Friday 1 January 2016

Happy New Year!





I love the first day of a new year.    It's the one day I'm guaranteed to wake up so full of optimism I might just burst with joy.    It's the day I feel invincible!    I can climb every mountain.  Ford every stream.  Follow every rainbow..... right to the door of the nut house (according to my mother)!  

Who cares.  I'm having fun.

I fitted a new toilet seat before breakfast.   Gathered up storm debris in the garden before lunch.   Cleaned the oven this afternoon and now... joy of joys.... I have internet access again so I can talk to you all.    Storm Frank took out what was left of our internet connection after Eva hit us earlier.  

Christmas means SSCS and this year my gifts were sent by Jan at Little Red Hen in Australia.    Jan made not one but two ornaments.   Cute little felt hearts with pretty button centres.   They've been decorating my sewing room for the festive season.   I have a fibre optic tree these days so I have to be a bit more creative about where I hang ornaments.


On Christmas day I got to open the other two packages.....


and found all sorts of goodies.    A new sewing pouch and needle keeper.  A really cute hoop ornament with what I'm sure is a Hatched and Patched design.   A pretty felt brooch and some lovely little buttons to save for just the right project.    Thanks Jan...... I luv em all!     Turns out Jan was born in Glasgow but emigrated to the Antipodes when she was 'wee'.    How clever of Chooky to pair her with a gal from her homeland.

My SSCS partners gifts arrived in Aus right on time.   My pressies went to none other than Chookyblue herself!     No pressure for me then!   I was super happy (not to mention relieved) to hear that she likes what I made for her.  It was an honour and a pleasure to make for you Chooky.   Hope you have one foot back in the world soon.  Luv ya!    

I got one present this Christmas that Santa had to drop off early........


a Chicken Coop!    No chickens yet though.  We need to prepare a base for the coop and get equipment ready.    Don't think I've been so excited about anything since I was a kid.  My dream of chickens in the garden is finally coming true.   Mac is excited about the amount of chicken manure coming his way.

He thought it was funny to pull his new hat over my head when the girls were here.  They took a photo of Chicken Josie and dared me to show you....


you'd think they'd know by now not to dare a fool.    Think it suit's me... don't you.  

On the sewing front I've been sewing lots more quarter circle blocks.    I put a few together just to see how they'd look.....


I'm really happy with them.    Of course it's taking me ages to choose the 4 quarters for each block.... nothing new there.    Which reminds me.   While it's still the 1st of January I need to make the first circle block for my Quilty 365 Challenge .   Better go and choose more fabric.....

I hate to cut and run but the bat cave beckons and I need to prep that circle to stitch during TV time...


Happy New Year!!

See you soon...

Hugs
Josie  xxx

18 comments:

Käthe said...

Happy new year Josie and all the best for you !
Happy sewing
Regards
Käthe

Jeanette said...

Happy New Year Josie. Looking forward to reading about your chicken adventures. :) Hugs,xx

kiwikid said...

So good to hear you are ok, the weather has sounded horrendous for you there. You have had a busy day by the sound of things! Your presents are beautiful, yep the beanie suits you!! lol!! I hope you enjoy the chickens and they lay many eggs for you,, I am sure they will be very happy in their new home. Your circle blocks are looking great. Hope the evening went well in the bat cave. xx

marina said...

happy new year JOsie!! with those opening lines I pictured you in a nun's habit staring dreamily out of a convent window singing joyously!
lovely swap gifts received and your circles look great.
love your chicken hat, hope you didn't lay an egg for the girls...

Rebecca in AK said...

Happy New Year to you Josie! Love the chicken hat and your quarter circle blocks. How exciting to be getting some chickens. Great gifts!

Flickenstichlerin said...

Dear Josie,
love your SSCS gifts, wonderful swap. Were you nervous when sewing for Chooky?
I was last year, first time ever participating and sewing for Chooky. She is such a fine lady.
Greetings,
Sylvia

Bev C said...

Hello Josie,

Well done you on fitting the toilet seat, a woman of many talents. Have fun with the chickens when they arrive, they can be a great time waster but so enjoyable plus the bonus is the eggs and the manure. Great swap gifts. Loved the photo of you as a chicken.

Happy New Year.

Bev.

Michelle Ridgway said...

Happy new year Josie. Glad you fared ok in that horrible weather. Love your chooky hat lol! I am sure your future hens will appreciate the solidarity. Lovely gifts and I love your 1/4 circles x

margaret said...

some lovely wap gifts you have received. How lovely to have chicks in the garden and all those omelettes you will be bale to have too.Love the sound of hens clucking.

Ondrea said...

Good to see you back girl. You certainly make a good chick. I think I am more an old broiler! Make sure you put wire under the chicken coop so foxes ( do you have them?) don't dig under and get you girls during the night. I had silky bantams for many years and the last one lived for 17 years! She was blind so we built her a retirement home near our back door. She even laid one egg the last year of her life hehehe. They are really funky chickens. LOve your gifts from Australia and that was very clever of Chookyblue pairing you with another Scot. Have a wonderful new year with an abundance of all good things.

Diane-crewe said...

hope 2016 stays fun .. and a bit of silliness does us all good x lol x

Lin said...

Happy New Year Josie! Lovely gifts you received there and how lovely to be getting chickens, all those beautiful fresh eggs. xx

Chookyblue...... said...

oh how the world works in mysterious ways........you would not believe how I randomly connect people up and every year there are several weird and wonderful connections........beautiful goodies from Jan.......
I adore what you sent me........."no pressure" but I sure wished I was a fly on the wall with you and the girls when you told them that......
the chookyness must be wearing on you now you have a chook house and that hilarious photo of the beanie......can't wait to see what sort of chooks you get.........
glad your ok from the storms........so much flooding in the UK....
how many hours did it take you to choose the fabric for the next circle......

Yvonne W said...

Happy New Year to you too. Your chook house looks great-- imagine the fresh eggs daily for breakfast!

Anthea said...

Happy New Year Josie... not sure about fitting a toilet seat on the first day of the year, but I guess if you needed it, you needed it!

Love the Chook disguise!

Leanne said...

Happy New year Josie, Love your chicken coop. I look foreward to seeing it all come together when the chooks arrive. I love your christmas gifts, I know Jan and she is just the loveliest lady.

Maria said...

Happy New Year, Josie. Lovely gifts from Jan! I think Chookyblue's SSC Swap is the best in Blogland! I didn't sign up for any other blog Xmas swaps last year and 2016 will be the same :-. What a smart chicken house...we Aussies call them 'chook houses' of course! Love the beanie lol.

Cath said...

oh Josie, I am now a nasty shade of green...green with envy....not just because of those lovely goodies you got from your swap partner....but for that amazing chook house!!! I have been harping on at my farmer for a year now about bringing some chickens to live on our farm but so far it has fallen on deaf ears.....grrrrr...men!