A long catch up....

The renovations are all done, just one bench top to be replaced

this used to be an open space above the fridge, now we have a cupboard, we asked for doors

we now have doors and three shelves. I am thinking the rolls of batting I have downstairs could fit up there 👍

Bathroom all done and plants installed, it is a lovely relaxing place now.

we have had some beautiful days, with amazing clouds about.

I went to a Wendy Williams workshop two weekends ago and stayed the Saturday night before with Tracee and Phil,

here is Justice getting some loving from his Mum, he is a beautiful dog.

This is the Wendy Williams project I am making, it is going to keep me busy for a while!

The workshop was at Daylesford at 320 Create, the retreat owned by Mary, who has the quilt shop in Gisborne. I didn't see any kangaroo around this time, but did hear many kookaburra's.

One of Wendy's beautiful quilts

some instructing happening

Wendy was giving tips on how to make the quilt behind her.

Last week we had Adam and Beth, Hank and Tira staying as their new doors were being painted and made the house really smelly - oil based paint can do that!

we walked the dogs most mornings

the love being down at the beach, but are not happy the grand parents will not let them off the lead - maybe if we were sure they would come back things would be different.

Another beautiful morning at the beach.

My usual walking view, bringing up the rear with Tira trying really hard to get in front.

the wattle is coming into flower.

Last Tuesday I went with some of the Bellarine Quilters to the Portarlington Golf Club. They had advertised they were giving grants to a local community based group that gave back to the community. We were very luck to win a $2000 grant to go towards our Quilts of Comfort, so it will be used to purchase wadding and maybe backing fabric. Some of the donated quilts were taken along to show what we make.

One cheque presented

Beautiful view from the function room out onto the golf course.

Miss Tira visited again on Saturday evening, she is now 1 year old.

This is what happens when you give Shane, #2 son a camera to take a group shot!! Love that happy face and that of his brother in the background.

Here we all are. Shane and his partner Rilla are off to Canada next month, so they came down to visit and to bring some things to be stored. Hopefully we get to see them again before they head off.

One the way home we had to stop for a photo of the moon over the Bay, luckily Shane and I love taking photos, so we leapt out to have a look while the others stayed in the car.

The dogs enjoyed wrestling with Shane

I have been doing a little sewing, mainly hand sewing, it takes a long time sewing the cropped diamonds to have anything much to show!

My sewing room is still not completely unpacked and reorganised, but hopefully soon.

I had better away and hope to do another post a little sooner and not have so many photos!

Happy stitching.

 

Back upstairs

This ladt week has been lots of carrying upstairs and unpacking, washing and dusting,  things are slowly getting back towards normal. 

New rugs down and furniture back, most of the cabinets contents are unpacked, 

still a few more things to find for the wall units

kitchen is still waiting for a splashback and a few other things but is nearly fully usable,  doors coming for the cabinet above the fridge.

but my sewing room is not finished 😪 rhe furniture removal men were different to the ones who outlet the desk apart and the guys who came Wednesday had NO idea what to do with it. So we are waiting for the kitchen reno guys to come and see if they can do anything with it . Fingers crossed!! It is quite heavy so I can't lift up myself.

Not a lot of sewing has been happening for obvious reasons, but the textile piece is done,  just the label to sew on.

I am supposed to sew D rings on the back fir it to be hung but the local hardware didn't have any, I am hoping plain rings will be ok. Tomorrow I am off to Gisborne for a few days retreat , am looking forward to that.

Happy stitching.

Reno update and zooming

 We are creeping towards a finish upstairs

Kitchen - we are waiting on the splash back, probably another 2 weeks for that. the corner cupboard doors have been replaced, I can now use the cupboard easily. We are waiting on cupboard doors for above the fridge and the top part of the bench area above the sink has to be replaced, it was cut an inch too short so there is a gap between the bench top and wall. That is probably going to take 2 weeks as well.

Cabinet finished in the ensuite and mirrors in. I have since cleaned the finger prints off as best I can, some of them  are really stuck.

We have moved things into the pantry already 😀 also into the walk in robe.

my baggy jumper is finished and has been worn many times this last week. The sleeves are a bit chunky and I would have liked it a bit longer, apart from that I am very happy with it and it is super warm. Might even be tempted to make another one 😀

I have been working on a textile piece to go into a display at a local art gallery (very scary), the theme is local fauna, must be indigenous to the area, so  I have worked from a photo I took down at Edwards Point.

this was taken before quilting. It is the Glasswort plant, there are two types indigenous to here, the shrubby Glasswort and the Thick-Headed Glasswort. I think my photo is of the Thick-Headed but I am not sure.

I joined in with a zoom session and knitted with Chooky and the other ladies

Ladies came and went depending on what they had on for the day, lots of sewing, stitching and chatting happened. These are always really enjoyable sessions.

Happy stitching.

Last day of the month

 Today it is the day to report in on the progress of Chooky's Churn Dash Along, the guide was to try and do 8 blocks a month. I made 3 blocks last post and today set myself up on the kitchen bench and made some more.

Eight blocks made today I am happy with that, I have made the target plus a little more for this month.

The plumbers were here Monday, they did some inside work and some outside in the carport work where the pipes are, we now have a working bath and bathroom basin and ensuite basin, the gas is connected to the cooker, we have one working toilet upstairs...progress is slowly happening. They are due back tomorrow, hopefully to finish the plumbing.

ensuite

bathroom - see those pesky gaps there!! 😠

And bath. Can't wait for it to be finished and have a good soak.

I set up the machine on the weekend and did the binding on two quilts that have been waiting for a loooong time!

I didn't make this, a lady at the Bellarine Quilters did, she makes the tops but does not quilt, I wasn't sitting on my hands the day someone was wanted to quilt and bind it!!😃

This quilt was all hand sewn and given to me by a friend after her Mum passed away. Another friend unpicked the quilt top so we had two halves, I appliqued it onto the gray and then quilted and bound it, I just have endy bits to finish off. So happy to get this one done finally.

One Pug quilt.

We have had some beautiful skies the last few nights

The photo does not really capture the colour, but it still looks wonderful.

I had better go and check on dinner and one hungry husband!

Happy stitching.

Reno update

 I have photos on my camera I wanted to share here, but the battery has gone flat, the spare worked to turn on the camera and then went flat and the battery charger is packed and I can't find where. So I am using photos from my phone.

Kitchen progress

Pantry finished

Ensuite cabinet ready for the plumber

We were going to keep our cook top, it had had some use but was still going well, but the message was not passed on to the guys who came to do the demo and went to the scrap metal dealer. So a new one had to be purchased. I was hoping for a white one but there is a 6 - 8 week delay in getting one so a stainless steel one has been bought instead. I am happy with it.

Cabinet in the bathroom - one of the things I was most adamant about when talking about what we wanted done, was that there be no small spaces between the cabinet in the bathroom and the shower, you know those spaces that you can not fit the vacuum cleaner head into??  Well that message didn't get through either and we now have a small space either side of the cabinet and other than making the cabinet smaller there is nothing that can be done about it. I don't want the cabinet smaller as we use it for towel storage. I think I will nominate hubby to clean the bathroom once it is all finished and he can see why I asked for what I asked for!!

The electrician was here yesterday and has put in the oven, changed over the lighting in the pantry for led lights and connected power points and switches once again. He has also encouraged us to change over all the lights in the kitchen, dining and lounge, all 27 of them to led lights. He says out power bill will reduce by quite a lot. We shall see. 

The bath has moved from the dining room to the bathroom, can't wait to be able to use it.

the sauna is in place, just needs final connecting.

Last look at the kitchen.

Lots of noise is going on upstairs as I type this so more is happening today.

Sounds a bit like being at the dentist! 😱

Happy stitching.