Sneak Peek to Christmas and other stuff

Well, I have been totally inspired and motivated to make some little things for Christmas gifts. My friends and I generally don't exchange large gifts as that is not why we celebrate Christmas. But generally I like to give a little token to my close friends as a way of sharing the spirit of Christmas. So here is a sneak peek of what I have been making this year....I usually try and do everything the same with a few minor differences. Sometimes I make biscuits, but I am being slack this year and have bought something else yummy to go in them. I will also be making some little stitchery tags to go with these...but you will have to wait to see these as I haven't started stitching these yet.....My friend Sue sent me the idea and a couple of prototypes for these little pyramid bags (thanks Sue!)...they are just SO cute....I can see myself making many of these in the future...

I have also made this little quilt to send to someone to help another person out....why is it that the things I really really like I find hard to part with!!!

And then, there is this little wall hanging....I am hoping that the person who I sent it to has received it....It was lots of fun to make and I hope it helps to remind her of the times she loves to spend at the beach in summer....it is made with one of my favourite range of fabrics from a few years back called "Seaside Rose"...The pattern is from Leanne Beasley's first book "Living the Dream". I like the look of it hanging up with a cute little "fishermans Basket" I bought from an Op Shop some time back....I made the hanging rack myself...

I hope you are all enjoying a lovely relaxing weekend...see you soon

Thankful

Hi all....well this post is sort of a hi to all the bloggers in America who are celebrating Thanksgiving today/tomorrow. My friend Amy over here has been encouraging her readers to list what we are thankful/grateful for throughout the month of November and I must say, that I have found it to be a very encouraging and uplifting thing to do. It is often so easy to focus on the neagtive things going on throughout the world...I mean, even the news tends to have a negative rather than positive slant.

From my understanding, Thanksgiving came about from giving thanks for a plentiful harvest and for abundant blessings. (I am happy to be corrected if I am off track by those who do actually celebrate Thanksgiving)
So today I am going to say a big THANKS to those of you in the US whose blogs I read and get so much encouragement from. I wish you all a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING....I hope you have a blessed day with your loved ones.

Today I am thankful for:

• new friends and contacts made through blogging and other internet groups, particularly my Yarra Valley Scquilters friends
• old and faithful friends who have supported and loved me through thick and thin
• the plentiful supply of food we have available...may it continue to be so
• the promise of continued rain....
• new life happening just outside my loungeroom window by way of a nesting honeyeater
• and so so much more....

"...For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete." Deuteronomy 16:15

Happy 1st Birthday Fun & More Fabric Dyeing

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY THOMAS

......It is my nephew's first birthday today and yesterday he had a little party with his family....this is just one of his lovely Birthday pressies from his Opa and Nanna...Tom's Daddy (my Brother) is a Firefighter....I wonder who will have more fun with this, Tom or his Dad???? He was pretty happy with all the buttons on it which make lights and noises happen!!


This photo is my latest Fabric Dyeing effort from the weekend...my friend Barb came around on Saturday to finish off our Wax Dyeing....we didn't really achieve the results we had hoped for...but it was only our first attempt....the 2 smaller pieces are what I did using the wax.....I must admit, I am REALLY happy with the large piece of fabric....I think I need to come up with a special project to use this piece....What do YOU think???

Home a Haven: End of Day 4

Well, not much to report about this day as far as fun goes....however, I am hoping to make these patterns up for my niece which will be fun and then it will be fun to see her reaction....her most common exclamation is "gorgeous"...she is nearly three!!!
And then tomorrow my friend Barb is coming around and we are going to do some more fabric dyeing!!! Stay tuned for the results.

Making Your Home a Haven: Fun...

I still don't know what I might do to achieve this challenge (if you can call it that) today....I have woken very early for me (hence the 5.30am post)....as it was a warm night and I couldn't get back to sleep.....I'll be ready to nap by the time I get to work LOL.

So back to fun...I guess one of the things I have done at home is set up one of the spare bedrooms as a "guest" room / toy room...I have toys and childrens books so that when I have little visitors, they can basically go and play in this room without having to be watched...and older children also enjoy it as they can be away from the adults if they want.

One fun thing which I get a lot of joy from is sewing, patchwork and other crafts...so tonight I may just sit down and do some stitching.

Hope you all have a fun and blessed day...see you tonight

"Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."
(Psalm 126:2-3)

Home a Haven..Day 3 completed...Productive ++

Well, I have exceded my plans tonight...isn't it great when you achieve far more than you plan or even expect to....I even managed to make a reasonably healthy dinner...yay...thanks be to God!!!
so...I dusted this table and photos...and even changed the tablecloth...I think it brightens up the room...must remember to use it again....
















then I dusted AND polished this..I have not really done much polishing in the past...but it has come up really well...my parents elderly neighbours gave me the treadle machine for my 18th Birthday many years ago....It is one of my favourite pieces....and holds lots of memories as I learnt to sew on it...



















....also dusted this (and everything on it).... and I have managed to get this post done in plenty of time to have a bit of a relax....

Making Your Home a Haven: Cared for

OK, I am going to be real here and admit to something to you all in blogland... Last night I was feeling a bit discouraged because I was feeling that I don't have others all around me to make my Home a Haven for (apart from me....and sometimes I think, well, the mess only has an impact on me).

But then I read this....... (and this is written in the context of what people ate and drank back in new testament times), but I really believe it is also relevant to our times...and to other aspects of our lives...

"....whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31)

This was a timely reminder for me that God is the provider of all things including my home...I need to be a good steward of all that he has blessed me with...

so to what I'll be doing when I get home from work tonight.... DUSTING!!! Oh I get so much dust around the place....and it is so satisfying when it is lovely and sparkly...this is just one area where I notice the dust....

see you tonight...have a blessed day....

Day 2 Completed...sort of!!

Well, I tried to clean my fridge and freezer after work....only managed to get the fridge done...it took so much longer than I anticipated....probably because it needed a better clean than I thought it would....I will hopefully finish of the job over the weekend. It has also been quite hot here today so probably not the best time to be having food out of the fridge for any length of time....

anyway, here are my before,

during......

and after

Hope you have managed to achieve whatever it is you set out to today....

Day 2...Make Your Home a Haven: Clean

Tomorrow I plan to clean my fridge and also my freezer...It has been an age since I gave it a really good clean...and as for the freezer....well, I wonder just how old some of the food in there is!!.

I also intend to ponder and pray on the Prayer of Consecration which Monica shared....I haven't read anything like it before.

"Create in me a pure (clean) heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me" Psalm 51:10

See you tomorrow....

Making Your Home a Haven: Tidy

This week I am hopefully going to post each day and the posts will be a little different to my usual crafty patchwork related ones. I really enjoy reading this blog on a regular basis. Monica has commenced a series this week entitled "Making Your Home a Haven". I just love this idea in so many ways. I haven't talked much about my faith on my blog...not because I am ashamed but mainly because I am still exploring how I want to develop my blog. So I have decided to go all out and participate in this series. I am actually starting this a day late because of the time differences!!

So I will also look on this as an opportunity to give my home and heart a bit of a "Spring Clean" albeit a late in the season one!

I love this scripture and pray that it will become more and more the way I live:

"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15)

Because I don't share my house with others, I tend to be a bit slack when it comes to putting things away. Then before I know it, I have great piles of stuff which I then get down about...so this week (and onwards) I hope to be more diligent with putting away things after I have used them, without becoming too obsessive about it!!!

So here is a "before" shot of just one area which needs a tidy....will post an "after" shot tonight when I am home from work.

Hope you have a blessed day!!!

Here is my 'after' photo which I promised....not that much difference (because I tend to like a bit of clutter) but I know is it MUCH tidier....I have also managed to tidy up a few other areas around the house which I had let get out of contol....so altogether a satisfying day...roll on tomorrow!!!

I love getting mail

Well, to say I love to receive mail would be an understatement....especially if it isn't bills!! As you would probably know, I have recently participated in the Stitcher's Angel Swap and I sent my parcel off to Yvonne the other week...So Friday I collected a box from the post office...

Carolin from Colorado Springs in the US sent me a wonderful package of such lovely things....three different bags...all so very handy...as most who know me, know how I love handmade bags

This is a close up of one of the bags (designed by Natalie of Cinderberry Stitches)

and this is a photo of everything...3 bags, a very clever "puzzle" ball, a notepad, tin of Gutterman threads and 2 cards of sheep buttons (so so cute!!!)

and of course I just HAD to include a close-up of the sheep buttons....I think they are just THE cutest I have EVER seen.....

So thanks again Carolin, and thank you Helen for organising such a fun swap...Now I need to get back to some of the other major projects I have on the go at the moment....ahh...so much fabric so little time!!!

Hoping you are all having a wonderful weekend....hugs and blessings, Lisa

By the way...can anyone tell me how I stop having one letter of a word end up on the next line? I still really have limited skills in the whole layout of this blog thing!!!!

Fabric Dyeing

My friend Barb and I got together on Monday to do some fabric dyeing...it was a very drizzly day....certainly not the best for dyeing fabric....but we are very thankful for the rain....so anyhow, we soldiered on....we were on a mission....having purchased many many metres of PFD (Prepared for Dyeing) white homespun and having read about batik style dyeing with Soy Wax in the latest Quilting Arts Magazine....nothing was going to stop us.... Thankfully my verandah accommodated our need for being outside but under cover.

So, we went from this......

to this....

and finally this....

this is using the soy wax

and then from this......

to this....(photo taken today....blue skies +++)

and this..............

and this.........

and also this.....Barb took this pile home

to become this........ (thanks for emailing the photo Barb....just what my post needed!!!)

.....and at the end of a lovely day, this was what greeted me in the sky......

Now to decide what I am going to do with all of my lovely new fabric.....ahhhh decisions decisions!!!