MY FAT QUARTER

Treasures or rubbish... ??? Share it

2012-02-09T21:38:00.000+13:00

A friend made a comment this week that I'm not blogging enough.. haha.. and I have to admit to being rather tardy of late. So I will try harder to blog more often and keep you all entertained?? Now that my son has moved out and Myra has been to stay I decided to move some furniture and tidy up.. for a Day!! One day .. that's all it was going to take. Well, it was a long weekend in New Zealand (3 days) and I still had one room to finish last night before company came!!

Gorgeous ah. It even opens. Purely ornamental though so it's gone on Trade Me

I shifted stuff and sorted stuff even my bead collection...WHAT THE ???? So I've ended up with heaps of treasures on Trade Me. That's like New Zealand's EBay. I have TOO MUCH.. STUFF!!

Beads for Trade Me

And I decided to make the spare room into a 'lounge' and Button Room!! Have you heard anything so sad.. haha.. but I can easily get sidetracked and play with my button collections so I've moved them away from my sewing machine... hehe.. Now I just have to sort them out and put them somewhere.. one day!!

Old Buckles.. I was GONNA frame them...gone on Trade Me

The other reason I did this NOW was that I'm having an op next week and won't be able to lift or reach, no hanging washing or vacumning ... gee that's sad haha... for 6 weeks. And I know if I'm home I'll be wanting that stuff that's down there under all that other stuff!!! Grr I am too independant to ask for help sometimes.

Not sure why I bought this.. On Trade Me now

This weekend's task now is to get the 1930's finished so that I can sit and do the hand sewing when I get home. I can't wait to choose buttons to sew on it and I'm going to embroider the wording for the label on a doily..

3 Quilt Club Meetings in One Week!1

2012-02-01T11:30:00.000+13:00

Monday in Wellington was Anniversary Day so Myra and I went to Palmerston North. A trip up through Kapiti and Horowhenua ( a couple of secondhand shops were open) to visit friends and go to Rose City Quilters meeting. I used to live in Palmerston North so it was a great opportunity as I was on Annual Leave, to visit the Club and introduce Myra to old friends. What a wonderful meeting too.

Awesome. WIP by a RCQ member

So much Show and Tell, so much inspiration, and so much love and hugs!! I felt wonderful seeing everyone again.

Made by a member of "The Mothers" at RCQ. They all made one in their own fabrics. Gorgeous ah.

This is a New York Beauty made by a member of "The Mothers". I'm not sure why Blogger has turned it upside down. I love the way the background has been put together.

This one's flipped too but the effects that different colours made to the block is awesome.
And of course it's in Batiks so I love, love, love it!!!

Yum, Yum , Yum, love scrappy and love this quilt. Awesome (yes, I repeat myself)... I love it.

Thank you to "The Mothers" and Rose City Quilters for a wonderful evening of colour and enthusiasm.

On the way home Myra and I travelled through the Wairarapa and a couple of visits to shops on the way. It's such beautitful country through Southern Waiarapa with many last century homes beautifully maintained and lovely old worlde cottage gardens.

We were welcomed to the Wairarapa by this very quiet elderly couple sitting in the sun. Sadly their home (an antique shop) is closing down, so I guess they won't be welcoming folks for too much longer. We had to have a look at the beautiful antique 'everything' inside but I didn't spend anything!!

Myra flew home on Thursday on the windiest day of the week. She said the worst part was walking out to the plane in the wind, walking up the rocking ladder and sitting on the plane for half an hour while it rocked on the tarmac. The airport had already changed departure gates for the plane because the wind was so strong they couldn't load the luggage!! I'm so glad she had a safe flight and is now home relaxing after a very busy week. So now my home is quiet and empty. Home alone again. Hmmm

Thursday night I went to Pinestream Quilters in Upper Hutt with June whom Myra and I had visited on the way to the airport. Thank you June for showing us through your fantastic sewing shed. I want one! Visit June and see her blog including her amazing scrappy quilts. (I have some of Myra's old scraps here and am itching to sew them all together) BUT I've got to finish 1930. It's looking gorgeous now and I'm inspired to keep going.AND I've promised to have it finished very soon.

Saturday afternoon was Capital Quilters here in Lower Hutt. I'm on the Committee for CQ but I didn't get there very early having had a lazy morning reading in bed!!! It was a Stitch-in being the first meeting of the year so no problem. I don't have any hand sewing at the moment so I manned the magazine table. We talke our unwanted magazines to the Club, they sell them 5 for $1 and the money goes to charity. It's fabulous. I buy some, read them and take them back next month. Cheap entertainment.

I hope you're having a wonderful 2012 so far. I'll post more photos on future blog posts.

Preparing for guests

2012-01-29T19:07:00.000+13:00

As you know my son 32, has gone flatting and Myra came to visit. So it was a huge job cleaning the room and preparing for Myra's visit - getting rid of the smell of dirty socks.. you know!!

I needed a picture on the walls in a hurry, a black and white to go with the duvet cover so this is what happens at the last minute.. (I think I have my best ideas when I'm under pressure hehe). I had a spare black frame (the glass broke) .. hmm.. ideas..

And this is what happened. Nothing better. I thought it could be coloured in during Myra's visit but we didn't have time.

However I'm sure it will be over time.

I've also wanted to make a button lampshade for a long time so what better reason to do it. I was at the Opportunity shop near work looking for a ball of thread to tie the buttons on. But I found a card wrapped with some plastic cord.

I didn't know what it was but was later told it's the cord that holds vertical blinds on the track!!! It was perfect and there was plenty. The little hooks held smaller buttons and I had it finished in a couple of hours.

What a transformation! And now, I can smell Myra' perfume in that room, much nicer than smelly boy socks!!! haha.

While visiting a cafe in Miramar, Myra had a little friend. It was on her shoulder for a long time but then it sat in her hand and showed us it's gorgeous colours. I'd never seen a butterfly with these colours and that's the reason I put this photo on my blog hehe. Really it is Myra!

Empty Nest Syndrome - Bring It On!!!

2012-01-09T22:19:00.000+13:00

There's been an advertisement on the TV lately about preparing yourself for the time when your kids leave the nest - Well, I've been prepared time and time again but this weekend my son is moving out for the last time. He came for a few weeks and stayed 9 months. I'm very proud I've kept it together and not lost my cool too often so we can part on good terms haha.

No more Boy smells.. farts and dirty socks and cigarette smoke drifting through the open windows from outside. It'll only be MY mess anywhere and I will onlyh have to clean up after ME!!

I've had everything stuffed in my bedroom and my sewing room for 9 months and I am getting very claustrophobic. So now I can spread out again and have the girls around for a sew in... and make a mess in my sewing room and SHUT the door!! Yeehaa....

As much as I love him, we'll be way better friends when he lives somewhere else!!

And today was my late Dad's birthday. Funny how things happen on a coincidental day but I've been missing Dad so much lately. Sometimes I just need a hug from my Dad and I think I've had one..

Welcome 2012

2012-01-08T18:18:00.001+13:00

Well, Christmas is all over again. How quick the day comes and even quicker it is over! I spent Christmas this year at my son-in-law's mother's house. And stepfather too. It was an amazing home on the top of a hill in Hawkes Bay. This was the view on Christmas Eve from the deck. The Pool stretches the width of the home and the view is enormous. See the tractor in the bottom paddock mowing the hay. My grandchildren love the pool. This is Olivia, my little Princess, who's nearly 8.

On the way home to Wellington on Chistmas Day afternoon we went to Palmerston North to catch up with friends. The normal route through the Manawatu Gorge is closed for several months so we had to drive over the Saddle Road. It's the first time I've been up that way for many years so it was exciting to see the Windmills so close. They are enormous. what a beautiful day though.

Now this photo is upright in My Pictures so why has blogspot turned it sideways? I also can't see the photos when they've downloaded into blogger (before I select them)- does anyone else have this problem??

And again.. sideways. I tried to take a close up of Maggie's Christmas Tree. Her late mother knitted a new doll for every member of the family. Now the grandchildren are increasing and I want to try and work out a pattern for Maggie.. they're made in 4ply I think. Their names are on the polysterene heads.

I borrowed this picture of Facebook. This is my eldest daughter beside the Christmas tree at the rest home she manages. I think she looks like an angel - but she's not!!! haha

I spent a week up at Myra's and had a wonderful time. And yes, I did get quite a bit done on my 1930's quilt. This isn't a very good photo but it was to remind me how to lay out my blocks. If you look closer you'll see I've put the top row in this picture together -there are 2 other rows which aren't in the photo.
It's a Quilt As You Go style. Makes quilting much easier.

Myra gave me most of the doillies Iv'e used in the quilt which makes it very special. I've decided to replace my small one on the right hand side so I'm checking the op shops.

This quilt has been 'happening' since January 2011 when I bought the fabrics, cut them and started the squares while I was staying with Myra. I don't think it's been touched since then but I am inspired to get it finished now. I think it will look gorgeous and it's big enough for my bed. Where the calico squares are I will sew buttons. (As I would).

Myra has been busy finishing her UFO's and getting them quilted. This one is huge - hence I couldn't get it all in the photo. Isn't it beautiful.

Love love this one. Here's an idea to use up floral charm squares. Myra has the most amazing variety of fabrics. She's been quilting for many years. I've bought a huge pile of her scraps back to make a scrappy quilt.. because I love them. There is a difference in the 'old' fabrics and the modern ones I've got. I have put it on my list to do.

I never liked green until the last 2 years or so. How does it happen that suddenly your colour preferences change?? I love Myra's Trip Around The World quilt she's made for her family. It is another really large quilt. These are just 3 of many she's finished lately. What would be on your bucket list??? I have made a list of my UFO's now and will endeavour to get them finished too so that my family will use them in the future. It's a really good idea don't you think!!

I'm sorry, Sideways again. I hope you haven't got a sore neck from twisting. This is one of Myra's cute dolls. On her neck is inscribed Effandbee.....yeah say that quickly. Would you ever call a doll F n B?? Isn't she cute though. She sat on the couch beside me all week and I couldn't help admiring her beautiful face and those gorgeous blue eyes (I believe she's had an eye transplant!!).

Lastly here is my swan plant that seeded itself in my garden. It's the first time I've had one so I eagerly watched the big fat caterpillers thinking they would eat it alive in no time. But they moved house or something ate them. I ended up with this beautiful lush plant and 3 crysallises hanging on the house.

When I came home last Wednesday there is only One beautiful butterfly left. It is beautiful and I spent quite awhile watching it yesterday being blown in the wind and trying so hard to get back to the bush. Today it is raining and it's gone. I think I need to adopt some more caterpillars to eat this plant.

I will try and blog more often now the Christmas rush is over and I've finished making organza flowers. Myra is coming to stay in a few days and we'll be going to see The Wedding Dresses exhibiton at Te Papa, the NZ museum.

In New Zealand we are saddened by the loss of 11 people in a Ballooning accident yesterday. It happened in Carterton on a beautiful day and 5 couples plus a well known and experienced pilot have been killed. My heart goes out to all the families involved and the community of the small country town.

Busy busy busy

2011-12-17T10:54:00.002+13:00

I'm sure we're all busy at this time of the year but usually Christmas shopping. I have to go out and shop today for mine. Yes I should have been and done that by now but... Remember the organza flower I made for my Mum.. well I carried on using the waterfall I had and a good friend Mrs C said she could sell them at her work.

Then the girls from work saw them and wanted some too. Friends have bought them as I've been making them so I haven't been able to keep up. My lounge is a mess organza all around me..

Petals cut out ready to melt on a tea light. They don't have to be perfect YAY!!

See my work 'table'.. what a mess

Egg cartons.. great for pinning in organzas once they're melted..

And the benefit of having a lovely OLD lazyboy is you can put pins in it!!! These flowers are sortof put together but not sewn together yet...

I haven't invited anyone around for ages because it's in such disarray and my son is still here and I love him to bits and I have been a nice mum for 9 months.. but enough is enough! I keep looking everyday for a place he can move too closer to his work. I need my house back to myself... no boy smells - dirty socks and farts!, no plates on the floor in the bedroom, having to tell him to clean up after himself, put the seat down ra ra ra. And he's 32!! He does need his own space!

Heck, it's an hour later and I need to go and do my Christmas shop.

My First Quilt

2011-11-27T20:36:00.000+13:00

Bonnie Hunter at Quiltsville is posting today about her first quilt and has invited others to post about theirs. My first quilt was made in January 2005 when I lived in Hamilton. I always said I'd never do patchwork.. all that cutting with scissors .. but then I met Myra and she showed me how it was done. Well, I was hooked and 2 weeks later I had my mothers 50 year old Bernina, fabric and a project under way. My friend Margaret's daughter Anna was getting engaged that year and her favourite colours were red, white and blue.

I made a double sized raggy quilt and put hearts on bigger blocks. Somewhere I even wrote their names in gold paint.. eeek.. It looks terrible now. But I believe Anna still has it.

I left Hamilton in March of that year and before I left I made this wallhanging for Myra to say thank you for teaching me patchwork ( now I think it's like being a pimp - she got me hooked haha!)

Myra's House of Threads! I made it up using different applique patterns. Look at those buttons - must have been the start of something else way back then.. eeek. Oh dear, not much quilting... . sad!

I think I should have done a few quilts before I gave them away haha.

Christmas is upon us!!

2011-11-26T23:18:00.000+13:00

Eeek, it's less than a month away and I am not prepared at all. Lucky I only have 4 grandchildren and a great nephew to buy for and my dear friends Myra and Martina. I have been busy trying to do a few little things but should have posted a parcel to Germany a month ago. Oh well, Martina my dear friend, it will be a New Years surprise.

Today I received an unexpected gift from Martina. It is such a treat to come home and find a parcel waiting for me. I'm like a kid at Christmas opening it believe me. It's so exciting. Thank you Martina, I am so glad we met, I really enjoy sharing our love of quilting and friendship.

Another magazine from Germany with lovely
Christmas projects and a pack of Christmas fabrics from Germany. The selvedge says tante Ema - Aunty Emma. hehe It's so special . I know what I'm going to make with them for NEXT Christmas.

Whoops the photo is upside down up there but you can see the pretty colours. Today ws our Christmas party at our local Quilting Club. Here are some of the quilts I would love to have in my room...

We had a 'bring a plate' lunch. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make Reindeer biscuits with pretzels for ears!

Pretty bright Christmas trees. Sideways.. sorry but I'm off to bed, so too tired to straighten it.

Rhododendrons are all in flower here in New Zealand . My grandmother had several in her garden so they always remind me of her.

And goodnight from Wellington New Zealand where the wind has stopped, the blue sky is back and everything looks perfect. Flowers are starting to emerge, trees are green and I can sit in the park at lunchtimes. I love this time of year.

80 years young

2011-11-23T22:55:00.000+13:00

The winner of the Wellington sign competition judged this week. This one designed by Saatchi and Saatchi to represent Windy Wellington. It will be erected on the Miramar Hill so it can be seen when planes are flying in to the airport.

Wellington is well known for its windy weather and the last few days have been especially wild. I think this could be the windiest I've ever experienced since moving here. I work on the 6th floor and the wind has slammed against the windows, really giving us a fright haha.. and the building is on rollers so it wobbles a bit in the strong gusts. It's really quite amazing but frightening to drive in. My son drove his truck with canvas sides during the wind on Monday morning..I think it's the worst day of his career so far!

I hate the wind though at this time of the year, there is so much pollen and stuff in the air! I have been really ill with asthma and hayfever for the last few weeks and even had two days off because I was so breathless. I've been on steroids and antibiotics for the last few days so hopefully will start to pick up again now. Hence my absence from blogging. I have been soooo tired!!!

To catch you up here is my Kaelidoscope quilt on the design wall. It's not sewn together yet but I think it's looking good.

last weekend Ken and I drove to Dannevirke to celebrate my Mum's 80th birthday. My little sister arranged the venue and caterer etc etc so all I had to do was put photos on a board.

Table decorations for Mum's party. Simple but awesome colours.

My Mum, 80 years old, a very little lady (scarcely 5 ft - my Dad ws 6ft 4") but we knew who ruled the roost haha. Very few gray hairs.. I do hope I take after my Mum. She's never home!! Social Butterfly.

This was the organza brooch I made for her to wear. I saw a video on You Tube and using fabrics from a waterfall of organza and one of my special buttons it was made in no time. I've carried on .. maybe I'll hang them on the christmas tree. I oversinged this one but it still looks okay.

Boo

2011-11-14T22:38:00.001+13:00

Bit late for Halloween but I'm sure you'll be surprised. Nearly 2 weeks since I posted. I have been busy, last week only one night at home.. eek! Always tired that week but it only happens once a month. However my weekend had been busy too.

I was making a little friend for Myra to take on her trip down south on the Tranzalpine Steam Train. Flat Ted was No 2 attempt but from a pattern! He has a very funny head and a long neck but I reckon that's so he can see out the windows. It's the first time I've made one but Myra thinks he's cute and he is indeed flat so he can fit in any suitcase. He's even got the apple to keep the Dr away! Myra had to give him some eyes. She has a jar full!

This weekend I went to see my friend who collects buttons. I had bought a few at a fabric sale and wanted to check out what was worth keeping etc. Wow, three of the buttons are bought are very old and a really good find.

I paid $4 for this one which was put on a card. I didn't think much about the card which said "boilproof"
but Ruth pointed out the card was a photocopied one and didn't belong to that button.
My button is indeed a 'picture' button and very, very old.

I thought the button on the right has been painted over or varnished as it doesn't quite look right. But the plate on the back says "made in London" and I'm told its a Bimini button which again is a real collectors item.

Enough of buttons. My friends groan when I start talking buttons haha. I'm sure you're bored too!

On Sunday I went to a Colour Wheel workshop. I thought I knew everything but!!

The tutor was Chris McKenna and she had some amazing beautiful quilts. These two that I got photos of are gorgeous so I thought I'd share them.

I took along a fabric that I love but have found it hard to match up with anything.

Maybe I'll get inspired now and start looking again.

Buttons up

2011-10-27T23:39:00.003+13:00

It's been a lovely day but really turned cool this evening. I went to Pinestream Quilters meeting tonight in Upper Hutt with my friend June I always enjoy seeing quilts and sharing ideas and of course getting a new bundle of library books to read. (As if I need more ideas). tonight someone was giving away scrap bags so I was lucky enough to grab one of them too.

Pretty glass, orange, pink and red. Moonglows - that's the bottom blue, A couple of brown art deco buttons and others.

Thought I'd show you some of my latest button finds.. Myra and I found a few antique and opportunity shops over her stay. I'm always on the look out for a button jar which just might have some treasure in it.
Three Buckets Full in Lower Hutt has an awful lot of buttons. Tooo many! Wendy also has a $1 bowl. Eek $1 doesn't sound much but it soon grows to $5.

I love "Twinkles". The big one in the photo is very rare. I was so lucky to find it for $5.

It was really grubby but I cleaned it up with this stuff that's like Steelo's which we clean pots and pans with in New Zealand but a very fine one.

I'm told you can only buy it in Europe so I appreciate my friend Ruth giving me some. It goes a long way.

My collection of 'twinkles'

Beautiful clear buttons with 3d designs

Glass Art Deco Buttons - the colours are gorgeous. I love them.

Batteries and Buttons

2011-10-26T22:25:00.000+13:00

You know what it's like. For weeks you look forward to something and all too soon it is over and life returns to normal. I have been waiting for Myra to visit for weeks and she's been, now she's gone home and it was an incredibly great visit but not long enough. I worried about wearing her out though, but I'm the one who's worn out haha. I need Energizer Batteries... big ones haha. Oh it's been so much fun but now my house seems too quiet and empty.

We were out a lot and included a visit to Golders Cottage in Upper Hutt, built in 1800's and still original in many ways.

No taps for the water here, and this is the safe and the store room for preserves!

This beautiful dolls house was featured inside. there is so much detail. I wish I could have got better close up photos.

Remember the old gramophone. My grandparents had one and we loved to watch the needle going around and around the record when we were kids.

The Long Drop at the back of the garden. I remember being frightened by spiders in one as a child.

We went to Parliament Buildings. I don't think I've been there since I was at School.

One of the highlights of the weekend was a visit to a button collector who lives here. There were a few visitors there also. I adore buttons, especially old ones. Aren't these amazing. American Celluloid. How much work went into making them back then. And these childrens buttons 1920-1940 are so cute!

Here's me in my element. Looking through the button boxes. Eek... $ signs !!!

Old Vintage Coat buttons

These are made of Shell. Click on the photo to enlarge it. They are stunning.

Luckily we have the same interests. We never get bore together.

Thank you for coming Myra. I can't wait till the next time.

WINNERS WINNERS AND MORE WINNERS

2011-10-25T21:31:00.001+13:00

What a wonderful exciting event the World Cup has been to New Zealand. It has bought much needed happiness and excitement to everyone here. And as you already know our All Blacks won!!!! A very close nail biting game against France. Well done France. Both teams played well but had to play hard. It was nerve wracking in the last few minutes. the score was 8 NZ - 7 France!!!

Of course I have to show this photo taken last year of me and Victor Veto (on right in top photo). I feel very special to have had my arms around an All Black!! Go Victor! haha

Last week the group that I work in, won the General Manager's Award for Best World Cup Pod and Second Prize for Viewers Choice. Woohooo..

A Georgia Flag I made very quickly from a cream curtain fabric and red polyester. It's about 4feet wide

We were thrilled but didn't expect it. the GM's comments were that we had selected a small country, stuck with the Rugby theme, dressed up to show our support and gone the extra mile!

Nothing like the rugby scrum in their little shorts!@

On Friday's we dressed up as Cheerleaders for the team and even had our photos taken in the scrum haha.

Inside the locker room

There were 20 selected groups of staff in the building who all drew a country out of a hat. Everyone then had to decorate their areas to show their support to that country. Here's a few photos:

The locker complete with ointments and things rugby players might have in their locker. We had a sniff test too.. jars with liniment, grass, leather and even a dirty sock!! haha

A view from one of the windows - the Georgia flags made by Tania

And finally tonight the winner of my 300th post give away is ....

Myra making the draw at Wellington Airport

Quiltgirlie drawn by the lovely Myra while waiting for her plane this afternoon. So Quiltgirlie please email me as soon as you can with your mailing address. Congratulations!

I've got a few posts to put up this week about our busy few days together.

We crammed a lot in and included visits to friends and to a Button Club meeting yesterday. I so love my buttons but now Myra is going to collect 'special' buttons too so we'll be able to share this obsession as well.

Off to bed now.. it is so windy here tonight everything is rattling and it's really quite discomforting. Myra is back home at her house - and I haven't opened my mouth all night..... I so enjoyed her company. Night everyone. God Bless You all.

The Giveaway

2011-10-25T09:26:00.000+13:00

I haven't posted much since Myra has been here - we have been SO busy I need a holiday haha. Anyway we are off out again now until she flys home this afternoon.So if you want a last chance to be in to win this giveaway of fatquarters, cotton, beads and magazine please put a comment for one chance, or better still become a follower, tell me and get another chance or post about the giveaway.

I am taking my phone with me and can check for any more posts and Myra will do the lucky draw at the airport. I'll post about the winner tonight.

Good Luck

Give Away Fabrics and a Wonderful Surprise

2011-10-19T22:40:00.001+13:00

PS I forgot to put the glass beads in the photo but they will be in the prize.

On my last post (my 300th) I told you how to enter a give away to celebrate that huge achievement (or is it another addiction hmmm????) and here is the giveaway. 7 Fat quarters of batik fabrics, a reel of variegated cotton which is beautiful to use and the latest New Zealand Quilter. To enter read my last post and Myra will draw the lucky recipient out before she goes home next week.

Yes as Annie would sing.. "It's only a day away" now. This time tomorrow night Myra will have arrived on the train after 8 hours. She's looking forward to it so I hope it's a nice day and she can see everything on her travels. It's certainly not a nice night here and yet we had a beautiful hot day = I even wore a dress!!**?? The weather is very contrary at the moment.

I had a wonderful suprise yesterday from my dear friend Martina in Germany. Martina and I met through our blogs last year and have kept in touch ever since. My lovely parcel yesterday was

3 more beautiful patchwork magazines from Germany. they are full of ideas and patterns and 4 pieces of yummy fabric in blues and orange-brown.. They are beautiful cottons. Quite different to NZ cotton.

And look at that amazing Cathedral on the postcard. Martina also sent a thimble with the Cathedral on it. I am so grateful to Martina for sending these. It's so exciting to hear from someone on the other side of the World who shares the same passions.

I love this quilt. What a gorgeous colour scheme for Christmas and scrappy too.

And wow, what a dazzler this is for any time of the year but I do think this would be a really bright and happy Christmas table centre.

And of course, wouldn't you know it. There are Horses in one of the magazines. Rocking Horses for the Christmas Tree. I love love love them and will have to make some. I'm sure I've told you how my dear Dad used to call me Horse very very affectionately of course and I miss that so much. So I am constantly noticing horses everywhere and acquiring a few here and there. these are very special.

Friends are Priceless. And I love to spend time with every one whether it's on the internet, on the phone or right here in my little house in New Zealand. I had better get to bed because I'm sure I'm not going to sleep much. I'll be remembering all the little things I need to do before Myra comes. The orchids are in a vase, the bedroom will be made up like a 5 star hotel but I still have to find enough room in my sewing room for a single bed haha. That will be my posie for a few nights. I'm thinking about having a king single bed in my room so I want to see how I'll manage.

Good night dear friends. Good luck with the giveaway. I'd love to share it with you.

300th Post = Giveaway Horowhenua Quilt Exhibition

2011-10-16T22:32:00.001+13:00

Well, what a day today and this is my 300th blog. So to celebrate it I'm going to have a giveaway! I will post a photo in the next few days of some gorgeous fat 1/4's of batik fabric, some NZ fabric and some glass beads from Nelson - no doubt there will be other bits and pieces but it's been a very busy day here at my house.

And this afternoon my grandson George (15) came off his mountain bike again and landed on his head. thank God he wears all the protective gear, the ct scan is clear but he's in hospital for the night with bad concussion. No riding now until Christmas and the worst news is he can't sit his exams in 2 weeks!! So sad. But at least he's okay. He did this last year too and had a head injury for a few months.. happens so quickly.

SO TO HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN...

1. Leave a comment on my blog anytime before 24 October.
2. Become a follower to get a second entry.
3. If you post about this giveaway tell your readers to leave a link to your blog and you and your reader will get an entry to the giveaway.

Don't forget to put your blog link or an email address with your comment.

I will get my friend Myra to draw out the winner on the morning of 24 October before she flys home. I'm sure that day will come too soon as we have so much to do and see. Oooh I can't wait till you arrive Myra.. only 4 more sleeps!!

I was only going to vacumn and wash the floors today but ended up moving this hutch dresser (I didn't use my left arm believe it or not)

My hutch dresser was bought off Trade Me for $20 but still doesn't have any handles on the drawers!!!

and the little freezer, polishing all the shelves, deciding what to keep and what to sell on Trade Me

thought I'd put this up for sale but it's actually quite pretty when I see the photo.

I'd forgotten I had this.. not sure why I bought them in the first place?

I used to collect ornaments of figures in bikinis in deck chairs etc. Thought these looked good with them but they're too big. Salt and peppers.. cute though!

I've been moving pictures and I decided to cheer up this old pin up board using some of the curtain samples I had. I'm going to glue braids and buttons on to it but it'll pass for now.

Before

After

I was going to do sewing today but tidying has taken me all day. don't ya hate it when you do that haha.
And now the All Blacks are playing Australia in the semi finals of the Rugby World Cup so I really need to go. It's the second half and New Zealand All blacks are leading 16 to 6. Nerve wracking. We need to win!

I'll leave you with some photos from the Horowhenua Quilting Club's Exhibition yesterday. It was excellent.

Love the clever use of buttons .. of course!

I love this one. I can see this pattern done in old shirts. I have been collecting them for a little while now.

An awesome use of colour and ideas. Very visual

I have always loved Beryl Cook paintings so this one caught my eye.

Awesome colours and design.

There was a beautiful display of small quilts..

Love this. colours are gorgeous. so simple but effective.

this was in the New Zealand section. I have a thing about green these days so love this use of colour

Congratulations to Horowhenua quilters. The exhibiton was the best and everyone I met agreed! Sadly it appears I didn't win any of the raffles.. but I'm glad to support your talented group.

Karen Griska Etsy Shop

2011-10-13T20:17:00.001+13:00

A couple of years ago I bought this fabulous book written by Karen Griska, and subsequently started cutting my selveges off every fabric in my cupboards (a great way to tidy them up too).

I've only made this quilt so far but I have a huge collection of selveges in my 'Must Do" box and have used them in several other projects. From the book I have been a follower of Karen's blog and more recently Karen's Etsy quilt Shop. Wow, these quilts are awesome. I can't imagine selling any of mine.. well, the ones I get finished haha. but these are wonderful eye candy so pop in and have a look and spread the word. Here's some of the 40+ quilts on sale:

Bright Carribean colours by Karen Griska

Lively Multi-coloured by Karen Griska

Thank you to all my new followers who have been to visit my blog and left comments. It's wonderful to have new friends in blogging land. My next post will be my 300th post so I'm going to have a giveaway. I'll be back over the weekend with details and photos.

Kaleidoscope Quilting

2011-10-09T21:46:00.002+13:00

the fabric I've used is on the right

Today I went to a Kaleidoscope quilt class held by our club Capital Quilters with Sheryl Mooney. I've always wanted to make a quilt and have had the book "One Block Wonders" for 3 years!! but I find I learn quicker by watching someone do it first. A couple of years ago I bought fabric to make these quilts (without reading the instructions I might add) and sadly I didn't have enough repeats to use them.

I bought this fabric quite awhile ago for $3 a metre at Spotlight. I had to be careful with it because the repeats didn't match on the fold line! A few of us had problems with this. But here it is.. some have been sewn and the rest I have played with since I got home.

There's a bit of reverse stitching to do.. sewing on the bias is temperamental but "Bizzy Lizzy" is amazing.

Of all these that I've played with there are no repeats in design. I still have a pile of blocks yet to play with but I can't be distracted from my other project which I'd like to have done in the next 10 days.

It was a gorgeous sunny day today, too nice to be inside really. So when I got home I watered the garden. ONe of my late aunties orchids is in flower this year. I am very pleased as they haven't flowered since she died 3 years ago. Isn't it so dainty, fragile even. The second one is in bud but the third isn't. Maybe next year.

And my succulent is in full flower now. I've seen a few around Lower Hutt so it's maybe not so 'Amazing' haha but I love it. Myra arrives in 11 days for a few days. It's her first visit to my home down here and we have a lot of places to go including a Button Club meeting and visit's to a few antique shops, maybe patchwork shops.. haha I think we'll eat sometime too!!

Back to the rugby. I'm watching the quarter finals of the World Cup Rugby. New Zealand and Argentina. Never used to care about it before but the World Cup has been really exciting. I hope everyone is well and celebrating life.

Beeautiful stuff!

2011-10-07T21:05:00.003+13:00

I am way overdue for posting. But I am still here, just been avoiding the keyboard but my shoulder is so much better now. I've torn the rotator cuff by shifting my beaautiful sewing machine and table. But I went to a Cranial Osteopath - first time for me. I was a bit freaked the first time and didn't hold out much hope. He only touched my heels, my shoulder blades and my head, no massage or deep tissue therapy , just touch. I felt a lot better after two days so went back for another treatment yesterday. Whatever he does it works!! It will be a long time before it heals completely but I have 90% more movement.

Anyway that's not what I wanted to gloat about..
Here is my beeeautiful sewing machine on it's own Jones table in the corner of my sewing room/lounge. I loooovvveee it.

On the wall is this beeeautiful picture that my grandson made for me when he was 7 years old. It was the best Christmas present I'd ever had. He painted over newspaper for texture. I love it. It's so precious.

I was so lucky today to find this runner and a doilie at the op shop not far from work. It's a regular lunchtime haunt.. when I have nothing else to do. I'm going to put the runner on a long cushion to put on the bed and the doilie will go on my 1930's quilt.

This is my design wall which is 2 huge canvases on hinges and covered with flannel backed tablecloths. It can fold in two and fits in my car if I wanted to take it to a retreat. The fabrics that are on it are curtain samples 100% cotton. A nearby shop was having a clearance sale over the last two weeks and I couldn't help myself. They also had a FREE box and some of these fabrics were free!!! I have enough on another waterfall for the border and more than enough for the sashings as I'll do it Quilt as you go.

I know you can't see much but I will post a photo when it's finished. I have a deadline for this one.

Remember the polysterene head I found in the second hand shop. Well I intend to cover it with pretty buttons and have been playing. I think I will paint it black or a very dark purple and then attach the buttons with wire looped through both holes so it doesn't stand out like these pins haha. And finally here's the funny of the week.

Because New Zealand has the Rugby World Cup here the whole of the country is celebrating. It is so wonderful to see flags from all nations on cars and in shop windows. People are happy and excited. At work I had an idea to have a competition to decorate our work areas. The bosses liked it so we divided all the staff into 20 areas and each group drew a country out of the hat. Our group got Georgia so we've been decorating our work area with red and white. I made a flag out of curtain fabric (of course) and we have made our area look like a changing room complete with locker, boxers, linament and the gorgeous wife on the locker door??. However instead of being rugby players we decided to wear tutus and be Cheerleaders!! Only on Fridays for morning tea though. It's not a pretty look haha but I thought I'd give you all a laugh.

Someone said we looked like the sugar plum fairies, I'd say more like a Christmas pudding is me!! It's all fun, and it's been a success so far.

GO THE ALL BLACKS on Sunday.

Never start the big jobs

2011-09-25T22:41:00.001+13:00

I decided to spring clean my sewing room YES AGAIN!!! I'm sure I'll never use all this fabric and I need more room, especially when Myra comes to visit next month and of course I had to find the right place for my new Jones sewing machine. I've bought an old cast iron "Jones" tredle table for it to sit on.

Of course being the single, independant , stubborn woman I am I moved it all by myself amidst the chaos that was in the room because I can.
But lifting a heavy table while dodging the disarray of furniture in the room I did myself an injury. I think I've strained the rotator cuff again!!) It's very painful if I try to lift my arm. So stupid grrr.

Patience is not a virtue with me but as I'm getting older I need to learn to ask for help. (Note to myself). (My son was outside having a cigarette - but hey I can do anything.. yeah, right! haha)

I then decided to sort through my magazines and took half of them to our Club meeting yesterday. We have a stall for unwanted quilting magazines etc 5 for $1.00. If you buy some and decide you don't want them you can take it back the next month. You don't get your money back but its a cheap read for the month. And the proceeds go to charity so it's a worthwhile project. Of course I bought 5 new ones home !!!! As you do.

Today I decided to go through my fabrics as I bought some storage bins last night to put fabric etc in the cupboard that housed the magazines. I'm hesitant to put fabrics on the shelves as once I saw a silverfish in there, a long time ago though. The containers are a perfect fit, clear with coloured lids only $7.99 so I can easily identify whats in them.

But I culled quite a lot of fabric that I'll never use and projects I've started that I'll never finish!

Though now it's bedtime and the room is still chaos!!

I know I should never start these big jobs but I always think it'll look better when I've finished. Juste seems to take a lot longer than I think!.

Photos when I can find the floor!

Phew, was it a holiday haha

2011-09-20T20:24:00.001+12:00

I've had such a busy time the last 10 days but it was so much fun. I flew up to stay with Myra, my dear friend for a week. We have so much in common, it's just like a sisterhood.. quilting, op shops, craft work, etc etc. And talk.. wow, we talked and that was so neat... quite a few early mornings - going to bed haha.

Me and Myra at a Teddy Bears Picnic for her granddaughter. The kids had so much fun.

Beautiful cup cakes for a little girls birthday. Too pretty to eat.

Myra's amazing shirt quilt - the backing is denim from old skirts and jeans. I have a big bag of shirts to make one now.

Here's a few photos of quilts at the Waikato Quilt show. Beautiful work.

I love this quilt. The buttons were beautiful.. of course.

A lovely Blue quilt. So much work in it. I love the shading..

A lot of hard work and gorgeous colours in this wallhanging.

blue and yellow is another great combination

I waited for ages to get a photo of this whole quilt but there was a queue so I sneaked in to get a photo of these tui's in a pohutakawa tree. Wow!

I know this one was made by Judith Ross and it was at symposium. Its like the Mandala Sands.. Absolutely gorgeous.

This is really neat.. Reminds me of apartments on hills in Wellington CBD

This quilt was hanging in the Oncology Clinic at Hamilton Hospital. It was made by 3 quilters in memory of 2 friends they'd lost to cancer. I hope you can zoom in and look at all the detail.

Here's a couple of close-ups

This is the group present that Myra, myself and Carol made for our friends Emma and Frank's Golden wedding anniversary. I did the piecing, Myra did the tiny blanket stitching and Carol did most of the quilting. It was a fabulous party for them both.

A close up for you

Carol, Emma and I at the wedding anniversary.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MYRA

2011-09-18T08:24:00.005+12:00

Photos etc when I get home tonight.

Ooohhh ahhhhh

2011-09-06T22:18:00.002+12:00

I've been a show off the last 24 hours. My new baby, my Jones sewing machine arrived yesterday. It is beeeeuuuutiful!! 1906 era but it is perfect, there is no rust, the engraving is still perfect. It has all the feet, bobbins with a little felt case to hold them. My friends are all envious when they see these photos.

A work of Art!

From the back.. amazingly intact but over 100 years old

No rust!

The case is a work of art on its own.

there's a few scratches but nothing a polish won't fix.

"As supplied to Her Majesty Queen Alexandra"

The shuttle bobbins so tiny and wrapped in a hand embroidered piece of felt.

The screwdriver, scissors and needles 1 pound 60p

All the feet included

This is a beautiful gift from my dear friend Myra, who's been my inspiration and confidante for many years. I will treasure this gift forever and covet it dearly but I would also give it away for $1 if someone had a cure for Cancer that would save Myra's life!! We're going to grow old together in a sewing studio/semi detached unit so we can sew to our hearts content on our own or with friends calling in and we can watch Emmerdale Farm and go to the best quilting shops to window shop haha and have scooter races to the library. (whoops I should add watch rugby!!

I reckon we still will, Cancer can't cope with someone who has guts, determination and an excellent attitude... that's Myra. See you Thursday my friend. Nearly one sleep left haha.

Fathers Day

2011-09-03T15:11:00.003+12:00

1937 My Dad. 18 months old?

Tomorrow in New Zealand is Fathers Day, the first Sunday in September. It's the day for all Dad's, usually a family gathering or cards in the post. I remember when I was little we'd get 6pence to go and buy a present for Dad, well often he got 4 hankies and 4 combs or liquorice allsorts haha. But we loved our Dad immensely and he did us. We had a wonderful childhood though there weren't many Christmas Days when Dad was home to see us unwrap our presents from Santa. Dad was a tanker driver then and the milk still had to be picked up. Thought this week I'd share some photos of my childhood and my Dad.

19 55 Dad was in the Salvation Army band for many years. He's the tall guy in the back row.

1957 My Dad with me. I was a long way up believe me.

1968 My Dad, the big strong man who lifted a guy on each shoulder at times, loved growing gladioli's and dahlias and entered them in shows around the area. (That's my little sister in the background). You would always find him in the garden after work. When he retired it was roses he got into. At one stage 199 roses were on the 1/4 acre property.

1995 Dad's 60th birthday was "This is Your Life Lester Jones". Because he grew Gladioli's we made him Dame Edna's glasses and he threw gladioli's to the guests while the grandchildren sang "Granddad, Granddad, Lovely.. that's what we all think of you"...

2002 Mum wore the badge "Madge" at Dad's 60th. Now you know why. On the left is my son. .

1993 When we were raising money for my daughters liver transplant Dad organised a group of people to walk 35 kms for sponsorship. Dad alone raised $35,000. This is the day Annette and I arrived back from Brisbane. Dad was my kids Dad too. He was so proud of everyone.

1995 Dad, with his first great grandson George who is nearly 16 years old now.
"How did this happen" haha.. Look at those big hands...

2007 And Dad with his last great grandson Alex who is now 6. I'm not sure who was taking who for a walk. haha

Taken on Mum and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary in 2005 ,

I don't know how Rest In Peace works because our family think of him everyday and I know he is with us when we need him. So apart from freedom from his pain and disability, he won't be getting any peace!! He'll be up there in Heaven keeping everyone happy and laughing and telling his mates about All Blacks, Roses, Family and his faith. Love you Dad xox

A Jones Sewing Machine!

2011-08-28T22:39:00.000+12:00

My dear friend Myra has an old JONES sewing machine and it is beautiful. I keep telling her it's mine because it's got my name on it!!!

Today she spotted one on Trade Me and bought it for me!!

".... gorgeous little machine is circa early 1900s as it says on it 'approved by Her Majesty Queen Alexandra'.

It's a Jones brand, from Manchester UK.

It is in great condition and comes with a cover, a key and an instruction manual.

It's a beautiful piece of history."

I can't believe anyone would do this for me. Isn't it a work of art?

So now Myra you'll have to come and visit so you can see it for yourself.

I am absolutely thrilled and can't go to bed yet .. I'm a bit wired up haha.

I can't wait to visit Myra in 11 more sleeps. A week of fun and laughter, sewing and sewing and a visit to the Waikato Craft Show. And I'm going with Myra to see her oncologist - I'm sure she's going to say "I got the results muddled with someone else".

When I'm at house group meetings I can't take my machine so lately I've been trimming up these Jinny Beyers charm squares that I was given a few years ago. I found patterns in a magazine from 2001 but I'm not sure what to do with them. I think they're lovely colours and patterns even though they are plain. I want to do something with them..triangles... florals... stripes... Any ideas?

Two close ups, zoom in and see the detail.

I've seen a couple of patterns in old magazines. I quite like this but no pattern so I might have to draft it out myself...

In the meantime I am preparing my 1930's blocks to finish them at Myra's. I pieced all the blocks when I visited Myra in June.

So now I have to sew some beautiful embroidered doillies on calico to go in between then I'll put it together 'quilt as you go'. Hopefully it will be finished within the week.

Second hand flowers

2011-08-22T17:53:00.001+12:00

Last year I gave some of these succulent cuttings to my sister in Wellington. She's not a gardener so these are great because they love to be neglected.

Well blow me down, but it flowered!!!

And I've had them for 10 years or so.

I love the colour and the shape. It's spectacular in my garden!

My neighbour was tidying up their garden and decided to put his succulents in mine.

And it's flowered!!

They have had them for many years

but no flowers!!!

Tall and majestic. Beautiful colours for a quilt I'm thinking?? Batiks maybe??

o I've decided they're second hand flowers.

I only noticed it on Tuesday when it snowed.

I am thrilled.

Does anyone want a cutting haha!

Grandchildren Pride and Passions

2011-08-22T12:17:00.009+12:00

Alwx 6 yrs with two of the Magpie team and his Medal

Grandchildren make you so proud and the love you have for them is like nothing else! Last week my baby grandson/grandchild was voted as the best player in his ripper rugby team and went to a presentation held by the Magpies where 150 primary school kids were presented with a medal and got to meet the team.

Alex standing under the Magpie Icon in Napier

Alex and proud Dad Simon at the World cup roadshow last month

The Magpies are Hawkes Bay's Provincial Rugby team and Alex lives in Taradale. He looks a bit stunned in the photos (maybe its his TOUGH look) but he's ever so proud! Most games he scores a try or two or three. He turned 6 at end of June but is very tall and broad for his age. And very strong.

Alex's big sister Olivia, my one and only granddaughter loves gymnastics and tells me she's now doing Bars!! She is a very slim, adventurous girl and has no hangups about walking on beams or hanging from bars like her Nan did as a child. (I was always afraid of heights because I couldn't see??) Here's Olivia posing for me a few months ago.She seems to like sewing too when I visit so fingers crossed.

Olivia 7yrs

My second grandson Cameron, (Alex and Olivia's cousin) has been learning sewing at school this year. He's always loved making quilts with me when he was young and is enjoying sewing.

I caught up with him a few weeks ago and he asked me to alter a hat he'd made. It seems ear muff thingies and plaits are all the fuss on hats these days. He's asked me to knit him one now. . He had appliqued letters on the back.. something to do with motorx says a dum Nannie!! haha.

Cam the Man 11 years old

But again Cam isn't a stay at home and sew boy. His passions are rugby, biking and motorcross. Since he was 4 years old he's been racing at motorx. Dad is now in the veteran cross country league so it's a family thing. Cameron loves the rough and tumble and has no fear. Isn't it great to be so innocent.

This was Cam's old bike 2 years ago. My Pictures is not as organised as I thought.

And then my eldest grandson George who's nearing 16 and is big brother to Olivia and Alex is passionate about mountain biking and is now racing in Rotorua, Taupo, Napier regularly. He works at a bike shop after school and at weekends and saves every penny for a new bike.. you can never have too many evidently. Mind you I think a car might be a priority over the next couple of years so he can transport himself to the races!!!

I'll just have to sneak in a photo of my baby who is now 32. He doesn't have much time to get involved in anything socially. His job starts at 2am and finishes between 11am - noon. So poor Fred is in bed by 6pm and his body clock is all over the place. He is looking for a daytime job now but a job is a job here in New Zealand and you're lucky to have one.

A few weeks ago we were watching rugby at Mum's and I sneaked a photo of him sitting in my Dad's lazyboy 'concentrating' on the game the same pose as my Dad always had. It really gave me a smile. Isn't it amazing how many little intrinsinc actions we pick up off our parents or grandparents.

Concentration ??

I guess the grandchildren follow me because I have a Passion (for quilting that is)...

My children and grandchildren really make life so wonderful and make my Heart SING!!

What a beautiful day at my house

2011-08-16T20:07:00.000+12:00

So awesome. I'd never have imagined snow in Lower Hutt. My house looks so pretty.

One big kid but the guy on the camera (my 32 year old son) had a smile from ear to ear too.

/The car haha Not sure if Ken is going to get to work at 1.30am.

No happy Tui's in the camelia's tonight.

And surprise, surprise, My succulent is flowering at last. I gave cuttings to my sister in Wellington last year and they flowered.... I'd been waiting 10 years to have flowers!!!

A pretty picture for a Christmas card from my front porch

Room for Santa's sleigh on my street

They expect this will carry on tomorrow too and I think I'll be over the 'cold' by then. It's down to 1 degree tonight.. so I'm sitting by the heater. Hehe I can't imagine what it's like on the other side of the World where my friend Martina lives and they have 5 feet of snow and make snowmen!

Finally our photo of our vocalist and SNOW in Lower Hutt?

2011-08-14T16:47:00.001+12:00

Every morning at this time of the year I am woken by the harmonious sounds of Tui in my camelia tree.(It's the only reason the tree is still standing.. they make such a mess. My son who's staying with me at the moment has been trying to get a photo for weeks.. finally yesterday he caught a couple. I say caught because they move really fast around the tree and seem to know when you want to take a photo haha.

They're a bit fuzzy but they're good close-ups. There's only one at a time and they seem to have a nest over the road in the Pohutakawa trees.

When I've raised $100 from weight loss for my layby fabric I will start saving for a new camera.

And tonight its SNOWING in Lower Hutt. My neighbour has lived here all his life and never seen snow. It's not settling because its been raining for awhile but I wish it would.. just to get a better picture.

Bad Girl, Bad Girl, what we gonna do...

2011-08-06T21:20:00.000+12:00

Every time one of us does something wrong at work (it's not that often) that one sings "Bad Girl, Bad Girl, what you gonna do.. what you gonna do when they come for you".. hehehe just a bit of fun. But I AM REALLY A BAD GIRL THIS WEEK. When I was sick the week before I ate whatever I felt like and I didn't track what I ate so I was very SURPRISED that I lost weight and such a huge loss 1.7kg.

Well I didn't get back to tracking and so I put that loss back on. In face 100g more!!!! GRRR.. but I'm tracking too. I also bought a Pedometer so I can count my steps.... In one day at work it was over 2000 steps.. incredible ah. I think you're supposed to do 10,000 a day???? But I am feeling fitter and walking further than I used too, so I have noticed some difference and feel great about that. AND ON THURSDAY I WAS BACK ON TRACK!

So I have decided to unreward myself for a weight gain and hence lose $15 off my fabric layby. The ladies at the shop know what I'm doing and they're happy to hold on to my fabric for me.

Three weeks

2011-07-27T21:15:00.000+12:00

I know friends think I'm daft putting my Weightwatchers progress on my blog, but I live alone so why not!! It's also like I need to have good results because I've made it public!!

I was really wrapped tonight as I thought I wouldn't have had a good loss. I've been lying around for 3 days with this horrid flu so no exercise. But I lost 1.7kgs.

I've had to change my reward a little. I was going to have $10 for every kg lost to put on fabric for quilting. However it's happening a bit fast and in just three weeks I'd have $54 to spend!! Eek, I can't afford that so I've changed it to $5.00.

I'm really wrapped though.. I've also changed my diet because my body doesn't cope with Fod Maps! Since seeing a Dietician I lost 3.5 before I started WW so altogether now I've lost 8.9kgs.. Incredible!!

Can't wait till it shows but that will be a long time yet. My first goal is 99kg and hopefully by Christmas.

Pockets Full

2011-07-27T10:03:00.002+12:00

I forgot to post pictures of this fun denim quilt that I saw at the Rangitikei Quilt Show at the weekend. So here it is...I luv it.

Everyone needs pockets!

I had a giggle when I saw this one. Very clever.

I loved this quilt. It was called GeeJays but had not quilters details. I think it's a very clever way of using old jeans and old shirts. Never thought of using the pockets. this could be a useful thing to put on the wall in your kids room too - pockets upright of course.

Im home with the flu again today. Such a waste of time being home and not having the energy to do things. I need to pin out my grandsons quilt. Maybe I'll try some embroidery that has to be finished soon.

After our cold wintry snap on Sunday and Monday we had a gorgeous day yesterday. Beautiful blue sky and I thought we'd get the same today however not so sure now.

FART - Fabric Acquistion Road Trip

2011-07-24T21:07:00.002+12:00

Yesterday a couple of friends and I went to the Rangitikei Club Show in Marton. We left at 7.30 am and the weather was amazing.. a little windy but lovely once we got to the other side of the hills of course. (By the time we got back to Wellington it was still raining!!

Here's some pics of quilts I thought were amzing and clever.

this is all cotton on cream fabric. Amazing technigues

Close up. Amazing. Was my viewers choice.

Another one with amazing quilting effects

there were so many quilts and such little room you couldn't get a good photo of them, but I love the use of doillies on quilts. I've been collecting some and this is very inspirational.

Close up

These are Jinny Beyers fabrics from 2005. I was given a 5" charm pack of the same fabrics. (which I haven't used yet)!

Beautiful, such a lot of work

I love this. The colours, the techniques .. just gorgeous

A great design using NZ fabrics.

this one is amazing. All the flowers and leaves are 3 D. I hope you can blow the photo up so you can see the detail

I love this tree.. wool used for the truck.. wonderful use of textiles

To everyone who took part in organising this show Congratulations. And the vendors.. yummy. Batiks $10, $12 and $16. I can't help myself. Thanks to the travelling batik guy.. Milton Wright.. hehe I am an addict.

The tops finished. More Celebrations

2011-07-22T21:56:00.003+12:00

I've just finished putting together the top of Alex's quilt so I can show him on Sunday. I wish I could pin it out and start quilting but I don't have anywhere to do it here haha. The paint may take awhile to dry.. very cold and damp here but hopefully tomorrow night I might be able to move everything back into my bedroom and find my cutting/pinning table.

So here it is Alex quilt No 1. Alex chose the black with white square fabric which I used for the inside border but it looked very busy and I didn't work out the measurements correctly.. That's what happens when you start a quilt from the outside in ah?

So I undid the middle and here is Alex's quilt No 2 and final. He loves his rugby. I think he'll like this one.

Red and black jersey for Canterbury, on the right is Waikato jersey. Top row black and white is Hawkes Bay (Magpies) where Alex lives and green and white is Manawatu where I used to live.

I don't know who plays in red and white but I needed another jersey haha.

I've still used Alex's fabric but fussy cut it.

These rugby jerseys are Alex's ripper rugby team, his great-Grandad's Excelsior rugby team and of course The All Blacks

It's still rather busy but I think the rugby Kiwi's make the other colours jump out.

And more celebrations today. My daughter Annette was offered a job as General Manager of a Rest Home and Retirement Village. It's been 3 months since the first interview, a lot of tests and proposals and finally today she heard the news.

Annette, 37 years young.

She was already on a Girls Day Out with her current colleagues who were rewarded for going the 'extra mile' by their CEO. A '1980's theme mystery trip to a spa and lunch as well as lots of bubbles. Very appropriate she was rung as they sat down for lunch and opened champagne. I am so proud of her. You wouldn't think she's had a liver transplant 18 years ago, she has certainly paid back all the money raised for the operation.

And my son Ken who is staying with me at the moment signs his contract for a permanent job on Monday. He's been working through an agency for 3 months driving trucks and now they've given him the job. And I'll get a lovely discount at Davis Trading.. Yay!!

Reverse Stitching and A good week at WW

2011-07-21T18:40:00.000+12:00

I had to do some reverse stitching on Alex's quilt. It was way too busy and I'd worked out the size of the borders incorrectly so decided to undo the middle and join them up again. It's looking better and I'm sure he'll love it. My daughter rang last night to say they're coming to Welly on Saturday...eekk.. at the moment my bedroom is being painted so everything is EVERYWHERE. I've got a metre square for my sewing table n the lounge/temporary bedroom... hehe.. It's such a mess!! They came to shift a manhole from the bathroom floor into the hall cupboard. (so they can put vinyl in the bathroom YAYAY) But then he decided the spare bedroom wardrobe would be better so that had to be cleared.... I could never take a photo of the disarray in my house right now haha... and so everything out of the cupboard had to come out too.

I need to find a way to the cutting board and get the top finished now. So I can start quilting tomorrow after work.

Oh and I lost another 1.2 at Weightwatchers this week so maybe next week I'll make it to 5kg in 3 weeks. (PS I'd already lost 3.5 when I joined so I've lost a total of 7.2kg now. I'm wrapped. WW Propoints is a really good programme. You can still have your cake and eat it too! Now and again that is!

Alex's quilt

2011-07-17T08:37:00.000+12:00

I miscalculated a little on the borders inside. That's what happens when you make a quilt from outside in.. then you have to work out the gap between the centre and the borders. Eeek.

/So now I'll have to add a thin strip of black as well. The centre border fabric is Alex's choice.. He really wanted a black quilt but I'm improvised since it is really keen on rugby. Most of the jerseys belong to NZ provincial clubs. The ones in the centre are Alex's ripper rugby colours, All Blacks and his Grandad's jersey (No 4).

Off to pick up Mum today and bring her back to Wellington to fly to my sisters tomorrow in Nelson for the holidays. Catch up later

UPDATED: Thank you girls, your support is so welcome

2011-07-12T23:33:00.002+12:00

Tomorrow night is my first 'weigh in'! I guess this week has been getting used to what you can eat and how many points it costs but it is amazing and I do not feel tempted or hungry. I'm hoping to lose at least 1 kg. I've started letting my son have the car to go to work at 1.30AM and then I walk to the bus stop. If it''s fine I walk to the next bus stop and the one after etc etc. So this week I've been pushing my boundaries to get well!

/Strawberry Feilds

On Sunday I had the last day of Sheryl Anacich's Strawberry Fields class. You may have seen my quilt on an earlier post. It now has a flower on it.. yes just one. It took me all day but I cut heaps before lunch and then sewed this one on. I now have quite a few ready to add but I have to finish Alex's rugby quilt first.

My version waiting for quilting and flowers

It has a circle in the middle - I'm thinking of using buttons?

UPDATED So now it is Wednesday night and at 'Wombles of Wimbledon' (a pun because a friend didn't know what WW mean't and thought it might be a tv show??) I LOST 2.5kg and that was after eating a small piece of carrot cake last Friday and crumbed fish and a few chips at UFO night on Friday. Weightwatchers Pro Points is very different but easier. Now for Week 2.

To all the lovely ladies who made heart blocks for Myra, please keep praying for her now as I will. I spoke to Myra today and the news isn't good. When we both expected that she would get a positive post chemo report from the oncologist, the news was not good. So I'm praying for a miracle... He knows Myra deserves one!! She needs at least another 40 years to use up all her quilt fabric... and we haven't won lotto yet to build our quilt studio and retirement flats!!! I wish I lived closer so I could support her more, have more sewing days, keep positive and happy and jump in puddles but I'm watching Grab a seat on the airlines so I can go and visit again.

Weightwatchers AGAIN

2011-07-11T19:20:00.000+12:00

Since having the ride in the ambulance and a day in Coronary Care last week I've decided I need to change my lifestyle and start caring about myself and my future. On MondayI went back to my GP for a check up and my bp is still higher than it's ever been before. Scary.

So on Wednesday night I went back to Weightwatchers (for about the 6th time) as I know it has worked for me in the past. I love being with other enthusiastic people and sharing in their success. And I really really want to feel better and be well! I've had a real fright with my heart and since it is an ongoing condition I need to feel confident that I'm doing everything I can to stay well.

It cost $280 (that's a 4 month membership and the Essentials bag plus I get 10% off anything I buy there) ,

I have everything I need to get started. I'm setting small goals to start and small rewards. Today I put some fabric on layby at the local shop and they are happy to hold it for 8 weeks, so for every kg I lose I can pay $10 off my layby. (I could buy it tomorrow if I wanted but this way it'll be more exciting when I get it). I just need to lose 8 kgs I can bring my fabric home.

Well I'm off to bed to read my WW books and plan my menu for the rest of the week. I can eat most vegetables and any fruit for no points so that's easy. From what I learn't tonight I can just about eat anything with the new programme. So here goes, wish me well!

Handbag Organiser

2011-07-11T19:19:00.000+12:00

I don't know how many times I lose something in my handbag and end up tipping everything out to find it. A couple of years ago I had a lovely handbag with pockets for everything and I knew exactly where to find things but that bag wore out. How many things do YOU have in your handbag?

I have a comb, a tape measure (just in case), medications, diary, umbrella, mobile phone, nail file, scissors, ladies things, my shopping cards, sunglasses, inhalers, work keycard, torch, pens, and my wallet. ?????

I have two handbags at the moment. A smaller black one and this big red one which I use everyday for work. It only has pockets on the inside, a zip one for make-up and pills, and a couple of biggish loose ones which are too big for my phone etc.

So after searching through the internet at the weekend to find a pattern for a "purse organiser" I went to The Warehouse and found this neat hold-all in the scrapbooking department.

It was only $7 and fits in both bags so I can just lift it out and swap it over. I know where everything is now including my black phone! And although I found a couple of patterns I didn't have to make one. This is ideal.

PS Handbags should have lots of pockets and bright coloured linings so you can find things easy!! One day I'll make one.. one day!

Breeze by Wendy Slotboom

2011-07-08T15:12:00.000+12:00

I fell in love with "Breeze" by Wendy Slotboom for In the Beginning fabric awhile ago when I found fat quarters on Trade Me.

Since then I've found a couple more and after searching all over the internet for the fabrics to get enough for a border I finally found it right under my nose!! Yes I wandered into the local quilt shop today to get some homespun and found about 5 different fabrics all in the same range!

Isaacs quilt

2011-07-06T21:49:00.000+12:00

My niece has sent these photos of the quilt I made Isaac and the bumper pad in his cot.
I'm really pleased how it looks and glad I made it that little bit bigger to tuck in down the sides and bottom. He's so cute.

The bumper pad is backed with eye spy fabrics so when he's grown out of his cot it can be folded up to make a book or spread out on the floor as a puzzle. Mum and Dad and Isaac can play Eye Spy or Find the Other ??? or Find the colour, count .. etc etc.

My lovely sister had to sew the binding down and the ties on as I ran out of time while I was there. So I didn't see it completely finished. But the photos look good and I am really pleased with my efforts.

Hats

2011-07-03T17:14:00.000+12:00

2004

It's really Winter in New Zealand now and time to start putting on the hat and scarf.
I don't own a hat.. fairy thingies in Australia was probably the last time I wore anything on my head.. (eek.. definitely a few years ago but I'm setting a goal to get back to that size now).

There is a Knitworld shop near my work and sometimes I wander in to look at whats new. A few weeks ago I found a pattern for a crochet hat which you then felt in the washing machine. So I dug out my crochet hooks (must be 20 years since I did any) and have finished the first one in pink (yet to be felted).

Watch this space! but here's some gorgeous hats for you to look at and the most beautiful little model (nearly 4 months old). My great nephew.

Love this one. It's so CUTE and he's so handsome of course..

Practising his 'moves'

What areee you doing Mum?? hehe

I am so over this modelling lark now.

A blue Beanie

No more Mum. I'm confused!

I love Isaac's collection of hats. I know his Grandma and Great Aunty D made some of them. I hope mine fits as well once I've felted it or Isaac may get a new hat... blue not the pink one!!

Bazaar Style

2011-07-02T17:44:00.001+12:00

Saturday mornings is sometimes Library day and today I found this gorgeous book to drool over. Thought I'd share it with you.

I so love yellow. And that dress is stunning!

I could never have that many shoes and bags..
not in Size 11 Wide fitting like my big feet.

a Beautiful book of colour and ideas.

And my favourite idea..Bright, cheery and inspirational.

When I have a craft studio one day I'll have something like this at one end of it.

(dreams are free)!

Patchwork sofas covered in patchwork in identical fabrics but opposite direction.

A wallpaper patchwork collage around the fireplace

The World is full of amazing people with very clever and colourful ideas!

Lessons in Life and Celebrations

2011-06-28T13:14:00.002+12:00

Yesterday morning at 2am I woke with my heart racing. thought I must have been so scrunched up I couldn't breathe or something but it didn't stop no matter what I did. I finally rang the ambulance and it's all real what they say on the television... the woman on the phone chatted to me all the time and 10 minutes later 3 paramedics were in my bedroom. Pretty embaressing when you have patchwork books on the floor for them to trip over haha. 15 minutes later I've had an ecg, was on oxygen and on my way to hospital. Thought I must have been dying as the Drs and nurses were frantically trying to get a drip in and constant ecg's, xrays and finally a needle in my groin because my veins had collapsed by then.

I have ATrial Fribulation now and my heart rate was very erratic. I felt ill, absolutely ill, no energy, breathless, even moving in bed made my heart rate esculate.

So I've learn't a lot of valuable lessons in the last 24 hours. The first but not so important is to go and buy some new night attire.... ie. nighties that are sensible enough to wear in public that don't say "I'M NOT THAT INNOCENT'. Believe me, I got a lot of comments!

My visitor in Coronary Care.
Must have thought I had some food
but Nil by mouth Mr Seagull..

Went to Coronory Care and monitored for the rest of the day while waiting to have an electric shock on my heart to get it back to normal rhythmn. All ready to go, off to the loo and next minute nurses rush in to say my heart has sorted itself out and no need for electric shock. Talk about last minute.. heart must have been scared as I was. I believe Atrial Fibulation is very common and in future I have to ring the ambulance straight away and not wait to see if it'll go away because it won't!

I will have this forever now and so time to get really serious and change to a new lifestyle plan. First up Weightwatchers and exercise.

What causes it? I am sure obesity and high blood pressure has EVERYTHING to do with it but maybe excitement does too! Joking

On Sunday my boss held a mid-winter Christmas lunch for our team at her home by the beach. Over the last 12 months they have fully gutted and renovated their home and it is finally complete so it was a housewarming as well. To add to the fun we had a game "Decorate your knickers for christmas". Yeah, people think I'm weird but it is amazing what the girls thought of...

We also had to draw a name and take a $5 present for that person. This is what I got. A very appropriate present for a UFO queen.

Sunday was also the 18th anniversary of my daughter Annette's liver transplant. A real celebration. She is working fulltime, doing her Masters in Business Studies extramurally, a wife to a farmer and mother to Cam 11 years. I think they put in energizer batteries because she just keeps going and going - that's why she is so well after 18 years though.

My daughter Annette 37 years old. 18 years since her liver transplant.

The holiday is over

2011-06-26T20:24:00.000+12:00

My holiday in Nelson and Morrinsville, near Hamilton was wonderful but it's over now and I've been back at work three days. The first day at work (Wednesday) I swear I could have gone to sleep! It's so hard getting up at 7am when you've had 2 weeks of lovely sleep in's and no rush to do anything!! It was especially wonderful to spend time with Myra who's now finished chemotherapy. I have to say I really didn't know anyone in my circle of family and friends who's had chemotherapy and so I had no idea of the side effects. I felt very humble that Myra had managed on her own for the last six months and been so ill. And I feel helpless that being so far away I couldn't do anything useful.

While I was there, Myra and I went for a FART trip (a Fabric Acquistion Road Trip)! First we went to Cushla's Fabrics in Waihi. The scenery along the windy roads was amazing but sadly it was a horrible wet, cold day and so photo opportunities were out of the question.

Next we went to Paeroa and found Patches and Cream, a beautiful patchwork and quilting shop. They had fat quarters 5 for $25 and lucky me, a couple of jars of old buttons (oh I know I'm sad!).

Beautiful quilts, bags and novelties adorn the walls and shelves.
As well as several old toy sewing machines - remember them?

This is a beautiful Singer sewing machine in excellent condition. Weren't they a work of art in those days?
And look at the gorgeous cupcakes

I love the quilt in this window. It's made in fabrics with leaves, stones, acorns etc etc. Beautiful autumn tones.

And of course I went to Wright Fabrics in Morrinsville and bought a few more batik fabrics.. . BUT I did buy ones that will go with a fabric I already have. I'll put a photo up tomorrow. But I did go back and buy a little bit more.. I love batiks, they are yummy!

Birthdays Get Better with Age!

2011-06-14T19:05:00.005+12:00

I have also made Isaac a bumper pad using extra blocks I had from his quilt. I ran out of fabric for the binding so my lovely sister is finishing it. I found this quilting book at the Library and saw this neat idea for making a bumper pad/book. So I made the backing with blocks of eye spy fabrics. When Isaac is moving around the cot and maybe pulling on his bumper pad, it can be folded up and tied into a book or laid on the floor so that the family can all look at or play games with it... EYE SPY!! This is a fabulous book for ideas especially in lovely bright fabrics but with large and small blocks...

The bumper pad in 'Fresh Quilting' folded into a book. I will post a photo of Isaac's one when it is finished.

I keep saying I'm not celebrating my birthday as I'm getting older but each year my birthday is so much better and exciting than the year before. I was in Nelson for my birthday last week and was treated like royalty by my sister and her family. It was wonderful. Lunch out, dinner at my nieces (my favourite choclate self saucing pudding.. and simply deeelicious, thank you Stacey). My son gave me money for a treat.. hmm Nelson is the Bead Gallery.. and I just can't help myself when I go there...

These were all on special - fill a bag for $10!! Yummy.

I also had numerous lovely messages and emails from my children and friends and today when I arrived home there was another parcel from my friend Martina in Germany. Two beautiful patchwork magazines with even more inspiration including these lovely bag patterns....

Magazines from Martina

We also went to Shoe Clinic and I had an assessment of my feet.

I've had Plantar Faciitis for a year now and it is so painful. Despite buying new shoes it doesn't go away. I didn't realise my right foot veers to the right.. maybe a bit of ballet dancer in me after all (haha)..

$249 later I have a great pair of shoes which support my foot and I can walk in them without any pain!!! Fabulous. I owe my sister heaps for taking me there. Geez, they're the most expensive shoes I've ever bought (and believe me there wasn't any choice) but our feet are important.

A quilt for Isaac FINISHED.

2011-06-12T19:04:00.000+12:00

I've just returned from Nelson where I went to meet my new and only great nephew Isaac. He is sooooo beautiful and so snuggly.. Aren't babies gorgeous? Here's a photo of his quilt and cushion I made. He seemed to love the colours.

I tried to embroider the letters of his name in the blocks. First time effort but I think it was a great idea.

Little Isaac (3 months old) after a bath. Babies are all gorgeous (especially when they're not your own) but Isaac is the wind beneath my wings, he has melted my heart .....again, as did my grandchildren when they arrived... Isaac fell asleep in my arms one night and it was Awesome, how precious is a sleeping baby.. those tiny features snuggled up close, content and warm. I am so in love with Isaac.. can't wait to see him again.

My lovely niece and her husband have built a new house close to Nelson on a few acres. They have so many amazing visitors....beautiful birds, rabbits etc including these gorgeous pukeko's striding across the section.

There's been a lot of rain down there as this photo shows. Even had ducks in the water one day. I sat in the lounge and the view was so peaceful and relaxing. How lovely to live in the country close to town.

I took another photo of the quilt I made for my niece and her husband as a wedding present 5 years ago.
It is a lovely quilt and I am still so pleased with how it turned out.

And now I'm back home again for the night and packing to go to Hamilton tomorrow to stay with my dear friend Myra. The sewing machine is going with me this time, a week of sewing, catching up, fun and friendship. The last time I saw Myra she had her first chemotherapy treatment 6 months ago. That's now finished and I'm looking forward to celebrating with her.

A Girlie Weekend

2011-05-23T20:24:00.000+12:00

\

What a fabulous weekend spent with my two sisters in Wellington. These photos were taken on Sunday from Oriental Parade. It was a beautiful day. I so love being in Wellington when there are blue skies and all is well. The scenery is gorgeous. We had morning tea on the boat after shoe shopping. For Me!! I can never find shoes because of my big feet but we found 3 pair in one shop and bought them all!!.

That's my two younger sisters. They don't like having their photos taken.

We went to Fabricabrac where there are stalls with fabric, fabric and fabric, braids and embellishments, and buttons...Yes my friend Ruth and her beautiful buttons. I bought myself an early birthday present or two

Painted glass.. awesome for a brooch

Bakelite, Celluloid, another Head for my Head collection and four gorgeous little lustred black glass buttons.

yeah I know I'm sad but I love buttons! On the way home I called into my button friend to collect some card and she gave me these gorgeous buttons.... I love the colours

They are an excellent addition to my collection of Moonglow glass buttons

Make your quilt into a Rubiks Cube

2011-05-19T08:11:00.000+12:00

I found this on a friend's blog so gave it a go. Hehe You just insert the photo of one of your quilts on Rubik Cube and here it is. A great way to waste 10 minutes.

Free pattern for a fun quilt

2011-05-17T18:57:00.000+12:00

The Q and the U have a fabulous scrappy quilt on there blog called the Not Wink quilt. It is gorgeous but when I had a look at the tutorial I was stunned by the creativity. You just need scraps of 2 1/2" wide..

And now that I've shared that with you all, I'm back to reverse quilting my baby quilt. Don't like the cotton and the stitching so I'm going to quilt it with wavy lines in a creamy white colour. Binding problem is solved AND out of my stash!!! And I'm quilting his name into the middle of the blue squares.. there's enough squares plus one so that will be a heart!

Deadlines

2011-05-16T11:27:00.003+12:00

Quilt for Isaac

Today is Monday and I'm having a day off. I'm not feeling 100% with a tummy bug.. but well enough to sit and sew. I've been at a sewing Retreat all weekend and was hoping to finish my quilt for Isaac which I want to give to my sister on Saturday.. Running Late as Usual. Well, after arranging and rearranging and reverse stitching, the top was ready but THEN......
I had bought Homespun for the backing. Cheap, right colour but sadly ME who knows all (yeah right) was asked if I'd washed it.... ah.. ???? Well, turns out Homespun shrinks heaps and is not good for quilting soooooo my lovely weekend came to an end and I raced off into Wellington to get some new backing.

New backing. The green is just an allowance which I'll cut off again.

While I was there I bought some batting for another quilt I'm making and they included the instructions for Warm and Natural batting. Turns out it has to be washed and dried flat before using it.... Ding Ding.. I had planned to use that for Isaac's quilt too.. where were the instructions on the piece I bought 4 weeks ago???. So now it's back to 80/20 batting and today I am hoping to get all the quilting done. It's 11.14am so watch this space.

I'll leave you with some gorgeous quilts from Retreat. I hope my friends won't mind me showing off their photos.

Phoebe's quilt absolutely beautiful

Colourwash by Mrs C . love the border fabric - all made from five inch squares

This is all made from curtain sample fabrics except the border.

Autumn quilt by Jenny handquilted and hand embroidered. A labour of love.

Eye Spy by Debbie

7pm and why didn't I do this quilt as you go??? I tried freemotion but ended up with my walking foot and straight line. I'll agree I'm not a quilter, however time and money and the fact little Isaac won't care made me keep going.

More Lovely Quilts

2011-05-10T19:46:00.000+12:00

Just a few more quilts from Tote and Gloat. I was also wrapped tonight to talk to my

11 year old grandson Cameron who is sewing at technology studies for 3 weeks. He loves sewing. Ever since he was a little boy he would sit on my knee and hold the fabrics, choose the colours and tell me how to sew it. His Dad is a real bloke and didn't want my old sewing machine. Now I wish I'd kept it just in case. Cam can't wait to come for a holiday with Nan and sew. haha

Some photos from RCQ Tote and Gloat 2011

2011-05-09T20:32:00.000+12:00

I wish I could acknowledge all the talented quilters who made these quilts but a lot of the photos I took were of quilts that were only shown at Show and Tell and not hung on the display. Sad I reckon. I'd have loved to get better photos and have a long look at some of them. Hope you enjoy these. I'll post some more another day.

This is called Fractured Pansies by Alison of RCQ

I love this. Reminds me of See the light within the trees

Scraps, scraps and more scraps.. gorgeous

I know Dale from Capital Quilters made these using strings of fabric sewn onto the pages of a phone book

this is the back of a quilt!!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO MUMS EVERYWHERE

2011-05-09T19:33:00.000+12:00

It was Mothers Day in New Zealand yesterday but for my friends overseas it is today. so since I had problems last night downloading photos I thought I'd do this post today anyway. This post is to honour all Mums, and those who haven't had children of their own but like my youngest sister are always 'doing' for everyone else's children.

I am lucky enough to still have my Mum alive and well. My Mum had a terrible childhood. Her own mother ran away not long after this photo was taken and she never saw her mother again until she was 52. Her stepmother was mean and nasty and physically abused her and her little brother. As soon as she could she left home and moved into town to board with an aunty.

Mum and Dad on their wedding day. Mum 5 foot nothing and Dad 6 foot 4 inches. Mum worked as a dressmaker and made her own wedding dress. It was gorgeous, so much detail but I none of the future girls in the family has a 19" waist on their wedding day!

Mum and Dad had four children, my brother and us girls. This is my sister in this photo. And now she has 8 grandchildren and 5 greatgrandchildren.

Mum and Dad, not long before he passed away. When my grandson was 5 he asked Grandma if she was going to die soon. She was a bit taken aback but assured him she wasn't and asked Why? At school they had been told that as people get older they get shorter... Obviously he thought Grandma must have been as big as Granddad once!! We have never stopped laughing about that.

All of her grandchildren are taller than dear old Mum and my eldest grandson towers above her but like she says "Good things come in small parcels" and they do!!

Rejected - Help?

2011-05-08T20:10:00.002+12:00

I am trying to download photos but I keep getting a message saying "Server Rejected". does anyone know what this means and how to fix it????

A Week of Celebrations - Easter photos

2011-05-04T08:03:00.000+12:00

My littlest grandson Alex at Easter 5yrs

I haven't blogged for awhile because my little home has been invaded haha. I bought my son (32) back with me after Easter to look for jobs down here and he's sleeping in the computer room (I'm going to shift it haha).. We arrived Wednesday night and by Thursday lunchtime he had a job!! It's driving a truck which is what he wanted after passing all but one of his licences recently, but starting at 2am!!! Since Monday he's been a very tired man and I hope he will cope with the change in routine but he is so happy to have a job doing what he likes. With jobs being so scarce in New Zealand at the moment this is amazing!!

Sadly it's 8 kms away and I have taken him to work every day so far but yesterday he bought a ten speed so I can stay in bed. YAY. He's not afraid of exercise and used to walking everywhere. He didn't get his licence till he was 29 but lost his job 2 years ago and had to sell his car.

George who hates me taking his photo. I love this one.

During the week my grandson rang to say he'd passed his learners licence first go. He and his parents will be really pleased. George is still at school but a hard worker after school and weekends so eventually when he's finished his lessons etc he will be able to get there himself on wet days. When it's fine he bikes too. Loves mountain biking.

My Princess Olivia 7yrs old doing gymnastics this year.

AND THE REAL CELEBRATION OF THE WEEK... DRUM ROLL!!
Myra has finished her chemotherapy round yesterday, with excellent results so far. I could have been there with her, the texts were going backwards and forwards all morning. I felt like I was there and I am sooo happy for Myra. She doesn't have to think about 'next time' now, she can CONTINUE to get well and feel better in herself. AND I'M GOING TO SEE MYRA SOON!! YAY.

I love my friends and I am so lucky to have the close friends I have. I never feel alone. This is my friend Emma who is also a breast cancer survivor. Every year in New Zealand a 24 hour walk is held for fundraising and teams camp out for the day and night and take turns walking or running laps around a track. There are fancy dress costumes, music, a lot of cheering and the atmosphere is electric. Emma has been there every year. She is so positive and bright and funloving. Love her Madonna bra.

At night they light candles in these paper bags and place them around the track. Lovely Emma made one for Myra and me. I love you Emma.

Happy Easter Everyone

2011-04-22T08:42:00.000+12:00

Happy Easter to all my blogging friends. I am taking off to Napier now to see my 3 grandchildren and on the way I will call in and see Cameron aged 11 and my Mum in Dannevirke. Want to get an early start to beat the traffic. I won't be back until Wednesday night and hope to visit friends in Palmy on the way home.

My sister sent me this photo via pxt but isn't it gorgeous. she made the playmat and then her son-in-law made the frame to go over the top, and she covered that too. Raelene made buttonholes in the mat for the frame to go through and then they hung Isaac's toys from the frame. Much cheaper than the ones in the shop and what a lot of fun. And Isaac is now 6 weeks old and moving into his cot very soon so I'm taking my sewing with me.

Special Hello to Myra and lots of hugs. Turn that no 6 on its head this time girl. But I am praying that your hands and feet heal so you can have that LAST chemo soon!! Party in June when I come up ah.

And thankyou to Martina for another lovely surprise present. I love the Patchwork magazines from Germany and I have to make a quilt I've seen in this last magazine. It is so unusual but gorgeous. I can't wait to start it and show it off at club.

I must go so everyone drive carefully, enjoy the family or friends or a peaceful time at home (ohhhhhh) and this is me over and out. Luv Ya's.

My weekly? ramble

2011-04-10T20:03:00.001+12:00

I can't believe I haven't posted for over a week. I always find the week after daylight saving ends is really tiring. Getting up in the dark and coming home in the dark.. I hate it but I'll get used to it, my body clock just needs to get tuned into it again. (Daylight Saving = In New Zealand we turn our clocks forward in summer so we have an extra hours daylight, and then back again in April.)

Yesterday I went to Government House which is New Zealand I guess is like our "palace"?? However after walking the steep incline to the home there was a 2 hour queue so we never went inside. Instead we peeked in the windows at the grandeur of it all.

The view of Wellington from the front verandah

Jenny waited to get inside and there are photos on her blog.

I had a lovely surprise this week to get another parcel from Martina in Germany. This gorgeous card accompanied the latest issue of their patchwork magazine, some pretty buttons and beautiful rose fabric. I was so excited when I found a parcel in the post I couldn't wait to open it. I think this card is a beautiful picture and would make a lovely quilt... or another UFO??. Or maybe I should just frame it haha. Thank you Martina.

Lovely tree quilt in magazine.

Owls.. and circular too.. Owls seem to be all -in-fashion with quilting fabric!

Now this is stunning and a must do.. I love the red. so warm and vibrant. Red appears to be the 'in' colour this year in decorating and fashion.

My scraps.. remember the green I posted before... I have yet to make the tree from the brown with a little sunlight in behind it... and the blue bird in the tree.

But here I have quilted leaves.. It's a multi coloured green and silver thread but doesn't show up well in the photo. I'm going to cut the leaves out to put on the tree.

Today I went to the first class of Sheryl Anacich's Strawberry Fields. We made the top for the quilt today. I was amazed to get it finished in one day and I'm really happy with the result.

At the next class we quilt it and then in July we make flowers as on this one below and quilt them onto the top. I will be making some of my flowers in plainer fabrics to go on the flowery blocks. This quilt was all out of my stash except 2 pieces which altogther cost $15.00. I really enjoyed the class with Sheryl. And to top it all Sheryl's mum made beautiful scones with home made strawberry jam and cream for morning tea... Diet gone again!

Shirty Quilts

2011-04-01T19:33:00.002+13:00

One of my quilting buddies is making a quilt from cotton shirts and it's gorgeous. They have to be 100% cotton so I put out a feeler at work to see if any of the blokes had cotton shirts in their bottom drawer. So far I've received 7. The gorgeous purple one was my Uncle's but it's polycotton.. A little bit in a quilt might be okay???.

I need heaps to make a scrappy shirt quilt so will keep asking around. I hope to find all sorts of different colours and patterns... Can't wait! The op shops here charge heaps for shirts now but I have asked one to save me the ones they throw out with rips etc.

Who's made a quilt from shirts... what pattern did you use?

Now, for those of you who have emailed about my display board... I used 3 thick flannel backed tablecloth's which I wrapped around and then stapled to the canvas.

The blocks just cling to it, no need for pins, and they stay upright so you can look at it often and work out what block looks good where.

I've been wanting a cute pincushion for awhile.. my one and only pincushion was a freebie from Symposium once and looks a bit sad now.

Don't you just love this one which is featured on Martina's blog. It's gorgeous.

This weekend.. lots of last minute sewing..

I need to make a School house block and a Bird House block by Monday night. I have to finish my tree so I can give it to my friend. And put together Isaac's quilt.... So I hope the weather is a little dull and cool, then I have a good excuse to stay inside and sew!!! hehehe Do I need an excuse???

Hope you're having a great weekend whereever you are.

Christmas already??

2011-03-28T21:01:00.001+13:00

Well, no, it's a surprise belated Christmas present from a friend who I used to work with. Well, actually I never met him but we talked on the phone a lot about work and I was so sad when he left. Peter made everyone happy, made us laugh and his sense of humour was delightful.

A gorgeous friends paperweight that jingles, a Maxwell Williams coffee mug and love that fridge magnet haha.

"Eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside"! Love it.

While I'm here I thought I'd show you some quilts I saw the other day made by members of Capital Quilters. I love Show and Tell, really great for motivation but so many choices.. I want to make them all. Please excuse the quality of the photos - they hang in front of windows .

Great use of batiks.. Love it

I love this pattern. The colours are gorgeous

A friend has made this one for a charity raffle. So cute.

Made from left over blocks and scraps. Waste not want not. Fabulous.

this might be taking things too far but I have saved even the tiniest scrap of my batiks just cause!!

And now I'm using some of them.

with this green scraps of batiks I'm going to make leaves. I have layered them onto scrap pieces of brown batiks and put a layer of black mesh on top. the mesh has little sparkles in it and I want the leaves to glisten like spring growth.. Now I have to quilt the leaves and then cut them out. Just little ones.

I am making a small wallhanging ( a tree) for a Doctor at the hospital who I've been seeing regularly for a few months. She has been marvellous and now that I'm well, I want to give her something to say thank you.

But now I'm going to watch Brothers and Sisters.. yay.. Good night all. Sweet dreams

Olivia's quilt finished for her birthday

2011-03-27T10:01:00.008+13:00

My one and only granddaughter whose name is Olivia received her quilt on her birthday last week. Yay, I wasn't late .. again!! This was a quilt as you go class with Sandra Kennington that I went too last year. Some of the fabrics are from the Olivia the Pig range (there are several books about Olivia). It was really easy to do and quite effective. The binding fabric is the same as on the wallhanging. OLIVIA.

This is the back of the quilt. You can see the Olivia fabrics here. I guess it's reversible!

I was going to make it a quillow but as usual I stuffed up the measurements so on the night before I made this into a wallhanging to put in her bedroom.

And what do you hang it on at the last minute. Why, knitting needles that I haven't used for donkey's years...hehehe

I even had a go at free motion quilting and sewed wonky hearts all around the pigs... There were a few 'oops' neatly covered by buttons but I was amazed how well I did for the first time.

During the week I had a play with scraps pieces to make something for a friend. I sewed them on throush batting and backing and then made a few rows of fancy stitches in metallic threads. Not sure what I"ll do now but I love the colours.

And now that I've caught up with a few blogs this morning I have to Move My Butt and get back to my sewing. Have a great day everyone and I will make an effort to blog more often. Thanks for your emails.

Seven days gone

2011-03-26T11:57:00.001+13:00

Where have I been? Well, I had a few ladies coming to visit last week and sew, hmmm... where could they fit in my little house? So on the Sunday night at 7.30 I suddenly got the inspiration to start changing things around. This is my second bedroom which I planned to make into my 'lounge'. My old lounge is my sewing room. Well, after moving my bedroom furniture around that night, I made a start on this room.

Because I don't usually have visitors this is like the 'out of sight room' and seldom used...

Once upon a time it was my sewing room hence the design wall = a fluffy tablecloth on the wall.

The curtains (property of landlord) look nice in the photo but close up they are faded and stained. Yuck.

The fold out couch has moved and is no longer orange thanks to a bargain cotton throw

the desk only just fits the gap beside the couch. The design wall has moved into my sewing room.

So in my sewing room (ex lounge) I moved my dining table from my kitchen. The manrobe is full of my stash (well some of it) and I will move it to the space left by tv and cabinet (just need 2 strong men to help move it first). This will make more room for the table when friends come to sew.

This is the monster that needs to move into the lounge. I can't throw it out.. its 15 years old but excellent picture and no concerns. My sister and b-in-law gave it to me and are surprised it is still going.. the white cupboards behind the door have more of my stash...but not all! The manrobe will move to this space and the flat screen tv will go on top.

My new design walls. I had a really clever idea when I saw large canvases for $30 at the book shop closing down sale.

I've covered each of them with my tablecloths, then joined 2 together with hinges so I can fold them up too. I've hung it from the curtain rod. The single one on the right is my great nephews quilt which needs a bit more work yet.
Still a lot of sorting to do and swapping things over but I'm happy and was proud to show off my home to my visitors. Who knows, maybe I'll get more but it's citylife here.. people are always busy!

UPDATED WITH PHOTO I'm a Great Aunty

2011-03-09T21:08:00.001+13:00

One day old - ain't babies beautiful but he's so cute. Same colour hair as his Granddad too!

My world has been blessed today with the safe arrival of little Isaac Edward ___ who was born at 5.30pm (9 March). Stacey was due last week but I suggested 9 is a good number. I was born on 9, as was my little sister and my Dad. Stacey's mum was born on two days before my 2nd birthday... on 7th June.

I'll have more to shout about in a couple of days but I am so happy that Mum and Isaac are both okay.

I'm working hard on Isaac's quilt so better not daly on the computer tonight. Oooh life is exciting.. I can't wait to see him and smell him (babies always smell nice.... well when they're clean!!) and touch him one day.