Lazy blog girl

Yes I have been very lax of late. I have been trying to do a few things and I find that if I sit down at the computer, time just goes "poof"!

It's the beginning of another weekend for me. Mmm, yes there are lots of things to do. Will they get done? Mmm. I'm actually going to take some time off work in June. Mainly to be with my Mum who is starting kemo at the beginning of June. Thought I'd take time that will coincide with her last two weeks of her treatment. Luckily I have heaps of projects that are portable!

On a much cheerier note! These are the first two triangles of my Rainbow Dear Jane. Yes, I need to redo them! But that's okay, at least I got a start! I was actually very nervous about doing them because I haven't done anything so small before. Good thing there's plenty of fabric supplied in the kit! I recieved the second months worth last week. Better get a move on.

I thought I would share the remains of my afternoon tea from last weekend! Good tea, homemade scones and good friends. I am a lucky girl.

Well I have done my 9 patch blocks for the twiddletails swap. Medium and darks. I really enjoyed using the batik fabric. I'll have to use it again. I have also finshed an Eater/Spring swap through myquiltblog.com, but I can't show pictures just yet! I have finally settled on a pattern for the mini quilt spring swap. I was beginning to panic a little about that one, although I still have a few ideas rolling around in my head.

Not the best photo, but it gives an idea of the colour and pattern. The colours are so vivid. Love them!

The green would have to be one of my favourites. I've enjoyed doing these 9 patches so much that I've just jumped into another swap for 9 patches! The lovely Christine is hosting this swap from Once Upon A Quilt

Today I seem to be in the mood to ramble! Procrasting I think! Okay, I shall go off to do a few things and I promise to be a more productive blog girl! Or is that regular? Mmm. Okay one more photo! My oldest son was very proud of himself for blowing his first bubble!

Have a lovely weekend!

I love the Fratellis. I love Franz Ferdanand. I love Kylie too. Well we can probably keep that a bit quiet. Oh okay, you can talk about it! All good music to dance around the room to.

I have finally caught up on my Geese In The Forest bom!! Love doing this one.


I'm trying hard to get in some embroidery but I keep seeing all these sewing projects that I would like to do! Oh well, I'm sure it will all work out. Mothers Day is coming up. Mmm, maybe a little something for Mum and Nan. Thinking, thinking.

Got some great books off ebay. I love all of the craft books from the eighties, seventies and earlier. I especially love knitting booklets from the fifties. Embroidery too! Vintage transfer patterns are a favourite although they are beginning to get a little expensive! Must stop looking on ebay, etsy as well. Must be responsible with my money. Blah!

My mini iron just went pooof. Bugger.

Okay I'm off. I keep getting distracted! I'm a bit of a goldfish tonight!

Happy

The last couple of days have been great. Went to work on sunday and my manager asked me if I wanted a couple of days off - she need to cut hours - I was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth!

It came at just the right time. I have been missing my wee family. I sometimes feel like I miss out on so much with them.

The weekend before my inpromtu holiday we took the boys to the Hawkesbury Show. We didn't get to the Easter Show this year. Wanted to. It just isn't the same since it moved to Homebush. It's lost some of it's appeal. Actually, a lot. Anyway the Hawkesbury Show more than filled the gap! There were animals, show bags, rides, fireworks, friends and food.

Brrrr!

Definitely a bite in the air today! I think it's the first time I've worn a jumper all day this season. Boys went back to school today, they seemed fairly happy to go. Maybe. I'll have to get their winter uniforms out soon. Wonder if they still fit? Have to check that!

I recently got Liz Lois' book, "Nearly Insane" (almost!) and a group of fabulous ladies that I've met online through My Quilt Blog just had a 5" fabric swap. See where I'm going? I thought it was a good idea! Not sure whether to paper piece or foundation piece. There are some very tiny pieces in some of those blocks!

If my "list" gets any bigger, I'm going to have to name it! I'm too frightened to even think about what's on it or even how many things are on it!

This is a picture of some of my "pies". Making progress slowly! I've done a few more geese, photos soon.

Okay, I have to go make my bed so I can go to bed!

Catching up

Getting there.

Little bit of baking - some very yummy cinnamonn buns from Make It Do

Mmm, blurry buns but I think you get the idea!

Can't have buns without tea!

I did also manage to get in some sewing.

Block 1 group is done, I've got about 4 of Block 2 done - only another 23 to go!

Good thing I like this stuff!

The boys have just gotten back from celebrating Anzac Day, by the look of them I think they've had a good time! The day always begins on a solomn note as we honour those who fought for us. Then stories are shared and ancedotes are remembered, and maybe a beer or two is drunk! It is a good day. I never have any luck with Two up though. Maybe next year!

It's getting late and I have to work tomorrow so I shall say good night.

It's here

Finally, it arrived in the mail this morning! The 1st month of Rainbow Jane from twiddletails! I can't wait to get started on this!!

This is the other wonderful item that arrived with the postman this morning. A beautiful vintage Grandmother's Garden quilt top. The things you find on ebay!

Okay I'm off to sew!

Getting there..

Time sure does fly!

Well, my swap blocks are on their way, my hexagons are cut and ready, I practiced my needle-turn applique, got some of my "Pies & tarts" done, finally got onto GITF BOM from twiddletails. I'm feeling very pleased with myself because it's the first time I've done foundation piecing. I really like it!

Hexagons waiting.....

I'd like to do some of those tomorrow. As well as everything else!

I have somehow managed to get the day off tomorrow.

I have a list. It's an awfully long list!

Maybe a cup of tea will help me sort things out in my head? Mmmm..

Quilt festival

parkcitygirl is having a quilt festival! Head over there and check it out! There's prizes and eveything! How excitement!

Ahh, 4 days off. What to do, what to do?!

I have been doing little bits and pieces here and there. Work keeps getting in the way! So with these few days off over the Easter break I wil hopefully be able to get caught up (toes and fingers are crossed!) On my "List" swap blocks, hexagons, flying geese, Bunny Hill, Wee wall hanging (it's a mystery one), embroidery, family, chocolate, and maybe some more chocolate. Okay, there could be a glass or two of wine and some serious tv watching going on too. It can be done.




A photo to show that I have been doing a little bit of something!



No, it's not acrime scene - it's my sewing room

Mini bow tie - one down

Only eight more to go

Treasures

I got some mail today..


Vintage tin filled with goodies!

Vintage sheet set

Bunny Hill Designs - Rabbits Prefer Embroidery

Some days are very good indeed.

Lise

Who put that castle there?

I've been a little bit of a goldfish lately and it doesn't help that work has been super busy either. All I have wanted to do lately is some sewing or embroidery. Trust real life to get in the way! I have managed to squeeze a few things in, I have finished my orange pinwheels ( I wasn't happy with some of them so I had to remake them. ) and I've re-discovered some stitcheries I began at the beginning of 2008. I really don't know how they ended up under my sewing table?! Since there is only one & a half left to stitch I think I'll finish them! They were made up into a quilt and looked really good.

Found a bagillion things on the net! Loads of embroidery patterns and sewing patterns and everything else! No wonder I can't get anything done! Which is what I'm going to do right now. As soon as I check something out that I saw the other day about sewing half squares together! I might just have a quick look at ebay too?

It's a cracker!

A grasshopper walks into a bar.
The barman says,"We've got a drink named after you!"
The grasshopper replied, "What, Derek?!"

Orange love

There is something about the colour orange. Not sure what but I love it nonetheless. Here's a sneak peak at the finshed pinwheel blocks.

Now it's onto the dark green bowties!

Mini bow tie

I did do my practice mini bow tie block last night. I like it, have to watch those seams though! Now to get the fabrics, mmmm, dark green.

Play time

Ahhh. Working week over. Time to do some of my stuff and see my family. Now all I have to decide is where to begin?! So many projects, so little time.

Pinwheel practice

This is just a practice one! I wanted to make sure I could do it and not muff it up too badly! Nine blocks using the orange fabrics. I can do this. I'm also in another section of the swap. For this one I chose dark green and I'm going to do a mini bow tie block. So I am now off to make a practice one. I'll get the fabric this weekend if not sooner!

Fabric fun and dog

Well I finally got my fabric for the Rainbow Swap ( It's the orange fabric in the first photo, the one below the dog! ). I'm pretty happy with my choices although I did have some help from my 10yr old son. Only because he wanted to get out of the fabric shop quicker! Anyway I'm happy.

I'm stash building!

It's back to reality - work tomorrow. Yes, I do look very sad. A week just isn't long enough! I had plenty of things to think about and decisions to make. Mainly regarding work - suprised you, eh? It's been a long year with lots, I mean Lots of things happening which made me wonder if I should be on the road that I am. Trust me, being a "mature-age" apprentice isn't glamorous!

Anyway, I love what I'm doing and I'm stubborn! I'm not going to say Uncle first! Okay that's enough whining.

As well as fabric I got some great books today. The one that I loved immediately was "Material Obsession" by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke. They have a quilting shop here in Sydney by the same name. Another one was on tips and techniques, well I am a newbie quilter after all.

Just one last photo! This is my woofy who is very cute and very big. We love him. Okay for some reason the photo is up with the other ones! What the?!!

Lightbulb moment

Okay, well that was frought with danger! I think I just deleted some things?! Alrighty, the top two photos are of the quilt-a-long blocks and the last photo is just some cute fabric I just got from an etsy shop pompodor24. I have seen some very yummy fabrics lately - you could send yourself broke! Sorry about the last shot, obviously still some bugs(in my head!)

Getting there

I love looking at other crafty blogs! Everyone seems so productive and creative. I could sit here all day hopping from one blog to another.... oh wait, I just did that! Good thing I've got this week off! Shame I have to go back in 2 days!! So soon ( I have a very sad face right now) I've had fun, I caught up on my quilt-a-long blocks, the only thing I need to do with them is square them up. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. I wasn't sure about the colours but I think they look okay. I guess as I go along and do more quilting I'll gain more confidence with choosing colours. I need to choose some fabric for my Rainbow Swap blocks - I picked orange. Looks like a trip to the shop tomorrow! Sorry about the lack of photos, I'm still stumbling around trying to figure things out. The linking thing has got me puzzled as well and so does the "button" thing, you know like the quilt-a-long button, how do you get it onto your blog? Or is that a permission thing? See, I'm clueless!
Anyway I've got a few other project ideas I'm thinking of and of course there are many blogs to peruse! I found a beautiful knitting pattern today, I might get it out and have a look at it to see what I need. It's autumn, the mornings are nice and crisp, the days warm and evenings are cool. Love it.