Wednesday 28 January 2015

Onward and upward

Auckland City celebrated its 175th birthday last weekend with beautiful hot weather and a three day party down on the waterfront.  Oh yes, we had a public holiday on Monday too!   My personal celebration was to take the ferry across to Rangitoto Island with a friend.  
We climbed up to the crater (one hour), half slid down the other side (one hour) and walked back along the coast to the wharf over seemingly endless 'rivers' of black volcanic rock flows (one and a half hours) and past one very tempting small beach where the water was so very clear and so very warm.   At the wharf, we collapsed in the shade to wait for the ferry back to the city.   A reviving cup of tea and a short bus ride home to a refreshing cool shower and a sound sleep.   It was great fun and I still have the muscle aches to prove it.
The white Hardanger on red evenweave was completed but it will remain a trial piece.   This is not the effect I was wanting as it looks more like Christmas than a ruby wedding celebration.  
So the thinking cap is back on and in the meantime I stitched the skeletons for two Hardanger Christmas stocking tops and  a square to top a velvet pincushion.   Win win!  Another piece of scrap fabric has been converted into useful product.
Elementary is back on our TV screens and although I'm not totally comfortable with a female Doctor Watson I am hooked on the series and while watching last night made a start on the front panel for my casket.  
There are multitudes of bullion rose type knot things (?) to go throughout these branches but as I stitch with a small hoop and move it about I will leave the 3D effect stitches until the end to avoid them being squashed,
And my treat for yesterday was a trip to the movies - part of my Christmas gift was a voucher.   I went to see The Imitation Game and now I want to read the book:-).  The trailers at these movie sessions are tempting aren't they?   Well to me they are, unless I have already read the story, so yesterday I was not tempted by Still Alice (read that one), nor by The Theory of Everything (read that one too) and neither Selma nor Wild seems like my kind of movie.   So I will be keeping my remaining vouchers until the next James Bond (roll on November)  and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (only have to wait till March for this one).
Today I ran a few chores for the HD3QBEM and found a new favourite place.   Yes!   I can see that this would be very tempting so just as well I only know one outlet in a shopping mall I only go to about once a decade:-(

7 comments:

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

Your hike sounds wonderful. I like the white on red hardanger piece. Have you read Painted Horses and All the Light I cannot See

Karoline said...

Your walk sounds good and your projects look lovely. Maybe red thread on white fabric would work for your Ruby wedding piece.

Linda said...

Lovely projects. :)

Pamela said...

What an enjoyable trip! Nice use of the leftover linen - I always try to use every little bit too.

Ann at Beadlework. said...

Your day out sounded quite strenuous but fun. I'm still hoping to hear good news about your job hunting.

Queeniepatch said...

I like the white Hardanger on red, but for a Ruby wedding maybe red on white would be better?

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Sounds like a great energetic day out. I agree with Queenie, red on white would look lovely. This piece looks like snowflakes to me, very pretty.