Monday Catch-up

It's a public holiday here today so I get to stay home from work ... I have so many 'little jobs' that I'd like to tidy up today but first things first. This scarf began it's life about June 2010 and I found it last week while looking for something else. Just need to bury some ends and it's ready for use and just in time as the weather has turned quite chilly .... brrrrrr!

Yesterday I noticed these 2 babies getting brave. Mum and Dad continually fly by and call for them to 'leave the nest' ... so far this is as far as they go and up on the board behind them. Number 3 is still hiding safe inside.

Through the week I posted off these 3 little parcels to USA as part of the Postage Stamp Charm Swap and I have 2 more to send tomorrow. Then I wait until my new 2" charm squares arrive in my mailbox and start playing with them.

Lastly I'd like to share a few photos I took last Sunday. After a wet Saturday and overcast Sunday I took the opportunity to get out of the house and took the camera for a walk ... joined by my girls for company.

Can you see the 2 kookaburras sitting in the tree branches?

Happy Monday

Moving the Goal Posts

I find my calendar is filling up fast with the day to day  and 'must do' stuff and it's not leaving much time for my favourite past time of sewing. So if I keep my sewing goals small I still feel like I've achieved something crafty and it looks good to cross projects off as done each month.

 

For those items that aren't achieved, I just move the goal post to the end of the next month ... no stress! There's plenty of stress from other areas, I don't need to add it to my sewing time :)

 

APRIL

BISS BOM ~ work on border

TTS ~ next block

1 Xmas Item ~ finish Candle Mat (March)

1 Xmas Item ~ Felt Bell (April)

Quilt hexagon table topper

Pin Cushion

 

Time ran out for the pin cushion but I was able to substitute another one as an entry for our show. The last bundle of BISS Bom fabric still waits patiently for me to start cutting.  I'll be attending a workshop in June to make a quilt so I need to pull out some fabrics for that and get all the cutting part done ready to sew, sew, sew ... looking forward to that weekend.

 

 

BISS BOM ~ I'll get there eventually :)

TTS ~ Chilly Penguin

1 Xmas Item ~ Knitted Wash Cloth

Work on a UFO

Cut Fabric ready for workshop

Label my hexie Table Topper

Finish current UFO Scarf

May you achieve all or atleast most of your desired goals.

 

Soup's On and Sewing

The chicken soup was lovely and I have a few single serves frozen ready for work lunches. Today I have some pea and ham soup in the slow cooker ... some for tonight and again I'll freeze some ready for lunches.

I enjoyed the dvd "It's Complicated" while knitting and with some more knitting last night my scarf has grown to almost half size (approx 15") ... I'm slow and steady :)

After lunch today I managed to sew the sashings to Aprils TTS block. Finally I got to use the 4th and my favourite fabric for this project ... the red with gold edged leaves.

I hope your weekend has been productive or relaxing as you wished.

Rainy Afternoon

How to spend an afternoon on a cold and rainy day?

Chicken Soup in the slow cooker ....  watching a dvd  ... and working on a knitting UFO that I found on Tuesday.

Hope you have lovely plans for your weekend.

A Northern Hemisphere 25th

While it's already the 26th here in Oz I'm pretty sure it's still the 25th for our elves in the north so here's my One Xmas Item for the month of April.

Alison Terry designed Rose Bell

I look forward to hanging this sweetie somewhere special for Christmas.

Time to put on my comfy travelling shoes (slippers ... the days are getting chilly) and skip around blogland to see all the lovely Christmas items everyone has created this month. Hopefully you're starting to get a few things put away ready for a stress free Christmas ... if you haven't been able to make a start yet then perhaps May will be your month ... it's never too late :)

While I was out in the garden photographing my Rose Bell I noticed another rosebud nearby.

Don't forget to stop and smell the roses :)

(Ok, so where has that 'Publish' button gone again?  ... oh I see it)

Lest We Forget

UFO No More

Friday was a great day for finishes. I also put the final stitch in my hexagon table topper that I started making hexies for in 2010 and looked like this in February 2011.

Now here it is all completed and it won a First Place in our local show yesterday :)

Backing

Of course as soon as I put something down for photographing, the inspectors move in to do their job. I think there might have been a little tention over who had first go.

Another finish on Friday was my 1 Xmas Item for April but I'll share that one on the 25th.

Still Here and With a Finish!

Being back at work this year has severely cramped my sewing and blogging time.  Add a lack of inspriration with being busy around the house and paddocks and March/April has seen little sewing achieved. I have however squeezed a few stitches here and there and finally have a finish to share.

The story of my candle mat is in a previous post and I've slowly been adding rows of 1/2" hexies. I then quilted a base and stitched the hexie top down to complete the mat.

Only 20 days late but I can now say I finished my 1 Xmas Item for March.  I've also made a start on April's item ... how is everyone else progressing?

Progress and An Award

Next row of hexigons complete ... now I have 30 to make and attach for the next round which will most likely be the last round.

Last week I was awarded the "Liebster Blog Award" by Bev at Kainga Happenings. I love visiting Bev's blog for her beautiful work and her gorgeous garden. Thanks Bev :)

Liebster is German for 'favourite' and this award is given to blogs with 200 or less followers. My part in this is to pass the award onto 5 blogs and let them know they've been given an award. Here are my five but please don't stop there ... check out all the wonderful '1 Xmas Item' bloggers and my list of blogs I like to follow.

Anne from Snail Patches
Beth from Highland Hen
Bec from Living Simply
Marina from Maisie and the Boys
Carol from The Patch Craft

The other requirement is to tell you 5 things about myself .... hmmmmm?

1.  My cat Jayne is sitting beside as I type and every so often places her paw on my leg with a claw out to say 'hey, I'd like some attention please'.

2.  My other cat Fleur is sunning herself at the other end of the room.

3.  I can't start my day without a coffee.

4.  I have perfected the art of 'procrastination' and 'last minute finishes'.

5.  I am a choco-holic.

I won't be offended if anyone prefers not to pass on this award and perhaps if anyone else would like to join in then please consider yourself awarded :)

April Already?

March has passed in a haze and sadly we have no new news on the whereabouts of our dear friend. We remain positive that he will be back with his loved ones soon.

Progress on my March list was almost nil but I did manage the TTS blocks early and my Candle Mat for Christmas is growing slowly. Most will roll over to April and see how it goes.

Month 12 ~ BISS BOM

(Work on 2" squares border)

1 Xmas Item (started)

Tis The Season

Pin Cushion

Work on UFO ~ Horse Quilt (found)

 

 

BISS BOM ~ work on border

TTS ~ next block

1 Xmas Item ~ finish Candle Mat (March)

1 Xmas Item ~ Felt Bell (April)

Quilt hexagon table topper

Pin Cushion

A new book arrived in the mail last week and I look forward to reading this latest "Elm Creek" novel over the school holidays.

My 'Bird of Paradise' is always flowering but I've never had this many spikes all at once so I thought I'd share some colour from my garden. The blur towards the bottom was a butterfly zooming past the lense.

Enjoy your day :)