OPAM (One Project A Month) June 2016

These months are just flying by and time for another OPAM for June

This time a little Zippered Pouch designed by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched

Back

Looking In

And here is the little Kit......I love Anni's designs!!! 

Next is a little shoebag (also designed by Anni)

This shoe bag was made for Tarnyia as part of a Fat Quarter Birthday Swap hosted by Chez

A yellow Fat 1/4 for Tarnyia also (yellow was specified as her favourite colour to receive) along with some threads and a natural coloured Fat 1/4 and a Theodora Cleave Prim Cat button

And the gifts all together!!!

Thank You Sweet Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM again this year!!!

~Pin Cushion Swap Received And Sent~

I was recently involved in a Pin Cushion Swap over at Maree's of Ollie and May
The deal was to send a Pin Cushion to a Secret Partner
My Partner was Tatyana and the Pin Cushion above is the one I received off her
Isn't it just lovely!!!
I just love the traditional star pattern.......Tatyana also included a fat 1/4 with a very similar pattern!!!

Tatyana also included some buttons and one of her beaded creations

And also a little owl

The cute little owl is for JoJo

Thank you so very very much Tatyana for thinking of her!!!

Tatyana also included her little card complete with little owls!!!

To see more of her creations go over here

Thanks you so much Tatyana for these gorgeous gifts....I am enjoying all of them!!!

My little package went to Lynda who I had actually met at Girls Day in the Country this year

This is the card I sent her

My little cross stitched Pin Cushion sitting atop a fat quarter

together with some yummy Lindt Chilli Chocolate

Can't help thinking of one of my favourite movies Chocolat when I seen Chilli Chocolate!!!

To see some scenes from the movie go over here

Thank you Maree for running this lovely little Pin Cushion Swap!!!

~OPAM...One Project A Month......and Mogo Melodrama~

Just a little item this month for OPAM

Above are fabrics JoJo chose together with a Santa button to make the pattern below

'The Christmas Goose' by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched

She specified just the Santa......no ric rac but Christmas ribbon was okay and the lining the same as the outside

All filled with treats for our Christmas in July dinner that we had last weekend in June!!!

And the reason not much stitching happening and the Christmas in June dinner

I'm involved in a Melodrama at Gold Rush Colony in Mogo

The Gold Rush Colony is a fabulous 1850's  Theme Park depicting life as it was in the early Australian Gold Rush Days and I just love going there!!!

Here I am above warming up by the huge open fireplace there

Flyer for the Melodrama

Did Joe Flanagan hit the jackpot?

Lots of Sing-a-longs......and it's all so much fun!!!

The Melodrama opens this Saturday and for the next 2 Saturdays for a matinee and then a final performance on Saturday 27th July in the evening

All held in the Digger's Rest Tavern

I'd swear you were back in the Wild West 

~My Gift To Sarah in FIS....Friends in Stitching~

I became a member of FIS this year and there are 2 compulsory swaps involved with this fabulous on-line Stitching Group...

One is a birthday swap and the other is Christmas

Above are the fabrics I have had here for ages just waiting for the right project

Putting them together

It took me about a week to decide what to make for my Partner Sarah

Part of Sarah's brief was that she liked red and she liked sewing bits and bobs

The gift had to include one of a choice of 2 verses and a button

I chose the above verse and some rusty buttons to make the popular bag going round Blogland at the moment......Natalie Bird's  'True Friend's Tote Bag'

I went out the back to photograph the bag amongst some greenery seeing I'd never done that before and ended up putting it on our red car 'Ruby Tuesday' and I thought looks great so went with that!!!

I tucked in a little 'prim' felt pin holder

some red pegs

and seeing Sarah is an avid quilter an 'I Love Quilts' brooch by Theodora Cleave

All bundled up with a block of chocolate also

wrapped up......

and the card!!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed making my first swap gift for a lovely gal and look forward to the next one!!!

Hope you had a good one Sarah!!!

~The Birthday Food and Gifts......and Family~

Well it seems that I have eaten my way through my B I G birthday LOL

I opened up this card a week before my birthday from my dear friend Dot and out fell all these gorgeous little stars

Two days later we headed up through the historic village of Braidwood to our desination that evening for dinner

at La Scala Ristorante in Canberra

DD Jacqueline and DIL Danelle

Going left to right DS James, SIL Bill, GD Lidija, Mr Armchair, GS Ryan, Jacuqline and Danelle

Some of the food

Family pic

the cake......a gluten free chocolate mud cake

that Jacqueline decorated

all so nice and chocolatey......thank you so much for organizing this and the dinner!!!

 

The gifts......gorgeous necklace from my children

and a cook book from my SIL Liene

Monday Morning Cooking Club

Recipes put together by a group of women who get together and cook on Mondays

I had heard of these ladies doing this but didn't realize there was a book

JoJo loved the table balloons

I received these glasses a few weeks before from my childhood friend Kerrie

My dear Friend Geo sent me these buttons by Lynette Anderson Designs

and this 1953 Australian three pence all set and ready to wear with a chain
Thank you so much Geo and Lloyd.......this coin made a flood of childhood memories come flooding back to me as I hadn't seen one for years.....and yes it was a little emotional too!!!

I had a cocktail when Mr Armchair and JoJo took me out for dinner on Birthday Eve to On The Pier

Sending a Cheers to everyone at the time!!!

More food......

The waitress came out with this Happy Birthday plate of a Mango Sauce that said Happy Birthday...

and it was all edible too......

And pic to finish off the evening.....

On Birthday morning Mr Armchair said let's go out for breakfast when JoJo had left for her day programme......yes please!!

We went to North St Cafe and Bar where they have the best Gluten Free food and cakes

I took a new glass that my Cousin Katy sent me and wondered if it was too early at 11am for some bubbles but Steph at the Cafe said no!!!

After that Mr Armchair took me to Georgie's Jewellers where we bought a new Pandora chain and a couple of charms.......I used some birthday money from MIL Velta to purchase the charm with the star on it as it reminded me of a sea shell and the beach that we are close too..... 

I came home to a gift from Nat

this lovely wallet purchased from Bangkok when she went for a visit back home there recently

Thank you so much dear Nat......it's great!!!

And Fiona you'll love this.....it's in your favourite colour orange!!!

And the biggest surprise.....an Ipad......how cool is this all in a lovely crimson cover as well

I first saw one of these at GDITC (Girls Day in the Country) when Susan had one at our table

It took photos as well and I was sooooo impressed

It's great and I just love it.....so now I will be able to be portable so will bring it next time to GDITC......

And guess what, Mr Armchair and JoJo took me out to dinner again.......this time at Isabella's

Funny enough the Chef here is one that was in my class when I did my course at TAFE 

After that we came home and had this delicious Chocolate Plum Ganache cake from North Street Cafe for dessert

 

And a pic to finish it all off

I've had a great birthday celebration

Thank you for all the birthday greetings and gifts

I've been thoroughly spoilt

Thank you to my lovely family

And I still can't believe I'm this age

But they do say 60 is the new 50 or some even say 40 !!!