Christmas 2022

 A quiet Christmas this year for our family. We held close the memories of loved ones no longer with us and hugged those around us just a little tighter.  Honor them how you need to and do what feels best for your fragile aching heart.

JUST MAKE A START

Last Saturday I attended a Wreath Making Workshop and while I had no idea what so ever, where or how to start, I'm very pleased with how it came together.

Sometimes all it takes is to just make a start.

Tuffet Time

Back again with some more finished items that I hadn't shared before.  I purchased a Tuffet kit a while back, chose fabrics, changed my mind on the fabrics, and ended up make two covers. So then I've been sourcing all the extra bits to make the 2nd tuffet.  This was the first completed with my 2nd choice of fabrics, goes better in my lounge.

This 3D card was a fun make and yes, I wrote a message on the note in the bottle.

Here is another section of our Exhibition. I had forgotten to take photos of the entryway adorned in a Christmas theme.

Last but not least, this is the 2nd tuffet completed just today, with my first choice of fabrics. This one will go lovely in Mum's lounge....surprise mum!

 A quiet day today with no power for almost 12 hours, luckily back on in time to cook dinner.

This, That and Everything Else

Sigh ... where do I start.  Had a lovely time today, zooming with the Chookshed Stitchers. When asked what I had been up to my replay was "taking a long time to achieve very little".  Honestly, where does the time go?

Once a month I like to attend a card making afternoon, that's when the rains don't arrive on that one day and I get stuck at home.  I did make it in August and just realised I don't have a photo of that card.  The sweet gnomes are from July that I didn't get to but the lovely lady kept a kit for me.  The flower pot were a previous afternoon.

Once again I didn't get round to posting my August 'Churn Dash' blocks so here they are.

And for something different, here are September's blocks and we're only a 1/3 of the way through the month.

Last Tuesday I got to go and mind this little Picaso. We also did a big tidy up in the sandpit, baked a chocolate cake for daddy's (my son) birthday and did the school bus run for big brother.

Our little Patchwork Group of  8 along with local artists, are currently having an exhibition in the local Art Gallery. These are some of the girls quilts ... my flimsies are the 2 folded over coat hangers and the 2 folded over a towel rack. The birdhouse wall hangings were our Christmas gifts to each other in 2020.

So ... tomorrow I'll take a pick of the card I missed and my first tuffet and what I was working on today/tonight.  Do we ever catch up?

 

A New Venture

 

I am excited to announce that I am now a Tupperware Consultant.

To kickstart my business I am having a Launch Party. My lovely Manager Kirsty will be going live on Saturday Night at 8pm with a live demo to showcase the wonderful range and I would love to invite you for a look see.

If you'd like to support me, check out the link to Narelle's Tupperware VIP page for some fun games and prizes to win.  Love to see you there.

Not on FaceBook?  No problem. You are also welcome to browse the catalogue through my personal link HERE.  Please send me an email if there is something I can help you with, or check that I am added as your consultant to shop at your leisure. 

How Did That Happen?

I had no idea it had been so long since I last posted. No excuse for it really, just motoring along in the everyday of life. Some sewing, crafting and time wasters and family.

The sewing:  I've been cutting up stash scrap pieces with the Kaniva templates from 'Little Desert Quilts' and have manage to sew 3 blocks.

My Churn Dash blocks for July were completed early in the month and photographed. Then when cleaning out my gallery on the phone, deleted the pics so had to take new ones. I've placed August blocks out ready to sew.

The crafting:  Once a month I have an afternoon out with a lovely group of ladies and we make a card. Of course with our location and recent rain events, I've had to miss a couple of Saturdays because of the road being flooded.

Time wasters:  Our girl Pippa had a litter of little Pips in June ... now almost 8 weeks old and loving the outdoors.

Family:  We have 2 grandsons for a few days once a fortnight while both Mum and Dad are on shift. So I'm back to school bus runs, lunch boxes and a lot more washing. Lots of hugs and fun too.  We also caught up with a cousin who was home from America. A visit to 'Snakes Down Under', Childers.  Gotta love the Meerkats.

On the weekend we travelled for my nephews wedding ... a beautiful occasion and my mum made and decorated their wedding cake.  The knife with crochet handle in the pic has a family history.  My parents cut their wedding cake 58 years ago in June.  Hubby and I cut our wedding cake as did our daughter and her husband.  My brother and his wife also used the knife and now his son and new wife.

 So now it's just about afternoon smoko time and Grandson M is getting a little impatient that Ma isn't paying attention ... there won't be much sewing this week. 

I'll try not to be so long between posts next time.

Weekend Fun Times

Squeezed a lot into this weekend and had a very enjoyable time with the added bonus of SUNSHINE! Yes ... after a couple of weeks of lovely rain but mostly cloudy, showery, forget about washing days, it was so lovely to have a beautiful sunshine weekend.

My morning started off by zooming up to the craftavan for a catchup with Chooky and friends. I began on my Churn Dash blocks the previous Monday at our patchwork group and continued with those for an hour or so.

Then once the grandsons arrived I had to head for the kitchen and prepare some smoko (chocolate brownies) for my hard working green team. The remainder of Saturday was busy busy.

After a sleepover, the boys and I headed in to the local show on Sunday for some family fun. Grandson J likes to put the pedal to the metal.

Grandson M and I settled for a more sedate ride, or so I thought. Those spinning teacups can catch you unawares. We also bumped our way around the dodgem car track later. Home time, the boys headed of with mum and dad and I made my weary way home for a rest.

Yesterday and today I managed a little more time in the craftavan and am happy to share my first 8 blocks for Chooky's Churn Dash SAL. Funny thing ... I went through my stash choosing fabrics I wasn't really liking ... and now I find them quite pretty.

Now onto those fabrics I had been gathering and cutting in my previous post.

FNWF and a ZOOM Finish

Ms Kitty on the left was already finished and waiting for her friend to join so Ms Kitty on the right had her stitching finished Friday night. Thank you Cheryll for bringing us together once again.

I did have intentions of cutting fabric for my next project ... these 8 were laid out ready.

But I wasn't completely happy with my colour choice so instead I thumbed through some magazines. You know the ones you put aside to make a project and the pile grows but you never find the time to make said project. Then when I revisit the magazine I've changed my mind.

This morning I auditioned a differed colourway using only 4 fabrics ... much happier now :)

ZOOM .... last Sunday Chookyblue held a gathering over zoom and I was able to join in for the afternoon/evening. Always a lovely time sewing and chatting although this time was somewhat quieter as everyone was extra industrious. I was happy to finish hand stitching the binding on one of these table runners and then finished the 2nd one the next day at our little patchwork group.

Cuppa Time!

 

FNWF

 

Cheryll has opened her virtual door for another Friday night with Friends ... I'll be hand embroidering and perhaps cutting fabric ... but not until after I go feed the family ... four legs and two legs  :)

APRIL WRAP - OPAM - 1XMAS

Goodness, end of another month and I actually have more finishes to share.  The first was a table runner top made last year ... but more likely the year before. 

Then in keeping with going through my stash of projects to finish or make, these handtowels turned into kitchen handtowels with a little machine embroidery (I'm just learning) and some sewing. These will be little extra gifts at Christmas.

Next up ... 2 more table centres. The fabric was only purchased last month and didn't even make it to the stash ... bit of a record in that. Tops were quick ... now to finish off.

FNWF Results, OPAM and More

Thread and hoop in hand, I started stitching this fellow Friday night. Slow and steady ... I need better lighting.  Thank you to Cheryll for hosting and friends for keeping company.

FNWF

I've spent some time lately in my sewing room (should read - spare bedroom), going through piles of stuff and trying to sort out some things. I decided it was time to use some fabrics that I'd purchased ??? with certain projects in mind. First up were some pillow cases for the grandsons and niece. Next some sock savers for DDIL with more cut out ready to sew.

OPAM

A UFO runner is next on the list followed by a bag that's been in the waiting for ??? a few years.

I also have 2 .... yes 2! ... finished quilt tops to share.  The first is the Murder Mystery Quilt 2021.

My 2nd top is a very belated quilt for my DD ... pattern and fabrics chosen by her. Now for the quilting.

Mum is coming to visit for a few days and we're off to my local patchwork group tomorrow. Looking forward to catching up with the ladies as I haven't made it in this year.

I'm off for a quick visit myself around some blogs to see what others were doing Friday night.

FNWF

 Finally made it!  Not only did I remember but I have the time and the project ... I think :)

Just have to make a cuppa, grab a snack and find an embroidery thread.  I think I know what I'm going to work on tonight along with all the Friday Night Friends.  Then I'm going to have to come back tomorrow with a big catch up on what I achieved for March.

Happy stitching xx

Zoom, Zoom February

While February rolls over and March is knocking on the door .... Mother Nature is being a b***h!

Where to start? I've been making some more masks as even Grandson J needs some for school.

My 2021 Blog Book arrived in the mail ... I've been having these printed since 2007/2008 but this one was the thinnest.

Murder in the Caribbean is getting close ... here is the layout and I've managed to join a couple of rows. I'm liking this one.

The crochet hook has been in action as I've run out of dish cloths.  This pattern is Waffle and a involves a new stitch for me ... 'Front Post Treble Stitch' ... simple to do after a you tube lesson.

Belvedere the Rustic Reindeer went to live with his new owner just in time for Christmas 2021 and his brother has finally come together and will live here. Grandson M was checking him over and may have had sticky fingers by the spot on it's cheek.

Chookyblue held a Zoom day yesterday to celebrate her 15th year of blogging. I had great plans of joining in for the day ... Thursday/Thursday night in town at Mum's ... come home Friday ... plans for Sunday ... so Saturday WAS going to be MY day ... until Mother Nature threw a tantrum! Hubby phoned Friday morning to say he'd had 10 inches of rain (250mm) overnight and had never seen the creeks run so high. Of course nothing compared to what is still unfolding further south but it stopped me getting home due to the bridge going under water.  I did manage to get home Saturday afternoon ... it took some very careful driving around back roads and finally through our paddocks to get to the house as the road into our place has washed away.

Finally after unpacking I closed my eyes to the rest of the house, set myself up with a headless reindeer, wool and crochet hook, and enjoyed a few hours with lovely ladies from all over.  The quilt I showed was from a local workshop in June 2012 and the pattern was the instructors called 'Ribbon Stars'. Bit of a record for me as the quilt was finished by the end of 2012! Thank you Chooky for hosting and I'm so glad I made it eventually.

Hubby is out checking fences this morning and later I'll head out and help with repairs. Time to grab a snack and a cuppa and hang out the next load of washing.