Will miracles never cease. Had to sneak this photo in of my DH replacing a button on his shorts. I had told him I was too busy for such a task and told him if I wasn't around he would have to do these things for himself and so he did just that. Is this the start of a whole new beginning I wonder???? The concentration!!!!!!

Took the three Grandies to the Australian Reptile Park on Tuesday thank goodness it was a nice sunny day. The kids had a ball Gregdad and I were exhausted. There is always lots to see at the park, animals wandering around, crocodile feeding and lots of other interesting things to do

These are my "FRIENDS" parcels already wrapped and were posted of to Laura in America last Monday. This was a fun swap run by Khris at Sew Prim Khris. You had to make or collect a gift for each letter of FRIENDS. I hope Laura likes what I have sent her.

Recently I purchased a cute little Summer hat pattern from "Little Betty" blogspot and made these hats for Zoe. I made 3 hats and of these 2 were reversible so she now has 5 hats for Summer.

I have finally started the blue and white quilt. The picture below is the quilt that Lou wanted made from all the beautiful fabrics she has had for over 25 years. The date on the bottom of the photo taken from an old magazine is dated 1996. I found this picture in amongst all the fabric.

(((HUGS))) Roz.

A Nightmare almost finished.

These little blocks were started way back when as Friendship blocks and were not completed. These were to be my next project to get finished but I came across a few hurdles with the borders. I stopped counting how many times I reversed sewed (unpicked) so I gave up and put the blocks back in the too hard box. Was I not reading the pattern right, was I measuring wrong? I could not get the first 2 borders to fit even though all the blocks put together were the right size. Yesterday I decided to have another go. I unpicked the first border once again, cut new borders 1" bigger and restitched. The checkered border was my problem in the first place as it was too big and could not be cut down it had to fit just right. My problem was the pattern book was WRONG. Finally after much measuring and fudging I have finished the first 2 borders but sadly because I had to recut the first border I have not enough of that fabric for the outside border but I am happy now with how it looks. A trip to the quilt shop soon I think.

A few photos to share. This is Kaitlyn working on her school project. The project was Rainforests so she was painting a background to do a colarge I did't get to take a photo of the finished piece but it was pretty good.

Came out onto my verhanda on Monday and here was Zoe sucking at the water hose. You would have thought she was really thirsty. I think she just loves playing in the water especially on these lovely warm days we are having.

Doily Hexagons

I have had some lovely comments by bloggers with regards to my Doily Hexagon wall quilt. I am very happy with how it is coming together. The doilies are getting harder to find now in Op shops but I have some wonderful friends that find one or two occassionly. Not a very clear photo, but the best I can take with the camera I have. I seriously think I need a new camera. Thanks for all the lovely comments.

(((HUGS))) Roz.

Seriously busy life.

Just thought I would share a few random photos.
I don't seem to be able to have much time to myself lately. With looking after Zoe 2 days a week helping Kaitlyn with school projects and general life things I need my life to slow down.
I am not a gardener so I love to see colour and Spring brings out those beautiful colours. A bit blurry but this photo is of a small part in my garden. Love the orange and white together. On Fathers Day our family went to Bobbin Head for a picnic. It is amazing what we have on our doorstep. There was a board walk from the picnic area to the marshes and then on to a beautiful Rainforest Gully. Zoe had a wonderful time exploring over the rocks near the waterfalls. She was only just starting to walk.

We had to leave the pram and carry Zoe but the walk was worth the effort.

On the way we saw these bush turkeys making their nest they were certainly not afraid of people around. I could not believe how big the nest was and it was getting bigger as we watched.

Here are my 2 daughter Sheree and Danielle with Zoe standing in the mangroves.

This photo is of Kaitlyn after she had just had her hair and make-up done for her physical culture competition.

A friend of mine has been collecting doilies for my hexagons and in amongst the pile was this very beautifully embroidered stocking bag with hand made tatting around the edge. This was too good to cut up so as my daughter Danielle collects old linens I gave it to her to add to her collection.

Recently I was in a Mug Rug swap with a blogger Diane in America. In my parcel she included a homemade jar of Hot Pepper jelly so I made some pastry swirls using philly cream and the jelly and I must say they were delicious and not hot at all.

A few eeks ago my DH Greg and I spent a few days in Canberra. He particularly wanted to go to the Australian War Memorial and see the Vietnam Memorial. He is a National Service Returned Serviceman so that was of special interest to him.

We found this plaque in the sidewalk. He was in 104 Signal Squadron betwen 1968-1969.

The The National Service Vietnam Memorial.The Vietnam Memorial.

Not much stitching done these days. I had to make these red cushions for Danielles' Sister -in-law. I did a log cabin design in all the same Ikea fabric.

My other little project was to make a little dress for Zoe. When Danielle was a small girl she always said when she had a little girl of her own she would dress her in red and white spots.

Parcel opening

A few weeks ago I received this parcel from my Mug-Rug swap partner in America. Because I didn't want to open it until Diane had received my parcel I have waited patiently. Well today I have opened my parcel (as you can see already opened by Australian Post) so I was hoping nothing had been taken out.

How thrilled am I to have received this wonderful package of goodies. Diane has made a beautiful mug rug in the colours I had requested. There is a jar of her homegrown, homemade Hot Pepper Jelly that sounds yum, some Delicious chocolates a couple yards of red and blue rick rack, a postcard and thank you card. How lucky am I.

This is my beautiful mug rug but I think I will be using this as a mat on my table it is quite a big mat. Thank you Diane for being a great swap partner.

This is what I made and sent to Diane. the mug rug, a coaster and 3 little owls. I also included

two fat quarters. These were the colours Diane chose.

Seriously bad at blogging

I honestly don't know where the time goes. Looking after my wee grand daughter 2 days a week certainly takes away my stitching time but these times are precious as she grows. She had her plaster taken of on Monday and everything is fine but she is still crawling like a crab. A parcel has arrived at my house from America. I joined in on a Mug Rug swap last month and this is the parcel from my partner. I won't open it until Diane has received my parcel I have been running a little late on this one.

I have been commissioned to make a quilt with these beautiful blue and white fabrics. A woman my DH works with has had these fabrics for about 20 years she purchased them in Paris with the intentions of making a quilt but became quite daunted by this as she knew nothing about making a quilt. I haven't started as yet as I am waiting on some extra dark blue fabric being sent from overseas that match what I already have. The quilt she wants is very simple and shouldn't take too long to make once I get started.

Whilst I was cleaning up my sewing room again I found these little blocks carefully put away safely in their own little box. A few years ago the Wednesday Girls decided to do a friendship quilt so this was the one I chose with each block signed. I have started to put them together but am having troubles fitting the last border. Just one of life's challenges.

(((HUGS))) Roz

LUCKY ME

Yes me..... first time ever I was the lucky one to win this wonderful pattern and a beautiful fabric pack from Lynette Anderson Designs. The pattern is "Scandinavian Snowball Fun"

Just wanted to share a few photos of my wee grand daughter who has broken her leg. She has a spiral fracture of the tibia apparently quite common although not in my family. This is a half cast and today she was going back to the hospital to have a full cast put on. This cast will stay on for up to six weeks. Luckily for her parents she has adjusted really well and is still able to crawl around and get into everything she is such a happy baby.

Finally completed the Dragonflies.

This little quilt sure has been bugging me. This was a quilt I started quite a long time ago just because I was not in a good frame of mind to start anything large as I have so many OFO's and my goal this year was to get lots of these completed. I have procrastinated over and over again to get the quilting done but struck barriers each time. It was time to put it away for a bit.

Wednesday I went to Amanda Daly's class and was so determined to get the quilting finished. All went well at class and Thursday I set myself the goal to finish the quilting and get the binding on.

Glad to say the dragonfly quilt is FINISHED.

Another Post.

Can you believe it..... 2 posts in one week. Just wanted to share what I have been doing recently, apart from finishing a lot of my UFO's. I have been quilting the dragonfly quilt I have stipple quilted the main section and around the borders have done a sort of swirl quilting design. Over the past few months I have been making these hexagons using old doilies I have either made myself some past years ago, collected from my Mum or picked up at various Op Shops. My friend Helen and I are also sharing doilies so we will have a lovely collection.

A close up of some of my doily hexagons.

Recently I started on these Cathedral Window blocks. I have really enjoyed doing these although time consuming to prepare I really love the way they look.

Parcel arrives

In all this very cold windy wet weather we have been having over this past week it was great to receive a parcel in the post. My pincushion base has arrived home safely after being to Melody in Victoria Australia, Dianne in Nova Scotia Canada, then onto Laura in Mino North Dekota and finally home again. I have enjoyed this venture with Fiona over at BubzRugz it has been a great experience and I am thrilled with my base. Now to make it into a beautiful pincushion. Some of the goodies Laura put in my parcel. Thank you Laura.

My quilt for Zoe is now completed and I gave it to her for her first birthday. I have not seen it on her bed as yet but I am sure it will look great and just finish of her room.

This is the label I put on the back. An old doily I picked up at the Op shop some time ago. They make great labels for quilts.

I made this little table decoration for Zoe's first birthday.