Another one bites the dust...

Yes, it is still dusty around here....they predict it will stay hazy for the next couple of days but that gives me a perfect excuse to stay indoors and........

Thanks Jenny for inviting us to take part in the Sewing Machine Mat Challenge, 'cause guess what I've been doing?????   Here's mine....

You might recognise the fabric.....a few posts ago I was spruking about the sale items I bought from here and, yes, I thought this was the perfect excuse to use this very pretty fabric!  It's 'Verandah' by Ro Gregg for Northcott (Quest for a Cure)...a really pretty green (I know it looks blue in the photo but I guarantee it's a soft, sage green!)

I added jumbo red rickrack edged with a red and green spotty ribbon to finish the pockets.  You might see it better in this photo -

And you were right Jenny....I followed your tutorial and it DID only take an hour to make...very impressive!!!

So if I can do it, you can too - it took very little time (I love things where I can see results immediately!!) and was really easy; I didn't have to buy anything special (I had already bought that fabric, so that doesn't count!!) and I have something that I can use for ever and ever!!!!.....Now off to it all of you....Jenny's Challenge finishes tomorrow....come on.....you can do it!!!!!!

;o)

Another one bites the dust...

Yes, it is still dusty around here....they predict it will stay hazy for the next couple of days but that gives me a perfect excuse to stay indoors and........

Thanks Jenny for inviting us to take part in the Sewing Machine Mat Challenge, 'cause guess what I've been doing?????   Here's mine....

You might recognise the fabric.....a few posts ago I was spruking about the sale items I bought from here and, yes, I thought this was the perfect excuse to use this very pretty fabric!  It's 'Verandah' by Ro Gregg for Northcott (Quest for a Cure)...a really pretty green (I know it looks blue in the photo but I guarantee it's a soft, sage green!)

I added jumbo red rickrack edged with a red and green spotty ribbon to finish the pockets.  You might see it better in this photo -

And you were right Jenny....I followed your tutorial and it DID only take an hour to make...very impressive!!!

So if I can do it, you can too - it took very little time (I love things where I can see results immediately!!) and was really easy; I didn't have to buy anything special (I had already bought that fabric, so that doesn't count!!) and I have something that I can use for ever and ever!!!!.....Now off to it all of you....Jenny's Challenge finishes tomorrow....come on.....you can do it!!!!!!

;o)

M.I.A.

Thank you to everyone who has posted lovely comments on my blog...I really appreciate every one and try to respond to all of them but.....as a learner blogger (and I think I'll be using this excuse for a while yet!!) I haven't exactly found the best way to respond to them....so generally.....THANK YOU!!

I have been asked about the photo on my header......being the extraordinary photographer that I am.....
*hu hummmm* !!!... I can actually claim credit for this one, believe it or not!!  We live opposite a cane paddock and this was their burn last year....I took numerous photos and this one stood out the best to me ... shows just what our district's about!  And yes, it does get a bit hot when the fire is roaring, but it's only for about 10-15 minutes once a year and I sometimes wonder whether I'm a closet pyromaniac 'cause I love 'em!!!

Just like everyone else, I've taken some photos showing the dust from our place in North Queensland.  My photos don't do it justice.

The first one shows an afternoon shot on Friday, about 5pm and the other, a morning shot on Saturday....shows the cane paddock from our driveway better than the dust!!!! (The cane hasn't been burned yet!)

We went for a drive today down to Bowen to have lunch with friends and just generally 'have a bit of a life' outside of work, work, work!  Yes, I am on hol's but my poor hubby is working 12-14 hour days, six days a week and only has Sunday off.....a good marriage saver...no time to argue!!!!  (hehehe)....but  I have been missing him a bit.

I took my trusty digital with us so I could share our rare experience with you and I was horrified by the dryness of the countryside!  (and the dust here too!)

When we got there, we took a drive to Mt Dangar to the strawberry farm.....yummmmmm...we got to pick our own and the car smelt like strawberries, and the strawberries actually tasted like strawberries...how rare is that????  (Guess what I had for dinner tonight??)

We had lunch up at the cafe at Flagstaff Hill...the view was minimal due to the duststorms which had begun to return due to the shift of wind direction. 

And it's that time of the year when the coral is spawning and if you've never experienced it....it smells really bad!!!.....It smells like a bag of prawn (shrimp) shells that has been left in the sun for a few days.....a bit off-putting but......it was a lovely day, nonetheless!

Prior to our little venture out into the 'real' world.....I locked myself away in my sewing room and was MIA for a few days with one aim in mind.....to organise my room so that I knew what I had and could find it when I wanted it!!!  I've had the unpleasant experience of looking for my bias makers and I really, really needed them and couldn't find them anywhere...nor could I remember where I had put them... (I know I have two of them...in different sizes....I bought them....I did!!!!) 

I set to and would not leave until I had it in a user-friendly state.....and here it is - my totally organised, user-friendly sewing room that I really enjoy being in now:

My magnificent library of craft mags took me ages to organise ( I can't bear to throw any away....they're priceless!!) and I had bought the drawers to organise all my fat quarters......it was like the loaves and fishes.......every time I touched them, they seemed to grow!!!!  I never thought I would finish...but now they're all colour coordinated, a colour for each drawer ( I think you can see the different colours in the second photo!).  I put my table up on bricks which made it just the right height for the drawers and a perfect height for cutting....no more sore backs!!! 

And do you know something??.....I never did find those bias makers!!!!.....must put them on my shopping list!

I did actually sneak some sewing in too....remember, Leanne's Christmas Sampler???

I've actually sewn quite a bit more than this now.....I'll have to show you more when I've finished.

I've also been reading....quite a rarity for me - I usually only extend myself to magazines (coz they're quick and I can get back to sewing!!).  My friend, Gloria (blogless at the moment but almost converted!!) lent me her entire series of The Elm Creek Quilters.  I had read the first one and was sucked in.....I'm now into the second one and enjoying it immensely - it's a bit like blogging....totally addictive!!!

And I thought I'd finish with this poster that I found in the dark depths of my craft cupboard and had to laminate and attach to the cupboard door.....in case we ever forget!!!!! (highly unlikely)

I hope you had a lovely weekend too!

;o) Wendy B

M.I.A.

Thank you to everyone who has posted lovely comments on my blog...I really appreciate every one and try to respond to all of them but.....as a learner blogger (and I think I'll be using this excuse for a while yet!!) I haven't exactly found the best way to respond to them....so generally.....THANK YOU!!

I have been asked about the photo on my header......being the extraordinary photographer that I am.....
*hu hummmm* !!!... I can actually claim credit for this one, believe it or not!!  We live opposite a cane paddock and this was their burn last year....I took numerous photos and this one stood out the best to me ... shows just what our district's about!  And yes, it does get a bit hot when the fire is roaring, but it's only for about 10-15 minutes once a year and I sometimes wonder whether I'm a closet pyromaniac 'cause I love 'em!!!

Just like everyone else, I've taken some photos showing the dust from our place in North Queensland.  My photos don't do it justice.

The first one shows an afternoon shot on Friday, about 5pm and the other, a morning shot on Saturday....shows the cane paddock from our driveway better than the dust!!!! (The cane hasn't been burned yet!)

We went for a drive today down to Bowen to have lunch with friends and just generally 'have a bit of a life' outside of work, work, work!  Yes, I am on hol's but my poor hubby is working 12-14 hour days, six days a week and only has Sunday off.....a good marriage saver...no time to argue!!!!  (hehehe)....but  I have been missing him a bit.

I took my trusty digital with us so I could share our rare experience with you and I was horrified by the dryness of the countryside!  (and the dust here too!)

When we got there, we took a drive to Mt Dangar to the strawberry farm.....yummmmmm...we got to pick our own and the car smelt like strawberries, and the strawberries actually tasted like strawberries...how rare is that????  (Guess what I had for dinner tonight??)

We had lunch up at the cafe at Flagstaff Hill...the view was minimal due to the duststorms which had begun to return due to the shift of wind direction. 

And it's that time of the year when the coral is spawning and if you've never experienced it....it smells really bad!!!.....It smells like a bag of prawn (shrimp) shells that has been left in the sun for a few days.....a bit off-putting but......it was a lovely day, nonetheless!

Prior to our little venture out into the 'real' world.....I locked myself away in my sewing room and was MIA for a few days with one aim in mind.....to organise my room so that I knew what I had and could find it when I wanted it!!!  I've had the unpleasant experience of looking for my bias makers and I really, really needed them and couldn't find them anywhere...nor could I remember where I had put them... (I know I have two of them...in different sizes....I bought them....I did!!!!) 

I set to and would not leave until I had it in a user-friendly state.....and here it is - my totally organised, user-friendly sewing room that I really enjoy being in now:

My magnificent library of craft mags took me ages to organise ( I can't bear to throw any away....they're priceless!!) and I had bought the drawers to organise all my fat quarters......it was like the loaves and fishes.......every time I touched them, they seemed to grow!!!!  I never thought I would finish...but now they're all colour coordinated, a colour for each drawer ( I think you can see the different colours in the second photo!).  I put my table up on bricks which made it just the right height for the drawers and a perfect height for cutting....no more sore backs!!! 

And do you know something??.....I never did find those bias makers!!!!.....must put them on my shopping list!

I did actually sneak some sewing in too....remember, Leanne's Christmas Sampler???

I've actually sewn quite a bit more than this now.....I'll have to show you more when I've finished.

I've also been reading....quite a rarity for me - I usually only extend myself to magazines (coz they're quick and I can get back to sewing!!).  My friend, Gloria (blogless at the moment but almost converted!!) lent me her entire series of The Elm Creek Quilters.  I had read the first one and was sucked in.....I'm now into the second one and enjoying it immensely - it's a bit like blogging....totally addictive!!!

And I thought I'd finish with this poster that I found in the dark depths of my craft cupboard and had to laminate and attach to the cupboard door.....in case we ever forget!!!!! (highly unlikely)

I hope you had a lovely weekend too!

;o) Wendy B

Big Plans

Don'cha just love a sale????   Since beginning blogging I've visited many of the stores everyone talks about and I found this one....and they're having a sale.....OMG - heaven on a stick!!!!  Look at what goodies arrived from them the other day -

....and I didn't pay anything over $11 a metre.....and they sent me a freebie!!!!

might use some of the yummy fabrics I got making this...I think it would look delish....what do you think??

But I do have plans for some of it.....apart from building my stash at half the price, I've got a round robin challenge with our local quilter's guild that I needed fabric for to finish (will have to show you that later....can't now...it's still a secret!!) and I've finished the top of a diamond log cabin  hexagonal tablecloth (for want of a better word) that I want to use the dark blue fabric for (I don't know if you can see it too clearly - it's the second last one on the pile).  I'll have to post a picture of it when I'm done.

I can't help but put my fabric in lovely piles and look at it, and then go back and stroke it, and look at it some more....I really want to use it, but I don't want to cut into it.....it's soooo yum!

Sounds like I'm doing an ad doesn't it....but wait...there's more!!!!   I want to start this Leanne's House stitchery for Christmas that I got as well:

This will be tonight's starting project in front of the TV.....now Project Runway's finished, I don't know what I'm going to do on a Wednesday night!

Thought I'd give you some sneaky peaks of my Stitchers Angels projects.....don't want to give you too much detail, cause it's supposed to be a surprise, but I'm so chuffed about how they've turned out, I just gotta share!!!  (close your eyes Jenny!!)

Photos are a bit blurry...my camera doesn't do macros very well, but it is an automatic so......I think I'll have to start my Christmas wish list - number 1:  new camera!!

Before I forget, the Green Fairy is having a giveaway. The  picture below is what she's giving away, plus the pattern "Layers of Love".   The giveaway includes a Moda honeybun and the fabric squares that she has already cut and the hourglass blocks all put together. You will have all you need to make the quilt, except for some background fabric and a binding.  Don't forget to visit her and have a looky-see!

Now I'm off to finish sorting and tidying my sewing room....now school holidays are well and truly in motion, I'm needing the space to do all I have in mind before the hol's end!!  But that will be another story......!!
;o) Wendy B

Big Plans

Don'cha just love a sale????   Since beginning blogging I've visited many of the stores everyone talks about and I found this one....and they're having a sale.....OMG - heaven on a stick!!!!  Look at what goodies arrived from them the other day -

....and I didn't pay anything over $11 a metre.....and they sent me a freebie!!!!

might use some of the yummy fabrics I got making this...I think it would look delish....what do you think??

But I do have plans for some of it.....apart from building my stash at half the price, I've got a round robin challenge with our local quilter's guild that I needed fabric for to finish (will have to show you that later....can't now...it's still a secret!!) and I've finished the top of a diamond log cabin  hexagonal tablecloth (for want of a better word) that I want to use the dark blue fabric for (I don't know if you can see it too clearly - it's the second last one on the pile).  I'll have to post a picture of it when I'm done.

I can't help but put my fabric in lovely piles and look at it, and then go back and stroke it, and look at it some more....I really want to use it, but I don't want to cut into it.....it's soooo yum!

Sounds like I'm doing an ad doesn't it....but wait...there's more!!!!   I want to start this Leanne's House stitchery for Christmas that I got as well:

This will be tonight's starting project in front of the TV.....now Project Runway's finished, I don't know what I'm going to do on a Wednesday night!

Thought I'd give you some sneaky peaks of my Stitchers Angels projects.....don't want to give you too much detail, cause it's supposed to be a surprise, but I'm so chuffed about how they've turned out, I just gotta share!!!  (close your eyes Jenny!!)

Photos are a bit blurry...my camera doesn't do macros very well, but it is an automatic so......I think I'll have to start my Christmas wish list - number 1:  new camera!!

Before I forget, the Green Fairy is having a giveaway. The  picture below is what she's giving away, plus the pattern "Layers of Love".   The giveaway includes a Moda honeybun and the fabric squares that she has already cut and the hourglass blocks all put together. You will have all you need to make the quilt, except for some background fabric and a binding.  Don't forget to visit her and have a looky-see!

Now I'm off to finish sorting and tidying my sewing room....now school holidays are well and truly in motion, I'm needing the space to do all I have in mind before the hol's end!!  But that will be another story......!!
;o) Wendy B

A Crafty birthday giveaway...(not mine)!!

Have just been over to visit Cora at  A Crafty Moment.  She's got such a good giveaway for her birthday... drawn end of the month (as that's her special day!!)  There's a lovely Kaffe Fasset charm pack and some really nice rose fabric......mmmmmm....wouldn't that be great to win for the Angel Swap????

Thought I'd add this 'cause it's sorta MY blog birthday too....seing my inaugural post was yesterday.....felt like my blog's BIRTH-day!

I'm getting right into this 'blogging' thing...so I thought I'd show you my latest project I've made for Jenny and Vicki's Hug Swap

         

I love the idea of sending hugs all around the world, and it's something I thought I could manage for my first 'real' blogswap!  Kellie, I hope your hug arrives safely all the way over to Canada and you enjoy it, like I enjoyed making it for you! (Colour's a bit wishy washy...doesn't look that good but maybe I just need a new camera.............hehehe.....or maybe just brush up on my photography!)

All these new skills I'm learning.....I'm off to do some work before the cobwebs start forming about me!

;o) Wendy B

A Crafty birthday giveaway...(not mine)!!

Have just been over to visit Cora at  A Crafty Moment.  She's got such a good giveaway for her birthday... drawn end of the month (as that's her special day!!)  There's a lovely Kaffe Fasset charm pack and some really nice rose fabric......mmmmmm....wouldn't that be great to win for the Angel Swap????

Thought I'd add this 'cause it's sorta MY blog birthday too....seing my inaugural post was yesterday.....felt like my blog's BIRTH-day!

I'm getting right into this 'blogging' thing...so I thought I'd show you my latest project I've made for Jenny and Vicki's Hug Swap

         

I love the idea of sending hugs all around the world, and it's something I thought I could manage for my first 'real' blogswap!  Kellie, I hope your hug arrives safely all the way over to Canada and you enjoy it, like I enjoyed making it for you! (Colour's a bit wishy washy...doesn't look that good but maybe I just need a new camera.............hehehe.....or maybe just brush up on my photography!)

All these new skills I'm learning.....I'm off to do some work before the cobwebs start forming about me!

;o) Wendy B

Hi and Welcome from the Newbie!

Hi to you all......

well, I've been contemplating dipping my toes in the blog-creating world for a little while now but have been a little reluctant....until today!!!! A funny story that.......

I was just playing around with my dashboard, thinking of suitable names to reflect me and trying them out to see whether they were available or not. Lo and behold, my first two options were a-ok so, thinking I'd just step out up to my knees.....I thought I'd just push that next button and .... whoa!!!!...there I was.....a published blogger!!!!

So Hi everyone for my inaugural post!!

I'm a working mother of one who spends far too much time on the laptop when she should be crafting more. I love quilting and patchwork, stitching and creating and I love chatting to like-minded people. I am a member of our local quilting guild and would love to live to 200 to complete my looooong list of "going-to-do's"!

Welcome to my very bland beginner's blog, and I hope you will come along on my blogging journey, being inspired and learning more about quilting, stitching, sharing and life in general in our little part of the world.

Until next post!

Wendy B

Hi and Welcome from the Newbie!

Hi to you all......

well, I've been contemplating dipping my toes in the blog-creating world for a little while now but have been a little reluctant....until today!!!! A funny story that.......

I was just playing around with my dashboard, thinking of suitable names to reflect me and trying them out to see whether they were available or not. Lo and behold, my first two options were a-ok so, thinking I'd just step out up to my knees.....I thought I'd just push that next button and .... whoa!!!!...there I was.....a published blogger!!!!

So Hi everyone for my inaugural post!!

I'm a working mother of one who spends far too much time on the laptop when she should be crafting more. I love quilting and patchwork, stitching and creating and I love chatting to like-minded people. I am a member of our local quilting guild and would love to live to 200 to complete my looooong list of "going-to-do's"!

Welcome to my very bland beginner's blog, and I hope you will come along on my blogging journey, being inspired and learning more about quilting, stitching, sharing and life in general in our little part of the world.

Until next post!

Wendy B