Almost ready.

 My heart skipped a beat when I looked out and saw Emmylou out of the shed and shinning in the sunlight. She's undergoing some last minute testing of how well things work from the solar panels , to the batteries, to the water pump, the hot water heater, the fridge, the toilet and the lights and she came through with glowing colours.

 Lets take a closer look. Above the windshield are the words Ye Olde Leyland after the motor that drives her

 Then on the side at the front is her name Emmylou. She is named after Emmylou Harris the country singer who we had been to see twice and were great fans of, still are.

 Come aboard and have the grand tour. Ahead you see the new fridge under the old gass hob.

 Looking down the front to the drivers side and the side bed piled with cushions and rugs.

 The navigators side in like style.

 Here is a closeup of some of the cushions that I covered with New Zealand tea towels . A touch of kiwiana that I think suits her well.

 This one is a bit blurry but You can see this jaunty tea towel of sheep in bright colours. There is a fantail one too and I have just aquired a kiwi one which I may make a smaller cushion out of.

 A view from further back taking in the kitchen and dining area.

 Dinning area. I am still working on the seat pads.

 Sink bench , and pantry cupboard.

 Cooking area.

 Kerry did all the woodwork and structural work on Emmylou but his finest piece I think is these little cupboards for cups and glasses. The led effect is came out of a tube of led resiny stuff.

 The wallpaper in this area was bought and put up over 20 years ago and is still much admired and suits her so well.

 Now here is the newest revamp of our bedroom. We turned the bed around and Kerry has built side cabinets. I found some wallpaper that I thought would suit and be not too hard to hang and we are very pleased with the results. The paper is of open vintage books and I decided I would be able to overlap it in places as needed because of the curves and it should be forgiving and It was, very, and we are thrilled with it.

 A closeup of the quilt that I made some years ago from Kaffe Fassett fabrics in a style I am rather fond of  that I call lazy curves. I used to teach clases on it when we had the shop. It is such fun.

 Kerrys side. I made the curtains from some fabric I picked up some years ago and had actually given to Janet and when I got the paper I knew it would be perfect and luckily Janet hadn't found a use for it so was glad to return it. I just had enough. The ties are crocheted.

 My side. Of course it is looking a lot tidier than it will be when we are travelling but we have to be careful of leaving things where they might fall.

 A closeup of the paper. I hope you approve.

 And of course there is the smallest room with cassette toilet, basin and shower. Not easy to photograph.

 Lets head back now as I have another wee project to show you.

 Just can't pass my cottage garden. I know I've been on about it a bit but it is my utmost joy and the roses continue to flower.

 Now here is my project. I found this lovely little blue suitcase on the side of the road in an inorganics collection around Howick where I was out with Stephanie doing the op shops. Thats where I found my dinner set I showed you last time.

 It was raining at the time but I ran up the road laughing at the brashness of my venture. The inside was clean but in great need of touching up

 So I found some patchwork fabric that was a housecoat bought from an op shop in Krd just for the fabric and now I had found its perfect use don't you think.

 Now I am filling it with the sewing projects that I want to take with me on our South Island tour. There are 2 packets of 2" hexagon papers, 200 a piece. That shpould be enough for what I don't know but I will start with the kaffe Fassett fabrics maybe for the big cushions that I haven't recovered yet.

 Do you remember this begining of a zine that I started at a workshop a couple of months ago well I would love to make some headway with it having lots of ideas in my head and I have been interviewing pieces of op shop fabrics from embroidered shirts and doilies.

And we'll add a few more colourful fabrics. Theres still room so I'll keep looking and sorting till I am satisfied. I don't know how I will go for posting while away as I haven't managed to do a post on my iPad. I might decide to take this mac with me. Otherwise I will post pics on my Facebook page. Thats another story. I have 2 facebook pages as I was trying to change my server and thats how it ended with 2 Trillian Lockes but one still hasn't got a photo yet. I'll sort it out one day, with help.
So just 10 days till we set off on the 24th for Te Aroha for a family reunion then on to Wellington and we are crossing Cook Straight at 2.30 am on the morning of the 29th and we should arrive at Picton and set foot for the first time for me, on the South Island as the sun rises. I am soooooo excited. We ahve a house sitter staying now who will look after the moggies, so they will be much happier than in a cattery as we had originally planned.
Well my friends, I don't think I will be back here before we go so I will bid you oodles of blessings and love, Trills xx

A touch of the blues

 It's not me who has the blues though I do live with a depressive mood disorder  I am very glad to say that these days I am keeping in very good spirits. You will see the blue connection soon. We had a lovely Christmas in our little cottage for the first time.

 Dinner for 6 on Christmas night with all the trimmings

 and making good use of my combined Christmas and birthday present of a beautiful vintage dinner set bought at a hospice shop in Howick a few weeks ago. Boxing day we had all the family, 10 in all and it was a jolly time. So jolly for me that I forgot to take photos. All that good eating, always more than we should it is now time to get down to exercising seriously along with the 5&2 diet.

 First the walking on alternate days to save my arthritic feet and looking at my feet I gasped at the sight of these Purselane flowers in a little park I pass through. The colour was so intense. They are usually mown over in our lawn.

 Looking around I took in the beauty of these Hydrangeas, a very pretty blue

 And these which are about as pink as these flowers get in our area. I think its the acid soil.

 Well Kerry didn't get this lovely blue boat for christmas even though it sits under one of our native Christmas trees.

 Further up the road the Agapanthas were in full bloom, blue and some white ones

 They are down both sides of this road and looking back I saw this tractor coming and thought I'd wait till it got closer and give this pic a touch of the agricultural scene that surrounds this area. When it came right alongside me I realised it was Kerry's cousin on his way to make hay.

 I love the intense colour of this particular patch

 And this is the beginning of our road where the aggis are making themselves at home.

 We have several ponds along our small road which encourages a lot of wildlife which often trot back and forth across the road. I'd like to see special notices. a restricted speed and maybe even speed bumps.

 Most of the ponds are not easy to see

 Can you see this pond looking a bit brown with the recent rain run off.

 I've stopped for a breather halfway up the last little but very steep hill and there at the top is our old home with the new owners motorhome. Yes R has done up about 14 of them so has much in common with Kerry and V is a quilter, spinner, and embroiderer so her and I have much in common. She used to come to our shop so We have known them a while which is just dandy.

 This is looking down the otherside of the hil to the end of our road where we are on the left. All the trees and shrubs along the left side were planted by us over the 20 years we were there.

 And here we are and there is Emmylou peeping out of the barn door.

 She has her wings now which is very exciting. We are now full members of the NZ motor caravan association with all its perks including discounts for the Cook Straight ferry which we have booked for the 29th of Jan at 2.30 am . It is so exciting, we will arrive in Picton as the sun is rising.

 Heres Kerry working on the battery connections for the solar panels which are to go on the roof. We are so lucky that he is so talented in all these areas or we would never have had a house bus and all the joys she gives us.

 Some blues in our garden under the trees. They have taken over from the Cinerarias that are now setting seed.

 This is a pretty powdery blue

 My little cottage garden continues to give me great joy and the roses are haveing their second flowering

 I think this is Abraham Darby

 and this

 and this

 Now how is this for colour. This cacti sort of thingy that I tolerate in all it's unattractiveness except for when it flowers briefly, but the colour is so intense and takes my breath away

 More of the roses

 Around the back of the garage there is a row of fluxes and these wild Mombretia, another roadside attraction in the summer. I love the colour

 These caught my eye. The seed pods of one of the flax plants. I was tempted to pick some for an interesting arrangement inside

 but I opted for just the Mombretia and a touch of blue Hydrangea. It was one of those gasp moments that I seem to have a lot of these days, joyful gasps that is.

 Recently I have been working on the plain green tin door to my studio. It needed a makeover so I set to with the PVA glue and my collection of pretty papers and vintage scraps. It was great fun and I am thrilled with the results.

 In particular the doily sign Trills Patch and when I remember how to do it, it will be my blog heading.

Its been lovely walking and talking with you. I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year.
Blessings and love, Trills xx