Quilting and Solitude at Retreat

I'm back home after my most wonderful stitching holiday at Quilt group Retreat.

Oh my, what a great way to refresh your batteries.

The seclusion of this place was exhilarating, stimulating, bracing, energizing and restorative. 

I can't believe how much stitching got done as well. Absolutely amazing place.

Literally a stones throw from the beach.

Great early morning walks and paddles on the beach, and great company.

The path to the beach and sea.

I was on the beach for the sunrise most mornings.

And here are some of the stitching that I made while there.

A Fibonacci style small quilt top, that may turn into a table runner or a bag 

(not decided yet what it wants to be).

These two country style shabby-chic blocks will be cushion covers (pillows) when I add a border and backing to them.

And the following quilt top is completed, I just haven't got any photos of it's current state.

I am now auditioning fabric for border and backing.

That's it for the retreat photos.

One evening, soon after getting back home, I made these Boho beaded tassel dangles.

Fun fun fun.

You can tell that the urge to create and be creative is still with me. 

I have so many things I NEED to make now, lol.

So, from a refreshed and revitalised  Cyra

Happy Stitching

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays

Not very much Christmas activity has been going on here I'm afraid,
and absolutely nothing even remotely stitch related.

Tony & I spent a week at our other house starting to get it ready for our son to move into in January.

We have cleaned it, furnished it, fitted out the kitchen with all the necessary cooking things (pans, crockery, cups, utensils etc.), checked everything works as it should, put up curtains, got the door bells working, changed locks, arranged for the security and alarm system to be installed, and started the bathroom renovation to add a 2nd shower room.

Just waiting now for the ordered special mixer shower tap to arrive, and the 3 sets of new blinds to be made and delivered. Then the new residents can move in.

We arrived back at our home on Christmas Eve evening, and I had a quick run through my local village supermarket (small shop) for whatever I could find suitable for Christmas dinner, lol. 

It turned out to be a rather non-traditional dinner for us, but still very enjoyable.

We managed to get a bit of exploring done at some beaches that we have not been to to before, and we had the deserted beach to ourselves.

That is Tony at the waters edge. 

The place had me spellbound. It's like a graveyard for washed-up and sun-bleached trees.

Most of New Zealand has this amazing sparkly black sand. 

Like shiny little diamonds glittering at you. 

So that was what we have been up to over the last week.

It's Boxing Day here now, and we're just chillin. Lovely to have the boys home for Christmas too.

Peace, Love & Joy to you all.

xxx