~OPAM~ (One Project A Month) December 2014 and Happy New Year

Introducing......

'Wrapped in Paisley' by Kansas Troubles Quilters

a little Lap Quilt that I unexpectedly started when I saw a Tutorial at Moda Bake Shop

And only using 1 Jelly Roll for front, back and binding

Tutorial over here called Jelly Roll Jam

The front

The back

And in the Tree Fern

 Loving these rich, dark colours!!!

Thank you so much Sweet Peg and Kris for running OPAM again this year

Who would've thought I would make 2 quilts in one year!!!

And to all my lovely Readers and Commenters out there

Thank You so much for being a part of my Blog

I appreciate all your visits and comments and love the interaction with you all

So much appreciated

A rose from our garden for you

Happy New Year everyone

May 2015 be good to you all and bring much Peace, Joy and Contentment

and Many Happy Hours of Stitching

and of course Bon Appetit

Love Dzintra

~SSCS (Secret Santa Christmas Swap) 2014 Sent~

 I can now finally show my SSCS gift that I sent to Dagmar 

Designed by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched, one of my favourite Designers

This is one I have been wanting to make since I saw it at The Craft Fair a couple of years ago and I decided now is the time 

The little label at the back

And to re-cap this is the little Christmas Ornament I made for her

 Dagmar sent me this lovely, lovely photo showing off the little quilt and I just had to share it

Hope it's okay Dagmar

This just makes me smile!!!

Thank you so much dear Chookyblue for once again running this Swap

It was a pleasure to be involved in it once again!!!

~SSCS (Secret Santa Christmas Swap) Received~

My SSCS from Diane has finally been opened

Inside was this bag

together with a tea cosy which was used this morning,

 This Ho Ho Ho box

 full of goodies

a mug

little stick on note bits

and this colourful panel!!!

Thank you so much Diane and a BIG Thank You to Chookyblue for organising this wonderful world wide Swap.....always fun to be a part of!!!

Merry Christmas 2014

Just popping in to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas 2014 with a day of Peace, Joy and Contentment and Much Love......Wouldn't it be good if it was like this Every Day......just what The World needs

Many Thank Yous to all the Beautiful Bloggy Friends who comment and read my little Journal......I may not get around always due to Caring Duties but You just make my Day

And to everyone a very Merry Christmas......love Dzintra 

A Give-away Win

Recently I entered a Give-away hosted by Michelle Ridgway

And to my surprise and delight Michelle informed that I had won

My little package came all wrapped up in a chequered red and white ribbon

A little original card by Michelle

A Festive Stitchery Booklet full of lovely original designs

And patterns for Quilt Labels.......How cool is this!!!

Thank You so much Michelle......you really surprised me and you made my Day!!!

To see more of Michelle's work go over here

~A Surprise From Shez~

Jo Jo and I had a lovely surprise this week from our Blogging Mate Shez

First of all this gorgeous little Snowman all stitched in blue.....JoJo's favourite colour

Front and back hanging on the tree

And I was lucky enough to receive one too!!!!!

Thank you so much Shez.......we had so much fun receiving and opening them!!!

And here's our Christmas Tree totally decorated by JoJo...... Good Job Gorgeous Girl.......

If you look on the bottom left you can see the little Snowman hanging!!!!!!

Happy Saturday everyone........Dzintra

Queen of the Armchair meets Fans!

On Friday evening briefly we caught up with our other Daughter and she told me I had a Fan that reads my Blog!!!!     Whaaaatt!!!!!!  And also that he wanted to meet me!!!  Cool!!!!!

Presenting Darcy and Alice.......and look Darcy is even holding up my Blog Card!!!!

It was so nice to meet you both and if you ever start up a blog please let me know so I can hop over and get to know you better!!!

~SSCS (Secret Santa Christmas Swap)......Received and Sent~

All the way by Royal Mail from England has arrived my SSCS from Diane

Included was this whimsical Santa Card

And 2 Christmas Ornaments......

We can open the smaller package

 but this bigger one has to remain sealed until Christmas Day

It was placed under the Christmas Tree today.......sigh, and now all I can do is look at it
Thank you so much Diane!!!

 This is the package I sent off to my Partner Dagmar in Germany along with some Lindt Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt

Out of this lovely screen print that I had purchased from Shop Handmade in Canberra

I made this little Christmas decoration......I thought it most suitable as she probably has a White Christmas

The ric rac is vintage now as I bought it years ago to make an Angel Suit for my Sister's little newborn first Baby.....

This didn't get made up so the ric rac sat there until I thought I would use it for Dagmar's Ornament......

Never mind now that the Baby is 35 years old!!!

I hope you enjoy your little decoration Dagmar along with the chocolate and now we both patiently wait to open our parcels!!!

Thank you to dear Chooky for organising this fantastic swap.......always a good one to be part of!!!

~OPAM (One Project A Month) November 2014~

 My November OPAM is this item above but I'm sorry I can't show it as it is a Secret Swap in SSCS (Secret Santa Christmas Swap) hosted by my mate Chookyblue

All will be revealed when my Partner opens it at Christmas time and then I will put up the full pics

A Christmas ornament also had to be made which I did out of this screen printed fabric

This too will be revealed after the gifts are opened!!!

Thank you to Sweet Peg and Kris for hosting another month of OPAM!!!

Making Butter

I went to a Butter Making Demonstration and came back totally inspired to make some!  I have been meaning to make it for ages but when one wins a jar of this delicious 'real cream' that sealed the deal

Using Tilba Cream

That is so thick

a knife can just about stand up in it

Due to it's thickness it didn't take long at all to beat up

lovely, yellowey and creamy with no additives but a pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt

The buttermilk resulting

And here 'tis.....making our own from now on

Just perfect!!!

Happy Weekend everyone......Dzintra

I've just read a post at Retromummy about being a Special Needs Mum........this really resonated with me and brought a tear to my eye.......especially when she talks about going up to her Sewing Room on the weekend......exactly what happens here while Mr Armchair keeps an eye on JoJo.......

Thank you Retromummy for this very heartfelt post......

For a very special verse on being a Special Needs Mum checkout the verse on my side bar written by another Special Needs Mum Emily Perl Kingsley.......she says it all

Happy Anniversary To Us

Yesterday was our Wedding Anniversary and we unexpectedly took a trip up to the Big Smoke!

I saw this lovely Christmas light and thought I would really like one of these at home

Lovely Christmas setting

JoJo is still wearing her Halloween neckerchief plus a Beatles tie

She saw a Christmas tie with a button on it that makes music so that was purchased

And yes her next neckerchief will be a Barbara Brackman Civil War one entitled Spring 1800-1830

And she chose it herself so has good taste like her Mum lol

It looks Christmasey too so Geo (no blog) you might get to see it

Lunch at Jamie Oliver's.  JoJo had Bolognaise

Meatballs for Mr Armchair

And if course gluten free for me......A vegetable plank

Walking along I spotted this lovely setting

A quick selfie with my new specs which are a bluey colour on the inside......very nice too

We have our photo taken every year on our Wedding Anniversary

Help who would've thought we were married in the 70's

Seems such a lifetime away

This one is at Koko Bean......one of my favourite places!

Happy Happy Anniversary Mr Armchair......we had a great day

Love Dzintra aka Ingrid