Beautiful sunny day today

This morning I checked my emails and saw Chooky was having a zoom for an hour so quickly got my things together and joined in.

It was lovely to catch up with everyone.

 Summer has returned again today and it is quite hot. I did some gardening this morning and came in for lunch looking like tomato face!! 

I cleaned off the table on the front deck and sandwiched two quilts out there, it was a bit breezy but not too bad

I can hear many boats and jet skis out on the water.

Yesterday I went to the quilt shop in Gisborne and did a class with Irene Blanck, she is a wizz with applique. I have had a project of hers for many years so decided it was time to relearn applique and get it made.

Irene helped me with the curved seams and did the beak as a demo, there are a few more circles to add before this part is finished.

I have also finished the binding on two quilts

Such a good feeling to have them finished.

Last weekend we went to David's niece's 30th at her place in Wonthaggi. We stayed in a cabin at the campground at Kilcunda. Sometimes, well most times, this is a very windy place as the southerly wind hurls straight of the ocean, but we struck a beautiful weekend.

Friday evening I had a beach walk

Saturday morning we went for a bike ride along the rail trail

me following hubby

we stopped to look for a cache and found some kangaroos watching us

and I finally found the cache, thank goodness!

I had another ride, early afternoon before we went out, the trail went inland away from the coast, I was looking for caches but saw a snake so that changed my mind pretty quickly!

View to the ocean heading back.

The figs are ripening on the tree and I can't do much with them, but I did see a recipe for fig vodka, which was a bottle of vodka put into a large glass container, then you add three cups of washed, chopped figs, give it a swirl around and put it in a dark place. I was supposed to swirl it each day, but often didn't remember. It was in a  cupboard for 7 days, then I took it out and strained it off. I had a taste the other day and it is pretty good!

I think that is enough from me for now 😄, it is fish and chip night at Adam and Beth place, hopefully by the time I get there the footie will be nearly finished 👍.

Happy stitching and have a wonderful week.

Time to catch up again

 The days are rushing by here, so what have I been doing? Some packing and sorting, some sewing, some bike riding and some preserving...lets have a look

Three weeks of Anthology blocks,

Epp was finished

It was supposed to be made into a cushion top, but I had another idea which I can show later. I don't understand why I didn't finish this sooner, it really didn't take very long.

Hexies have been cut and glued for Tea and Cake, I now have 420 made, but need 480 and have run out of fabric. Hopefully I can get more next week.

a small bag of fabric is now a bunch of cropped diamonds ready for sewing

A large group of galahs flew in and settled on the power lines over the road, lots of chattering was going on. I like to think they are still unhappy with the tree removal from next door, but that is probably me and not them!!

Such lovely birds.

I was sewing the binding onto this quilt last night and had a very nearly not enough binding moment, thankfully I had about 2 inches spare.

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler is finished, binding completed Wednesday evening.

I bought this pattern recently from a friend, I have made it slightly bigger than the pattern, I still need to add borders.

And when I was sorting things in the sewing room I came across a pile of mostly 6 inch squares - these came with another quilters stash, some were a bit over 6inches and some under, I had to cut a few myself to replace the smaller ones and by late afternoon I had a quilt top, great for an I Spy quilt. The borders used up fabric from my stash. 

This morning a brew of fig paste went into the crock pot and cooked away all day, it tastes and smells heaps better than it looks here!! It is all in jars now and ready to go into the fridge.

We went shopping yesterday and have purchased most of what is needed for the renovations, we just need a kitchen sink, we like the old fashioned type that has a drainer at both sides of the sink and a double sink, so we have to find one, we also need to get a new oven. Hopefully everything will then progress as planned...fingers crossed!

I think I need a cuppa, have been avoiding the TV as the footie season has started again! Oh boy!

Happy stitching.

It is March 1st today

 My goodness this year is going to get away on me just like last year did!!

I have been to visit the fur babies, Miss Tira

Mr Hank

And because she is so cute Miss Tira once again. Miss T is now 7 months old.

Last week Anthology blocks.

Last Saturday Chooky had a zoom to celebrate her blog birthday, I joined in for a few hours, was not the long stayer like lots of others as we were going into the city to celebrate Shane's ( #2 son's) 30th birthday.

We met at the Sherlock Holmes pub in the city, luckily we were in the upstairs part so the windows and doors were open and fresh air was flowing in.

Me, David, Rilla, Shane and Adam.

Kathy, David, Rilla, Shane, Adam.

Shane , Adam and Kathy.

Adam and Shane.

Our boys have turned out really well I am very proud of them both, and they get on really well together, for which I am very thankful. We had a great night, a wonderful dinner and caught up with friends of Shanes we have not seen for a while. We stayed over night in the city and wandered home Sunday morning.

This huntsman greeted me on the bedroom curtains this morning, it is now outside and has been told not to come back!!

We had the grand fur babies yesterday and they are here again today as painting and plastering is happening at their house. Safer they are here with people coming and going thru the gates and the front door. Tira is an escape artist and will zip out the door any time the opportunity arises.

Hank relaxing.

Toasted sandwiches were had for lunch today, of course the dogs know the instant cheese comes out of the fridge! Hank knows not to come into the kitchen, he came in part way today, but Tira goes where she wants to go!!

We are having some renovations starting in April so have been packing up furniture that will have to be moved

Wall units done

Book case and cocktail cabinet done

Sewing room NOT done 😂😁 (yet) only have to clear the floor, thank goodness!! (And clean up the dust later I guess!)

I also found all the photos printed from a trip I did in 2018, so decided to put them in a scrapbook...mmmm...maybe not the best idea but hopefully they will be done by the end of the week, fingers crossed!!

I think that is enough from me, hopefully I have not put you to sleep!

I am off to tend to a few more photos.

Happy stitching.