Tuesday, 28 August 2018

Cabin at the Beach

Hello Paw-Pals,

It's me again - your favourite sheepie's dog friend.

On Saturday, Miss H, the Boss and I went out to our uncle's farm where the Boss has built a cabin on one of the hills overlooking the beach.


This is the cabin - painted green for camouflage. The entire front is sliding doors the Boss got on TradeMe (which is NZ's version of Ebay - but waaaaaaay smaller).  


The bed complete with cushions that the Boss pinched from home.


Plates, mugs, cutlery, gas cooker, and nail storage shelf. The Boss got the shelf at the Op Shop. 
Last time Miss H and the Mother visited the cabin they had to rescue a couple of the Mother's good drinking glasses that she had been gifted and several special mugs that the Boss had snaffled for his cabin. 


The old lazyboy armchair has found a new home after living in the garage for awhile. 
Soooo comfy plus gives a GREAT view of the beach. Also, not allowed dogs on it... haha. 

(Note: The bucket toilet is out the back so that the Boss's building was small enough not to need a building permit.)


The view froom the cabin - straight ahead, left and right. Except for the motorbikes and vehicles that drive along the beach occasionally it is pretty much a private beach as it is an hour walk each way for public beach access. 


Speaking of the beach.... Can I go for a walk now? PLEASE!


ARGH! I am Blackbeard the Pirate! 


Yohoho! I am the incredibly attractive one-eyed pirate - still with a black beard....


I'm coming... Wait for me!


Ah hah! I caught you! I'm ready to go home now. 

I had a great time at the beach and two LOOOOOOONG walks. I can't wait to go again. 

Slobbery Kisses,
Snowy! Woof!

Wednesday, 22 August 2018

Rainbow in the Meadow!

Hello Peeps,

Over the weekend Miss H cut off the threads of the children's quilt that she had sewn and quilted a few years ago. She hates cutting threads off and the quilt was in no rush to be used at the time she finished it so it lay folded in the sewing room or with the finished quilts for a bit. But over the weekend she found a special child to gift it to.

Let me go back to the beginning... The Mother works at a community centre in a very poor part of New Zealand and loves to help people who need it. One day, a lady came in as she knew a 6 or 7 year old boy who needed some clothes. The Mother didn't have any but said she would ask around if anyone had any spare - and thankfully someone did. Then last week the lady asked the Mother about clothes for a 5 year old girl. This little girl had to be taken from her mother and put in the care of her grandmother who had absolutely no clothes for her. Of course, the Mother was eager to help. She asked her friends who have girls who are 6 and 7 now so have grown out of their 5 year old clothes and they sorted out some of the cutest second-hand outfits for this girl. When Miss H heard about her, she thought the Rainbow in the Meadow quilt would be perfect for the girl as she goes through lots of different changes in her life. Something that was specially hers that she could cuddle up in.

Perfect timing that Miss H saw the quilt lying around in the sewing room and decided to cut the threads off so it was completely finished - before the Mother even told her about the little girl. This quilt was definitely meant for her!!!

So now, without further ado...


Rainbow in the Meadow!




The inside blocks are like eye-spy blocks with creatures you would find in a meadow. 
Can you spot the ladybug, dragonflies, and creepy crawlies? 


This is the quilt all laid out. It's so bright and colourful and makes you happy - just like a rainbow. 
I didn't find a pot of gold though...


Of course the back had to be just as bright! 


10/10 for snuggle quality! 

Lots of love from
Baa. xxx

Friday, 10 August 2018

Stitching and Applique

Hello Peeps,

I hope your week has been as COOLIO as mine.

Miss H has attended classes this week and visited the centre that she is doing her placement at. I snuck into her jacket pocket where I commanded a good view of the place....

... and I am happy to report that it looks wonderful and the teachers were lovely, so I feel quite happy that Miss H will at least be going somewhere fantastic when she abandons me.

Though, I am hoping that she will take me one day as she has to do oral storytelling for one of her assignments and I think I would make the BEST prop EVER for a story!!! Just saying...

On to the craft!

Last week I showed you some applique blocks from a quilt Miss H is making. I also put up a link to the pattern but then mentioned Miss H is changing it due to her fabric requirements - so I thought I would show you her quilt layout.


Here it is! Miss H is making lemons, limes, oranges and watermelons - all those weird semi circles. And the circles with 2 ears are the bears. In the top left corner is the sun, and the bottom right corner is a flower. 



And LOOK! Miss H has already finished the watermelon!!!
Well, almost - they just need some pips. Maybe we could skip the pips Miss H, they are the worst part of a watermelon. You could grow a watermelon tree inside you if you swallowed one!!!


And the first very nearly completed bear - just needs some eyes and a mouth. 
Oh dear Miss H, I just looked at the pattern again and I think the nose is a little low... 


This is bear number 2! She is the only one who is going to have glassses and my, what funky glasses they are. Though mine are a close second. 


Here is a close-up of Miss H's blanket stitch. 


And now, like I promised, the stitchery Miss H has been working on... 


Ta-Da! It's not quite finished yet - but it is getting closer. 
Miss H thinks it is a perfect reminder for her, especially as she is going to start her placement soon and things are going to get super busy, so it will remind her to slow down and enjoy the little things - the little moments of seeing children develop, work something out, or just have fun, as well as the little moments of being able to craft. 


Miss H used some of her special thread - its thicker and one strand is enough. Here is a close up. 


Lots of LURVE,
from Baa. xxx

Thursday, 2 August 2018

Wee Braw Bags!

Hello Peeps,

Miss H started back at university this week after 3 weeks of holiday - the first HOLIDAY all year (study breaks don't count as they are for studying).

Most of Miss H's holiday was spent at home. Her and the Mother got lots of sewing done. Their main project was to sew a bunny each. But Miss H has left those in Auckland as they are soooo special.

The Mother found this cute wee braw bag pattern and became totally addicted. She made LOTS and LOTS of them. So on arriving home, the Mother had lots of presents for Miss H. They have almost all been filled already.


Here are all Miss H's ones. The Mother made two of almost all of them so she could have one as well. Plus there are a couple extra ones she made as well (not pictured here). 


First up, this is the only wee braw bag that has nothing in it yet - besides me. Heeheehee...


This is the BESTEST smelling bag. Miss H and the Mother have gotten into essential oils and so this bag stores the little bottles. Just perfect!


Miss H's crochet is in time-out after several unsuccessful attempts to make something. But it is spending its time in such a pretty bag I don't think it will mind too much. 


Both of these bags contain UNFINISHED stitcheries. I have tried to teach her to finish one before she starts another but she informs me that you can't contain creativity! Oh dear! 
(There are 4 stitcheries in the brown bag...)


Miss H is also most of the way through these cute birthstones by Wild Olive. They just need their faces. 


And just in case you couldn't see the above bag properly - here is the COOLIO fabric it is made out of. One of Miss H's favourite. 



Speaking of finishing stitcheries - Miss H just finished this one. She used that coolio variegated thread that she bought a little while ago with the plan to make woven wagon wheel flowers. Don't worry, she still plans to make that, but she found this stitchery already drawn up so she decided to start with that. 


These bags each contain a hand stitched applique project that Miss H has started cutting the pieces of. She seems to have gone home for a holiday and started a 100 more projects! One is a wall-hanging and the other is a mini-quilt. 


Miss H also started a hand appliqued quilt and these are the first two completed blocks. 
She is using THIS pattern with a few changes to meet the amount of fabric she had. 
 

 In just a couple of weeks, Miss H is going on her second placement this year. This time with Over 2's. She is so excited.

I will pop back next week with more blocks from the quilt Miss H is making, and ANOTHER stitchery that she has started. HAHA!!!

Love From,
Baa. xxx