A TAH DAH MOMENT.

Yes!  It is finished.

Now,, what am I going to call it?  I don't want the same name as in the magazine, as it has some of their alternate blocks and a very different colourway.

The magazine picture.  A publication no longer in print, which was QUILTS with style and started in  Jan/Feb 2006 and continued over 6 issues.  I started mine sometime in 2008 with a lot of life's happenings along the way.

Sorry I've been so quiet, but am still not 100% well and the awful heat (41 yesterday and 35 today), I've not had a lot of motivation except to get above finished for the flower and craft show on Sunday.

Since I last posted, I've hardly used the camera, but did find a few photos I'd taken over the last few weeks and also we did have a lovely day out to a town with lots of Antique and Old Wares dealers, so here we go.

Late afternoon sky with moon.

Coming on dusk.

These were taken from our backyard.

Our day to Tyabb was to look  for a small chest of drawers or similar for my cones of cotton (for Bubs) instead of being all muddled in a plastic tub.  No luck but did pick up a couple of bits (naughty!).

This is what came home with us.  A couple of bottles for my collection, which I use for simple flowers, a vintage ecclesiastical letter holder, (so it said), an art deco vase, of which I'd seen a similar square one and hadn't bought, so felt quite lucky to find this one. and, drum roll............a beautiful, delicate water colour of Ashness Bridge, a place I loved.  I feel quite honoured to have found this, as it signed by the artist and is not a print.  I even got $5 off the ticket price.

Another item is this lovely old book,, which is a teeny shade younger than me.

This edition is from 1950.

One of pages of wonderful black and white images.

I did fall for this book, as it reminded me of photos I'd seen in my great grandmother's Country Life magazines, that she allowed me to look at.  They were passed on to her, by an older gentlemen who lived nearby. 

I was the lucky recipient of a large international envelope during last week.  What was inside?

Ahh this!

 I am not able to locate this magazine locally any more and happened to mention it to Sue at  Quilt Times, who's quilt appears on the cover and instruction inside, so to my surprise she sent me one.  A huge thanks.

A couple of photos to end.  These are closeups of some of the quilting on the star quilt, as I did try and custom quilt it.  Probably not the best, but so be it.

Hopefully our weather will cool down soon, and I'll be a bit more energetic and have a bit more to post about.  This weekend we have the show I've been talking about and on the 6th March we are going to an open day at "Harewood House".  No, not the one in Yorkshire, but here on the coast of South Gippsland.  It is an old homestead and I hope to get some good photos and be able to blog about it.  

Hope everyone is having a good week, take care and lots of huggles to you all.

Susan.

RUNNING IN CIRCLES!

Did I really raise 3 children, run a household and work all at the same time?  I'm not sure I know how.  Is it because I'm getting older or just poor time management, but I don't seem to have blogged for a couple of weeks now, all because I've been (I think), busy.
Well here we go with  a few bits of what I've been up to lately.

GARDEN

Even though it's been hot and muggy with just a little rain, my new roses are flowering.

This is Julia's Rose, which we bought first, as there were no roses in this garden at all.

Fiona's Wish that Hubby gave me for Xmas along with Pierre de Ronsard which is now doing better than when I wrote about it late last year.  

CRAFT

I finally finished my Spice of Life crochet rug, which although I don't like the colours, looks OK with it's borders finished.  It certainly taught me a lot of new designs and glad I persevered with it.

Finished rug.

Little Xmas wallhanging completed too.

Front.

And this is what I used on the back.

I also found these little jumpers I was making a few years ago and have decided to finish them for my 2 newest great nephews.

BAKING.

Not a lot going on here, except the usual meal cooking.  Too hot for lovely gooey desserts and cakes go off too quickly if not kept in the fridge, then they are not as nice to eat, but I did make these some time last week.

Chocolate orange mousse from the book above them.

Lastly, a photo of three of the young magpies that come on a regular basis along with Buddy.

I'm busy at the moment trying to custom quilt the Big Star in time for an upcoming local craft show and it is doing my head in with all the odd shapes.  My friend J is also on the same deadline with her quilt, but of course I'm sure that is harder for her on her Sweet Sixteen, which is similar to an ordinary domestic machine.  I cannot manhandle a big quilt under mine anymore, so am lucky to have the long-arm.  Will post photos of them both when finished.
Last Wednesday, we had a day out to Ripon Lea, a National Trust property, which is sometimes featured in the Phryne Fisher Murder Mysteries.  It is somewhere I've not been before and we decided to join the NT and will visit other properties in the future.  I didn't take any photos as it was a very cloudy day, but you can see some of it here.-http://www.ripponleaestate.com.au/
Oh, and yes some of my time has been taken up with stressing over a few minor hiccups with my younger brother, but we just take it one day at time,

That's all for now and will hopefully post again next week with  more interesting "stuff".
Take care and have a great weekend.