Patches....

I have done this months batch of 9 patches for Trish's swap

So far these are the two sets that I have done... there are more reds and blues on the way...

I am using a collection of fabrics from "Judie's 25th Anniversary" and having fun - I haven't worked with reproduction prints previously.....

After 6 months we send all the blocks away and then get packs made up from lots of other people... so there will be a lovely range of fabrics and colours ....

I had a reason to bake this week... friends from over 20 years ago came to stay... it was so fun....

CJ's Carrot Cake
(It's called CJ's cake because that's who I got the recipe from... and it's a favourite, but I have sadly lost contact with CJ )

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil (I use vegetable oil)
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans (I mostly use walnuts)
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup flour

I play around with the nuts.. sometimes half nuts and half coconut and this time I threw in a handful of sultanas

1. Beat sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time and beat
2. Fold in dry ingredients
3. Add nuts and carrots.  Stir gently until combined
4. Bake in moderate oven (180 degrees) for 45 minutes or until well risen and browned
5. Ice with lemon cream cheese icing 

(I'm still searching for the perfect lemon cream cheese icing if anyone has one......)

Righto, Gotto Go....  there's one slice remaining... and I feel the need for a cuppa!!

Whatever our beliefs at  Easter, for most of us is a time of reflection, memories, letting go and celebrating.....  may yours be full of blessings, wonderfulness...... and chocolate....

North Pole quiltalong .....

I am sewing along with Val and a bunch of others this fun Christmas quilt....

This is a couple of blocks that I have done this month

This is the Elves Bunkhouse

the bird and a little bell will be sewn on at the end with the trimmings....

which I am calling "House of Elves)

I love the little candycane doorjams....

This next one was the North Pole Carryout... but I have chosen it to be a WINERY

(I'm sure the elves need some mulled wine to help them through the cold weather??????)

looks a bit like the roof has had a few glasses already

I do find it a lot of fun to sew along with friends....... and see the different versions of the blocks being made.... and this quilt is just so quaint and whimsical

Righto, Gotto Go... the Recreation Centre and Icecream Shop are next.....

(I wonder what wine icecream is like?)

For the Gardeners....

There was a couple of open gardens near us this last weekend so a friend and I toodled off for a Sunday afternoon drive to have a look.....

The open gardens scheme is a great idea, a small amount is charged to go in and all the money raised goes to a chosen charity....  

At the first place this house was close to the road... this was the original residence built in the early 1900's

this garden is very spacious 

... and pieces from the old residence have been used in the garden.... I loved this picture...

... and some of the old rusty machinery created garden art ......

well, having walked around the big garden we needed a bit of sustenance...

the next garden had this old shed outside....   

... and they made use of sculpture type garden art and grew plants on them... this is an example...

a smaller garden but with denser plantings around the homestead.... this garden is only about 7 years old..

I think my favourite spot was the fernery...

A lovely way to spend a few hours

On the stitching front ... another fun stitchery from Boys Story......

I just love the expressions!!!

Righto, Gotto Go..... I want to make plans for my garden now!  I hope Hubz is feeling energetic this weekend!

March Christmas Item....

I have joined in with Narelle's One Christmas Item a Month challenge



 and have finished this banner (which also happens to be a UFO from last year)

I love all the little stitchery pictures....

 ... I'm sure I will use them again ...

This was a free design in 2011 from SewHappyMe...... I'm so glad I have finally done it....

I had made these little white star buttons for a different project last year and had some extra's ... and I just coloured them with a highlighter for the fluro stars I wanted... and added a little gold bell in the middle....

.. that's what happens when you are 30 minutes out of town and too impatient to wait to buy what you want...

Looking for inspiration for Christmas projects... have a look HERE... (WARNING... you will want to do these....)

Thanks to Dawn and Wendy and all the enablers at Sew It's Finished  too.... slowly the UFO's are getting done

Righto, Gotto Go - next months Christmas Item to plan  find....
(I know I did the stitchery ... I just can't find it!!!!)

So much for FNSI plans......

Thanks to Heidi who hosted this months FNSI ...... especially since she has had a number of things to deal with at the moment.... thinking of you ....

So..... these blocks were my plans (as per my last post.....)

but in the morning I was looking at this scrappy quilt top I made last year 

(I'm still in love with it.....)

I feel it's very arrogant of me to be in love with my own handiwork

.... but I am ......

... and I would love to have it on my bed.....

It's full of piecing

with some chain stitching and needleturn

so onto the table it went with the backing and wadding

 now in an ideal world I think one should decide on how the quilting is to be done before attaching it  to the wadding and do any marking at that stage ... but I didn't and as I started pinning ideas were coming to me....

I want to do feathered circles in the plain squares down the sides.... so kitchen utensils of the right size were utilised....

... then I rather like a flower quilted inside the pieced flowers so I made a template to trace around...

I use this quick laminate... 

trace or photocopy the template and place it in the sticky laminate... then cut it out

it is not as firm as two sided laminate but it does the job and if you wanted you can laminate the other side for extra strength...

I love pictures of the pins in the quilt... so there it is....

I have gone for cross hatching around the border... as it is a large quilt (200 x 221cm or 79 x 87") and the crosses are 1" apart.. there was a lot of lines to draw....

Finally I sat down and did some hand stitching while watching "Under the Tuscan Sky" - great fun but I liked the book more - perhaps because there was more accent on the food in the book! ....

... chain stitch for a different project altogether...

Righto, Gotto Go... I still have the North Pole blocks to do!!!

A scarf, two aprons and a couple of blocks.....

I've told you before about the lovely scarves at Maya Kotan

On my trip to UK last year I was given the opportunity to put some colours together

and look what was given to me....

Here's the ticket that shows who made it... the design name (see the FIO - that's me!!) and the colours used

my very own unique scarf... made from the colours I had chosen

how lucky am I?

PS ... there is a SALE on at Maya Kotan at the moment......

Jude (my DIL) suggested that I could cut the woven fabric and make something..... I'm thinking about it?

... and so onto aprons for little peoples who want to help nana in the kitchen ...

On one of my 'op shop' hunts for pre-loved fabric I found some unused sheeting.... not wonderful quality but I like the pictures.....

.... so that is what I used to make up a couple of little aprons ....

I used a pattern from Annette that I had won in a giveaway.... soooooooooo eeeeeaaaassssyyyy and designed in a way that only one piece of cord is used which can tighten or loosen depending on the size.

The edges aren't hemmed - just went round them with the overlocker - that made it even easier to do!

Perhaps I need one of these in a large size for me.... that can adapt to my shape?
(wonder how many bears I would take)

Righto, Gotto Go.... I have blocks for North Pole quiltalong to do.....

Oh... and it's



tonight

Sign Ups are at Heidi's over HERE

no prizes for guessing what I'll be sewing!