~Birthday, Easter and Special Visitors!~

It's been quite a while since I have blogged

A lot has been happening and slowly things are getting back to normal

(till the next play anyway LOL)

and JoJo also requires time and effort on our part to just simply be and be able to participate in all her activities which leaves me having to juggle things around a bit

Following on from my birthday post Mr Armchair took me to lunch unexpectedly to The River Moruya......a 1 Hat Establishment

I was especially excited to go there as one of the girls I went to TAFE with is working there and her name is Megan

Megan and I got on well at TAFE and now I am friends with her Mum Asta who is new to blogging

The Lunch Menu

For Mr Armchair.....

Pork and Grain Mustard Rillettes, Celeriac Remoulade, Crisp Fried Free Range Egg and Truffle Vinaigrette

My choice

Boullaibaise, Crushed New Potato but missing the Bread due to being gluten free

Pan fried Salmon, Truffled Mashed Potato, Buerre Cafe de Paris and Lobster Veloute

For Dessert the Mr had a Chocolate Brownie and Vanilla Ice Cream

I opted for the Maffra Red Waxed Cheddar with Sweet Mustard Pickles and requested some apple slices or something instead of the biscuits on offer (due to gluten issues)

A very delicious meal.......thank you so much for the surprise dear Hubby!!!

The day after my birthday was Good Friday and I did the Latvian tradition of colouring eggs

This time I chose grape leaves and onion skins

Wrapped them together with string and boil

and voila, gorgeous coloured eggs

They can be shinied up with some bacon fat

JoJo was excited that Easter was here

She just loves all occasions and celebrates with gusto!!!

Breakfast on Easter Sunday

Eggs and Chocolate

Above a pic of Daughter Jacqueline and Bill (DH) and my Brother and Wife Erin 

This was a very special time as my Brother has serious health issues and we just love it when he comes to visit

Jacqueline modelling the Snood that I knitted up and she put together

JoJo and God Father Uncle Charlie

And we had a rather busy week looking after the 2 little Munchkins Ryan and Lidija

I haven't been able to get around and comment on everyone's blog as much as usual lately

Thank you to everyone that pays a visit and also to those who do comment

So very much appreciated by me as I do read every single one!!!

Enjoy Sunday

Love Dzintra xo

Star For A Day

Star For A Day...that's how I felt when I received this birthday gift from my Friend Dee!

Thank you so much Dee!

And now that 'Allo 'Allo is over to celebrate I went and had chocolate and purple put into my hair...

I didn't think that was suitable for the 1940's which us when the play is set.

I'll be back with a post on it all......but for now I'm having an easy day!!!

Cheers......love Dzintra xo

~Girls Day In The Country......Saturday~

Further to my previous post on GDITC at Nundle once we entered the door we were greeted by these delightful boxes with our project from our Tutor for the day.......Lynette Anderson

Fabric in the box from her latest design

and all kitted out ready to start!!!

The project was a bag and this is the front of it

the back

and my first hexagon!!!

Upon entering the Hall I spotted this quilt called 'Waiting for Santa' by Lynette and thought it looked very, very familiar

As it was I had seen it before in another version at Braidwood and fell in love with it there also

To see the post on this quilt have a look here

Needles to say I bought the pattern and have it set aside to start one of these days!!!

The centrepiece on the table

There was a Show and Tell featuring Lynette's made up items and I showed off my Simple Stitches needle case

Kerry hosted a Friendship Swap which was a needle case designed by Lynette

and Lynda received mine

I received mine from Suzie

Pic taken with Lynette

Some of Lynette's quilts on display

This one is Love Letters and I'm very tempted to do this

Perhaps next year when I go back!!!

There was a Show and Tell later that evening and here I am together with Chookyblue showing off our Gardener's Journal Quilts by Anni Downs

Note the different colours......Chooky has done hers in all greens

Some Kind of Wonderful also by Anni

 A group photo of us all

And the most exciting thing for JoJo was the next morning when Bruce McCumstie was telephoned by the owners/managers of the Cabins we stayed at and requested if he would come down and sign a CD that he is featured on!!!

Jo Jo purchased the CD in Nundle and it is called 4 Highwaymen depicting

Willie Nelson who Bruce was,

Waylon Jennings......Rob Wilson

Johnny Cash......Alan Bowles

Kris Kristofferson.....Bryen Williams

Thank you so much Fossicker's Rest and Bruce!!!!!!

Have been very busy here in the local production of 'Allo 'Allo by Bay Theatre Players and will be back to post on that!!!

~OPAM (One Project A Month).....March 2014~

How quickly does OPAM come around!!!

For March I have completed 2 small items

The first is a Needlebook designed by Lynette Anderson which was used for a Friendship Swap at Girls Day in the Country hosted by Kerry

I even used my machine to do a decorative stitch to hold the felt down to the lining!!!

My DD asked me to knit up a 'Snood' from the pattern below and she will finish it off herself

Looks like it will be pretty warm too!!!

Thank you to Sweet Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM again this year!!!

My poor laptop (Pearl) died on me and I haven't been able to get around and comment to everyone and read blogs

Mr Armchair came to the rescue and now I have a new 'Magical Pearl' 

I call it magical as I was just so lucky I had copied everything early March and was able to transfer it all across to the new Pearl......

A good reminder to me to keep everything updated regularly!!!!!!

Happy Stitching......Dzintra xo