In a rash moment...

In a rash moment I signed up to do a one day workshop with Sue Daley, queen of Paper-pieicing, at my local quilt shop. I'd love to show you the finished version of the quilt we started, but not sure on the ethics of stealing photos from someone else's blog so if you're interested head here (it's the Faith, Hope and Love one)

A bit of an ambitious start to my life as a hand piecer, I guess, but heck, who can go past a day out with quilters and fabric...

Here are my nearly finished blocks..

A paper-pieced flower..\

And an appliqued hearts block..

Sue did a mini-trunk show of some of her quilts which were divine and inspiring. Not sure I'm about to set out on a 1000 hexagon quilt, but definitely glad that I've now learnt a new skill! Wish I had taken a camera, but that would have required a level of organisation that I just didn't have that morning!

And here's Sunshine Boy's new cast. Now, isn't that a nice shade of blue?


Have a great week!

What a week..

What a week! It has included:-
* A fall off a bunkbed..2 days of wondering..a trip to Accident and Emergency..conclusion - two broken bones in Sunshine Boy's wrist and now one plaster cast.
* Review of my baby's heart condition - one ECG (which needs to be done whilst they are perfectly still..eekk), made possible by a new Thomas the Tank Engine book and then one chest x-ray, made possible by the traditional pin-em-down method.
* a leaking dishwasher - puddles on the floor - now waiting for the repairman so I now have three days OF ACTUALLY HAVING TO HANDWASH MY DISHES....
* and then the usual, rain, piles of washing, fighting children, workaholic husband, and the start of terrible twos for my littlie...*sigh*

But before you start to feel sorry for me, look where I went for the weekend...
"The tanks" Forster


My family have had 48 hours at Forster, staying at my Parents- in-law's unit, across from 'The Tanks". It's such a terrific spot - a little sheltered , near waveless area, courtesy of a big line of rocks. Lots of rockpools to investigate, sandcastles to be made...and if you are lucky you can see whales making their way down the coast. (and if it's cold or rainy there is an indoor heated pool nearby!)

It's a gorgeous spot for young kids..we decided we really must come back for longer next time.
Anyway must get those plates in the sink. Have a great week!
Sheryl
PS. My Parent's-in-law rent out their three bedroom unit, so if you are ever interested, just drop me a line!

A mini finish and a surprise in the mail.

I have finally finished my applique centre for my Sue Ross BOM. I'm pretty happy with how it has turned out, considering it's my first real needle-turn attempt.

And sure, it has bumpy bits and pointy bits when there should have been neat curves..but I don't think it's too bad. So that's block 4 down - 5 to go!!

Yesterday I received a little surprise in the mail. I mentioned a while back that I had won a charm pack from Busy Thimbles blog well, it turned up yesterday. It's lovely soft colours, and I'll have to put my thinking cap on how I could use them.That's the quilter's lament isn't it...so much lovely fabric, so little time! :-)

Have a great week...nearly spring!

The colours of Tuesday...

Blue skys..colourful pegs...


My little man and his blue and yellow truck..


My cyclamen in all it's God given glory. How cool are those leaves?

You know the saying "take time to smell the roses", today I decided to do the visual version,and take time to admire the colours. And today my favourite colour is brown...why brown?..look at these...




Hope you're having a good week...

Quilting?? Nup, no time...

For those of you who stop by to see what I've been up to, I don't have any of these type photos to show you... (The quilt that goes on our bed in summer..)

Life's been too busy making this, wrapping birthday presents and cuddling the birthday boy!
And too busy picking up the subsequent new Lego...and that's not as much fun! :-)
Have a great week!

Jonah..and the what??

A couple of weeks ago it was my turn to teach Sunday School so I made up a craft to go with the bible story of Jonah and the whale.I gave each 5-7 year old a whale to cut out, instructions on how to cut a flap so that you could see Jonah inside the whale, and lots of things to put "around" the whale to finish the underwater scene- seashell foam stickers, glitter, crepe paper for sea weed, etc etc. And then let them go with it.

Well, this is my son's. Sure there is the whale, but what else can we see?


A shark..well, that's fair enough in the sea - definitely classified as ocean life..


Jonah, looking a little unwell and saying "I hate rotten fish" umm..Ok...so I suppose he's getting into the story, right??


And then my gorgeous boy, dressed in a scuba suit, spear fishing!!

(and another little scuba man yelling "shark"..well, actually he's yelling "shak" .. but I',m guessing there were no spell checks in Jonah's time, so we'll go with shark.)
Don't you love a nearly seven year old boy's take on things...and of course not a bit of glitter, fancy stickers or crepe paper in sight! Too "girly' apparently... - my "inner" 7 year old girl gave a big sigh...

A little, useful, something...

My friend Lzilulu makes gorgeous things for littlies, and I recently bought this stylish "Nappy Pouch" off her.

It's designed to conveniently hold several nappies for your nappy bag but I've discovered it's great for an "emergency kit" and it nicely holds, in this one little pouch, a spare nappy, nappy sacks, wipes and a sipper cup. Would probably fit a bandaid or two and some tissues as well, and then all the usual mothering type emergencies would be covered.

And it's still small enough to fit into my usual handbag - yay!

Now if there was space for a hip flask, then it would solve most of my child related emergencies too! ..what do you think Lzilulu??

Monday morning

Want to have a sticky beak at what I've been up to??
(one of our four "ladies", Peep)

I've been making these for breakfast..

Looking at beautiful raindrops..you might have to look carefully!(these little drops all came together to make a bit of a flood!!)

And making a test block for a quilt that has been rumbling around my brain..
I think they are OK - now to make 23 more... but it will have to wait as we need the dining room table (where my sewing machine is set up) for dinner. (revolutionary, isn't it??! Actually using the table for what it was intended!) 3 days of the kids eating at the coffee table was fine, but we have a guest coming and I think it might be rude to ask him to sit cross legged at a 1.5m x 1m table! :-)
Have a good week!