Aussie Hero quilt

Another Aussie Hero Quilt top is nearly done, just needs a trim, good press and some sashings on the sides

you can probably guess the request was for fishing!!

I have also made a little baby quilt to go over a humidicrib...I am helping Jo, she is busy making little things for the hospital at Mildura, you can see what she is up to here.

love the cute animals

I had a wonderful surprise in the mail yesterday...a pen friend , from a Month of Letters, and journalling buddy in the US sent me a gift

we had a conversation about Budweiser via the internet and he could not believe I would drink that beer !! Hee Hee!! I have fond memories of a trip to the US and enjoying Bud Light where ever we stopped in the afternoon!!He also sent me some PURPLE ink so the next time I write in the journal I will write in purple!! He challenged us to us a nib type pen and ink.  Boy it slows you down!! But it makes you think about what you are writing and also makes you try to write  in script. So very special to get something out of the blue!!

I am off to the beach now for a swim and a sit in the sun/shade to read my book.

Happy sewing.

A finish

has happened today, the Aussie hero quilt has gone to the PO, ready to go tomorrow, the posties are having another day off today I am told. Probably just as well as it sure is hot here today...34 deg C last I looked!! Phew!!

Ready to go!!

Shane said goodbye to Tupai this morning, he has to go back to work today.

So we went into Geelong and dropped him at the train station, then I thought I would call into a couple of shops!! Well how silly am I!! Geelong was packed, both shopping centers car parks were closed, so after driving around and around in the 33 deg heat I found a park and walked.

I went to the collectibles shop to look at another mouse but it was closed!!  I guess I just saved some money, which I promptly spent on a new pair of walking sandals as mine have died. They were reduced by $20 so that was a good deal.  Then I walked up to Lincraft to get one of those roly sticky things that takes lint of your clothes, they are perfect for the dog hair that gets on quilts!!

I did find those and

this is perfect for backing Aussie hero quilts, at $8.00 per m.

this is just cute!!

this was also $8.00 and will be a present for next Christmas..I just need to make it up!!

yup, what I went in for!!

and this because I might use it one day!!Perfect for the stash!!

The day after Boxing Day hubby and Shane went to The Mill markets to look for records, so I wandered off to Spotlight and came home with

some dinosaurs!!

Pooh Bear, poppies and some green Christmas fabric

and this because it made me laugh out loud in the shop!!

and some cotton wadding a good buy at 30% off!

Life is back to near normal now, the boys have gone back to work, so it might be time to pack away the Christmas decorations!!

My best present this year was this.

Yep the boys coming home!!

The biggest surprise was this.

new gumboots from hubby to wear on the garden!! How flash are they!!!

Well it is super hot here in the room with the computer so I will finish up and go sit in the cool.

Hope your day isn't too hot.

Happy sewing.

Lead up to Christmas

Wednesday saw us head off to Sunbury early for a hairdressing appointment, Karen did her magic

and provided morning tea and then we went over to Gisborne and caught up with Donna, who kindly fed us lunch! Boy did she put on a spread, we had a salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado, bacon, egg and grilled chicken pieces on the top, it was a feast...we then had a look at her studio called The Owlery

some of Donna's crafting friends got together and got the sign for her. It is a beautiful room with great light and plenty of space for crafting and sewing.

we grabbed Donna's hubby to take a photo and then had some desert

which was amazing...crushed ginger nut biscuits, layered with cream and strawberries and blue berries!! Boy were we spoilt!!

Donna also gave me this beautiful present, love the batik fabric, the candle smells wonderful and the card Donna made is just beautiful. Thank you Donna for your thoughtfulness to myself and to Jenny.

We had a wonderful catch up and on the way home called in to visit Tracee and her hubby at their work,I received this amazing present from her

beautiful batiks, patterns and clamps to help sandwich your quilt!! I was very spoilt!!

Sadly yesterday I had to take Jenny to the airport and we had to say goodbye once again, it does not get any easier even though we have been doing this for 40 odd years!!

we even managed a selfie!! Lol!!

Today I have taken the Supervisor for a walk, done some last minute shopping, been to the nursery with hubby and bought plants...we got a pohutukawa tree (NZ Christmas bush) although this one is not the Kiwi one and a dwarf, but probably is safer for our garden, we also got a feijoa, known here as pineapple quava, love the fruit!! A little bit of NZ for me in the garden, I am not sure if we bought at the right time as we are in for very hot days over the next few...we will have to keep the water up to them. I have been sewing this afternoon

the Aussie hero quilt is finished with the machine sewing, I have to start on the hand sewing of the binding and label  tonight...this is due in the mail on the 28th!!

I forgot to say Jenny and I called into a collectibles shop in Geelong on our way back on Wednesday and while Jenny was looking at the Jim Shore Santas, which I must saw were very tempting, I found these little guys....they are one and a half inches tall and sooooo cute I couldn't leave them behind. Love how they are both sewing themed.

I tried to get a Christmas photo of the supervisor but he was not in the mood to cooperate, he tried hiding, even tried to go under the couch to avoid me....this is the best I could do!!

Happy Christmas everyone and the very best of health and happiness for the coming year.

Happy sewing.

Off to Melbourne

We went by train from South Geelong station...

and arrived at Southern Cross then walked around Etihad stadium 

and to the tourist tram and went around a little of the city

got off at Flinders Street and walked to Collins St, got the tram up to the Sherlock Holmes for lunch

we had a great lunch with Shane

tried a selfie!! And then we came home by the train, tired but happy!

Back home it was back to normal, Jenny headed off to get the washing, the Supervisor was not far behind! I did do a little knitting, I had started a beanie and so continued only to find several mistakes so I pulled it out and started again..photo to come, although a black beanie is not very exciting!!

Off to Gisborne today, it is hairdressing day, so hope to catch up with friends too.

happy days.

A finish

I managed to get the ribbon sewn around the fabric for Jenny's tablecloth yesterday

a happy table cloth for Christmas

thi s was my view from the sewing room yesterday evening

we had a great BBQ dinner last night! 

hubby tried out the latest in new head ware!!

I fixed the Aussie hero quilt, turned out I cannot cut a straight line!! All better now! Just some more quilting in the surfing panel, a trim and binding to be done.

and the clamshells are finally all done...now to decide on a border.

We are off to the city today, so had better get myself ready quick smart!!

Happy days.

Dare I say catch up once again!!

The days are flying past, Jenny and  I had a walk along the beach in the morning

Jenny with the pier behind her

wandering along searching for beach glass..we had a good haul that morning

In the evening went off to Werribee to see some Xmas lights, the navigator on the phone wouldn't work and we got a bit lost, but we did see a few houses so the trip was not wasted

this house was amazing, it must have taken so much work to get it all set up.

Love the Santas

playing tourist in the dark!!

On the way home we stopped to have a look at the Geelong Christmas tree,

it goes through several colour changes

It looked good with the reflections in the still water

the restaurant at the end of the pier was releasing many happy patrons into the night!!

Progress on the Aussie Hero quilt is going along slowly....

Jenny found this Christmas fabric while we  were out and about and decided a satin ribbon edging would be good and it would become a table cloth, so I am wrestling with the slippery stuff this afternoon

another progress shot on the quilt, I started on the quilting only to find I have made a mistake on the surfing panel and it isn't straight!!! Much gnashing of teeth and a few swear words were uttered I must confess!! 

see spare bits!!! So now I have to do some unpicking and try again, luckily I haven't done any quilting on the top layers so that there is less to unpick from that end than the other. Oh the joys!!! Jenny is in her room having a practice pack...I think some things might be left behind as the suitcase is just not big enough!!!

I am going back to have another go with that ribbon.

Happy sewing.