GRACE'S SPECIAL DAY

Just recently we were invited to a beautiful naming ceremony for a very special little baby girl.

                    

This is Grace Peta Summerscales. Her Mum Belinda (Bindi) and Dad Grant (Gotty) welcomed her into their home about 6 weeks ago. Her arrival was a calm and joyful event for two parents who believe in doing things the natural time-tested way!

 I was a little late, and missed most of the formal ceremony, but I was told it was really beautiful.

It was certainly a magical setting, in the Summerscales extensive  garden known as "Strawberry Fields."

 Bindi had prepared a beautiful afternoon tea.

Here are Bindi and Grant along with proud grandmother Shirley and Uncle Alan.

 Grace is going to bring great joy to Bindi and Grant, and they are ensuring she has the very best start in life.

Strawberry Fields is a wonderful setting, where they grow many unusual plants. It is totally natural and organic, and provides much of their food supply. It is all so beautifully cared for.

 Did you ever see a climbing bean trellis like this one!!

 Visitors are always welcome to enjoy a stroll through Strawberry Fields, and there is even a maze!!

As I said - baby Grace is getting the very best start in life, and both Mum and Baby are very relaxed about it all.

Blessings!!

OLIVER'S STOCKING

I have known Angela and her family since she was about 8 or 9. In those early years I made Christmas stockings for Angela and her sister Belinda and her brothers Tim and Andrew.

They are all grown up now, and live in Australia, although their Mum and Dad still live here on Norfolk Island.

Last year, Angela had her own little boy, and his grandmother Barbara asked if I would carry on the tradition and make a stocking for him.

So here are the happy mother and son with my effort! I bet he won't fit inside that stocking for long!!

I had great fun making the stocking, although it is not my usual style! I did not think that my usual romantic, lacy style would go with a house in outback Queensland. So I pulled out some pieces of wool felt in primary colours, some ribbons and braids and buttons, and put it together country style!

Here are some other stockings that I have made for folk over the years.

This one was more collage than Crazy patch.

 These two were made for Archie and Celia's two youngest granddaughters. I tried to make them very individual. Not a good photo, sorry!

 This is one of a pair I made for Lynlee's twin great-nieces. They wanted something "pretty in pink and purple."

This stocking is the result of a Round Robin I took part in with the SouthernCross Crazies. I love it.

Now when Barbara gave me the photo of Oliver and his stocking today, she also gave me this one.

When Barbara was travelling to Australia for Angela's wedding, she asked if I had a little bag that Angela could carry on her wedding day. I gave her two little collaged lace bags.

One of them was adapted for a ring cushion, as you can see in the photo, and the other one was carried by Angela at her wedding reception.

I love it when my creations find a good home!!!