CATCHING UP WITH A BIT OF THIS'N'THAT

 I'm really struggling with so much uncertainty and dear old Oz in the grips of another wave of Covid.    We are staying home a lot with little snips of time spent with a local trip in the car, pick up a takeaway coffee and finding somewhere scenic to drink it.  I've picked up a free ticket for the quilt show in Melbourne, but so unsure whether to go or not.  Other people are not quite as anxious as I am and we have had our 4 jabs, plus the flu vaccination.  Will I on won't I?  

Anyway, let's see what we've been up to anyway with a few photos of local countryside & crafty bits.

Looking out over Bass Strait from Kilcunda on very windy day.
I nearly got blown over trying to take this photo.

Another day saw us go slightly further afield for me to try and pick up some fabric I needed to finish a quilt and as we were coming home, we decided to take a detour to somewhere we'd not been before.  We had noticed the signpost to Yaringa Boat Harbour often, which turned out to be a small marina on Westernport Bay.  We may go again in summer to take a better look, as it was a cold overcast day threatening to rain, but we did enjoy the extra jaunt.

Another day when we realised that we'd have a little sunny break so we headed out to take a small walk on the Two Towns Trail which connects our town to the nearest to the west of us.

And what did we discover in the park in front of Council Chambers but a new to us sculpture.

A beautiful gum blossom planted in the middle of pond, where I have taken quilt photos just recently near the small waterfall behind this.  It certainly makes a statement.

Now for some crafty bits we've been up to.

This the start of what I have on the go at the moment, after buying very pretty acrylic yarn that was on sale at Lincraft for an absolute bargain,.  I don't really need another, but I loved the colour.

I finally finished the blue and white jumper which has been on the go for a few years due to not being able to get the stripes to match up on the sleeves as I don't need them as long as the pattern, but it took some working out and I've worn it recently.

Hubby remembered a broken toy that we had squirreled away and decided to play at Repair Shop tactics and mend it.

My mother had given us this when she worked in the office of a large company that imported these big dumpers, I think, and our boys played with it when young.  Somewhere along the line it had broken, but with a lot of effort all these years later, we have......................

                                                                         Now mended.

Can you see the Butcher Bird sitting on my hanging basket?

Well, one morning I looked through the kitchen window to be taken aback by him sitting on the edge of the combie planter that I'd put on the new plant stand out of the weather right in front of the window.  By the time I'd got the camera out he'd flown down the length of the verandah, hence the above photo.

QUILTING.

This very old pieced top went onto the machine last week and is now awaiting binding.  Turns out I made it in 2001.  Oh dear, shameful.  I'll possibly donate it to the foundation my brother attends for their Christmas raffle.

 Two works in progress.  The top one is from a book and the lower one, a design of my own.  More to come about these two soon.

                                            

                                                                         WEATHER.

Yesterday saw more rain and even a thunderstorm and this what the sky looked like as it came across Middle Farm.  We've certainly had our fair share of inclement weather so far this winter.

The gutters in our street were awash.

OK, that is my lot for today and this post has been a real hassle with blogger not playing along nicely.

Hope all my lovely blogpals are either staying cool or warm depending on where you live.

I'll try hard not to be so wayward with posting.

Take care all and big hugs from down under.

Susan.  xox

POP STAR FINISH

 Linking with Sandra today at mmm.quilts for the final day of the Quiltalong of her Pop Star pattern.

I've made two with one finished and the other awaiting quilting.  Been a bit slack lately with getting things done, but after a few glitches with both long arm and domestic machines, I think I'll get back into it soon.  I was hoping to take a few photos in the "great outdoors", but woe is me...........weather is not playing nicely, so I've done the best I can.

BABY POP STAR.

A full shot.

The next few are what I hoped would be my "hero" snaps.

An inside photo.

Another inside, showing a little of the quilting.

An outside one high up in the ranges south of us, with a lot of cloudy mist in the background.

This quilt is for a baby boy who was born on Sunday.  His parents are members of our car club and I've yet to meet him.  His sister can't wait till he comes home.  You might be able to see if you click on the middle photo are the cars that I quilted to make it personal for the family.

POP STAR No 2.

I'm calling this one No.2, even though I started it first.  Although I do like it, I lost the popping stars, as the brown fabric was too close in value to the main star fabric.  Is waiting on the machine now to be quilted.

This what the sky has looked like most of the time over the last few weeks.  Very little sunshine, even on days when it hasn't rained.  Been bitterly cold too.  Our snow regions have had the earliest start to the season on record.

Well that is my lot for today and I really must get back into blogging, photography and just enjoying life in general.

Thanks to all my lovely blogpals for being there for me, take care & big hugs from down under.

Susan.

IT'S SATURDAY.

 Not much of a title, but then each day seems to come and go at the moment with not much meaning to it.

Just plodding along at home, not venturing out & wondering if this is what the rest of our lives will be like, though I've had the camera handy to capture whatever the imagination can find.

A walk very early this week near one of our new estates netted this.................something I actually detest!

The benching of the hillside into little blocks that are flat.
UGH!!!!!ugly.

TODAY..............weather!!!!

Looking from the study window at about midday.

The back verandah a little later covered in itty-bitty hail (sago snow).

Looking along the back paving beside the steps & retaining wall.

We also had a thunderstorm amidst all this and at 3.30pm as I type this it is 6.5℃  It is cold & the fire is lit, though the sun has just appeared briefly with lots more grey storm clouds on the horizon.

A FINISH and A PHOTO SHOOT.

My quilt now named "Whimsy" inspired by the colours of Attic 24's dahlia rug is now quilted & bound.
I took this photo today after waiting for a break in our weather, but it hasn't come so this is the best I could do.

I also finally finished this butterfly embroidery, which has similar colours, though I started it a couple of years ago.  Not sure how to finish the back now it's in the hoop.  Any suggestions?

This is one that didn't really come out how I'd envisioned, but I did use what I had available in my stash.  It was designed by me on trusty Quilt Wizard & I'd thought of using a plain tone on tone mauve, but this was about the only mauve fabric I had.  It is quilted and bound & although not what I planned, I don't hate it.  I've come up with the name Sonora & can't fathom why.
A very "pandamic" quilt I think.😖

Just a quick lot today after being a misery guts for most of the week, due to weather, a computer that's been playing silly, not venturing out & missing family.
Luckily I've a little project to do for a newborn bub.  That makes me happy & busy at the same time with purpose.
Take care all, stay safe & huge huggles from down under.
Susan.

PS:  Still having trouble using this new blogger.  How's everyone else coping?

MISERABLE......WEATHER & MOI!

The sky today from our front garden.

Yes, our weather has been dull, dreary, cold & damp, not necessarily pouring with rain, but just so bleak & wet underfoot.  Not much happening in the garden & trying to stay focused & motivated on anything is somewhat hard to do at the moment.  I'm way behind on both my own blog & reading others, so finally sitting here doing this one. 

Finding & finishing a few bits'n'bobs.

A child' jumper.

A summer cardi & I no longer have the dress I was going to wear it with.

PARTICIPATING IN A MYSTERY QUILTALONG.

            The quilt is now waiting till I can get some backing to put it on the big machine & quilt it.

I fussy cut some of the 2 1/2" squares.  This QAL was hosted by my friend Joy in Ballarat who blogs at Days Filled With Joy.
Another crafty thing is slowly coming together too.  I bought & showed an old picture frame I purchased at a vintage market earlier this year & it has now become the frame for these, but still needs a fixing for hanging it.

DH made these musical cutouts after finding them photocopied (by me) and thought I'd done them for him.  Anyway, I loved them & I just fancied them in a frame.  I've quite a bit of blank wall space, so once done & hung I'll show them on a blogpost.
IN THE GARDEN.

                                                                Pottering about.

Some waiting for repotting & others for the garden.

A bit of colour on the plant stand & retaining wall.

The first fully open flower on my camellia - Volunteer.

One of my dark hellebores with the darker one on the right, which always flowers last.

One of my white/green ones.

My Garrya, after not flowering for the first four years has "ONE" flower & going by it's length, it's the male variety..
Yeah!!!!!

Lastly, a bit of nonsense.

Can we call this "snail mail".  How I got it from our letterbox and only about an hour after the postie had left it.

Well, that's about it from me and with Melbourne now being in lockdown once more, we have limited access, so can't venture far.
Oh for some sun and to feel somewhat normal, rather than being on edge all the time.  Hopefully I'll post a little more often and show what we've been busy with during this next half of "weird" 2020.
Everybody please take care and stay safe.
Huggles from Susan.

WORDLESS WEEK - WEDNESDAY.

Wet  5.5mls today.

Progressing.

Gee Whiz.
When did that happen?

Browsing and dreaming.

Take care all, stay safe and huggles.
Susan.

FIRE UPDATE.

Thank you for all your thoughts on our fires that I mentioned in the comments.  I decided to put together a post about the weekend that we've been through here in Victoria, Australia. 
Not wanting to go near the fires to interfere with the many fire fighters, volunteers & other personnel involved  in the ongoing operations, I've relied on the internet to supply a few photos, mainly from the news channels.  I was trying to find decent maps, but not much luck (or tech knowledge), so I've supplied 2 & although I don't exactly mention where we live, this time I just may, to give you an idea of where they are related to us.
Today, the smoke is really thick & I've tried my best to take a few photos & the situation immediately west of us, has eased somewhat, but we are in for, the weather bureau thinks, a windy change this afternoon.  The fires in the high country have worsened throughout the day, though.

MAPS.

 This map shows an overview of the eastern part of the state & we live in the mustard area of Baw Baw.  I have tried to mark in where the fires are.  You should be able to see Bunyip fire on the far left.
I've marked 2 others (not clearly though), to the right with a ring & little arrows.

This one shows the Bunyip complex of fires all started from lightening strikes on Friday.  As we've had so little rain this summer, our bushland/forests are tinder dry.  The green road snaking through from Melbourne is the Prince's Freeway, the main thoroughfare to  the east coast.  It has been closed now between Drouin & Pakenham since Friday, along with the railway which runs parallel to it. They are running trains from the east to Warragul (us), then buses to Melbourne, the long way round or from Pakenham on the electrified service. 

A FEW PHOTOS.

I tried making a collage of a few from the internet.  Theses are from the Bunyip fires.  In the top right one, you can see a helicopter with a bucket of water hanging below, which is just one method of the many that they use.
Now for a few I've taken from home on Saturday & today.

                                           Looking down our street & beyond at lunchtime..

                                                                            Saturday.                   

                                                                            Today.
On a lighter note, we've tried to stay busy & not be too uptight.  We can't go anywhere, unless we detour, but don't want to hinder the people who need to travel to Melbourne or elsewhere, so keeping out of the way is best.
ME.
I've worked on this quilt & will show also, my messy way of designing/sewing.

                  Nearly all sewn up on Saturday, but it got way too hot in my sewing room.

Sunday saw the main body of the quilt sewn together & testing the border.  I really think it needs a small spacer of a pinky/mauve or pale blue, before the focus fabric border?

One of the weird ways I work, with the graphpad drawn design on the floor surrounded by all manner of bits'n'bobs, including the fabric I was working with.  I've realised I must have designed this all of 10+ years ago.  I've not been able to find the exact same block, although some come close.
And, what was I watching on the TV?

A DVD called, "A Walk in the Countryside", which is beautiful scenery in the UK, set to music.

K. was busy making me this little beauty, that I've already named Whooty.  He's not finished yet, as he needs varnishing, but I just had to take a photo.
Sometime through the week I'll compile a crafty catchup of what we've got up to over the last couple of months.  I  also need to post a day we had out, before our next big one, which is the Lost Trades Fair with our DD & family & also her in-laws. 
Before I go, I did snap this earlier today.  I've tried to capture the doves or sparrows at the feeder many times, but they always fly off when I go to snap them.  Wheeeeeeeee,  I got 2.

That's all from me & hopefully this fire weather will ease soon & we are all praying for rain, though the weather bureau are saying there is none for the next week or so.  Please, we need it!!!!
Take care all & huggles.