Swaps Completed

Now that I know they have been received I can show you what swap gifts I have completed and posted off myself!!! And yes I was very late with them but my recipients were very understanding and were happy to wait.

For the beautiful Shez, dedicated creative lady extraordinaire from http://enjoyinglife.blogspot.com I made this Block Keeper.

 

 

Some of the embroidery and the beading on the basket was done while I was sitting beside Naomi while she was in hospital - kept my mind occupied for a few hours each day. 

 

When I started this I wasn't terribly happy with it but by the time I finished it I was very happy with it - so much so that I think I will definitely make another one for myself!!

On to the second swap gifts for the lovely Tania whose blog is http://ollieandt.blogspot.com.au 

 

 

A Star door hanger, an Angel tree ornament and a Santa & Tree table topper.

 

designing and making these was actually therapeutic and got me out of the no sew doldrums.

A big thankyou to the swap mumma's - Maree (Let's Stitch Together) and Cheryll (Christmas in July) for their fabulous organising again.

 



ANOTHER SWAP & WEEKEND FUN

 

Way back in June I received my CHRISTMAS IN JULY SWAP present - because it had 'DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 25TH JULY' a person within my home that particular day hid it because - get this- Kerrie can't help herself, she will open it so I am going to hide it!!! Hmph. Next thing I know I receive a lovely email from CHERYL asking if I had received my parcel - swap maker was becoming worried it had been lost in the mail. that triggered a niggling thought in the back of my mind so of I went on a search of the cupboards. guess what I found tucked in behind a pile in the linen cupboard!!!

Now, when this lovely friend would put her Christmas decorations and hand towels on her blog I often thought 'I wonder if I will be lucky enough to receive one of Shez' sets in a swap one day!!' And my day had come.

 

 

A fresh and bright hand towel, a sweet little snowman decoration and a beautiful wall hanging. Now how lucky am I. And thank you, thank you sweet Shez - I love them and so happy I am now the owner of a Shez Xmas Trio!!!!

 

I have been swamped by little people this weekend. yesterday I had Oliver, Abbey & Lachlan (grandies) plus Tyrelle, Bryson & percy (great nephews) visiting. So I did what ant grandmother/great aunty would do took lots of photos!

 

 

Lachlan busy making his own vegie patch; Abbey mixing up a concoction of who knows what and Karah swinging up and down the pole (old overhead tank stands make great cubbies with a little bit of imagination!)

 

Abbey and Karah climbing and posing.

 

Abbey, Karah & Tyrelle; abbey, Karah, Tyrelle and Bryson; Abbey, Karah, Tyrelle, Bryson, Percy & Ollie. The hay was a favourite as was the tractor. My great nephews have spent a lot of time in shearings sheds as their dad is a shearer so that was of no interest but the tractors, trucks and bales of hay they haven't been around so they were very interesting.

This afternoon Karah had a craft afternoon with 3 friends (plus a little brother). Between running around outside playing with the dogs, patting the horses and cuddling the rabbits, this is what they made - flower brooches.

 

 

Big and bold. They finished the afternoon off with a motorbike ride. Tonight we had dinner with mum - spoilt with silverside, white sauce and vegies - although we cook the silverside meal the same way mine does not taste as good as mums - maybe it is because it has been cooked for me.

 

That wraps up my weekend. Back into the school routine tomorrow for us here. I have completed 3 lots of swap presents but I cannot show you yet as there recipients haven't received them. This week I am hoping to be able to do some sewing for myself - it is on the agenda anyway.

Have a great week everyone!!

 

PS: My spell check isn't working in blogger - there will probably be a mistake or two even though I have read it through twice!

 

 

 

 

 



MORE BEAUTIFUL SWAPS

 

Next swap I received was this beautiful Block Keeper from the lovely Terri who was my 'maker' swap partner in the Let's Stitch Together swapping group organised by the beautiful Maree.

 

 

Terri's beautiful Block keeper came along during some of my dark times in June - it was so lovely to have such a 'pick me up' on that day. I love the effect of the variegated thread that Terri has used on the embroidery - I have lots of variegated threads and never think to get them out and use them - I must remedy that situation very soon!!

 

Two handy pockets on one side and the block protection flaps on the other. I have never had a block keeper before  (only plastic bags!!!) so I am very happy to have this. I love the colours Terri has used and I was also lucky enough to receive two beautiful threads in the pocket!!!

THANKYOU so much Terri - I have been very spoilt yet again!!!



A little Bit More Sunshine Each Day

We are slowly rebuilding our lives - the time frame of Naomi's illness feels so surreal - we had a healthy girl one day, the next she was seriously ill, and the next she was gone - that is how it seems. Karah is so strong and brave - I cannot imagine or relate to losing my mother when I was 10years old. She is the one constant in our lives that keeps me getting up each day and making myself get going on the road to emotional recovery.

And I have been so very spoilt by several swap partners over the last few weeks. I won't show you all that I have received in this post - I will string that out over the next couple of weeks, along with what I have made for swap gifts also.

How has your weather been this past week? We have gone from beautiful warm sunny days to below zero nights, heavy frosts and biting winds ( although no snow like there has been in so many places - even places that haven't had snow before!!)

 

My visit to the post office on Wednesday before Naomi passed away lifted me like nothing else had for months........ because I received this - an exquisite Little Needle Book from my swap partner in the 'Need A Little Needle Book Swap run by the lovely Amy who has a beautiful blog HERE !!

 

 

I nearly cried from happiness when I seen it and I did cry when I read the beautiful words in the card from Kim. So beautifully made and I smile each time I look at it. 

 

Karah found it on my sewing table last week and spent half an hour oohing and aahing over it - she was completely taken in with all the little details. Thank you so much Kym.

 

I did manage to spend a little time in the yard (not a garden currently as it hasn't had any attention for 4 months and is an overgrown untidy weed patch currently) - I pruned 9 rose bushes while Greg planted another 5 for me. Not a lot but I felt refreshed when I finished - hours later I just feel stiff and sore!!!lol.

 

That is about it for me this time. Time for me to rest these weary muscles in my bed and get some shut eye!

PS: My apologies to Amy - I have corrected the link now and tested it.



Travel Safe and Rest Easy My Baby

 

Yesterday morning at 8.45am my hero, my very best friend and our beautiful cherished daughter and sister ended her struggle. Although we are hurting we are so very grateful for the 30 years we shared with her - so many wonderful years and fabulous memories remain with us all.

 

Naomi Ellen Brill 1983 - 2014

 

The last few months have been horrific for us all, but last Friday morning our little warrior decided it was just all too much and went into a steady decline. Up until late Saturday night she still had lucid moments which we cherish (and she provided us with some great belly laughs in those moments due to the effects of the morhphine!!! lol). Although we were going to keep her at home until the end we had decided that it was better for us all to take her to hospital for the medical care and we could stay with her as a family and concentrate on that side. (Her GP and palliative care team went above and beyond with their help and support throughout Saturday and early sunday morning).

We are sure she was listening as we discussed the merits of taking her to hospital as she passed away 15 minutes before the ambulance arrived to take her into to town - she had always said she didn't want to be in hospital at the end  so she made sure she wasn't!!

 

 

Rest in peace my baby, you will always be with us.

 

As Karah, her beautiful little girl said to me today 'Mummy is in a happy place now".

I am taking time out for a couple of weeks from writing post here but I will be reading all of your posts - afterall you have all been so wonderfully supportive my beautiful bloggy friends - and I do so enjoy reading about what you have all been up to.

So please take care of yourselves and give each of your precious babies an extra hug each and every time you see them, and I will be back soon!!

 

 

 

 

SYDNEY AGAIN...

 

Back in Sydney again - more tests for Naomi - she has had a tough couple of weeks so this trip is a little ray of hope for her - hoping her Drs can use a treatment to reduce the size of the tumour and extend her life a little but most importantly improve her quality of life. She has not been able to eat much at all and has dropped down to 47kgs and is spending a lot of time in her bed sleeping. She does get up each morning to get Karah off to school and each afternoon tries to be sitting in the lounge room when Karah gets home.

 

I have been fortunate to have accommodation in the hospital accommodation for country patients families. A lovely unit (bigger than a motel unit) and how nice is it that each room has a handmade patchwork quilt in it!!! The rooms have been sponsored by various service clubs and are in great demand - I will be here until Monday morning and will then be staying at a motel until a room becomes available again in this accommodation. It is a wonderful service made available to patients families.

Not the best photo but this is the new me - a result of telling my hairdresser I needed a change - so she decided I needed to go wild - I am supposed to put sculpting wax in it and spike it a bit!!! Short one side and longer the other - I am quite happy with it for the time being. I am still undecided about letting the colour grow out - the photo isn't showing up the white that is showing in it - I have decided it is a big step to let it go to it's natural colour - it is a nice white grey not a shabby grey - maybe a lighter blonde for a while!!! AND new glasses also - prescription instead of the cheapies!! I lost my last new prescription glasses 5 days after I got them - I am being very careful with these ones!!

That had better be all from me for now - I have a 6am rise to get across to the hospital in the morning - the medical team do their rounds at 7am each morning - you would think they would need a sleep in on the weekend wouldn't you!! Hopefully a good report on the tests she had today.

 

 



Surprises and Family!

 

The past week brought with it a couple of surprises and lots of family!!

 

I looked after this little man for 3 days this week - here he is having brekky - pancakes are the everyday brekky here with Sustagen added as Naomi is on a high protein diet!! Oliver is now 9 months old and loves his food, any food that is, as long as you feed it to him!!! Not too keen on holding onto it himself!!

On Friday night our eldest son, Adam, arrived with the truck to be loaded with hay and straw to take back to Canberra to delivered to customers. His sons, Brodie and Lachlan came down with him to help load. Brodie turned 17 on Saturday so we had a birthday cake and presents for him. Here he is in the Onesie we gave him as a joke - he actually wore it home on Saturday night in the truck as the cabin is quite cold even with the heater on. This boy is a big 17yrold (6'3" and the same across the chest!!! Lol - not really quiet that wide!!!) He gives me the best bear hugs and usually cracks a few vertebrae back into place when he does!!!

At Tuesday night sewing my friend of 38years brought this beautiful bowl arrangement - from her garden these roses have the most beautiful fragrance - it is 'Best Friend' (RSPCA Rose). They are absolutely beautiful!!

On checking my plant house for the first time in 3 weeks I found these. All of the plants are completely covered with blooms. I remember last year when they were blooming I was going away with Naomi to Melbourne for tests on her heart - it was in good going order and we were all elated.

The photo below is of my favourite one of all of them - such beautiful delicate colours!! 

To top off my week I had Nathan, Rheis and Isaac here on Sunday as well as my mother (plus the 2 youngest grandsons) - a great family weekend with Adam and boys being here on Saturday!! It was a great 'pick-me-up' for Naomi with the 3 boys and 2 sister in laws all sitting on her bed and bedroom floor at one time!!lol The bedroom was overfull!!!

Naomi's results for the tests on the stomach fluid have all come back negative - which means the cancer hasn't spread. She is being discussed again in Sydney today - hopeful that they will decide to try a couple of things that may give her a few months longer or at the very least make her more comfortable by controlling the amount of fluid that builds up in the stomach! Today she has been sleeping mostly but she does get up each morning to get Karah off to school.

 

SPECIAL REQUEST!!!! Please pop over to Chookyblue - she has a special request and a link to follow to support that request.

Time for the school bus to come here so time for me to sign off. Until next time take care and have a wonderful week!!