Lazy days

Some days I just feel like doing nothing, today was one of those days, I pottered around in the garden for awhile and did some watering then thought about laying on the hammock and having a read but then the boys came outside to play so that was the end of that. I ended up doing some sewing and I started a new project, I'll show you a sneak peek tomorrow.

Look at this beautiful fushia, it really adds so much colour to our garden

A bag of a time

Like most women I love bags, here are 2 of them, This one my lovely friend Cathy made me, its called a pumpkin bag.

This bag I Made to put all my sewing things in, its only small but perfect to carry around.

These snowman are to show Ann over at A good yarn. I bought these when we went to Ross for our Tassie bloggers get together last year. Aren't they sweet. I collect snowmen so I just had to take them home with me.

Catch up time

I had the day at home today, it was a good chance to catch up on a few chores and do some stitching, I worked on my post card quilt and made 2 more blocks, I'm on the 2nd row now, and its looking so nice. I am using all autumn tones, they are my favourite colours, I also did some stitching for a new project for the shop, more on that later. Stay tuned.

Mum's quilt

This quilt belongs to my mum, its a Bronwyn Hayes pattern, I forget the name of it. Mum spent many hours doing the stitcheries and putting the quilt together then she sent it to me to quilt for her, I have done a stipple all over except on the stitcheries, I think it turned out really well, I'll be posting it to you very soon mum. This block is my favourite,

Lots of sewing

I have been sewing up a storm today, I got some charm packs from my friend for christmas so I decided to make them into snowball blocks,the fabric is called Garden Inspriration by Kansas troubles, its my favourite. Its so easy and quick to do, most of the cutting has already been done, This is a quarter of the quilt, still lots more sewing to be done. This morning I whipped up a few postcards for my swaps I'm in, I love making these. Tomorrow they will be on their way to America.

I didn't make this bag today, I made it last week. I needed another bag as my others are full of my projects, I'm going to keep this one for my craft nights.

patchwork santa

Look at these little beauties, I bought these in the after christmas sales. They are Jim Shore figurines, I have admired them for a long time but the price always made me ask did i really need them, well after christmas we went away for a few days and while I was shopping there they were, crying out to me to buy them. How could I refuse those oh so serious but cute faces and their beautiful patchwork clothes. I have packed away all my christmas decorations but left these 2 out for a wee bit longer.

Look what I can do...

Here is my first attempt at quilting on the big quilt machine at the patchwork shop where I work, this is going to be my new job next year so I have been practicing on my own quilts, I don't think I did to bad for my first try. I enjoyed doing the stippling the best, it was easy to do once I got the hang of it. The quilt machine is beautiful to use and I can see I'm going to enjoy my new job ALOT. Who knows maybe one day I'll be quilting one of my Tassie blogger friends quilt.

Lucky me

Here are my beautiful gifts I received from Jacquie
I love these fabrics, they are my favourite colours,

Look at these fabrics cards, how cool are they. I love them

I just love this little quilt,

At the back of this photo is a beautiful table runner Jacquie made, I'll treasuure these always.

Thankyou Jacquie and thankyou chooky blue for organising this fun swap,

Christmas morning

It was an early start in our house on christmas morning, the boys were up at 5.30am to see what santa left for them, all you could here was the ripping of paper. Jacob got a basketball, he has wanted one for ages.

Nicky is a lego fan so he got star wars lego, he has the ship half built already

Daniel got an MP3 player, lego and lots of other things,

All my boys got lots of things, I'm sure it will keep them amused for a few weeks,

Santa was good to me and gave me a camera and part of season 3 of Little House on the prairie, thats my favourite show, I love to sit and watch these episodes by myself and do my quilting.

Paul got his BBQ so he's happy,

I have lots more to show but I'll save that for later.

Happy Boxing day everyone.

Christmas lights

Some houses in our street look so lovely at christmas time, here are a few at the end of our road,

Nicky and Jacob love christmas time, they never stopped talking when we were walking around the street looking at the lights, they were so excited. Thats what christmas is all about isn't it,

This house looked so pretty.

Merry Christmas

Gosh its been ages since my last blog, where has the month of Decembr gone. Its been so busy for me with end of year school functions and activities, finally its almost christmas. I have been busy doing lots of sewing but I'll save those pictures for after christmas when I take them with my new camera I hope santa is bringing me. My inlaws arrived from Victoria yesterday, they are spending 2 weeks with us which is lovely, we haven't seen them for 3 years. Today I have to work then tonight we have a christmas party so that will be fun, Tomorrow I will be preparing food for christmas day, I'm stuffing and cooking my very first Turkey so fingers crossed it turns out Ok, I'm not the best cook thats for sure, I'd much prefer to quilt than cook.
I wish you all a very happy christmas and a safe new year. Until next time take care and I hope santa brings you everything you wish for.

More finished projects

I love Anni Downs projects, here is a cushion I recently finished, I enjoyed making this. I think the ric rac around the edge really sets it off.

Bear quilt

My quilt for the shop is almost complete, just a few more flowers to stitch around and the final border. I enjoyed making this quilt alot, its a Libbly Richardson design called Rainbow bears,
I have also received my secret santa gift for chooky blue's swap, its still in the box so next weekend when I set up our christmas tree they can be the first gifts to go under, How exciting, I can't wait til christmas.

More of Ross

Merdith and I went for a walk to look at shops when were in Ross, we found a cute little nursery with a gift shop, I bought 2 cute little tin snowmen,

This is the project Merdith was working on, its a block of the month all done in wool, aren't the colours beautiful, this quilt will be stunning when its finished.

I sat opposite Rose from Threadbare creations and Isabella, both ladies were so nice to talk to.

Stitching day at Ross

I have had such a good day today, Cathy, Merdith and I headed off early this morning to meet our other blogger friends for a day of stitching and talking and fun. I met some really lovely people and saw some beautiful work in progress, It was all organised by Jo, The quilted Crow gave us some prizes which was so nice of them, thank you Leonie and Deidre and Thankyou Jo for organising such a wonderful day.

Ross has some beautiful old buildings, the history behind them is amazing.

Here we all are busily stitching
Some of us were in an ornament exchange and we swapped with each other today, these are what I made, I'll show you the others tomorrow.

Stitchers angel gift

Here is the gifts I made for Tine from Denmark for the stitchers angel swap, the redwork designs are from Rosalie Quinlan's book Gift, they were fun to make, the ornaments I cross stitched. I hadn't done any cross stitch for ages so I enjoyed doing them alot, I had forgotten though how slow cross stitch is. I hope you like them Tine.

Pond House

I know I don't need yet another project to start but who could resist Lynette Andersons Pond House, I saw this at the craft fair in Hobart and just had to sign up for it as a block of the month, I look foreward to starting block number one, I'll show you my progress soon.

Children

How does my number 2 son earn extra pocket money?? He bakes scones and sells them to his 2 brothers for 30 cents each, yes, Jacob loves to cook and after nagging me for 2 days to bake I gave in and let him have the kitchen. He didn't do a bad job, he set up his own bakery in the loungeroom then the other boys came in with their hard earned pocket money and bought a scone. It was so funny to watch them when they thought I was doing something else.

Another special gift

While I'm showing you all my presents I have received recently I thought I would show you a Quillow Quilt my penfriend in New Zealand made me for my birthday, it has New Zealand animals all over it and its so warm. Just what we need for winters here in Tassie.

Presents from my angel

Well here they are, all my wondeful gifts from peggy in Canada, Peggy was my secret angel in Helen Stubbings "An Angels Stitcher swap", it was good fun, we all had to make at least 3 handmade gifts to send to our partner, Peggy spoilt me and sent a few extra goodies, I'm one lucky girl thats for sure.

Such a sweet bag, its all quilted as well and feels so nice.

Don't you just love my scissor holder, Peggy even sent the scissors.

Some reading material when I need inspiration.

Gorgeous autumn fabric, these colours are my favourite.

The big box the postie delivered.