Christmas already??

Well, no, it's a surprise belated Christmas present from a friend who I used to work with.  Well, actually I never met him but we talked on the phone a lot about work and I was so sad when he left.  Peter made everyone happy, made us laugh and his sense of humour was delightful. 

A gorgeous friends paperweight that jingles, a Maxwell Williams coffee mug and love that fridge magnet haha.

"Eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside"!  Love it. 

 While I'm here I thought I'd show you some quilts I saw the other day made by members of Capital Quilters.  I love Show and Tell, really great for motivation but so many choices.. I want to make them all.  Please excuse the quality of the photos - they hang in front of windows .


Great use of batiks.. Love it



I love this pattern.  The colours are gorgeous



A friend has made this one for  a charity raffle.  So cute. 



Made from left over blocks and scraps.  Waste not want not.  Fabulous.




this might be taking things too far but I have saved even the tiniest scrap of my batiks just cause!!

And now I'm using some of them.

 with this green scraps of batiks I'm going to make leaves.  I have layered them onto scrap pieces of brown batiks and put a layer of black mesh on top. the mesh has little sparkles in it and I want the leaves to glisten like spring growth.. Now I have to quilt the leaves and then cut them out.  Just little ones.

I am making a small wallhanging ( a tree) for a Doctor at the hospital who I've been seeing regularly for a few months.  She has been marvellous and now that I'm well, I want to give her something to say thank you.

But now I'm going to watch Brothers and Sisters.. yay.. Good night all.  Sweet dreams

Olivia's quilt finished for her birthday

My one and only granddaughter whose name is Olivia received her quilt on her birthday last week.  Yay, I wasn't late .. again!! This was a quilt as you go class with Sandra Kennington that I went too last year.  Some of the fabrics are from the Olivia the Pig range (there are several books about Olivia).  It was really easy to do and quite effective.  The binding fabric is the same as on the wallhanging.  OLIVIA.

 This is the back of the quilt.  You can see the Olivia fabrics here.  I guess it's reversible! 

I was going to make it a quillow but as usual I stuffed up the measurements so on the night before I made this into a wallhanging to put in her bedroom.

And what do you hang it on at the last minute.  Why, knitting needles that I haven't used for donkey's years...hehehe

I even had a go at free motion quilting and sewed wonky hearts all around the pigs... There were a few 'oops' neatly covered by buttons but I was amazed how well I did for the first time.

During the week I had a play with scraps pieces to make something for a friend.  I sewed them on throush batting and backing and then made a few rows of fancy stitches in metallic threads.  Not sure what I"ll do now but I love the colours.

And now that I've caught up with a few blogs this morning I have to Move My Butt and get back to my sewing.  Have a great day everyone and I will make an effort to blog more often.  Thanks for your emails.

Seven days gone

Where have I been?  Well, I had a few ladies coming to visit last week and sew,  hmmm... where could they fit in my little house?  So on the Sunday night at 7.30 I suddenly got the inspiration to start changing things around.   This is my second bedroom which I planned to make into my 'lounge'.  My old lounge is my sewing room.  Well, after moving my bedroom furniture around that night, I made a start on this room.

Because I don't usually have visitors this is like the 'out of sight room' and seldom used...

Once upon a time it was my sewing room hence the design wall = a fluffy tablecloth on the wall. 

The curtains (property of landlord) look nice in the photo but close up they are faded and stained.  Yuck.

The fold out couch has moved and is no longer orange thanks to a bargain cotton throw

the desk only just fits the gap beside the couch.  The design wall has moved into my sewing room.

So in my sewing room (ex lounge) I moved my dining table from my kitchen.  The manrobe is full of my stash (well some of it) and I will move it to the space left by tv and cabinet (just need 2 strong men to help move it first).  This will make more room for the table when friends come to sew.



This is the monster that needs to move into the lounge.  I can't throw it out.. its 15 years old but excellent picture and no concerns.  My sister and b-in-law gave it to me and are surprised it is still going.. the white cupboards behind the door have more of my stash...but not all!  The manrobe will move to this space and the flat screen tv will go on top. 



My new design walls.  I had a really clever idea when I saw large canvases for $30 at the book shop closing down sale. 

I've covered each of them with my tablecloths, then joined 2 together with hinges so I can fold them up too.  I've hung it from the curtain rod.  The single one on the right is my great nephews quilt which needs a bit more work yet.
Still a lot of sorting to do and swapping things over but I'm happy and was proud to show off my home to my visitors.  Who knows, maybe I'll get more but it's citylife here.. people are always busy!

UPDATED WITH PHOTO I'm a Great Aunty

One day old - ain't babies beautiful but he's so cute. Same colour hair as his Granddad too!

My world has been blessed today with the safe arrival of little Isaac Edward ___  who was born at 5.30pm (9 March).  Stacey was due last week but I suggested 9 is a good number.  I was born on 9, as was my little sister and my Dad.  Stacey's mum was born on two days before my 2nd birthday... on 7th June.

I'll have more to shout about in a couple of days but I am so happy that Mum and Isaac are both okay. 

I'm working hard on Isaac's quilt so better not daly on the computer tonight.  Oooh life is exciting.. I can't wait to see him and smell him (babies always smell nice.... well when they're clean!!)  and touch him one day. 

Shock horror I bought a dress!!

tomorrow night I am going to my dear friend Emma's 70th birthday... more like 70 going on 50.. she's amazing and we get on really well.  I'll be staying with my best friend Carol so it'll be a great get together and celebration.  I love them both..

So today I went out to buy a pair of black pants to wear with one of several nice tops I've got.. but I found a DRESS!!  It looks fabulous on and feels lovely and doesn't make me look pregnant... YAY!!!

I could do with some jewellery to set it off but will check out my aunt's collection as tomorrow is also sewing day with a few friends...

Yesterday I bought Emma and Myra blue pashmina's cause I wanted too haha.  (Emma says NO PRESENTS!)... Myra loves blue and it's nice to get presents.  I bought a white one for another friend and the green for me.  But today I went back to see if one would match my dress and I saw the pink with roses... ohhhhhh

Oh the roses are so me.. but it won't go with my dress so I'm still not sure what I'll wear around my 'fat' arms. 

We're assured today that the Wellington earthquakes are not linked and there is no evidence that we're going to have a big one here .. although they are investigating!! haha... I tell my son the house won't fall down or blow away while I'm in it.. you've got to have the extra kgs for something ah.

The shingles pain is easing but they are soooo ITCHY.. eeek... . thank god for Aloe Vera .. it cools me down and takes away the urge... not that I can.. I can't reach them to scratch.  However I've invented a great way to get Aloe Vera onto hard to reach patches.  A ruler with a wet wipe tied on to the end, add a little bit of aloe vera and smooth it on.  Of course you have to let it dry before you put your clothes on so just leave the blinds pulled hehe..   That's not a good vision haha  Hope you can all sleep now!!

Earthquakes at my back door?

I was born and grew up in Dannevirke for many years,.  I finally left in 2002.  In that area earthquakes were a regular thing and never forceful so you just got used to them.  There was only one bad one.. (hardly seems bad now) a 6.5 earthquake on Mothers Day
13 May 1990


Weber II earthquake

At 4:23 pm on Mother’s Day, 13 May 1990, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the southern Hawke’s Bay near Weber, east of Dannevirke. It was just 10 kilometres from the epicentre of a magnitude 6.1 earthquake on 19 February, a few months earlier. Some houses were cracked, or knocked off their foundations. Many buildings in Dannevirke had broken windows and cracked chimneys. At Cape Kidnappers, a group of about ten people walking along the shore had a near miss when a large slip from the coastal cliffs fell near them. Within 24 hours of the main earthquake, there were 7 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater.

Dannevirke shops and buildings were wrecked and houses too especially in the country near Weber were spilt in two or three.  I remember that day huddling under the doorway with my family.  We were lucky as only wallboards cracked but other homes weren't that fortunate.
 
Now we've had the Mother of all earthquakes in Christchurch creating vast damage and a predicted loss of 220 lifes.
 
And last night, for the second time in three days, my house rocked and rolled.  Another 4.3 quake centred in Upper Hutt 20 minutes away and my first thoughts are will these go away or are we next.  Who would know??  Eeek.. they are suddenly scary ... and I'm off to work on the 6th floor.  I think all of New Zealand must feel like this.

Try again and again and again

No I'm not trying to practice for a marathon or anything.  I had my haircut tonight to make me "feel better?" and it looked so good when I left the hairdresser.  Wow moment.. but just a moment because after the wind blew it around it looked nothing like it.. haha...
but I decided to take a photo of my new hairstyle to put on my blog .........so tried to take a nice photo again and again and again...

Hmmmm double or triple chin??

OMG

Oh yeah try the wide eyes look to stretch out the wrinkles and the 2XL chins!!

Give up while the going's good huh..

Haha isn't it weird taking photos of yourself.. next time I'll take the camera to the hairdresser !! 

While I'm at it here's what you do with old cotton reels,,,

A friend from Palmy gave me these gorgeous fabric flowers when I had breast cancer nearly 4 years ago.  I asked for fabric flowers instead of real ones and Rhonda went all out.  they usually sit in a vase but I was playing at the weekend.. the sort of thing you do when you feel like crap but want to do anything to take your mind off it..... decorating with my 'stuff'...  Thank you Rhonda.  I really love my flowers still and they always remind me of you and how clever you are.