Slowly Settling Into The New Year

I am slowly getting back into a routine, sort of, after the hype of Christmas. I have managed to do a little applique - yes Phebe has reappeared and I am very proud of these little flowers! I have absolutely no vision when it comes to fussy cutting and even less patience with fiddly little pieces so I am sure you will understand how happy I was to get these little darlings stitched down.

I also made a cover for the ironing board.  When I had the Friday Girls over to make our little quilts (the I'm not going overseas quilts) back in October, I was very embarrassed at the state of the cover.  It has only taken me 3 months to replace it!  This is the first time I have made one and although it is a little rough around the edges I think it looks pretty good and next time I will have a better idea on how to have a better fit.

I've been sewing some clamshells too.  I think I only have about 7 rows to go so may decide to put my all into it and get it finished.  It would be nice to actually have something finished for a change...

I also managed a little fabric shopping at Needles & Pins at Warrandyte.  I had to go down to Melbourne on Friday with Nicholas to pick up his Drift car.  Its a bit of a long story but was down there getting a specialist tune up after the motor getting rebuilt.  I took him down, he was going to drive his car back  and I planned to do a bit of shopping before coming home.  Anyway, turns out there was a last minute problem with the car and Nic couldn't take it home so, off I headed to Needles & Pins with Nic in the passenger seat.  We get there and he says to me "Please don't be long, I have to be back home before tea tonight".  I replied "Don't worry, I don't know anyone at this shop".  I walked in and who do you think was there - Di Ford - of Phebe and countless other beautiful quilts fame!  We had a great chat.  Di and the Secret Sisters are featured in the next Quiltmania due out so make sure you get a copy.  

This week also saw the family get together for dinner to say goodbye to Nic.  He has headed back to base now after having a month off.  That's him above with Chris and Amy.  All major dinners in this family have to be a roast and Nic's favourite dessert is Pavlova.  Now I don't make pavlovas - my father has always made them and this Christmas there was a lot of discussion as to how to make the perfect pav.  I decided to give it a go and make one out of the Donna Hay magazine.  I was quite ambitious as it is a double layer pavlova (two cakes) but I was so happy with how it turned out, that I am claiming bragging rights for quite a while.

There was no beading or weeping, the crust was silky smooth, tasted divine AND

look at all that marshmallow in the centre of it!  I also made raspberry coulis (another 1st for me) and everyone had two helpings.  I hate to think how many calories are in it...

Even Buddy was wanting to see what was happening up on the table!

Sue-Anne xxx

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year!

I did intend to do a post before Christmas day wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, but the madness of pre-christmas set in and I forgot completely.  So ..... Merry Christmas!

My brother and his family came and stayed this year and it was really nice seeing and sharing my niece and nephew's excitement Christmas morning.

Christmas lunch is always a roast dinner with all the trimmings.  This year we had 14 for lunch.

Tea on the other hand, is leftovers and salads plus far too many desserts!

Big and little cousins keeping each other amused playing X Box.

Poor little Buddy trying to have a rest after such a big day entertaining the visitors.

This is the beautiful big bunch of Kangaroo Paws that my girlfriend gave me from her garden.  They are magnificent and I think the perfect floral arrangement for an Aussie Christmas.

I decided to take advantage of Nic being home and took off to Melbourne for a couple of days this week.  I stayed with my girlfriend and we had a great time time shopping, dining out and catching up with a few other friends.   I discovered a "new to me" shop called Zetta Florence.  I wish I had money to burn as I could have spent a fortune, but I was good and came home with only a couple of things.  I am in love with all the stationery and the whole atmosphere of the shop.

I want to wish all my fellow bloggers, followers and friends and very Happy New Year and a wonderful 2012.

Sue-Anne xxx

Christmas Decorating

No sewing today.  I love seeing how everyone is decorating their homes for Christmas and thought I would show you a couple of pictures of our home.

 Our main Christmas tree in the Loungeroom.

Some snowmen - always dreaming of a White Christmas (which is NEVER going to happen in the middle of Summer).

Rag balls and a couple of dolls.

Blue and green Christmas sparkle.

One of my treasured wool cones made by Michelle.

Michelle and I have been collecting Blossum Bucket snowmen for a few years now.  Here is the tinsel tree where they live at Christmas time

And our pool table that I have managed to keep clear since March - can you tell my soldier boy is home for Christmas???

Sue-Anne xxx

Irish Circles & Xmas Lunch

I have finally finished the centre for Irish Circles.

I have fallen in love with these baby circles.  They are only 3 inches in diameter.

Here it is all joined together.  It's not very big for all that work!  I still have a couple of borders to go though.....

We had our Friday Girls Christmas luncheon this week.  It was Marg's turn to be hostess and she did a lovely job.  The table looked so pretty (and the strawberry cider was pretty nice too).  We ate and laughed way too much and had a great day.

We exchange gifts each year and here is what I received.  There was also a home made pudding but it has already been cut up and sampled.  We all agree it is the best day of the year for us and this year did not disappoint.

Sue-Anne xxx

"I'm Not Going Overseas"

Two of our sewing group friends were lucky enough to travel overseas during the month of October, leaving the rest of us green with envy and missing their company each week.  We decided to make a "I'm Not  Going Overseas" doll quilt as a bit of fun and have something to show them when they returned.  We chose the "Shoo Fly Doll quilt" from the Civil War Sewing Circle book by Kathleen Tracy.  This is mine pictured above all quilted and bound.  I love how it turned out.

Here is a group photo.  Back row left is Marg's,  then mine.  Front row left is Jan's, then Nicole's.  We had so much fun making them, we decided to make another one from the same book.

"One-Patch Doll Quilt"

Back row left is Jan's, then mine.  Front row is Marg's.

I am still working on Irish Circles.  I am beginning to wonder if I will ever finish this quilt.  Above is the last of the circles and two of the corner blocks.

Another of the corner blocks and some of the little circles that go in the centre.

My mother and father's wedding day 7.1.1956

I had the pleasure of going on a road trip with the girls a few weeks ago.  We headed off to Bendigo to visit the V & A Wedding Dress exhibition.  I was only going along for the ride and was surprised at how much I really enjoyed it.  There were wedding dresses from the 1700's to modern day.  The detail and work on the dresses were stunning and it is really quite amazing to think they are in such good condition after all this time. 

After Bendigo, it was onto Castlemaine, the home of Corliss and Threadbear patchwork shop.  I love their stand at the quilt shows in Melbourne but had never had the opportunity to visit them.  I was not disappointed.  Their shop is amazing and I wish it was closer and easier to get to from here. 

Another outing of a different kind on Friday night.  The Cold Chisel concert.  We were very lucky to have it in our town and they played to an audience of 12,500 people.  It was a fantastic night!  The weather was great (just as well as it was outside).  I know its not much of a photo but there's Barnesy in the white.

Buddy Boy

I have been such a bad blogger lately.  I have been "lurking" at everyone but being really lazy and not leaving any comments.  I'm sorry  and hopefully can get back into some sort of routine.  I don't know where my head has been lately!

Sue-Anne xxx

I got to spend four days last week with my youngest son, Nicholas.  We attended his March Out parade at Singleton.  He is now a part of the Australian Infantry and as such was presented with his "Skippy" badge (pictured above).  There is some significance to this badge - the Kangaroo symbolises always going forward, never going backwards and the Boomerang is symbolic for every soldier to return home.  It was a great day and I am a very proud mother.  We got to spend the weekend with him in Sydney, before he started the next phase of his training on Tuesday.

Here he is with his grandfather and myself.  I think they are feeding him ok.  I feel like a dwarf standing beside him!

Nicholas and his friends on the ferry at Circular Quay.

Sunday was spent at Freshwater beach before leaving to come home.  I am starting to fall in love with Sydney.  It is a beautiful city and that's saying something from someone who was born and bred in Melbourne.

I have had a finish on the sewing front.  This is what I made out of the little four patches I showed in my last post.  It is a quilt from the book, Jingle All The Way by Renee Plains of Liberty Star.

A couple more circles have been made for Irish Circles.

We are well and truly into Spring here in the southern hemisphere and I couldn't help admiring my roses late yesterday afternoon.  They are all starting to bloom.

This is the Clematis that grows beside my front door.  The flowers are beautiful this year.  It's amazing what some decent rain does for the garden.

Have a lovely week everyone.

Sue-Anne xxx