Weekend Stitching

I bought a new bag because my old new one broke. It lasted three weeks. I hope this one lasts longer because I have spent some time on it. This was a $10 markdown from KMart. I have been looking for a bag but just haven't been able to decide on one so I figured I would just pick up something cheap to get me by. When I got the cheap bag home I put some stuff in it and it all disappeared! No, there wasn't a hole in it, the original lining of the bag was black and it was so dark in there! (Why do they do that?) So I decided to sew a new lining. I cut out the old lining and made a red and white lining with a zip pocket (above) and two patch pockets (below). I also kept the original zipped pocket so now it is a pockety bag!


I have actually been stitching my Natalie Bird "Tis the Season" this weekend. They are small and very fun! If you want to see lots more of these stitcheries hop on over to the stitch-a-long blog and have a look around!

Sewing Today

No, I didn't sew this dress for Miss 14 to pose on the stairs with. (She is at a dance tonight in it.) I just altered it for her. We found it at the Salvos a few weeks ago. She liked it a lot, but it wasn't her size. That didn't deter us, because we can sew. We were also undeterred because most things in the shops don't fit her either. She is unique! So today I unpicked this dress and then put it back together again to fit her. I took the sides in (which involved taking out and putting the zip back in), took the back in, and took in the shoulder seams too. It doesn't sound much, but took all afternoon. Worth every minute though, because she was over the moon. I hope to do some "fun" sewing tomorrow. (I spent this afternoon tearing my hair out!!!)

Light - Snappy Friends Challenge

It was late afternoon and I just loved the way the light was filtered by the forest. To me all painting and photography (image making) is about light. I love to watch light! See more here at the Snappy Friends blog.

The Crochet Rug for Her

I have been crocheting. A rug for the new granddaughter. As soon as I saw this on my camera screen I knew the colours were wrong. Yes, it is orange, green and yellow. Just not quite this saturated. I am having fun with this. I have kind of thought that I should perhaps be making something more useful for this baby, or possibly even for the grandchildren that are already here and will feel the winter when it actually begins. When that thought comes to me I just think, "Yep. As soon as I finish this." This rug is so much fun and I am so enjoying it! I am a crocheter from way back. I crocheted when it wasn't trendy. (My Mum taught me how the last time it was trendy. Remember the 70's?) Just as it became trendy my hands ached every time I picked up a hook. My doctor diagnosed arthritis. I stopped crocheting. Well, this rug has been in my head for about three months now so I thought I might just get it out. As for my hands? So far so good. I am not crocheting as fast as I used to. Maybe going slowly will be the way I can work it out. For me it is a happy week. For crochet, it just may signal the beginning of the end as far as it's popularity goes.

My Doll Swap Quilt Arrived!

Oh I love getting "good" mail! In fact I might go as far as to say that this was "excellent" mail! Last year I joined Christine's Doll Quilt Swap. I knew we would be moving and that I would be without my usual sewing stuff so I decided to hand piece and hand quilt a quilt for Cindy. She hasn't received the quilt I sent yet, but I have mine from her! (She was speedier than I was!) Isn't it beautiful? She also sent me a bag, which I will show you when I show you my "Tis the Season" stitching. (I'm using it to keep my stitch a long stitching in this year!) I was pretty excited when this showed up at my house. I hope Cindy's quilt gets to her soon. I can't wait to see what she thinks of it!!!

Feathers - Snappy Friends Challenge

This week's Snappy Friends challenge was "feathers". I have been struggling with it all week. Do you know how hard it is to capture birds on film? Well, not really film, but you know what I mean. Yesterday when we were on the road to Monbulk we noticed Grant's Picnic Ground. There always seems to be so many cars there when we pass. A really popular spot. We thought that there always are lots of people picnicing there. Yesterday I noticed some picnicers as we passed and they definitely weren't human! So we resolved to return today.

And this is what they were picnicing on! Bird seed. People bring bird seed to feed the birds.


Some feathers of the most populous birds there. Yes, sulphur-crested cockatoos. We sometimes hear them here at our house. They are sooooo loud! Real screechers.



There were also some galahs. Some small mostly red parrots (not sure what they are, apart from elusive cause I didn't get a photo of them!). And one crow.

As we walked a little further on my Bradley spied a kookaburra. I was thrilled because we hear them here at home every day, but I haven't managed to actually see one since we moved in. So, this is feathers. Tomorrow I will share my Doll Quilt Swap quilt that I received last week. Keep forgetting to photograph it until it's too dark! It's absolutely lovely, so I want the photo to do it justice!

Monbulk Quilt Show

Yesterday I went to the Monbulk Quilt Show run by Mrs Martin's Quilt Shop. I actually don't have many pictures, just this photo of the church hall it was held in. I quite enjoyed looking at all the quilts and I also got to catch up with Gail Pan! I think more than anything I just like Monbulk. The Dandenong Ranges are fast becoming my favourite place. My Bradley, Mr 10, and I went for a drive there this afternoon and found a beautiful place to stop and take photos. Post coming up.

Rust - Snappy Friends Challenge

A pump shed in Milang, South Australia. Old, rusty, and full of technology! My Bradley sells technology that turns the pump on and off via your mobile phone. He was busy installing said system when I took these photos. Incongruous!

Visit the Snappy Friends blog to see more.

I have to!

It's always the way, isn't it? When you have a deadline to meet you can always think of something else that desperately needs doing. This week I am finishing off a doll quilt (I'm part of Christine's swap which you can read about here) and I just keep thinking I should start crocheting a rug with this yarn. I mean, I have to! Mrs 26 (picklesticks) is busy growing another grandchild and it will be cold unless I crochet for it!

Shoes - Snappy Friends Challenge

I have never lived in a "no shoe house" before. Now I do. We take our shoes off in the entry of this house. After being here for five days the entry became an unbearable mess of shoes. Those of you who know me will be unsurprised to learn that my solution for this problem was to visit Ikea, where I bought two benches which Mr 16 built for me. The mess (as you can see) has not really disappeared, but you are now distracted by the sight of the two beautiful benches.

Mr 10's shoes. Unremarkable and still in fairly good condition because they are only 6 weeks old.

Mr 10's shoes next to my size 9's. Yep. Another big foot in the making.

Mr 16's shoes. Current favourites I think.

The same shoes next to my size 9's. All my boys have big feet. Mr 22 and Mr 16 have to buy their shoes online cause shops here don't carry their size. (My Bradley has trouble getting shoes and he is only a size 12, which we used to think was big. Size 15's and 16's are just a joke to Aussie shoe shops!)

So this post is a two for one deal. Some photos and a whinge about shoe shops! Go here to see some much more artistically photographed shoes.

Look what Amanda sent me!

I think she likes me! Nooo.....

Last week I won Amanda's give away. (Sea Breeze Quilts) I was very excited because I just loved these valentines when she showed them on her blog. Now I have four Amanda originals at my house!!! Fortunately the people who lived in this house previously had the foresight to put nails and drawing pins everywhere in the walls, so I have plenty of places to hang my valentines to admire them. I had to include the photo below to show Loz what an excellent paint job the previous dwellers did too. (Hint, the brown wood is not meant to have mushroom paint on it.)


I also love this photo of one of my valentines obviously flying away. (It's an Amanda original. It even looks good from behind!) Thanks Amanda! You made my day!

Drawing

Our days are full of drawing and reading at the moment. The boys are busy drawing and reading and Miss 24 and I are busy knitting and stitching. They are pleasant days! Hopefully tomorrow will be more of the same.

It's March

It is March already and today was even quite autumnal here in Melbourne. I am finding the weather here and my expectations of the weather very interesting. So far a Melbourne summer seems to be not as hot as an Adelaide summer. Of course, I don't really know if this Melbourne summer we have just experienced is typical or not. People say not, and then today I read that this summer has been Melbourne's wettest summer on record. Anyway, today was grey and rainy and cool. Pretty much my favourite kind of day, so typical or not I am quite liking Melbourne weather.

I have a few projects on the go. I signed up for a doll quilt swap and I am working secretly on that at the moment. I am making the quilt all by hand and I'm quite enjoying it. I am pleased with how it is turning out. I have been stitching as well and creating some fabric to make a bag. This seems to be taking me an incredibly long time. It is a bag that may never be made! Miss 20 has made herself a bag this week, ready for the new year at uni. She posted photos of it on our family blog (private) and it is gorgeous. She had her first day of honours today. (Did I mention that she graduated last year and is studying honours this year? She is so happy and excited!) Miss 18 is also back at uni too. She is in her second year now. Time just seems to be flying. Miss 18 has also been sewing. She has been creating notebook covers for the new uni year. They are just gorgeous and I am so pleased that my girls are not only busy sewing, but also designing their own creations. Miss 24 has been busy knitting as well. (She is such a great knitter!)

So, what am I expecting from March? A visit from Mrs 26 and her family (yes, that includes grandson and granddaughter) and hopefully some crafty finishes. Not too much. So I might just get it done as March speeds by me!