Sewing room calling

Somehow I need to get back into my sewing room.  With the lovely Spring weather and work work work, I seem to be going from work to the garden to bed and back to work again . . .

I have taken to sitting on the couch with my feet up - sometimes blogging sometimes working 

Any suggestions for getting my motivation back??

. . . after all, this is supposed to be a craft/garden blog and seems to be a bit one sided at the moment.

Hanging in there

Annie

Familiar Flowers

I haven't been in my sewing room for a week, but I have been out in my garden. There is so much happening out there at the moment. Lots of iris's of all colours and a beautiful double white banksia rose. I am enjoying the yellow ones in other people's gardens, and will plant one in my own, soon. They are truely beautiful, just like being in a florists.

I was lucky to bring this seed from my old garden.

It is a double aqualiga - soft pink and oh so frilly.

The lavender is at it's peak at the moment.

Although common, this old Granny's Bonnet is a faithful filler in my garden. It throws its seeds and comes up all over the place, and I love each and every one.

Enjoy your weekend

ARTS Week

We are having a great week at our school.  A week totally focused on the Arts!  Activities and challenges every day - performances, creation and excitement .  .  .  

Today each class was given a bag of "stuff".  We had to make a class mascot out of the things we were given.  I went for a walk after school around the classrooms and was amazed at the different mascots that were created.  These are just a few of the creations.

Tomorrow is our final day and there will be an unveiling of the mascots, and a releasing of 250 balloons into the community with messages inside from the children of the school.  It has been a fantastic week although exhausting as well.  Zero classes - all ARTS - Fantastic stuff!!

In a suburban backyard . . .

Just love it that my garden is blooming at the moment.  There are lovely things everywhere I look - hoping for some rain though to keep it all going.  

I have used a lot of my tank water already.

Miss Nelly was most interested in all the garden activity

Many of you may not know, but I have only been in my current garden for 2 and a half years.  I started from scratch and it is the first garden I have completely planned and developed from a blank canvas.  We bought a 3 year old home in suberbia, but the garden was filled with dieties and flax plants and they were much better suited to Mr Flowergarden's 

factory garden,  (of which I am chief gardener of course!)  I plotted and schemed on paper since the day we signed the papers, and chose all my favourite trees and plants, and of course it has grown and changed even from that plan.  I have my chooks in the back yard, my compost bays, my gorgeous TANK, and now . . . I have a fish pond.

Bob and Fred are yet to arrive.  They are going to be my 13 year old's new pets...and yes, Mr Flowergarden is going to put some wire mesh over the top to keep Miss Nelly out, and also her friend Wilson from 2 doors up.

I have begun to unpick the wedding dress.  I now have it in pieces, so the puzzle begins.  I must get back to my secret santa though and not get too distracted.  

Weekend Sunshine

Lots of dreaming in the garden today, and some weeding, but then I spied the aphids on the roses and I had to attack them.

I hope they have a big pain in the tummy tonight .  .  .

On a crafty note, I have been asked to have a go at turning this wedding dress into a quilt for a newly married couple.  It is a huge challenge, and I'm wondering if anyone has ever done anything like this before??  Any advice/tips??  

almost finished . . .

The Red Quilt is almost finished.  I can't believe how quickly the pearl thread quits.  I have enjoyed working on it this week while watching a bit of TV in the evenings.  Now for the binding.  I had to give it another post as I'm just a little pleased with it.  I have included a photo of the back which I pieced with left over bits and other favourite reds.

Spring is definitely here in Ballarat.  The trees are shooting away and it's lovely to see leaves on them again after a long winter.

. . . this is the back

back to school today, and it wasn't so bad.  Everyone was fresh and ready to go for the final term of the year.   The count down is on now for the long holiday.

Holidays drawing to a close

I've been working on my Red and White quilt and am now up to the hand quilting.  I actually love that bit and it is going so quickly I fear I will need to make another quilt very soon!!!

I had a go at Jodie's snail tutorial

. . . had a good laugh and made a few modifications

Had a "blogmeet" a couple of days ago with the Ballarat Bloggers and enjoyed meeting Shabby Cottage, 4 Wise Monkeys (again) and Quilting B and of course Ric Rac who was our wonderful hostess.  Lots of chat chat chat and laughs all 'round.  Thanks girls!

. . . by the end of the day, this was the last photo that was left.  oooops, I forgot to get my camera out when we were all there.  Check the other girls blogs for an update.