Grand Day Out Part One

 On our last full day in Brisbane Michelle came and picked me up and we went for a visit to Mount Cootha and the Botanic Gardens. We ventured across the city, Michelle had directions from her son and we didn't get lost!!  I have taken many many photos so this might have to be part one and two!!

Michelle told me there would be water dragons around the gardens, the first thing going in Michelle said to me was "Watch your step" and yep there was a dragon on the path, luckily it hurried off into the garden bed.

Our first stop was the dome

and what an amazing place that was, so many beautiful plants and flowers, one of the workers there told us about the fish on the pond and some of the plants.

He also kindly took a photo for us.

The fern house had the most amazing ferns of all kinds

There were sculptures all through out the gardens

Beautiful colour in the Japanese gardens

Musicians up in the tree 😁

More beautiful sculptures in the water.

Lovely views over the creek

and through the trees

the clivias were stunning, there were both orange and yellow

I made a dragon friend

and saw a wee frog

the hippeastrum was stunning 

I really liked this sculpture I had to find a description as I couldn't remember it properly

The current artwork displays were created by Jamie North in Sydney, named “Remainder No. 20 and 21”. These eroded spheres demonstrate the highly altered environments we live in today and fit seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.

These sculptures were highly polished brass when first installed.

This is Michelle's favourite sculpture, I was looking for the butterflies they were trying to catch. 😃

Lovely pelican down by the lagoon.

This area had lots of muck growing on the water but you could see the water lilies starting to come through.

Love these beautiful flowers hanging from an archway.

More out in the garden. It is time for a cuppa and lunch!

I think I will stop here and continue tomorrow.

Catching up again

Here we are into another week, the weekend sped by. Saturday I had Guild which was a great day, our speaker was Margaret Rowe Keys, a local lady who writes quilting themed novels set in Australia. They look great and Margaret offered them to us at a very good price, so I have a set waiting to be read. We didn't have very much show and tell this month but I can share one beautiful art quilt a lady made

Isn't that special.

This was the table for the book selling, my books have the blue ribbon and are now all signed by the author.

I joined together four rows of the International Sisters yesterday...that was pretty exciting!! (Mmmmm, what does that say about my life!!)

Today I was the last one at sewing, I was staying until I finished this International Sister block, the fabric came from the lovely Julie, love the retro look of the fabric with the NZ birds.

And I finished this block, made with buzzy bee fabric, an iconic NZ toy. I had one with a string attached and I pulled it everywhere I am told, the wings clicked as they turned and drove my mother mad!! I loved my buzzy bee.I have just realised looking at the photos that the Sisters are undecided whether to have their hands palm up or down...yep I put the arms around the wrong way!! Ah well they will just be a little different to the other Sisters.

I also managed to sew 23 One Block Wednesday blocks part way, hopefully tomorrow will see the corner pieces sewn on.

I received some happy mail today, these beautiful pieces of fabric from  the lovely Michelle, the black and white fabric is from Alice Springs and the red fabric from Darwin. Thank you Michelle, these will make beautiful Sisters blocks.

This was the view from my chair at sewing today.....I stayed on as I wanted to get the Sisters blocks done, everyone else was gone, actually it was quite good as there was no one to talk to so no distractions!

I forgot to share this, happy mail from last week. I lashed out and bought this kit from the Fat Quarter shop, and No I do not need another project, but just fell for the bees and the hive.

I had better be off and sort my bags from sewing today.

Happy stitching.

Happy mail

Yesterday was a day of opening lots of happy mail!! It was my birthday yesterday and being in two fabric swap groups I had wonderful envelopes to open.

I requested batik fabric for the swap and here are the lovely fabrics I received in the Fat Quarter birthday swap

And more lovely fabric from the other swap

My special person in the Fat Quarter Birthday swap was Illene, she made me this beautiful block holder..love the fabrics she has used, Illene also included some lovely batik fabric and some tiny scissors. 

The lovely Michelle sent me this beautiful panel and matching blue fabric, a beautiful put your sparkles on mirror, tape measure in a tin and beautiful card, plus some fabric to use in the Aussie Hero quilts. Thank you very much Michelle.

This fantastic bunch of goodies came from the wonderful Donna, a beautiful chowchow calender and bag, how special is that!!

The beautiful Tracee gave me this gorgeous pattern and backing fabric. Love the dragonflies. 

Thank you to all the wonderful quilting and blogging friends who have sent me fabric, goodies and  good wishes, I am feeling very loved. 

Jenny has been out shopping over in NZ...I love this Great Barrier Island hand cream, so she went and found lots... it has manuka honey in it and smells divine.

I have been doing a little sewing, these bugs in a car we played around with on Sunday, Susan from desert sky quilting (i have to find her blog address later) sent me the pattern. Some unsewing happened as my lid didn't sit right on the jar, and being extra careful with cutting and quarter inch seams....need to have another practise.

We are off to Torquay this morning to take the laptop to the fixer, we have a virus and it is very unwell. Fingers crossed we don't lose everything!!

Happy stitching.

Nearly Christmas

Here I am home once again after a busy week in New Zealand. My Mum had 4 weeks in hospital with that A strain flu, then it was decided she could no  longer live in her own home. Luckily the local rest home had two rooms vacant and once Mum agreed we could take her straight there. My mother is a very private woman and firmly believes children should be seen and not heard and NOTHING regarding finances, health etc should be discussed with them. So it has been a difficult task finding out where her money is, sorting her clothes and getting her sorted. Luckily most things fell into place. I did have to escape now and then to the beach for some quiet time

one afternoon it was extremely windy and there were about 20 windsurfers hurling around down at Ferguson Park

the tide was out but the view is still good looking over to Mount Maunganui, the tree on the right is a pohutukawa , other wise known as the NZ Christmas tree, so many are in flower at present.

One evening I went geocaching and found a cache right at the far end of this bridge trains use to cross from Tauranga to Mount Maunganui where the port is. No trains went by when I was there but it was super windy, but bonus...I found the cache!!

another cache was near this waka (canoe) which has beautiful carving on it and I believe is used on Waitangi Day.

I found this interesting book swap down the end of the road, I managed to leave some books and took one to read. I think these are a wonderful idea. There are two little free libraries (not phone boxes) in the same area.

pohotukawa flowers,

Super low tide this day and a huge cruise ship in at the Mount wharf. 

I had to have the hire car back on Dec 19th, so stayed in a hotel near the airport that night, 

Jenny came to have a catch up, we had dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel and then after much searching found a geocache between the hotel and the main road. Luckily it was hidden in some trees and bushes so I didn't look too much like I was lurking!! It was wonderful to spend the evening together and have a good natter.

I completed 22 circles while away, most of them at the airport waiting for the plane and the last three on the plane. I need to cut some more circles to do some more.

When I got back there was a surprise from Michelle, a beautiful hand drawn card, elf tree decoration and some pocket mini's stitching patterns. Thank you Michelle, it was a lovely surprise.

I also received a parcel from the lovely Ondrea..it is under the Christmas tree...the excitement builds!!

Four more stars have joined the family.

this elf or Santas helper also came home with me, I found him in the hospital gift shop...love him!!

and this one was a present from Jenny, just love this one too!

Well there is lots to do, I am attempting a fruit and nut cake today, full of dates, nuts and a little almond meal, so had better get a move on.

Very Happy Christmas to everyone and a safe and creative and healthy New Year.