Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge - April

 

It's time to share our next 2024 Challenge project. 

My project #9 was to work on my

Christmas Blessings felt ornaments.

 

I made a small start at Scrub Stitchin' 

and started the plum pudding.

I worked on it some more while zooming with the girls 

on Friday night, with a little more yesterday.

Now to wait until tomorrow when Deana announces 

the project number we will work on in May.

I wonder what next month's project will be!

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget

Scrub Stitchin'

 Scrub Stitchin' with the Chookshed Stitchers 

has come and gone. I had such a fabulous time.

Five days of friendship, fun, laughter and a bit of sewing too!

It was so great to finally meet the girls I have been 

blogging and zooming with over the years.

 

As you can see, I had quite a drive to get to Baradine!

Monday I headed off to Corowa to pick up 

Sharmayne from Country Fragrance. This meant I was 

only on my own for three hours of the trip which was great.

On my way to Sharmayne's I dropped in to surprise my niece Andrea

 at her diner Lulu and Didge in Chiltern. Andrea (Didge) 

and Lulu opened the 1950s style diner about 4 months ago. 

They have every flavour of milkshakes and spiders 

you can think of. If you're ever in Chiltern, 

I can highly recommend a visit to Lulu and Didge.

Sharmayne and I have been blogging friends 

for many years. We think maybe 13 or 14 years. 

The first time we met in person was when I drove 

into her driveway! We sat and talked late into the night.

Tuesday we had quite a long day of 

driving to Dubbo. We stopped at the Junee Licorice and

 Chocolate Factory for morning tea.

Did a bit to help the economy at Coonabarabran.

We arrived at Scrub Stitchin' and I finally got to 

meet Chooky from Chookyblue in person.

We all received a goody bag. 

There was a project kit that Anni Downs from  

Hatched and Patched had designed especially 

for us at Scrub Stitchin'. In the box is a 

lovely mug and Brenda crocheted 

everyone a little flower brooch.

Sharmayne and Trish. Trish is now a blogger 

after starting Coming Home with Sharmayne's help. 

Chatting with Janice from Jannimary.

You always have to have scones at retreat!

Chooky's mum made these delicious ones for us.

Late Saturday afternoon we were kicked out of the room 

so it could be prepared for our Starry Starry Night.

It was so lovely enjoying a drink and

 nibbles as the sun was setting. 

We were supposed to be getting ready but 

we couldn't stop looking at the sunset. 

This is just one of the many photos taken.

You had to dress up for the star theme. 

There were many interpretations of stars - 

movie stars, Star Wars, stars on clothes.

 As for me, I attached star lights to my dress.

 The room was decorated beautifully.

We had such a fun night.

After dinner we swapped our 

Make It, Bake It or Fake It gifts. 

Fake it gifts were gifts you bought. 

I received this lovely zippered pouch, along 

with some soap and handcream, from Maureen. 

Maureen also started a blog  

Pink Sunset Cottage over the weekend.

I was lucky enough to win a prize. 

A fat quarter with lots of rabbits, deer, foxes and hedgehogs. 

The Bug Buster is a herbal anti-moth protector.

 I worked on a secret project for the first three days. 

Here's a little sneak peek.

You'll have to wait to see what it is. 

Then I made a start on my 

Project #9 of our Chookshed Challenge.

Sunday morning I picked up my 

rather neglected Tilda hexagons.

Twenty-eight of us attended Scrub Stitchin'. 

Some were bloggers and zoom stitchers.

 I made some lovely new friends.

The thirteen bloggers. 

Back row - Raewyn (Stitching Farm Girl), Chooky (ChookyBlue), 

Sue (Kiwikids), Betty (Rainbow Connection Quilters), 

Lianne (Lianne Makes Stuff), Lynda (Heavens to Bettsy).

Middle row - Jindi's Cottage, Maureen (Pink Sunset Cottage), 

Sharmayne (Country Fragrance), Trish (Coming Home).

Front row - Janice (Jannimary), Jenny (Bird on the Border) and me.

After lunch it was time to say good bye to everyone.

Thank you Chooky for organising Scrub Stitchin' 

and allowing me to be part of it. 

Thank you Sharmayne for being 

such a fabulous travelling buddy 

and welcoming me into your home. 

Even though we had never met before,

it was like we had known each other forever. 

Lucy made me feel welcome too!

2023 Scotland/England Adventure (Final!)

Cutty Sark, Greenwich.

The Meridian Line at the Royal Conservatory, Greenwich

View from the Conservatory to 

The Queen's House Museum, Greenwich.

On the Wednesday we stayed in Leighton Buzzard 

as I was expecting a very special visitor. 

Christine from Patchwork Allsorts made the trip 

from down South of London especially to see us. 

 

Christine and I have been blogging friends 

for many years and it was so lovely to meet her in person. 

It's not often to you to meet a blogging friend 

from the other side of the world!

We had a fabulous time and all too soon 

it was time for Christine to head home.

Buckingham Palace.

"Big Ben", Palace of Westminster.

Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey.

Horse Guard, Palace of Whitehall.

Trafalgar Square.

Dinner at The Grove Lock pub, Leighton Buzzard.

Andrea's son Oliver joined us for our last dinner.

The Grove Lock pub, Leighton Buzzard.

All too soon our fabulous adventure came to an end.

We were away for two months and spent six weeks 

in Scotland and one week in England touring around 

in our motorhome. The last week staying with Andrea. 

 

The whole trip was done ad hoc, other than the first three 

days in Edinburgh and going on the Jacobite Train

 (you have to book that months ahead), just deciding that 

day (sometimes the day prior) where we would head. 

By doing this, we were never locked into anything. 

If we spent four hours somewhere instead of the two 

we planned it didn't matter. We didn't then have to just drive 

to get to any caravan park we had booked. 

 

The caravan parks in Scotland are fabulous. We would just 

turn up and if we couldn't get in, we would just go somewhere else. 

Sometimes we stayed on farms that were set up for vans. In Sterling we 

actually parked our van in the Park and Go bus station (all legal)! 

As we were fully self-contained, we could stop anywhere.

We travelled thousands of kilometres (couldn't find the 

note I made of the final tally). Visited many castles and palaces,

both ruins and living museums. Not forgetting the cathedrals, chapels 

and churches. Spent many hours exploring museums 

and beautiful gardens. We also met lots of lovely people.

 

The photos are only a snapshot of the many places we visited. 

Of course we couldn't show you everywhere we went. 

We follow the Facebook group "Scotland Travel Tips" 

where we found out lots of places we didn't know about. 

People would often post that they had just returned from Scotland 

and were already missing it. Now we understand 

what they were saying. We just loved it there and 

would travel back to Scotland in a flash!

I hope you've enjoyed my (many) posts. It's been lovely 

revisiting while looking at all the photos again.

Hector's first sight of Melbourne!

2023 Scotland/England Adventure (Part 7)

 

Noel, Andrea and I headed into London for what 

turned out to be a very long day. We left home at 8.30am 

and didn't get back until about 11 o'clock! 

We got off the train and came across some Morris Dancers.

Of course Andrea said she planned it!

Didn't notice the happy photo bomber until we got home!

Portobello Road. Such an interesting place 

with hundreds of people everywhere.

I found this 1796 cross-stitch 

along with many other very old ones. 

I would have loved to bring one home with me 

but unfortunately they were out of my price range.

Andrea got us tickets to the Crown to Couture 

exhibition at Kensington Palace. 

We were very lucky as it was finishing a few days later.

We saw the most amazing clothes. 

This dress and suit were from c1730.

Came out of the palace to pouring rain so 

we bought a bit of Melbourne to Kensington! 

We gave Andrea the umbrella to remind her of home.

Dinner at The Champion pub just near the palace. 

When we came out the rain had stopped

so we kept exploring and enjoying London at night.

Walked around the corner and look what I saw - the Liberty Store!

We only had 15 minutes before the store closed 

but still managed to get myself a couple of things!

Soho.

Piccadilly Circus.

Leicester Square.

We spent the next day at the Tower of London.

 

Yeoman Warder "Beefeater".

 

Tower Bridge.

St Paul's Cathedral.