Celebrating 13 years!

Hi guys,

I have had the most wonderful weekend! I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen with me still on antibiotics and my littlest fella getting tonsillitis. But we rolled with it and left the boys with my parents for 2 nights while hubs and I hit the Sunshine Coast for our anniversary.

There are two things that I love to do when I go to the Sunny Coast….

If I am going anywhere near Forest Glen I have to stop in and see Penny at The Patchwork Angel. I love this store! They stock Tula Pink – need I say more!

The other must do is the Eumundi Markets. Which I didn’t take any photos of but it was lovely to wonder around without kids dragging me here and there. I got some fantastic smelling Lavender massage oil to try on the boys at bedtime to see if it helps them sleep. And we discovered an aussie artist, Michelle Pike, her work is really fun and so Australian! We only bought a puzzle this time but I am thinking about buying her calendar for next year…if only we could afford one of her canvases!

The unit we stayed in was across the road from the beach and had fabulous views.

We could walk to restaurants for dinner, which was so great!

The first night we had Indian food at Hathi Restaurant which was right next door. We both chose Chicken Tikka Masala except different heat strengths, I think next time we will get different curries so we can mix and match a bit more.

The second night we had pizza at Capone’s Pizza and Pasta, it was delish!

When we got home yesterday I couldn’t resist playing matchmaker with some of my new fabric -

This is what I am thinking for my Midnight at the Oasis quilt which I hope to start soon!

And since today was our actual anniversary we took the boys out for dinner to a local restaurant The Roadhouse Grill which was great too. Fantastic atmosphere and the food was beautiful!  

So now 13 years has passed since we said our vows…I wonder what the next 13 will hold? I hope for good things!

Bye for now, Jess

This, that and a handbag!

Hi guys,

I have had an exciting week that has ended with me not being able to talk :( Shall I start at the beginning?

We have had a bit a of a cold go through our house and I thought I was over it, apart from a cough which always stays with me for a long time. So, on Friday Mum and I took a trip to Ikea. It was awesome! I have been once before but it was mums first time. Got some chairs and bits and pieces but I don’t have any photos to share yet.

Then we headed to DFO for a late lunch and a look around. The foodcourt has an open roof and we got frozen while we ate. Not the best for my chest!

Time for a picture?

The next day was Saturday. We had planned to go to the Mad Quilters Gathering and I had the opportunity to meet a couple of the Ausmod bee girls soooo I pushed myself and went. Maybe it was a bad decision but I was feeling okay apart from the voice packing it in and I really had a great time.

I couldn’t resist the loot that is in the above picture. The fat quarter pack is Cruiser Blvd from Riley Blake, such great boy fabric! Lucky I’m not on a fabric diet LOL

And I did get to met Catherine and Kirsten. It is fantastic when you get to met people that you know through blogging and bees! I was so happy to be able to meet both of you!

The other high-light was getting to play on a HQ Avanti 18” quilting machine. It was a dream to use, my stippling was so fine and I could even do flowers and leaves! I found out that you can hire the machine in the shop for a day and quilt your own quilt….I am really thinking about doing that!

Anyway, on the way home mum said that my voice was getting worse and by the next day I couldn’t talk at all. So I have been to the GP and he gave me antibiotics for a chest infection and I am feeling a bit better but still not able to talk much. But I did feel like doing a little bit of sewing today….

I made another one of the Tulip Bags. This time I used Simple Life and Red Riding Hood, they work together perfectly!

I love the button! I can never quite tell if the design is going to be centred or not, but I think this worked out beautifully!

And a cute little pocket on the inside! It is a gift for little girl so she should like it, hopefully.

Well, I have been a bit chatty today, thank you to anyone who has kept reading!

What a week!

Hi everyone!

I have done a few things in the last week but it has been pretty slow, we have been and still are a bit sick.

TP picked up tonsillitis from somewhere nearly 2 weeks ago and bought it home to share with myself and hubby…the youngest had a skin infection on his shin that is now looking really good and is pretty well cleared up. TP has still got some fluid behind his ear drum that we are waiting to dry up and I am trying to clear a sinus infection…the lesson here is that kids and bugs love each other!

Anyway, before I got sick I met up with Jane for coffee! It was great catching up….BTW if there is anyone reading who lives on the North side of Brisbane - Jane is starting up a Modern Quilt Guild for us, so exciting! Let me know if you want some details and I will give Jane your email!

Lookee what I got! Jane had some early release precuts of Sweetwaters’ new range Sew Mama Said….how could I resist! I LOVE Sweetwater!

And 2 charm packs of 30’s Playtime…so pretty and vintagey! I have plans for these – I just need more time!

I managed to get some blocks made for the second round of the Japanese X and + block swap.

I kinda cheated and made 2 sets of 6 nearly identical blocks…I am trying to conserve time and I figure there should be enough peeps in the swap for no one to end up with two of my blocks.

And I have been working on my items for the QCA Handmade Swap…here is a sneak peek!

Inside!

Outside!

I am worried that it is not enough….is that weird? I just don’t know…

Incoming Goodness!

Hi everyone,

This week has seen some new lovelies come into my sewing space….

My X & + blocks from the swap….I love them!

I saw this book over on Jess’ blog and just had to get a copy…I know, no self control but there are plans afoot for this book!

And lastly something that didn’t come in the mail but came home with me from Grafton.

The bottom fabric is flannel which I plan to make pyjama bottoms with for the boys, fire trucks for TP and some irresistible Kate Spain for me! I love those dragonflies!

Holiday fun ….

Hi all,

Last Friday we packed up the caravan and headed south to Wooli, NSW. What a beautiful location…only we have been chased home 2 days early by the tiniest little bugs – sandflies. BW seems to attract these types of bugs and has a bad reaction to them. Imagine a frustrated 3 year old who is itchy all over, scratching all night, not getting enough sleep….not fun!

Anyway, here are the highlights.

Riding scooters at the caravan park.

Pancakes anyone?

The beautiful beach at the river mouth!

I love this photo! Taken at the river mouth.

Those of you with a well trained eye will recognise what is in the background….yes we found a patchwork shop! Grafton Textiles! Nothing like a little retail therapy while on holidays especially when the kids sleep through it!

Canoeing on the river, it took the boys a while to get used to the canoe. BW had to be let off after about 30 seconds (screaming in terror), and TP lasted about 10 minutes (scared after daddy tripped and nearly tipped us out) but we managed to get them both in and enjoying it in the end!

Mini golf!

Jumping pillows and making new friends!

The view from our caravan site! We could sit and watch the water….it was really beautiful…damn the little bitey bugs for ruining it.

And one last photo that I love -

Playtime!

Hi all,

I have been wanting to share a few things with you. What I have been working on and playing with!

I have been making some new blocks for a sampler I am working on -

This block is called “Seeing Double” from the book Modern Blocks.

This block is called “Quatrefoil” From the Modern Blocks book too.

And another block from the Modern Blocks book - “Megan’s Star”. I love this book and have a few more blocks I want to make from it yet!

  
What sampler would be complete without a Dresden of some kind?!

Almost 99% of the tutes I found for this one used a special ruler, which I didn’t have. I managed to find one with templates and wouldn’t you know it – I just can’t find the website! I have been searching for the last 10 minutes…oh well. If I remember I will let you know.

I have 4 more blocks to do and then I can think about sashing!

I went to Sneak Peek at my local PWS last week and signed up to do this BOM designed by Marti Michell. I would love to use some of my Joel Dewberry stash but I am still playing with ideas! I have a month to figure it out before class starts!

I also did a little stash building! I had a voucher for a free metre of fabric if I purchased a metre so who can blame me?! My free metre is the houndstooth, isn’t it great? Unfortunately they only had 1 colour of the Henna Garden, I think to match the other Sandi Henderson fabric which is next to it. I would have loved to get it in some other colours too.

Today I picked up some light reading from the Library -

I say light in jest – check this out…

The Elm Creek book has to be over 2 inches thick! It does contain 3 of the novels though. I have just started this series and I am so loving it! I can’t wait to sit down with a cuppa and the You Sew Girl book either!

If you are still here you can tell I have been saving a few things up! Thank you for sticking with me!

Now over the next week while things are a bit quieter in blogland I am going to be working on something very special….wait and see!

Ups and Downs!

Hi all,

Well this week has had its ups and downs for sure!

Here is the down -

This little stuntman broke his arm on Saturday.  He fell off a stool in the kitchen, looking at this photo I wonder what he was doing on the stool….

It took awhile to sort out because the first hospital said it was dislocated and put it back in – all by feel, no x-ray. The doctor did x-ray his shoulder to check the collar bone which is fine.
So next we took him to our GP when he still wasn’t using his arm and got an x-ray of his elbow – GP said the x-ray looked okay but when the results came back from the Imaging people they said maybe a fracture. 
Then we had to take him to a different hospital that has a Orthopaedic department. They put it in a half cast and made an appointment to see the specialist 2 days later. When we saw the specialist yesterday they cut the cast off and had a look at the x-rays and said yes it is fractured. 
They said he could just have a sling on 24/7 for 3 weeks and I said that is not going to happen, the sling won’t last 1/2 hour. So they put a cast on for 10 more days and then he has another x-ray to decide what happens next.

That’s the short and sweet version! As you can see from the photo he hasn’t slowed down any. When I was taking the photos he says “Mummy get one of me standing on one leg”!

Here is an up that happened -

This is my fabrics for the Rainbow Charm Swap. My colours are – blue-green, red-orange, green, violet and yellow.

I can’t wait to start cutting them up!

Stash Building!

Hi all,

I don’t always blog about what I buy at the local or not-so-local patchwork shops….maybe it is buyers guilt or maybe I don’t want you to be envious!!! But tonight I feel like sharing!

First up I have the 2 fabrics I bought at The Fabric Palette. I seem to still be collecting space fabric which I am using in the wonky star quilt. And I could not go past the kids stripe at $5 a metre! That is a huge discount, like 75%! I got all 10m’s, I am thinking quilt backing, kids totes, all sorts of kids stuff!

This is what I got at the Quilters Shack….there was actually so much to look at that I found it hard focusing so ended up just getting fat 1/4s. I love text fabric so I had to get them, and the others just caught my eye.

On Sunday I went to the Craft and Quilt Fair in Brisbane. I went with my SIL Debbie and had a great time! It was pretty quite, we didn’t feel like we were fighting for space, and the quilt display was very inspirational!

I didn’t take any photos because I forgot my camera. But I was wondering are we allowed to take photos?

I went with the idea of getting a few specific things…Cottage Garden threads were on the list and I picked up 3 shades to try out. They look so good!

They were also the only thing on the list to get ticked off!

I found a fat 1/8th bundle of Spring Street, which I have loved since first seeing it. Random fat 1/4s and some Little Apples. Oh, and there is some natural twill tape with measurements on it – love it!

Plus the book, which still needs a good going over. But I love the tent on the cover!

We both bought a pattern that had been sold out, so I should be getting that in the mail very soon.

This Friday is Teacher Appreciation Day….so I have been making a little something for TP’s teachers. I’ll show them to you soon!

Holiday Adventures!

Hi all,

Yesterday we got home from a week at the beach at Elliott Heads. There were a few drama’s, but we are still new to caravanning so I guess that is to be expected…..forgotten ropes, leaky windows…. but there were good times too.

Playing around some rock pools.

On the beach at Burrum Coast National Park near Woodgate. We discovered a great little camp ground that you need a 4wd to get into.

The Boardwalk in the same national park. Great for the kids and their scooters.

I also checked out the 2 quilt shops in Bundaberg…

The Fabric Palette…A great store with a fantastic fabric range, they even have dress fabrics. I forgot to take a picture inside, it is a beautiful shop with exposed rafters and big open space.

The Quilters Shack…The store front is very, very deceiving. Let me show you!

This is the front of the shop, the door is just to the right. Some gorgeous Debbie Mumm things available here!

The back of the shop!

I have to admit this shop blew my mind….So big and spacious, absolutely (almost) anything your quilting heart could desire! They have all their bases covered - kids, batiks, repro, 1930’s, japanese, blah, blah, blah.

I actually got a bit overwhelmed and ended up just getting a few fat quarters. But it is definitely on my visit list again for next time, I will be more prepared!

In my next post I will share my purchases with you, I haven’t taken photos yet!

I also got some sewing done!

I started some rainbow hexie flowers.

I am using 1/2” hexagons, they are sooo cute! If I say so myself LOL

I don’t really have a plan for them, but they are great for a bit of hand sewing!

 

PS. Guess were I was today? I will blog about it in a few days!