...still CHAOS over here!!

NO STITCHING update at all!! Too busy and too tired to sit and stitch. I had planned on making a couple of christmas ornaments to send out to friends before the end of November but it is now the last day of November and i haven't made any at all. Looks like not much stitchy gifts to send out this season.

Here's a few pictures of what's been done here the last two weeks. Pictures from yesterday haven't uploaded yet.


Hubby is nearly done with all the electricity wirings especially for the living room and the barn...the 'barn' acually will be turn into a guestroom.

The door from the living room to the kitchen.



The workmen are really working hard, even took overtime last night till around 10pm as they had to remove the kitchen, the wall connected to the playroom and the old cement floor as they had to place the new cement flooring early this afternoon. It was planned for thursday but because of the expected frost the next coming days the cement mixer wouldn't be able to come.

It means, i can't do baking anymore till the kitchen will be return, hopefully after two weeks if all goes well as planned with the works.

CHRIS 11th birthday tomorrow and he wants some sausages wrapped in puff pastry for treats at school so i asked one of my friends to use her oven for this. Chris is a bit disappointed that we aren't going to celebrate it as we are too busy and too small place for visitor's where we are staying so we promised to celebrate it end of January when we are settled back to our house and hubby is back from his work as he is due to leave sometime next week to Italy.

I hope everyone is keeping warm and having a good week.

...tiny finish, a b-day party & renovation pics.

The only stitching i could share, finished the November block of Sylvia's SAL.

...another of our friends turn '50' next week but he will be leaving this week to Brazil for work so his wife and kids organise a surprise party for him last weekend. So friday midnight we went & installed the doll at their frontyard.


They had celebrated it at one of the pub with live music. We sure had fun, lots of dancing...


Here are some progress pictures of the ongoing works at home. These were of last week works on the house.


And as always tried to make something for the coffee break. Also, always made some extra for their lunch break like soup or snack. It is sooooo cold over here so they does need something warm to eat.


As always, many many thanks for stopping by and all the lovely comments. All are very much appreciated. I hope you are all having a good week.

LK stamp, the winners... & work continues...

We don't have oven and washing machine here on the rented house so i went sunday evening to our house to make the apple cake and do the washing, while waiting for the cake i stitched on the LK December block and now the piece is done. Will have to wait for the buttons probably sometime next year, i am just glad it is done and can be store away.

I am so sorry this took me a while to pick the winners of last month blogoversarry. Finally here are the names: ,
Maggie, Cath, Nia, Sally Irene
Please do let me know your address info details and hope to send the ornaments beginning of next week. Thank you everyone for the blogoversary greetings!!


Work continues and here are some pictures taken from last week progress. Worked on the barn, filled in the footing with concrete as well as the flooring.



Last friday they started working on the timber wall frame inside for the living room.

Took a couple pics of some of the cakes i've made lately. Just simple ones as i am not good with decorating the cakes. Sometimes the whole cake is just enough for a day, as they have twice coffee break.


I hope you are all having a wonderful week. Many thanks for stopping by and all the kind comments.

Nov. x'mas SAL ornament & other pics.

This was my first finish last January this year and just finished it off into an ornament last weekend. I haven't stitched for a while now but i have a couple of small stitched designs that needed finishing so i am working on them bit by bit in the evening if i am not that sleepy.

Frosty Fun ornament
Prairie Schooler design
JCS 2009
32ct linen naturel
DMC thread

Concrete floor were put in last week wednesday, thursday the workers went somewhere as the concrete have to get dry. Friday they are back and the living room is full in working again as you can see on the picture below.


Late friday afternoon hubby worked on the barn trying to get rid of the old concrete flooring but it is too hard so he gave up and asked for a crane to help with the job.

The crane was provided yesterday and as you can see the barn tottaly removed by the end of the day.

Hereś what was done today, started placing the foundation for the barn which will turn into an extra bedroom. The weather isn't cooperating though, raining on and off amd expected for the coming days.


I've had helped whenever i can especially shoveling out the dirt/debris yesterday and then went to my Zumba lesson(every monday evening) in the evening....i had difficulty getting up this morning. I still feel sore until now, i think i better skip the Zumba dance after a hard days work next time.

I haven't had the time to pick the winners yet, hopefully before the weekend.
Thank you all so much for visiting my blog especially to those who takes the time to leave me a comment. I really appreciate them all.

An update of the works over here...

((click on the pictures to enlarge))
....but first a very small stitching finish, the November block of Lizzie Kate Stamp.


I let the pictures show how we progressed with the renovations. Last week was mainly removing all the old stuff out of the living room and the office room(with the window). Nobody knows when was the last time this was renovated, i mean the basement floor. Kees parents bought it year 1958, and hubby bought it from them year 1990. A couple of newspaper print that we found from the wall going upstairs dated 1912, that was probably the last time they've added the upstair's bedrooms. It is a pity thereś no pictures at all from then.

Also came across some old tiles probably more than 100 years old. I haven't clean any yet, perhaps i can find a date or any indication when they were made. We haven't taken all out as they were quite deep and we are really in a hurry to get the place ready last monday for the contractors.

Monday, the contrators remove the dividing wall so it is now a big living room.
Tuesday, was ready to filled in with sand, styrofoam and reinforcing bars.


This morning was the concrete floor was done for the living room.

A coule of days to dry and then they'll get forward to work on the wallings.

...while we are going to work on the next room, that was the barn but we would like to turn that into a bedroom. Had to remove the old concrete as we would like to put an underfloor heating like the rest later on. We aren't done yet as after this one we would like to expand the kitchen too and put an underfloor heating. Ohhh, and not to forget upstairs...but that will have to wait for next summer!


Thank you everyone for all the lovely comments on my last post. All are very much appreciated.

5th blogoversary giveaway & taking a break....

..... from blogging & groups!

After posting my update this afternoon i went and look back on my first ever post here on this blog and to my surprise it is my blogoversary TODAY!!. I thought it is tomorrow the 13th...am i glad i've completed all the ornaments yesterday which i had planned as my giveaway. so only to take pictures of them all this afternoon.


In celebration of my 5 year BLOGGERVERSARY I would like to offer these five ornaments, thus there be five winners. The giveaway is open to absolutely anyone, please simply leave a comment on this post only. I will pick the winners at the end of this month(31st oct.)

Regal Red Christmas flatfold
Milady's Needle design
JCS magazine 2010
32ct linen
variegated DMC 115


Happy Skater ornament
Little House Needleworks design
JCS magazine 2010
32ct Belfast dirty linen
DMC threads


Christmas 2010 pinkeep
Glory Bee design
JCS magazine 2010
32ct linen
DMC threads


December needleroll
Birthstone & flower samplers
From a booklet of The World of Cross Stitching
(no designers was given)
Stitched on 28ct white evenweave
DMC threads


Sing Noel Ornament
Primrose Needleworks
The Gift of Stitching Magazine, December 2008
32ct linen
DMC threads

Going to be taking a break from blogging and the yahoo groups for a while, i don’t know for how long. Hubby will be coming home on thursday so everything will be out here including the last 2 computers. Hubby have a laptop but with the 4 of us it will be very limited time for each. We were really spoiled having each one, the kids are getting use to it now but i sure miss visiting all your blogs and the groups, not to forget facebook!
Thank you all so much for visiting and for taking the time to leave me a comment. Best wishes to all!

Flatfold, oct. LK, award and other pics.

An autumn design finished into a flatfold. It's a freebie sometime last year but i couldn't find who the designer of this one, i hope somebody knows it and share the name.



Also completed the oct. LK block.


A while back i was the lucky winner of Christine's giveaway. A couple of decorated bangles, arent they lovely!! I love them all as well as all the goodies enclosed. Thank you so much, Christine.


A while back i recieved this award from Amarins, thank you so much for passing it on to me..it sure made me feel special. Amarins works more on big projects and on and off small ones as you can see on her stitching blog. I also admire her cards as everything looks gorgeous and so neatly finished which you can see on her other blog(cards).

Now I must do the following things:
1. The award to pass on to 5 persons
2. List 3 things that i love
3. Post a picture that you love.
Here we go....
1. I am supposed to pass this on to five fellow bloggers but i have to break this one as i cannot definitely pick only 5.
2. I love my family, my friends and stitching!!
3. Below is one of my favorite family picture, when the kids wants to come along everywhere especially going for a walk.


Last weekend, we've been to a friends birthday at the mainland. While the Mums busy in the kitchen my kids were taking care of baby Desley and taking pictures. Aren't these pictures beautiful! I was surprised when i uploaded the pictures as i didn't expect Grace will be on them, lately she doesn't want her picture taken. I wasn't able to use the camera as it was too busy, had to help with the preparations mainly for dinner so i really miss cuddling the baby too.


Thought to post a couple of pictures of the first "Abraham" of the group who celebrated it last May. Luckily, hubby was home then, he was the one who made the placard and provided the costume for the doll.
I have pictures of our yearly outings too and hope one day to compile it on to one album. Just the same with the "Abraham/Sarah" celebrations. Another "Abraham" is celebarting next month and the rest will be next year.



I hope you are all having a wonderful week. Many thanks for stopping by and all the kind comments.