Springtime

Actually, it feels more like summer lately. These little chicks definitely suggest spring though...

I'm really hoping they're hen-chicks, not like last years rooster.

EB DQS

It's opening day for the third annual EB Doll Quilt Swap. I know my recipient has her quilt, so thought I'd publish, and show off what I made.


My first plan was to make a ploughed field by strip piecing the red fabrics, thicker for up close, and thinner strips for further away to give a sense of perspective. I then freehand cut curves in both to represent slight hills, and pieced with my new curved piecing foot (which worked just like it did in the demonstrations.)

The ploughing effect didn't really work (I think the quilt would have had to be bigger to show this properly.)

Next I attached the sky and started appliqueing. The black lines are meant to represent a barbed wire fence, with the silhouette of a blue wren perched upon it.

I hand quilted the entire quilt quite heavily, with variegated perle 8 threads, and loved the effect their shimmer gave.


I was very happy with this little quilt, and hope Mands likes it too.

Tropical break

and it was lovely.

We visited Seaworld;


Currumbin;

the Big Pineapple, where we rode in the nutmobile

and Australia Zoo.

As well as strawberry picking,

playing on the beach,

swimming,

and generally not relaxing. But my we had some fun!

Blogtober 31

Finally!

I can admit that this daily posting has been quite a challenge, and a good discipline.

It would have been more worthwhile if I didn't go away for a week during October too... so since the 25th, I've been relying on scheduled posts.

We're soaking up the sun (fingers crossed) and sand in Queensland, and will be back shortly.

Blogtober 30

Last year at this time, I was enjoying happy things.




This year, my happy things are;
1. a doll's quilt almost completed, just like it was making me happy last year.
2. my knitting. It really does calm me when I make the time to sit and stitch.
3. my adjusted diet. I'm finally getting used to be intolerant to lactose, and making an effort to only eat appropriate food. My body really does feel different.
4. warm weather. No doubt I'll soon be complaining about the heat, but right now, it's nice.
5. preschool. I adore having time to myself three times a week.

Blogtober 29

Blogtober's getting difficult now... so I think it's time for a meme.

You Are a Black Panther

You see through people. You understand others' motives and plans. You have a knack for predicting the future. You just know what people are going to do. People are attracted to you. You are naturally able to influence other people's thoughts. You have the charisma to be a beloved guru or dictator. It's all about how you handle it.

What Big Cat Are You?

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

Of course I'm a black panther - how couldn't I have realised!

Blogtober 28

More of my Hancocks goodies - but this time I can use them straight away. Well, I could if it wasn't for the list of handmade articles I'm working on right now...

Blogtober 27

On my quilting retreat, I ended up with a sore shoulder from doing so much hand quilting. To give it a break, I also worked on a new knitting project, which I thought would take some peaceful thinking time to begin.

As it turned out, the instructions which didn't make sense when I read them, made perfect, logical sense when I knitted them.



Now, the toes are done, and I'm knitting around and around for the length of the foot.

I've been wanting to start knitting another pair of socks - they're just such a portable empty-brain project!

Blogtober 26

Jackaroo bikkies are are our most recent favourite treat. After reading (and testing out) Bakerella's Cowgirl Cookies, I changed our long time favourite choc chip recipe to come up with these delicious mouthfuls.



Cream 125g butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
Add 1 egg and mix in.
Stir in 1 1/4 cups self raising flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats and 1/2 cup mini m&ms.

Dollop teaspoons of mixture onto a baking tray and cook at 175 degrees C for 10-12 minutes.

I know recipes are not a regular feature of this blog, but the blogtober pressure is getting to me!

Blogtober 25

Apples were cheap, so I bought up, and up, and up. The slow cooker is full of apples, half a bottle of ginger ale and a cinnamon stick. Mmmmm...