Surprise package

We had a busy day today, left home at 8.45 to go to Cabrini hospital in the city...over the Westgate Bridge and thru the tunnel...boy that was slow this morning....for David's appointment with the Neuro Dr. he had a little adjustment made to his DBS and many questions for the Neurologist...then we went up to Ward 2 where David was after his op and saw some of the staff, David wanted to say thankyou!  They all asked if he was still painting his little figures ......he must have made quite an impression on them, the figures are interesting but he also managed to get paint on the sheets, the chair, the floor, the table and himself!!!  We called in to Geelong to do some messages on the way home and finally got home at 5.15pm. I had to do a quick run to the supermarket and then home. I noticed a package in the letter box and when I got it inside saw it was from Barb Smith ,I didn't remember making an order , when I opened it up this was what I found

How nice is that!! Thank you very much Barb for your lovely thoughts and generous gift!! You are right, everyone needs a pink elephant!! There are some wonderful people in the world and Barb is one!

Happy smiles here.

Monbulk Quilt Show

I have had a wonderful weekend, have stayed with Eve at Boronia and ventured up into the Dandenongs...it was lovely up there on Saturday, slightly misty with the sun coming through the huge gum trees as we drove through the Sherbrooke forest....I thought getting to the show at 9.30 would be good, and we might get a show bag...but no...the queue was out the door and down past the buildings to the road......everyone had the same idea I think!!!
We missed out on a goodie bag but were  given a free pattern for a door stop which  l liked.
There were some beautiful quilts on display...

There is some beautiful stitchery on this quilt

this was a joint group effort .....love the knitted poppies on the right hand side

For some reason this photo insists on being huge!!!!! It is another group quilt.

Love these teddies

Isn't she cute?

A very impressive round quilt

Love this one too! 

How cute are these polar bears?

Great colours here

Wow!!

General views at one end of the room

It was very busy so not easy to get photos although I managed quite a few!!

Isn't this beautiful?

And this....

Back outside in the sunny day again off to look at plants now!

And look who I ran into...the lovely City ladies out for a quilting tour day!! I interrupted them enjoying their scones and tea! Was wonderful to see all the lovely ladies and have a chat with them. 

Inside Barb Smith had a stall and of course I came home with another selection of beautiful Theodora Cleave buttons......

Just beautiful! Can't wait for Barb's new ideas book to arrive in the post!!

Well enough for today...

Happy sewing.

Charm Squares

I did a little stitching this afternoon and thankfully no unstitching...I have learnt to slow down and use the stiletto!!

Block number 5 for the Charm Square Sampler Quilt...not too many corners damaged in construction!!

I have also been over to look at Barb Smith's buttons.....boy that is fatal...I find it very hard to go and just look

these arrived in the mail yesterday...just love them!!

my first letter from A Month of Letters arrived yesterday too...exciting!!! And it was from NSW and a quilter!!! Great envelope!

I have also signed up for

You can join up too over at Wendy's she also has some very interesting recipes there for Friday night.

I am off to get dinner organised.

Happy sewing.

FNWF results

I was surprised with people staying Friday and Saturday at St Leonards...love my DH and his lack of communication!! We had a good time though, my listening ears had a huge work out but I stitched as I listened and was very happy with what I got done

My lovely stitchery from Michelle Ridgeway is finished...she need a good iron before deciding what to do next

The little Barb Smith stitchery is finished, I thought she might make a lovely journal cover one day!!

I started this stitchery on Friday night and finished the words on Saturday...think I will look for a star button to go on the top...

and last night I started this stitchery...seem to have a stitchery thing happening at the moment...

isn't it funny how you can want to do something for ages and then suddenly you get motivated/organised/the stars align....and it happens!! This is my last block, the signature block for the Underground Railroad Sampler I made last year during FNWF with Marg, Tracee and Tania, I am not happy with my writing on the block so will iron it off and try again, then get the girls to write their names and I will embroider it on....then to get all the blocks to the same size and decide how to put it all together.

Thank you Cheryll for hosting FNWF, you can see what the other lively bloggers got up to over at Cheryll's.

Happy sewing.

A Day of Play

Today we had the best day playing with Barb Smith ( of Theodora Cleave) and Karen from Mrs Martins quilt shop.....they are the such fun people.....was at a table with Miss Naughty (she even had a label  to that effect later in the day) lol!!! Also
the lovely Mel ,  Ondrea , and of course the sensational Tracee and Cheryl at the head of the table....someone had to keep order!!

Tracee and Mel settle in

Guess who is checking out the goodie bag and playing with it??

Shez and Ondrea

Lovely ladies ready for work/play

Some people are working, others are not.......no names mentioned though! ! Lol!

Mel decided after she had wiped her brush on her apron pocket, that we could all have a go and it would be a reminder of the day....Barb leaves her mark....

as does Shez

some of Barb's beautiful display and wonderful ideas...many beautiful Christmas ideas

love these too

could not resist these stitcheries.....

and look at all this yumminess here

Tracee and Mel get down to work 

The two S/Cheryls....Ondrea giving them a bit of a touch up for the photo!!

and I am pleased to say that on this occasion Shez got some work done.....hee hee....

I took two photos just to prove it....lol......teasing you Shez!!!

I asked Shez to take a photo of Tracee and myself......well do something silly she said...not an ordinary photo.....

sadly we were too busy laughing to be able to do much else that laugh!

here Barb is instructing us on the fine art of making a bonbon...I am pleased to say mine does kind of resemble a bonbon!! If you squint!!

further instruction

 I had the best day, played with paints and paper and inks and stamps, with wonderful fun people and came home with many treasures.

These are my goodies....fabric that has been painted, felt I have stamped that will go as a background to Barb's beautiful buttons, tiny stitcheries from Barb's drawings, buttons, a decorated linen bag, tags.......my bonbon...lol!!

And this beautiful button was in the goodies bag from Barb.....all in all a wonderful fun day, thank you to Karen for all the organising and to Barb for her instructing and fantastic ideas and to the lovely ladies on our table for all the laughter and pleasant company.

Happy sewing.

P.S. I forgot to say Shez gave me a jar of her special jam. How lucky am I!! Thank you Shez.