Had to try this Tutorial

Couldn't resist having a go at this pincushion tutorial that I have been admiring in blogland. I saw it in a few places, but Wendy at Snippets of a Quilter inspired me and then I went to Whip Up and followed the very easy directions. It was so quick and is just georgous. I am going to make more. Also look at my delicious fabric that came in the mail today from Kristen Doran. I just LOVE it.

This Double Delight rose is flowering outside my sewing room window. It is just a most beautiful rose. I know why it got it's name. It holds so well in comparrison to others. I picked 3 buds of different roses the day before yesterday, and the others lasted just the day, but Double Delight is valiantly shining on and giving me much pleasure.

Just a little update on our adorable little Chick Chick!

Head Down Bum Up

"Chick Chick" and I have both been busy this last weekend - a bit of garden, a bit of sewing and just a few school reports....

I will label this quilt "Report Writing Quilt - November 2006"

It's amazing what you can achieve when you really don't want to do something else!!

Cup of Tea Anyone?

Look what my wonderful friend at school made me the other week. She was inspired by Ric Rac's Tea Pots and thought she'd try her hand at a delicate cup and saucer. And then to my delight, she gave her handiwork to me! I'm so lucky. It has pride of place in my sewing room and I love it!

I have been having a little stitch on some felting that I made a few weeks back. Actually, I'm doing EVERY thing possible to avoid starting my school reports. This time next week, I'm hoping it will all be over.

A little snail ...

A butterfly ...

...and some yummy fabric to play with ... let the reports begin , oh actually I'm off to the gym now, will be back to work later...

From Canada to the Moon in Stitches

How exciting to come home on a hot hot night after school and find that I had mail from Canada. The world of Bloggers is such a generous one. Not only did I find delicious chocolates from Wendy of Snippets of a Quilter, but she also sent me some lovely little surprises as well. I just adore the pin cushion and will put it to use straight away... and some georgous fabrics to play with. What joy to find others with a passion for fabric!!

I have also been having a go at some little owls from Moonstitches.

They were fun to make. I will attach them to a little string for hanging.

Little Chick Chick is continuing to bring the family much pleasure and chirping as she grows larger each day. Notice how I used the word "she!"

Spring Time Chickens and Roses

How excited I was on Thursday when the Kinder next to our school rang up and said to come over and collect a little baby. One of my students has a sister in Kinder this year and they have been incubating chickens from eggs. Now they have all hatched, they were looking for homes for them. As I already have 3 bantams, I thought it would be fun to have a little chick. We have called it Chick Chick, and hope like hell it's not a rooster! All the literature said, if in doubt ... assume it's a male!!!!

While doing the washing and directing the grey water this morning, and while doing - weeding the vegi patch as you do, I began introducing little Chick Chick to the big chicks. I sat in the yard with the others and let it have a little walk around.

Then when I went in the other side of the yards that is seperate to the chickens, where the vegis are, I just set it down amongst the vegi patch and it had a great old time. It just stayed closed to me, saying "cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep!!"

Then my little Peter got interested and came out to claim parenthood. Well, he had the time of his life, and it is now following him around everywhere. A lovely new addition to our family.

Show Results

The Show has been and gone, and it was all a fun experience, however, I'm glad it's over. Now I have to get stuck into Reports.
I got a Second Prize for my Dick and Jane apron that I made from a tutorial on Bari J.'s blog. Wore it at school for 1/2 a day and now one of the old teachers who taught with Dick and Jane wants me to make her one!
Our Grade 3&4 School Yard Pets brought home some prizes, so that was exciting for the school kids. There will be a big parade at Assembly next Monday morning.
Ric Rac helped me collect them from the Show Grounds and got them into a bit of mischief. So like her!!
It was a busy weekend. The lady in the office cheerily said ... "See you next year."

Oh did I tell you that my collection of Margurites won First Prize!

A Day in the Garden

We had a day off school this week for Show Day, so decided to spend a day in my garden.

There are so many treasures everywhere I look and I am just loving spending time out there. Last night we had a huge storm and the hailstones were dancing on the front lawn. It was quite a sight to see them falling and then dancing up again. The storm lasted about 40 minutes and we had 10ml of rain according to my rain gauge, but when it finished, the clouds blew away and it was clear skies again. Today has been a magic day with warm sunshine and clear skies. Wonderful to get some rain!

It's Show Time!

My last post must have been the calm before the storm! It's the local Agricultural Show this week in our town, and I spent my entire childhood living and breathing the local show around this time of year (in another town) as my Dad was the Show Secretary for 26 years. It just means that it is ingrained into my make up to support the local community in it's efforts to show case talents and produce and get the kids involved. My mother, I'm now convinced is Saint. In fact I think I will call her Saint Jude when she arrives at the weekend, for a visit and a Show excursion. She ALWAYS encouraged us to find some category we could enter and it was always a VERY busy time. When I took my own childrens entries in last week, and some of my own, the lady at the office said there had been little support from schools this year. Of course I "fessed" up that I was a school teacher and would head back to school and rev them up a little and try and find some more entries for them. I think this is when the stress kicked in. I ended up with 79 Posters for Grades 1 & 2 entered and 10 Woodwork entries from Grades 3 & 4. I was "under the pump" yesterday, getting it all organized but today I just have to take it all in for display. The kids are VERY excited and the lady at the show was VERY appreciative, so I guess it was all worth it. I just know that if everyone said it was "too hard" it would be a dull old show. I will be going on Saturday and we are looking forward to seeing our entries.

I have snuck in a little craft on the side however (just to keep me sane!). I am in cushion mode at the moment and used some Aunty Cookie pieces to make this cushion just for me. I just LOVE her work. I am a big fan!

...and a little bit of crotchet - extending my basket patten to make an extra flap which made a litte bag. I have found a suede leather black strap in an op shop and will try to attach that to finish it off. I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

Saturday night was my big Girls Night In, and I'm pleased to say it was a great success. Lots of women, neighbours, craft friends, work friends, and we raised almost $400 for Breast Cancer Research. It was a fun night and great to have so many friends all at my house all at the same time. The only problem was, the night went too quickly and before I knew it, it was all over. My very first Poppy of the season came out for the party. They are just so divine. With the rain we had at the weekend and now some sunny days this week, I have quite a few poppies dancing in my garden now.

This is one of my favourite friends in my garden ... meet Dainty Bess.