All Aboard!!

After a little break from stitching, I'm back into it! I finished the stitching for the latest block of Lynette Anderson's Noah's Ark BOM (see cute ark button/link in sidebar!!) and this morning I braved the sewing ice-box and put the borders on. Drum roll please ... I'm pleased to introduce Mr and Mrs G. Raff ...


Ta da!! (Sorry the photo is a bit fuzzy - the other one I took came out too dark.) Now, you know I couldn't resist adding my own little flourishes to an already cute block so ... I gave Mr Raff a stripey neck tie and Mrs Raff a very fashionable dotty scarf and a pretty red flower behind her ear. And because I'm really lousy at satin stitch unless it's a bear's nose, I did the outline of the giraffes' blotches in backstitch then filled them in with French knots - which made for a LOT of French knots!!! But, I'm pleased with how it's come up. Here is the "Noah's Ark story thus far ..." shot ...


Hmmm ... when I see that photo I suddenly realise I haven't been quite as slack this year as I thought I had been. What a nice discovery to make! Now if only I could cross a few more things off my "To Do" list!!! Ah well, baby steps!!!

The other photos I thought I'd show you today are in response to some posted by Jo Jo at Home Sweet Home. If you haven't met Jo Jo yet, pop over to her blog for a visit - it's well worth while, with lots of fun photos and some groovy layout elements (I looooove her banner!!) - share some Bear Hugs with her and tell her I said "Hi!" Now, where was I ??? I yes, Jo Jo posted some photos of a GORGEOUS antique pram she had discovered on a recent shopping adventure and after confessing my "pram envy", I told her I have a vintage rocking cradle full of bears in the spare room. She said she'd love to see photos ... so ... here we go! Now, these may all look a bit alike, but I couldn't decide which one showed the cradle off best, so thought I'd pop them all on and you can decide. And I'm not quite as advanced as Jo Jo, Chookyblue and Stina with my photo layouts, so they're just one after the other. (Hmmm should suggest photo layouts to Chookyblue as a subject for one of her 'how to blog' tutorials!!)








I love this cradle for a number of reasons. The first is that I just love vintage cots, cradles, prams, trikes etc. The second is that, despite being a 'non-collector', my Mum bought this for me for my birthday a few years ago. The third reason is the cradle's history. You see, a friend of Mum's bought the cradle at auction when the old Mundubbera hospital and lots of associated equipment, was being sold off to make way for the new health care facility. When none of her three daughters were interested in restoring the cradle, this lady sold it to Mum for my birthday present. This lady passed away suddenly a couple of years ago, so this is a nice link to her and her friendship with Mum. And it's also special, because my little bro was actually born in the old Mundubbera hospital building in 1973 and Mum said he slept in a cradle like this one - perhaps it was this very one!! Or not!! But you can see why it has a lot of semi-mental value for me. Plus, it's a really cool place for some of my bearbies to snooze the days away! Tee! Hee! Hee! So, there you go, Jo Jo - photos of one of my vintage cradles! There's a timber one in our bedroom, but it's yet to be restored, so I'll save that for some future date.

The other thing I did this morning (I was on a roll!!) was to make a start on the bag I need to make for Linda's Bag/Bucket Swap. Since it's a secret squirrel swap, all I can tell you is ... I traced a stitchery!!! Tee! Hee! Hee! So I'm now off to curl up in front of a DVD and stitch. No ... not the Olympic broadcast, a DVD! Granny Loz and I are starting the "Non-Olympic Watchers Anonymous" support group, for all those of us who are more worried about losing the viewing of some of our fave TV shows to the Olympic coverage! Tee! Hee! Hee! I know lots of you have been looking forward to this event, and don't get me wrong, I'm a patriotic Aussie who can "Oi, Oi, Oi!!" with the best of them ... I just don't enjoy the way the coverage is done. Plus, I have to confess I'd rather watch a good 'whodunnit' than a sporting event!! But, I hope those of you who are Olympic fans enjoy yourselves - just don't stay up too late watching, or you'll be too tired to stitch!!

OK, really going to stitch now!! Have a fantasmagorical weekend, no matter what you're up to! Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS