Merry Christmas

Where has this year gone?
All the wrapping is done and ready for Christmas Eve. In my family we open all the gifts at midnight with mean you have the big meal on that day and can sleep in on the 25th. One of my sister birthday is on that day. Don’t wrap her birthday gift in Christmas paper she never forgives you. Her middle name is NOEL and for the last couple of years she had wanted something with that for her home.

Here it is all done just need wrapping.

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Frohe Weihnachten

Keep Safe

3 more days

3 more days and the Melbourne Cup will have been run by now and I will be able to sleep again.

Coming home today after work I work out why I love Daylight saving. When I get in the car most days it after 7pm and today was the same but the view as I drove down beach road on my way home made me stop and smell the salt air.

This is what I get to see when it is still daylight after been in the office for more than 12hours it is nice to see the water and know I am almost home. my mother has a saying if you where born near the beach the salt get in your blood and you need to be near it to feel better in my case it doesn't matter how bad my day has been that view alway made me feel better.

will be walking on that beach in 3 more days. Time for my bed and dream that beach and walking with my 2 four legged babies.

Dream Weekend

Did not go to Caulfield Cup Races this year had better things to do. on that Saturday was Bayquilters 5 Birthday. Over 90 member was there for the birthday. Bayquilters has over 139 members and we meet every 3rd saturday of the mth.
On the Sunday Ann-Maree & Lynne from Primitive Patches had a 'Pieceful Day In the Hills' Beth and Myself had been looking forward to a all day of stitching. Beth teach Year 12 and this time of year she never have any time for her self. For me it is Spring racing and almost time for that race that stop a nation so it was so nice to get a weekend of for us.
We went up to Sherbrooke Forest. It started at 10am till 5pm. 45 to 50 ladies and we all got a bag of goody with about 10 patterns and 2 complete kits for us to work on that day.
This is what I started. Lynne had made all the goodies for Morning tea and there was a Recipes book with all baking she did for the day. The Lunch was smorgasbord. all we did was eat and stitch that what I call a dream weekend. Those are some of the project that was in the goody bag

Girls Night In

Not a man in sight. Check. Toilet seat down check.



On the 15-oct Kim from work had a night at her home call Girls night In.As a host, all you have to do is invite your girlfriends around to your place for a night in.Then simply have everyone donate the money they would have spent going out, to the Cancer Council. She had 8 of the girls from work. Kim did it because in one day she found out that her sister and one of the girl we work with had breast cancer. the ladies were between the age of 25 to 55 and we had a ball. so must food and Drink. All the Girls/ladies were drinking Pink drink. The sisterhood were alive and raising lots of money over $500.

Spring

I love spring it is that time of the year where you open all the doors and Windows and let the wolrd in. Last weekend I work in the Garden that start to look as if no one live here that because I hate winter.It was lovely listing to the Kids next door playing in the street.
I got most of my Gifts for my Angle ready to go.
Aust post get this to Italy for me before the 30/10






How can I forget the Girls and I are going to see AMY Butler in melbourne on the 13/11 can't wait. I have so must of her's fabric it will be lovely to meet her in person.

From My Angle

Look what I got from my angle last week. Thank You Veronica. it took me all night looking at most of the Blog on Helen list and I found her. It is so lovely to think that someone that does not know me and live on the other side of the world took time to make 3 gifts and included some pins and more.

September

Well I am back at work and it is that time of the year again 2 more weeks before the spring carnival is here. Working for the industry I don’t get to go to the major meeting but still love looking at all the lovely Hats and accessorize. Here is one for all you girls that get to go There's also a shop on Brunswick st called "Scally & Trombone" 331 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, that just stock accessories of all kinds - and usually a bit better and more unique than shopping centre type stores. They would definitely be worth a try.
PS I am please to tell you I am back doing my sewing. I need it during this time of the year. Working on something for my angel.

August

Got a new pressure cooker. Lots of soup. I had Fabrics all over the place at home went out and got a beautifully old wardrobe just for my favourite thing. There are now all in one place and I think I can open a shop. But a girl can never have to many fabrics. It is so lovely to be able to find every thing in one place.

July
July was big blank but at the end of it I decided to take my Mum away to Alice Spring for a week and at the same time told work that I was taking 5 weeks off and only working on the weekends.
It was so lovely to get away from the cold of winter and also to get something I have wanted for a long time “new teeth” some people would have said that there was nothing wrong with the old I did hate them never smile with them.

Where did the time go?

I can’t believe it been 4 mths since I last updated my site. So must have been going on that well here go.

June
Working to many hours to know if I was going or coming. Was working on to many thing at once that at the end I had to give up something and end up sacrifice the craft part, as I was to tired to get the creative juice going. It was sad that the Craft was the one to go but like every one with a mortgage work had to come first.

As we are now working more hours than lest.

I also was the Winner of the Amitie VIP Blog Thank you Jenny

Ameitie Fabric

This bag is going all the way to Germany on Friday. My International student has been in Australia for 12mth. She was only 16th when she got here. In the last year, she became a young woman. However, every so offend you see the little girl in her. She loves every thing Japanese .

I knew that she would love this. The lining is a fabric of the Australian flag just to remind her of her last year in Australia. Gave it to her last night and she was over the moon.

Winter day

It been a few weeks and lots had happen.
On Wednesday had a nice parcel from amitie. Been one of the Blog VIP member. the Line fabric will be use in a Bag for my international student as she is going home on the 27 June. She is German and love any thing that Japanese’s and Miss Little Bo Peep will have to go in a child quilt. Can't wait for the next parcel.

Today I am at work. At my desk I can see the bay and Albert park lake.On a Saturday all the Sail boats are on Albert Park and it is nice to look up from the Computer.

The Dodo

After visiting Melly and me and reading about there Dodo. I decided to write about where the original came from.

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Madagascar. In its isolation, many species developed that would be found nowhere else in the world – most famously, the Mauritius Dodo. Standing three feet high and unable to fly, how strange it must have looked to the sailors who discovered it! To Europeans it seemed stupid; a bird without the sense to run when humans came near and that laid its one, large egg on the ground without any precautions against predators.
Of course, the dodo was not stupid. There were simply no predators on the island to guard against before the arrival of humans – and while the extinction of the dodo is often laid at the feet of hunters, numerous references to the disgusting taste of dodo meat make it unlikely that the dodo was hunted to its infamous extinction. At least – it wan’t hunted down by humans, but by the creatures they brought with them. Rats, dogs, and pigs all contributed to the dodo’s doom by hunting their chicks or eating their vulnerable eggs. Less than 100 years after its discovery, the dodo bird was extinct.
The dodo became famous as one of the earliest and most dramatic examples of extinction in recorded human history. Now you can bring the dodo back to life with a little bit of yarn and some stuffing – but remember, folks: extinction is forever.

Making Bags

Last Saturday My friend Viv and I took a course with Nicole Mallalieu at Kimono House - Nicholas Building, Swanston St, Melbourne. It was a cold and wet day but in our case, it was the most perfect day to sit with some lovely women and sew. I highly recommend to any one that wants to make bags to go to one of Nicole course. Both Viv and I thought that we knew a lot about making bags till we lean all the new tips from Nicole.

Baby Quilts

I have been on a roll this last month making baby quilt.
Here are some of the quilts with one of the little person that got one of them.
Both are pattern I got from Amitie. In the second photo is part of other quilt that will be going to a friend for there ruby wedding anniversary

Last 2 weeks

It has been a very hectic 2-week at my home. I made the decision that the 2 dogs and me need more companies so we now have an international student leaving with us. She is here from Germany.with us for 7 weeks, I only had 2 days notice that she was on her way and we are having lots of fun.

On the 9^th May was my beautiful mother 75^th birthday. She is the most amazing lady, she came to Australia at the age of 35 with my dad and 5 kids and had other one here. Mum never works in till she game to Australian. Became a grand mother at the age of 38 and got her driving licenses at the age of 50. She became a widow at 55 when her youngest child was only 13^th. Went all the way to England for the first time in her 50^th. I made her a quilt that had some of her life in it. One hearts with the date of her birth, 2 hearts with the Year she got married and became a wife, 6 hearts with all the years of her children’s birth year, 8 hearts with all her grand children’s years of birth and 2 hearts with her 2 great grand children’s birth. Under each I added the all names she is know by that group.I already had made mum a quilt so this one I did was for her to use on all her trip. I use the Minky dots Fabric for the back. Spotlight has it for $12.95 a meter and tied the all quilt

Shopping

Went shopping today at Amitie and walk out with 2 fabrics with is very good for me. My Friend Beth and her daughter came with me. Beth got fabrics for 2 quilts. Her daughter is only 18th and thinks it funny that we buy fabrics and then cut it into little pieces then put all together again. How do you explain to none quilter the pleasure you get cutting those fabrics and then putting them together again. Every time I look at a fabric I try to workout what will go with it. All fabric should have Friends in my book.

My 2 fabrics will be made into an apron for Christmas in July.
Today has been very cold. Winter is around the corner.
For those leaving in Melbourne Thank god for some rain

Anzac Day

Proud to be an Australian.

Yesterday a Girlfriend (VIV) and I went to the Anzac Day dawn service at the shrine of remembrance. It is one of the traditions that I like to keep.

Got up at 3:45 AM. There were 40,000 there and there are getting younger every year.

The Poem by John McRae says it all about Anzac day.

“ In Flanders Fields” By John McRae

In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard among the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In the Mail

Today was my first day back at work after 3 weeks off, it was so nice to get home and found a package waiting for me from my swap partner, Suzie Sews I participated in my first swap at Melly and Me and got a new friend all the way from the UK. Thank you Melly and Me.

Mum 75th birthday quilt

I just start my mum 75th birthday quilt. I am leaving a little late only 3 week to go. Here is the start.

scrappy swap

The swap fabrics from Suzie Love the extra goodies