to see through the lace curtain to people walking by.

My Meah, Moo has it all figured out, she gets up on top of the armchair (my grandmother would not be impressed) and finds the break in the curtains.

I am still trying to convince the long dog crew that it really is spring, and they no longer need my old coat to curl up in.

It is not working.

Our local Agricultural show starts tomorrow, this is the one and only rose I have anywhere near being ready to enter, photo taken on Monday, this afternoon it looked like a beautiful Valentine bud. Well it's being picked in the morning and entered, I can only hope. No one and I mean no one has roses this year, everyone is complaining how late they are, plenty of buds, just none that are anywhere near ready. Mr Lincoln, he needs one more day! Entered LHN Pumpkin Hollow Farm, and CCN Pumpkin Cottage in the needlework, but have a feeling they may just be "too American". Have photography entered as well, big entry, but one can only try.

Lastly again I would like to thank everyone who sent me messages of support and prayers on the loss of my old employer, they helped but at the time I was not capable of replying. I have been lucky in my working life to have never had a ‘bad’ boss, and have been truly blessed with my current employer and my old boss, both have treated me like family, one a younger sister, and the other a daughter.

So to my little Bossman, a wonderful family man, husband, father, grandfather, friend and gifted surgeon, rest in peace, you are missed by many. On a serious note, Neil you really have to do something about the Rugby World Cup, give our Wallabies a bit of a push will you!

Neil 3 October 1934 – 19 August 2011

LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Crazy Finishes No 9 & No 10

One of the little pigs surveying Crazy January finish No 10, this little pig likes feeling the sun on her face.

Crazy finish No 9 Little House Needleworks Pumpkin Hollow Farm.

I've enjoyed all my Crazies, but both the pumpkins, the above and CCN Pumpkin Cottage have been special, I am contemplating entering both in my local Ag Show (Fair), just have to get them framed in time.

Crazy finish No 10 Little House Needleworks Ornaments 2010 Snowy Pines.

So that's 10 down with 5 to go with a little over three months, 4 LNH Ornaments and one large piece Gracewood Stitches Northern Lights.

Seeya soon, with more stitching... LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Crazy Finish No 8

I finished my first County Cottage Needleworks pattern on Monday, and my 8th Crazy January Challenge 2011... Woo Hoo!!! CCN Pumpkin Cottage was a really enjoyable pattern, and it was the 'smallest' of my 'large' starts for the Crazies.

I changed a couple of things, no white pumpkins, I changed them to DMC 3825 Pumpkin Pale, which I also used for "Pumpkin Cottage" wording, the white birds became DMC 168 Pewter Very Light. Have started work again on LHN Pumpkin Hollow Farm.

On a different note, around 12 months ago, a dear friend gave me a skein, a very big ball of Alpaca, homespun. I think it might just be time to knit a scarf. Nothing fancy, just a plain little garter stitch scarf.

Isn't it beautiful, all natural, no dye.

See you again soon... LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Blogoversary

Today is my Blogoversary Number One! And January 2011 Crazy Challenge finish No 7... Little House Needlework 2010 Ornament Winter Sheep.

I really enjoyed stitching this boy or girl, I call him my Latte sheep, I changed the colour of his body and legs. Also I couldn't fine a cardinal button, so stitched one in, and then gave him a branch to sit on.

 

You know how you get that nagging feeling that you have forgotten something? Well I have had that feeling for the last couple of days, and it hit me today, I had not dyed the piece of linen to go with my Blogoversary Giveaway.

I hand dyed this evening a piece of 32 count linen, using tea. Specifically Dilmar Exceptional Berry Sensation. 

I soaked four tea bags in a small porcelain mixing bowl, which I then sat in the sink in a hot water bath. After around 20 minutes I add a cup of very salty hot water to help set the colour, soak for another 5-10 minutes, hang to drip dry, and then iron when still very damp.

Well I thought the colour was a little dark, so rinsed. Well the salt worked, so not having any bleach... go figure it's now on the shopping list. The next best thing I could find that I thought just might work was hydrogen peroxide, using a very small amount, I managed to lightened the linen just a touch.

Tea dyed, and very nice smelling linen lying on a piece of white linen.

So happy blogoversary to me :D And there is still time to enter my blogoversay giveaway, link above. Drawn Sunday evening Australian time.

Nite LiBBiE in Oz