PATTERN TESTING

Yes, I've been on the quiet side just lately with my blog for a number of reasons.
1.  I've been testing patterns for Sue over at Quilt Times.
2.  My back has been playing up, which makes me a tad irritable and I didn't think I should moan too much.
3.  We've been trying to sort bits of the garden out.

Now I can finally show a couple of photos of the quilts I've been testing.  The pattern she wanted testing was a design called Wimbledon Squares.  I tend to do my own take on patterns, but the instructions were easy to follow and I had no trouble doing it smaller than the large version and here they are.  Sue has allowed me to give them their own names.  They are as yet  not quilted, though the bottom one is on the machine already and will have a pattern called Falling Leaves in a brown called Spiced Tea.

Wombling On.

Autumn on Wimbledon Common.

Whilst out photographing these (I was trying to be arty), we came across these wandering down the road.

Black cows and calves.

Also we have these three photos. We drove down a road called Bo Peep Road to the back of Lake Burrumbeet and I snapped away, though I do wish I had a longer lense for some photos.

A burnt out tree stump.  It must have been a very large tree.

Looking over the lake.

And this one is for Anne (Frayed at the Edge blog).  A very large old threshing machine, originally made in Scotland and shipped to Oz in the 1890's.  Isn't it wonderful.

Last, but not least, I'm able to post a photo of the gift from my 1st blogiversary draw. Anne (Marmalade and Catmint blog) who was the winner has received it and said she has already used it, so I am chuffed.

Armchair sewing caddy.

Well, that's all folks for today and hopefully I'll try and post more often.
Take care and have a lovely week.
Susan.

SUNDAY OUTING

On Sunday, we decided we'd go to the Talbot Farmers Market, so quickly made some lunch and a thermos and set off.  Talbot is about 50kms north of Ballarat.  I was expecting something along the lines of the weekly markets in towns through the UK, but I was disappointed.  It seemed to me, more hippyish (I don't think that is a word) than a farmers market.  We'll try elsewhere over the coming months to see what is around.
While there, we noticed signs for a vintage steam rally and went to see that.  Quite small but worth the gold coin donation to enter.

A very cute tool shed.

2 shire horses and cart.

One of the larger engines.

2 Morris Minors on display.

After we left the display, we decided to head home a different way and went via..........

and no, it doesn't have a castle, canal or weekly market, but is about 50kms west of Ballarat.  Whilst there, I photgraphed this unusual church for such a small town.

Bluestone church with quite a tall spire.

These unusual gargoyles are supposed to be kangaroos.  I'm not sure I've ever seen a country church here in Oz with gargoyles.

After we left Skipton another quick detour took us to a lookout tower and I snapped away, but only 2 of the photos are any good, so will just show those.

There were 360 deg views from up the tower.

The tower and I only went to the first viewing platform, as I am not too good with heights.  I think I did well as it was extremely windy.

 And last, but not least, I did something naughty.  I picked these lovely bright pink belladonna lillies from the side of the road.  As I was getting back in the car, I noticed I was being watched by a lady on the other side of the road.  These flowers are not native to Australia and were just growing on the side of the road, so I was not doing anything illegal.  Oh dear, trust me to be watched, but don't they look lovely in my new $4 dollar bargain bottle, which I bought at a small bric a brac shop in Smythesdale, after the lookout.

Well, that was our lovely Sunday outing.  Hope you all enjoy it too.
Take care.
Susan.

WOE IS ME!!!!

It's not that bad really.  At 4.30pm today, I was sitting in the dentist's chair for about 1/2 an hour, having a  filling replaced.  Late yesterday, something didn't feel quite right, so I remarked, I thought I should make an appointment with a dentist.  This morning, whilst eating my toast, I realised there was something foreign in my mouth and lo and behold half my tooth had given way, so the dentist was a must.  My mouth is still quite numb, but I'm here blogging so all is OK.

On Saturday we spent a rather wet hour or so, in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens.  They are very nice and the begonias are out at the moment, both in the glasshouse and outside .  Below are some photos of the afternoon.

The glasshouse.

I think this is a begonia, although I've not seen one like it before.

Absolutely stunning hot house varieties.

Hanging baskets.

Lovely single begonias.

One of many statues throughout the gardens.

The rotunda.

The sort of beds I would love, although we'd have to pay for the water we use to keep them looking like this.

Hardy begonias growing outside.

Can you imagine this wisteria in full bloom in spring?

Just some of the photos I took on Saturday afternoon.

Talking of today, it wasn't very bad really.  Before I went to the dentist I visited Joy, from the blog "Days filled with Joy", to get her opinion on borders for my SECRET project.  Lucky for me, she thought they would be OK and I'm so glad I've got a quilty friend to share ideas and problems with.  Good on blogging.  I can't wait to be able to post about the project.

Sunday was also a day out and I'll post about that tomorrow, as it's really past my bedtime now.
Take care all.
Susan.

BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH or TURNING 66!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR HUBBY.

Today he turns 66 and what has he been up to over the last month or so.
Well, he's been sorting the garage, pruning in the garden, clearing the jungle (for the caravan), changing curtains around and fixing shelves in the shed.
On our last trip to the local tip with the green waste from clearing the side space, we were able to take some timber from the scrap pile for "free".  As long as you don't climb on the pile and then show them what you've taken, it may be free or you pay a small fee.  Ours was free and we came home with three large pieces of particle board, a broken hat rack board with very large steel coat pegs and a small bundle of fine wire (for me).

The view down the back yard I meant to post the other day.  You could hardly get to the shed or past the lemon tree.

Shrub beside door partly pruned, but still difficult to access.

As you can see, the yard is quite enclosed for both privacy and wind reduction.
We needed to open this up a bit to access the shed and the small vegie plot beyond the lemon tree. (this will be shown later as it's very unkempt at the moment.)

The free timber cut and being worked on for the shelving.

Hubby working on his saw bench in a much cleared space.

Inside the shed, with just a small bench and stuff.

Photo of cleared shrubbery and pruned tree.  I'll be planting some perenials and bulbs in the beds around the shed, not large shrubs.

Another view of shed.

Shelving in situ ready to be filled.

Must go now and get ready for the arrival of DD and SIL along with little L & M.  We will have a barbecue for lunch and probably go out somewhere during the day.  Maybe down to the glasshouses full of begonias at the moment, in the Botanical Gardens here in Ballarat.
Take care all and have a lovely weekend.
Susan.

COMPROMISE!!!!!!

What happens when you move to a new house, purchased as it met most criteria and, yes, had a neutral colour scheme.  Neutral in this case is  "GREY".  Everything is grey:-  walls, carpet, 4 piece bathroom suite, floor tiles, kitchen cupboards, vinyl flooring, laundry cupboards, dining room light fitting, and some of the curtains.  Now, not all the curtains are grey, but are of good quality and cover the windows well, so keeping the heat out in summer and the warmth in, in winter.  Well, what do you do when you can't really afford to change them, although the colours just aren't right in some rooms. Why, you play musical curtains.
Here's what we did.  The navy blue ones in our bedroom, were both too dark and just didn't go with most of my quilts, so they went into one of the spare bedrooms.  The sewingroom ones were deep green, so ended up in our room.  The pink in the other spare bedroom are now in the sewing room and we swapped the study navy blue curtains with the other spare bedroom grey ones, lightening the study very well.  All rooms now seem to just be better suited to us and the way we use them, so compromise isn't such a bad thing after all.

Having been interrupted several times trying to do this post, I will just pop one photo here from Tuesday night after a shower of rain.  We actually recorded 3mm, the same as the whole month of February.  I spoke of the cockatoos, flying around most nights and making a lot of noise, well I stand corrected as they are actually Little Corellas, a type of cocky.  They were enjoying drinking from the puddles on the road and let me get quite close.

If you click to enlarge, you'll be able to see the pink on their necks.

Another photo, this time,  part of our back garden and on Saturday ( a special day), I'll pop on another photo of the same, but you will notice a difference.

Best go and make a phone call and do some more stitching on the baby quilt binding.  Have a great Friday ladies and hopefully I'll have time to post on Saturday morning.
Take care.
Susan.

NEARLY FINISHED.

Been quite busy over the last few days and have finished quilting the baby quilt and have made a start on the "secret" project.
Today we went to the markets in Daylesford. I did take the camera, but left it in the car and decided not to walk back to get it, as we'd parked quite a way back down the hill.  It was a great day out, but very warm again and all gravel around the markets, which on my poor feet in sandals, just wasn't good.  In future I'll remember to wear closed in shoes.
Below are some photos of Freya's quilt.  I only have to put the binding on.

Quilt ready for binding.

Closeup of quilting pattern on back.

What's in this box?

Very old plain box and inside..........

Coloured pencils.

There are 72 of these and they are all still there, though some have been well used.

Gillian from, Tales from a Happy House posted about Derwent pencils on her blog which reminded me of mine.  She was questioning the age of the one's they found while spring cleaning.  Mine were bought one at time for 1 shilling each back in the late 50's.  I used pocket money and birthday money over several years, until I had them all.  I was then "lucky" enough to be given the boxes for them by the large department store in Sydney where I'd been purchasing them.  They were old display items.  My children also used them, whilst growing up.  Maybe tonight I could do a little colouring in as something different, in one of these lovely books I purchased some time ago.

Doodle colouring in books.

Well, that's all for today and tomorrow I must sew the binding to the quilt and do some more of the secret project.  Hope you all have a lovely Sunday and take care.
Susan.

OOOH SECRET PROJECTS!!!!!!!

It's been a busy week, and I would like to thank all who left comments on my last post.  I've been trying to make time to answer but this week just flew by.

Thursday was my first day at Vision here in Ballarat and all went well and I've been asked to actually volunteer on Wednesdays in future so will see what tomorrow brings.  I came home with fabric for two aprons to be made for clients in the pottery room who are a little messier than onthers.  Not yet made, but will try and get them done during this next week.  Went to pick up the caravan from a friend's place on Saturday, so that was another day gone as we didn't get home till well after 9pm.  I'm just wondering where the other days went, although I know that I've tided away the last bits and pieces and rearranged a few things too.
Cut the backing and batting for the baby quilt, which are now pinned to the rollers and will hopefully make a start on that on Thursday.  Also finished a small gift and picked fabrics for a new project.  Both of these things are the "secrets".  I think the rest of the time must have gone on the usual mundane housework.

We've just had a brief shower of rain, after another 30deg day and about 100 cockies are milling about and doing and awful lot of screeching.  They seem to come and fly around early morning and sunset each day, as we have the reserve over the road with a lot of native trees.  I'll try and get a photo one night.
Rang my friend Sue today to let her know we are settling in and she said she has her 45th wedding anniversary coming up next week.  Wow! We've known each other since we were 5 1/2.

Below are some photos of what I've mentioned above.

The caravan in its jungle free resting place.

Back of the little gift.  I'll be able to show it all at a later date.  I'll be finishing the hand sewing on this tonight.

The style of apron I'll be making, minus the pocket.

A selection of fabric for a "secret" project.  All will be revealed eventually.

Does anybody else out there sew whilst having DVD's playing away in the background.  I do and when they finish I wonder if I actually watched any of it, but that's just me.  Below are some of what I may have on.

Below is the pattern I'll be quilting on baby quilt.

This is a pattern by Patricia Ritter called Gummy Bears and I'm hoping it will show really well on back of quilt.

Well, that is my quick update for the week and hopefully, I'll get time over the next day or two for another one and also some sewing and maybe even gardening and baking.
Take care all.
Susan.