Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop....

Are you planning to see the new Halloween Movie?  If so, it won't be with me!  I find Horror movies far too scary!!!!!!

but I do love to take part in a fun Hallowe'en Blog Hop!

.. every Hallowe'en the redoubtable Jo from Serendipitous Stitching hosts a fun and fabulously Spooky Hallowe'en Blog Hop.

You need to follow the letters from blog to blog to spell out a Spooky Saying to win the prize.

So, here goes, my letter is:

... and you need to hop over to Ishkabibble to find out the next letter.

This is what I would like to stitch as my next Big Hallowe'en project - it was gifted to me by my dear stitchy friend, Anna (no blog).

You can check out all of the Hallowe'en Spookiness at this post on Jo's blog.

Happy Hallowe'en everyone, 

hugs, 

P.S. Click on the pic below to find out all about my latest Girl's Nest Giveaway - closes November 11.

A SORT OF/SORTING GIRL'S NEST GIVEAWAY #7

As you all know from my Grand Designs Eaglemont posts TraderVic and I are trying to clean out our house - we need to get rid of so much clutter that has accumulated over the past twenty years by the seven people that lived here in that time!

So, this means some of my stitching stuff, too.  I am trying to be ruthless with pattern books and patterns that I have either stitched already or am no longer interested in.  Well, I haven't had a giveaway since May - so time for another one, I feel.

This time there are several gifts from me to you.....

Giveaway #1_Cut Thru' Beach House Kit by Bothy Threads.

This is the full kit - fabric, floss and pattern.

Giveaway #2_The Dust can wait by Juniper Designs

This, too, is the full kit with charms, however, I did make a start on the sewing machine.

Giveaway #3_ Two Christmas Fat Quarters

Giveaway #4_ Two More Christmas Fat Quarters

Giveaway #5_Joyeux Noel by Cuore e Batticuore

Giveaway #6_ Teddy Bears Kit from Dimensions - the full kit.

Giveaway #7_Fizzy Moon kit - from a mag, untouched.

Giveaway #8_"Little Mouse" by Lucie Heaton, also from a mag, I think.

Please comment, CLEARLY, on this post if you are interested in any or all of the eleven giveaway items.  Also, please give me your email address and blog address (if you have one).  The reason I ask for these is twofold: some of you are no-reply-commenters, so I have no way of contacting you; whilst for others people sometimes don't check their email regularly, so it is useful to have a blog address as well.

I will use the random generator to choose who gets what.  

It is open to both Australian and overseas followers.

You have until November 11 (Remembrance Day) to enter.

hugs,

 

Smalls SAL_October Update

Time for my October Smalls SAL update...

The Smalls SAL is hosted by the wonderful Heather from Stitching Lotus

 Click on the pic above if you want to learn more.

My first two finishes are FFOs!   On the left is a Santa Ornie that I finished ages ago and on the right Christmas Trees from Nordic Holiday, Prairie Schooler Book #191. Not the best finally finishing, if you look closely at the one on the left, I had a bit of a mishap with glue and a brown paper bag.

Then I had two "More Bah Humbug" by Sue Hillis Design finishes:

Broken Ornament....

... and Surprised Santa.

To see what all of the other lovely Smalls SALers stitched this month, please click here.

That's all for me for today, 

hugs, 

A Star is Born....

Two weeks in a row now, TraderVic and I have been out to see a movie. This time it was ...

The remake with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

"Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers -- and falls in love with -- struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons."

Both Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga were amazing in it and it was a thoroughly enjoyable movie.

In case, you were not aware, this is the fourth reiteration of this film....

It was first made in 1937, with Frederic March and Janet Gaynor.

Then again in 1954, with James Mason and Judy Garland.

... and for a third time with Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand.

So, if you are looking for your next film to go see I can highly recommend this one.

hugs, 

FNSI AND IHSW_OCTOBER UPDATE

Boy, the month speeds by quickly as it now time for my October FNSI and IHSW reports.

Click on the logo below to find out all about FNSI.

if you would like to find out more about IHSW, please click on Hermie below:

                                  

It is such a lovely idea - to be stitching with other like-minded people from all over the globe, no matter the time zone, all weekend long - bliss!  In fact, any stitching time is great, isn't it?

For FNSI, I found this project when I was rummaging around in my tub of (sometimes) no return. It is the very cute Bah Humbug  Surprised Snowman by Sue Hillis Designs and the the poor thing was just languishing there.  So, he became my Friday Frolics and FNSI project for this week/month.  

The last time I posted about Bah Humbug designs was waaaay back in December 2014 but this snowman doesn't get a peep - poor guy!  (Oh, my goodness, doesn't time fly?????)

Before:

After (and Saturday for IHSW):  Poor Surprised Snowman being wee-ed on by a puppy!

If you would like to see what the other FNSIers stitched this month, 

please click here.


On Sunday (New Start Sundays), I started another More Bah Humbug design. This one is called Broken Ornament.

So, that is my FNSI and IHSW report for this month.

If you would like to see what the IHSWers got up to, 

please click here.

Lots of lovely stitchy hugs to you all, 

hugs, 

Special 60th Birthday Gifted Gorgeousness post....

I'm going to let you into a little (not-so-) secret - last week I turned 60!

Unfortunately, this gorgeously appropriate cake was only a virtual one posted by a friend on my FB timeline for my birthday!

So, I thought that I would show off all my lovely gifts as a special GG 60th Birthday edition.

My birthday started two days early - with cake, flowers and presents at work.

Altogether my work colleagues generously gifted me with three bunches of flowers, some lovely pink and blue earrings and a chunky blue necklace plus a new apron and oven mitt for my new kitchen.  So, very kind and generous of them (we also went out and had a lovely dumpling lunch in nearby Smith St, Collingwood, too - no pics, sorry!)

The penultimate day before my birthday was spent with my dear friend, Lisa, who took me out jewellery shopping for my present from my mother's group whom I have known since DS1 (who is now 30) was a baby. I chose this gorgeous moonstone ring, it is a bit unusual as most moonstone rings are curved not faceted.

Afterwards, Lisa and I went to this great French creperie for lunch.

We had cider (traditional with crepes in certain parts of France, apparently).

The savoury crepes were delicious with duck fat potato and other yummy things in it.

... and finished with a great latte.

 On my actual birthday, I was given more lovely flowers from friends.

But firstly, this pretty ceramic jewel box from my dear friend, Linda.

The orchids were given to me by my Personal Trainer, Maria, who is fast becoming a close friend as well as my gym trainer.

DS2's gorgeous girlfriend, Yumi, sent me these lovely flowers from Sydney.

The next day, I had a post-birthday lunch with my dear friend, Wendy, who is the owner of Lazy Daisy Needlework (which is now, sadly for me, only an online store).

On the Saturday I had lunch with another dear friend, whose birthday is the day after mine - she gave this great cheese platter which will fit beautifully into my new kitchen - which will be white and grey and black.

When DD came home from a quick trip to Sydney to visit DS2, she brought back a "side" gift for me from the two of them - a Blind Date with a Book!

 Luckily I hadn't already read it!

... and some absolutely delicious macarons from Zumbo Patisserie.

 On the Sunday, after my birthday, I had a family and close friends lunch

at Farm Vigano to officially celebrate my 60th Birthday.  We had a wonderful time, drinking Aperol Spritzes, Prosecco and eating delicious Italian food.

I was given: more gorgeous flowers from DS2 (who is going to take me to see a live musical, probably "Muriel's Wedding" in early March next year as my real present); a wonderful Polish bowl for my breakfast from my dear friend, Marie and this sweet pewter ring box from my dear friend, Kim.

Here are more detailed photos of the gorgeous food.

This sweet pewter ring box from my dear friend, Kim.

UPDATE: TraderVic and I went to a dinner party last night at my dear friend, Eva's new home (she and her husband have downsized) and she gifted me with this gorgeous sandwich plate made by a glasswork artist and this stunning card featuring one of the roses from her garden.

 There will be more celebratory outings coming up in November - an outing with my dear friends, Heather and Franca to see the musical, "School of Rock" and a dumpling making workshop with my mother's group in lieu of a dinner out - should be fun!

Plus my three children plus my DIL, are going to buy me a stunning print or two from the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.  My DIL will choose them when she is next in Taipei - you can see what they look like if you click on this link here.

BTW, in case you are wondering, TraderVic didn't forget me - he bought me a new ipad!

So, I have to say that I have been very spoilt and I feel thankful to have such a wonderful family and great friends.  Maybe 60 is not going to be so bad after all?

Thanks for visiting with me today.

hugs,