Home Again... with a Suitcase Full of Memories.

 Of course, no holiday is complete without a little shopping!

I told you all about the must-have teapot and how the search for it led me to rediscover a very dear friend from my childhood. 

You could read the story here if you missed it. 

In the image you'll see not only the teapot, but also a beautiful matching mug and a snood. The snood has already proved its worth. Since arriving back in New Zealand and straight into winter, I've been wearing it to keep my neck warm on my walks to work.

From the same collection I was also able to find a tea towel and an apron. 

 Sadly, the apron is rather small for my matronly figure, so it won't be seeing kitchen duty, 

but it looks lovely hanging on the back of the kitchen door.

Of course, there were a few other treasures that simply had to come home with me. I found a beautiful book of Manx fairy tales.

A piece of Manx Hunter's tartan,

The same tartan that Jiffy wore for his wedding day. 

 A large piece of fabric printed all over with the Triskellion – the famous Three Legs of Man. 

While I was browsing in that same shop, I spotted some delightful fairy scissors sitting on the counter. Well... they simply had to come home with me! 

Along with them came an equally cute thimble and some not so cute bobbin holders. 

Not all of my shopping happened in actual shops. I also did a little online shopping and had a few parcels delivered to my brother's house. One delivery contained a lovely bundle... or rather four bundles... of batik fabrics. 

After all, I'd used up quite a bit making the two large quilts that I gifted while visiting the island. 

Then I spotted the papers for Wensleydale and the templates for Diamond Exchange, two beautiful Jen Kingwell quilt patterns that have been on my wish list for a while. 

I already owned the Quilt Recipes book, so now I have everything I need to get started.

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One of the nicest surprises came while catching up with friends. Ray asked how my collection of poppy pins was coming along. I showed him an old photograph of the collection displayed in our dining room, and to my delight he presented me with around a dozen more pins to add to it. 

When I arrived home, I had to rearrange the display and remove some of the paper poppies to make room for the new additions. Once it was finished, I sent Ray an updated photograph. He was delighted to see how much the collection had grown.

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Each item has a memory attached to it – a place visited, a conversation shared, or a person who made the trip even more special. Every time I make a pot of tea, wrap my snood around my neck, use my fairy scissors, or glance at my poppy collection, I'll be reminded of a wonderful journey back to the Isle of Man.

Now we're home again, back in New Zealand, surrounded by mountains painted white with snow and looking absolutely stunning. We've settled back into our familiar routine of eat, sleep, work, repeat. But that's alright. There's something comforting about everyday life and familiar routines.

Although I will always think of the Isle of Man as home, New Zealand is home too. It's where my sewing machines live, where my garden waits for me, where my projects are scattered across the house, and where everyday life quietly carries on. As wonderful as it was to return to the Isle of Man and spend time with family and friends, it is equally good to be home again.

Thank you for following along on our journey. I hope you've enjoyed travelling with us.

One last look at my beautiful island. Peel castle on a calm and sunny day.