Advent Swap Parcel Opened

Merry Christmas Morning to you all.
It is very quiet here at the moment, the only noise is the birds, which is lovely. There are very few children who live close by so the older ones are obviously still in bed.
I couldn't wait to open my Advent Swap parcel and here is what I got-

A lovely little hand quilted mat,a cellphone bag, some fabric and a chocolate angel-how long will she last???

Thank you Sigrid and thank you to Jo and Fiona for orgaising this swap. It has been alot of fun.

This is what is sitting outside my door at the moment

 

Rainbow lorikeets. Very pretty little parrots.

Have a great day everyone.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I want to wish you all a safe and Happy Christmas. This, my first year of blogging , has been a wonderful experience of meeting so many amazing people that I look for to continued friendships and learning new skills along the way. Whatever you are doing over the festive season I hope you enjoy the spirit of the season.
I am working all over the Christmas season so the celebrations at home will be quiet. At least I work in the Maternity unit so it is a happy place to be as families celebrate the birth of a new little one.

Two days ago I decided that my brother in law did not have a decent Christmas stocking so I would make him one and this morning I actually finished it so am very pleased. It is a pattern from a Handmade magazine a couple of years ago and I have made a few now adding a machine embroidered name on them. This is thefirsttime I have worked it out first time with no unpicking so am rapt. Hope he likes it.

The next one I make will be for myself-my sister and I were just laughing as my stocking this year is a Christmas paper gift bag. A couple of years ago my nephew bought a very cheap ($1 or thereabouts) stocking from a bargain shop and hand embroidered my name on it. Bit of a joke really but it is a treasure and I love it -where is it at the moment??I don't know and haven't got time to look unfortunately.

When we wake up tomorrow the man in the red suit will have been and left us goodies to open-that is if you have been good this year of course!! It also means we get to open the hand made gift of our Advent Swap-who has cheated already? This swap has been alot of fun and I hope we do it all again next year.
Here are some more of my lovely gifts I received from Sigrid.

Micki's Giveaway

                                            

 Micki over at Irish Muses is having the most amazing giveaway. If you haven't already met her she is the most wonderful person so pop over and meet her and enter.

What a Week

 For my new part time job I have decided to get the bus as it is easy from my place and gives me a twenty minute walk along the river to the hospital at the other end so ticks the exercise box as well as helping reduce carbon emission. All well and good if the buses turn up!! On Thursday we finished a bit early and thought it was strange the wait for the bus was longer than usual and then the announcement came the buses for our area were on strike - no warning. So not being a frequent user how to get home? Eventually worked out where to get a bus to the next suburb and walked an hour home from there and in the end it was pleasant as I met a Vietnamese lady who I walked with and had a great chat so time passed quickly. As we were close to home we saw the buses go past again even though they said they would not be back on again that day.
I did brave them the next day and there were no problems so will continue to do so.
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It's 26 degrees Celsius and 76% humidity at 7 o'clock in the morning and they said it was going to be cooler today-I don't think so. It only goes down to about 24 overnight so very hard to sleep unless you have the air conditioning on all night which I don't like to do. At least I am on Night Duty tonight so will be cooler, but will have the heat to sleep in tomorrow.
Enjoy the snow everyone that has it. I am really enjoying all the photographs of the amazing snowfalls on blogs I visit- it really looks incredible so keep safe everyone who is out in it.
Another week of opening Advent presents has passed-it will be sad when it's over and there are no little parcels to rush and open in the morning. Here is what unfolded over the last few days-

There is a gorgeous cat panel that will look great as a cushion,a lapel pin of the German quilting guild, more marzipan (yum), some beautiful variegated embroidery floss, and the cutest owl keyring that is handmade. This is so much fun.

A few weeks ago I left a comment on Renes blog and won a prize which was a total surprise as I didn't know she was having a giveaway. Well after a sad day at work on Friday I was so happy to see a parcel on my doorstep and this is what was inside-

Some adorable Moda Aunt Purdy's Parlor squares,some I Spy fabrics as Rene had seen I like to make I Spy quilts and some gorgeous cards with renes photography on them. I am just blown away by her generosity. Thank you so much Rene you are a darling.

As well some sewing I have been  painting my lounge-who would do that at the beginning of Summer in Queensland?? I had the fan blasting on me while I was painting and did manage to get alot done and am happy with the result thus far.

I have managed to sew two more blocks for my pink quilt so am slowing getting ther with this one-

                                                                               

Off to do more painting and sewing. Hope you are not going too crazy with Christmas preparations.

Well no sewing getting done here at the moment. I have started a new part time job-so that's two now-and I am juggling two rosters and it is more tricky than what I thought it would be. It should get easier to manage but at the moment it seems like I am at work all the time. Have to remember which hospital I am off to each day-wonder how long it will be before I go to th wrong one!!
This week the postie visited again-it's so good to get home and see a package on the doorstep. My Stitchers Angel parcel arivved - Jeanette and I decided our parcels were holidaying together somewhere as they have taken so long to arrive. My parcel arrived all the way from the Netherlands -from Sabine. Thank you so much Sabine.

There is a wonderful teacloth with the beautiful rose appliqued on, a handmade bookmark, a lovely little rose magnet and some 'Winter Thee' tea bags and the gorgeous red rose fabric bag that I wish you could all smell. It has a bag of the most wonderful smelling pot pourri in it that fills the room with a delightful scent. Sabine has done a wonderful job with these gifts so thank you so much. I'm not sure if she has a blog or not.
Then also in the parcel were these-

A delightful potholder with symbols of the Netherlands which looks great in my kitchen and a fabric panel. So I am very lucky and it was worth the wait.

 

Of course it is December and the fun has started of opening the Advent Swap little treasures. My partner is Sigrid in Germany and she has sent me some lovely things.

My little gifts are all in a numbered bag and sit in this basket the Sigrid has made.She also included a letter to be opened on the 1st Dec and it explains the Christmas traditions in Germany and the story of Saint Nikolaus-what a wonderful idea to include this.

So today is Saint Nickolaus day-the 6th Dec. Happy Saint Nikolaus day Sigrid, and all others that celebrate.

Here are my gifts so far-

First was an egg cup-isn't that cute? Then a lovely little Christmas decoration and then the most amazing thread. It doesn't show up in the photo but the thread is a Sulky and is two toned and has the most amazing shimmer to it. It is a Rayon that will be brilliant for my machine embroidery.

 

Next was this Marzipan lobster-marzipan is a big thing in Germany and I hope you don't mind Sigrid but I gave it to my brother-in-law(German) as it is his birthday. I know you will understand his delight with it, even if others don't! Yesterday was a thimble-isn't it lovely?

Then today on Saint Nikolaus I opened this delightful tin and in it was a Special Little Angel which I think is amber. It is just so gorgeous and the photo does not do it justice. Sigrid thank you it will always remind me of you .

So this swap is alot of fun and I hope everyone is enjoying opening their gifts each day.

My sister and brother in law that I visited in Vietnam have returned to Brisbane and we are off to the local farmers market this morning and then to friends for morning tea. Maybe I will get some sewing done this afternoon-probably my Joseph's Coat as the Australian Golf Open is on TV and is good viewing.

Have a lovely day everyone.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

To all my friends in the USA and to all that celebrate HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I hope you all have a great day.

Progress and A Win.

It's amazing what a day off work and a 5-6 degree drop in the weather temperature does for a productive sewing day. I have managed to sew the next two blocks for my pink quilt-the little bunny gave me trouble but I finally got him done even though he looks like he's had a few 'magic mushrooms'!!
The original pattern has the buttonhole stitch done in black and that s how I did the purple one I made but this time I have decided to blend the thread colour with the fabric and I'm liking it this way.

 

Then once these were finished I managed to join with the two bunnies and rows one and two are together-only four to go now. I think my great niece is going to enjoy this.

Last night I got an email from Christine over at Once Upon a Quilt to say I had won her giveaway. I had actually forgotten about it as it was a couple of weeks ago that she ran it.

I can tell you all I was sooo..... excited. I have won two of her patterns which she has already posted to me so I'll be watching for that postie. THANK YOU so much Christine.

I only enter giveaways on blogs that I follow and I have now won three times in the short time I have been blogging so I consider myself very lucky. You are all a great group of people.

Postie Visits

Some weeks my roster at work is such that I get little time to be in my sewing room and this past week has been one of those.Then when I have today off it is so hot that it's a bit uncomfortable to be sewing. They say it has been 28degrees but the neighbours thermometer says 36 and that is what it feels like. The poor cat is lying under two fans panting-no air conditioning in this house-YET!
I have been attempting my Sue Ross BOM which has alot of set in seams and I think I have done more unpicking than anything else!!
One thing I have achieved is another bunny block which is cute

I have been keeping the postie busy this week.

First came my box from my Advent Swapper Sigrid who lives in Germany so that was very exciting. I knew she had posted it but you never know whether things are gong to arrive or not.

 So when I saw this on my doorstep I was pretty excited. I have resisted the temptation to open the box and hopefully can wait until the 1st Dec.

I then received my parcel in the Quick Christmas swap where I was partnered with Sandi. there was no stitching involved in this swap organised by Jenny.Thank you Jenny. There was no stitching involved in this swap,you just had to send two Christmas fat quarters, a metre of ribbon and two buttons or decoration. This is what I received from Sandi-the fat quarters are just so divine.And look at those lovely Christmas baubles.It is great when you enter these swaps to be partnered with someone new and be able to make new blogging friends.

I am however still waiting for my parcel from my Stitchers Angel Swap. My partner emailed at the end of October to say she had posted it but I think it is going round and round the world.!

I also got another big box delivered that I was excited to see as I did have grave doubts if I would see it again and that is the Queen size quilt that I bought when I was in Vietnam. They had said it would take at least three months to arrive so I wasn't expecting it until about Xmas time so am delighted it is here safe and sound.

If were not  reading my blog in September then that is where the entry is regarding this quilt and where you can find the story of the group of women who make them if you are interested.

Then the other exciting news this week was I won a giveaway, and was totally unaware it was happening. I enjoy visitng Rene over at her blog-she has a great blog that includes not only her quilting ventures but she also loves photgraphy so has some stunning shots there as well. If you haven't visited pop on over.

It was her 50th post and I left a comment, then the next day she said she had prevously decided to have a giveaway for all that had left a comment, but hadn't announced it. Great way for I giveaway I think. Don't know what it is yet but she will post it after Thanksgiving.

Well that was my week. Hopefully I can get some stitching done tomorrow and post my achievements.

For those of you experiencing high temperatures I hope it cools down soon, and for those of you wxperiencing the cold keep warm and I hope winter isn't too bad.

Another Week

Where are the weeks going? I have been on Night Duty again this week so the poor body clock doesn't know where it is. I haven't achieved alot in the sewing room as the Australian Golf Masters is on so I have been glued to the TV. Unfortunately I will miss the last round today as it is off to work soon Hopefully it will be quiet enough to catch a bit of the action.
I have decided on my colour scheme for Joseph's Coat -I am going to use a black background and Kiwi prints that I think will turn out ok. This is placed but not sewn as yet.

The other thing I have achieved is that I have made the top row of log cabin blocks,and one of the bunny blocks for the pink quilt shown in the previous post-looking cute.

 Then the mail man delivered Block 4 of the Sue Ross BOM. This one is called Arrowheads and has alot of set in seams so may be a bit of a challenge. The fabrics look good this month so that will be the project to complete this week.

 

Thought I would also show you what we had for dinner last night.
The easiest pizza ever.

Spread a pizza base with pesto (homemade tastes better than the jar variety), top with sweet chilli prawns (or whatever flavour you choose). Bake and then top with rocket and eat-it is divine.


Hope you are all having fun with stitching. Have a good week.

Bits and Pieces

Where did the last week go? I have been on Night Duty so it’s hard to even keep track of what day it is. I have just been to the Post Office to post my Advent Swap off to Germany-watch out for the postie Sigrid.

I must’ve been half asleep when I decided to sign up to participate in making Josephs Coat that Kellie is hosting  at Don’t Look Now. As if I haven’t got enough projects in the sewing room but this quilt looks brilliant so I couldn’t resist.

I am intending to use what is in the stash so we will see how we go. Janet over at Quiltsalott has chosen her fabrics and they look great. I had also thought a blue theme may deplete the stash a little!!

I have managed a little stitching this past week some of which I can show.

This is a doorstop I made using the pattern by Vicki over at  Among the Gum Trees . This was so easy to make and as I have an African theme in my lounge I decided to go for that look and it is sitting proudly at my front door.. These are so easy to make and I will be making more for sure.. I sprinkled aromatherapy oil onto the filling so I have a lovely scent wafting through the house.

This pink log cabin block is the start of what will be a pink version of A Patch of Blue by June Gilchrist and Therese Hylton, that was first published in 2001. It appeared again in Cover Quilts No 1 published by Australian Patchwork and Quilting last year. This is going to be for my nieces daughter. I made her older sister a purple one a few years ago and have had the pink fabrics for some time and now the call has come out-when am I getting my pink one? I love that children say it as it is.  Can I get it done by January when I take a trip back to NZ? The challenge is on!

 

Check out this giveaway that Kelly is having over at I have a Notion .A wonderful autographed book on Thread Work.

Happy Stitching everyone.

Christmas Sack

It has been a busy week but not in the sewing room. Work has been very busy and I also had a midwifery conference to attend for two days which was very inspirational and rejuvenating. I also had an interview for a new job but they have been slow to respond through the whole process so don’t expect to hear too soon.

This morning it was up early and my nephew and I were off to the local Farmers Market which is on the first Sunday of the month. It was very busy but great atmosphere-they close off a street in a shopping area and the stalls are all set up down both sides of the road. As well as doing lots of tasting we stocked up on marinated olives and  feta cheese; herbs to plant in the garden, fruit and vegetables, natural honey and I got my scissors sharpened.

I have managed to make a Christmas sack using a pattern by Natalie Ross. I altered it in that I machine embroidered my Christmas tree using a design by Julie Hall. It pays to read instructions carefully as one of the cutting measurements was nearly two inches short,but luckily I realised that before I cut the material.  I love the finished product but it is smaller than I had thought it would be so I am making a bigger one now.

Sue Ross BOM block 4 will not be far away so can’t wait to see what challenges that will bring. Have a good week everyone.

It’s Raining

The thunder is rolling, lightening lighting up the sky, and IT”S RAINING. For some of you you have had enough of the water falling out of the sky but here in Brisbane it has not really rained for 3-4 months. Our lawns are brown and the gardens truly suffering, so this may see the colour green reappear.

The Week That’s Past

Still can’t show photos of what I’m sewing as the surprise is still preventing that but those projects are nearly finished then it’s full steam ahead on one of the many projects in my head. So I will show you pictures of my week and things I don’t really need but had to have!!

I won a giveaway this week (along with 24 others but that doesn’t matter). I was so excited as it is the first I have won.I now have a pattern of Esther Aliu’s Tulip Delight tablerunner. I have always admired her work and now I am going to attempt stencilling. I have my supplies ready and waiting..

 

                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on my doorstep when I got home one night after work I found a parcel waiting for me of material I had ordered from USA. I visited Material Gal so if you want to waste a little time browsing go check out her site it is well worth it and she provides great service. These are brighter than in the picture so how could I resist?

Then for those of us in Brisbane it was the Quilt and Craft fair that ended yesterday. It was the first time I had been on the last day, but yesterday was my first day off and chance to go. there were pluses and minuses of going on the final day- the best thing was there were not as many people (stall holders said the other days were crazy). It meant that looking at the amazing quilts was easy with fewer people around. The downside was that some stalls had run out of patterns and notions but I think the less people made up for that part.

I think there were more quilts hanging this year and boy was there some amazing work. Stephanie Newman won Best of Show for Magellanic Magic. I can’t believe I didn’t take a photo but I had followed it’s progress on her blog so was familiar with it. the quilt also won Best Domestic machine quilting and Stephanie also won Best Hand Quilting with It’s a Spring Time. pop over to her blog to check out her work.

The quilt below won the category Junior-Primary School. There was a write up in the paper this week about Niamh Cadoo-Dagley with a photo of her winning quilt. She is only 6 years old!! Those trees have soo… many buttons sewn on them. This girl has got talent!

I cannot go to a quilt show without spending money. Anyone else the same or are you more disciplined. Below are two books that I bought. I was so excited to see the book called Glimpses of New Zealand by Gail Lawther. It is a new book with photos and stories of NZ as well as the most amazing art quilts depicting our culture. Can’t wait to make something from the book.

Of course there was more material and notions to add to the stash but I won’t bore you with those. All in all a great week of purchases but not much sewing.

We are supposed to be finally getting rain today and for the rest of the week but it is not looking too promising out there. But just in case they are right with the forecast I think I will go for a hit on the golf course then this afternoon can be in the sewing room.

Til next time happy sewing everyone.

Check out these Giveaways.

Check out this amazing giveaway over at Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe.. It is a very generous giveaway.

Then these most adorable Kati Cupcake patterns over at V@Co

BLOCK 3 DONE

Have finished Block 3 of the BOM and do I like the fabrics anymore now that it is finished, than I did when I opened the package-definitely not. It just does not do it for me.

I did substitute the check fabric in the centre which I am happy with but I put in a brighter pink which now it is finished was maybe not the  right choice. But at least it is done. This is the first BOM that I have joined that I have actually done so I am pleased with myself-the rest of them are piled in the cupboard or I’ve used the fabric for something else!!

What else have I been doing-can only show you a little sneak as it will spoil the surprise otherwise. How is everyone going with their Advent Swap items? I have been enjoying this.

Then in the mail I finally got Kaffe Fassett’s new book. I saw a comment on another blog that asked were we just seeing the same old patterns but with new fabrics in this book? Someone like Kaffe reproducing the same old thing?? I would be very surprised. So it was off to the bookshelf to look at the others I have and I am happy to say they are all different as we would expect.   This one will be coming with me to Night Duty tonight for perusing should we have some quiet moments.

Went to see the movie ‘Julie and Julia’ this week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Blogging and food-what could be better! Have just been out in the yard weeding-as everything is so dry here with the lack of rain it makes weeding easy although it was rather hot out there. The rubbish bin is full now so time to sew instead.

Hope you are all having a good weekend.

Block 3.

It rained yesterday for the first time in months-however in our part of Brisbane it didn’t come to much at all so still had to water the garden. The promised thunder and rain didn’t eventuate last night and now it is back to 30 degrees today.

How many have received Block 3 of Sue Ross’s BOM? I got very excited when I saw the parcel at my doorstep but have to say when I opened it the fabrics did not grab me and still don’t.

I have done my practice block and it is not a hard block to so. The photo of it has not come out well as the background is black with white dots on it and the camera didn’t like it.

I used my machine and a blind hem stitch to do the applique parts but don’t really like how it turned out. Would love some tips on the stitch to use and the settings any one else uses when they use their machine to applique. I’m not a hand worker but have did do Block 1 by hand and like the end result better.

Have finished my Stitchers Angels gifts so it is off to the post office to send them on their merry way to the USA. I hope the receiver enjoys them and takes a better photo than I did before I wrapped them!

A Bit Behind

Today I received an email to say that Block 3 of the Sue Ross BOM is on it’s way this week. Having been on holiday I’m a bit behind but am starting to get back into sewing and just finished my practice Block 2-I know if I didn’t do a practice block it would be finished now ready to start number 3 when it arrives!! However I feel more comfortable doing this rather than destroying the real block.

I really enjoyed doing this block-the tips given by those who had gone before helped a lot. I didn’t mind the bias seams at all and hope the true block turns out ok as well. Here’s a look at the one I have finished.

 

I have also been doing some projects for my swap partners but don’t want to show them in case I spoil the surprise.

More of Vietnam –Long Post Warning!

I thought I would show you some photos of my holiday in Vietnam.

I started off in Hanoi where my sister and brother in law had been living. Impressions- filthy, noisy, overcrowded and aggression++. There is the worst ‘rush hour’ that lasts ALL day! No one obeys road rules and pedestrian crossings are a waste of white paint. On the road the pecking order is 1)car (you have to be rich to own one). 2) Motorbike-there are thousands of them 3) bicycle 4) pedestrian. When you cross the road you just step out and slowly go hoping they will all swerve around you-it doesn’t take long to master the art!!    The sad thing about Hanoi is that they have failed to preserve the amazing French architecture so all the gorgeous buildings are just crumbling. The only buildings really preserved are the embassies.  

This is the ‘Preserved Old Quarter’ which is all shops on the bottom level and then they live above them. We were so lucky to go there on the National Holiday so it was lovely and quiet-usually these streets would be clogged with traffic.

We did however find the most decadent Chocolate Brownie-little jug of thick chocolate to pour over. Shared by the sisters I have to add!!

After Hanoi it was the overnight train north to Sapa which is close to the Chinese border. It is called the Switzerland of Vietnam and it does feel a bit that way. This is a view from the hotel window.

It is in Sapa where you see the minority tribes-these tribes fled China during the revolution but neither country really accepts them. They still live in villages, dress in traditional clothing and live the most meagre existence. I did a trek through the countryside that went through some of the villages. It is nothing for the women to walk 12 kms from their village into town to try and sell some of their work to tourists and at the end of the day walk back. On their feet is nothing more than a pair of slip on sandals 

 

We spent alot of time chatting with this woman,and her friends, learning a lot about their life and their handwork.

This woman sat outside stitching all day and even as it got dark –still going. It’s no wonder they need glasses. The stitches are different depending what tribe they come from and it is like their history in stitches rather than the written word. I was fascinated watching the intricate work with no markings on the fabric whatsoever.

All the work on her clothing she has also done.

This is me with my lovely 68yr old ‘friend’. She was such a character and was always laughing and so happy but the minute the camera appeared she never smiled. We took quite a few photos of her and not one has her smiling. I used to go and chat to them most afternoons and of course bought some little pieces off them.

I even tried my hand at threshing the rice for the locals but I don’t think I was any help at all but it certainly entertained them.

How would you like this for your sewing room? We were standing on the path that ran past her house so no privacy at all.

We could’ve stayed up there for alot longer but it was off to Hoi An, which sadly has just been hit by the typhoon. Luckily the rice was being harvested while we were there so hopefully they had it all in and safely stored.

Hoi An is on the coast and on old town. Time was spent either at the beach, riding bikes around the rice paddies or at the tailors! We really needed to go with an empty suitcase and have a total wardrobe made as it was so cheap.

The buildings again have not been that well preserved except in the main part of town where most of the tourists go.

Then it was off to Saigon for a couple of days-much more Westernised city than Hanoi and some amazing architecture. A nice place to finish our time in Vietnam.

                                               Inside the Post Office.

                                                  The Opera House

                    Hope you have enjoyed the little tour of Vietnam.