Tired......

Lots of painting was done this week... but it's not finished.... sometime in the next couple of weeks the remainder will be done..... needless to say some rooms are still a big mess.

However, most of where we 'live' is good.  A big change we made is exchange an office for Hubz into a 'storage' area for me and move into my old 'office' to a nice space for him to work/play.

Most of my 'stuff is in plastic boxes' and I was happy with the existing shelves for me...

of course my scrap baskets made themselves at home quick smart there.... (there is still lots to do in there but it's a start)

We are slowly hanging pictures .... I was very quickly sure what I wanted above this dresser that is in my 'storage' area but can be seen from the passageway.....

I did this butterfly a few years ago with batik fabrics.  All that skinny black was a challenge.  I have to say I love my leafy quilting around it too....  It's a happy wall quilt.....

Of course with moving things for painting it means it all has to be put back... and I have been cleaning etc (what is it with dust hiding behind cupboards!)  Happy to say I have done most of my Spring cleaning and winter is not over yet!!

A little bit of stitching is done in the evenings, after soaking sore feet

… little sayings for little gifts.....

Righto, Gotto Go.... I want to find things that I need to work on next week … somewhere... in one of those boxes..... hmmmm

Have a lovely week...… may no bugs or spit come your way.....

No work today......

… my work room is being painted.....  you can see the old colour in the wall around the door.  It will be a lot brighter now....

I set myself up on the dining room table to do some sewing (whilst supervising!) ...

Last weeks Moda Blockhead block was lovely and quick and easy..... (6" finished)

… and I had all the pieces for another section of My Small World so that got put together too....

… and then I made a few dribble bibs.....

the top two are 'vintage' fabrics I was gifted... I just love those little bunnies and squirrels...  I put some white towelling on the back which makes them that little bit more absorbent.

I just need to put snaps on them now.

My African Violet is enjoying indoors - I have always had it outside but its loving it's spot with the morning sun.

I decided I would like a few more, but they are hard to find at the nursery!!! I think they are too old fashioned.

Anyway a friend has a few different ones to I raided some leaves and am hoping some of them might root.  Here they are sitting in their glasses of water.... I'll let you know how I go.... 

Righto, Gotto Go... some tidying up to do now... and this evening I can move things back into the work room... quilting will resume....

Home Happenings.....

Widgets and my muffins in a bottle worked out!!  They were to make 20 but we had 12 large ones... maybe a bit of overflow happening!

The only problem was the bicarb/baking soda had compacted.  I didn't think of using a sieve as there were choc chips included but we did get a few lumps of soda which weren't terribly pleasant!!

I did get another panel for My Small World done on Friday … the blocks were all done so it was a quick put together.  

Widget wanted to continue on his 'quilt'.... 

of course its all getting out my old machine, sorting out his 'special' table blah blah blah and he has had enough of it after 10 minutes!!  At present he is quilting along the squares.  I noticed some of the fabrics in it are in My Small World too!

We are painting inside the house, well we aren't but we are getting it done.   It's all happening sooner than expected and I started putting away things over the weekend.

These little ducks sitting on top of a sideboard were very dusty... so they had a shower in the kitchen sink.  They are mended and cracked and chipped but they came with us when we immigrated and I remember them growing up....

My wooden cats that also came with us needed some care too.... here you can see the difference once I gave one a good oiling

… not shiny in the morning as the oil had soaked in.....  I love them.... they also came with us

These are the curtains that were in the house and you can see the dark feature wall (its not really as dark as that)

we are painting in a white....

curtains are being replaced .... a bit of a difference.

There is a story with these curtains.... when we immigrated I hadn't long had curtains done in our house (immigration was a sudden decision) and we only brought 3 cubic metres of stuff - basically any sentimental stuff came and I wanted my breakables safe so I packed lots of fabric around... namely my curtains.

they are big and bold and heavy and have sat in plastic bags since 2002.....  now I am going to use them...

they were too short... so the hems have been unpicked, the curtains washed, hung and they are pinned here.... just need to take them down and sew the hems (calico lined).

I used to work for the curtain and upholstery business that made them - and I just love those bold colours so I am delighted.  Not everyone's choice but they are mine... and best of all it's costing me nothing but time.  It's a nice big open plan space so can take the bold colours.

I have plain maroon ones for the dining area needing the same treatment.

All this has meant new poles too.... here is how the 'old' ones were... bent and filled with funny foam stuff....

… and here in the dining area they aren't straight....it has bugged me...

Hubz removed the old ones and put up the new ones this weekend ready so the painter can patch the holes.

much nicer, lighter poles … and they are straight!

Widget's job was using the pliers and taking out the nails from the walls.... we will start from fresh as to hanging our pictures as a lot we had put up to hide nails etc that were there when we came.

I'm not looking forward to the next few weeks with my stuff all over the place and not where it should be.... on the upside  I have to have a charming young man in the house for a while....guess I should really supervise quite closely?????

Maybe a bit of a boring post today.... 

Righto, Gotto Go... supervision to do!!! Nice legs... I guess it's all that up and down ladders..... hmmmm

A few blocks....

 I'd like you to meet Penelope the Pot Plant lady.....

She is another angel towards my Angel Story quilt....  She doesn't have wings... she is a more down to earth type of angel ….

Moda Blockheads is a free block of the week and last week was a pineapple.... they had a choice of applique and pieced but I decided to do both and then see what I like best - the quilt is a mystery so I don't know yet.

I do like that pieced block though and think it would make a great scrappy quilt.... one day.  6" blocks

Finally I have got down to doing some more circles..... I still have lots more and I'm not in a hurry but just want to keep on with them so they don't get forgotten..... 

these will be 4" finished

On ChooseDay I did several little pieces towards My Small World... it is rather fun making parts of it and then seeing how they come together....  here are rows of houses, several apartment buildings and the start of a hill.....

The squares are 2" which will give you an idea of the quite small Dresden blades.

I had done the clams by hand so put together this house....

… and made some sky.....  8" by 10" so 80 pieces in this bit.... there is heaps more to do.....

(not the most exciting part!)

I couldn't help but build one section of the quilt when I got home....

It is very scrappy, and so much to look at - little bits of fussy cutting

Pupil free day at Widget's school today so he is here with me - I found this muffin mix in a bottle and thought it was fun.  The top layer was looking better before it got thrown in my shopping bag and has a layer of choc chips.

I like the bottle!

Righto, Gotto Go, I hope you have a lovely weekend planned - I want to prepare some more blocks for Angel Story so I can stitch them in the evenings....

July

Well, July went in a flash!

I don't seem to be making much progress on finishing UFO's really but I have been busy making new projects!  (I like to think I am preparing some UFO's for next year you see!!!)

I have done 4 more blocks towards Dutch Treat.....  there are less than 30 to go but I'm not sure of the exact number...

Joy hosts Finishing Stitches and these blocks go towards a UFO I had at the beginning of the year...

Peg and Kris host OPAM, and I have a few small finishes for this month...

A knitted washcloth.... I like to knit or crochet on car journeys (if I'm not the driver!!)

  I made a pincushion from Jane's calender....

4 placemats and 2 mug rugs made from scraps from a safari quilt top.....

  and another placemat from leftovers from another quilt top....  this one is for when Widget comes to stay..... he's very pleased to have his own one at our house!

I did finish this runner to send to Michelle … I like it a lot and think maybe I should make myself one too!!

There was a little zippy purse too but silly me didn't take a photo - I will get one and it can go into August's tally....

Happy with the finishes last month..... I did quite a bit of blocks towards projects too.

Righto, Gotto Go …. August to prepare for …….

Jumpers and Jazz...... (photo heavy)

One of our annual events in the area is the Warwick Jumpers and Jazz.  This year Kris and I went on a road trip to go and see …

The main art installation was a highlight for me, as it usually is....

a lovely cottage and garden....

just so much detail in everything there....

Home Sweet Home.....

… and here we are in front of the cottage....

.. there were flaming mangoes all over the place there...….. here is the jazz troupe...

The fibre art display was amazing... as much as abstract goes over my head I do appreciate the work involved and the thought gone into these pieces... the theme was Galaxy Morphed....

This was a big feature piece, each of those blocks must have been a metre squared.... looking close up was so much detail....

 another clever piece...

I think this was my favourite….. not sure why but close up there were lots of little beads on the sides.. made me think of the milky way...

 this piece was in 3 dimensions .. all those circles different fabrics with an inch or so in between...  very clever...

these little circles were about 2 1/2" in diameter... so quite small...

and each of them had unique stitching and detail in them..... 

Heaps of 8" squares … Kris was excited..... each one totally different....

 … and example of what was there....

 I rather liked these odd figurines …. they looked like fun to make...

 … and for the hexagon lovers out there.... takes crazy patch to a new level...all different fibres and textures in there...

a couple more planets …. 

just amazing work... needle felting etc

I did love this piece... even though abstract there seems to be organisation in there.... nice bold colours

this piece did not photograph well but it was lovely too....

Another big feature of the event is tree decorating.... 

this one was sweet with all the animals... those little red jackets said "adopt me"... I did want to take it home!!

Here is Kris making friends with one of the locals.... 

… and here is me next to one of the trees...

the monument in the centre of town always gets his own beanie and scarf....

This tree was fun... there were knitted envelopes and parcels hanging from the branches...

Taking a break … the seat was decorated as well as the tree.... lovely roses...

.. this one was the winner... so much detail in it...

and back to more flaming mangoes under the palms...

there was an exhibition by a guest artist Jessica Thompson called Jumperhead…. all crochet work...

I thought Kermit was a bit saucy!!

crazy art pieces... I am always fascinated how people think up these things....

A true JumperHead….

There may have been some snacking, some shopping and some losing of phone, some panic and some joy in reunion ….

A fun day out - we are lucky to have this event relatively close by (an easy hours drive)