Time Flies

First it rains so much that the creeks flood and I can't get to work. Then the last few days have been soooooooo hot. Meanwhile time has flown so fast, I can't believe almost two months of 2008 have gone by.

Hubby and I got home late this afternoon from an 800km round trip in 36 hours, taking daughter back to Uni. She didn't really need us there, being the independant young woman that she is, so I guess it was me who needed to be there. And it was nice to get away even if only for the weekend. Now I have a zillion jobs around the house to do tomorrow so sewing once again gets put on the back burner.

I have managed to baste the 4 and 9 patch floral and will be machine quilting it on Friday when I get to our patchwork day. I keep thinking that I will be able to get into a routine shortly, but now I'm beginning to wonder if my routine is having no routine at all.

Pictures At Last

OK, so I don't really know what's going on but pretty sure it's something to do with my computer and blocking pop-ups. I've found a way around it for now but am thinking it's time my computer went to the doctor or atleast to someone who knows what they're doing.

So here are those before and after photos of our pruning that I had promised, which seems ages ago.

The way the rain has been falling, it will be no time at all and we'll have to prune again.

I've also been told that you need to have the right environment to have green frogs around. Well we must have the perfect environment because the frogs live like royalty around here.

This fellow has made his home between the sugar bowl and milk jug and hides behind a bottle of omega 3 capsules. At night he comes out and dines on moths and climbs back into his hidy whole by morning. My nephew thinks it's heaven when he comes to visit as he just loves frogs.

Yesterday when I put my rainproof coat on, I discovered a green resident in one of the sleeves. I'm not sure who got the bigger fright but I'll be looking more carefully in the future.

Need Help Adding Images

HELP! I'm hoping there is someone who can help me out with a problem I'm having adding images to my blogs. When I click on the 'Add Image' icon, nothing is happening. I'm afraid I only know enough to get myself into trouble with these things. Obviously I've done something to disable this feature and now I can't find how to undo it. Of course there is always the excuse that my computer did it.

I'm tempted to just start a whole new blog and not mess about with the settings next time but if someone can give me a helping hand, I'd like to sort it out.

On the news front, patchwork has been almost non existant in this household. I did get the border on the 4 and 9 patch and purchased the wadding for it. Now to sandwich, baste and get quilting.

We've had quite an eventful weekend so far. Yesterday it was time to milk the new milking cow. Her calf is now old enough for us to share her with. Her name is Barbie and with a little persuasion, she finally stood in the bale and allowed hubby to milk her. Luckily she has a lovely quiet nature.

On a sad note, we had an accident with a couple of young dogs being out of the kennel at the same time as the chickens were out. Ella the brown silky hen wasn't so lucky so now we are one less hen in the henhouse.

On a happy note, this morning another of our dogs had started to whelp. We are at present on the count of three newborn pups. That's life on a farm.

Gardening Time

Over the long weekend I allowed some pruning to be done in the garden. It's amazing just how much things can grow in twelve months, expecially after the lovely wet summer we've been having. Several ute loads later we can once again look over the garden and I've also found a couple of plants that had disappeared into the overgrowth.

I seem to be having a bit of trouble loading photos so the before and after pics will have to wait.

This past weekend I was able to weed the rose bed and tidy a couple of spots that were missed last weekend.

I completely forgot to include my chicken news in previous blogs. My little white hen 'Snow' has been sitting on a couple of eggs. She now has the sweetest little cream coloured chicken under her wings. I don't think the other egg was fertile as she has now cast it out from the nest.

I have had good intentions of getting the border on the 4 and 9 patch quilt today but seem to be dragging my boots. Just haven't had the urge to sew, so I keep doing other jobs and sewing a strip now and then. I will have the top complete before going to bed tonight as I want to get some wadding tomorrow in town and get it sandwiched and basted before next patchwork day.
I have a recipient in mind and will need it finished by mid March so fingers crossed.

Pay It Forward

I've signed up to Pay It Forward on Caity's blog, and now I pass it on.

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I can't say what that gift will be yet as planning it is half the fun, and you may not receive it in a flash... but I promise you it will arrive!

The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

I await your comments.

As I haven't had a photo to show for a while, here is my first shirt I made in a workshop. More shirts are on my wish list but they have to wait their turn like every other idea.

So Much To Do; So Little Time

Ain't it the truth. As the time speeds round to start of work again, I have so many things to get done and no drive to do much at all. The weather remains damp which is excellent but I need my dose of sunshine to regenerate.

Thanks to a visit from a good friend, I have started machine quilting on my rainbow quilt. She came down for the day and brought her sewing machine so we both got a lot of sewing done as well as plenty of chatting.

I've also been at the bookwork playing catch up and have a big day in town coming up where I plan to fit in some patchwork shopping in between appointments. Then it's back into the swing of things for another year.

Hopefully I'll get some more sewing done over the weekend as now that I've started quilting, I'm keen to try a few new things. Also while browsing a patchwork magazine today I read a tip on saving thread when sewing so I'll be giving that a try out. Better do some more bookwork too. It's hard to find a balance sometimes.

Works In Progress

A work in progress sounds more promising than an unfinished object or item don't you think. I think so, and to keep myself on task, maybe, I've decided to add a WIP list on my side bar. Here I can keep track of the projects that are waiting to finished and there's less chance of them being forgotten about.



Of course this list will more than likely grow as I have a tendancy to start new things rather than finish off. I have to be in the right mind frame to get something completed. Perhaps my list will be sort of like a deadline without the pressure. We'll see.

Using Up Squares

I've been using the rainy weather as a good excuse to stay indoors and more precisely in the sewing room. Using up some 2.5" and 3.5" squares, I made up some 4 patch and 9 patch blocks and have alternated them with 6.5" squares. How fantastic was it to go to my containers of neatly cut squares and simply start sorting colour combinations.

All I need to do now is choose a fabric for a border and binding and this will be my first quilt top for 2008. Not necessarily the first quilt finished in 2008 because I am still progressing slowly with a couple of WIP.

Yesterday I basted a small sampler using a technique posted by Wanda as I've been having some trouble with fabric movement. It's looking more secure already. The sampler is for some machine quilting practice, can't wait. Thing is today is a nice sunny day and the grass is growing so much it means the mowers are coming out so sewing will have to wait.

A Tidy Start

A Happy and Healthy New Year to you all.

2008 has had a very windy start with the low off the east coast. I'm afraid I don't cope well in windy weather and can get quite cranky. So to ward off the grumps, I have kept myself busy in the sewing room. Pressing and cutting my way through my box of fabric bits and pieces until I now have tidy piles of squares and strips in various sizes. I also have a couple of ideas now on paper as to the use of atleast half and can't wait to get started.

Our New Year celebrations were very quiet. Everyone else in the family was too tired from work to stay up with me so we all just went to bed with the idea of getting up again at 11.30 ready to watch the fireworks on TV. Except when time came we were much too comfortable in our beds listening to the wind and rain outside. We did here the roar at midnight from the tavern down the road and some neighbours cheering in the New Year so our thoughts were in it.

Now the low has moved on and left us with hot sticky storm weather. We had a storm last night, another today about noon and it's building up for another one.

Maybe I'll get a start on those scrappy quilts tomorrow.

Last One For 2007

My last post for the year, wow. When I started blogging I set myself the target of blogging once a week and I've come pretty close. I'm continually adding to my list of blogs to view and regularly stare in wonder at the beautiful works pictured.

No sewing here since before Christmas but I have been busy in the sewing room. I've set myself up with a 34cm TV in front of the ironing board and am pleased to say that all my ironing is caught up. I've also been busy ironing fabric scraps and cutting them into various size squares and strips. My containers a filling fast and I still have a way to go. Now I have all these ideas of how to use the squares and strips in small quilts but I'm trying to finish other projects before beginning new ones. Cameron helped me to hang my two narrow jungle wall hangings as well.

I've also measured a wall space for a shelving unit of some sort. My intention is to purchase a number of clear storage boxes and eventually find a home for all sorts, bits and pieces, this and that etc where they can live on the shelf in nice tidy rows. Of course this is probably going to be a long term project but I'm OK with that as long as it keeps progressing.

My picture this week is of dear ol' Santa. He was made a few years ago at craft group and I'm happy to say that he was finished in time to be hung for that Christmas. Santa is done by hand in stem stitch and the piecing and quilting is all machine. Now each year he comes out of storage and hangs about for the festive season.

I'm in need of a small wall hanging to take his place throughout the rest of the year. I'll just add that to my 'to do' list.

Wishing all a healthy and happy 08 filled with family, friends and fabric.