NJ FINISHED!!

It is done - the Nature's Journey SAL - so pleased to finally have it all together. Not sure if I am going to add an orange 2" border yet. I am very happy with the finished top - in the photo it is pinned to the lounge room curtains - think I might let it spend today there so I can keep looking vat it!!

 

 

Last Saturday we drove to Coonabarabran to take Karah to meet her father and poppy. We left late Friday afternoon and travelled to Forbes, stayed overnight and continued to Coonabarabran on Saturday morning. We had time to fill in when we arrived so we went for a walk and checked out the shopping centre, bought some lunch and then waited at the visitors centre.  Karah amused herself by climbing the tree and keeping watch up the main street for them to come!

 

 

On our walk we followed the signs down an alleyway and met these fellows on the way! Karah gets embarrassed because I strike up conversations with anyone in shops - luckily for her I didn't with these two!!

 

Even found a fabric shop!!

 

 

Back home again by Saturday night, a good nights sleep and I was up and at 'em on Sunday. I picked mum up for the day and Ollie came for the day also. here they are talking to the horses in the front paddock (83yrs and 2yrs) - I don't know who was leading who astray!!

 

That's it for this post. I have also been busy outside in the garden - up until today that is - damned freezing cold wind so it is an inside day - just what I needed to start doing some sorting and tidying up!!



FUN, FRIENDSHHIP AND STITCHING!

Here is my third and final instalment for my weekend away at the Bathurst Blog meet.

There was much work being done all weekend along with the food, laughter and fun!!

Georgina, Dory and Kylie checking out our 'special gift' - Annies specially designed sewing accessory set!

I have no idea what Dory was doing - 'praying' for something maybe! but the other girls are all busy doing their stitching!!

View on the other side of the tables.

And the hand stitchers table!

Jan taking a break and Simone hard at it.

Mixing it and moving around the tables!

Deep in discussion - don't know if the problem was solved or maybe it was an earth shattering discovery - anything can come out of a Bathurst Bloggers meet!!!

Diddles and Chooky having their own little party!!

Tables covered with creative projects

Cheryl hard at it

Dory is up off the floor now and has that machine on flat out!

Lea busy stitching on her Nature's Journey SAL

Now I am home back to the usual 'grind' and missing the laughs and company of all of these lovely ladies. Waiting for next years meet up now!!



SPRING, SWAPS AND PURCHASES

 

I was away for 3 days - and what a difference that 3 days of warm spring weather made to the garden!! Well what has survived through months of neglect that is.

 

 

First iris blooming

 

More blooms on the Stock

 

Wisteria getting ready to burst into flower and my Lilacs are budding up nicely!

 

 

A gift for us all from Annie's HOME PATCH  and we also had the pleasure of the beautiful Annie's company over the 3 days!!

 

My two surprises from the lucky ticket 'Foils' - A beautiful diary and a sweet pattern!!

And now for my purchases - first up the results from my HOME PATCH VISIT

 

Felt and wool patterns - Christmas bauble and wool sewing accessories

 

pincushions - as if I need anymore of those!! Just cannot help myself!!

 

 

A sweet purse and bag pattern (I double dipped here - Annie was coming to spend the afternoon with us so we rang through a few orders for her to bring out to us!!) and some hand dyed will!!

 

And my collection of wool felt pieces grew dramatically - I think there are about 30 pieces in this picture that I bought on the weekend!! All set to use some of the many patterns I have had sitting here for a few years!!

 

 

And from the lovely Sonia at FOREVER ALWAYS ONLINE this beautiful selection of Riley Blake fabrics - very 'Spring'!!

And here is my surprise from the Make, Bake, Fake Swap- from my new friend 'Dale'.

An 'ADULT' colouring book, pencils and a pencil case!! Thank you so much Dale for your gift!

 

I am not a colouring in person more of a doodler BUT my grand daughter Karah (who is 11 - nearly adult in years but certainly adult in maturity!)   thinks she is pretty special at the moment because she has a new colouring book and bonus for me there are some lovely designs I have traced out to use for applique!!! And the pencil case is MINE of course!!

Sooooo..... that is it for the second instalment of my Bathurst Blog Meet wrap up!!!

I will be back with more in a couple of days!!

 

 



BATHURST BLOGGERS MEET

 

I spent the past weekend in with some of the most creative, funny and beautiful people I have had the pleasure of meeting. It was the the weekend of the Bathurst Bloggers Meet and Aussie Bloggers came from all over NSW and even one from Brisbane!!

 

 

 

I left home on Friday morning at 9am this was my view for the next 5 hours!

 

 

If I looked sideways this was my view  - bright yellow Canola crops everywhere.(interspersed with wheat/barley/oats crops). The wet winter is showing in the quality of the crops.

 

 

Make, Bake or Fake Swap presents at the top. And look at all the 'foils'!! Little lucky ticket gifts brought along by those attending!

And onto one of the highlights of the weekend - the Make, Bake or fake Swap!!

Lots of oohing and aahing over during the opening of the swap gifts!

 

 

Here is Suze with her Sewing Folder!

 

Sonia & Janice after opening their awesome presents!

 

Simone & Dory with their surprises.

 

 

Cheryl & Peg with a cute pattern and lovely fabric

 

Dale (had to take a photo of the coat hanger by itself because it was all blury in the first photo!!)

 

Fiona - ecstatic with her hand knitted socks!

 

Sweet Georgina with her surprise!

 

Googy with a her beautiful coat hanger & Jan with a lovely cushion and bag - you will have to excuse the photo bomber (being Kate the self appointed 'official photographer!!)

 

Self appointed official photographer opening her swap present - being a photo bomber earned her the privilege of a screwed up face on my post!! lol

 

Kylie with her sweet bunny pin cushhion

 

Lea with a beautiful heat pack and Julie with fabric and cards!

 

And after all of these photos I realised I haven't taken a photo of my swap present - a job for tomorrow and I will include with the next lot of photos!!!

 

The weekend went way too fast - although I probably couldn't have eaten anymore food or drank anymore coffee, tea or wine - but I could have had a few more days of the wonderful company and belly laughs that filled the weekend.

 

I will be back tomorrow with more photos of a fantastic weekend!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Pincushions, Pincushions and More Pincushions!!!

 

Pincushions Galore!! I am linking up with IDA'S 'PERFECTLY PLEASING PINCUSHION PARADE' - to show off my pincushion collection!

 

 

I made this pincushion for myself about 10 years ago - it was a workshop that the craft group I belonged to ran.

 

This one is one of my favourites - my closest friend of 39 years made it for me about 12 months ago. It is weighted and holds 'oh so many pins' - great beside the sewing machine - can poke the pins in without looking!!

 

This little one took my fancy at a school fete a couple of years ago.

 

I have had this one for nearly 20 years now - it is nice and stable and goes well in the lounge room with the other wood furniture!!

 

One of my little pincushions that lives in one of my sewing baskets and does a bit of travelling.

 

Another special one - a felted ball with butterflies and flower felted in. Another gift from my closest friend - she brought it back from one of her trips to America!

 

This is my own creation and it lives in another sewing basket! I made the felt by hand and then embroidered it.

 

This little handbag I bought for myself - it just took my fancy when in Canberra one visit - plenty of room for lots of pins!!

 

3 Little Cupcakes. Karah my grand daughter made the two on the outside and I made the one in the middle - I will NOT be making anymore - too damn fiddly and time consuming!! Karah had fun making them with her best friend!!

 

Another of my favourites is this one that was a swap gift. A 'Skinny Pinny' - made from flannel and beautifully embroidered - it lives in my big sewing basket and also does a bit of travelling!!

 

And this one was another whimsical buy - a teapot that the lid lifts up and there is room to store your needle thread and little scissors!!

I think that will do for this linky party!!! I have made a lot more pincushions that I have given away and I know there are several more that I use - can't think where they are - probably nesting with one of the many UFO's I have!!!

NOW......... off you go over to My Sister Made Me Do It - Ida's blog and check out the links to some lovely pincushion parades!!