Upmarket Sunday!

I guess everyone but me has been to Upmarket in Perth! Heidi and I went for a great day out - lots of goodies to buy! Just showing you a little brochure along with today's mail - I thought I would attempt a much talked about Schnibbles - oh, I think this one will be quite a bit of work - looking forward to trying though!

Dear Kate from Two Little Banshees at Upmarket - looking down at all her pretties (nuh, just caught having a little blink - I didn't miss that gorgeous smile though!)

Go check out her blog - I think these little platypus (platypi, is it?)were feature in a Homespun magazine there a little while back! I've just ordered a lovely little quilt pattern from her!

Gorgeous Jemima from Tied with a Ribbon - really cute fancies for sale!

Yummy chocolates from Whistlers - worth checking out - the Rocky Road was just fabulous!

Such a beautiful autumn day, though it is still like summer here! The venue is Winthrop Hall at the university - really charming!

Naughty me - Heidi and I just onlookers passing by - what a really happy finish to our lovely day out!

Hello - It's Saturday!

Yes, a few Saturdays have passed and no word from me - it is lovely to be back chatting! A promise to myself - I am going to make time to do the things I enjoy! Number One I am going to carry on even if it is just a block here and there on my Liberty Pinwheel in a Cabin - love it, and have a few blocks cut out so that will get me going!

Miscellaneous - the little I have to talk about quilty-wise! See the second block of my Circle Game almost done - I'm really enjoying it - love English paper piecing, but oh, it is so slow!

Have you ever heard of the product below - perhaps a nice little brush does the same trick, but we'll see how it goes!

Hmmm, hmmm - breaking all rules! For this pinwheel I stacked 4 pieces of fabric to 'meld' - cut and then stitched firstly on the bias - perfect pinwheel with no trimming! Maybe I jagged it, I'll try again soon!

DD, Angela visited yesterday with this gorgeous gift for me - maybe I should have photographed it on a different colour to white - I think it will live on my little red cupboard anyhow!

Happy weekend everyone - I'm hoping to get to Perth's Upmarket tomorrow - a new experience for me and I'm expecting great things!

Silly Billy!

Yes, I think the time has come - sometimes I can't believe how silly I can be! I didn't seem to be achieving very nicely on the Wheel of Fortune so I have made a very feeble start on another block of The Circle Game! Blogs I Follow has been missing for at least 5 days and I haven't been able to Post - poor Blogger has problems - I thought! So I have waited patiently and have played about and tried every possible thing that seemed logical. I haven't really lost sleep over it - let's just say I have laid awake racking my brains - early morning the brain is fresh - easy, peasey! - last time I signed in I used my Bigpond address - Silly Billy! ... I should have used my Gmail address! Oh, well ..

I have had visits from the mailman and also supported our LQS! This is one gorgeous book of small quilts and I would highly recommend it for those who enjoy and also repro lovers!

Here's a couple of pics of featured projects!

With my love of dollies, I could not pass this one by!

This will be my first one to trial - she's cute!

Pauline Rogers and hubby visited our local patchwork group last Thursday with her shop of knick-knacks - I'm happy with my little bit of shopping!

I'm looking forward to a trouble-free week - let's see how it goes! - happy stitching to you all too!

Tra-Lah! Fairy Quilt Finished!

It has taken some time but here we are - all shampooed and spun dry - nice and warm and fluffy just waiting for the cooler weather. Heidi will be pleased! The main fabrics are by Saffron Craig - a wonderful Australian designer - I love the use of colour and whimsy about her designs - check out her latest!

I used Thermore for the batting and cut it the same size as the top squares - I like to make these quilts that way!

With a heavy heart, one cannot help but feel so much sympathy for our neighbours in Christchurch, New Zealand - so much loss, pain and suffering, God bless!

Stitches Galore!

I haven't had a lot of time for stitching and the hot weather is not conducive to doing anything very much - oh, that aircon has been running happily, thank goodness! Summer hasn't been very kind to us in Western Australia, though in many ways we have been so fortunate! I'm plodding along with handwork and anxious to get to the machine - with a bit of pressing the first block of the Circle Game kinda looks okay! I love working with the bright fabrics.

Two new books - I'm quite fascinated with Scandinavian Stitches!

Look at my poor baby Byron - the doctor had to do his stitches - he had been very brave until he saw Nanny and then it was time for nursing and cuddling - I'm so happy the little ones look to me for comfort still! He's seven on 2 March - isn't it just lovely he can be comforted by a knitted toy at times like this.

Happy day!

Winds - Please Be Still!

How blessed we are having friends! Dear Cathy of Cabbage Quilts has started a fab quilt by Kaffe Fassett using Soul Blossom fabrics - now, I fall in love very easily and that happened this morning - having a little browse I came across Cathy's post of today. Straight to the bookcase and there was Caravan of Quilts on top of the pile - into The Studio and there was a bundle of Soul Blossom fat-quarters just crying out to be used! I quickly dashed off an email and Cathy has given me permission to have a little quit-along with her! This has been so timely as that loose-end feeling is still hanging about - this might just be the right medicine, lol! Here I am behaving so badly while so many of our fellow Australians have had so much loss and sorrow - about 70 k's north of us the bushfires are raging and homes are being lost - pray God it will end soon! I could write a lengthy post on the devastation our country has suffered - please keep us in your hearts!

This arvie I have to pop to the shops to buy ingredients to make Peg's Apple Sour Cream Slice - a lovely sewing day with friends is happening tomorrow - it has all been so quiet lately, I am really looking forward to this one! Let's hope I can make a lovely luncheon dessert - I'm sure Peg is to be trusted - me? well we'll see!

This month's finished but not pressed - looks kind of bubbly - let's hope the bubbles press out!

Last week we had a lovely catch-up with friends we have not see for 17 years - Graeme and Sharon Sullivan ex Gove! Simple fish and chips on a glorious day at Dolphin Quay, Mandurah - the tubby one on the left belongs to me, lol! It is so nice to eat out when catching up with old friends, so much more time to chat rather than dashing around entertaining at home making sure everyone is well looked after, that's what I like to do!
♥

Oh, I haven't mentioned the mail! Best to leave that until this evening to open as I know there's goodies to drool over!

Happy day!

Off to Work We Go!

I must work very, very hard - remember my Fairy Quilt? - I am trying for a finish in 3 days - oh, yes! - I think I will make it! Only borders on 2 ends to add, some quilting and then the binding! I know I could skip the binding and have shaggy edging - oh, very tempting!

I have a lovely, tidy studio - whew!, lots of tidying this week, so I'm on track with resolutions, isn't that just great?

Gorgeous current Thirties I bought on eBay - 6" squares for US$20 - one day I will count them - let's say I am just thrilled to have received so many!

Orchids and pomelos! These orchids must be of the same species as the Cooktown orchid - the floral emblem of my 'home' state - blessings to you all over there in Queensland recovering (I hope!) from flood damage. Back on track - these gorgeous flowers adorn my son's front patio in Thailand - and I popped a couple of pomelos into the pic!

Just gorgeous fruit to eat ! Kinda like a sweet grapefruit - very large, very thick, white pith
and normally prepared before you buy. I really don't like grapefruit but love these!

A fruit lover's paradise - probably all tropical when I think about it - yes, Lurline, of course it is tropical, Silly Girl!

♥

I hope you are all enjoying a lovely weekend. Off to do some sewing - we have Cyclone Bianca sitting out in the Indian Ocean - let's hope it heads out to sea and leaves everyone alone!

A Happy Weekend!

About to do this Post then tear myself away from the computer! Do you remember my Liberty Log Cabin I started in November - I'm picking up a little significant memorabilia to add along the way - of course, I am the only one who it will be meaningful to but that's okay! Let's start from the top right - a gorgeous, well-used hankie in a bright, pretty floral brought to me many years ago from Liberty London, blueish peacock tail - sent to me when DD Danielle lived in England, middle blue floral - a fine cotton from Jim Thompson, Pattaya, Thailand and the dainty peachy floral the same. The name Jim Thompson is synonymous with the finest silks in Thailand and the hankies of a generous size cost me AU$1 each, oh I must get some more to add! The two Liberties are still currently available!

Cute shoes from Festival Central, Pattaya - wow, the department stores there almost equal those in the US - no street market stalls for me. Now I'm not being snobby, I just think I am one of the luckiest girls in the world to have these experiences.

The shoes sort of go nicely with the BOM I have re-joined from amitie textiles - I did, then I cancelled and had just the one month sitting looking at me, then I've seen Janet's of Quiltsalott, too so let's hope I can make a little start this evening! It will be nice and bright and I was having a little worry about this - well, if I can wear shoes like that I can cope with the quilt I guess!

Oh, yes - my Accuquilter! I've had it since before Christmas and can't make up my mind if I will really get the value out of it, so it is not even unpacked. Please help me if you have an opinion as I bought it through Hancock's free shipping and I'm sure I could easily sell it if necessary.

My two little cherubs were waiting for Nanny to return home - of course the pressies went down beautifully - more here and there about the place! OMG they are gorgeous kids - just have to have a little brag!

My computer room is so tidy it's to die for and that hasn't been the case for many months - it has taken a couple of days to be completely organized - so it's off into 'My Studio' now - let's see how we go! This body of mine is regaining strength so rapidly, so I'm just treasuring every moment of the day! It was such a long time feeling so lousy so I have lots of time to make up.

It has been great hearing from lots of you and getting some news -I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Sawasdee Ka - Thailand!

Back home again after a wonderful holiday to Thailand! Nice to have had a peek at my computer to have a little look at a few things that have been happening and let's hope next week I will have something exciting sewing-wise to show - at least I do have a few packages from the USA to unpack and I have been putting that little joy on the backburner! I have just a few little glimpses of a beautiful country to show you and will show more as time goes on! Above - beautiful orchids at a local nursery in Pattaya - oh, I wished I could bring some home!

Yes, that's me - nothing that a good airbrush wouldn't help! Up close and personal, oh I do love these creatures even though a big soccer ball to the head doesn't exactly endear one of them, lol!

Overlooking Pattaya - a fun filled racy city and don't believe all you hear about the bad side - maybe I had reason not to find it being with DH, two sons and the sweetest little DIL on earth!

Perhaps my favourite spot in Thailand - Chiang Mai! Such beautiful countryside, silk, silver, cotton and of course those beautiful elephants! So tempting, but no - I didn't ride one this time - I must admit I did find my shoulders a little restricting getting in and out of the various types of transport over there let alone elephants!

♥

I really must apply myself to unpacking completely before sewing so that will take care of this weekend - it will be lovely to hear from you as I've been darting from this blog to that with little time to comment. Enjoy your weekend and blessings to those who are affected by the ravaging floods in our country - oh, dear!