WACKY WEATHER.

Just a quick post before we set off tomorrow morning to Ballarat, to visit my friend Joy.
It's been very cold, as it is WINTER!   Yesterday we had lots of rain, teeny, weeny hail that we used to call sago snow and................ SNOWFLAKES  too, but not very much.  The backyard looked like this, though not a good photo as it was taken through the window.  It didn't last long, as it doesn't really snow here, but was fun to watch it float on down for a few minutes.

Back steps.

As we had to go and get some milk, we decided to take the long way round to see if the higher hills to the north of us had any, but no, not the ones close by, but we did stop at our favourite cafe in Jindivik and have coffee/tea, then into town to buy said milk.  It was lovely and warm in the caf.

Hubby trying to take a photo on his phone of an advert in a magazine (motorbikes), but look at the lovely log fire.

Lastly, in the morning I did some baking, as I thought it was a warming thing to do on the forecast cold day, which turned out to be right.

An apricot/walnut slice and a lemon drizzle cake.

You've probably noticed the cake is already cut.  We had a slice each this morning before we set off to our Car Club.  It is still chilly today and I've basically stayed inside fiddling around, doing something & nothing, though that's not exactly true.  I cut some pieces for my current patchwork project, and cut four of them back to front and had to recut.  Phew, why don't we sometimes, stop & make sure we take more care.  I cut a huge flower off my poor little rhubarb plant & hope it now starts to grow better.  I did a little paperwork, looked at some patterns for an old quilt that needs quilting and played some records for a change.
OK, enough of my waffling for now. Hope you weekend is shaping up well.
Take care all.
Susan.

A BOOK REVIEW.

Yes, I'm going to write a very quick post about a book I've just read.

This is the book, which is the true story of a young Mum, who had a terrible accident whilst on holiday overseas and her slow progression to where she is a today.  With help from her husband, three sons, numerous other family, friends, professionals and a little bird, she tells the touching tale to us.  I won't  tell anymore, so that if you want to read it, I haven't spoiled it.  Published this year, it is very new to the book scene.

THIS MORNING.

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A complete rainbow, taken from our front verandah.  I was still in my Pj's so didn't venture any further to get a better photo.  It was quite amazing.

Other half.

Having trouble with captions and photo placement, so that is all for today.

Take care all,  Susan.

AHHHHH! NEARLY DONE..

QUILT.

The embroidered quilt now quilted.

This took up quite a bit of my time last week, but is finally off the machine & ready for binding.  Not the best photo as it has been raining all day and the light is awful.  Some rather expletive words came whilst trying to get patterns in the right place, but I am now pleased with it.

Saturday I sewed these two crochet hook holders, which are quite quick to do.  Some time this week, they will be posted to Amy and Aimee, who both love to crochet.

Sunday saw us head off to Rosebud, which is a bay-side suburb of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsular (maybe one day I should put a small map on my blog, "somehow"), had some lunch and a quick walk along the shore line, discovering these bits and pieces and taking some photos.  We'd really been cooped up inside for too long with all this miserable weather, so the sea air cleared our heads.  After our walk we headed to my quilty friend's place and had a lovely catchup.

A pearly shell.

A dead puffer fish (we think).  There were quite a few washed up on the shore in various stages of decay.  I found they are quite an odd, but fascinating fish.

Another "I think" is a cold climate coral.

Can you see all the little shells attached to this piece of seaweed?  Hubby said it reminded him of a necklace.

Well, another week gone and another one on it's way.  I've just put the sixth shop quilt on the machine, very large,so a busy few days ahead.
Hope you all have a good week and take care.
Susan.

WOBBLE, WOBBLE!!!!!

A short and sweet post.

On Sunday night, about 10.30pm, I hopped into bed, picked up my book and settled down to read for 15-20 mins, whilst Hubby went to have a shower.  No sooner, had I started to read, than our bathroom door started to rattle and wobble.  Hubby called out, "What are you doing?"  I said, "Nothing".  We both laughed and jokingly said, maybe it was an earth tremor.  We have felt quite a few in this area over the years.  Next morning Hubby checked on google and, yes, there had been 3.5 tremor south of us in Bass Strait.  I was quite amazed that, although we didn't feel anything, there was the rattling.

Although it is only the start of winter, I picked these beside the road and placed it on my side table.
They smell divine.

Jonquils and crocosmia picked from the roadside and foliage from the garden.

Buddy, our relatively tame magpie still comes to visit along with 2 other young ones, plus a more mature one.  I think Buddy may be a female as it is still greyish on the back and males are usually very white.

Buddy.

It's been quite cold, but yesterday, I got out in the garden a bit and trimmed the seaside daisy around the pond and dug over a bit of the veg bed.  Other than that I certainly don't seem to have much to post about.

Take care all,  Susan.

A "QUILTY" POST.

Not much has been happening here as the weather has turned cold, overcast and a little wet and we've been hunkered down inside most of the time.

The east coast of New South Wales, parts of north east Victoria and Tasmania have suffered terrible rain, wind and king tides, with extensive damage and floods.  My heart goes out to those who have suffered through these storms.  Coming from Sydney myself, I know a lot of these places and also Tasmania, as we lived there for many years too.  

Now onto how I've been amusing myself inside.

I'm not sure that this quilt has ever made it onto my blog.  I made it many years ago in a class with my friend Val teaching it.  As from the class sample, you'll be able to see the flowers were large and blowsy and when I turned up with my fabric, two ladies commented that I couldn't use it, so that made me all the more determined (being me), and I ended up with the centre, then it sat whilst I thought what to do with it.  I designed the borders and again it sat waiting for the right time to quilt it.  I knew I wanted to custom quilt and "finally" it is all done.

My version the quilt below.

Val' class sample.

I showed a portion of the quilt below on my last post.  All bound now and finished.  The setting of these blocks is my own, although the block is a traditional one and with a wacky pieced back.

Hunter's Star front,

and back.

The fifth shop quilt off the machine, handed over and given another THREE.  Oh well, that's some more money for the piggy bank.

Another horsey quilt.

This is my embroidery quilt which is now on the machine.  I showed this one some time ago,  and am now trying to give it a "good" custom job.  I really want to get it done before I start the next lot from the shop.  She has heaps, she says.   The ribbon frame is by Naomi Hynes, a digital designer from here in Melbourne.

Empire State block by Judy Martin.

I've been trying to work on this block, but it isn't working for me, and the measurements just don't seem to go.  Never had any trouble with Judy's blocks before, so am reviewing what I've done wrong.
I've been a big fan of Judy Martin since I purchased my second ever quilt book (probably around the mid 80's), and now have many by this designer.  I even have a few photos of quilts I've made from her books on her website.

OK, this post has only my quilting this week, but hopefully over the coming weekend we'll be out and about and able use the camera.   I also need to find some photos for the June Scavenger Hunt.
I've a few in mind if the weather is good.
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Take care all, Susan.