Hello January 2016

 We ended off  December 2015 with a celebration lunch with our friends and family! It was such a wonderful time to chat and laugh and look back at an amazing 2015! I give thanks for the dream of travelling to Paris and also spending Christmas with my family and also catching up with friends! Grateful beyond words!  I made a little embroidered hoop for each of my family and friends just to say "Thank You" for their love and friendship! 

This little bunny has found a very loving home with my daughters sweet friend. She loves her bunny! 

These little hexagons are growing very slowly! This is a baby blanket for my niece who is expecting her first baby at the end of March! I need to make time to finish this blanket soon!!

The hippo is probably my favourite little animal to crochet! The little hippo and monkey are for an order and will be travelling overseas to Canada! 

The animals all wrapped and ready to deliver!

Christmas in Durban 2015! 

We had such an amazing time staying with my brother over Christmas! We had time to relax by the pool, read and have many swims! The heat and humidity in Durban is extreme at this time of year! 

Emma is my brothers beautiful Newfoundland! She even gets into the pool on those humid summer days! 

Durban beachfront is a beautiful place to run, cycle, walk! We spent many hours down at the sea, swimming in the warm ocean and cooling off!! My favourite place to be in Durban! It brought back such wonderful memories of my time on the beach with friends when I was growing up! There is a lovely restaurant to have breakfast too!! 

These are the largest chelsea buns I have ever seen! You don't get these in Cape Town! Guess what? We had many of these!! 

The beautiful warm ocean of Durban! We had so many lovely swims and  such fun being tossed about by the strong waves! My favourite place to be! 

Back home in Cape Town now and we are getting ready for the school year to start tomorrow! 

There is nothing quite like coming home to your own bed, my dogs who I missed so much and realising how spoilt we are to live in Cape Town! The most beautiful city!! 

 

The sun only sets after 8 p.m. and so we often take a picnic supper down to the beach and then have a swim! The water is not as warm as Durban but very refreshing! 

There is always time for an ice cream!! Chocolate in a sugar cone! 

 We took a trip into Cape Town to have lunch with my husband at an interesting place filled with art and beautiful decor and restaurants! Along the way we discovered some street art!! I absolutely love street art!! 

 2016 is going to be amazing!! Go and have a ridiculously amazing week! 

Shirley xx 

Holly Jolly Christmas!

School is finished for the year and we are so excited that summer and Christmas holidays are here! 

Summer has arrived in Cape Town and the days are hot and the sunsets ate late into the evening. 

My husband and I went for supper at one of our favourite little restaurants at Kalk Bay with beautiful views over the sea. I love walking in and out of the little shops with interesting clothes, art, decor and antiques. 

There are lots of cute little lanes like this one to explore.

 I have been making these adorable little animals for orders. This is Georgina the Hippo and I made Benedict the Chimpanzee and I am busy with Emma the Bunny (one of my favourites)  

 A friend just bought 2 of my daisies and I hope to find time next year to start working with clay again! I miss it so much! 

This is the body and head of the Bunny in progress!

My crazy, funny, beautiful, loving furry friend Troy. My prescious Weimaraner boy who has just turned 3!! He makes me smile everyday and truly is my best friend! 

We are flying to my hometown Durban for a family wedding and staying for Christmas. I am so looking forward to seeing all my family and friends! Durban is where is grew up and finished my schooling and studies. I miss my family and Durban beaches and warm ocean! I have so many wonderful memories of growing up in this friendly beautiful city! 

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!! 

Shirley xx 

#PrayforParis

The week started with celebrating my birthday! I love birthdays and surprises and so I was up early with my family opening up presents! I was so spoilt and blessed with presents, phone calls and messages throughout the day. We spent the day in Cape Town at the Waterfront. One of my favourite places! The Christmas tree is so huge and stunning - just imagine it at night full of twinkle lights! 

My husband met us for lunch at Melissa's - their food is so deliscious. 

Beautiful Table Mountain! 

 My daughter had a photo shoot as part of her birthday present at Boulders beach. We love this beach with its crystal clear water, huge boulders  and the cute little penguins. 

It was a little chilly in the early morning so we didn't have a swim! 

 I made 11 little poppies for Remembrance Day on 11 November. We remember those in World War 1 - 1918! I followed a video tutorial by Bella Coco to make these little poppies.  http://www.bellacoco.co.uk/  

I just love these words and think that everyday we need to reflect and remember how blessed we are! I used my watercolour paints to paint this little design - added one of my little crochet flowers with a button and attached it to a small white hoop. It is a little extra gift for a friend for Christmas. Yes I am busy with my Christmas list! 

There was time to relax in the sunshine with our beautiful weimaraner! 

Saturday morning I woke to the devastating news of the attacks in Paris. I couldn't hold back tears as I watched the news reports in horror.  Some of theses attacks took place near where we had visited only 6 weeks ago! We all felt the pain and sadness! 

" later that night 

i held an atlas in my lap

ran my fingers across the whole world 

and whispered

where does it hurt?

it answered

everywhere

everywhere

everywhere"

- Warsan Shire 

 As we walked on Kommetjie beach in the late afternoon sunshine  and soaked in the beauty of this place we call home - I was reminded  - "Count your Blessings" - everyday! 

Have a wonderful week! 

Shirley xx 

Hello November....

 It is hard to believe its already November and nearly Christmas! All the Christmas decorations are in the stores and the busyness of end of the year has begun.  It has been a very busy week and my husband was also  away on business.  We spent a much needed relaxing weekend  at my nieces apartment in Camps Bay while she is way overseas. There is something so  simple and beautiful about this seaside little bay near Cape Town city centre. We took a long walk along the coastal road and stopped at a favourite coffee shop "Baked". Delicious cinnamon croissants and the much needed strong cappacino! 

 I never get tired of watching the sunset with my man! 

Sunday morning we ventured back to our coffee shop for  almond croissants! I think this could become a Sunday morning tradition! Just like every morning in Paris! 

I could not resist this pattern when I saw it on one of my favourite crochet blogs -  http://byhaafner.blogspot.co.za/! The first square of a new blanket! I am using MoYa yarn in a gorgeous  - Lilac colour. This pattern is using a new stitch I learnt - the Popcorn stitch! I love the way it "pops" out! 

I started joining the little hexagons  together for the little baby blanket for my niece. Slowly making progress.  

My first large granny square blanket is now all finished and being put to good use! Magazine, coffee and chocolate break! 

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                    I am so excited my MoYa yarn order arrived! So many beautiful colours!  

A friends yarn order is all packaged and ready to deliver! She chose a lovely cream -" Sand" and is making a beautiful skirt. I will post pictures when she is finished. 

I am now a MoYa yarn supplier - so if you are interested in ordering please send me an email and I will send you my catalogue of colours. 

This week I plan to start a few gifts for Christmas presents and a new little Christmas cross stitch! 

What are your Christmas plans? 

Happy creating xx 

Shirley 

C'est la Vie ....Life is Beautiful

Summer has finally arrived in Cape Town and I am so happy! I am a summer girl and a real "beach bum"! We went for a beautiful walk on my favourite beach - Kommetjie which is a few minutes drive from us. I have been walking here for 16 years now - since we moved to Cape Town from my home town Durban.  This is my second weimaraner - Troy. He will be 3 years old next week and he absolutley loves his runs with us on this beautiful beach.  BEACH - Best Escape Anyone Can Have! :) Its defintely my place of escape ! 

I am blessed to have my niece living in Cape Town too. Her and her husband live about 45 minutes away from us in Camps Bay - near Cape Town city centre, Waterfront and Table Mountain. We often visit her and I love spending time chatting and catching up with her. This is the beautiful view from her apartment of Lions Head. You also have a gorgeous view of the Camps Bay  beaches and out the back of her apartment there is a magnificent view of Table Mountain! 

We enjoy having a coffee and almond croissants at her local  coffee shop  - Baked! Best coffee and croissants ( almost  as good as Paris) 

This is the view from my running route. My run takes me along the Fish Hoek coastline and at this time of year you are almost certain to spot whales in this bay. 

 This little chap is a friends tortoise who happily lives in his garden. He has become so tame that he follows our friend into his house and he hand feeds him slices of apple and lettuce. He is just so cute! 

My granny blanket is finished! Just in time for - Summer! It is sitting proudly in my lounge waiting  for - Winter!! I am so happy with it and already have plans to start a new one but different design and colours.

I  have also started a hexagon blanket in these simple colours - white, grey and charcoal. It is a special baby blanket for my niece who is expecting her first baby early next year! So exciting! 

After many months of not cross stitching i am feeling inspired! I want to finish this cute little Country Cottage Needlework chart - "The Cafe". It reminds me so much of the lovely little cafes in Paris.

 I love Country Cottage Needlework charts and this one is special to me. I was trying to order this chart and it was not available as it was out of print!. I was reading blogs as I always do and somehow stumbled upon this very chart on a cross stitch blog! I emailed the lady asking if I could buy it from her? She immediately responded and said she loved the chart and did not want to sell it but amazingly found me a link to an online shop that had this chart. Carol and I have now become friends through our blogs and love of cross stitch! Her blog is absolutely beautiful and my source of inspiration - please take time to follow her and read her blog. http://stitchingdream.blogspot.co.za/ My goal for next year is to stitch small charts as I really don't have the time to stitch large work. Her small charts are beautifully stitched and sewn with pretty fabric and lace/ribbon. I love her Christmas ones! Thank you Carol for all your comments, emails and support as I start on my blog journey! 

 I couldnt resist this beautiful chart of Paris! I am getting the thread and fabric ready to start it this week. I think I might make it into a pillow with pretty fabric and lace?  

Have a wonderful week of crafting, art and stitching! C'est la Vie!

Shirley xx