One for a wish..

Procrastination..

2012-03-09T11:03:00.004+11:00

For February the block for our Travelling Circles bee was a Flying Geese Circle block...that's right, paper pieced.

Now I had tried paper-piecing once before with a completely disastrous result, so when I saw this block I just sighed..and put it on top of the piano (my dumping ground for current sewing projects). And every couple of days, I would pull it out, look at it..then quietly put it back in the bag and ignore it again. (To be afraid of material seems a little irrational but it's been a really crap month!)

This continued until I was way late. Now I'm a fairly punctual person and so now I was no longer just afraid of the block, I was letting other people down. It was driving me crazy.

So finally, with some good advice from the lovely blogger at Gone Aussie Quilting(who doesn't know me but who I begged advice from), I set out and made a test quarter block. It went..ok...

Then with a little bit more confidence I finally made my block. Yes, I did a lot of unpicking and yes I made a few mistakes that the other poor quilter will just have to live with (ie not trimming back two seams and noticing it after I had pieced all the quarters!)

But it's done and that's the main thing. Yay! And I'm sure there's a metaphor for life in there somewhere but my brain is too full of school fetes, kid's activities, and work to figure it out.

So have a good week.

The week that was..

2012-03-02T11:57:00.002+11:00

This week I have made/created/assembled....

One rasperry and white chocolate slice. Yes, it is necessary for the cook to sample the dish! (and Jay's stuffed giraffe apparently ate all his, so he had to have two pieces!)

...one basketball hoop (created in the near dark, being eaten by mossies and with no real knowledge about nuts, bolts, stays etc.)

..and 840 tags for the over 800 gifts being created for our school's Mother's Day Stall. First 400 were pretty fun...last 400 +, not so much...

Have a good week!

I've got the blues...

2012-02-23T16:44:00.004+11:00

Life's been too busy, too tiring,too overwhelming to do anything but the basics needed to survive(and keep the children from whinging too much!).

Consequently I have a bad case of the blues.

So I think I will just crawl into my burrow and hide for a while.

Talk to you when life feels a bit more rosy!

Banana Coconut Muffins

2012-02-13T09:56:00.005+11:00

More squishy fruit recipes! I don't know about you, but here at the moment I buy bananas..one moment they are all green, the next they are all heading towards being over-ripe!

So here is a favourite recipe of the moment.

Banana Coconut Muffins
1 (1/4) cups SR flour
2 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup butter, melted (also works well with dairy-free margarine if you're lactose free)
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup dessicated coconut (set 1/4 cup of this aside to use to sprinkle on top)

Set flour, sifted, aside. Mix all the other ingredients with an electric mixer (can do this by hand if you can't be bothered to get out mixer..still works ok!). Fold in flour mixture until just combined and divide between lined muffin tins. Sprinkle with lefover coconut (if I want to make them "fancy" I put that shredded coconut on top instead) Bake for about 25min at 180 degrees Celcius. Especially yummy when eaten warm!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
We've had amazing summer storms here in the last week. I took this picture of the clouds above the house the other day!

I think God was having a particularly artistic moment!
Have a great week!

The eternal quilting optimist...

2012-02-06T10:56:00.004+11:00

In life I am quite the pessimist. I justify this by thinking that by preparing for the worst I am being well prepared for whatever life may throw at me.

In quilting I am the opposite. What I think I can achieve over a day/week and what I can actually fit in, are two very different things!

So last week when I said I would be back with a quilt top 'in a week or so' - that was me being delusional. :-) (and just quietly I thought I could get the quilt top finished, start a Swoon quilt (as I just joined some quilt-along) and thought I could catch up on my Some Kind of Wonderful quilt.) Yep, delusional. I think I might have forgotten that I had four kids, that BAS's are due (tax stuff)and not quite expected the 180mm of rain...

This is what I actually managed to get done this week..

..and so..being a bit more realistic..expect me back with a finished quilt in about oh, 4 weeks or so...

And on a good note, Jay (my youngest) made it to pre-school and managed no 'accidents' and has had a really good week, as far as the toilet training goes. I'm am starting to see a future with no nappies...which will be the first time for about 11 years! I'm looking forward to it..and the added money into the budget!

Hope you have a great week!
PS. A quote for the week - Unless life also gives you sugar and water, it's going to be pretty crap lemonade! :-)

Rainy days..

2012-02-05T19:36:00.004+11:00

A week of lots of rain....

Ps. The winner of the giveaway was Vanessa!

Jelly Roll Block Tutorial - Crosses and Losses

2012-01-31T16:25:00.021+11:00

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I buy jelly rolls just because...and I think maybe it’s because they look pretty, all rolled up like that! But there is only so many you can have lying around the house so I decided to bite the bullet and (shock, horror), actually make something with it!! This jelly roll is Half Moon Modern.

I had seen this antique quilt in an Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine and it gave me an idea. Sorry about the shocking scan of the picture...

So I made up this block and thought I’d share it with you (I figure, since I worked out the dimensions and all...)I'm sure I'm probably reinventing the wheel but just in case it helps someone out there!

CROSSES AND LOSSES TUTORIAL
Take two contrasting jelly roll strips (or any 2 ½ inch strips)

Lay them, right sides together, and cut 8 pairs of 2 ½ inch squares.

With each pair still together, lay your ruler with it’s ¼ inch line laying on the diagonal. Then cut.

Using a ¼ inch foot on your sewing machine sew each of these two pieces together. Press the seam towards the darker side. You should now have 8 half square triangle blocks that measure 2 ½ inches.

From the leftover pieces of your original strips cut (8) 2 ½ inch squares from the light strip and (4) 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch rectangles from the darker strip.
Also choose a colour to be the central square from the rest of your jelly roll strips (don’t worry, there will be enough of the rest of the strip to make another block!)

Laying a half square triangle piece next to one of the 2 ½ inch squares as shown in the picture. Sew these together and press towards the triangle. Take care to have the right edges lined up together!

Sew two of these segments together like so..

Pressing the seam open to reduce bulk.

Sew segments and rectangles together in 3 horizontal rows as shown. Press seams towards the darker colour each time.

Then sew these three rows together.

And here is some I prepared earlier!

Be back later (as in a week or so) to show you how I’ve sewn these together!

2012-01-24T22:56:00.003+11:00

Not much sewing going on around here. It's school holidays so my days consist of constantly feeding children, constantly telling children to pick up their shoes/towels/toys, breaking up fights and keeping up with the laundry (I'm sure they've taken to wearing three sets of clothes a day!)

It's exciting stuff.

I have also had a serious case of the "blahs" but thankfully, due to deadlines,I have made three things.
Two bee blocks..

"Waves"

Dresden plate for Melinda (this is my second attempt. The first turned out teeny compared to everyone elses...why, I wonder??)
..and one birthday cake.

It's supposed to be a dog...the kid's at Boo's party thought it was a koala...No, I'm not bitter at all... :-)
But in case you're wondering they didn't get the piece with the marshmallows and smarties...

This week (and quite a few weeks previous to this one) I have also been desperately trying to toilet train my three year old so that he can start pre-school next week. You would think that after four children I should have some idea, but he has me beaten. I think I have tried it all..bribery, explaining that he can't start pre-school until he can "go", a bit of crankiness and more bribery. No success.

I am worried if he doesn't get it together then he won't get to start pre-school on time, then he will have to start later than the other kids, they will already have made friends, he will be a social pariah and end up being one of those adults who live in a virtual world online as they have no social skills.

ahhh.. the pressure.

116th Post Giveaway!

2012-01-15T13:57:00.005+11:00

Umm, I didn't quite make good my intention to have a giveaway at my 100th blog post..so here I am running a little late. (anyone who knows me will know that that is pretty typical!)

I bought a fat quarter set of Prospect Park by Kitty Yoshida on sale, and whilst I love the blues, greens and greys, it also came with lots of purples. So I'm hoping there is a purple lover who would love to get their hands on these fat quarters. Feel free to just leave me a comment - no need to jump through hoops - maybe just tell me your favourite quilt block!

I will pick a winnner randomly in a week or so...(make sure you leave me a way to be in contact!)Edited to add: someone told me that they were having problems leaving a comment so you can also send me an email at sewingsister2@hotmail.com and I will enter you in the draw!

Until then take time to smell the roses and admire the trees...

(fig tree on my parent's farm)

First finish for 2012.

2012-01-08T17:02:00.005+11:00

Here's the quilt for Abi, my niece, all finished. The binding was sewn on by machine late last night so that it could be handed over this morning as her family were heading back after a holiday at our place.

(I did manage to incorporate the strip I cut from the side - as it was too wide - into the backing)

..and I love the ladybugs...
Quilted by the Jeanette of Gone Aussie Quilting.

It's been a frantically busy week here with my hubby's 40th birthday. The party was thrown together on the week before and I ended up feeding 50 people last Friday night. Luckily we had no rain on the night as I had no idea where everyone was going to fit in our house!

So hoping for a quiet week this week. Hope it's a good one for you!

Christmas gift..

2012-01-01T19:47:00.003+11:00

My Gorgeous Girl gave me this lovely bag (that she made herself!)for Christmas.

The pattern is Amy Butler's Birdie Sling and it's quite big..which is great for me as I'm always lugging half the house with me!

I think she is such a clever duck and I love it!

For Christmas I also got some jewellery from hubby, a banana chair from my brother and other goodies from the kids. A favourite gift was a set of disposable wine glasses from Boo (who's 6) that he bought at the church fete - completely off his own bat with his own money. When his older sister gently said 'but Mum doesn't drink wine', he stated "well, I think she should start!" LOL

Happy New Year! We've had a bit of a traumatic start with the death of three little chickens (out of 6) by a fox, I'm thinking. The older three survived thankfully. They were pets more than anything so the kids are a little devastated. Poor munchkins.

Hope it's not a forecast of the year ahead... ;-)

Have a good week!

Competitions and learning new skills..

2011-12-30T23:08:00.006+11:00

Over at Quokka Quilts there is a Bloggers Choice Fat Quarter Bundle competition. Because it looked like fun and I always wanted to know how to make one of those picture mosaics(which is one of the requirements), I've been playing with fabric pictures from the Fat Quarter Shop site and have put together this bundle.

And in the process I updated my banner too, with all those new skills I had learnt!!

1. JuicyBlossoms-21819-Q-200, 2. Heirloom-JD52-GOLD-200, 3. OohLaLaMM-DC5200-MANG-D-200, 4. Sophie-32505-18-200, 5. PowerPop-PWJM055-AQUA-200, 6. Impressions-PWTY017_ORANG-200, 7. Mimosa-2-YELLOW%20ORANGE-200, 8. HyperrealGarden-HG-8410-200, 9. KaffeFassett-PWGP123-YELLO-200, 10. Modernology-MO-4806-200, 11. Modernology-MO-4809-200, 12. Impressions-PWTY012_GREEN-200, 13. Kona-K001-1064-200, 14. AmyButlerSolids-AB45-SLAT-200, 15. FSDesignerSolids-S46-SAFFRON-200

Ok, back to the jobs I should be doing!

Christmas Wishes

2011-12-26T12:20:00.004+11:00

I am running a bit late (or are incredibly early!)but I hope everyone had a tremendous Christmas. Normally we travel for Christmas but this year we had to stay put because of my husband's work (but thankfully managed no call-outs on the actual day!), so it was a very relaxed day with just the kidlets, hubby and I.

Before Christmas I received these lovely ornaments in the mail...

..from the lovely Claire...

..and from the equally lovely Kay (I actually received two of these..how lucky am I??)

In our online quilting group we participate in a Secret Santa swap (think I've mentioned that before!) and this is the goodies I received..truly spoilt by Alex.

(my favourite flowers are sweetpeas, so especially love the mug)

Lots of handmade goodies - beautiful work by Alex...

(must remember to hide those chocolates.)

So as I sit typing away, I can hear the thumps on the floor of the kids playing their new Wii game, the Boxing Day Test (cricket) playing on the radio and the TV - hubby is cleaning the shed and runs in to see the highlights and I have the washing machine running hot, cleaning clothes from last weeks holiday.Don't you love Christmas Holidays?!

Hope you have a great week!

Secret Santa Gift

2011-12-15T18:37:00.005+11:00

In typical fashion I had left my making of my online quilting groups Secret Santa gift to the last minute. So reaching for a charm pack I received for my birthday I sat down and made this cushion..basically making it up as I went.

12 charm squares for the front..

16 for the back.. and a bit of linen and lace..
My recipient prefers country colours, so I'm hoping she will like it!.

I received three quilts back from the machine quilters today so hopefully I will be back sometime soon to show you them all bound and finished! (but maybe after the Christmas craziness!!)

Hope you're having a good week!

And more ornaments...

2011-12-09T19:41:00.001+11:00

Still more felt flying as I get a few more bits and pieces made.

I found the ribbon in Gorgeous Girl's scrapbooking supplies. What a find!

And a partridge in a pear tree...

2011-12-09T13:21:00.004+11:00

Christmas is rapidly approaching, and as it does my "to-do" list is becoming more urgent. I am in a Christmas ornament swap and so have been playing with my felt and some Theodora Cleave buttons.

So far I have come up with this..

Hopefully it is recognisable as a pear tree??

Anyway it's been fun to have a play after a frantic week of speech days, end of year concerts, visitors and Christmas parties.

Hope you're having a good week..

A new generation quilter...

2011-11-30T10:15:00.003+11:00

My Gorgeous Girl loves to create, so for her birthday I gave her a jelly roll of Summer House.

This is what she has created...

She has made it mainly at the sewing class she goes to at our LQS. Her lovely teacher, Leonie is able to gently nag her into more even seams..unlike her mother!

Glad to have another quilter in the family as someone has to use up all this fabric!!

Have a great week!

November's Block

2011-11-28T09:25:00.004+11:00

As previously mentioned I am in a Quilt Bee called the Travelling Circles Bee. Part of the joy of doing bees is that you learn new techniques and challenge yourself....it's all a learning curve.

Well, the thing I learnt from this month's block is that I am NEVER going to make a whole orange peel quilt.....EVER...

Now, I really try hard for bee blocks. With my own quilts I am sometimes a bit "she'll be right" but I like my bee blocks to be as close to perfect as I can get them.

Well, here is this month's orange peel block...

It goes against the grain to send off a block where the points don't match and there are puckers..but this block was not working for me at all! And I figured if I did too much unpicking then the pieces were going to be distorted and I didn't have any extra fabric to remake it. (as they had all been supplied)

Insert big sigh here.....

But at least it is ticked off the "To- Do" list and now I can move onto the next job (and boy, are there a few!!)

Hope you're having a good week!

Travelling Circle Bee

2011-11-25T18:34:00.003+11:00

October was my month on the Travelling Circles Bee and here are the blocks I have received so far..

Any bright sparks out there got any ideas on setting/sashing?? What colours, what styles? Any suggestions gratefully received... I originally thought I would just join them together, no sashing but with the dotty background, the dots are not going to meet up properly etc..which may drive me dotty!!
Thanks...

Rain, rain, rain

2011-11-25T09:11:00.009+11:00

"Hmmmm..lots of rain out there"

"Anyone for some raisin toast and a bit of telly?"

There's been a LOT of rain in our region over the last couple of days. Poor farmers who should be starting their wheat harvest! Poor teachers who are trying to entertain kids inside who are restless as it's 4th term here in school.Poor mums who have an endless pile of washing (that's me! )

Maybe because of the rain here over the last couple of days we've had a "visitor" come to live in the garage.

The other news in the family is the addition of these three little ladies. Bringing our chicken flock to six!

Hope you have a great week!
(The little NOM's (yep, spelt like that)are from here.)

A quilt for Abi

2011-11-20T12:50:00.003+11:00
I've been working on a quilt for the 2nd new niece that came into this family in the last couple of months.

This one's for Abi...

(Fabric - Sherbert Pips. I used the leftovers to make the bag for Gorgeous Girl)

Born six weeks early, Abi is going really well (and will need to be a tough little tike as she has two rambunctious older brothers!!)

I still need to lay this on a single bed and probably trim a little as it's so huge. Then I'm hoping to use the trimmed pieces in the backing somehow..just need to put my thinking cap on for that one!

Hope you have a good week

Photos from around and about.

2011-11-17T14:31:00.006+11:00
As previously mention..somewhere, ages ago...I went with my Gorgeous Girl on a school excursion to Adelaide in late October. (quite a way away from rural NSW!)

I loved Adelaide. Every block in the CBD seems to have some kind of sculpture, so there's always something new around the corner. There are also some beautiful old buildings. Here is a couple of pictures..

On one afternoon we headed out on the tram to Glenelg to the beach. It was a gorgeous spot.

And in case you're wondering how you keep track of fifteen 11 and 12 year olds - you make them wear their bright red Conference hats. I told them that they looked like a field of mushrooms...

The kids did a great job with their presentation and had a ball going to other delegate's workshops and the dinners at night.

I unfortunately didn't get to any patchwork shops but did have fun wandering through Rundle Mall.

I was glad to get back to "my boys" and sleep in my own bed by the end of the five days though.

And just to skite, I thought I'd show you Gorgeous Girl's hat that she made for the Melbourne Cup fun at school. Made entireley from bits and pieces we had at home, she had great fun with her glue gun!

Hope to be back soon! Have a good week!

Same pattern.Two very different quilts!!

2011-11-05T09:35:00.005+11:00
Here is my quilt, a kit purchased from Honeysuckly Cottage a long time ago.

and here is the same pattern made up in these great, wild fabrics by Julie at the quilt retreat I went to last weekend.
She's added lots of borders to make it larger.
Isn't it amazing how two so very different quilts can come from the same pattern?? Have a great week!

The last two weeks...

2011-11-03T22:39:00.004+11:00
In my last two weeks I have..
1. Travelled to Adelaide, seen the sights, marvelled at the creativity of 11 year olds at their presentation,slept very little due to not being used to city noises any more.
2. Battled a flu
3. Did a week's household tasks in a slap dash fashion in two days.
4. Battled a flu
5. Headed off to my annual quilt weekend. Laughed, sewed, realised my fabric choice was completely wrong (will show photos later), ate too much heavenly slice.
6. Battled the flu
7. Did the paperwork for the BAS (tax)- boy I hate that job.
8. Battled the flu
9. Spent hours surrounded by samples of carpet/vinyl/laminex/tiles as I try to plan colour schemes for my hubby's new work
10. Battled the flu

Hope to be back later to show photos of lots of the above..not the flu bit obviously (and probably not the tax also), but I first must wean myself off various pharmaceutical agents and catch up on a lot of jobs.

Until then have a good week!

Birthday..and other exciting stuff...

2011-10-17T11:48:00.004+11:00
Recently I had a birthday. I turned 37. I was very excited to turn 37 as, for some reason, I thought I was turning 38. This was until my Gorgeous Girl heard me tell Boo I was now 38 and she did the maths for me. So that was a nice surprise and I'm now all mentally prepared to turn 38 next year (unless of course I think I'm turning 39!)

We were on holidays for my birthday, so I nicely came home to lots of packages from the lovely ladies of my online quilting group. Here's a bit of what I was sent.

My lovely friend Mel outdid herself and made me a doorstop (pretty sure it's a Hatched and Patched pattern). How cute is this?..love the button flowers, and the trees on the side, etc etc.

And Gorgeous Girl made me a cushion at her class that she goes to at her local quilt shop..she didn't show me anything until she gave it to me. Just asked if she could ferret through my material and as per usual I said, "Sure! Just don't use any fabric that appears to be in a kit and don't get lost in all that stuff as I'm not coming in to find you!" (it's important to set the ground rules!) Don't you love that she's even quilted it with stars?? (now that I know she can machine quilt, she's got a lot of work to do next holidays!!)

I was also a winner of a giveaway at Narioka. I chose from her shop this gorgeous little dress. I was tempted to squish my boy into it..just because I thought he would look cute, but his father is funny about me doing stuff like that so I will save it for a niece's birthday present.

I really love that fabric!

Have a great week. I'm off to Adelaide with Gorgeous Girl on a school excursion. I'm hoping to lead a bad example and slack off and head off to quilt shops that I've never seen before. Wish me luck!

The costumes continue.....

2011-10-10T09:46:00.004+11:00
Just quietly I am getting a little over costume making but the end is in sight, so I thought I'd show you my version of a Jewel Beetle.

To be worn by a 11 year old boy in Gorgeous Girl's class...isn't he going to be thrilled??!! *grin* Though how you make a beetle costume that looks "blokey" is (and apparently was) beyond me!! (though I doubt the teacher will make him wear the tights that my model chose to wear!)

Have a great week!

One for a wish??

2011-10-09T14:53:00.002+11:00
My blog name is from a childhood poem my dear Mum used to say to us when we sneezed.
One for a wish
Two for a kiss
Three for a letter
Four for something better.

When I announced I was having bub no. 4, the reoccuring comment was 'Are you crazy??!!". There were very, very few comments of "Wow, that's great! You'll love it!" LOL This seemed to be especially as our Boo (no. 3 child) was just about to head off to school and people thought I should be looking forward to "freedom". I was feeling sad that my toddler looking after time was over...

So this poem popped into my head as I was thinking of a blog name, as I found "four was something better".

Bit of a stretch in thought processes, but that's how my brain works!!

Random Photos of Spring

2011-10-08T11:03:00.003+11:00
I love Spring. My poor sad neglected garden manages to ignore my pathetic attempts and put on a show. Here are some photos...

The kids pansies..all named..for some reason...with very pansy kind of names like Yoda, and Obi-wan, Thomas and Portia (??!!)

A Euphorbia (I think) that lives in the pots out the front of our house. Hardy little souls..I like them!!

The climbing rose that ventures from the next door neighbours place. My hubby hates it as it prickles him as he mows...he prunes it severely..it climbs on back..another survivor!!

My favourite picture of all...

Kids at work! Actually Gorgeous Girl has really gotten into being a vegetable grower, which I heartily endorse as it doesn't involve an electronic screen. And hopefully we will have lots of lovely vegies in the summer. So they've been busy filling up a above ground garden bed we've bought..lots of fun in very dirty dirt! And why the pirate hat...one of life's mysteries....

Sophie's quilt finished

2011-10-06T16:46:00.005+11:00

One finished quilt for my new niece Sophie. I put it in my daughter's room and she heavily hinted that it went rather well there, but off it goes in the post. :-) The quilting was done by Bee Creative Quilting.
Don't you love it when you actually get things finished??
Have a great week!

What do you have on your ironing board??

2011-10-01T21:52:00.005+10:00
I have one finished Murray Cod costume! Yay!

My daughter is off to a do a play for other for kids and this is one of the costumes for a play that her class is performing.

It was an absolute shocker to sew..it has craft foam as it's "insides" which wanted to stretch and stick in the sewing machine etc etc. So this view..from a distance, is it's best side. Close up it's full of puckers etc etc.

But I kind of like his cheeky face...

(In case you're wondering how the kid wears it, their face is in the fish's mouth. I would have a munchkin demonstrate but they are all tucked up in bed.)

I'm glad to have one of these costumes ticked off the list. I have to just figure out how to make a frog head now and finish off a Jewel Beetle's legs. (Now there's a sentence I can't imagine I will ever say again!) :-)

Have a great week!

Taking ten...

2011-09-23T08:59:00.005+10:00
Every year a local charity group, The Blue Angels, have a quilt exhibition in a local hall. Its a terrific weekend. They also have a "challenge" associated with it, and this year it was to make a 10" quilt with the theme "10", and it had to include some blue.

Made in a bit of a rush, yesterday afternoon, this was my contribution... Inspired by our recent trip to Hamilton Island,I'm not much of a pictorial quilter, I'm afraid, but it was a bit of fun to have a go.

I was pretty proud of my 3D palm leaves though!

Have a great week!

Finished Bag

2011-09-21T16:06:00.007+10:00
Just back quickly to show you the finished bag I made for Gorgeous Girl's 11th birthday..here she is being a hand model...

Thanks to Lzi and Vanessa's help for solving my ugly stitches problem. They suggested buttons..which definitely looked better and would have looked great if I hadn't waited until 10.00pm the night before to sew them on...realising they were a little too small to cover all the stitches...hmmmm...

And here is the first block I have made for my Travelling Circles Bee. Fabrics all supplied by the wonderful, and very organised, Sarah.

And up close of a favourite circle..

Spiked Wheel Tutorial

2011-09-15T13:35:00.015+10:00

This is the block I have chosen for the Travelling Circle Bee I have joined. I'm not sure of it's traditional name..anyone have any ideas??

Tutorial
So who’s up for some English paper-piecing? For those of you who have tried this technique before please just jump right in and ignore my laborious instructions. I have written them with a beginner in mind.
1. You will need 10 pentagons, ten scraps of fabric and a background square.I used 2 " pentagons purchased from here , four inch scraps and a 15" background fabric square. Cut out the fabric for the pentagons to allow a ¼ inch seam allowance around the edges. This does not have to be super exact; I just do it by eye. Cover the ten paper pentagons with the fabric by using either of these two techniques:-
• Using a Sewline Pen This is my preferred technique, it is super quick and easy but requires the pen.
• Basting the fabric on -

2. After laying out the finished ten pentagons in a circle in a “pleasing arrangement”, start to piece them together.

Begin by taking the thread behind the seam allowance on one pentagon, this leaves the end neatly tucked away.

3. Taking two pentagons, whip stitch the two pieces together, starting with 3 small stitches at the beginning of the seam, and the same when finishing at the other end, to help strengthen those areas. Make sure that as you whip stitch the two pieces together, that you are not sewing the cardboard templates inside.

4. Pick up your next piece and add it onto the first two. Sometimes you can just feed the thread from the previous seam through to the next corner (running behind the seam allowance), rather than cutting it and having to start off again.If doing this remember to do the three tiny stitches at the start of the next seam again
5. When all ten pentagons are together, press really well.

6. Take an 8" plate and use it as a template to cut out the centre of the wheel. You can either use the Sewline pen to attach this onto the backing fabric or do a quick basting thread. (To get it dead centre fold the backing fabric into quarters and iron to form a crease, then do the same with the circle. Then just line up the fold lines!)
7. To attach the pieced circle by machine, gently remove the paper pentagons. You may need to gently peel off the seam allowances from the cardboard.Each time you remove one, give it another bit of a press. This keeps the seam allowances tucked away, as they should be.

8. After removing all the paper templates, lay the pieced circle on top of the centre circle, pin very well and stitch down.

9. To attach the pieced circle, I used a small zigzag in light grey thread, but it really doesn't matter what method you chose.

Alternatively, if you’ve been enjoying hand sewing, then hand appliqué the pieced circle onto the background. For this method, leave the papers inside the pentagons, sew around the outer edge, then sew around the inner edge, taking each paper out as you reach it.
10. Well, done. You’ve finished!

Help!

2011-09-12T14:27:00.009+10:00
A little background...
Each year I like to make my Gorgeous Girl something for her birthday. (see previous efforts here.)She turns 11 on Thursday so late last week I grabbed my left over scraps from a Sherbet Pips quilt I have started and decided to make her a bag. In particular a bag to take to her sewing class that she goes to at our LQS.

Now, I've made a bag all of once before, but I thought, hey, how hard could it be?? and set off without a pattern. I like to think of this fitting into my spontaneous trait..other's may think of it as the poor planning part of my personality!

Everything was going swimmingly - nice little pockets on the outside to hold a ruler...

Pockets on the other side to hold rotary cutter, scissors etc..

and a little pocket inside that some may think looks like it would hold a mobile phone, but since I am an old-fashioned mother who thinks that 11 is too young to have a mobile phone, will be where a packet of tissues could live. (yes that's right, I give my 11 year old a rotary cutter but say no to a mobile phone...the world is full of contradictions, isn't it!! ;-)

Then I came to realise that all of my bag wadding inside this bag was creating a bit of "bulk", and worried how I was going to attach the handles (as I intended to make fabric handles)..sewing through 6 layers was going to be a nightmare. And then I saw these...

They have little punched holes on the handle attachments that makes it easy to sew onto the outside of the bag. No having to attach them through the top seam. Yay! So I happily finished off the bag and then went to sew on the handles. And then I realised..to sew them on with nice red thread meant that on the inside I was going to have very obvious red stitches on the lining! Ahhhh!! I then realised that probably I should have sewn the handles in before sewing the rest of the bag together..doh!

Does anyone have any solutions (besides unpicking the outer and lining layers??)

A quilt for Sophie

2011-09-08T10:30:00.006+10:00
Been a bit missing in action on the blogging front but sometimes I find I need to get off the computer to actually get some sewing done, so that's what I've been doing!Funny that!

As previously mentioned I have had two new nieces born in the last month so have been trying to whip up a few easy quilts for them.

For my niece, Sophie's quilt, I got this pile of Riley Blake's range "Happier" in the blue and green colourways....

but then realised that even though I'm not much a pink girl most little girls are so I got these from my stash (it includes a lot of a Ginger Blossom fat quarter stack)

Then I just cut some 4 1/2 inch squares, sewed them in strips and separated them by pink dot fabric.

Some of the fabrics in the Happier range are so cute but this is my favourite.

So sweet, it could make your teeth ache!

I'm also madly sewing a block for my Travelling Circle bee and then I need to get organised as October is my month!

And somewhere in the next couple of weeks I need to make a Boorolong Frog and Jewel Beetle costume for a play for school. Shouldn't that be fun??!! (sarcasm)

Hope you're having a good week!

Just racing past..

2011-08-22T17:26:00.003+10:00
Just thought I'd show you what was on the ironing board at the moment..waiting for some time to finish it off...

Back soon, have a good week!

Out on our own...

2011-08-15T09:40:00.008+10:00
Leaving behind temperatures of 14 degrees (Celcius that is), Hubby and I headed off to Hamilton Island last week.But the important part of the story is that...we left the kids at home!! (not alone of course, my lovely Mum and Dad came to help)
Whilst Hubby sat insided listening to some radiography lecture, I was left to do this...

..and whilst sitting on the beach I read some great books - including The Help, which I highly recommend. In complete quiet..uninterrupted...sigh...

We went out for a glass bottomed boat ride and was fortunate enough to be out whilst a whale went past..

and then we realised it was a mama whale with her bub!

We also got to see a big turtle and Dory from Finding Nemo..or maybe it was one of her relatives...
And whilst we were away a package arrived for me from Jayne - my swap partner in the Oz Material Girls Christmas in July Swap. Look what she made me!

How cute is that bird applique?

Thanks Jayne..it's great!

And the big news in my family is that I have a new niece, Sophie Elyse. After a bit of a scary start - being medivaced to Brisbane at one day old - it looks like all is fine and she should be home soon. I wish I lived closer to go and breathe in that newborn smell but alas I am too far away. I hope to meet her soon.

Hope you are all having a good week!

The Oz Material Girls Christmas in July Swap

2011-08-04T17:48:00.005+10:00
After exchanging a few emails with my swap partner I learnt that she liked blue and green, was super organised ( a word that I was unfamiliar with, so had to head to the dictionary to define.. :-) and sold gorgeous sewn things through her website This is what I decided to make for her..(no, not the sewing machine, the thing under it!)

Made from a pattern by Bloom. (and once again an item that could do with a good press...sigh...)

Anyone up for a quilt bee?

2011-08-03T20:46:00.004+10:00

I'm about to venture out into the world of online quilting bees for kind of the first time..it's exciting and a little nerve-racking. The one I've joined has the theme, "Circles". Doesn't that sound like fun??
Anyway, they still need 5 members for this bee, so if you're willing to have a go with me, head off to here.
Come on, you know you want to.... (PS. Yes I know that block needs a good press..)

Don't take your eye off the ball..umm cake

2011-08-01T20:53:00.004+10:00

For tonight's dessert I attempted my first ever Swiss Jam Roll..I made the sponge and Gorgeous Girl did the decorating. (she's a whizz with that piping bag!)
However whilst trying to take a decent photo, I wasn't keeping a decent eye on the crowd..

Wandering little fingers..

Obviously needed to erect barricades before attempting amateur food styling... (by the way, it tasted pretty good!)

Christmas?

2011-08-01T09:18:00.004+10:00
One Christmas ornament...

Isn't that button great? Bought from here. Inspiration for ornament from here. Though I must say Ms Low's look a lot more circular...hmmm...
Have a great week!

A dilemma...

2011-07-29T09:39:00.006+10:00
I was feeling pretty proud of myself as I'd actually finished something AND got a fair way along on a quilt I've started. Then I went to take some photos to show you. And realised I didn't have a clean surface in the house on which to place my quilt blocks to take a photo! Luckily my daughter had a cleanish desk, so I used that. How depressing...

Do you ever feel like you're running in a circle???

Either the house and garden looks half decent and I get no time to do the stuff I like to do, and end up feeling like I've lost who I really am, OR, I do some catching up with friends/quilting/reading and the house looks like it's been visited by a hurricaine. Dr Phil and Oprah keep telling me I deserve some "me" time..but does it get to come before keeping the house/paperwork/kids at a certain standard??

Is it possible to find a balance?

Anyway enough raving. Here is my blocks that I've made from the a jelly roll of Prayer Flag. Lots of 16 patch blocks...

And as for the item I have finished? Well it's a part of the TOMG's Christmas in July swap so I'd better show you that a bit later.....
Have a great week..off to find the kitchen benches/computer desk/kitchen table....

A thought for today...

2011-07-24T11:15:00.002+10:00
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit...Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad."

Sorry I've been missing in action - hope to catch up soon.
Hope you're having a good week!

Some things that make me happy...

2011-07-11T14:35:00.008+10:00

(My little boy's apple - I've also been known to make bananas into Bananas in Pyjamas..this is the currently cheaper version..though nothing rhymes with apple...sigh...and he's not going to be excited by a Zuchini in a Bikini....)

1. Going to look for the dishwashing detergent and finding it missing. Doing a search and finding two little boys with bubbles. One the "blower",the other the "burster" - and all still in their pj's as it's school holidays!!

2. Scraps from a secret gift I am making for a Christmas in July Swap. This especially makes me smile as I signed up online, I'm using a charm pack I won online, using a pattern I downloaded online and buttons I was given from my online quilting group. The internet..it's opened up a whole new world!!

3. This fabric from the fabric line Sherbet Pips...just love the girl on a swing...reminds me of me when I was little! This is the fabric I am going to use if the new family baby is actually a new niece!

Hope you're having a happy week! We're off to buy new snails for the recently cleaned fish tank..... If they do a good job keeping the fish tank clean I might buy some for the whole house...

And finally..some sewing

2011-07-04T13:58:00.005+10:00
With my Sister-in-law's due date now looming close, I thought I had better get back to the baby quilt I've been making. I sewed on a couple of borders last Thursday when I went to sewing class.

I thought I would re-use the original border of the panel so I sewed it back on.

It's a bit tricky to see but it's kind of 3-D now (and ignore that string hanging out the top..cut that off as soon as I get off this computer.) It was fiddly to do and I'm not really sure it was worth it, but the theory was that it made it a bit tactile...

The backing fabric should have been some plainish something but I fell in love with this flannel from the Oz Material Girls - so many of the same animals - and it's flannel which might be good since this will be a winter baby.

It's interesting to get to (near) the end of a quilt and consider if it's really worked out. There's a few things I might change about this little quilt, but generally I feel it's a bright cheery thing and suitable for a little person to spit-up/poop on! *smile*

Hope you're having a good week!

Quilt Show

2011-06-29T11:09:00.014+10:00
Well, a week has gone past and so I'm running a little late to tell you about our weekend at the Quilt Show at Darling Harbour but here goes anyway.

We headed off on the Friday and got there in time to check out the Powerhouse Museum (it had an ABBA exhibition...not sure if Gorgeous Girl actually knew who that was!!) and then went for a quick look through Paddy's Markets. Back to the hotel for a wee rest before heading out for dinner and a night time trip on the monorail. Then bright and early we headed off to the Myer's sale - shopped like mad women - then met up with our lovely friends to head into the quilt show. I was luck enough to pick up a free ticket from the Busy Thimbles blog - what a bonus!!

It's great to see all the wonderful creations and check out the latest things in the Crafting World. I admit I get a bit overwhelmed and usually buy very little - well, very little compared to some of the serious shoppers out there!! Here's my purchases:

Some templates to use with Jelly Rolls from Just Patchwork

Some lovely buttons using Japanese fabric from Kimono Girls.I hope to make a broach out of these.

Some Kaffe fat quarters from Fifi's Fabricology (that's a bit of a tongue twister! LOL)

At the quilt show I also got to catch up with some of the lovely ladies from my online quilting group, Patchnchat!

(On a less positive note my poor Gorgeous Girl was being bossed about by some of the women at the show, she got pushed and shoved and one even told her to get out of the way of a stall as 'I deserve to have a look more than you"!! The cheek!! And frankly some of the ladies use their handbags as lethal weapons!!)

After the quilt show we headed out for a slightly crazy dinner at China Town and then went to see Mary Poppins. It was absolutely terrific and I thought the Capitol Theatre was amazing!

We had a lovely time and would have loved to stay longer. Hopefully we'll get to go another year.

Hope you're having a great week!

A Quilting Limerick

2011-06-17T12:25:00.004+10:00

She thought she would like to learn quilting
To fill in some quiet, spare time
But the hobby I did mention
Became an obsession
Taking up every spare space, second, dime.

(My Gorgeous Girl has been writing limericks at school. It is also slightly addictive!)

Fabric - Brooklyn Heights, Kitty Yoshida

Some poetry....

2011-06-17T10:06:00.005+10:00

She started a quilt on Monday
Her stitches were very fine
She forgot to defrost the dinner
So they went out to dine.

(from Tractors and Teapots - a recipe book by M Charlesworth)

I'm a lucky duck

2011-06-09T12:05:00.005+10:00

Yesterday I received in the post this lovely charm pack that I won on Gone Aussie Quilting. It's the new Denyse Schmidt fabric called Picnics and Fairgrounds. I was pretty chuffed to win - putting my "I never win anything" theory to rest! If you haven't checked out the Gone Aussie Quilting blog please do -I love her quilts, especially her use of colour!

And my new charm pack is resting on the new addition to our home. I was at the local tender shed, looking for a wardrobe and came home with a piano!! I figure with four kids, one has to be musical, right??!! (actually, seriously, we were looking for a piano as Sunshine Boy is going to start learning next year). I love that it's old, and just slightly battered. Slightly battered things work better in our house as I'm not good with the stress of trying to keep new things new with four kids! I'm sure with a polish up and a tune it will be great. (I did have it checked out by someone who knew pianos as my piano knowledge is very limited!)And it was a bargain - who sells a decent piano at a tender shed??!!

Oh, and if you are in the market for a huge old four-poster bed with posts the diameter of a pumpkin, and a fully carved wood canopy,do I have the shop for you!!

Hope you're having a good week!

One baby quilt (nearly) finished

2011-06-03T09:37:00.003+10:00
So here's the panel shown in the previous post, sewn back together with a hotchpotch border in between the animals.

I find it interesting to see this quilt with just the first border sewn on. Frankly it's a bit "in-your-eye" at the moment but I think it will all "work" when the next border goes on. Just shows you that you should choose any borders all together and not one at a time. (well, I'm hoping that is what it is going to show you, and not just that my first border was a bad choice!! :-)

The builder is pretty much finished in our 2 story area and my daughter swept up 2 garbage bags of saw dust and shavings from the floor. Glad we don't have the carpet yet!

Hope you're having a great week!

Hoping the dust settles soon!

2011-06-01T22:09:00.000+10:00
Hi there! Just thought I'd quickly check in and let you know I'm still here. I would love to be able to show you some crafty stuff I've been up to but alas there is none to show.

Seven years ago we started on an extension for our home. We really wanted it to match the rest of our 1930's house - in which we had strippped, stained and varnished all the skirting boards, architraves and windows. So we were building this grand extension and then I fell pregnant with bub no.3. I wouldn't say he wasn't a planned pregnancy, but after some difficulties with falling pregnant with no.2, and expecting to have to do all the charts, dates etc for another bub, for us to suddenly have a baby on the way when we had an 7 month old baby was a bit of a shock!And so soon I was 8 months pregnant, with a half finished extension (and not much money left), living in a unit and I suddenly decided I needed to get back into MY house. So we moved back in, naively thinking we would finish our building off as we lived in it.Yep, delusional. Three kids under 4 and extensions to finish...as if that was ever going to work!

Six years passed and we lived with no skirting boards, no picture rails, no architraves (and no doors!)

About 18 months ago we finally got all the timber necessary and started the long process of staining and varnishing.

Then in the last week we were speaking to a builder who, fortuitously for us, had a job fall through and was availabe now! Eeeekkk! Suddenly furniture needed to be removed, rooms were re-painted, kids found other places to sleep. And the dust...oh the dust is everywhere!!

But the end is in sight..I hope...

But on a quilty note, I bought this panel..and some matching fabric...

..to make a quilt for a new niece or nephew that is arriving soon.

If I was smart I would have left well enough alone and just put borders around it. But I'm never one to take the easy route (apparently), so I've cut it up and now I am trying to sew it back together into a reasonable looking baby quilt.

I'll let you know how it goes!
Have a great week!

Giveaway

2011-05-18T17:56:00.002+10:00
Check out this new giveaway at Just a Bit Frayed ...

Wouldn't it be nice to win some of those bits of loveliness! (in particular numbers 22,23,25,26 and 30!)

But I'm typing this very quietly, thus increasing my chances of winning (insert a , just slightly, evil laugh here....)

Have a great week!

Boo's Quilt

2011-05-03T12:33:00.001+10:00
So...doesn't time fly when you're running around like a chook with it's head cut off?? Weeks pass and there seems very little to show for it, besides more washing and ironing! sigh...

Anyway, I once mentioned my other son's quilt so with the thought of chooks in my mind (what a great segway!) here is Boo's Farm Quilt. I am a member of an online quilting group and a couple of years ago we made row-by-row quilts. For those not in the know, that is when a person makes one row, then passes it on to each of the group, who join a row they make, turn by turn, and it returns with many rows - pretty much just needing borders and quilting!

So here it is...

Here is a close up of row's 1 -3. Pumpkins made by yours truly, Tractors by the lovely Sue F, Sheep by Toni.

And here is rows 4-6.

Barn by Jane, Piglets made by me (but from a pattern by Anni Downs) and Dogs by Jewells.

I wish I could take some decent pictures of the quilting that Jo, from Rosella Quilting, did for me but the good camera is out of action. The kids love it as in the quilting is hiding roosters, ponies, pumpkins, sheep, wheat etc etc..

And I just thought I'd pass on this great website called Wordle that my Gorgeous Girl came home with from school. You just type in some words and it makes art that includes all the words on your list - great fun! Can imagine making one that includes all about your family and sticking it on the family room wall...

Have a great week!

Anything tickle your fancy lately??

2011-04-23T12:40:00.005+10:00

(a random feather that flew across our back cement)

The kids have been playing handball on the back cement to fill in the school holidays. Obviously the stakes have been raised as no longer do you get sent to "dunce" you get sent to....

I think it might be time to get back to school and back to learning some spelling...

Have a great week...

Squishy Fruit Recipe 2 - Banana Bread

2011-04-12T09:07:00.004+10:00

Ingredients
2 tabs butter/margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2-3 ripe bananas - mashed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp bicarb
1 1/2 cup SR flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mashed banana. Mix the milk and bicarb soda in a separate bowl. Add the milk/soda mixture alternatively with the flour. (ie. a bit of the milk, then a bit of the flour, stirring in between.)

If you prefer not to have 'chunks' of banana, then you can stick a mixmaster through the mixture to make it more smooth.

Cook in loaf pan for 40-50min in moderate oven.

Hint - if you suddenly find yourself with 10 bananas all over-ripe at the same time, stick some in the freezer. You can freeze them peeled or unpeeled. (the peel goes black but the inside fruit is fine!)

Random Quilt Story

2011-04-05T12:30:00.003+10:00
There's been no crafting, quilting or creativity around here this week at all. There's been a gastro bug, irritable children and an absent husband. Also impending visitors and deadlines.

Fun week, all in all! (yep sarcasm...that's the lows I've stooped to!)

So as I've nothing new to show you I thought I'd show you a quilt that spends it's life on our guest bed.

It began as blocks I had made at a sampler quilt class. I struggled through templates, hand applique etc etc and when I finished the blocks I played around with setting, hit a mental block and stuffed them, frustratedly, in the cupboard.Several years passed and I happened to mention them on my online quilt group - offerring to give them away to anyone who would take them so I long as I wouldn't have to see them again. (along with the blocks when metres of bottle green material for the sashing...what was I thinking!!??)

Well the lovely Caz said she would have them..and I never thought of them again. However, she got them together - changed one of the blocks that wasn't "working"-got it quilted, then bound it and sent it back to me!! Out of the goodness of her heart. A complete surprise. What a friend!!

And I love it. The blocks that I hated ended up looking pretty good together, I think.

Some quilts are quilts, and that's all. And some quilts are quilt's that give you a warm fuzzy feeling every time you see them, and this is one of those. How great is that??!

Have a great week!

A series of "Squishy Fruit" Recipes...

2011-03-25T23:37:00.003+11:00
I hate waste. Maybe it is because I was raised by a mother, who in turn was raised by a mother who lived through the Depression and did it tough. Or maybe it's the adding up of the fruit and vege bills, trying to feed four children with healthy foods. Or maybe it's because I need the money for fabric,anyway, whatever the reason, I have a whole pile of recipes that use up "squishy fruit". You know, the kind of fruit that lives in the fruit bowl, untouched as it's no longer in it's prime.Or the kind of fruit that has travelled to school, remained uneaten, and then travelled home again...to live in the fruit bowl, until it's demise. Or the type of fruit that's been used as a bowling ball as the kids couldn't find the actual one that went with the plastic ten-pin bowling set..

Anyway, you get the idea...

So the first recipe is...

APPLE RAISIN CAKE

Ingredients
1 and 3/4 Apples peeled and diced ( the recipe says Granny Smith, I use whatever)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teas baking soda
1 teas cinnamon
1/2 teas nutmeg
1/2 teas mixed spice
125 g margarine (my boys are lactose free and this works well with Nuttlex)
1 egg
1/2 cup sticky raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Put diced apples in bowl, cover with sugar.Add margarine and eggs, mix. (It may look a little like the margarine isn't mixing in too well. Don't worry, it will work out fine when the flour is added.) Then add spices and raisins (and walnuts, if using). Sift baking soda and flour together. Add to mixture. Cook in square pan (20cm x 20cm) for approx 35-40 min at 180 degree C. It's cooked when it's golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.

This cake is good warm, with custard and icecream, as a dessert. It also lasts well...if it survives that long. To make it look a little nicer, add a dusting of icing sugar...

Have a great week!

A lovely day out...

2011-03-21T09:03:00.007+11:00
Once again this year I went to...

That's right..Girls Day In the Country!(too bad for any of the male crafters out there!!)Run by the lovely Kerry from Cottage on the Hill and our tutor for the day was the wonderful Anni of Hatched and Patched.
The two projects we had to choose from were a wallhanging..

And a woollen purse..

Mine ended up a little less random than Anni's sample - wish I could have done it like that, but I'm not much good at random! :-)

It was a great day, catching up with fellow quilters- especially the lovely Lzi, who promised us all she would do a blog post soon...

Have a great week...all the best!

Missing in action...

2011-03-09T10:01:00.004+11:00
Sorry, haven't been back to post for what seems like a long time! It's been another busy time - getting back into the swing of school, several lots of visitors,etc etc. And I've been operating at an 'exhausted' level so not much crafting going on...thus not much to blog about!

So just a quick post as I remembered I once mentioned showing you my Sunshine Boy's quilt (and I'll be back with Boo's soon). Here it is..

Made at a retreat at Cottage on the Hill it's a Thimbleberries pattern which came together really easily!

And I've been looking for a portable craft- as I sit next to swimming lessons, cricket games etc, so I bought these the other day

I am going to attempt to knit socks! Wish me luck as my knitting skills are a little hit and miss!

And just to share a kidlets story. I woke this morning to find leaves strewn through the living room...leading all the way from one side to another. It's never pleasant to wake up to chaos and I muttered at Boo "What did you think you were up too??". He replied, "Making you a fairy path, Mum"...as if it was the most normal thing in the world. I smiled...as I handed him the dustpan....

Hope you're having a good week!

Blackberry and Apple Crumble

2011-02-16T11:19:00.005+11:00
Just thought I'd jot down a favourite recipe of mine (given me to by my friend, K)..in it's two versions. The first is the "I went shopping and bought all the ingredients" version and the second is the "My husband has bought visitors home for dinner without telling me and now I need to be serving up something more than icecream and ice-magic" version!

Version 1 - Apple and Berry Crumble
7 fresh green apples cored and chopped
1 cup of berries (I use mainly blackberries as we pick them fresh from a friend's farm)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teas grated lemon rind
2 teas of lemon juice

Topping
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of plain flour
150g butter
1 teas cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180C. Mix apples, berries, sugar and lemon in bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a large ovenproof dish. To make topping, add all the ingredients and mix to combine- or use fingers if that's easier! Spoon the mixture all over the fruit and pat down. Bake for 50 min or until the topping is golden or apple is soft. I often put a baking tray on the top shelf with the Crumble on the bottom shelf, so that the top doesn't get too burnt, for the last 20 min or so.

Serve with custard and icecream!

Version 2
1 large can of tinned apples.
1 cup of frozen blackberries or raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 teas of lemon juice (normally have some frozen in freezer)

Topping - same as above

Method - same as above but cook for 25-30min (as apple is already soft)

Hope you're having a good week. Mine has been TOO busy..and throw in a vomiting child AND a vomiting cat (what the?) and life has been chaos. Here's to better things next week!

A little sewing, a little self-analysis and some gorgeousness!

2011-02-04T12:00:00.009+11:00
Hi..it's been a while since I've been able to post due to some "issues" (and that's me being polite) with our internet service. It's still unresolved but my hubby was worried that I might switch my addiction from the Net to something else ..alcohol, ice etc, so he has got me a Pre-paid Broadband stick thingo (that's the technical term)to tide me over.

The three oldest kidlets went back to school this week so I actually managed to do some sewing for the first time in about 8 weeks. At sewing class I managed to get the last of these blocks done and sewn together.

It's looking a little "busy" so I might have to put some serious thought into borders. Like usual, I have bought the borders before I started the quilt - always worried that I won't be able to find border fabric by the time I get the centre done - and as per usual what I thought would look good probably won't suit. Why do I do that continuously, I wonder??? (that's a rhetorical question...friends, please do not answer! :-))(And why, when I make that smiley face with the colon, dash and end bracket AND then close a bracket, do I always think that I am giving my smiley face a double chin??)

It's made by using a groovy ruler called a Twister. Firstly you sew the layer cake together and then, using the Twister, cut out the blocks from the sewn pieces and resew them again. I know I have made that clear as mud but try this link and it will all make sense! Promise!

And you may remember this - a terrific collaboration by members of the crafting community to raise funds after the Queensland Floods

From Ink and Spindle's auction I bought this lovely quilt kit...I love it!!

They also, very kindly, threw in some of their card packs...lucky me!

Well, I know this post isn't very well formatted but it's the best I can do with my limited time. So have a great week!

Some time near the river...

2011-01-20T09:23:00.005+11:00

We took the family for a couple of days at a river just an hour away from our home. It was lovely to get away from the hustle and bustle and just enjoy spending time playing in the river. (thankfully,whilst the river was a bit "up", there were no floods like a lot of eastern Australia!)
(Boo heading down the rocks on his boogie board..don't worry, there's a grown up ready to catch him at the other side!)
And whilst I took along some craft things I made nothing.. whilst the kids made this...

(though in that photo there are two of my creations having a bit of a snuggle..)

Hope you're having a great week!

Trying to find ways to help?

2011-01-11T22:15:00.002+11:00
Just thought I'd post this in case it is something you would like to support. The devastation of the floods in Queensland has been both breathtaking and heartbreaking.So this would be a small way to help...

Thanks

The highs and lows of Christmas...

2011-01-01T20:34:00.006+11:00
The highs...
* Getting to catch up with a large portion of both our families and to be amazed at how big our nephews and nieces have grown.
* Seeing the excitement of our kid's faces as Christmas arrives.
* Safe travel
* Having a cool Christmas day where a roast lunch actually seemed appropriate! And especially having one not cooked by me!
* Knowing I was getting exactly what I wanted for Christmas (as I bought it for myself and gave it to my husband to give it to me *smile*)
* 3 whole sunny days at the beach

The lows...
* Having our youngest vomiting on Christmas morn..as in 1am..dealing with the drama of it all, especially in another persons house (what is the etiquette for leaving spewy sheets in another persons laundry, even if it is 2am??)..then realising there is a good chance that the other kidlets will be awake in 4 hours...
* The rain, and rain, and rain (now, I like rain but it was getting ridiculous)Apologies to those who are actually dealing with real issues with the floods, not just a bit of irritation with restless children!
* Realising your husband has forgotten to bring the present that you bought for him to give to you... Note to self, wrap it, write on card and put it in car next time.
* Giving Gorgeous Girl Lego that I bought on ebay..to find it was missing quite a few pieces, even though it was supposed to be new and unopened!

And the highs again..
* Having no other kids come down with the gastro bug.
* Getting to buy a new food processor due to the guilt my husband felt after forgetting the previously mentioned present.. Believe me, it's a ripper... *smile* and it's red...
* Being given this wonderful gift from my girl. Last year Gorgeous Girl had a teacher with whom she just "clicked". They had great fun doing extra craft projects together, and this is one of them. Look at all that intricate beading!

Well, here's to 2011! Hope it's a wonderful year for all!

Another handmade ornament..

2010-12-22T13:50:00.005+11:00

As mentioned before, I was in an ornament swap with some friends and so I received my other ornament yesterday. It's this really cute Christmas tree, which my baby has taken quite a shine too - I keep finding his Thomas the Tank Engine using it as a roundabout! I must put it up higher so he can't touch! :-)

I also had a late night up making this cushion as a part of a Secret Santa gift. I hope the recipient likes it!

I can't believe that Christmas is 3 days away. The lead up to Christmas this year has been so hectic and chaotic that I really haven't got into the Christmas spirit. It's a shame as I usually love Christmas. Next year hubby and I have already decided that we are staying put..no 8 hours drive with 4 kids, no trying to figure out how to get certain gifts 800kms away, no trying to fit in with other family member's traditions. Just us, our kids, our space....sounds like heaven!!

We will see if it actually manages to happen! *smile*

Anyway I hope you all have a great Christmas and start to 2011. See you in the new year!

That Cute Owl

2010-12-19T22:14:00.003+11:00
Here's the link for the tutorial for the owl ornament in the last blog entry.
Find it here.So have fun!!

Christmas Ornament Swaps

2010-12-18T20:15:00.005+11:00
I'm sorry I've been missing in action lately. The lead up to this Christmas has been very busy and the to-do list is still a mile long...sigh...
But enough of my whinging, I just wanted to drop in and show you some lovely ornaments I received in the mail. Firstly this gorgeous little owl from my friend Kay (who unfortunately is still waiting for one to arrive from me. Promise it will go in the mail Monday!)
And this lovely little stocking from Sue..

And my friend Vanessa sent me this great link for a pattern for this ornament, so I thought I would give it a go.It's super easy and could be embellished in so many different ways.
Well, I hope you're having a good week. I better get off this 'puter and go and clean up from a 40th birthday party that we had here today. It's days like this I could do with two dishwashers!

My favourite Christmas decoration..

2010-12-07T10:02:00.003+11:00
We have started to get organised and have put up the Christmas tree and spread a few Christmas Decorations around. I love nativity sets and here is my favourite..

It's a Little People set and I love that I can set it up on the TV cabinet and the kids can play with it to their heart's content. None of this "don't touch" business!

And I also love the giggles it gives me when I go past and find Baby Jesus on the roof, riding the camel or going past in the back of a Tonka Truck. In the busyness of Christmas a bit of a laugh goes a long way! Hope you're preparations are going well and that you're getting the chance to stop and remember the importance of that first Christmas!

2010-12-07T09:50:00.006+11:00
The day before swimming lessons began Sunshine Boy reminded me that he needed a swimming bag (and went on to remind me that his sister had a proper one and that a Coles Green Bag wasn't going to cut it..) so off I went to find some fabric suitable for a 7 year old boy for a bag..I dislike skulls and crossbones and he dislikes "baby stuff" , so it was going to be a tough compromise. So when I found this fabric, I thought it must have been my lucky day..

Cute fishy type fabric..but luckily they are PIRANHAS..so sufficiently unbabyish for the boy... And so we ended up with this...

Now, I'm not a woman to curse much (except for at people who don't know round-a-bout rules!) but sewing with this clear vinyl plastic stuff made me say a few choice words. Such a simple pattern for a bag, but do you think I could get it to sew?? So off I went to the local sewing shop and the lovely lady there sold me a Teflon foot, which made a world of difference (and thus increased the price of making this bag by about $30..LOL!)

So now I'm off to make myself a beach bag in time for the Christmas Holiday. Do you know how impossible it is to find a bag that fits six beach towels?? My bag is going to have mermaids..... :-)
Have a great week!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..shame it's only November!!

2010-11-29T13:25:00.006+11:00
First things first. Looks like the Christmas kits excited everyone else as much as they excited me... *smile*, so I will send of the Elf Bag to Melinda and the Wallhanging to Jewells!

Here's a couple of photos of Christmassy things happening around here.

Our church had a gingerbread house night, so Gorgeous Girl and I went along. Here's my house..

..with a cute little "wood pile" out the back (and in case you're wondering those are "mushrooms" that have fallen over..probably helped by little boy fingers)

And some stitching...

And I whipped up a quick project with this fabric last week..I'll show a photo next time!

Christmas Giveaway..Part 2

2010-11-17T11:01:00.003+11:00

Yep, here's another one. It's a kit for a wallhanging by Country Cupboard Designs. It includes all fabric needed plus rusty bells.

So if you would like it..you know the drill.. leave a comment,etc etc

Have a great week!

Christmas Giveaway ..part 1

2010-11-17T10:57:00.002+11:00

Hi all!
Just cleaning out the cupboards and found a couple of kits that I have had stashed in there since I participated in a Christmas Kit-of-the-Month a couple of years ago.

Thought it might be nice for these to go to a home where they might actually be made! LOL!

So the first giveaway is for a Christmas Bag Kit. It has all the fabric needed, plus threads and rusty bells.

Please leave a comment and I'll put the names in the hat and I will do the draw in a week or so.

(PS. I might have a few more of these kits to giveaway, so might be worth checking in later!)

A mystery...

2010-11-11T10:59:00.003+11:00
Mess on the kitchen benches, smell of banana cake in the oven, wonder what's been happening in my kitchen....
Umm...spilt flour on the floor (*sigh*), with a little clue left behind of the culprit...

Don't think we'll have to call in Scotland Yard for this one.. :-)Now where's that vacuum cleaner..

The story of a quilt...

2010-11-04T19:48:00.006+11:00
When my gorgeous girl was little I participated in a "Brown Paper Bag Quilt Swap". For those not in the know, this is where you get a paper bag, put in some instructions and it is passed around the group of quilters and one by one they make you a block and put it in the bag. Of course, meanwhile you are making a block for all of them!

For my quilt I asked the group to make a any 12" block, using some of the fabric I supplied. I chose something with pretty blues and pinks as I wanted to end up with something "pretty" for my Gorgeous Girl's room.

And this is the quilt I ended up with...

It went nicely with her pale blue room and her butterfly wall stickers.

Then, four years laters my girl turned 8 and I was 8 months pregnant with no.4. I was huge and my favourite position was on the couch and definitely not out in the 40 degree heat. Because we are in the midst of renovations that have never got any further in 6 years, I asked my hubby to go and buy our girl a new rug (as she has no carpet in our room...it's on the "to-do" list). My only requirement was that "it should fit in with the colours of her room". So off they set....and this is what they returned with...
Hmmm..not quite the "pretty" rug in pale blues and pinks I had envisioned. And so my first thought was 'we'll take it back". (Actually my first thought was, 'why did I trust my husband who has no interior decorating skills'....but it was closely followed by thoughts of returning it.)

And then I looked at my girl. Boy, did she love this rug..and was so proud that she had picked it out herself... And I realised that she wasn't four anymore and probably should get some say in what her room looked like.

So what's a mother to do??

I gathered up some fabrics..and then I had the baby!

Thankfully, my nice parents-in-law took our oldest three to their place when the baby came home so that we could settle in and get into some routine. But because I had this wonderful little bub, who was a reasonable sleeper, I spent the time sewing (probably should have been sorting out the cupboards, but hey!?)and made this quilt for my Gorgeous Girl...

It's a free pattern from Crazy Mom quilts blog and I think it turned out Ok..especially since I did all that stippling myself!

And it all still goes with her butterfly wall stickers so I feel like somewhere in there is my little girl still...

..for a while longer, anyway...sigh...

Anyway, have a great week!

A weekend away..

2010-11-01T10:34:00.006+11:00
This weekend I went with a good friend on our annual pilgrammage to Armidale for a quilting retreat. It is such a great time - we do a lot of sewing (of course!) and a lot of eating, talking and laughing. (who would believe that Quilt Charades could be such an amusing game??!!) One of my favourite parts of the weekend is to see what everyone else is working on - to be inspired by the ladies who have been quilting "forever' and who are doing quilts I wouldn't dare start. ie Celtic Knots, all hand quilted, medallion quilts where the precision needed for each new border to fit just gives me the shakes and beautiful dolls with the quaintest of faces.

Of course I forgot the camera, so you will just have to insert your own mental images here!! LOL

I made a bag from Janelle Winds "Pieces of Me". It's one I have been meaning to make for ages.

For my version I used Momo's Wonderland and some linen and came up with this...

And dug through the stash and found this for the lining..

..no losing the keys in the dark interior, hey?! :-)
I also started another quilt that I will have to show you another day as I'm about to be late to see my boy dance at school- will be interesting to see if he's inherited his father's sense of rhythm...cough..cough...
Have a great week!

A moment of whimsy??

2010-10-20T13:17:00.004+11:00
Do you think God was having a moment of whimsy when he designed these flowers.......?

I think they are absolutely amazing with those tendrils at the edges, the middle with it's purple spots and it's little propeller on the front...

I don't have much exciting news, although I am off on a quilting weekend in 10 days or so...my yearly get-away with a great friend, on which we sew, eat and laugh. I'm looking forward to it immensely but am spending at lot of time wondering what I should take. So much stuff in my sewing cupboard!!
Anyway, hope you're having a good week!

Tomato Relish Recipe

2010-10-13T09:18:00.004+11:00
Sorry, there's not been a lot of spare time around here lately to blog! But just in case you have spare time..and some rapidly squishying (is that a word??) tomatoes, here's my Mum's famous Tomato Relish Recipe.

Tomato Relish Recipe

1.5 kgs (peeled and sliced)
500g onion- chopped
1/4 cup of salt
300 ml white vinegar
500g white sugar (or bit less is probably better)
2 tabs cornflour
1 tabs curry powder
1/2 teas ground pepper
1/2 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas ground ginger

Add tomatoes and onions together in big boiler. Sprinkle salt on top, so that it leaves a salt layer. Leave overnight. In the morning drain off all liquid and add sugar and 250ml of the vinegar (leaving 50ml until later). Boil until tender, usually 20-30min. Using the remaining vinegar, mix together with cornflour, curry powder and spices, until you have a smooth paste.
Add to the mixture and boil for another 15min.
Bottle and enjoy!

(contributed to the Caroona Cook Book (circa 1960?)by Mrs A Aitchison, Lismore)

In our family it's traditional to throw a tablespoon of this stuff in with the good old Dolmio jar to make a quick Spaghetti Bolognaise. (but we've been known to be a little strange...... hmmm......)

Have a great week!

I love spring....

2010-09-28T18:39:00.003+10:00
I love spring..my garden, which unfortunately lives it's life very neglected, in spring looks half-decent, just through the magic of self-renewing bulbs and my three climbing roses over the front fence. My favourite is my Banksia Rose - it is a wild, Day of the Triffids kind of thing, but it blooms for my girl's and my birthdays each year. She loves it as the blossoms are like miniature bouquets in each blossom

And so often I have a little 'bouquet' of flowers that someone has presented me... usually the vase is whatever someone has laid their hands on...empty jam jar, egg cup,empty yoghurt container. Better than a dozen cut red roses any day!
Have a great week!

One lucky duck...

2010-09-27T18:54:00.006+10:00
Recently I had a birthday. I am now on the downhill track to 40 - I am often tempted to tell people I am in my late 40's, as then I would look good for my age! :-)
I belong to a lovely group of online quilters, who, amongst other things, have a secret sister birthday swap. Well, I received a wonderful package in the mail, which contained...
These wonderful fat quarters, two pincushions and a Singer tin (I've always wanted one of those!)
A lovely bag, with a cute stitchery on the front! This is going to get an outing to my sewing class soon..
AND this gorgeous necklace..how funky is this??
AND this gorgeous bracelet. I am so in love with those red polka-dots!

I feel so lucky to be a part of this great group. Thanks secret sister!! (I actually know who it is, as I do the draw, but will keep it a secret to keep others in the dark! LOL)

So, I'm feeling very blessed. Hope you're also having a good week!

Didn't anyone ask for more frogs??

2010-09-18T23:15:00.006+10:00
Are you over the frogs??? Frog PJ's, frog cupcakes and now a frog cake for Gorgeous Girl's birthday party tomorrow. I must confess I bought the frogs and all I had to do was stick them on the cake (and make a few reeds)

And we have lots of froggie things for the party bags. (and for my daily rant - when did party bags become a "must have" at birthday parties?? I have had kids , two minutes after getting in the door, ask, "When do I get my party bag?"!! And also, when did pass-the-parcels have to have a "surprise" for every child at the party? - in my day, there was one surprise in the middle...anyway enough of that..just thought I'd share my deep thoughts for the day! :-))
And, assuming you are sick of frogs, here is a local native who has returned now the weather is starting to warm up. Nice to have him keeping down the insects in our garden but must say, he does give me a little scare every time I see just his head dart thru the grass! (this is a blue tongue lizard, for the non- Aussies - so called, obviously, for his bright blue tongue. Sorry, no picture of said tongue, as he wouldn't poke it out on demand!) Hope you're having a good day!

More frogs...

2010-09-14T22:58:00.002+10:00
So you spot one frog...

..and before you know it, you turn around and they're everywhere!! LOL..

(cupcakes for Gorgeous Girl to take into her class tomorrow..oh, and some extras for friends who aren't in her class..and an extra for the teacher and the teachers aide...oh, and can there be one for the school librarian??... it was at this point that her mother said enough, as there are over 500 kids at her school and I had visions of cooking all night!)

10 years??

2010-09-10T22:09:00.007+10:00
My baby girl turns 10 next week! (Wow, ten years of parenting...does that mean I'm due for long service leave?)
My girl loves frogs, so when I saw some cute frog fabric on sale, I decided to make her some Pyjama Pants for her birthday. Sadly, even though I like to sew, I rarely actually do any of it for my kids...to the point Gorgeous Girl has been walking around with a hole in her school sports pants for 6 months. When she was little I didn't have time to sew for her (3 kids under 4!)and now she is 'too old' for cute little dresses apparently!..*sigh*
Anyway, back to the PJ's...here are the pants...

For a top I grabbed a $5 T-shirt from K-Mart. I did debate making a shirt out of the same fabric, but I thought that might be a bit of frog overload...or maybe, frog plague?
I then chose a favourite frog...... Using Heat and Bond I then added it to an oval background, and then ironed it onto the shirt, sewing it on using clear monofilament thread. (using stabiliser on the back)
And this is the finished product. I cut them out the night before and they took less than 2 hours to sew up.... so it would have been a quick project if I hadn't taken 3 hours to choose the fabric for the cuff on the bottom (tough decision, fabric all over the floor, unhelpful suggestions from non-sewing husband...you know what I mean...)

It was nice to do a "quick' project. I seem to be in the midst of several big quilts at the moment, and the end is a long way off, so it's very nice to have a finish.

Just hope my girl likes them!

Have a great week!

In a rash moment...

2010-08-31T22:14:00.008+10:00
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..

2010-08-29T22:35:00.007+10:00
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.

2010-08-19T13:51:00.008+10:00
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...

2010-08-17T21:56:00.010+10:00

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...

2010-08-10T09:35:00.005+10:00
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??

2010-08-06T13:32:00.000+10:00
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...

2010-08-04T14:28:00.009+10:00

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

2010-08-02T10:25:00.007+10:00
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!

2010-07-28T21:56:00.004+10:00
The weekend..full of glorious sunshine..

And what do you do when the rain comes??

Find a cosy spot...like my friend Louie... (previously known as Lucy , after the other famous redhead, until an embarassing discussion with the vet..)

Or pull out these flannels and get working(in case you're wondering I'm still contemplating those 1930's blocks..)
Hope you're enjoying your day..whatever you're up to!

Time for a happy dance!

2010-07-21T17:41:00.005+10:00
Firstly, I finally found those blocks I had been looking for that are the beginnings of my nieces quilt.
I vaguely remember putting these away as they were a bit fiddly..they don't look fiddly but that's my memory! And I vaguely remember that I had to make a few more , well I have 16 and here's the pattern.. It really seems like I need to make a lot more!

My second reason for a happy dance is that I won a book from Janelle Wind! It arrived today and it's a gorgeous book, filled with lots of lovelies. I'm looking forward to sitting down tonight and having a good look through this when the munchkins are asleep.

Hope you're having a good week too!

Time to finally finish...

2010-07-19T14:36:00.007+10:00
I have been thinking, in the midst of doing the laundry, making food and chasing children, that I really must get to and finish the quilt I started for my niece a couple of years ago.

My poor nieces - neither have ever received a quilt, even though there was one started for both of them - whilst all my nephews (bar the latest little one) have received theirs.

Here are the 'nephew quilts"..sorry that the photos are a little dodgy..it's hard to take a photo and yell at kids to stand still at the same time...and most of these are from when my lot were a lot littler.

This is B's - been thinking I need to make him another as he's 8 now and a bit old for eyespy's I'm guessing!

This is Sam's..I madly sewed those applique rockets whilst waiting to hear if he was going to be OK. He was born with cystic fibrosis which resulted in a blocked bowel before he was even born and had a rocky start to life. Making this let me feel like I was actually doing something for him, as being 7 hours away, I couldn't physically do anything to help. It's a pattern from The Red Boot Quilt Company I'm not sure if Toni still sells this pattern but I'm guessing if you wrote her a really nice email...

And this is A's.. more eyespys..had to use up those fabrics!

Looking back on these it looks like I go for bright fabrics for boy quilts, but I'll have to show you my boy's quilts sometime..much more subdued countryish colours.

Now off to find those long-forgotten blocks, for my niece..must be buried here somewhere...

Giveaway winner!

2010-07-13T17:04:00.002+10:00
Just quickly drew the winner (out of Gorgeous Girl's rainbow beanie of all things..nothing like a bit of improvisation) and the winner is Alexandra!
Will pop it in the post ASAP!!
Happy stitching!

It's July Holidays..

2010-07-11T19:36:00.006+10:00
and, there's little time to sew. Too busy enjoying some winter sunshine...

And too busy enjoying spending some time with these munchkins....

Four kids, four glowsticks, hours of fun....

Giveaway!

2010-07-06T19:03:00.002+10:00

Whilst sorting through some things I came across this kit for the Christmas doily on this pattern. It's called Sweet Christmas Dreams from Leanne's House Patterns. It comes with fabric, ric rac and two DMC threads to get you started.

It's a nice kit, but realistically I'm never going to get around to making it, so if you would like it, just leave me a comment and I will draw a winner about this time next week.
Have a great week!

A bit of creativity..

2010-07-06T17:47:00.005+10:00
At least someone is getting some creative time in this household!! Gorgeous Girl and her buddy, Miss C, spent a rainy morning raiding the fabric cupboard(s)and with a little encouragement, completed these little cushions.

Pretty great, hey?!

My daughter was then inspired to keep foraging in the cupboard (lucky she didn't get lost!) and came out with lots of blue charm squares.
So she laid them out...

Sewed the squares into lines and nearly got the centre finished.
Her favourite print is the little blue fish and coral print.

A pincushion...

2010-07-05T00:28:00.001+10:00

This is the pincushion I recently finished. If I was a good blogger I would tell you about where I found the tutorial online - but it was so long ago, I'm afraid I'm not sure! It is one BIG pincushion...in the following photo it is next to one of my treadle sewing machines...

Sure is going to hold some pins, isn't it?? :-)
And when I say 'one' of my treadle sewing machines, I only have two. One is the one that I received as a lovely surprise from my hubby and kids for Mother's Day many moons ago. Another is one that I 'accidentally' bought on ebay - I was watching an auction and thought that it was going for too cheap..so I put in a bid on it..to help out the seller..yes, I know that doesn't make sense and it's easier for all if I don't try to explain it! Well, of course I won it..then we had to try and figure out how to get it back from Sydney!
So picture this, two small kids, a pregnant woman, one patient husband, an antique sewing machine,assorted kid paraphenalia and all the luggage in one station wagon. I have this feeling I was nearly in the lotus position as lots of our 'stuff' had to be under my feet (the only space left), but do you think I dared to complain once... :-)
So I have two beautiful Bebarfald Bluebird sewing machines, that are currently tucked away, never opened. Too many little sticky destructive fingers at the moment!

Brrrrr....

2010-06-30T09:41:00.000+10:00

Minus five this morning!! Too cold for this little black duck...

Colour makes me happy...

2010-06-28T13:39:00.000+10:00

My new cushions on my new red couch!(the couch came home with my hubby as a complete surprise...) The cushions were a bit of a surprise for both of us as I went to Spotlight for a tablecloth.... :-)

My gorgeous girl's hyacinth sprouting out of it's glass jar...aren't those tentacle type roots amazing...and just a wee bit creepy?? Oh and there's some glorious wool in the background- it was bought to be a scarf but I don't knit well and I just like the look of it piled up there!

And some gorgeous blue and green colours (oh, and pink)of the fabrical type..yep I know that's not a word, but it should be!
Hope you're enjoying the colours in your day!