Let's Stitch Together Swap.

 

This year I have been part of the Let's Stitch Together Swap organised by the lovely Maree. Our third swap was to make a Pamper Gift bag. My partner to make for was sweet Sharni from Lyrebird and Lamb designs.

 

 

I made for Sharni the tote bag above and filled it with the gifts pictured below!!

 

 

Fridge magnets, no sew scarf, all natural goats milk soaps and a hand towel.

Today has been windy and all the pollens have been stirred up and I am sitting here sniffling, with itchy swollen watery eyes, and blocked sinuses. Tomorrow we are supposed to have a drop of 9 degrees in temperature down to 20deg. We sit on the low 20's for the remainder of the week then over the weekend we bounce our way upward to 36deg on Monday - can you believe a forecast 16 degree rise over a week!! No rain on the horizon and the winds keep coming (quite a gale blowing outside tonight). Oh well I guess I will be indoors doped up on anti histamines, upside I might get to sit and sew each day!!

have a great week everyone!!

 

 



I THINK I AM A LOST CAUSE

 

Well the last 2 weeks have just disappeared on me - if anyone sees them floating by please send them back!!! The first weekend of the school holidays we took Karah to meet her dad at Coonabarabran. Seven hours up, travelled back to Dubbo, stayed the night and then drove home the next day. I had big plans for the first week of the school holidays but I think events of the last 6 months and the trip paired up and I have been flat all week.

 

I did start sorting through the piles of boxes and containers that are supposed to fit into my sewing/craft room - fat chance of that!!! And it all came to a halt when I came across the UFO and Kit Boxes!!! Oh dear oh me. I think I am a lost cause. Luckily these things don't go off over time!!!

 

 

In no particular order of age!! Candlewick Quilt all drawn up and waiting to be done for approx. 5yrs.

 

Harvest Spice Quilt - a BOM that I started about 10 years ago and spat the dummy with when block 3 didn't go as planned. YAY!!!! I just spent 3 days making the remaining 6 pieced blocks. By the end of next week I WILL have the top together!!!

 

I love this quilt. And I have been doing it for about 10 years also (maybe a bit longer).

 

Oh!!! How sad am I as a patchworker?? I started this about 15 years ago for my 4th child (3rd son). Rheis maybe lucky enough to get it next year!!!

 

The saddest one of all!!! In May 1992 I did a Wedding Ring Workshop!!! I was 5 months pregnant with Isaac (my baby who just turned 22!!). Yesterday I finished joining the arcs that have been waiting for soooooo long!!! I have a total of 330 arcs made (4 per ring is about 82 rings. It was originally going to be a queen size, floor to floor. It will now be whatever these 330 arcs make up!!!! I was going to have cream centres and corners but I am not really happy with that idea now. I also have no idea what colour to put with these arcs. Does anyone remember using any of these fabrics?

 

 

The Tea Party Quilt I bought as a BOM about 6 years ago and haven't started yet. And I have no Idea what I was making with the applique on the left!!! As I said, I am a lost cause.

 

The top photo - these have all been cut out and a little bit done on each one!!! The bottom photo I have read all the instructions but am yet to make a start!!! OMG - I am such a lost cause. Well guess what my new motto is for the next 12 months!! NO MORE KITS OR PATTERNS OR FABRIC TO BE BOUGHT. FINISH WHAT I HAVE GOT SITTING ON THE SHELVES LOOKING AT ME DAY IN DAY OUT!!!!

That's all from me tonight. I am off to do some stitching on one of the above. Have a great weekend everyone!!

 



Oh So Spoilt Again!!!

 

I received a beautiful parcel of goodies today from Christine at Time Out Stitching - it was the third swap in the Let's Stitch Together Group for this year that has been organised and run by Maree.

 

 

This delightful little gift bag was full of goodies and an amazingly beautiful magazine.

 

'Daphne's Diary' is just a lovely magazine - one that I have not seen before - so beautifully presented with wonderful craft and cooking in it, stories about amazing homes and gardens, and exquisite push out gift tags!!! I stopped subscribing to magazine a few years ago but this is seriously tempting me to subscribe!! There was also some lovely body lotion and a chocolate bar - both required by this aging body!!!lol Plus a beautiful little handmade notebook cover that Christine bought from a local handmade market - it is lovely and a perfect size to fit into a handbag!!The hand towel they are sitting on was also one of the gifts in the bag!

THANK YOU SO MUCH CHRISTINE - I love it all

 

Now, tell me what a beautiful lady is Christine. This lovely little tin of chocolates was also in my parcel with a tag that said 'For Karah'. Well, she was super impressed when I gave it to her - she couldn't believe that my swap partner had put a little present in for her with my swap presents. And the little tin is going to become a jewellery tin in her room - that is after she has eaten the chocolate which I have been told I am not allowed to eat whilst she is at school!!!lol!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH CHRISTINE for being such a thoughtful and caring person. Especially as Karah wants to have her own blog so she can take part in swaps also!!!

 

Now for something to make you all smile or laugh out loud. Whilst waiting for our dinner to be cooked in Wagga last weekend we wandered along the street window shopping and came across this suit!!! Now the MOTH is a farmer - always wears king gee work pants (grease stains and got know what other stains that do not come out in the was - often with rips and tears); what ever shirt and jumper he puts his hand on first - and these are worn to town and anywhere else he goes during the day (thankfully my sons like to be a bit more presentable when in town doing their farm business!!). he does wear better casual clothes when we go out etc.

 

 

he informed that I could buy him the suit and a pair of navy dress pants, the shirt and tie and he would wear it to Rheis' wedding (with the navy pants not the floral - thank god for small mercies). All I could do was laugh and told him he would really make a statement about his state of mind and to think what his son would think. His reply was 'Rheis and everyone but my brothers and sisters would get a laugh out of it!!!' Hmmm me thinks some one hasn't just lost his marbles the nuts bolts and cogs in that 59 year old head have seized!! So we shall wait and see if I am walking into the church as the mother of the groom with a walking flower pot or not!!! (PS I do like the jacket but was a bit stunned when my dour old farmer husband suggested it).

 

So on that note I will leave you all to have a wonderful weekend!!!!

 



A WELL EARNED BREAK

 

yesterday Greg, Karah and I packed an overnight bag and drove over to Wagga. We all needed a break away from the house and farm - it was 4 months since we brought Naomi home and we hadn't really had a break from here - it was 24 hours away from everything which we all needed. we didn't do anything startling but it was nice to be doing something different at a slow pace.

 

 

We stayed at the Beach caravan Park which is just off the main drag. I always stay here - it very quiet and peaceful and right on the edge of the Murrumbidgee River. There is a beach of sorts which is nice to spend some time on. The photo above is looking across the river on sunset with the sun behind me. There is a lot of refurbishment being done along the beach section and it will be really a really lovely relaxing area when finished. The floods that have occurred on and off over the years have taken their toll and the group formed to refurbish this area are doing a great job.

 

Karah and Greg walking down to the waters edge.

 

The river is quite low currently. Karah is checking out any sticks or shell like things that may be visible in the water - she was hoping to find some muscles or shells but no such luck!!

 

 

This old tree stump is on the edge of the playground at the top of the beach. It is anyone's guess how old this tree was when it was cut down (or fell down and then levelled with a saw). It is huge!

 

We did go shopping - A summer wardrobe at KMart for Karah; checked out the masters store and their range of kitchen and bathroom displays - we have some renovations to do in both houses. And of course we went to Bunnings over there - they have a fabulous garden section and of course we had to buy heaps - vegies mostly. I have been spending a couple of hours each day in our vegie garden which has been sadly neglected over the last 12 months - so we spent a couple of hours this afternoon when we got home planting. We have the first of our summer vegies in - tomatoes, capsicums, onions, carrots, cauliflowers, broccoli, corn and Karah's favourites - Brussell Sprouts.

 

Have great week!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



THIS WEEK...

Hard to believe 1 year has gone by. This little man is the happiest little fellow on this earth. Oliver turned 1 last Friday. Here he is on his birthday with his great nan (my mum).

 

 

Same little boy a few days later having afternoon tea with myself and mum - he has found that 4 teeth are very handy to gnaw his way through a whole biscuit and then spend the next few minutes moving it around his mouth until it is mushy enough to follow - and he pulls faces and smiles at the same time!! Such a clever little fellow!!

 

 

That mouth is chocablock full!!

 

Karah had cooking night earlier in the week - an orange cake for pa-pa. It was very moist and orangey and didn't he get miffed when he came home and found several slices had been eaten - apparently mum and I weren't supposed to have any for afternoon tea - his granddaughter cooked it for him!!

And me - well I have been cooking the usual meals for everyone, spent a few mornings in the vegie garden prepping the beds and containers for new sowings (digging, composting and mulching).  Karah has her own beds ready to go and I will have mine - of course the MOTH will refer to it all as his vegie garden - suppose he does cart the manure and mulch across to the garden!! And he did spray all the weeds for us!

I finished some secret sewing which I will show you when it arrives at it's destination. I have completed 14 pillowslips for our local hospital and made several plastic bag holders for Karah's little market stall - have to transfer the photos to the computer yet.

All from me today - the very best wishes for a wonderful weekend to each and every one of my followers!!!