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.

.

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.

THANK YOU ALL!!!!

I'd love to thank all who left comments on my Scavenger Photo Hunt post and sorry I've not done replies this time.  We've been busy and I spent too much time seeing what the other Hunters had been photographing and got a tad lazy.
I'm sure that I sometimes spend too much time looking for a pattern for a quilt, then also get caught up on Pinterest too.  I limit this time to only a half hour or so on weekends, but that drags into an hour occasionally.
Now for a quick round up of the past week.
Monday, hubby and I went for our flu shots, but were also given the one-off pneumonia shot as well. Was my arm sore for the next few days, with bright red marks across the top, so took it easy on Tuesday.

                                                             A LITTLE BIT OF THIS

This is one of my book quilts which I had on the machine between the shop ones.  I had to show a little, as it was being quilted with pattern called Apples by Apricot Moon, in cotton named Pear Green.  Maybe the quilt should be called Tutti-Frutti.

                                                                    SHOP QUILTS.

One quilt off the machine.

This is the next one on.

You may have guessed by now that our local quilt shop owner is mad about both horses and dogs.  I have another one which is also horse related to do next week.  Well, it is a bit of pocket/holiday money for us.

And what has Hubby been up to.
                                                                      FENCING.

The side fence at the front between our place and the next door rental property was in a bad state, so we asked if the owners would do the right thing and goes halves in fixing it.  They came back with a basic handyman quote and we decided to accept their half and do it ourselves, as Hubby is great at DIY and  knew it would be sturdy enough not to fall on our caravan parked next to it.  We replaced all the rails, which weren't going to be done, although their was only one that wasn't rotten and used the same palings as they were OK.  Job done.

He has also made this stand for my glue gun and one for DD as well.  Glue guns do tend to fall over as the cord is top heavy (something like that anyway).

JUST OTHER BITS.

A few flowers picked from our garden and now on the side table beside my chair in the living room.  I do try and have a small vase there as it cheers me no end.

Tiny gum blossom photographed yesterday.  Hubby thought it was wattle as it is so teeny, but the leaves give it away.

Rhubarb leaves in the veg patch, which are "gigantic".  I picked some, stewed it this afternoon and we'll have it with some custard tonight.

My reading matter over  the last couple of months.  I'm not the best anymore, but keep at least something for a spot of bedtime reading.  I've just started the cat one. The middle one is finished and goes back to the library tomorrow and I hope to put on hold a book called Penguin Bloom, which I may blog about once read.  .The Monty Don book is one I've been dipping in and out of for some time.  A friend found it in an Op Shop and knew I was a MD fan so bought it for me.

That's about it for now.  Just a little of what we've been up to lately.
Hope everyone's weekend has been great.
Take care,  Susan.

MAY SCAVENGER PHOTO HUNT.

Joining in with Hawthorn Spellweaver for the month of May  with ten categories.

1.  PATH

Along a path, through the trees, towards the mouth of the Powlett River on the South Gippsland Coast.

2. HAIRY

A little lone gum blossom which I thought looked quite "hairy".  I did find this one difficult, though I'm sure there are lots of things.

3.  EDIBLE

Baking biscuits last Sunday.

4.  SMALL

My shadow box with miniatures I've collected over many years.

5.  POEM.

Technicolour Poetry.

OK, so this is my - "What to do when you don't know what to do"!!!!!!!  I'd like to think someone, somewhere could conjure up a poem about these.

6.  HANDS.

Young hands and old hands.  Teaching my grand daughter to knit.  DD rang late Sunday afternoon to ask a question and I heard in the background, "tell Nana I am knitting now".  She's doing well.

7.  VINTAGE.

My original wedding dress circa 1969, which I'm sure must be "vintage",(I've been married twice for those who don't know) and although this has sentimental value, it is only because my great aunt made it for me.  She was a professional seamstress and this was her 30th wedding dress.  She minded me as a 3 year old whilst my mother had my younger brother and I think she  instilled in me a love of sewing.  I used to sit on the large table which housed her industrial machine and play with buttons and fabric scraps while she sewed.  The bottles were my other choice and I couldn't make up my mind which one to choose, so both are here.

8.  SHADOWS.

Clouds casting shadows across the hills of South Gippsland.

9.  VIEW FROM A WINDOW.

Technically not from the window, but as I walked into the kitchen on Tuesday, I looked out the window and saw these two galahs on the feeder.  I ran to get my camera, crept out to the opening of our back verandah and quietly took  a couple of photos.  Probably not the easiest to capture without disturbing them and the closest to the kitchen window, which has a flyscreen that makes for lousy photos.  Aren't they such pretty colours and we've not had them on the feeder before.

10.  MY OWN CHOICE.

A waterfall plunging into the sea on The Isle of Skye.  I thought this so amazing, that it came out No.1 for this category.  We explored Skye in 2011.

All done for the Month of May and thanks once again to Hawthorn for our challenge.

I am loving this so much and enjoy how everyone else interprets it.

Have fun all and take care.

Susan.