No Sew Zone

Things have been a little slow on the sewing front lately ... could be the cold weather creeping into my bones.

Eariler this week we lit our first fire for the winter.


Look who knows the best place to sleep away the day.



I did manage to make some cream hexies for pathways so perhaps by Wednesday I will have something to share.

Have an enjoyable weekend.

August OPAM Sqeeze

Just sqeeeeezing in another finish for August. My eyes got too tired last night and by the feel of the wool there were only a few more rows to go so I quickly finished them off this morning before rushing out the door to work.


Above is the perfect model .... below is not so perfect but ever adorable.


One Flower Wednesday tomorrow and I have my 'gardening tools' ready.

O.F.W. and How to Keep Warm

One Flower Wednesday once again and I'm still keeping up ... surprise!

I basted the petals Wednesday night while watching the TV from under a snuggly quilt.


Then stitched them together while again snuggling under a quilt in front of the TV today.


Here are a couple of tips on "how to keep warm" from my two beautiful girls.

Fleur follows the sun patches around in the sewing room ... that is when the sun is out which isn't often at the moment.


Jayne noticed that mum forgot to close the draw this morning while looking for a jumper ... so why not take the advantage.

'Me Time' is extremely hard to find at the moment so sewing is on hold. I have a project just waiting for the binding and a pattern I'm itching to make so maybe tomorrow?

Girls, Girls, Girls

Look who came to live at my house. Isn't she sweet?

This gorgeous little girl that I was soooo lucky to win when Cathron was holding a giveaway.

You really should check out Cathron's blog and see all her other sweet creations. It's been raining all week here so I grabbed a dry moment in the greenery to sneak a photo. She's already been to her first patchwork day with me.

Cathron has also honoured me with an award which I shall share next post.

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Girls to the left of me, girls to the right, here I am .... stuck in the middle. Often when I'm on the computer, my girls will come and keep me company. The other day Jayne (above) was curled up on my left and Fleur (below) was curled up to my right. Jayne's back again this morning as I type.

The sun shone yesterday so I had a busy day getting all the washing done and dry. Woke up this morning and yipee ... more rain!

Hope your weather is favourable to you.

Cats Rule!

Do cats rule at your house? They certainly do at mine. I only left these pants on the ironing board for 2 minutes and when I came back . . .

Jayne thought they'd make a comfy spot to soak up some morning sun.


Fleur is still soaking up the morning sun in her spot under the ironing board.



Jane also shares her home and blog with a very spoilt moggie. Please pay them a visit and while you're there, enter her giveaway for a chance to win a lovely bag.

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Thankyou ladies for your lovely comments on my log cabin. I thought I'd try and take a close up of the light fabric as it looks white in the photo.

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While you're here, you may have noticed that my PIF on my side bar is still looking for two more names. If you've been thinking about it then now's the time to join. Leave your comment here but click back here for the rules. If I'm still short then that's OK, I'll choose someone who I'd like to make a little something for and surprise them.

Happy Sewing

Another Challenge

This time Finn has started a 'New Years Eve Challenge'. The idea is to finish one or a number of projects by New Years Eve. I have a few things in my WIP list that I thought I might see if I can finish.

#1 - Queen Size Bed Quilt pictured in my previous post (top only)

#2 - Single Bed Horse Quilt (top only)

#3 - Rainbow Wall Hanging (finish quilting and bind)

#4 - Dyed Fabric Quilt (quilted and maybe binding too)

I haven't included any projects for swaps, gifts etc as those need to be finished this year anyway
Hopefully this will be a way of clearing some of my UFO's.

How comfortable can this be? I snapped this shot of Jayne sound asleep on top of my shelving, on top of a small box and next to my mum's old sewing maching that she has passed on to DD. At the moment she's curled up asleep beside me on MY comfy computer chair and I had to find another. It was either that or have her curl up on the keyboard.

My swap bag is ready for posting tomorrow so there'll be a photo as soon as it arrives at . . . . . . .

Quilting Wishes

Bright Spots in an Overcast Day

Where do I start? The house to myself for awhile .... jobs to be done ... sewing to be done .... hmmmmm!

A quick visit to blogland to keep up to date with what everyone is doing. Visit here at Debbie's Quilts and More for a fantastic giveaway.

I also had to take a photo of the one rose in my garden.




And while I was outside my two girls came out to join me. Soon to be curled up inside somewhere for the day. Usually on something they shouldn't be.

Here is the backing I purchased last week for 'project 1'. I'm hoping to get it pin basted today ready for quilting.

The summer swap quilt is almost finished. Just a little more quilting and then the binding. End of July is looming and there's still my chenille bag to do. Nothing like a bit of pressure to get you moving. Atleast the GST and Tax are basically done.

So ... a quick cuppa ... a quick routine job .... and sewing. This Friday is Patchwork day so roll on Friday!!

Quilting Wishes

Stuck for a Title

Firstly Happy Belated Mothers' Day to all. The silver envelope, which I opened on Sunday, held the cutest fridge magnets. Pictures of kittens smiling and poking tongues. Also a sock for my mobile. It's such a big phone (suitable for country areas) it was hard to find a large enough sock.

Sorry but I'm all out of titles and no quilting content as such. It's starting off as one of those weeks and it's not slowing down. My schedule has been so busy that even the housework is being neglected. It's one of those weeks where you just have to 'ride it out' and start fresh next week.

I did have a nice surprise in the mail again today. Can you call it a surprise when you buy something online, it gets lost in your memory, and then you remember buying it when it arrives? I'll take pics when I can get home before dusk and go outside in natural lighting. My indoor lights are shocking as previous photos will prove.


On the bright side I just sent an email off to Margaret at Four Seasons Quilt Swap to register for the 'Summer' Swap.


We also have a new addition over in the dog kennels. Our dogs are working dogs to help muster the cattle so from time to time we start training a new puppy to join the ranks. Isn't he handsom.

Times up, lots of jobs to get done before bedtime. Maybe I can squeeze in visiting a couple more blogs first?

On a Go Slow

My body is in go slow mode at the moment. Being continually tired is hampering my sewing efforts, not to mention the housework. I'm looking forward to the easter break when I hope to get some down time and regenerate.

As for sewing I'm still working on the 4 and 9 patch floral. Tonight is "It Takes Two" night so i'll either be burying threads or joining more of the english hexagons.

We've had no landline telephone now for 2.5 weeks and it's been very frustrating to say the least. To make matters worse, mobile reception is almost nil. Thankfully I can still talk with daughter away at uni via the computer and satellites.

Snow's chick is out and about now with everyone else.

Chicky thinks it's very clever, perching up on the third rung about 1m off the ground. "Chicky" will have to do for a name until I can tell if it's hen or rooster. I'm still not sure about the previous two chicks yet but pretty sure one atleast is a rooster. The other morning there was the funniest sound coming from the henhouse, something like a sick owl. Young rooster trying to crow.

Off now to make a coffee, find a snack and do some sewing.

Pictures At Last

OK, so I don't really know what's going on but pretty sure it's something to do with my computer and blocking pop-ups. I've found a way around it for now but am thinking it's time my computer went to the doctor or atleast to someone who knows what they're doing.

So here are those before and after photos of our pruning that I had promised, which seems ages ago.

The way the rain has been falling, it will be no time at all and we'll have to prune again.

I've also been told that you need to have the right environment to have green frogs around. Well we must have the perfect environment because the frogs live like royalty around here.

This fellow has made his home between the sugar bowl and milk jug and hides behind a bottle of omega 3 capsules. At night he comes out and dines on moths and climbs back into his hidy whole by morning. My nephew thinks it's heaven when he comes to visit as he just loves frogs.

Yesterday when I put my rainproof coat on, I discovered a green resident in one of the sleeves. I'm not sure who got the bigger fright but I'll be looking more carefully in the future.

Gardening Time

Over the long weekend I allowed some pruning to be done in the garden. It's amazing just how much things can grow in twelve months, expecially after the lovely wet summer we've been having. Several ute loads later we can once again look over the garden and I've also found a couple of plants that had disappeared into the overgrowth.

I seem to be having a bit of trouble loading photos so the before and after pics will have to wait.

This past weekend I was able to weed the rose bed and tidy a couple of spots that were missed last weekend.

I completely forgot to include my chicken news in previous blogs. My little white hen 'Snow' has been sitting on a couple of eggs. She now has the sweetest little cream coloured chicken under her wings. I don't think the other egg was fertile as she has now cast it out from the nest.

I have had good intentions of getting the border on the 4 and 9 patch quilt today but seem to be dragging my boots. Just haven't had the urge to sew, so I keep doing other jobs and sewing a strip now and then. I will have the top complete before going to bed tonight as I want to get some wadding tomorrow in town and get it sandwiched and basted before next patchwork day.
I have a recipient in mind and will need it finished by mid March so fingers crossed.

Whose New in the Hen House

I while back I mentioned that one of my silky hens was sitting on eggs. I've finally been able to get a reasonable photo of the two chicks. They're loosing that fluffy look now and love to get out and pick. Mum is the same colour but was too busy chasing insects to stop for a photo.

I also have three new additions to the hen house. 'Normal' size hens this time. That makes five hens, two chicks and one rooster. And I collected five eggs this afternoon, not bad. Fingers crossed that the chicks are also hens.

Once again the rain seems to have gone around us this afternoon. I knew I should have left the washing on the line. We did have just over an inch of rain Monday night which greened the grass up a bit and was much appreciated. Keeps the garden watered for me.

Sorting Scraps

I finally got to make a start on sorting out those fabric scraps. Thanks to Wanda's suggestion I gave myself a half hour which turned into almost an hour and made a good start. So far I have strips 1.5" and squares 2.5", 3.5", 4.5" and 6.5" Yesterday I purchased some small containers to fit each size and hey presto; containers of neatly cut uniform squares ready for a project.

The actual pressing and cutting was quite therapudic and the end result is very satisfying. Can't wait to get some more done. At the moment I'm busy trying to finish my kaleidoscope quilts for September 4. Thanks to the wet weather I've been kept indoors and had plenty of opportunity to work on them.

Also thanks to the wet weather, I'll have plenty of weeding in the gardens to do.
My girls have taken advantage of the cooler weather to curl up. My son left his quilt on the lounge and it didn't take them long to make a cosy spot for themselves. Fleur is on the left and Jayne on the right. Luckily they're on the back of the quilt. I read a little quote one day that said "Dogs have owners and cats have slaves". These two have got that right but I love their company.