Tuesday, March 29, 2011

New Favourite Place on Earth

Hi Blogging Buddies......I have been playing tourist guide to my Kiwi rellies and yesterday came across the most magical place on earth - Ocean Beach near Strahan.....it was a real beach on the edge of a real ocean - am so used to enjoying the beaches at the bottom of the lovely Bass Strait I had truly forgotten how magnificent uninterrupted ocean waves are........


My new favourite camping spot shall be Macquarie Heads, new favourite beach walk will be Ocean Beach and new favourite quilting shop will be in Strahan........just need to win that first division and open one down there :)

This is my Dad and his wife - anyone who knows my "Days of Our Lives" saga understands how special this visit is to me. 
Today we went tripping around the murals at Sheffield and came across this man who was sitting in the main street with his Alpacca.....probably can't see real well, but she wore a collar with a donations box attached.  She (or he), did quite well out of the family :)  Wanted to slip her into the boot and bring her home....my golden retriever would have loved her.

So, given this is a 'quilting blog' I guess I had best pop some piccy's up of what I have been trying to do..................

Have managed to make a start on these 3 blocks (decided to stitch all the words first and play with the piccy's last...........

These are 5 more traced

And these are the final 4 still to be traced...............and stitched too I guess

And these yummy fabrics will make up the quilt.......Christine suggested Churn Dash blocks in between....I think I like the sound of that :)

Then again......I do have those lovely Tangled Threads fabrics to use.................

Having a quiet day at home tomorrow, then off up the Tamar on Thursday including stop off's at Beaconsfield and Exeter......husband has assured me I'll have time for a little visit to quilting shops.....yay!

Time to go....am flicking between the blog window and the N.Z.vs Sri Lanka World Cup Cricket match and losing a bit of focus.........Go the Mighty Black Caps. 
Until next time Lovely Ladies xoxoxox

Friday, March 25, 2011

Friday Night Catch Up

Well, have been busy stitching away tonight - almost finished a block - will take some piccy's of 'stitched' and 'to be stitched' over the weekend and upload.  Had an interesting week, 2 days of First Aid training, 2 days in Melbourne at a conference and 4 days of excruciating toothache and Panadeine Extra.  Paid the tooth back today by having it removed - now just have a little discomfort and a few stitches....no longer feel like a fogged up zombie and the cheerful chattery Annie is returning - yay!!!!!  Now on holidays until Tuesday week - heading off to Strahan with the parents for an overnighter, the Tamar for a day trip (perhaps a couple of quilt shop stops) and a relaxing wander around Sheffield on Wednesday...then off the the airport Friday for some emotional goodbyes :(  Must finish my block roll this weekend or no OPAM finish for March..........on that note.......Bedtime.  Have a great weekend Lovely Ladies xoxox

Monday, March 21, 2011

No Mondayitis for Annie today

Well, my alarm has just gone (6:00am) off telling me it's the beginning of the new working week.....but today I had 'payback' (in a very warped sense) on the alarm.  You see, I had already been up an hour and a half......hubby's alarm awakens us at 5:45am, but I was up at 4:40am (woke from one of those bizzare dreams that never lets you go back to sleep, or if you do the dream continues) - soooooo, to cut a long story short (and ensure no continuation of the bizarre saga) I jumped out of bed, had my morning coffee, showered, organised school lunches and thennnn.......stitched for a whole hour.  It was luuuuverllllly.  Quiet and still, a little drizzle on the colourbond for company added to by the purring cat and an extremely happy golden retriever cosy in her bed watching me with faithful eyes.  What a life!  The only downside, I could possibly be wanting to have a little granny nap after lunch at First Aid training today......hope nobody thinks I've passed away and substitutes me for the CPR dummy.....or if they do, I hope he's cute.....Happy Monday Blogging Friends :)

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Almost an Achievement

It's Saturday night, 10:40pm and I am pooped.....but had to 'blog' to 'brag' before bed!  I have - wait for it - traced 8 of 12 (thats more than half) blocks for a cute little stitchery quilt.  Yaay!!!  I'm thinking I will have to finish my thingo that is on a tube that you roll your blocks up in real soon (yes I know it has a name, just can't quite put my finger on that at the moment) - only need to bind and glue and make the covers for the end - then at least, I shall have 1 OPAM finish for Feb.....not that good an average huh?  Think next month I shall make a block keeper bookie thingo (yes, I know - that probably has a name too) to store my stitchery blocks in.  Enough procrastinating - time to sleep and for Annie to Dream.  Night Lovely Ladies :)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Yay - it's finally the weekend.

Too tired to compose a message - just a big smile.

Have a lovely one all who read :)

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Need to Get a Wriggle On

Just a super quick post - rellies have arrived safely and settled in.  Just realised today is the 12th (actually in 1 hour and 10 mins it will be the 13th - arrrrrrgh) and I am not even close to a finish for the month.  Two more days off before returning to work, so am just going to have to get something happening.  All positive comments and words of encouragement appreciated!!!!!

Hope all you ladies are well....enjoy the long weekend. xoxoxo

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Well, I have been quite busy - although not busy in a crafting kind of way :(  I have family coming from N.Z. for 3 weeks and have turned the granny flat into some real accommodation....that was a task and a half - but a good task!  Unfortunately my quite organised sewing cupboard is no longer - have stuffed fabric (and other bits and pieces) in there everywhere - hopefully they won't open the doors to have a peek at whats inside...or maybe I'll just fess up when I show them their bedroom - that may save them from being buried alive in the avalanche that is bound to happen if the wardrobe door is not opened in a very specific, careful manner.

I have been checking out all of the OPAM ladies blogs with my 'night night' cup of tea the last couple of evenings - a very pleasant way to end the day.  Sooooo many clever ladies out there.

I did last week get myself a very special little pressie........

Some really yummy fabrics from Whimsicals called Tangled Threads.  The fabric in the foreground is actually a really pretty kinda muddy green, but not really muddy.........

And its still not the right colour in this one either.......drat, stupid phone camera.  It's absolutely gorgeous fabric - a lovely bundle of fat 1/8th's, 2 metres of the blue for border, the lovely red and green (yes, it truly is green) is for inner borders and the fabric right at the back (which in real life looks like it's been aged in patches with parisienne) is for some stitchery. 

It has lovely little sewing machines over some of the pieces (this photo is the green fabric also grrrrrr), lovely quilting words and primitive looking buttons.......Just love it!
Only one problem now.......I have to find just the right project for it.  Thats OK though, because at the moment I still get immense please from picking it up, turning it over, running my fingers over it and playing the 'touchy feely' game with it.  Such simple pleasures.

I've also surprised myself and found another range of pretty fabrics that again the colourway's aren't what I would necessarily gravitate towards.....must be old age - but Blackbird Designs Beach House, or Lake House or something Watery House is fairly yummy........I think I can feel another treat in store - or the mailbox :)

So on that note, I'll now go boil the kettle for my evening cuppa, check out a couple more blogs and mosey off to bed.  Hugs Everyone xoxoxox