Nice people

I had a fabulous day yesterday. Firstly I'd organised a dress up at work for Black Friday. No superstition in it, just a team building fun day. Several, not all, made a real effort and became Vampires and gremlins, witches and then there was the solicitor who pinned a sign on his black jersey "Scary all the time"! Haha. There were two bottles of wine for the winners.. and the boss presented one to me for organising it.. Wow.. I gave him a x on the cheek, after all it made me feel great!

Then in the mail was a parcel from an appreciative client .. a box of scorched almonds wrapped in HORSE wrapping paper. The sol's present was in pussy wrapping paper ... hmmm My nickname was Horse!! Noo noo noo noo...

And to top it all off I got a gorgeous email from one of my colleagues with a big Thank You for Being You! done in photos of his family in each letter.

Went to monthly sewing night and really enjoyed it.. (the glass of wine at work might have helped) but a few more ladies came and introduced themselves, and admired my work.

All in all it was a fantastic day because I felt 'appreciated'.

I'll put up some photos later. Back to THE BAG!

Mobile Phone Withdrawal

Seems like ages since I"ve been in to check blogs.. so busy sewing my bag.. changing my mind.. resewing.. unpicking.. but it's looking good.

My daughter has a daily column on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Six-Week-Mobile-Free-Zone

She has decided to try and go without her mobile for 6 weeks and is only up to Day 3 and feeling really cut off. Not sure I'd miss mine but I don't get many messages .. use it mainly for the time and making calls when I'm lost or want to call in and see someone and as a calender for birthdays.

Nette uses hers a lot more.. it's her diary, She can look at her work email and appointments. She's got heaps of friends and she's young. I think even though she's finding it hard she'll make it because she's stubborn so if anyone says she won't make it SHE WILL!

Sorry this is short and sweet but I only have two weeks left to finish this bag! I often wonder why I start these projects but in the end I'll be really pleased.

More Treasure

Yesterday I had nothing to do at lunchtime so ventured into an interior design store near work. I'd seen a rack of $5 sample fabric swatches through the window... do I need it... ??*** So $5 later ..... haha.. couldn't help myself... I had all these fabulous bits and pieces.. of course I've pulled them all apart and washed the sticky paper off the back... There's heaps here to make some scrappy bags and look I can use more of the gorgeous buttonsI've acquired lately. Or this using 5 inch squares... And today..I went back and bought a larger swatch of Sanderson fabric which will go with them all and this. My friend Carol recently made a bag out of similar fabric (it is a black.. photo isn't great)

I MUST NOT GO BACK TO THAT SHOP .. I MUST NOT GO BACK TO THAT SHOP!!! he he.

Visiting and Wombling

I've had a fabulous time over the weekend catching up with friends, my daughter, my Mum and seeing the play. It was "Taking Off" written by Roger Hall but directed by my daughter and it was a very real performance. It sure must have been a lot of hard work for the cast as there was noone to bounce your lines off.. four women telling their own stories about their mid life OE but all on the one stage.

And during the visits I fossicked through friends button jars and came up with a few for my bag project... these are 'rings' wink wink....I'm entering a challenge so can't let out too many secrets!!!
I love this top one... This bottom one is beautiful but I might try and clean it a little. Thats a NZ 20c beside them.

These ones are gorgeous too and will make beautiful 'rings'.

And here's some of my acquisitions today. They're all different .. I certainly don't need them all for this project but I'm planning on a little wall hanging to showcase some of them .. later.

Parcels in the Post

Yummy I got a present today. A while ago I won a prize for naming a calf 'Greycie' on Highway Cottage blog and I chose NZ fat quarters. here they are.. Tui's and my favourite design that I used in George's quilt for the sashings. I don't have much left so it's really great to have more of it. They go really well together. I can use them next year to make pressie's for my sister to take overseas again.

Off to Steph's tonight.. it's Wednesday and we sew but I'm not sure if I should be. My shoulders and neck are so sore today. Work is the pits. I wish I wasn't on the computer all day... even though I take breaks there's no end to it.

Two more sleeps and I'm off to Palmy... home.... friends... fun... can't wait!

The Little Things in Life

What a FABULOUS weekend it's been here weatherwise. Wow, I've got washing dry, I've had windows open , the sun has been shining for most of the last three days. It's been a holiday today in New Zealand and I'm sad it's over!!! We've had so much rain and cold weather, the sun always makes me feel happy and motivated.

Today I had my neighbours over for a cup of coffee and 3 hours later they went home!

We talked and talked. It was really neat to get to know them better. they want me to stay here forever!! Middle aged, single and quiet has to be better than flatmates, booze and parties huh!

We watched two tui's in the camelia tree just outside the lounge window. They come every day but usually late morning, or in the afternoon. I think they are getting the nectar out of the flowers so I will miss them when they stop coming. Their colours are so beautiful. Often they will sit on a branch and look at the window. I have tried to take a photo but they are too fast.

The roses in my front garden are in bud, and my rose "In loving memory" is growing well. There are no buds yet but fingers crossed. Mum was given this rose when my Dad died but the rose sulked for weeks and I thought it was going to die too. But I bought it with me and it's survived.

I've made progress on my scrappy quilt. I could have got carried away on it tonight. I had laid out the last 15 blocks... all ready to chain piece, had them all stacked ready to go and I knocked them off the desk. (something tells me I didn't need to do any more sewing tonight... everything in moderation.

Here they are all sorted out again!

I've worked out the pattern for my bag... just have to wait for more hands now (my friends' hands in fabric that is). I will make some 'little' bear paw blocks tomorrow to go around the top of the bag. Bear Paw is the clubs logo block. And the words Hand of Friendship are also on logo. It's a challenge.. to make a bag with their logo on front!! It's the little label in the front of the photo.

Four more sleeps and I'm off to Palmy to see my friend Carol and then to watch my daughters play. Nette, Mum and I will go out for dinner first and then to the show. I was in my daughter's first two plays she directed about . Steel Magnolias - made famous by Dolly Parton, and Social Climbers, a Roger Hall play. I loved the experience. It gave me a lot of self esteem, pride and strength. In fact I'm really happy acting - it's easy compared to being myself in front of others!. I know this play is going to be a success .. I think this is No 4 for Nette and I am so proud of her!

"Yes, Mum I am looking after myself!"

Selvege blog had pictures of a label quilt blocks made from old labels out of jackets, shirts etc... so I flicked over to http://empirebom.blogspot.com/ to look at the quilt made by Karen Griska. It really looks wicked. But take a look at all the buttons in the sashings.. eeekkk..

I'm taking everything a little slowly today. A bit of sewing, a break, then a bit of gardening, been to the library, bit more sewing, outside in the sun, watched DVD, bit more cutting and sewing and now checking blogs.. I'm watchingt FINDING NEMO???? (I love children's movies) and soon I'm going to work out how many more squares I need for my batik beauty. My wrists, elbows and shoulders have been very sore the last 3 days and I've been getting pins and needles in my hand .. been here done this before so have to behave. Work is so busy but I am not going to let it ruin my hands .. I NEED THEM TO SEW!

More breaks and now I'm going to have another one! Tomorrow I am going to start the bag but I wanted to make progress on the batik before I started another project.

Six more sleeps and I'm off to PN to catch up with friends for the night, and then to see Taking Off.. a Roger Hall play directed by none other than MY DAUGHTER!!! Oh my god, she never stops... I am so proud of her.