MERRY CHRISTMAS & A QUICK EXPLANATION.

Here are Season's Greetings from Down Under and a small apology for being so absent from my blog.
Some know that we went for a lovely holiday to UK and it takes me some time to get myself together again after seeing my family who are so far away.  Just starting to settle, when the fires started in NSW & Queensland.  I grew up in Sydney and so many places familiar to me are blackened by the fires.  I know people in these areas and my heart is breaking for them.  Now we have fires in East Gippsland,  some near to Ballarat and through South Australia, as well as Western Australia.  I find it hard comprehending all the devastation and to blog about what must be mundane happenings by us, but hopefully I'll find the inclination to put words together for some posts in the New Year.
I have some ideas for raising much need money to help our rural and country fire services, which are mainly run by volunteers.  They are all exhausted and we do have help now from New Zealand and Canada.
THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. 
Enjoy your time all, spent with family.  Ours will be extremely quiet this year with just the two of us, due to distance & the ongoing circumstances going on in this large country of ours.
Take care and big huggles from Susan.   xxxxx

FIVE ON FRIDAY - GRATITUDE

Linking with Kate at I live, I love, I craft, I am me, for her 5 on Friday - gratitude - linkup.

First up.................
1. Still being asked by your children if you are able to make something for them.
DDs idea was for a small table beside her couch for her device, glass of water & maybe a book.

DH took this photo on his phone after he finished it, before it goes.  DD has a birthday 3 days after Xmas & this will be her present this year.
DstepD was saying she'd like some bright cushions for her conservatory whilst we were in the UK.  She showed me some on Pinterest & when we got home, I'd booked into a techniques class & thought a cushion would be a good use for the block I was to make.  Ah, then I remembered a block I'd made many years ago & turned that into a cushion too & now they have been posted for her birthday, which is on Sunday.

2.. Still having good hearing.
On Sunday whilst eating my breakfast, I heard a strange noise, and as I got up to investigate, I remembered what it might be.  Out to take a quick look, back in again to grab camera & voila..............

A hot air balloon floating across our suburb.  I tried to take a photo with the flame rising, but missed it each time.

3.  Some warmth, though not a lot hear in southern Victoria.
Unlike the northern parts of Australia, which are suffering from severe drought, heat & fires.  The little warmth has been enough to ripen....
wait for it.............

Three blueberries.  There are lots more ready to ripen, but lack of sunshine & warm weather has delayed them somewhat.

4.  Having a strong sense of smell.
My Port Wine Magnolia (Michelia figo) has insignificant flowers, but the most intoxicating heady perfume, which on a sunny day in the late afternoon can be quite overpowering.  I love it.

Such small flowers for a very strong perfume.

5.  Wildlife, however small.
Some moths are tiny & not too noteworthy, but when 3 children are gathered around "something" on a verandah floor, I took notice and went to find out what they had found.

And this what they were mesmerised by.  Such a beautiful moth.  This happened on the day of the Hill Climb at our Car Club Rally in November (yes, not quite this week), and as everyone was filing from door of the reception centre after lunch, the children were worried it might be crushed under some feet.  Not game enough to touch it, I offered to see what I could do.  I put my finger close to it's feet & luckily, it stepped onto said finger & I lifted it off the floor & put it on top of the back wall of the verandah, out of harm's way.  Hopefully it lived  to see another day.

OK, this might pop up a tad early, but we have a busy day tomorrow and as I missed last weeks, I'm getting in now.  Thanks Kate for reminding me to be grateful for all around us and taking the time to appreciate it.
Take care all & hopefully I can do some catching up on my own blog and others.
Huggles, Susan.

FAVOURITE FINISH FOR NOVEMBER 2019.

Another linkup party.....this time with Meadow Mist Designs for our favourite finish of the month.

OK, I'm being a bit naughty this month & have 3 to show, though it is the first photo which relates to the finish.
As most of my blogpals know, I'm a bit on the wacky side or as someone once called me "a quirky quilter".  So here goes.................

JELLY JIVE.

This one seems to be well liked by all who have seen it, so it will be No. 1 for now.
I have actually been playing with jelly rolls & making two quilts with one roll & background.  As I love designing it has all been lots of fun.  This time though, 2 became 3.

The said jelly roll, which was really a Rainbows pack from Victorian Textiles.

My doodling in a graph book, which is something I use on a regular basis, along with my Quilt Wizard program.  The one on the left, was first designed back on plain paper in 2014, on an aeroplane coming home from a holiday to the UK, after visiting family.
The next few pics are some in-progress shots, which I may have shown before.

JELLY JAZZ

JELLY JIVE

JELLY JUMBLE

 I was trying to line these up across the page, but this will have to do.  Jelly Jumble was the first, then Jelly Jazz & finally Jelly Jive.  Below are the other 2 finished.

I took them away with me last weekend for some photo bombing, but it was so windy all the time, this was the best we could do.  They were all taken at Porcupine Flat near Maldon  where this little fellow below was watching what we were up to.

This wallaby was finding it very interesting seeing me trying to stop the quilts flapping in the breeze.
He didn't go till we actually took off in the car.

The old dredge & other interesting bits are scattered here from the gold rush days.

As I've been trying to do this post, the weather has brightened a "LITTLE", though there are still a lot of black clouds banking up again. The wind is still quite boisterous & cold, & the weather station says it has climbed to 11 degrees outside.  Wow!!!!   Been running in & out to the kitchen as, I'm also baking a couple of slices to tide us over the next week or so and listening to some CD's on a louder than usual volume as DH is at his woodworking club.
Well best get myself up as there are cushions to finish for a birthday present, 2 aprons a friend has asked me to make & quilts to keep working on.............Ah, to be retired!!!!
All from this funny old lady for now.  Have a good week, take care & huggles.
Susan.