Boxing Day

We have had a few very happy days, BBQ dinners with the boys, present swapping, roast dinner, drinking and talking and laughing, it has been great to catch up with Adam and Shane. Yesterday the males of the family had a wargame and I sat outside in the sun and cut more circles

A few have their gathering stitch now

The latest Aussie hero quilt is finished and ready to go in the post in the morning

My helper showing his best side!!

the request was for deer hunting, German wire haired pointers (dogs) and the Roman numeral 3. I hope he likes it!!

Quilt and box of goodies packed and ready to be sealed.

Always good to grab a family photo when we are all together!

I have started a new Wasgij.....yep jigsaw backwards, the picture on the box is not the puzzle you are doing

the picture is from the perspective  of the fish on the back wall! Keep the gray matter active!

I was sent this wonderful present from Ondrea, a beautiful stitched pincushion, pins and wash cloth...in my favourite colours too!! Thank you very much Ondera, you are a lovely person!

The Guild in Geelong was approached to make some quilts to be used for reading circles with Mums and children or carers and children. They are being used in a new group to encourage reading together. So the guild has taken this challenge up, I cut up a panel and now am putting plain fabric around them in different widths.

here are a few joined together...just playing with ideas, I will have to see how it grows.

There is a fun swap over at Anthea's blog..I will do a little cut and pasting

it is all about Australia Day

FIVE items are chosen & sent to your partner. They each must start with one letter from the word AUSTRALIA & at least one item must bear the Australian flag.

 Here's some ideas - have fun being as creative as you like:

*A - Australian flag item such as serviettes, paper bunting, little cocktail glass flags/umbrellas

*U - utensil, utterly gorgeous lace

*S - seeds for flowers/herbs, stripey fabric, small sunscreen, sewing thread

*T - craft trims, tea towel (patriotic?), tape measure, tealight candle

*R - rubber bands, ribbon, red buttons, recipe

*A - aqua fabric, apple-print fabric, Australian Tea

*L - lovely hand cream, lollies, liquorice

*I - infuser for tea leaves, ice cube tray, re-usable ice cubes, gel ice pack

*A - Australian fabric, apron, aloe gel

(for example, you might send items starting with A, I, L, R & T)

Label each item with the letter they represent & your own description of that - wrapping of individual items is senders choice.

All items may be purchased - no requirement to make anything.

Please only send FIVE items - strictly no extras - this hopefully gives you enough scope to make this a fun swap, but keep postal costs reasonable. 

It is good fun, I did it last year.

See what I mean, fun!! I hope the model is ok with me sharing this photo!!

I had better head off back to the sewing machine and do some more creating.

Happy sewing.

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.

Catching up once again!

The days are zipping by here, we had hubbies birthday gathering on Saturday so last week was lots of shopping and preparing food, Jenny was super busy creating her NZ special salads, I had planned to take lots of photos but didn't!! Was just too busy, I did get one later in the afternoon

Jenny cutting brocolli for a salad

Tom and Tessa (nephew and niece)  warming up for a musical interlude

Two lovely party goers Tracee and Ondrea, they both were here with their hubbies and we got too have a little chat in between rushing around!!

various Palmer family members on Sunday morning. 

I have had some wonderful surprises...yep I am still celebrating my birthday even now!!

Ondrea gave me this beautiful ....PURPLE...(yay) table topper and a gorgeous scented candle, just love it

Jill gave me a new diary for next year..that has lots of inspiration in it!!

Jenny has been knitting in the shade on the deck

and testing the waters down at the beach, actually she cut the end off her finger while cutting onions so we thought putting it in salt water woul dbe good, and it was after the stinging stopped!!

I joined in a Christmas postcard swap hosted by Sheila and received this beautiful card from Annette, I haven't heard that my card has arrived with her yet.

I also received a beautiful card, pattern and Xmas decoration from Michelle...thank you Michelle, it is beautiful.

Roght, Jenny and I are off to explore the antique centre on the Bellarine Highway today, then heading for Queenscliff for a wander.

I have been doing some clamshell sewing, slowly getting towards a complete rectangle shape.

Happy sewing.

Catch up and FNSI

I have had a busy week this week and nearly missed FNSI which was last night

but I did manage to get some sewing done

I had a play with some yellow hexies

and finished another hexie block for the New Hexagon Quilt.

Sandra, a friend from NZ, who now lives in Singapore came to stay for a night so we explored the bollards in Geelong and walked from one end to the other and back

we have perfected the art of the "selfie" after some very strange photos!! Sandra walks 15,000 steps a day to keep fitand we managed to meet that target by the days end.

Thursday we went to Queenscliffe and Port Lonsdale, did some caching, and then went to Jirralinga Wildlife Park in Barwon Heads

we got to pat a koala and wombat...

in fact it was fantastic for Sandra as she saw nearly all the Australian animals in one place, she was very excited!!

Then yesterday we had a visit from the lovely Ondrea and her hubby...the men folk disappeared into the man cave and we had a wonderful time talking and exchanging ideas..Ondrea brought me a beautiful present

a beautiful pincushion to add to my collection and a wash cloth and soap...thank you Ondrea, that was very nice of you and I love them!!

anda bag of fabric that Ondrea no longer wants...I have used some of the yellow for the hexies already! Perfect timing Ondrea.

Today I am off to Guild meeting so had better get my skates on!!

Happy sewing.

And so

it continues....I have spent the day wrestling, sewing and pinning...but I am nearly there....seven more pieces to attach on one corner and the a few gaps to fill in on the other end...I can see a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel!!

lots to wrestle!!!

A lady at Port Arlington group suggested I get bike clips to keep the spare fabric rolled up, I haven't found a bike shop but had a look at the quilt shop in Gisborne and found these quilt roll clips....had another wrestle to get them on but they are very useful..and keep the quilt on the table!

This is the wonderful gift I received from Ondrea ...I had a message from her saying maybe I should open the present from her not keep it under the tree ( that I still have to put up!!)..so here it all is..a lovely ginge decoration and some coasters for Christmas.  Thank you Ondrea!!

Off to do some more wrestling!!

Happy sewing.