The Hare and the Tortoise

My oh my....I seem to be travelling at breakneck speed since I returned from the gemfields...running around chasing my tail but getting absolutely nowhere!!!  Had no time to blog and feeling so out of sorts because of it!!!
School (work) started the day after we returned from our holidays and I haven't popped my head up for breath yet!  The weather has been all out of whack with the monsoonals hitting us and our student numbers have dropped so our classes have changed which has caused a flurry of activity, what with changing resources and late minute alterations of timetables and so on and so on.....oh to be on holidays again!!!
Here is just one or two piccies to show you what we saw on our travels.....

We weren’t lucky enough to find any sapphires worth retiring on but the rest and rejuvenation was magnificent. I did manage to stop in and see Peggy and Bev and buy just a few little goodies as we stayed in Emerald!!!

Can’t wait till I have time to start the convergence quilt….and plan what to do with my other treasures I bought there!

I did happen to finish my January’s Flirting with Flowers needleturn BOM that Vicki shared with us this (last!) month. I found I really enjoyed it, although the thought of needleturn terrified me (due to previous bad experiences) but something I can improve next month is my choice of threads. I only took matching threads with me instead of complementary threads and hence, you’ll notice in the photos, the outlines are very difficult to pick up!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Just before I dash (so much school work to prepare!!!) I’ll give you a peek at my finished quilt….first for the year………ba bada duuuuuuummmmmm……



Here it is: “Pushing the Envelope” ............
 

I’m really pleased with how it turned out and it’s my first in my OPAM challenge….still on track despite all the busy-ness!!!! (I can stop for a breath now….till next month!!!! Hehehe)

Hope to catch up really soon!


Sugary hugs


Wendy :O)

The Hare and the Tortoise

My oh my....I seem to be travelling at breakneck speed since I returned from the gemfields...running around chasing my tail but getting absolutely nowhere!!!  Had no time to blog and feeling so out of sorts because of it!!!
School (work) started the day after we returned from our holidays and I haven't popped my head up for breath yet!  The weather has been all out of whack with the monsoonals hitting us and our student numbers have dropped so our classes have changed which has caused a flurry of activity, what with changing resources and late minute alterations of timetables and so on and so on.....oh to be on holidays again!!!
Here is just one or two piccies to show you what we saw on our travels.....

We weren’t lucky enough to find any sapphires worth retiring on but the rest and rejuvenation was magnificent. I did manage to stop in and see Peggy and Bev and buy just a few little goodies as we stayed in Emerald!!!

Can’t wait till I have time to start the convergence quilt….and plan what to do with my other treasures I bought there!

I did happen to finish my January’s Flirting with Flowers needleturn BOM that Vicki shared with us this (last!) month. I found I really enjoyed it, although the thought of needleturn terrified me (due to previous bad experiences) but something I can improve next month is my choice of threads. I only took matching threads with me instead of complementary threads and hence, you’ll notice in the photos, the outlines are very difficult to pick up!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Just before I dash (so much school work to prepare!!!) I’ll give you a peek at my finished quilt….first for the year………ba bada duuuuuuummmmmm……



Here it is: “Pushing the Envelope” ............
 

I’m really pleased with how it turned out and it’s my first in my OPAM challenge….still on track despite all the busy-ness!!!! (I can stop for a breath now….till next month!!!! Hehehe)

Hope to catch up really soon!


Sugary hugs


Wendy :O)

Leavin' on a Jet Plane.......

I've noticed, while flitting around Blogville, quite a few bloggers have started with Vicki's Flirting with Flowers BOM (which you can find here).  Hubby and I are going on our holidays for a week, starting today, so I've prepared mine to take with me.  Here it is:

I've never tried needleturn before well, not the proper needleturn, and the one go at it that I have done turned out so terribly, I've never attempted it again!!!  So......true to form, my goal (aka resolution!) to try new things in my craft has begun!  We are travelling to the gemfields in central Qld, around Emerald, Sapphire and Rubyvale (yes, they are real town names!!!) so will be away for the week, but I will take photos to share with you when I get back....hopefully of a really big sapphire!!!!!  Did you know that rubies are actually sapphires???  I was amazed to hear that!

I have been quite scarce this past week....I've been helping my 'just turned 15' son pack up his life's history, as he has decided to go and live with his Dad 1400km away and finish his senior years at high school there. 

The removalists picked up his gear on Thursday....I almost thought he'd changed his mind on Wednesday (and he almost did!) although I know he would have always regretted it if he had, so.......he left on the plane yesterday afternoon and yes.....there was a fair bit of sobbing!  So hubby and I are now officially 'empty nesters'.  I never knew how hard this part was going to be but this will always be home and he can come 'home' ANYTIME!!!!!!
Love you darling boy!  ....and I know someone else who is going to miss him incredibly, too...............

 Hopefully the gemfields will occupy my thoughts a little in the next week, fingers crossed!

I've also been trying to finish my mystery quilt that I did over the New Year's weekend.  It's all pinned ready for quilting, just readying the design. 

I decided to call it "Pushing the Envelope" because
1.         it looks like envelopes being pushed across the quilt and         
2.         that's my goal for 2010 (aka resolution this year) - to push my boundaries!!!
Hubby thinks I'm mad!!!!....Oh well....Maybe I am!

See you in a week's time!
sugary hugs
Wendy :O)

Leavin' on a Jet Plane.......

I've noticed, while flitting around Blogville, quite a few bloggers have started with Vicki's Flirting with Flowers BOM (which you can find here).  Hubby and I are going on our holidays for a week, starting today, so I've prepared mine to take with me.  Here it is:

I've never tried needleturn before well, not the proper needleturn, and the one go at it that I have done turned out so terribly, I've never attempted it again!!!  So......true to form, my goal (aka resolution!) to try new things in my craft has begun!  We are travelling to the gemfields in central Qld, around Emerald, Sapphire and Rubyvale (yes, they are real town names!!!) so will be away for the week, but I will take photos to share with you when I get back....hopefully of a really big sapphire!!!!!  Did you know that rubies are actually sapphires???  I was amazed to hear that!

I have been quite scarce this past week....I've been helping my 'just turned 15' son pack up his life's history, as he has decided to go and live with his Dad 1400km away and finish his senior years at high school there. 

The removalists picked up his gear on Thursday....I almost thought he'd changed his mind on Wednesday (and he almost did!) although I know he would have always regretted it if he had, so.......he left on the plane yesterday afternoon and yes.....there was a fair bit of sobbing!  So hubby and I are now officially 'empty nesters'.  I never knew how hard this part was going to be but this will always be home and he can come 'home' ANYTIME!!!!!!
Love you darling boy!  ....and I know someone else who is going to miss him incredibly, too...............

 Hopefully the gemfields will occupy my thoughts a little in the next week, fingers crossed!

I've also been trying to finish my mystery quilt that I did over the New Year's weekend.  It's all pinned ready for quilting, just readying the design. 

I decided to call it "Pushing the Envelope" because
1.         it looks like envelopes being pushed across the quilt and         
2.         that's my goal for 2010 (aka resolution this year) - to push my boundaries!!!
Hubby thinks I'm mad!!!!....Oh well....Maybe I am!

See you in a week's time!
sugary hugs
Wendy :O)

What a mystery!

One of my goals (I'm not calling it a resolution 'cause I always break those!!!) for the year is to challenge myself with my quilting...trying things that I don't normally do so, what better way to start than with a mystery quilt???
I had been following Janet Wickell's blog for a while and she prompted people to join her in a New Year's Day Mystery Quilt...well, how could I refuse?????  what a way to challenge myself!!!

I've spent all weekend cutting and sewing (using up fabric only from my stash....I'm trying to follow Fiona's 'frugal' tips as well!!), not knowing what was going to come out of it all, not thinking that the colours I chose would even work (isn't it funny how we doubt ourselves more often than not???), and following the comments on the forum (as a lurker...I figured I was way behind due to the time difference!!!) and 48 blocks later, with a little jiggling and tweaking the designs by turning each block this way and that...... ta daaaaaaah.........here are the three different designs I came up with:

Which one do you like best???  I'm having a tough time deciding.  Just when I think I'm sure of the one I'm going to use, I look at the others and change my mind....again!!!!!

Ooops, looking at them again, I've noticed I didn't tweak very well in the second design....there are a couple of 'wonky' blocks...they're not good soldiers because they're not facing the right way!!!!  Can you see them??

I can recommend Janet's website though....at About.com  She has many ideas for all levels of quilters, there are patterns and tutorials, quizzes and topics on brushing up on, or even learning different skills and PLENTY of freebies!!!  In fact, she has a free 2010 calendar you can download, with different patterns for quilts for each month...yes, they are American and are relative to the Northern hemisphere's seasons but........ If you haven't been to her site before, take a quick look...you won't be disappointed! (sounds like I'm on commission doesn't it!???)LOL

I did need a bit of a break with all that cutting and piecing so in between, I made some Honey Jumbles...they turned out just like the ones you buy in the shops!!!  Yummmmm...here they are..

I got the recipe from the August 2009 Australian Super Food Ideas Magazine.  Another 'challenge' as the recipe for Honey Jumbles is very different to your regular biscuits (cookies!), but it was still quite easy to do.  Not many left now, once the men in the household got stuck into them!!!!

Thanks again to the ladies who entered my giveaway to help me name my baby, who is now lovingly known as 'Timmy' !   I hope the neighbour's dog doesn't think I'm talking about him....his name is Timmy too!!!!....how uncanny!

I'm going to post the giveaway prizes tomorrow....I've been waiting for the post office to open after their extended long weekend...they closed on Thursday due to New Year's Eve, which I've never heard of before, and are closed until tomorrow...I guess they've been extremely busy over the lead up to Christmas and were exhausted????!!!!!, or maybe it had to do with the post office worker's strike???

I haven't had a reply from Val with her snail mail addy.  I can't contact you Val, as you are a no reply blogger, so I'll have to redraw if you don't reply by Thursday ... that gives you a week from the draw.  Barb, I'll hold off on posting yours then, because if Val doesn't reply in time, you'll get second prize and I'll redraw third...howzat???

Off to chase some zzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

sugary sweet dreams

Wendy :O)

What a mystery!

One of my goals (I'm not calling it a resolution 'cause I always break those!!!) for the year is to challenge myself with my quilting...trying things that I don't normally do so, what better way to start than with a mystery quilt???
I had been following Janet Wickell's blog for a while and she prompted people to join her in a New Year's Day Mystery Quilt...well, how could I refuse?????  what a way to challenge myself!!!

I've spent all weekend cutting and sewing (using up fabric only from my stash....I'm trying to follow Fiona's 'frugal' tips as well!!), not knowing what was going to come out of it all, not thinking that the colours I chose would even work (isn't it funny how we doubt ourselves more often than not???), and following the comments on the forum (as a lurker...I figured I was way behind due to the time difference!!!) and 48 blocks later, with a little jiggling and tweaking the designs by turning each block this way and that...... ta daaaaaaah.........here are the three different designs I came up with:

Which one do you like best???  I'm having a tough time deciding.  Just when I think I'm sure of the one I'm going to use, I look at the others and change my mind....again!!!!!

Ooops, looking at them again, I've noticed I didn't tweak very well in the second design....there are a couple of 'wonky' blocks...they're not good soldiers because they're not facing the right way!!!!  Can you see them??

I can recommend Janet's website though....at About.com  She has many ideas for all levels of quilters, there are patterns and tutorials, quizzes and topics on brushing up on, or even learning different skills and PLENTY of freebies!!!  In fact, she has a free 2010 calendar you can download, with different patterns for quilts for each month...yes, they are American and are relative to the Northern hemisphere's seasons but........ If you haven't been to her site before, take a quick look...you won't be disappointed! (sounds like I'm on commission doesn't it!???)LOL

I did need a bit of a break with all that cutting and piecing so in between, I made some Honey Jumbles...they turned out just like the ones you buy in the shops!!!  Yummmmm...here they are..

I got the recipe from the August 2009 Australian Super Food Ideas Magazine.  Another 'challenge' as the recipe for Honey Jumbles is very different to your regular biscuits (cookies!), but it was still quite easy to do.  Not many left now, once the men in the household got stuck into them!!!!

Thanks again to the ladies who entered my giveaway to help me name my baby, who is now lovingly known as 'Timmy' !   I hope the neighbour's dog doesn't think I'm talking about him....his name is Timmy too!!!!....how uncanny!

I'm going to post the giveaway prizes tomorrow....I've been waiting for the post office to open after their extended long weekend...they closed on Thursday due to New Year's Eve, which I've never heard of before, and are closed until tomorrow...I guess they've been extremely busy over the lead up to Christmas and were exhausted????!!!!!, or maybe it had to do with the post office worker's strike???

I haven't had a reply from Val with her snail mail addy.  I can't contact you Val, as you are a no reply blogger, so I'll have to redraw if you don't reply by Thursday ... that gives you a week from the draw.  Barb, I'll hold off on posting yours then, because if Val doesn't reply in time, you'll get second prize and I'll redraw third...howzat???

Off to chase some zzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

sugary sweet dreams

Wendy :O)

We have some winners!!!!

How to choose, how to choose???.....There were some fabulous names that you wonderful bloggers came up with for my little zippy wonder and I couldn't decide, so I did the random number generator thingy and the three numbers that came up, in order, were:   (drumroll.................................................................................................................)

First (tried to copy and past the random number generator to prove to you but I couldn't get it to copy.....grrrrrr!)


....#3   JOY  -   Joy said...



How very generous you are to let us have a say in your new baby's name :o)!! What fun!!!


Okay ... well, I think you should call her Timmy (as in 'T'iguan 'i'n 'M'etallic 'M'ountain Gre'y') Sorry, had to go the for "Y" in Grey cos Timmg just sounded silly LOL.


Hugs,


Joy :o)


December 21, 2009 9:47 PM

Second .....#9 VAL  - Anonymous said...



Lovely Car Wendy only one I can think of is "Grey Mist"


Happy New Year


Val


December 29, 2009 1:22 PM

and finally, Third ......#5  BARB    -   Barb said...



Mystic

Mystic because you like to keep those men in your life on their toes...keep some mystery in their lives and now you have help.


December 22, 2009 1:34 AM


So I guess my little baby had transformed to be a boy (boo hoo....more males to contend with at my house.....mind you it does look like a boy....I was just hoping for more female support!!) and will now be known as 'Timmy'.

Thanks everyone for your input...it's been a fun giveaway and I hope you've enjoyed it too!  Ladies, if you can send me your snail mail addies, I'll get your parcels off to you, pronto!!!!

And, just to show you I have been doing something crafty (my last few posts have been a bit non-eventful!), here's the stitcheries I made from the free Gail Pan pattern ... maybe you could put it in your "to do's" for Christmas 2010???)

and a handbag I made from a kit I got on ebay a couple of years ago.........

I made a couple of minor adjustments as the pattern was a little ambiguous, but I love the fabric and I think it looks very 'swish'!!!!

Don't forget to send me your addies ladies, and let's hope this is the start to a wonderful new year for us all, full of good friends, good food, good fun and good fortune!

sugary hugs XXX

Wendy :O)

We have some winners!!!!

How to choose, how to choose???.....There were some fabulous names that you wonderful bloggers came up with for my little zippy wonder and I couldn't decide, so I did the random number generator thingy and the three numbers that came up, in order, were:   (drumroll.................................................................................................................)

First (tried to copy and past the random number generator to prove to you but I couldn't get it to copy.....grrrrrr!)


....#3   JOY  -   Joy said...



How very generous you are to let us have a say in your new baby's name :o)!! What fun!!!


Okay ... well, I think you should call her Timmy (as in 'T'iguan 'i'n 'M'etallic 'M'ountain Gre'y') Sorry, had to go the for "Y" in Grey cos Timmg just sounded silly LOL.


Hugs,


Joy :o)


December 21, 2009 9:47 PM

Second .....#9 VAL  - Anonymous said...



Lovely Car Wendy only one I can think of is "Grey Mist"


Happy New Year


Val


December 29, 2009 1:22 PM

and finally, Third ......#5  BARB    -   Barb said...



Mystic

Mystic because you like to keep those men in your life on their toes...keep some mystery in their lives and now you have help.


December 22, 2009 1:34 AM


So I guess my little baby had transformed to be a boy (boo hoo....more males to contend with at my house.....mind you it does look like a boy....I was just hoping for more female support!!) and will now be known as 'Timmy'.

Thanks everyone for your input...it's been a fun giveaway and I hope you've enjoyed it too!  Ladies, if you can send me your snail mail addies, I'll get your parcels off to you, pronto!!!!

And, just to show you I have been doing something crafty (my last few posts have been a bit non-eventful!), here's the stitcheries I made from the free Gail Pan pattern ... maybe you could put it in your "to do's" for Christmas 2010???)

and a handbag I made from a kit I got on ebay a couple of years ago.........

I made a couple of minor adjustments as the pattern was a little ambiguous, but I love the fabric and I think it looks very 'swish'!!!!

Don't forget to send me your addies ladies, and let's hope this is the start to a wonderful new year for us all, full of good friends, good food, good fun and good fortune!

sugary hugs XXX

Wendy :O)