Generous Giveaway

Vicki of the Pickledish Patch blog (formerly Tozzscorner) is celebrating her new blog name with a wonderful and very generous giveaway.  Click on her button on the right or the link above to go visit and check it out.  Vicki is joining with Dawn to bring us   a BOM called "Out of the Box", starting on 5th January.  Why dont you pop over there and check it out.

While packing away Christmas decorations for another year, it was a good time to look at some of them and the memories of making them.  From working together in our Craft groups to Ornament exchanges, dressup elf costumes for 2 Grandsons to wear to their Childcare Christmas party.   So I revamped my Christmas scrapbook page to focus on just some of my favourite ones. 

Christmas - and My Next Project

It is so good to be able to share Christmas Day with at least some of our Grandchildren.  This year we were with two of them for Christmas Day, then in the next couple of days we had visits from 3 others.  Just one didnt get here this year. That is the one with the Santa hat over his eyes.  All 6 grandchildren are featured in this collage.

One of my daughters surprised me on Christmas Day with this gift. (which is rather difficult to photograph).

I hadn't mentioned to any family member that I would like a travel iron to take to classes.  However my daughter went along to Sew This and That, my local patchwork shop and asked one of the staff members for help is choosing a gift.  The staff member then rang my friend to ask her for some ideas.  Between them they decided on this little iron.  All of them agreed that I dont let on too much about what I would like - so it was quite a task for them.  So I am doubly pleased with the gift, and that we have such  helpful staff at the store.  It is perfect to use with my new ironing board that I made recently.

My next project will be to make a protective bag for it.  It did come with a light one, but I would like to make something a little more padded to protect it when travelling.  So..........watch this space.

I decided to keep the first sleepover bag -  I made for myself (not quite as well made when under time pressures in a class - noone else would notice probably but I know there are things I could have done a little better.)  So I made two more of them, one for each of my sisters.

I also made each of them a matching shoe bag.  One of my sisters picked it up and said "...and a bag to carry the wine"  When she realised it had shoes written on it she said I would have to make the wine one for her birthday.  I can do that - but that is later in the year.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

I have so much enjoyed my first (part) year blogging.  It opens up a whole new world of friendship, crafting and inspiration. 
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  Enjoy this time of fun and fellowship with your Families and Friends.


Take care, travel safely, God Bless.

Marilyn

Another finished project

On my last trip to Bribie Island Arts Centre we made our ironing board/cutting mat folders. It was so easy to do following Cheryl's expert instructions. She has made a number of them now, a couple of this size, and some smaller ones.

People who have been quilting for some time - like 10 years, say "I had some of that fabric".  Well, I have had this left over piece sitting in my stash for about 13 years.  It seemed like the right time and right project to use it.

We could "share" one purchased ironing board cover between 2 people.  Now I am keen for classes to recommence so I can try it out.

Joy's Christmas Hearts

 Have you checked out this design over at Joy's Quilts blog.  It looks beautiful and she is giving the proceeds of the sale of this pattern to  "make a small difference in the life of a child saved from slavery."  (quote from Joy's blog).  Go over to her blog to read more about it, and if you are touched by it, then it is just a small cost for a beautiful pattern and will go towards making a difference.  Thank you Joy for caring, and for giving us this opportunity.

I will be back with more later, but felt I wanted to share this with others.

Yay!!!! Its back.

Finally I have my internet back.  After all that time waiting it took the electrician just over 1 hour to have me back on line.  

 Firstly, here are the healing hearts blocks I sent off to Shirley in NZ at the beginning of the month,  for quilts for the families of miners who were lost in the recent New Zealand mining disaster....Some of the other girls in my quilting group made some as well.

My quilting group got together for our Christmas lunch and exchange of Secret Santa gifts.  We had a fun day, yummy food, lots of laughter, a bit of stitching got done, and the opening of our gifts.  We had a spending limit of between $10 and $15.  It was fun seeing how people used that limit to come up with their creative gifts. 

This is what I gave to my "person", who just happened to be my lovely friend, Dawn.  I gave her 3 fat quarters, one a Christmas fabric, and the other two in her favourite shade of blue.  I rolled them and put them into cupcake papers, with organza bows on the top to look (sort of) like butterfly cupcakes.  She is such a good cook so it seemed appropriate.  Inside the roll I put 2 patterns which I bought from Jenny's Etsy store.  I wrapped them in a piece of quilter's muslin which she can use for the embroidery on the bag (one of the patterns).  I hope she enjoys embroidering Jenny's designs as much as I do.

I received my gift from Rose.  She gave me some beautiful variegated green embroidery thread and a pack of fork pins.  I will make good use of them both.

My daughter, Harry and I went Christmas shopping at Chermside recently.  We had to have a little Morning tea treat before joining the crowds in the stores.  A beautiful lemon and passionfruit cheesecake for daughter, mini melting moments for me, and Harry had the beautifully presented baby chino.  (but we had to help out with eating the little treats on the side.)

 We came across this childrens bus which he loved sitting in and exploring.  No need for money in it yet - he enjoyed the steering wheel without the movement of the ride.

He is such a delight.  I miss him when he is not visiting, but I am so pleased that we do have him come to visit us frequently.   

Double "SIGH"

I am still patiently waiting for my internet to be connected again.  New phone lines are finally working better, after much static and random loss of service, plus a lot of buck passing as to the problem.

The plan is now in place for mine to be connected - just have to wait for the technician to come and do it.

In the meantime I have 3 sets of cutrains and 2 sleepover bags to make, as well as the yearly Christmas boxer shorts for the grandchildren.  That will keep me from thinking too much about the lack of internet.

No Internet

"sigh"  I have no internet at the moment.  Hubby moved his computer out of the house to his newly constructed office and I have to wait till he can get the wireless link up and working, before I will again have internet at my computer..  So I have to wait till he is out of his office to sneak in and snatch a couple of stolen moments at his computer.

Yesterday I went to the Creative embroidery group at Bribie Island - not to do embroidery this time.  We made one of those ironing board/cutting mat folders to take to classes.  I have taken some pics of it. But even to post pics from his computer is proving hard so that will wait too.

At least it gives me more sewing time, but I do enjoy spending time on the internet and am missing it.

Good news today,  I received my parcel from Equilter.  I have bought some little cowboy fabrics to make Harry his quilt.  It is for when he goes into a bed so I have time  to make it, as he doesn't even have a bed yet..  I like to support local shops first, but I couldnt find fabrics for it locally.

Sleepover Bag

Today I went to the second (and final) class to make the  Sleepover Bag, from a pattern by Melly and Me.  I have made it to give to one of my sisters for Christmas - hope she will like it. 

I wasn't too sure if the fabrics would work together, but now it is done I think it is ok.  I started with the yellow fabric - there is some blue and green in it which doesn't show in the photos.  The bag went together rather well, though a bit bulky to fit under the sewing machine towards the end.

Yesterday I was looking through some magazines and came across a pattern for a shoe bag which I think would go well inside the sleepover bag.  Just have to find which magazine that was.  It would not be hard to make one, but this one was really nice.  Think I will go hunting tonight to see if I can find it again.

Cute Cousins

 

Harry is now old enough to start interacting with his cousins, and on his latest visit he wanted to be "one of the boys".

 










Kai and Charlie adore him and were keen to spend time with him.  They showed him lots of things, like how to ride the scooter, and what to do with paper aeroplanes.  Then it was inside to watch a children's dvd.  The three of them look very engrossed in it.  Must have been good !!!

I had been keeping up with Daisy Do, the free BOM from Jenny for the first three months, although this third one still needs its buttons added.  But I have fallen behind with the last two months.  Seeing the finished wall hangings shown on Jenny's blog last week has spurred me on, so hopefully I will have a finish soon.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas - I have fond memories of sitting on the verandah of my Grandparent's house where there were two large hydrangea bushes - one on each side of the front stairs. They were mainly blue, but had some odd pinkish blooms as well, which always amazed me as a child.  I have so much always wanted to grow some of my own.  We planted some and nurtured them in a previous house, but they didnt do too well.  But I am so happy to have 3 in bloom right now.  They are the new hybrid colours, so I am not sure what will happen in the future, do they still change colour according to the soil?  I will have to wait and see.

 The pink one has been in the ground for a year, so now in its second year of flowering, and it is still the same colour.

 I guess the white will stay white.  Or will it????

  .                                               Our newest one is so beautiful.

The local nursery had so many to choose from - it was so hard to decide.

We have them planted around our outdoor area at the front of our house, facing where we can see them, rather than being visible from the street, because we want to enjoy them as we sit out there having our weekend cuppa's.

On Monday our Craft Group made another trip to the Scrapbooking Warehouse, this time to make a photo frame.  Tracy is a wonderful teacher, very patient and helpful. 

We painted, cut, measured, glued and constructed our way to finalising this triple photo frame. 

Now my dilemma is - which photos to put in it. 



Or - will I give it away as a Christmas gift?

I tried writing my name on an apps on my Iphone as a way of finishing my posts - think I need to practise more, but it is a start.

Quilt has gone to its new home.

The quilt is completed and has gone to its new home.

I bought a jelly roll  "Swell" by Urban Chicks for Moda - then had the dilemma of how to make it up.  The design is loosely following a quilt I saw, with some additions and alterations, such as gentle scalloping on 3 sides to add interest.  One jelly roll made the top of the quilt, which is the size of a queen bed topper.  I was able to buy some yardage for the border.  All that was left of the jelly roll was used to make the flowers and leaves to be appliqued in the border, and the left over flowers were sewn on a vine on the back.

My machine was a little temperamental while I was quilting it, but with some TLC and a little frustration it is done.  It is so hard to send machines off to be serviced - when is the right time to be without it?  I know - it is for just a short time, 10 days with our technician, but that seems so long to not be able to sew.  I think it is almost time though.  (please just keep going till I have finished the next couple of projects, then I promise I will get you there.)

This quilt was made for my daughter.  She loves the choice of fabrics.

This is the first jelly roll I have used.  Certainly is fast and simple.

Valentino Exhibition and visiting Mooloolah

Wow, wow, wow - the Valentino Exhibition in Brisbane was amazing.  The designs are so unbelievably intricate and detailed, yet so wearable (if you are Model sized that is).To stand at the entrance of each of the halls and look in at the designs is breathtaking.  I just cant think of any other way to describe it.  If you have been fortunate enough to see them you will know what I mean. 

This was an amazing dress, the woven effect was beautiful.  The colours here don't do it justice.

The lining of this coat was too good to be hidden.          So soft and beautiful.

These are not my photos of course, as you are not permitted to take photos of the exhibition. 

Today I travelled with some of my friends to the Open Day of Mooloolah Craft Group.  The group is small but always puts on a brilliant day of showing off their work of the past 2 years, as well as providing morning tea and lunch, and lots of lucky door prizes.  We had a good day, finished off by visiting a couple of Patchwork shops.  It doesn't matter how many stores we visit, the range of fabrics is always different. 
This used to be the Craft Group I belonged to when living in that area.

I took along the quilt I have been working on lately, to show in their Show and Tell. 

Here is a sneak peak of it while I was working on the quilting.  I need to wait for daytime for better light to take a photo of the whole quilt.

Happy birthday Kai.

Last week I started quilting a quilt that has been hanging around a little too long.  It is progressing well, and I am pleased with how it is turning out.  It is always a puzzzle to know just how to do the quilting so is good when it comes together.  But it had to be shelved for the weekend.  Maybe this afternoon I will get back to it.  Pics will be in next post.

Saturday a group of us met up at Bribie Island for lunch and a fun time of chatting, laughing and enjoying each others company, having a bit of Show and Tell, and checking out new projects and patterns.

Today is our second Grandson's 5th birthday.  Yesterday we went along to Australia Zoo to celebrate his birthday with him.  I hadnt been there for some years, so it is always good to see the progress.  He and his younger brother had a wonderful day.

.

His Mum made him a dragon cake.  (Rather a happy looking dragon I think).

Are you doing it right Mum???

I can cut it myself now I am 5.

 I think Little brother Charlie is dreaming of when it is his turn to choose the cake and be the centre of attention.

Repurposed Thursday.

I thought it might be fun to join in Re-purposed Thursday hosted by Fee. 

This is my Scissor Tree.  (sorry to say it is not easy to take a good pic of - in real life it looks better than this, and is very useful).  In its former life it was a tea light candle holder, with little lanterns hanging off the hooks.  I decided to make use of it for my scissors when my collection outgrew the mug stand I had used previously.

Oh dear, that does look a jumble.  But at least I can easily find my scissors, and truly it doesnt look that bad.


The little pots around the bottom were spice canisters, but fit perfectly around the base of the scissor tree, and hold rotary cutters, pencils, etc.

This pair of tailor's shears are one of my treasures.  They belonged to my Grandmother. Before she was married, she worked with her Father as a tailoress.  (He was a tailor in Broken Hill at the time).  My father had them for many years, and I must say they were used and abused over that time.  I claimed them after he died, and had them cleaned and sharpened.  In spite of their long and arduous life, they now cut beautifully.  That is definitely a testament to the quality of them.  The scissors would have to be between 90 and 100 years old.

My treasure indeed.  And they have been re-purposed back to their original purpose.

Purchases and spool collection

My visit  to the Home Patch store in Bathurst was a highlight of our trip to Orange.  I was tempted to buy more, but with limited time came small purchases.

The coloured buttons in the front are to give to my home quilting group friends.  They are so beautiful - and I couldnt resist buying them.   One piece of fabric is for a project coming up, and the others are "just because" ones.

 I found the spools there as I was leaving, so they had to come with me to add to my small but growing collection of old or interesting spools and reels.

From Bathurst we then headed to Sydney and I was able to have a bit of time with our second youngest Grandson, Sammy.  We dont see him very often at this stage.

Such a cute little one.