Meet the artist....

On Saturday Hubz and I got in the car and went on a road trip.....

These chaotic cloud formations  got my attention on the way ....

Outside the centre were some ponds with beautiful water lilies....

... they are such perfect shapes...

... and inside I met up with one of the artists for the Queensland Wildlife Artists exhibition....

Lovely Michelle was exhibiting for the first time.....  you can see more of her work HERE

Of course it was amongst lots of other wonderful works of art too - really accomplished group and if I could I would have come home with a few pieces - I did get some lovely cards though...

Lovely day out and well done Michelle - your work is extraordinary and so lovely to see it there amongst the other pieces of art.

Outside the hall was a lovely little rainforest and we had a wander around - a hot day but in the shade of the forest it was beautifully cool... 

... a little stream passing through....

... and up the hill for some lunch and splendid views of the city..... This is Mt Coot-tha

Of course I have done a little bit of stitching.... these critters are for my Gardeners Journal quilt

Righto, Gotto Go.... Monday has come around again -  and there is always lots to do.....

Open Gardens and some sewing.....

Last weekend Hubz and I visited some Country Open Gardens nearby.  We love to see what others do with their gardens and of course get some ideas from them.....

I liked this whole setting with the old fence and corn behind it... sunflowers and in front of that beetroot with the colourful leaves... then the straw and rusted tin ducks.... very clever....

in the country it is lovely having the garden extend on forever by incorporating the view

... like this...

big expansive lawn areas....

At the next house the old man shed had a fun window....  again with a fantastic view outside

this particular garden had parts that went back many years.... old old trees and new plantings - a garden in progress....

I loved how they incorporated some of the old family vehicles and other equipment into the garden

the Jacaranda's (and those about town) are looking just stunning, especially after the rains and the lovely green grass....

The next house was right on the side of the main road.... I thought it was well disguised...

a very different garden, much smaller and full with quirky little characters...

... they used their favourite old vehicle painted and filled with plants - taking pride of place....

It was  hot day and I was glad for the breeze.  I do admire people who let others come and stomp around their place looking around.... they also had plants to sell  and a couple of them had coffee's, sandwiches etc to have there..... All funds raised went to charity.....

This week on my sewing table I am trying to sort out some of my French General scraps.  I used this range a couple of years ago for Natures Journey (yet to be quilted) and I want to make a few cushions

I am cutting as many 2 1/2" squares as I can .... then smaller squares and strips....

I do wish I was one of those people who did this at the time of finishing a project - instead of having them messed up in a big box and needing all that ironing!!

 These two little stitcheris have been done for Gardeners Journal... I still have a few to go....

I had only a little bit of this Dutch Treat one to finish ... it did take a while getting through all those edges... the next one is nice easy straight lines!

Tuesday girls did another 7 blocks.... these are mine....  We are over half way now!

Christine had her progress with her ... she is sewing her blocks into strips as she goes along and doing quilt as you go.  Doesn't it look fantastic and so different with a change of fabrics.....  It's really fun doing a project like this together. 

Righto, Gotto Go..... have a lovely day!  I'm off to sew (surprise surprise!)

Bye October.....

Already the end of the month and I am doing a summary of my finished projects and progress on UFO's that I have....

Three scrap baskets were made.... that's it for the scrappy baskets now....

I finished off my botanical prints quilt and put it on my bed.....

5 more blocks for my Dutch Treat quilt....

.... some of the other projects I have been working on is my scrappy beach houses....

Holly Cottage quilt....

Anthology

Dream 

... and Gardeners Journal....

Thanks to Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM - I do enjoy looking back and seeing what I finished, and thanks to Joy for hosting Finishing Stitches which is helping me keep focussed on my UFO's......

Righto, Gotto Go..... possibly a bit of attention deficit noted in my sewing life!

My stitching week......

Our regular Tuesday girls stitching day was successful with another 11 blocks being sewn...

I've run out of prepared sashing so I need to do some cutting out. 

This is all the blocks together now.... at the end of that last column it will be the half way mark.  We started at the beginning of August so are doing well with this one.... 

During the day I mostly do my quilting jobs .... how lucky am I to spend so much time doing something I love....

Joy is doing a series this month focussing on making $ with quilting and sewing and she did an interview with me.... Now I don't pretend I have a 'business' - it's not that much that I do but I do make enough to feed my fabric/sewing addiction and occasionally buy the groceries.  More of a paying hobby and I love it. 

In case you are interested the online chat we had is HERE ... Joy and I have never met in person but we have been bloggy friends for ages.....  If you are thinking of supplementing your income this way have a read on her blog - there are some great tips and quite a few people have grown into full time businesses.

I bottled my first lot of kombucha brew - added different fruits and left them for the second fermentation....

They have been taking on the colour of the fruits and getting a nice bit of fizz to them....  taste is good and so far no side effects so hopefully I am doing it right.  I think if I leave them long enough like this they will be good and alcoholic?????   

Another Dutch Treat block is completed.... I'm up to 120/196 now.... but then the borders will be a year's work on their own I think!

... and another Gardeners Journal stitchery is completed..... they are such sweet pictures....

Hubz went away for a night so I took over the living area in the evening, and started blanket stitching some French General Christmas fabric onto wool felt for this years decorations....

Thanks for the idea Michelle....

.. and another idea from Michelle was to stitch up Angel Story with her!  Thanks (I think) .  Michelle has started hers and has a few pics up on her blog... .very pretty and lovely pictures to sew.

My pattern arrived in the post this week and I had this pack of Tilda's in my stash. My favourite local quilt store  stocks Tilda fabrics and I find them very hard to resist.  This is one of the older sets which I have had for a while.....

Last night I got the background for the applique.  I just want to add a few tone on tone/plains to go with them.  This will be my new needleturn applique project....

It's important to support local industry?

Righto, Gotto Go....  the weekend to enjoy.  A visitor is staying for the night, and we will join up with another friend for dinner.... and tomorrow there are open gardens to see.