CAUTION.........CRAFTY CAPERS AHEAD.

This is finally my catchup on a few things we've been busy with, other than the quick, unexpected visit to Sydney.
Friends from our car club were making a trip to UK to visit son & family who now have 3 children, a daughter, 3 and the newbies, twins (boy & girl) whom they'd not seen.  Cutting a long story short, V was trying to hand make some small items to take with her, but still works full time, so was getting very frustrated.  I offered for her to come and look at a few small quilts I'd put aside for either charity or sale.  She picked two for the twins, then she was going to ask me a big favour, but I got in first & said..... "tadah!"  Yes, I'd thought of the 3 year old too.  So off they went with, no, not 3 quilts, but 5.
She offered to post while they were there, the two that I'd made for our newest great nephews, which saved me a huge amount of money, as postage is over the top here.  Below are pics of the three of hers, but I'm afraid I'd not taken any of them completely finished.  Silly me!

 This one was started in a workshop with Mary Ellen Hopkins, way back in 2000 & remained a UFO, for many years, then a flimsy for a long time before it was quilted & bound last year.

The one on the right in this photo was made from a traditional block to use up some fat quarters, then again remained waiting to be quilted, which is the other twin quilt.

This old 4 patch strippy, I think I posted about, being quilted was the one I offered for the little 3 year old.  They are all recently finished & although darkish, should be practical for playing on & covering little legs in the car.
I showed the two for my great nephews a few posts ago here.

Talking of baby quilts.................another made much more recently & awaiting the birth of my Doctor's first baby.  I just couldn't help myself & raided the stash cupboard & pulled fabric for this.

The pattern was from a magazine by Cheryl Malkowski, which was sort of easy, though I changed some of the background piecing to suit.  Hopefully it will be OK for either a boy or girl and my Doctor loved it.

Just at the moment, I have a very large, very, very old top on the machine, (made around 1995/6 in a class at a local shop in Nowra),which I am donating to Windgap Foundation for their Christmas raffle.  This is the Sheltered Workshop, which my brother attends and are my support for him & his NDIS services.  I can't do a lot for them, being so far away, but hope this is one way I can help.  The photo below is not good, as where I quilt is quite dark, & being winter here, some days have been gloomy.

I'll show more when I am further along & once finished.

And what else..................

 Still plodding away on my Jane Crow crochetalong, Sunshine & Shadows, of a night, while watching mindless TV.

Hubby has also been busy.  Isn't this paddle steamer just gorgeous.  After a lot of car maintenance, he is now making some props for me, so I can take some better photos of my quilts for my galleries. 😊

Now for a little rest from craft, I have these few photos from my poor neglected garden.

                                                     My first hellebore buds appearing.

                                                      Fungi, appearing in the garden.
                                  We went for a walk this afternoon & we saw it everywhere.

I planted up this very large pot (left by previous owners) with a medley of plants of which this is the sole survivor, but it still looks very pretty in our now cold winter months.

I'm sure you've all had enough of my waffling on.  Thanks for visiting and I absolutely must catch up with a few of our recent days out.  Actually, when I think about it, they aren't so recent, but should be interesting. 
Take care all & huggles from Susan.