HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hello 2016!

I hope you have all had lovely Christmas and New Year celebrations!! We were away for Christmas visiting family on the island of Jersey which, is a Channel Island situated in the Channel between England and France.  As you can see from the photograph above, Christmas Day was a lovely day and, even if the sea was only 11 degrees centigrade there were still some brave souls swimming..... 

Including members of our extended family.....

I didn't join them..... someone needed to take the photographs!! Well that is my excuse!

We got back a couple of days ago which, is when we opened our family gifts.  Among the gifts I received were two beautiful swap gifts both from the Southern Hemisphere.  The first was this beautiful bag from Leanne.

It features a pretty embroidery panel and the bag was filled with a needle book, some lace, a mini charm pack and some lovely bits and bobs to eat and drink.

Thank you Leanne, I loved everything and shall enjoy making use of them during the course of the year.

This is the wall hanging I sent to Leanne in return and I also included a few little 'extras'.

I also received this fabulous wall hanging from Dawn. 

It is such a lovely design and the colours are beautiful! Dawn also included some lovely variegated threads which I shall enjoy using along with some delicious treats!

Thank you Dawn, they will all be treasured.

This is the wall hanging I sent to Dawn in return.  There were a few little 'extras' for Dawn too!

I was also lucky enough to receive a couple of other sewing related gifts.... a cross stitch pattern from my Sister in Law which I shall enjoy stitching....

and a cute personalised sewing journal from my eldest daughter so that I can record details of my projects during the coming year..... I have lots on my list to make!!

I will be continuing with the TAST Challenge when it resumes later in January and, I have also signed up for the CQJP Challenge 2016 as well as joining Katrin for the Hasenbach Challenge for the first time! It will be fun to share all the projects with you as they go along.

I wish you all well for 2016 and I hope you have lots of exciting projects ahead!!  I will share some of my other projects for 2016 another time.... this post has already been too long!