Merry Christmas to All

With a good serving of rain please.  Days are rolling into the next as we hold on through this drought. Family keeps us strong with help from the younger generation...making time for the fun things too.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas with loved ones and dear friends.

Baby News!

So excited to announce the arrival of our newest grandson ... 2nd child for DD and SIL.

Flynn Robert

7lb 8oz  (3140g)

November  07, 2019

7.49pm

All are well and big brother P is loving his little brother ... at least 99% of the time.

All sewing has been put on hold while I visited with them for a couple of weeks. Now I'm home it's on with the drought.  Back in the saddle and feeding livestock daily. Lucky to receive 35mm of rain a fortnight ago which put some water back in the fast drying dams, before that we were also carting water daily.

I did actually manage a quick sew when Flynn arrived ... a new pair of boots for a little cowboy.

FNWLovelyF

Thank you dear friends for your support ... blogland is my escape where the bobbin never runs out and points always meet.

Thank you Cheryll for hosting this monthly evening, bringing friends together to foster creativity and inspiration.

My fabric farm has welcomed 6 fury and feathery friends ... ready for the machine applique.

Off to pick up Grandson J soon for a sleepover so the sewing has been packed away for now.

OPAM, FNWF and Farming

Start of a new month and I forgot to share my last finished project for October.



A toaster cover for a large 4 slice toaster for a very patient friend ... I won't mention how long ago I had promised her ... lucky the toaster is still going.

Driving around the paddocks taking feed for the cows, it dawned on me that today is not only a Friday but the first Friday of the month. So tonight I'll be working on a different farm ... one I am in full control of ... a new Little Maccas Farm for a new little bundle that is arriving very very soon.

As for our real life farm, things are going from bad to worse with no feed and dams only having a few weeks of water left.  Anyway, I'm not going to dwell on what I can't control, it's too depressing. Back to my sewing machine I go. I'm going to enjoy my Friday Night With Friends.

An October Finish

I've been working somewhat slowly on these jolly fellows ... one each month ... and now ...

My complete set of cutlery pockets.  One fellow wanted to show off his cutlery skills  ... ready for Christmas Lunch.

End of the Road Trip

Yes, this particular road trip has come to the end.  It's been lovely stitching on these sweet postcards of an evening and I am ever so glad that I kept joining blocks along the way. I was able to join the last 2 blocks that same evening but the light had gone to be able to take a photo. Then a couple of busy days and I've only just managed to take a photo of the completed top.

"Romancing the Road Trip" by Leanne's House

Off to the wardrobe to hang out with the other flimsy tops ... one day to be quilted.

Road Trip Update

Hot off the press is the second October block, the first block was finished last week.

Now on to join these to their cousins...thankfully I've been joining blocks as I went so a finished top is only a few seams away.  I'm trying to get a few projects wrapped up by the end of October in between a crazy diary.

FNSI Result

Sequence and bead play ... Santa's now have there hats adorned ... thanks Wendy and friends.

September Stitchings and FNSI

Once again goals have been met and this month a little early ... not sure how I managed that but I've been pushing through each evening. Days are filled with off-farm work or the never ending farm work made ever more urgent thanks to Mother Nature and her drought, dust and dry winds.

To change things up a little, I've decided to work a little on each of the 3 remaining Santa Cutlery Keeps, each month. For September my merry band of 3 have had their fronts stitched together.

'Romancing the Road Trip' is coming along nicely with 4 postcards for this month stitched and the blocks sewn.  Only 4 postcards to go for October and I will have a finished top ... woohoo!

Some clothing sewing happened ... another maternity top for DD. Visiting with them next week (school holidays) to help get the house organised as bub's arrival date nears.

Looking back I don't think I shared a sewing machine cover I whipped up in the June/July school holidays.

Still haven't even made a start on baby quilts but I have almost sorted the fabrics required ... anyhow must dash ... lots on today's "to do" list.  Oh just realised, tonight is FNSI ... so in the middle of typing, I've jumped over to HERE and signed up.

August Wrap

With just 2.5 hours until August rolls over to September .... and Winter warms into Spring .... my second monthly goal is met.

A Quick Catch-Up

Thought I should pop in before another month has passed and give a quick update to my absences. Nothing more than just busy busy with everyday stuff ... working on the land and working off-farm doesn't leave a lot of time for crafting but I squeeze in what I can.

I have 3 main objectives for each month.  The first is a mystery quilt I have been working on with a new block each month.  The second is my 1 Xmas Item A Month ... 3 Santa's finished with 3 to go ... that will take me to the end of this year and next year I plan to work on my Cottage Christmas Garden.

The third is stitching 4 postcards each month for "Romancing the Roadtrip".  After this month I'll have 8 cards or 2 months left ... I'm very happy with how this one is turning out.

Back in early May I had the very unfortunate luck of losing control of my car in loose gravel ... the same road I drive at least 3 times a week and have done so for the last 13 years. Thankful I was being watched over as the car left the road, rolled and narrowly missed a large tree. Shaken and bruised, I was able to exit the car to then walk 3km (40 minutes) before I could get phone reception to call for help. Then began the running around trying to replace the vehicle as it was written off.

Visiting with family is always uplifting, even if it's farm work related.

Good news to share ... we're expecting 2 more grandchildren.  DD is due November and DIL is due January. So of course I have begun gathering fabrics for another "Little ???'s Farm" quilt and also a "Mother Goose Nursery" quilt.  We had a lovely visit with DD and family in late June and spent last Saturday with DS and family at a campdraft where both our son and grandson won prizes in their events.

Some sewing for DD and I have material for another that I need to get finished quick smart.

Time to go do some ironing of the mundane type ... uniforms for work.

I hope that however crazy hectic your days seem, you can find a moment to squeeze in some craft.

Here For August FNWF

Better late than never ... I haven't been anywhere ... just haven't been in blogland while the everyday stuff has taken over. 

SO ...

It's head down and ... sew!  You thought I was going to say something else. I have 3 small sewing related goals for each month and these jolly guys are on my list. One each month ... I made a start.

Thank you Cheryll for a lovely night ... it's nice to join in again.

May OPAM and Postcards

As the days keep flying past ... keep moving forward one stitch at a time.

May goals have been met with 4 Christmas decorations for 1 Xmas Item A Month and OPAM ...

4 more postcards for Romancing the Road Trip ...

June is already looking crazy so as a famous fish once said, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming" ... or stitching.

FNWF Stitching

Very happy with my progress last night ... this is the 3rd postcard for April.

Then I noticed I haven't posted my March postcards on here.

Friday nights are a great motivation to keep up ... thank you Cheryll.

FNWF Already!

I'm not sure there is only one 1st Friday night in a month because they seem to be coming around so quickly.  Be quick and click over HERE to join the merriment of stitching with friends tonight.

April Post and OPAM

Gotta have a post for April .... school holidays means ramping up the work on our property, fencing, mustering, grandson J visiting. Add getting sick for a week, throw in our local show on Easter weekend. Then back to work at school. Phew!

Squeezed in a couple small things ...

Decorated Tie for show

1st place

Homemade Keto Chocolates

for Easter

April postcards #1, #2

Santa Cutlery Holder

For 1 Xmas Item A Month
and OPAM

May has quite a few days marked on the calendar already ... just go with the flow ...

March Mania and OPAM

OK, so who stole March?  Not much to share on the sewing front, I've just been stitching away at a couple of monthly goals ...

I'm behind of course but March blocks #1 and #2 are close.

A lovely day of sewing with beautiful ladies and we also enjoyed a delicious lunch at our local 'Federal Inn' for my birthday. Then there was the 'take your own birthday cake' at work so I baked a carrot cake and because I've been following a healthy eating plan since Feb 1, I didn't even have a piece ... go me!  Of course there were other occasions to indulge in a treat or 2 so I didn't really miss out.

Drought persists so there is the regular checking cattle, putting feed out and checking waters. Fortunate to have received a few good downpours with recent storms to replenish drinking waters and put a green tinge around for now so some relief ... hope it continues.

OPAM time and I have 4 small makes to share ... 2 are still waiting for some green or gold thread to hang but another goal met.

Kris and Peg have been the most beautiful hosts for several years of OPAM. Last year I was super lucky to be the recipient of the final draw for 2018 and couldn't believe my eyes when I unwrapped this gorgeous quilt from Peg ... oh what a feeling of joy!

Heartfelt thank yous to both lovely ladies. Wishing Peg all the best as 2019 brings new memories and another thanks to Kris for continuing OPAM into 2019 ... and for the push I need to keep on sewing on when my sanity needs calming.

February OPAM

Just a couple of small finishes this month for OPAM.  2 little Christmas ornaments for 1 Xmas Item A Month :

My 3rd small dog coat finished off and delivered.

Running behind already with my stitcheries for the No Fuss Stitchalong ... here are my January blocks.

February has been super busy with relief days at work between working on the property, a sewing day with dear friends. March is ready to kick off with bang too ... stitching when I can.