A new bag.....

This is the bag I made from my cobblestone blocks that I had quilted

(It's been a UFO in my cupboard for a while)

It is a perfect size and nice and strong to use when exchanging books at our library....

It is also the perfect size and nice and strong to hold 3 bottles of wine....

... as I had quilted it and used backing I didn't add an extra lining but sewed up the sides with an overlocker... put in some eyelets and threaded cord through ....

Thanks to Maria who first gave me the blocks some years ago.... yes, the same Maria that sent my Easter mini...

and also this bag which was sent for an Autumn theme swap... it has come out to be used now it is Autumn....

 and thanks to Wendy for hosting 'Sew It's Finished'.... another UFO crossed off my list... and a useful one at that....

Another block of my girlie quilt..... 

(there are twins of each block so you will see double sometimes.... it's not because I have been drinking too much wine ... I said that just in case you are concerned for me .....)

Righto, Gotto Go..... I'm going to Girls Stitch In this weekend.....

We have had a good lot of rain, our tank is full, our grass is watered, the frogs are singing ... just lovely

Easter Mini ... and other stuff

Another lovely parcel waiting for me on my return was my Easter swap mini from Maria

It took my breath away.... I just love it

 ... and... and.... and...

Maria put all sort of other lovely goodies with it.... isn't that bright teacloth just so happy and fun (it's already hanging in the kitchen to keep me out of the 'back from holiday' blues!) ... and chocolates, and coffee, and thread holder ... and the special little coaster and labels from Cheryll for the swaps

much more than expected and a lovely surprise... thank you so much Maria and thanks to Cheryll for organising... I so love my collection of mini's....

Now... on holiday I didn't go to any quilt shops... in fact I hardly went into any shops at all.... even though Tassie has lovely lovely quilt shops... we just did not have time for it all....

But as always quilts... and food were very important and on my mind.... so a few happy snaps...

Breakfast, smoked (Tasmanian salmon) with scrambled eggs

this cute little scrap pieced quilt in an old miners cottage...

...if they still sold this stuff I would have gone to buy some....

... but instead I limited my diet to delicate things in life....

a quilt challenge done and shown in Bass and Flinders museum ... the challenge was what they may have seen when they first arrived in Tasmania....

... one of my stylish hairdo's I had on the trip....

Tasmania has amazing seafood, scallops were a first for me.. and a favourite... also fresh squid....

(PS .. this was a shared platter!)

This poster at the brewery reminded me of a quilt pattern... I'm sure you can see the dresden plate...

We had testers of beer at the brewery and I loved the apple cider ..... 

At Clarendon house this hand quilted quilt was on one of the beds..... I've forgotten the name for this style so if anyone knows it please let me know...

 I had another hair do at the end of the holiday when we had Nowhere Else to go....

so we went and had some icecream.....

It's not that long for Easter now... and so I have put my lovely little mini up... doesn't it look just great in the stand.... and cheers up my room no end.....

Righto, Gotto Go..... I have to sort out my clothes... a whole bunch of them shrunk in the Tasmanian water!

Jack's New Quilt.....

Whilst I didn't do much stitching at all whilst on holiday I did make a delivery....

The first part of our holiday was staying with Grandieboy Jack and his parents....

I had quilted all around the applique and then some clouds and zoom lines on the aeroplane pieces

meandering in the propellor fabric (well I think it looks like propellors!)

some stars in the spotty pieces...

... and some circles in all the stripey sashing ....

... wrote out a label and finished it off with a rust red binding.... such a fun backing and just perfect for the sky and planes

the completed quilt .....

... now he is ready for the winter .....

hmmmmm......

what do you think Toto?

see the aeroplane....

... thanks Nana.....

Righto, Gotto Go..... a few swap committments to sort ....

"History Tourists"

A surprise parcel that was waiting for me when I got back was this birthday gift from Ms A.Nony.Mouse!

Posted in Falcon, Western Australia..... so it's one of you lot over there.... thank you... I love you..... and I love all that money you sent me!!! 

and for you lot over there in the West .. Anthea is keen on coordinating a gathering of you... won't that be such fun... I wish I could pop over there and meet you all..... contact Anthea if you live over there in the West.... it will be such fun....

Hubz and I did lots of touristy things - many based around the interesting history of Tasmania..... here are some snapshots.... (well...looooaaadds of them)

Spirit of Tasmania

Melbourne at Sunset

near Gravelly Beach - Tamar Valley 

Batman Bridge - Tamar Valley

Beaconsfield (made famous when two miners were stuck underground for 2 weeks.. )

Seahorse Farm at Beauty Point

 Grindewald Swiss Village

George Town - reputed to be the oldest town in Tasmania

a replica of the Norfolk in George Town

Lighthouse at Low Head 

wonderful war memorial of tree chain saw carvings at Ledgerwood

(these type of carvings were in a number of places and we were lucky enough to meet the artist)

tin Mine video show at the Tin Centre in Derby

I loved this old building in Derby

off street art at Evandale

Evandale is such a pretty English village style town

Clarendon house

the red bridge and more wooden carvings at Campbell Town

Tasselation Rocks near Bicheno

Dog walk at Eaglehawk Neck - towards Port Arthur

this is a narrow stretch of land and aggresive dogs were tied to warn if there were convicts trying to escape

the memorial at Port Arthur - a massacre in 1996 where 35 people lost their lives 

Port Arthur.... where convicts were kept for some years

Richmond Bridge (the oldest bridge still in use in Australia - built by convicts)

oldest church still in use... also built by convicts - Richmond

old Hobart town - a miniature replica - Richmond

the park - Hobart

of course we did the brewery tour..... Hobart

... and up Mount Wellington - Hobart

the Salmon Ponds - near New Norfolk (these are actually albino trout)

The Wall near Derwent Bridge (no pictures allowed so provided a link HERE) - amazing work of art

Some BayWatch moves -  Turners Beach

I hope I got them all correct!

Righto, Gotto Go.... sorry if this is exhausting and boring... I suppose I want a record for ourselves as well as show off some of the loveliness Australia has to offer...