Where do I start

So much has been happening, just where do I start.
 

Exciting day today as my very draughty back door has been replaced by a double-glazed door.  Unfortunately I couldn't retain the sliding doors but I now have parliament hinges so the doors open right out.  Still work to do as unfortunately there was a floor board missing underneath, one thing leads to another, leads to another *sigh*.

From the inside, looking out.....

 

 

 

From the outside looking in with one door right open.

  

Now in all this time, I haven't been entirely slothful even though I have been managing to do lots of lunching in the Hunter Valley with my daughter.

Oh it really is a hard life!

 

 

BUT I have managed to get on with some sewing.

Helen's project is nearly finished with the hexies now sewn on!!!

 

 

This is the second project from the Lynette and Helen sew-in a few weeks ago. Nearly there, sorry the photos are a bit awful but I was being lazy.

 

 

 

 

And just how cute is this gorgeous elephant, a Bunny Hill pattern. This was such a quick and easy pattern to make up and the perfect gift to wing it's way to Queensland to welcome little Miss M into our world.

 

Did you really need to see this, probably not but covering my lttle op I had today. Not huge but a bit uncomfortable. I know I am a sook!

 

 

The last photo is just because, a beautiful David Austin rose from my garden.

 

 

Hope your week has been busy and everyone had a lovely Easter break.  

I thought I was on holiday......

But there appeared to be a lot of weeding awaiting me.........OK I did get a lot of help but the old legs were feeling a bit stiff after all this

It hasn't been all work, or even mostly work and there seems to have been a lot of this:

Although it really is best to be a dog isn't it....... or maybe a cat? (Sorry pictures of grand-dogs and grand-cat coming up)

Happy little vegemites

Two little girls in Melbourne happy to receive their Easter bags in the post. I wonder if the Easter bunny will leave some eggs for them to put in the bags.

Miss I made me a cute  little rabbit, isn't she clever?

Waiting....waiting

Sitting in Melbourne airport stitching and waiting for my flight.

What a week!

The week started out with great excitement as Mark and Phil arrived to remove 4 of my windows (all the bedroom windows) and replace the old rusting (well not really but unless you keep painting them they do!) steel windows with aluminium double-glazed beauties. I admintit was a bit scarey as they removed the old windows, broke up the glass and cut out the frames. NO GOING BACK NOW! But I am very happy the new windows look like they have always been there and I have fly screens.....yay! Now to save up and get the rest of the windows in my house done.
 

Of course with this work going on I took a couple of days off work and thought hmmm I could go and do some much needed gardening OR I could sew. Guess which won :). I dragged this out of the cupboard in a very unfinished state and managed to get all the blocks together and the border on. I also used some of the material to start making the backing but didn't get that finished before........

...my unfinished stitchery from the Helen/Lynette day a couple of weeks ago, suddenly grabbed my attention and I made all the hexies, sewed them together and now have about 1/3 sewn onto the needle case. Loving the pastels this week, not my usual thing but both the quilt top and the stitchery are really pretty.
 

 

 

On Saturday it was the The Quilters' Easter Showcase 2013 out at the Brighton Civic Centre so off I went with my friend Marie and found a heap of people there that I knew, strange that! I did not take one photo can you believe but here are a couple of things I bought. Fee was there with some lovely fabrics that I just couldn't resist and I also bought another couple of stitching patterns (with iron on transfer!) from Helen. I did manage to resist buying a $6500 sewing machine but it was a close call! The show and tell quilts were inspirational, what a lot of talent.

And the last picture is just because, really loving what $15 can do for my deck, a couple of punnets of petunias which have flowered and flowered and now one punnet of geraniums planted at the same time have started flowering, I put 2 in each pot and they look fantastic.

International Quilting Day

Yesterday was International Quilting Day according to some of the blogs I have been reading, so I decided (helped by it raining all afternoon...RAIN!)to get in and finish the Easter baskets I started making from a pattern generously shared by Lesley at SewHappy.Me. I made 3 little girl bunnies and one boy bunny (hard to see but he has shorts on and a little bow tie) for the great-nieces and nephew.

One lot off to Melbourne for two little girls.

The others to two different families, one little girl in Melbourne and the other little boy in Tassie. All ready for them to start their Easter egg hunts! Hope they like them.

 

I decided as it was Internation Quilt Day to join in with SewCalGal's Virtual Sew-cial

Saturday part 2

Well I did promise to come back with a tempter of my purchases but I have been so busy stitching I have only just found time! Now about to do the hexies for the project, all the stitching finished!

And here they are - I know but I just couldn't resist. Two quilts with patterns, materials and buttons. I hexie purse, wanted to do one of these ever since I saw Marina's. Various other buttons, mine hexies wash away - oops not in photo and some sheets of the wash away for applique projects I have in mind. Yes and a hanger for Lynette's project!

Here are a couple of things from Helen's stall, the purse I am going to make and another one that I was so tempted by, it opened out so well, all your sewing stuff would fit and be found easily.

Some more gorgeous things from Helen's stall, sorry none from Lynette's but I think I bought them all!!!
 

Here are the Oatlands ladies with a beautiful quilt they bought along, very slack but I didn't get photos of the other 'show and tell' items.

Last but not least some of the fabulous food provided by the girls from the Buckingham Rowing Club, very delish, thank you!

Sorry but I just have to get back to my sewing. See you next time :)

A Day with Helen and Lynette

I had a lovely day on Saturday at a Day with Helen and Lynette. Faye came with me and we had a lovely day. New friends made as we were sitting at a table with people from Melbourne, Kingston and Geeveston.

Faye is starting here on her first project with Helen looking on .

It was great to see both Cathy and Leeane down south for the day! 

All the goodies on display and I had no willpower at all!

Great to see Pauline (down from Exeter) and Jo

Surprised to see Kylie from Scottsdale there as well. So many people in the room and so many who had travelled quite a way to come. 

How beautiful are these - bag, tags and projects. Name tags made by the very talented Jo, they are gorgeous. I haven't taken a photo of my purchases or my progress on Helen's project. I will be back in a day or two with some more!

Hang it Dang it

Waiting on the doorstep tonight was my latest purchase from Sarah.  Love it, so easy to hang a quilt with it, might have to buy the larger one too!

Here is my Christmas quilt hanging, took me no time at all to pop it up, even though it isn't in the right place lol.

Catch up

Here are my purchases from Bothwell.  Don't you just love the beetle wings, hopefully collected humanely.

I haven't been totally lazy on the stitching front. Just a little peek at my current projects.

Bothwell spin in

First time ever at the Bothwell spin in today. I went with Faye and we had the best time. Spinning isn't particularly my thing but everyone there was so interesting and came from so many different places. 

Loved every minute and even came home with some wool to do some felting, but don't ask me when! Forgot to take a photo of that maybe tomorrow.

Maori weavers from a little town near Rotarua, so fascinating to see how they prepared their fibre from flax

Definitely a highlight, the dogs were just beautiful

Visiting weavers from Japan, visit a local sheep farm every year

Lady from Estonia via Colarado with such lovely craft, almost makes me wish I was a knitter!

Unfortunately I didn't remember all the details of the guest presenters and can't find the information on the Bothwell spin in website!!!!

And now back to my place. Just love these, only 3 punnets and they have given such pleasure. It is the little things!

The best view

I nearly said 'in the world' and I think it is.  This is the view from my laundry, really no excuse not to do the ironing is there?

I have been busy with some sewing but no photos until I am finished so I thought I had better post something  :-)

Sew along

I have joined the sew along that Lesley Boost at SewHappy.Me has organised. 

How cute is this? I will be back with pictures once I have finished.

More bushfires

Very smokey in Hobart today, the fires at Molesworth are sending a haze over the city. Residents have been told to evacuate, hopefully no houses will be burnt. You do wonder how these fires start. So sad for everyone affected.

 

Clouds of smoke billowing from behind the mountain

 

Finally finished my next block for the Red Brolly Wish Quilt, do you think I will get all the others finished by Christmas?  This was quite involved (for me anyway) and it came with me to England and back. I have to admit I didn't do all that much of it when I was on holidays.

 

Only the third block finished, what do I do with my time!

I think she is happy!

Here is Miss Caity, library bag no way! This special bag is going to hold her ballet and tap shoes.

I think she might like it and I was thrilled to receive the photo, always nice to see the reaction even if at a distance!

Computer Kaput

I came out a couple of days ago to do some work at the computer to find it locked up. Today I sat down to try and fix it only to find it looks like a mother board problem and no go. It has been playing up for a while but I have been able to do a repair and all was well but not this time.

Looks like that will curb my online shopping *sob* for a while.  Now should I get a shiny new one or repair? Decisions, decisions.