Busy weekend

The sunset tonight and last night looked magnificent even though the cause (ash from a volcano in Chile) has disrupted air travel to Tassie, including my poor brother and sister-in-law who now have a confirmed flight......due back today and the confirmed flight is NEXT Tuesday over a week later and only the offer of one nights accomodation.

I took these tonight but you can see last night's sunset at Mike's blog.

 Finally decided I needed to get onto the cushions for my daughter's sun lounge, they are so big and heavy to handle. The bad news is that I had nearly finished cutting them out when I realised that the pattern is directional; so the bottom is the wrong way and I have managed to just scrimp the tops out of the rest of the material after going to Spotlight to see if they had any more only to be disappointed.

Would have been fine if the right way - see zip this is really at the back :(

 I have started some wool embroidery as well, maybe a gift if it works out right, first time I have done any...

Don't ask

when I started these but I have the bug again. Mumble, mumble it is more than ten years ago. I know I am so slack but the shoe box came to light and I have started again.

193 done, maybe another 700 before I have a quilt top.....

I really love the material in the hexies at the front. I think I bought it about 15 years ago and this is the last.

More parties!

Breakfast and lunch! My baby brother will be 60 this week and we celebrated with our big brother and their partners at breakfast at the Smith Street Store Cafe in North Hobart. It was great to catch up, we hadn't been together for a while. Then on to Marie's ummumm (no I am not going to give a number!) birthday for lunch. Her grandchildren were there and insisted on some party games unfortunately I was late and missed my favourite, pass the parcel. Marie and I even managed to get a bit of sewing done later on in the afternoon.

The lucky dip was very popular, now let's play with our prizes!

 I took these photos of the garden yesterday, the yellow plants were tiny bits I stole from my brother's plant. Haven't they done well.

There are three here but don't they look good and in winter too!



Close up of the flowers.

Found on the doorstep

Came home last night and found this package on the doorstep

 I have been so busy at work that I completely forgot it was on its way. Barb rang me earlier in the week to say that she had finally managed to get everything ready after a very eventful move! You can see all about it on her blog or buy some lovely buttons at http://www.theodoracleave.com/.

Aren't these just beautiful, I love them! So lucky to receive an extra one as well, thank you Barb!

Home again, home again

I had a fantastic time catching up with family in Melbourne on the weekend.

These are the eco bags I made for all the "girls"

 Busy Saturday morning collecting lebanese pastries for the party and of course we had to stop and watch the day pass with a coffee at the A1 Cafe in Sydney Road. Well it is tradition. Then 50 filled balloons were somehow squashed into the car and off to the party!

Grandpa was really into the swing! Caity is not so sure!

Lots of fun things to do, aren't I clever!

I knew it was going to be a fairy party!

Yumm my favourite - ice cream cake!

Sunday was Krissie's 40th birthday (she will kill me now!) so we went to breakfast to celebrate. We had a fantastic breakfast at the Fine and Dandy Foodstore Cafe, and were their first booking ever! It was great to catch up and see Vivi and Kieran as well. But all good things must come to an end and back to reality today.

It's a party!

My invitation

Saturday is party day and I am invited, how exciting! Especially having the invitation mailed to "Great auntie Libby", how did the postie know it was me? Lots of sewing done to take with me. More photos of what I have made after the weekend ☺

Lunch bag and other things

I have had a great day today sewing and talking (yes quite a bit of that went on) with my good friend Marie.

I made a 'lunch' bag for my Great Niece's 5th birthday - I am off to her party in Melbourne in a couple of weeks. I bought the kit at the Launceston Craft Fair and I am quite pleased with the result.



Here is a little peek at the bag, filled with gorgeous goodies for a lovely girl.

The kit came from Bebe Japanese textiles, I could hardly drag myself away from the stall and bought quite a few other bibs and bobs there.


I also started some beautiful dolls, from a pattern by Rosalie Quinlan that I just couldn't resist when I visited the Quilted Crow this week. I now have little legs, arms and bodies as well as some clothes but I was so frustrated with not being able to find anything that I left that to do a big tidy up!
Till next time!

These are sooo tiny, an art to turn them...but I am getting there, filling will be interesting.



Update

Couldn't resist putting this up; only a week and here it is all put together, wonder how long it will take to finish?

Doesn't it look fantastic, haven't decided what to do with it yet.

Matryoshka/babushka

well I never know what to call them. I am so excited I have managed to get so much of this quilt done. I bought the pattern about 2 years ago but didn't know what material to use. I found some Rosalie Quinlan fabric at the Gathering last month and now cut out and ready to sew as soon as I finish the applique.

This is just so cute

Launceston Craft Fair

My good friend M and I set off nice and early to drive to Launceston for this year's craft fair. We had a lovely trip up with the obligatory stop at Campbell Town for a coffee, of course!

 I had to take a photo of this hex quilt, I really like them

 How beautiful is this quilting, would love to be able to do it!

 This stunning quilt caught my eye, unfortunately the picture of the whole quilt was a bit blurry.

 I was interested to see this as I am just starting one myself.

 A last view of the fair. We had a great time wandering around and making just a few purchase lol but a bit disappointed that some of our favourites had decided not to make the trip to Tassie this year.

Some more fantastic quilting! 

How beautiful is this!

I bought this plant at a local church stall. The lady commented how unlucky as I wouldn't get a flower till next season. I think the plant heard!

Oh no!

I had such a lovely day today at my brother's place. His son and partner with baby were over from Melbourne and we had a lovely lunch THEN...

I am hoping it isn't tooo bad, probably alternator considering the battery (new so can't be that) light came on yesterday and I just kept driving! Guess I will be grounded for the rest of Easter.

Hurry, hurry, rush, rush

My good friend Wendy has put the pressure on, lol, by suggesting that she and Rodney could take my Easter present up to Nicole and family. What Easter present???? I think I did rather well in the end.

So beautifully wrapped!

I know sometimes I think I am mad too but they look soooo cute

Well I also added chocolate so it wasn't all bad

All ready to go with a day to spare!

Happy times

Mike's GF is relocating from Sydney yahoo, she is arriving tomorrow. I have been busy making a little welcome pack for her. (No not the cushion, but couldn't resist this one it was gorgeous!) I made the bag using some iron on plastic but was a bit disappointed in the way it went, and filled it with pamper goodies. Welcome to the family Divi, we are happy you are here.

Surprise!

I am really enjoying doing this project from the Autumn Gathering. I surprise myself sometimes, I don't like doing French knots though, oh well I suppose practice makes perfect...

Autumn gathering



Yesterday was the Quilted Crow gathering, held in their new premises at an old Church in New Town. The guest designers were Rosalie Quinlan and Leanne Beasley and we had lots of their goodies in our bag. I love this needle roll and will show you mine when finished! ... next year or sometime!

Leeanne's needle roll *sigh* wish my stitching was as good!





The lovely windows in the Church



This is out of Rosalie's new book of Christmas projects to be published in May I think!

Rosalie's postcard quilt, I loved it and bought all the postcards to do...one day

Ah so that is how it is done - Leeanne demonstrating with Vicki, Jo, Fee and Jan looking on.

Another Rosalie project in our goody bag!



Queenslander invasion

I have been very busy! I had four lovely visitors from Brisbane. They arrived last Thursday and left today. Unfortunately I had to go to work but on the weekend we all did the tourist thing.

First off to Salamanca Market

Then up the mountain!

Hmmm don't think I could jump off!

Sailing boat off Sandy Bay







Then up to Mt Field



John, Libby, Andrea and Graham on the track!

Lake Dobson

Russell Falls were magnificent

A view of the top of the Falls

And of course a stop on the way home to pick blackberries.

I really enjoyed their visit and we had a fantastic time, so glad they could come and the champagne flowed!