This post has been a long time coming.  Last year I lost my darling mum.  I miss my parents greatly.  It does not seem to matter how old they are or how old you are the loss of such loved and loving people is very hard to accept but accept one must.

This year I have not been working and have had a lovely holiday in New Zealand.  I loved Queenstown in particular. Glenorchy also is spectacular (ie Lord of the Rings country).  The trip on the steam boat across the lake is something not to be missed.  The roads can be a bit scary in NZ.  I was so scared driving up the Crown Range Road - never again - so high and winding!

I have been doing lots of embroidery especially for the Embroiderers Guild gift table.  I have embroidered handkerchiefs, hand towels, face washers, coat hangers, baby singlets all of which have sold.  I am now working on items to sell at the Christmas Craft Fair.  I have made quite a lot of felt embroidered Christmas decorations.  My main job is to inspire others to make items also.  Fortunately I have a lovely lady helping me and lots of Guild members are making lovely things.

This year I discovered Michael Robotham. He is Australian and writes crime novels.  I generally do not like crime novels but I picked up one of his books The Night Ferry in a unit we were staying at down at the Gold Coast and had to read the 400 page tome in 4 days.  It was not hard to do as his writing is so engaging.  I have since read The Wreckage, Bleed for me and am now reading Bombproof. 


I have also discovered SBS on demand and ABC iview which allows one to catch up on TV programmes that you have missed.  I love all the cooking shows.  French Food Safari was wonderful.  I am now enjoying Terry Mathias in France and Marrakech. River Cottage on the ABC is terrific also.  Wallander with Kenneth Brannagh is a terrific program and I love the theme which is sung by an Australian, Emily Barker Nostalgia. On YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w098rz-rdiQ&feature=related.

Crochet success in 2010

I am pleased to say that I have succeeded in learning to crochet. I made a baby blanket for charity.

I have also crochet around 2 linen handkerchiefs and 2 flannel baby blankets.

One of my other projects for 2010 and beyond is the Roses from the Heart project by installation artist Christina Henri. I have made 4 bonnets. I have 2 more to make and embroider and 3 made by others which I will also embroider. I met Christina in October when she came to Brisbane for a Blessing of the Bonnets ceremony. She is a very lovely lady and she spoke about her project at the Embroiderers'Guild of Queensland. Her project has inspired people all over the world as there are 6 million people worldwide who are descendant from the convicts sent to Australia and the 18th and 19th centuries.

Recent craft and embroidery aims and achievements

In 2010 one of my goals was to learn to crochet. I attended 2 classes at Threads & More and then I practised intensely. The crochet hook that I purchased from Threads & More is ergonomic and I thoroughly recommend it - well worth the $12.

In May I enrolled in a little morning course and learned how to make a birdie at the Saviours of the Lost Arts, which was a "celebration of making and creating for everyone from masters to starters to lovers of craft" held in Brisbane from 24 May to 5 June 201. Since then I have started on a baby's blanket for Heather at mum's Nursing home. Heather is putting together baby packages for charity for Christmas. Each package will contain a baby blanket and other items such as baby toiletries and toys. I am making a yellow one which would be appropriate for a boy or girl. I have also crochet a shell pattern edging around a white handkerchief. I loved doing this and look forward to doing more as this was the initial reason for learning crochet. I have also discovered that I really like making crochet things with wool. I fully intend to make a Babette blanket some time in the future - probably next winter.

Since my dad died and mum had to go into a Nursing home, I have taken up knitting beanies for the homeless as something to do when visiting mum and she also takes an interest. I give the beanies to Knitting for Brisbane's Needy (K4BN). I have attended a couple of Knit and Natters for K4BN and have given Karen quite a number of beanies that I have knitted over the last 3 years. Karen and her husband are amazing. They collect knitted items from groups all over Brisbane and environs, Toowoomba, and the North and South Coast and distribute them to charities. These Charities have to give them away freely to those in need. One night recently they went out with Mama Rene's food distribution van in Spring Hill and distributed beanies, blankets, gloves and scarves to about 400 people. The homeless really need big blankets to wrap themselves in and dark coloured beanies, gloves and socks. Karen has given away over 40, 000 items to date.

I have been making embroidered Christmas cards for many years for my mother and mother-in-law. Here is a Christmas card that I made in 2009 for my mother. Now I need to come up with a design for this coming Christmas.

Unfinished embroideries and knitting

My goal is to finish the embroideries that I have started. I have quite a few: handkerchiefs, doilies, a table cloth, a patchwork bag, some children's singlets. I should aim to keep a record of finishing these.

I also have lots of beanies to give to Karen at Knitting for Brisbane's Needy.

Anniversary of my father's death

Sunday 28 June is the second anniversary of my father's death.

This is one of my favourite photos of him taken when he was in the Australian Air Force in WWII.

Knitting

Occasionally especially in winter I like to knit. Two years ago on 28 June 2007 my darling father died as the result of a massive heart attack. My mother was not well and was in hospital for about 4 months after Dad's death. I used to visit her nearly every day and started knitting beanies while sitting with her. Eventually Mum even knitted 2 beanies. I gave one of these to my beautiful niece, Helen, who was a wonderful support. I kept the other one for myself as a memento of something that Mum made.

I have since made XX beanies and these will be sent to Knitting for Brisbane's Needy. This group make and distribute knitted and other items to charities who give them to people in Brisbane who need these things. This group have made and distributed 22 000 items since 2006.

My favourite books

I have enjoyed Kate Morton's books. Kate is an author from Paddington, Brisbane, who has received world recognition for her first novel, Shifting fog. I preferred her 2nd novel Forgotten garden. I particularly enjoyed reading about Paddington in Brisbane but loved the tale also. This novel won the General Fiction Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards 2009. Sh is currently working on her new novel The Distant Hours, which is set in world war two England and will be published in 2010.

I do not usually like Gothic books but The shadow of the wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of the most captivating books that I have read. I was browsing in Dymocks bookshop and a woman who was also browsing told me that this was the best book she had ever read. I picked it up and thought that I'd give it a go. I think I liked it because it was about books - especially the "cemetry of forgotten books".

I am about to begin his latest, The angels game.

Another novel that I enjoyed was the Thirteenth tale by Diane Setterfield.

In recent times I have read the Persimmon Tree by Bryce Courtenay and A singular hostage by Thalassa Ali.

I am now reading The gang of four by Liz Byrski.

I have just purchased the Book lover's journal which I will be using to keep a record of really really good books that I have read. What a fantastic idea!

I have recently discovered Robyn Lee Burrows and Australian author whose novels I have really enjoyed.