Da daaa!

Finished the binding and I am ready to road test it tomorrow at school. Whatever doesn't fit in the bag, I won't be bringing home. The bag is the limit ( however my friend says she thinks quite a lot will fit in the bag!)

Not bad use of an old coat and some curtain samples. I did enjoy a little "create" this weekend. Back to work in the morning ... with my new bag!

Report Time

It's amazing just what can be achieved when one is supposed to be getting ready to write reports. I am the worlds best procrastinator and when my fathers cousin, aged 94 gave me an old winter woollen coat, I secretly started thinking "new school bag - felting with my choonka choonka!!" I know she thought I would wear it to keep the cold out, but I thought this idea was much more fun. I sought advice from my friend Jodie. I told her I wanted to make a bag just like the green shopping bags, and her brilliant idea was immediate. "Just take one apart, she said, and use it as a pattern!" Why didn't I think of that - I guess that's what friends are for. Once the

green bag was apart, I was off and racing. I hunted out some old curtain samples for the base, as I thought the white fluffy coat would soon get grubby on the bottom. Then the handles, I didn't quite have enough of that curtain sample, so I had to seek out another one. I just love going to my craft cupboard and finding just what I need.

It did help that I had some time alone at home with out children for several hours to get started. I played and I played and I played.

I was making and I was happy, and I hope the old lady doesn't mind that her coat has been turned into a school bag.

My trusty "choonka choonka" machine ready to do some dry felting. It was funny, as I hadn't seen my husband for a few days as he was working in Melbourne. I was beavering away in my sewing room with my project, and when I got up to the felting, I thought I'd go up to the lounge where he was watching the footy and just be in the same room for awhile. Although it was a gesture of love and companionship, I think I drove him crazy. I finally retreated when he turned the light off and the choonking stopped. He couldn't believe I was still going at the other end of the house much later in the night. He thought it was like a jack hammer in the city. I don't think he'll be taking up dry felting any time soon!!

I even got my stipple foot out to make the bottom a little bit firmer. I am now going to put some bias binding around the joins but I think because it is so thick, I will do some handsewing in my chair by the TV tonight and just have a rest. I think this has taken me most of the day. I did have a short interlude where I was a "leaf thief" and managed to get 5 giant bags of leaves and put them in the chook yard for them to have a scratch about tomorrow. I will take another photo when I finish. I am quite pleased with my efforts.

Tuesday Again

How quickly the week rolls around. I have had the last couple of evenings in my PJ's in bed. I think I whipped it up a bit too much on the weekend and now I am paying the price. Just too soon to be all recovered after surgery in late March. I keep forgetting that I can't just keep going like the ever ready batteries I used to be. As for the weigh in, I have remained the same this week and feel quite glum about that. I just want the magic cure, but know it is just not possible and takes a lot of work. The good new though is the RAIN. "It rained on Monday and it rained on Tuesday and it rained on Wednesday too..." I love to see puddles lying about. My garden is looking really great. I did plant some peas in the vegi patch the other day and my Mothers's day flowers from the school stall. A quiet week ahead for me.

An exhausting weekend

A weekend that has wizzed by - feeling much better so more able to race about doing all the household chores and more!!! Wishing to be gardening and sewing, but instead a big tidy up in my youngest sons bedroom and some re-arranging of the furniture. That is something that makes us all excited. I did do some planting and weeding at my husbands factory which I had promised I would do. We all went out as a family for a working bee, so that was kind of nice. My chookies are malting so there has been no eggs for awhile. They are still happy to scratch and talk however, which I find ever so relaxing while I am out in the garden. The shopping has been done, the vacuming has been done, the washing has been done. I have even re-stocked the children with new (as in new from the shops) socks and undies, so they won't know themselves next week. I did manage to put 3 large bags of horse poo and five giant bags of Autumn leaves on my compost heap and we have had the most glorious rain and skiffy showers all weekend, so that has been a major bonus. All is wet and well.

May Day Week One Down

A week has passed with me being much more careful of my chocolate intake!!!! I'm sorry but I work my mind better with kilos. I began at 79.6kg and this week I have weighed in at 78.9kg - so that is a loss of .7kg. I am delighted with myself as I had a couple of slip ups along the way but I kept getting back on track. I went for x2 exercise stints throughout the week, so that was a marked improvement on what I usually do. I have done all the food shopping for the fortnight and planned the meals. This includes breakfast and lunches as well, as I know only too well ... "preparation and planning is the the key to weight loss success!" Next week I hope to re-join my kids at their Karate Class and that is a good form of exercise as well. I hope to hear some good news from others.

Lots of beauty

A Posy of Nasturshums

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mums out there. I have had a busy time this weekend; very productive on the family front and some personal time too. After a Mother's day breakfast, I took myself off for a walk with my friend Jodie and we had some fresh air and exercise both of legs and jaw! Then a cup of coffee with my best dear friend. (I must add that she had a lovely new dress on that she had received for Mothers Day, picked out by her daughter, and she looked STUNNING). A trip to the Nursery with my family to pick out some plants for my husbands factory - we have decided to have a Working Bee out there nest Saturday. I am his official Garden Consultant. I managed to sneak in the trolley a few plants for myself while we were there - tee hee

Just Joey flowering in My Garden

I found a small Mingnon Camelia and some peas for the vegi patch. Then home for some cooking - meals and school lunch goodies, and now some chill out time in front of TV and PC.

Pink Margurite and Salvia in My Flower Garden

Darker Pink Margurite and Cherry Pie Healiatrope

More Pretty Salvia for a Happy Mothers Day

Friday Night

I made it to the end of the week - hooray! I am happy happy happy and planning a quiet weekend at home and a few walks to up the exercise regime. I had the kids at school make great mothers day cards. My friend Brenda (and I would link her blog if only she had one) gave me the good tip to take photos of the kids holding some flowers and put the cute photos on the front of home made cards. The kids LOVED getting their photos taken and the cards looked great. There are going to be lots of happy Mums on Sunday.

Tired Me

I have returned to work after 7 weeks of no routine and it has taken it's toll. I have been coming home each night and getting my PJ's on and tucking up in bed. Full time work is exhausting. No doubt I'll get used to it again, but at the moment I'm struggling. Also the temptations at work in the way of food is relentless. Today I went to school past the fruit shop and stocked up on fresh fruit and yogurt so I had plenty of good snacks throughout the day. I also planned some exercise which is going to boost me along. I am missing missing missing my sewing room. I haven't been in there all week. I have had 2 special friends have a birthday this week - Happy Birthday Girls!! The week has slipped past and I am looking forward to a quiet weekend. I have made my first change and decided to be more vigilant with drinking water. I have a jug in the fridge that is just for me, and I have to drink it all each day. A little garden banter just to keep me sane, this is my "plectranthis" which is flowering beautifully, common name "Mona Lavendar" - a great flowerer in Autumn. I sneak out and say hello to my plants B4 school just so they know I still love them.

May Day

Yesterday was the day, but today I'm putting it in officially. I'm usually like that, just a little late. I am planning to loose 22lbs (10kg)- I have been preparing my mind for it, and it is a hard road. I am starting at 79.6kg/whatever the pound conversion is.

Back to School

My first day back to school today and although I enjoyed it, I was secretly thinking of my sewing room and the next project I had lined up. I bought these fabrics on my last trip to Melbourne and was looking forward to getting started on yet another quilt. They will wait for me there I'm sure, as I plan reading programs and intergration studies etc. etc. Oh how I loved being home with my fabrics and my garden. I was so tired after school, I hopped straight into my PJ's and tucked up in bed with the TV, my laptop and some books and mags at my side. I feel quite rested now. Another day tomorrow. I am still learning about all this blogland stuff and my friend Jodie has been a great inspiration and source of encouragement. Thanks Jodie. I just love your stuff and your enthusiasm for FABRIC ...

Tales from the Scales: The Challenge

Tales from the Scales: The Challenge:

I've found this great challenge and am going to have a go. It starts on Tuesday so I have a little planning to do.

Obsessed

I am still in tidy up mode, panicing somewhat as I am on the pointy end of my sick leave and will be heading back to work on Monday. I want it to be all ship shape as I know my head gets all messy when I'm in work mode and I'd like to look at a tidy work area - not that I will be working on sewing soon enough when reports get underway. However, I am enjoying my time alone in my sewing room with all my treasures and lovely fabrics. I am dreaming of all sorts of projects, so I think I will have to make a note of them in a little book, so I don't forget what I have dreamed of. I often forget ... In the midst

of all this indulence it is also time when all the luscious leaves are falling off the trees. My favourite season A U T U M N. So I have recently had my husband build a wonderful compost system for me to play in. Another playground for Annie! We have recently moved to a new area where all the gardens are young, so the trees are not mature and there are very minimal leaves around. Each time I drive into town, I have 4 enormous bags, my gloves and my trusty rake, and I don't come home without a load. I call it "importing leaves from central" but my daughter calls me the "leaf thief". I think there are plenty to go around and if I can help rake some up for people who won't use them anyway, it is all good. I love this time of year. The kids groan after school when we stop, but thankfully little Pete is still happy enough to help Mummy with her projects. Thanks Pete!
Love the leaves
Love the leaves
Love the leaves - they make such good compost and are so good for my garden. Thank you trees.

When I went to the Dr's the other day there was a sign up saying "free to good home - shredded paper, ask at reception" Of course I did, and home I came with 6 bags of that too. The other white bag you can see in the photo is sheep manure from under the shearing shed at my cousins farm. Yum Yum. It's like cooking really, mixing it all together. I much prefer garden cooking than in the kitchen. Look at what I can grow.
Oh Happy Day!

A walk in the garden

I was delighted to have a garden tour the other morning and see droplets of water on the plants. A very special treat also was a ginger lilly in full flower. Such a wonderful scent and a beautiful flower. Love my geraniums too. I have lots of sorts.

All Tucked Up

I sat in my big comfy chair all day on Sunday and finished Sarah's quilt. I had said to her that it would be ready by the end of the weekend. I felt like a quiet day, so I didn't even get out of my PJ's. I just sat and did the handsewing required. I stitched a label and it was ready for her to tuck up under at bedtime.

Shame about the blue carpet -

I have kept working on my sewing room make-0ver, oh I mean "folding my fabric" and it has led to colour coding the buttons, and colour coding the fabrics (which I must admid I'd never done before - such a sensible idea!!!) and finding lots of "to do" projects. The room is still in much disarray, but is a work in progress.

I had some wonderful help from my little boy Peter last night with putting different fabric in the different piles. He knew when I touched the fabric on my cheek that it was the "flanellette" pile. He knew the difference between a "useful" scrap and one that had to go in the rubbish pile. He kept saying to me "don't tell me mummy, I know!!" ... and he actually did, I was impressed. He really enjoyed the idea of finding more fabric, and find more we did. It seemed to be in every direction we looked. Once I had exhausted all the piles, I stood back and thought to myself .."I don't actually have that much fabric." I must have thought out loud, and my daughter (9 years)got a little clear button and put it on the floor near the piles. She said for me to imagine that I was the button, and the piles of fabric were buildings in a city. Each piece of fabric was a storey of that building. She walked the button through Fabric City looking up at all the tall buildings, explaining to me that; Mum, you did have quite a lot of fabric. It was a good analogy.

She obviously had plenty of time to think and observe but rather than work out all the piles like Peter, she played with the pin cushions and sorted the pins into colours and made different patterns with them. Both of them using excellent delay tactics as it was well past their bed times.