Got a spare 5 minutes???

Just HAD to pop this link on my blog....it is absolutely AMAZING....I have watched it a few times now and each time it brings tears to my eyes....ENJOY.

A few snaps

Here are a few photos of some small projects I have been working on.

I recently participated in a "Friends Swap" and these are what I sent to my partner...I am still waiting for my own package to arrive from India...I hope it gets here soon as I



am becoming a little bit impatient LOL!!!...STOP PRESS... My package has just arrived...how exciting!!!...anyway, here are the photos of what I made/sent...

I am also in a swap through Scquilters which is a mini row by row...we each made 2 small blocks and sent them on to different people who put a border on each time...this is the recent block which I worked on...I am quite pleased with how it turned out, especially given that brown really doesn't do it for me.  It is also my first ever effort at making "Flying Geese" blocks...

I will put the photos of my own parcel once I have downloaded them onto the computer later...see you later

...later...here are the photos I promised of the gifts from the "Friends" swap...all beautifully wrapped in some delicious fabrics

I am having great difficulty downloading these photos and have spent way too much time trying to do so...anyway...here is what I received (the photos are above)

Flowers

Ribbon

Interesting Fabric

Eshanika (tiny little doll)

Notebook

Dishtowels

Small Pouch

Fun times with friends

Well, I have had quite the busy couple of weeks with my dear friend Joy getting married last weekend...Joy has been widowed for over 20 years and this year she met a lovely man whom she married last weekend....the flowers in the church and hall were beautiful...as was the Bride herself.

 

I have also been away this past week at Apollo Bay along the Great Ocean Road.  I went with my brother and his family and we had a fun time, although the weather wasn't great, but it was fun anyway.  We saw some cute and cuddly (or not) Koala's in the trees...this one is a mother and her baby...I also went on a trip to see platypus in the wild which was very exciting.

Then this weekend I had friends come for the day on Saturday and we did some serious crafting...the girls did a fantastic job on their Babushka dolls.....

 

and then today I had my friends around and finally gave the kids their quilts.....yay.....finally....only problem with these photos, is that I can't work out how to turn them around the right way within blogger....so you'll just have to look at them sideways!!!

oh and finally, a work colleague was getting married this weekend and for her celebratory morning tea at work the other week, I made these special cupcakes for her....

Excuses Excuses

It seems that I am always starting off my blog posts with a long time no post, where has the year gone blah blah blah comment and here is one yet again. Really, I cannot believe we are over 1/2 way into September...and dare I say it, only 3 months until Christmas...aaaaarghhh....
So with all that off my chest, here is a little of what has been not really keeping me busy...you see, I haven't really done much in the way of sewing since May....I have nearly completed the 5 quilts for the children of one of my friends...just the binding to be finished on one of them....these have been on the go for a couple of years....so it will be a great relief to finally complete them....but I have also been distracted by other things...including playing with my new toy...my Apple I-Pad....it is so handy....I just love it!!!

This past weekend has seen me have a night in town seeing this.....and staying at this Melbourne Institution....

Yes, last night I went a saw the Melbourne Production of Mary Poppins...one of my favourite childhood movies...It was FANTASTIC!!!!  I could easily go see it again....the sets and costumes and dancing were wonderful....

Beforehand I went and had an early tea at Pellegrini's Espresso Bar.....where I had the yummyest (sp?) Lasagna and Watermelon and Lemon Granita....

And I shouted myself an overnight stay at the Windsor which was really lovely

How are these flowers in the foyer of the Hotel???? Just beautiful!!! and of course, I am quite partial to the blue and white bowls...

and finally, here is a photo of a little lady I made a while ago....I used some of the vintage fabrics given to me some time ago....

Well, that's about it for now...hopefully I'll be back a bit sooner next time... we'll see how I go!!!  Till then..stay well.

Another little project

This is a little project I completed recently as a practice for a new pattern which I bought a while back...Some time ago I was given some retro'ish fabrics and decided to use some of them on this project...I gave it to a work colleague who had been particularly supportive whilst I was going through a difficult time...the face panel was included with the pattern from here.

Finished Projects

Just thought I'd show a couple of completed projects...the first is a quilt for "Another Little Quilt Swap"...have a look at some of the lovely quilts which have been made...I will be receiving one of them in the next little while....

This framed picture is of some lace coasters which my friend Sue made for me at Christmas and I have finally managed to mount and frame them....I am really pleased with how they turned out...thanks Sue....

More photos

Here are some more photos which I took of some of David Bromley's Artwork....I tried to link to some information about the artist but the site didn't load properly....so just enjoy these photos....

Relaxing weekend

Hi all...long time no blog....this weekend I have spent a lovely relaxing time around the area of Daylesford in Victoria.  I drove up early Friday morning as I had booked a day at the Hepburn Bath House and Spa...starting with a couple of hours in the bath house and sanctuary, then lunch and after lunch, a 1 hour massage....I was so very relaxed after this "self care"...something I haven't done before....Then on Saturday I spent the day enaging in one of my favourite past-times...stitching...at the Daylesford Craft Experience at this gorgeous place...the 3 designers who had provided patterns for us all were Melly (of Melly and Me), Jodie (of Vintage RicRac) and Annette (Eriksson).. each had designed 3 patterns of very different styles, but I think you would be hard pressed not to find something to ones liking....

These photos are of Lake Daylesford and I was able to walk to the lake from back of the studio where I was staying

On Sunday I went and had a look at an antique place on the outskirts of town which was mentioned on this site earlier in the week and I thought I would take the opportunity to see it for myself....what an amazing collection of antiques, furniture and art work....I will post some more photos throughout the week....

Isn't this sculpture fun?

After I left Daylesford I headed to Castlemaine where I just had to visit this shop...called "Habadash"....it sells vintage and antique buttons, lace, ribbons and other wonderful sewing ephemera....these are my purchases from there...

 

Happy Holidays

I have just returned from a lovely week in Western Australia where I stayed with a friend who lives there and we travelled down south to Albany where her son and his family live.....I have been to WA many years ago but never to Albany so it was lovely to see a bit more of the land where I live.  Her son has a farm and it was the first time I have ever been to a farm and had a ride on a whizz bang tractor.....I will post a photo once I receive some and also of the cows and their sweet calves.  But here are a few shots from my holiday, as well as a photo of the gal I made as a thank you for having me stay....Sue has decided to call her "Floss"....

Yes, of course I had to take a photo of the sheep!!!      

                 

 

Slack and busy at the same time

Hi all, I have been very slack in keeping this blog up to date....have been busy busy busy doing a variety of things...Actually, I really don't know where the time has gone....

Firstly I need to update those kind people who commented on my previous post...I decided to make my stitchery for both Catherine and Doreen....I haven't forgotten you ladies...after I have completed one major project which has a bit of a deadline...then I'll get cracking with your stitcheries....

I had my birthday on Anzac Day and a friend was visiting from interstate...that particular weekend I went out for lunch on the Friday, had my friend and her family for dinner on the Saturday and then gave myself a little afternoon tea on the Sunday....I think I have been recovering ever since....It was lovely to have friends come together and share in my Birthday...usually the day is mainly spent with my family...so it was fun to share it with a few of my dearest friends....of course I forgot to take a photo of the cupcakes I made...this was the best photo....they were white chocolate mud cupcakes with a white chocolate ganache icing....and I made some cute blue buttons from icing modelling paste.....very yummy and a big hit with young and old....

I have been busy making a project for a friend and am not able to show it off just yet....just let me say that I am pretty chuffed with it so far.....


I am however able to show you a completed project which I made for my friend Sue for our Christmas Stocking swap....it is quite a large sack and I had fun making it....I just hope I can fill it adequately....

Well, I think that's about all I will share for the moment.....I won't promise to post again really soon....will just see how I go....

Something new....and a giveaway

Hi all, I thought it was time I did another post...the weeks just seem to fly by don't they?  I can't quite believe we are almost into April.

We have our annual church camp coming up and I was asked if I would take a craft group on the Saturday afternoon....initially I assumed that it was to be for the children, but then I found out it was for the adults (ladies...I am assuming....though blokes would also be welcome LOL).....so I then got really excited and have designed this little stitchery based on one of my favourite bible verses.....

My writing when it comes to these crafty things is fairly average, so the lovely Leanne Beasley graciously agreed to do the writing for me.....I am really quite pleased how the project has turned out.....and am very much looking forward to spending some crafty time with some of the other lovely people from my church, as well as all of the other activities on the weekend.

I would also like to make one of these for a reader of my blog....so if you would like to leave me a comment, along with your colour preferences, I will draw a name after Easter and get stitching....
Hoping your week is a good one....

I'm baaaaaackkkkk!!!!

Hi all, well, where has the past month gone?  I don't really know...it's not that I have been overly busy, other than the usual work, church, family things.....anyway, a couple of posts ago I promised a photo of one of my latest completed and very longstanding projects and here it is....I showed photos of this partially completed sometime last year...well, I have been busily working to complete the binding on this my "Wedding Quilt"..... yes, that is what I have been calling it since starting on it way back too long ago to remember.... all I know is that I started it on a holiday with my parents to Apollo Bay.....sadly the photo just doesn't do the quilt justice.  It is very very big and hangs over the sides and bottom of my queen size bed by about 12 inches.  I could have tried photographing it in the next day or two hanging from the clothesline, but given the amount of rain we have had this weekend, this might not have been achievable... anyway, here it is.....now all I need to do is meet the person I am to share it with....will keep praying for him....

Summer Days

This weekend I went to Cruden Farm, the property owned by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch near Frankston on the Mornington Peninsula.
They had a Twighlight Jazz Picnic and a few friends and I took a picnic tea down there to enjoy each others company, listen to some jazz and enjoy the beautiful surrounds of this property.  Dame Elisabeth is over 100 years of age and is a wonderful philanthropist who regularaly opens her property to the public in order to raise funds for various charities.  We actually saw her yesterday as she was transported around her property on ride on mower type vehicle. What a generous and gracious lady.
These are a few photos of her beautiful property.
PS....Monday 8/2....it is actually Dame Elisabeth's Birthday today....she turns 101....