Quilts and . . . a day in the city

Yesterday was a great day.  I took my Miss Flower Garden to the big city, just she and I.  I showed her special things, like the water at the Art Gallery (above), the Library, where we saw all the old newspapers . . . Parliament House, The Entertainment Centre . . . and anything else we happened to see along the way to the "Quilt Show"

We were dropped off in St Kilda Road by Mr Flowergarden and the 2 Master Flowergarden's who were off to do "boy jobs" and the girls were "let loose" in the city.

We walked hand in hand and talked and shared and I felt warm when I heard all her OOooooh's and Ahhh's at the "first time 'round" for things she was looking at.  What a great day we had together.

This is a selection of quilts that "took our fancy".  I must give Miss Flowergarden "10 points" for her patience with her mother around all the gorgeous quilt shops.  I felt like I had died and gone to heaven, however, I'm hoping heaven will be just a little bit quieter and less crowded.

Lots of walking and lots of talking, and a little snooze on the train on the way home.  A great way to spend a Saturday.

Good News Week

I had a "bag" weekend - after my "bad" week, but thanks for all the encouragement.

I've been pretty busy getting into the new school year, and haven't been visiting as many blogs as I would normally like to, but I appreciate people still coming to visit me - thank you all.

Excited about the up and coming Quilt Show - this weekend in Melbourne and then Stitches and Craft in a few weeks.  

. . . time for sleep now, as it's Ride to School Day tomorrow, and we'll have to leave at 7am to make it in time.

layer upon layer upon layer . . .

I think it's about time I cleaned up a bit in my sewing room.  My table is covered with fabrics and magazines, and bags 

there is no place to sit on my couch anymore - 

I had a couple of bad days at school last week, so HAD to come home via the Patchwork Shop with a little material to stroke!  . . .  then my parcel from AMETIE arrived in the post . . .

and I keep inventing new projects to do, when I really should be finishing off the huge stack I have already half completed

. . . and then a bag order that I needed to complete, and my globe blew, so I was sewing in the dark and made too many mistakes.  I now have a new school bag . . . off to cut out another . . . happy it's Saturday

Sewing sewing sewing . . .

Not January just gone, but the one before, was the handing over of our sewing group's Friendship Quilt swap.  Once we got our own quilt back, our job was to back quilt and bind it.  The weeks went by and mine stayed in the box that we stored them in.  Other girls slowly began finishing their's and I was sparked to finish mine.  I would get mine out of the box, have a think about it, and then put it back in the box.

I wanted to add a final boarder but just wasn't sure what to do.  This weekend, I made my mind up that I was going to FINISH it.  I didn't quite realise how long it was going to take.  I beavered away in the sewing room almost all weekend (in between the washing, the shopping etc etc.) and by 6pm Sunday night, I finished it.

I was happy with how it worked out.

. . . even the crinklies are beautiful to me.  I'm hoping all the seeds blow and scatter and then suprise me in the Springtime.

With all the sad news around at the moment, I thought I would post some beauty with my flowers.  Just some happy shots that have bloomed in my garden in days gone by.  Looking forward to Autumn now and cutting back and doing the big "mop up" after the heat.

Week One Down

.  .  .  swimming with school

.  .  .  not ANY sewing

.  .  .  4 new fish, and with the heat, the lady at the pet shop said to freeze a water bottle and let it float in the pond

.  .  .  new pencils all 'round

.  .  .  and the heat wave continues.  35.5 degrees at 3.30 and expected 42 degrees tomorrow!  My garden is stressed to the max and leaves are dropping left right and centre. 

Enough Heat please . . .

I've been working on the "Wedding Dress Quilt.  Just a few more stitches and the quilt top will be finished, and ready for some custom quilting.

Some experimenting with white sheets and scaps . . . 

. . . and some new fabrics to play with .

The heat over the last week has been horrible.  My garden is not happy at all, and things are just crisping up and some even dying.  My tank is almost empty.

My first finished quilt for 2009

many more on the go of course, but one finished before the end of January.

Monkey Madness

Despite 40 degree heat, I have survived my first day back at school

The Principal LOVED the quilt which I finished at 11.30 last night!!

. . . and these 3 little monkeys are what my children spent making on my last day at home with them.  I thought they reflected their personalities quite well. . . even the sizes matched.

The children won't be back at school until Monday, so it will be nice to just be at school and catch up with all my friends, oh, and do some P.D. (Professional Development), and get ready for the onslaught of Term 1 2009.