Close to Home

Hubby was lucky enough to be working close to home on Friday, which coincided with me having

the day off work and actually being at home for the most part of the day ...... since he was just a few doors up at the end of the back lane, I was able to catch a few snaps of him working.  Normally I wouldn't bother doing this, but I thought it would be good to grab a few shots since once we sell, he will be retiring.  He was working on machines when we first met 34 years ago - so it would be a shame not to share some of that here on the blog.


Friday was also FNSI with Wendy our wonderful hostess, and with the day off, I decided to start early - finally making a start on my big project for the year "Down the Rabbit Hole" (a monthly block of the month project). Let me just say that I'm most certainly on a learning curve with this project ...... and making this circle took till part way through today to complete -  I have to say I was pretty happy when it actually worked!!!  I'd even cut an extra wedge since I was pretty sure with my bad cutting that I was going to have a problem with it joining together! But Blow me down, it actually worked!!! 

I love the dragonfly fabric!

While you might think I just worked on this, let me share that it was only completed with lots of coffee breaks and de - stressing - sitting with crochet  hook in hand edging blocks ....... and even crocheting a few  together in their rows (as per my initial idea for this rug).   So it seems this BOM will assist in getting other projects completed at the same time!! lol

Anyhow, so now back to the quilting biz, and I'm up to the part where I have to sew down the stems ......... let's hope that's more interesting than how it's sounding, or at least quick if nothing else!

Oh, and I should share that Thursday night hubby was invited to a big private sale at one of the fishing tackle shops - he asked me to tag along with him and surprise ........ he ended up buying both of us a new rod and reel each that will be getting used when we move north!  I was pretty happy to get to have a rod and reel purchased that actually suits me and is nice and light to boot!!
Well on that note, I'm off to do a spot of reading before heading off to bed. 

Hexie Play Time

 Yesterday was a rostered day off from work which worked in wonderfully with being able to drive over to corowa to collect my new glasses.  I finally got around to having another eye test the other week and just need some new ones for close up work - a smaller lens for when I'm sewing or crocheting. It's about a 35min drive from here and just over the Murray River into NSW.  I took some photos on the way back of the old bridge we go over - it has lights as its only one way and with the bend you can't see if there is traffic over the other side........










So with new glasses in hand I decided to sit down and work on some more hexie love ..... and work out which fabrics from my stash will become the joining hexies .....

 I've decided on using the calico, the purple check and a lovely pale green patterned piece ......... 









see it starting to take shape...... although it still needs a good press in these photos ....

 I'm still debating if I'll make some half hexies to join to the centre piece or if I'll overlap the hexies on to the top of it ...... This blogging tablecloth is definitely a work in progress as I only have a rough idea in my mind how it will look once sitting there with cups of tea and cake on top of it !  And finally I can link this post to Anthea's EPP which is the main rush job for getting this post out this morning before work lol ......

Happy Valentines Day

 It's been Valentines Day here in Oz today - I took part in the Initial Heart Swap hosted by Cheryll and received a lovely package in the mail from Kaye of Kitten Stitching.  LOok at this lovely little cushion and I have a plan for this great little tin as well! Thankyou Kaye they are lovely, as were the chocolates that are almost gone ........

And this is what I sent to Kaye ..... my first time doing a notebook cover.  I used some material covered in little hearts for the inner flaps which I thought went well with the coloured sections it has.    The embroidery design on the front you may recognise as one of the patterns from Jenny of Elephanz!  Its a free pattern so check out her blog for lots of other lovely embroideries.
 I thought it fitting to add a little crochet heart pincushion into the mix for good measure as well as the necessary lollies - I refrained from sending chocolate with the horrid heat we've been having!

Bloggin Anniversary Stitches ......

Today its my blogs 7 year anniversary - can you believe that??  Seems appropriate then what I've been working on this weekend .......
It was stitching time again on Friday with FNWF, which usually manages to flow over into at least some part of the weekend. It's nice knowing there are others out in blogging land sewing along together, particularly when I don't have a local group of ladies to sit and stitch with.  I'm hoping that will change when we get to Maryborough, as there don't seem to be any ladies close by here who like to stitch or handcraft!  
  It's been so pleasant getting back into a "slower" pace around here, and the house is still looking rather spic from the frantic clean up last weekend allowing us to just do a few jobs that need attending to. 

I decided to get back to work on the middle section of my "blogging tablecloth" - I wanted to add a Beehive to it since the craft cabin here got named "the beehive", and I've decided that whichever room becomes the sewing area up in the new house, it will be called the Beehive as well!  I think that's much more fun than just "the sewing room", don't you?

  I may end up adding a bit more embroidery to the centre as I start to put it together a bit more - unsure yet., as I'm also toying with a couple of other ideas.  Anyhow, I decided a border was also needed which I'm hoping will assist in bringing in all the signature hexie flowers so they  flow together nicely. .........  And I may have found a scrap of fabric that I'll use for some of the "in between" hexies.  I've also heard from another blogging friend who has just put a signature hexie in the post for me to add - can't wait to see what it looks like.  I also worked on getting the latest signature hexies that have arrived in the past couple of weeks into flowers, not quite finished those yet so I'll share those another day.  I also decided to pull out the crochet and get another block made, the first of the Nocturn (Navy) blocks.  I'm relieved to find that the colour seems to work with the others......... Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

January Project Wrap Up

Wow, the First month of 2017 has come to an end ...... already???  I feel like I'm still in the midst of my planning for the year - Guess I'd best get onto that before I blink and its over lol 
Soooooo ...... Wrapping up the projects for January - Oh, and And don't forget that Kris and Peg have just opened the books for OPAM 2017 to keep us all moving along with our various projects! 
I completed a knitted Beannie for daughters partner ready for later this year when winter comes upon us ...... It's rather colourful, but he likes that type of thing - I'll give it to him next time I'm down in Melbourne!






 ..... I got started on the crochet rug which is being made specially for the veranda on our new home up in Maryborough ..... I'm pretty happy with the progress since it's gone from planning and looking for a suitable crochet block and working out my colours to having completed 15 Glacier (Grey), 7 Snow (white) and 5 Wisteria (Mauve) blocks.  According to my little diagram I need a total of 48 blocks and I've yet to work out just which method I plan to use to join them together.  Also I had to try getting more cotton, which I really wanted in a "Slate" type of colour, but being picky I wanted it in either Bendigo or Stylecraft DK since I prefer the drape of these cottons than some of the others I've previously used ........ seems neither of them are keen on a dark

grey cotton colour and in fact I'm very disappointed with the limited colour range that Bendigo has - I hadn't realised that they don't even have a true Red in cotton????  Anyhow by default I've now decided I need to go with the navy colour ...... nocturne (stylecraft) and French Navy (Bendigo) are pretty much identical so I discovered when the orders arrived!  The Rose Pink won't get used in this project - its mostly there so I could see the difference between it and Wisteria in the same photo! 

The signature tablecloth is making progress - I'm so looking forward to using this when we finally get up to Maryborough and I have ladies come to visit and enjoy some sewing and cuppa time!  I was blessed yesterday when another signature hexie turned up in my mail box ........ this one came from Narelle from Pins and Whiskers.  Narelle also hosts "1 Xmas Item a Month"...... Thanks so much Narelle, I'm looking forward to making your hexie into a flower for the tablecloth ....
Here are the flowers thus far ........ I need to work out what colour will be going between them all

Blogging Tablecloth Hexies

Next up .... The Valentines Day swap  (hosted by which I've managed to finish and have posted out today (that will have to wait as it's meant to be a surprise ). 

The "Down the Rabbit Hole" BOM released a surprise pattern for us to make while we waited for the release of the first part of the quilt ........ I had lots of fun making this hussif (a sewing caddy that rests over the arm of your chair) and I think the carrot was a fun addition!  I had a smile on my face the whole time I was making this ...... sew cute!!!!  It also meant I had another "finish" for the month of January - giving me a total of 4 actual finishes (including the secret sewing for the Initial Heart Swap).  The blocks can't be counted as finishes until the full project is completed to prevent those pesky UFO's piling up!

Progress on the January BOM  pattern from  "Hand picked Wardrobe" (see the link on my sidebar) ..... its not quite completed just yet ..... I plan to get this January block finished off later today since I have the day off!  Hooray!!!  I really enjoyed putting this block together and working on the stitching.  Looking forward to the February Block when it gets released later this month - don't forget that Val has been kind enough to make this a Free Block of the Month too!  And that my friends is my stitching round up for January!  I have to say that I'm feeling somewhat pleased with my progress thus far for 2017 - Lets hope it continues lol

Open House

A Big Thankyou to those of you who have asked how the Open House went on Saturday here in

Bundalong, Victoria ....... unfortunately the real estate did not see fit to actually advertise it in the paper and had decided that a photo of the boat ramp was an appropriate front photo for the day ....... ummm, yes, good one guys - not many turned up - 1 couple to be exact who happened to hear about it while at another house !  I'm sure these real estate agents get paid far more than they ever should !

However Pete and I put in a massive effort to ensure the place looked clean and loved ....... and even finished with time to sit (exhausted) before the open time ....... Even Scruffy was pleased to see we could just sit and relax for a bit ......

Once the agent arrived we went up the local Pub for a drink to pass away the 45mins - some fancy cars were up there getting photo shoots done ...... As you might imagine that time passed quickly.   
 
At any rate we have a lovely clean and tidy home and yard to enjoy while we wait for the "right time".   I had to take advantage and snag a few photos while benches were clear etc etc lol

Bundalong Tavern

Back of the Beehive Crafting Cabin

Bundalong - Jan 2017