Forever Friends...

Well the fabric is caled Friends and Flowers but those cute little grey bears keeps popping into my head that are called Forever Friends so that is the name of this quilt! Just have to buy some wadding and I am going to do stitch in the ditch and hand quilt through it as well...This shot shows the backing and binding fabric as well.

My Works in Progress...

Usually when I talk about my WIP's I am referring to my quilting endeavours however I also have a number of WIP's with my books as well. Currently I have 3 on the go so thought I would add them to my list so I get cracking on actually finishing them.

1. Shantaram - Gregory Roberts. What an amazing story, hard to believe it was all real, I loved it so much I bought it for 2 of my sisters for Christmas

2. Eat, Pray, Love- Elizabeth Gilbert. I have read this twice and loved it even more the 2nd time around. What an awesome experience this woman had "finding herself" and she told her story beautifully!

3. Biting The Big Apple - Bella Vendramini. Thank goodness for the hairdresser, I got to finish this one today whilst having my hair done (almost back to my natural blonde now!). I wasn't to sure about it to start with, but on reflection, it was pretty good. Similiar theme to Eat Pray Love in that is a womans search of self discovery but this one is in the Big Apple - my fave city in the whole world - New York, New York!

4. Hope Endures - Colleen Livermore
5. The Creative Family - Amanda Blake Soule
6. The Seven Stages of Motherhood - Ann Pleshette Murphy

So speaking of WIP's I will now sign off to do a few more seams of Friends and Flowers, it is not far off being finished, ready to quilt!

What a Busy Week It Has Been...

So with no computer to distract me and Dave in Singapore on business(therefore no husband to distract me), there has been lots of quilty goodness going on in this house! A fine start to the week when a visit to the post office produced a few parcels! Always fun! Firstly a lovely delivery from my favourite online book store

Then a bundle from another favourite shop... I love this range from Lakehouse. I have no idea what to do with it, but I also bought 2 yards of the butterflies and 2 yards of the spot.
This table runner kit is for the coffee table in the back room. It is the Zippity DooDah range from Moda, I also bought some yardage and charm sqares to make new cushions and throws for the lounges. It is gonna be a busy year of sewing.....
Next to arrive was a little envelope filled with a purchase from Ebay. I love this print and hope to make a bed throw with this as a centre panel...funnily enough something similiar is in this months Better Homes and Gardens magazine with exactly the same fabric.
In the evenings after the girls had gone to bed, out would come my little "Brother" and together we pieced this top for Ciára's cot. Thought I should get onto it given she is 20 months old and soon we will be thinking about putting her in a single bed! It is the Butterfly Fling fabric, which I adore. This is a kit I bought but changed it slightly. It is a good size and can be used as a throw when the cot is dismantled (oooh, my baby is growing too quickly, might have to start thinking about a 3rd one!!??) Anyway, as I love it so much and my expertise at actually quilting is non-existant except for in the ditch, I have decided to have this one professionally quilted! It was so relaxing to just sew sew sew, with music on and Zeus curled up at my feet.
All my quilting gear has been organised into storage boxes and moved up to the garage, as it was so extremely hot here in Sydney I could not bear to take myself up to the garage to go fossicking through to work out what my next project would be....and I was on a quilty roll so something needed to be done. I happened upon 2 jelly rolls in my study that had missed my organising so off I chopped and have started another large throw for our bed. All the blocks are pieced, I just have to put all the blocks together now. Another great range of fabric that I love, it is Friends and Flowers by Mary Engelbriet..nice and bright - just as I love fabric to mostly be! Staytuned for photos of the finished product!

Yesterday it was 38 degrees in Sydney, now I love hot weather and summer, but that was just ridiculous, it was like a sauna, even inside where it was supposed to be cool! Poor Zeus was, I am sure, melting so we filled up his bath and he just sat in it for hours! I love this photo of my handsome boy!

And this photo just has to be taken, it is our version of Where's Wally..."Where's Zoe???" There was alot of activity in her bedroom when she was supposed to be sleeping...however now it is clear that she was having a toy party on her bed and that it all got too much for her and she just crashed mid party!!!

Jumping on the Band Wagon

Things about me
I have seen this on many, many blogs over the last month or two, so decided I should add it to my blog so that you can learn a little bit of trivial stuff about me!

Things you've already done: italics


1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower - if Hayleys Comet counts I have done this one!6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to Disneyland/world - EureDisney and we think we might in October again
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped - no way!!!!
12.visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning - always a pleasant experience
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty - I desperately wanted to but with a 6 month old in tow, not an option, I will go back and do it someday!
18. grown your own vegetables - the plan when Zeus is old enough to not want to eat anything and everything!
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train - well we didn't sleep much. Bangkok to Chang Mai - how that train rattled and stank!
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse - in Trafalgar Square in London - all that hype and it was a bit of a non event
30. watched a sunrise or sunset - my favourite things to do when on holidays...not everyday of course
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise - does 3 days on a feluca up the Nile fall into cruise category?
33. seen Niagara falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied - it is in the plan!
38. seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michelangelo's David in person
41. sung karaoke - too many times when totally inebriated as a youngin.. ok so I was about 30 last time!!!
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa - can't wait to do this one. Towards the top of the to do list!
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted, and entered into Archibald prize
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theatre
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason - this is my treat to myself every few weeks
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving - sensational
66. visited a Nazi concentration camp - have to wait til the girls are old enough to understand this one. I remember how haunted my sister was by Auschwitz as an adult
67. bounced a cheque
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy - a couple, too much of a sentimental fool not to!
70. visited the Lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt - yay for me!
73. stood in times square - New York is my favourite city, what a buzz that place has...not to mention the shopping!!
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in London - too many times!
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper - when Bill Clinton was in town we ended up on the front page of the tele...ok so it was in the background...
85. read the entire bible - working on it at the moment...won't be in my 50 books for 09 though I don't think...
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox - twice!
89. saved someone’s life - well I helped
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous - no dropping names but there have been a few
92. joined a book club - didn't last too long though
93. lost a loved one - I miss you still Gran
94. had a baby - my princesses!
95. seen the Alamo in person.
96. swum in the great salt lake.
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

Book Worming in 2009

I saw this great idea on Kirsty's and Ruth's blog and have decided to give it a go too. The challenge is to read 50 books by 31st December 2009. I love love love to read and will read absolutely anything, even if it turns out to be not so appealing, I have to finish it! Unfortunately these days, reading is somewhat of a luxury, however I have made it a priority to take some time out every couple of days to sit down, put my feet up and stick my nose into a book!! So stay tuned to see my reading road this year!!

1. Shantaram - Gregory Roberts. What an amazing story, hard to believe it was all real, I loved it so much I bought it for 2 of my sisters for Christmas

2. Eat, Pray, Love- Elizabeth Gilbert. I have read this twice and loved it even more the 2nd time around. What an awesome experience this woman had "finding herself" and she told her story beautifully!

3. Biting The Big Apple - Bella Vendramini. Thank goodness for the hairdresser, I got to finish this one today whilst having my hair done (almost back to my natural blonde now!). I wasn't to sure about it to start with, but on reflection, it was pretty good. Similiar theme to Eat Pray Love in that is a womans search of self discovery but this one is in the Big Apple - my fave city in the whole world - New York, New York!

Sweet Daze are here again...

The first quilt kit I ever bought, way back in January last year, before I decided to take lessons is finally completed and taking pride of place on our bed. Whilst a simple design, and very easy, I just love the colours (it is Sweet Daze by Max New) and I love the feeling you get when you finish something crafty that has usually taken you hours and hours to complete!!

Will blog a photo when Dave is outta bed and it is made!! Edited to add photo as Dave did eventually arise to go to the office !



Outlaws have left, it was so hard to say good bye but I am looking forward to having the routine back in our lives again...

Leaving on a Jet Plane....Don't Know When They'll Be Back Again...

I am sitting typing to the sound of my inlaws packing their suitcases, and I am feeling very sad. They leave tomorrow after 5 weeks with us. In some ways it has felt like they have been here forever but mostly it has flown by. It has been a very relaxed time, we haven't done a whole lot but it has been so beautiful to watch them bonding with the girls after a year and a bit, especially little Ciára who only 4 months when she met them. Zoe has had a brilliant time playing with them, dragging them around the zoo and Luna Park, bossing them around, dressing up with them - it makes me feel so sad to think how amazing this time is with them all together and then there is so much time in between when we only have the phone and the webcam. Thanks goodness for modern technology.

We are already planning our trip to Ireland in September!!!

And a Happy New Year to all!!!

Happy 2009 to one and all! May this year be your most happy and succesful yet!

Finally here I am back to blog, and my sewjo is back with a vengeance.

We have had Dave's family from Ireland here so life has been crazy, adding to that my computer crashing and I haven't had any time to get online.

My 2009 wishes are many however here are a few;

To work my way through my TO DO lists slowly but surely
To lose 7 kilos
Take time out to read for 20 minutes a day, preferably not in my bed at the end of the day
To spend my time on my quilty endeavours - minimum 3 hours every Wednesday when the girls are at kindy
No more coffee or chai lattes and to put $4 a day in a money box to save coffee money
Do the Bay Run twice a week
Convert to mostly organic produce
Run the City to Surf
Keep my house decluttered!

Hmmm, nothing to hard to deal with there!

No photos as I am on Dave's laptop. Until I get my computer sorted out (I think I am in the market for a new one!) this blog is going to look pretty boring but I hope the reading will be a little interesting for you!

Thanks for stopping by xxx