Biscornu and Birds

I hope to have a finish later tomorrow after a recent bought of illness kept me from my stitching. I have had a plan and not a New Year's resolution (because we all know what happens to those) to make myself a Christmas decoration each year until I fall off the twig. So for Christmas 2011, I thought I would also attempt my first Biscornu.
I  chose Just Nan's Christmas Biscornu which is also very sparkly with the addition of beads and gold thread. I have enjoyed stitching this design so much,  I hope I stitch it together without messing it up!

 I have embroidered 2012 on it, maybe I should have also put 2011. Anyway, tomorrow I hope to be able to do a happy dance with my first finish for this year.

 Also, this morning we were awakened with the sound of some very noisy birds in the Jacaranda tree in our neighbour's yard.

I thought great, they are back but maybe a little early this year. These are Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo's.
We had a flock of around 10 - 12 with several family groups with their young. They are a large bird, around 26 inches in length. They are very noisy but so interesting to watch. Miss Molly was warned to stay inside though I am sure she was safe. Black Cockatoo's eat seeds, green pine cones and moth grubs, not Bischons. lol

It really is wonderful to see that they have adapted to suburbia, as the suburb we live in does have some very old and large trees, just the type of perch they enjoy. After around 10 - 15 minutes they were off flying, they have a wide wing span. I wonder if they will be back tomorrow?

BEST WISHES

I have been away for some time. Life has been hectic with house painting, family obligations and a few health problems around Christmas. I have been following your blogs though as I enjoy nothing more than a cup of tea and catching up.
I have managed to do a little stitching leading up to the Holidays and am also showing some Christmas stitching from previous years.

                                          Prairie Schooler Christmas Strawberry.

                                           St. Nicholas Needle roll.

                                          Cross Stitch Christmas Stocking 2001.

                                          Detail of Crazy Patchwork Stocking

  

                                          and more detail.

 My Crazy Patchwork Christmas Stocking from a class with J.Rofe in 2000. I think this is my favorite decoration, also a lovely size for filling with Xmas goodies!

And a gift for a special friend. Another Christmas Strawberry and a little tree decoration which was a free pattern from Threadwork Primitives.

I hope your Christmas holiday has been wonderful and that 2012 will be even better, full of lovely stitching and quilting if that is what you enjoy .A garden full of flowers if that is also your favorite occupation, but most of all happiness, good health and peace.

                                                          HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Sunny Days.

Red Geranium.

Native Hibiscus.

Cymbidium Orchid

Camelia.

Photos taken on a sunny day in our back garden. Now it is raining and predicted by the weather people to do so for almost the entire week. Oh well, more time to stitch.

Garden Rambling.

It is suppose to be Spring but with the rain during this past weekend I thought I would show you some pics from the previous weekends local Garden Ramble.
This is one special garden of the ten that were open to visit, then my camera batteries went flat. The temp. for the day was a very hot 32c. Not like the past few days at all.

The ramble is held to raise money for the sight impaired and attracts thousands of  visitor's each time it is held.

I am still here!

Hello to everyone in blog land, I am back. No excuses for such a long break, only I will admit I think I lost my blogging Mojo. It really is hard to keep up with all of the other wonderful blogs out there but I least I am willing to have another crack at it.
Now if Blogger will let me show some pics of what I have been up to, they should appear below. I have had issues with this before, so here goes!

 So, though I haven't blogged for a while I have been working with my silver needle and threads. I have finished the first Applique block of the small laptop quilt class I started earlier in the year and have done a lot of work to the other blocks, but have now put them away while other things need to be worked on.
The scissor fob is a Shepeherds Bush design and another little kit which is Keeping the Bees.  I have also finished my major project this year which is The Earth Gatherers. This is another one by my favorite designers, Sherpherds Bush. Yes, I have a slight addiction to their designs, I can't help myself! At least I cause no harm to any living creature with an addiction such as this, however, the homestead does suffer somewhat.
Next time I will show you some Spring pics of my garden or should that be Summer as the temps for the past few days in this area of the planet have been much warmer than normal (30c).
Now I am off to water the Orchids.