Hexagons and relaxing stitching

It is already half way through February so it is time to show you Hexagons 3 and 4 of the Gentle Gems 2021 Hexies of the Month wall hanging.

I rather like the effect produced by the interlacing on the edge of the butterfly which gives a pretty scallop effect:

Then there's the chicken:

It has a simple chain stitch edging - just a little bit of added dimension:

The patterns for these two Hexies have been sent to all who have joined the 2021 Hexies of the Month programme. It's not too late to join and it's very reasonably priced, so hop over here for all the details.

I mentioned in my 'Clayton's Holiday Post' that I had completed a wall hanging from a design by a talented designer-friend. So here is my version of "A Christmas Story", slightly different arrangement to the original, but still as gorgeous:

It's a sweet design by the lovely Jenny of Elefantz. Do go over and check out her beautiful designs.

My connection to the story began some years ago when I won a fat eighth bundle of Roses de Noel fabric and a copy of the Christmas Story pattern in Jenny's give-away, way back in 2010!

The lovely fabric has sat with the pattern in the drawer for the whole ten years, waiting for the right time to make it! My Clayton's holiday was the perfect time to relax and play.

I added a bullion-stitch scallop edging with some French Knots to the manger quilt. 

Mary's dress needed a little bit of weaving in and out of the chain street edging to highlight it.

It did bring me great joy to be able to relax and do slow stitching on this beautiful, peaceful design and now I have a lovely new wall-hanging for Christmas.

Thank you to those who continue to express their love, concern and prayers for hubby (and for me!). We have been wonderfully blessed in that the Government has now granted hubby the highest level of home care. This started last Monday and means that 5 days a week a carer comes to shower, shave and dress him, he has two social support outings each week, the sweeping, mopping and mowing are taken care of, and a carer comes each week night to help with his eating of the evening meal. It is busy being organised and ready for 13 care sessions each week, but such a help both physically and mentally for me.

Now that we have dealt with the multitude of appointments that happened at the beginning of the year - audiologist, speech pathologist, optometrist, pneumonia injections, dentist, pest inspection and treatment, plus the usual doctor's visits, I am dreaming up a new pattern and can't wait to get started!

God bless you.

Val

The Clayton's Holiday

 It's quite a while since I had a holiday, and I'm not likely to be able to have one for some time, so I chose to have a Clayton's holiday in January. (An explanation for those who are not an Aussie: it means 'the holiday you have when you are not having a holiday', based on Clayton's non-alcoholic drink, widely advertised in Australia in the 1970/80's as "the drink you have when you are not having a drink'!)

Apart from staying in bed a little longer whenever I could, I enjoyed just sitting in our lovely patio area, surrounded by the lush greenery,

and checking that the mealy bugs hadn't come near my African Violet.

I bought myself a new fern:

and was surprised how much the air plant had grown:

Our older daughter in Japan finds innovative ways to give presents when she lives so far away. Two years ago, she organised for this aspidistra to arrive by post as a tiny little plant in a cardboard box. It brought great delight this week when it produced its first flower:

Each day I would check on my passionfruit vine, firstly trying to contain it to my side of the fence, and then checking if it was dropping any ripe fruit,

and eagerly watching the new fruit appear.

I needed to do a little bit of work and freeze some passionfruit pulp for later when the vine finishes bearing.

Then it was a quick look at the capsicums,

nip the flowers out of all the basil plants (far too many self-sown plants growing in the pebbles!), 

and over to the lemon tree to admire the very good crop this year.

Then out to check how many flowers were on the hibiscus,

and see if any of the cacti were flowering. (They weren't but this is what one of them looks like when it does!):

I did not dust the house for the whole month - unheard of for a perfectionist - but I did play lots of Scrabble games and enjoyed it when I beat the computer. I sure learned a lot of new words but can't remember what any of them mean. If asked, I can always come up with the standard "It's a three-toed sloth" answer!

Our younger daughter was also on holidays so we were able to spend lots of time talking on Skype. I also completed a wall hanging, using one of a designer friend's lovely patterns. But more about that another time!

Keep an eye out for the next instalment in the Gentle Gems 2021 Hexies of the Month programme. Two new patterns will be available next Sunday.

Hope you enjoyed an insight into my Clayton's holiday - I had fun being totally lazy!

Warm regards

Val