Just in the nick.......!

Well, I just managed to squeeze in another finish for June for OPAM.....my Bowen Beauty...here she is....

I was very happy with how she turned out (don't know why I'm calling it a 'she'...very masculine colours, really!!!).  I attempted my own machine quilting...very hesitantly at first, and then I got a bit adventurous....starting with stitch in the ditch around the yellow/green star in the middle, followed by free shell-shaped motifs in the blue and grey squares with some brain coral (well, that's my excuse for what it turned out like!!) in the green border triangles, some jellyfish and seaweed scattered 'strategically' throughout!  Destined for a lap quilt on the lounge....not bad for a mystery quilt project, I think!

I promised you a view of the goodies I bought at the Tinkers Cart retreat.....

....autographed Rosalie Quinlan books....

....some Leanne's House and Rosalie Quinlan Designs patterns.....

...and some yummylicious fabric and Cosmos thread.....i just couldn't didn't resist!!!

Seeing it's holidays, I have many plans to FINISH already started projects rather than begin new ones, so these beauties are destined for the 'drool over' pile for quite a while longer.

I must apologise for getting slack in Blogland....I'm finding it quite tiresome in Blogger as it takes sooooooo long to upload photos and some improvements?  changes must have been made as photos always go to the top of a post........aaarrrrggghhh!!   Very frustrating!  I am finding it takes a good hour or two to do a post, which I don't generally have to spare when I'm working (lucky it's holiday time!!). 

Does anyone have any ideas on how to improve this???  Is there any other good, fast blog creator that beats Blogger??  Any comments greatfully considered!!!!

Off to take my visiting son and a friend to get lunch...apparently the food in the fridge 'just isn't good enough' for a teenager!!!!! LOL

sugary hugs

XXX Wendy :O) 

Just in the nick.......!

Well, I just managed to squeeze in another finish for June for OPAM.....my Bowen Beauty...here she is....

I was very happy with how she turned out (don't know why I'm calling it a 'she'...very masculine colours, really!!!).  I attempted my own machine quilting...very hesitantly at first, and then I got a bit adventurous....starting with stitch in the ditch around the yellow/green star in the middle, followed by free shell-shaped motifs in the blue and grey squares with some brain coral (well, that's my excuse for what it turned out like!!) in the green border triangles, some jellyfish and seaweed scattered 'strategically' throughout!  Destined for a lap quilt on the lounge....not bad for a mystery quilt project, I think!

I promised you a view of the goodies I bought at the Tinkers Cart retreat.....

....autographed Rosalie Quinlan books....

....some Leanne's House and Rosalie Quinlan Designs patterns.....

...and some yummylicious fabric and Cosmos thread.....i just couldn't didn't resist!!!

Seeing it's holidays, I have many plans to FINISH already started projects rather than begin new ones, so these beauties are destined for the 'drool over' pile for quite a while longer.

I must apologise for getting slack in Blogland....I'm finding it quite tiresome in Blogger as it takes sooooooo long to upload photos and some improvements?  changes must have been made as photos always go to the top of a post........aaarrrrggghhh!!   Very frustrating!  I am finding it takes a good hour or two to do a post, which I don't generally have to spare when I'm working (lucky it's holiday time!!). 

Does anyone have any ideas on how to improve this???  Is there any other good, fast blog creator that beats Blogger??  Any comments greatfully considered!!!!

Off to take my visiting son and a friend to get lunch...apparently the food in the fridge 'just isn't good enough' for a teenager!!!!! LOL

sugary hugs

XXX Wendy :O) 

Perfection

PERFECT, PERFECT, PERFECT......

is what Saturday's Retreat, courtesy of Tracy from Tinker's Cart was!  I have only one complaint......it finished waaaaay too soon!

North Queensland crafters were allowed the pleasure of spending the day with Leanne Beasley, Rosalie Quinlan and Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly fame. 

 It was such a treat meeting these ladies, and seeing their work 'in the real' aaaaaaaaaarrwwwwww!!!......simply spectacular!

Tracy had really put some effort into making the place look very tropical for our southern guests, and the weather really was on its best behaviour.  I was so excited in the morning that I didn't take many photos, and it was only during the lunchbreak that I thought, "How am I going to share this with my blogging buddies?", so........

....Notice our colourful, tropical bags....filled to the brim with goodies???  pity the flowers were too big to plant behind our ears.....despite that, Rosie and Leanne acclimatised to the tropics with their real-life versions....... frangipani flowers !!!!

Apart from Bronwyn's Sucky Puffs Challenge (aka suffolk puffs....where some ladies were able to complete them in less than a minute *yikes*), we pretty much had free range on what we wanted to do from the bag....I figure I spent the first hour just browsing through and coming to terms with the amount  of stuff that was in there!!!!  I reckon I've got enough projects to keep me going, at least until next year's retreat!

I ended up deciding on one of Rosie's Christmas stitcheries, but instead of reverse redwork, I thought I might try a beautiful blue on white version using my lovely new Cosmos threads......

Very Winter Wonderland-ish, don't you think???

I'm certainly learning to perfect my chain stitch and satin stitch too!   It's nowhere near as nice as Rosalie's .....more practice needed...... I wonder if the boss will mind if I take some time off....????? LOL

Thanks Tracy for a lovely day......take note....I'm booking in for next year....don't care where, when or how......a thoroughly, enjoyable day!!!!  Thanks ladies for joining us up here in the north..........you're Absolutely Fabulous and can't wait to meet up again soon!

I did remind myself that I really didn't need couldn't afford much, but there were sooooo many beautiful fabrics, patterns, embellishments, cottons, yada yada yada......, which found their way home with me....but I'll have to show you next post.

My mojo has finally been given a shake up and I'm so keen to get started on so many things!  (perhaps I should just finish some first??? LOL) 

Yesterday I got stuck into completing the first of my knee rugs our guild is making for the lovely people in the local aged home. We spent a weekend, heads down, recently making these rugs to donate (I could only make one day due to my anniversary fishing trip).  These have only a flannel backing as the home is centrally heated and after all, this is North Queensland and our winter does only consist of about two weeks of the year on average!!!! (sorry....not trying to make you jealous!.....our temperatures do drop down to single figures.......on the odd occasion!!)  

 I quilted it in a light zigzag pattern and bound it in a blue binding which sets off some of the 'bricks' in the quilt.  All of the fabric was donated and precut so I decided I would work a brick wall pattern....simple yet effective and I think it turned out quite nicely.  The next one is full of novelty prints....be interesting to see which 'character' gets that one!

Have a wonderfully productive week....hope it inspires you and gets your mojo moving too!

sugary hugs

XXX Wendy :O)

Perfection

PERFECT, PERFECT, PERFECT......

is what Saturday's Retreat, courtesy of Tracy from Tinker's Cart was!  I have only one complaint......it finished waaaaay too soon!

North Queensland crafters were allowed the pleasure of spending the day with Leanne Beasley, Rosalie Quinlan and Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly fame. 

 It was such a treat meeting these ladies, and seeing their work 'in the real' aaaaaaaaaarrwwwwww!!!......simply spectacular!

Tracy had really put some effort into making the place look very tropical for our southern guests, and the weather really was on its best behaviour.  I was so excited in the morning that I didn't take many photos, and it was only during the lunchbreak that I thought, "How am I going to share this with my blogging buddies?", so........

....Notice our colourful, tropical bags....filled to the brim with goodies???  pity the flowers were too big to plant behind our ears.....despite that, Rosie and Leanne acclimatised to the tropics with their real-life versions....... frangipani flowers !!!!

Apart from Bronwyn's Sucky Puffs Challenge (aka suffolk puffs....where some ladies were able to complete them in less than a minute *yikes*), we pretty much had free range on what we wanted to do from the bag....I figure I spent the first hour just browsing through and coming to terms with the amount  of stuff that was in there!!!!  I reckon I've got enough projects to keep me going, at least until next year's retreat!

I ended up deciding on one of Rosie's Christmas stitcheries, but instead of reverse redwork, I thought I might try a beautiful blue on white version using my lovely new Cosmos threads......

Very Winter Wonderland-ish, don't you think???

I'm certainly learning to perfect my chain stitch and satin stitch too!   It's nowhere near as nice as Rosalie's .....more practice needed...... I wonder if the boss will mind if I take some time off....????? LOL

Thanks Tracy for a lovely day......take note....I'm booking in for next year....don't care where, when or how......a thoroughly, enjoyable day!!!!  Thanks ladies for joining us up here in the north..........you're Absolutely Fabulous and can't wait to meet up again soon!

I did remind myself that I really didn't need couldn't afford much, but there were sooooo many beautiful fabrics, patterns, embellishments, cottons, yada yada yada......, which found their way home with me....but I'll have to show you next post.

My mojo has finally been given a shake up and I'm so keen to get started on so many things!  (perhaps I should just finish some first??? LOL) 

Yesterday I got stuck into completing the first of my knee rugs our guild is making for the lovely people in the local aged home. We spent a weekend, heads down, recently making these rugs to donate (I could only make one day due to my anniversary fishing trip).  These have only a flannel backing as the home is centrally heated and after all, this is North Queensland and our winter does only consist of about two weeks of the year on average!!!! (sorry....not trying to make you jealous!.....our temperatures do drop down to single figures.......on the odd occasion!!)  

 I quilted it in a light zigzag pattern and bound it in a blue binding which sets off some of the 'bricks' in the quilt.  All of the fabric was donated and precut so I decided I would work a brick wall pattern....simple yet effective and I think it turned out quite nicely.  The next one is full of novelty prints....be interesting to see which 'character' gets that one!

Have a wonderfully productive week....hope it inspires you and gets your mojo moving too!

sugary hugs

XXX Wendy :O)

What a surprise!

It was a doubly lovely surprise this afternoon when I visited the post office for my regular mail pick up.  I received this....

......lovely prize from Lyn at Bluebird Quilts, and it was so hard to tear open the lovely packaging......

but you betcha Lyn.....I will enjoy these.......

How could I not enjoy 5 prim fat quarters, some vintage buttons and trim, a tape measure and holder, a prim pincushion, shopping list AND 4 stitchery patterns???  Thanks Lyn, I absolutely luuuuuurv it!   (and big thanks to your lil 'leadfoot' sis for picking me too!!! LOL)

.....AND look what was wrapped around the FQ's......

which reminded me of plans I'd had to make a block holder that I'd seen one of my fave designers do recently.  I promised myself I'd look back at old blog posts and see if I could find it.......after a cup of coffee and a look through the latest Creating Country Threads mag that had arrived in the post with the parcel from Lyn, and which normally would not be taking second place but.......(a prize is a prize!!!!)

and guess what I found??........

Joy's "Under Lock and Key" Block Holder....the one I'd been looking for!!!!   Don't you agree my new key will be just perfect to go with this????? Woohooo......must be an omen!!!   I know what I'll be doing these holidays!!!

It was joined by some of my other favourite designers' projects.........

Cheryl's "Sophia's Quilt"

and

Jenny's Gift of Roses pattern bag

It felt like all my Christmases had come at once!!!!!  Roll on school holidays....now report cards are finished, I know what these itchy fingers will be doing!

sugary hugs

XXX Wendy :O)

What a surprise!

It was a doubly lovely surprise this afternoon when I visited the post office for my regular mail pick up.  I received this....

......lovely prize from Lyn at Bluebird Quilts, and it was so hard to tear open the lovely packaging......

but you betcha Lyn.....I will enjoy these.......

How could I not enjoy 5 prim fat quarters, some vintage buttons and trim, a tape measure and holder, a prim pincushion, shopping list AND 4 stitchery patterns???  Thanks Lyn, I absolutely luuuuuurv it!   (and big thanks to your lil 'leadfoot' sis for picking me too!!! LOL)

.....AND look what was wrapped around the FQ's......

which reminded me of plans I'd had to make a block holder that I'd seen one of my fave designers do recently.  I promised myself I'd look back at old blog posts and see if I could find it.......after a cup of coffee and a look through the latest Creating Country Threads mag that had arrived in the post with the parcel from Lyn, and which normally would not be taking second place but.......(a prize is a prize!!!!)

and guess what I found??........

Joy's "Under Lock and Key" Block Holder....the one I'd been looking for!!!!   Don't you agree my new key will be just perfect to go with this????? Woohooo......must be an omen!!!   I know what I'll be doing these holidays!!!

It was joined by some of my other favourite designers' projects.........

Cheryl's "Sophia's Quilt"

and

Jenny's Gift of Roses pattern bag

It felt like all my Christmases had come at once!!!!!  Roll on school holidays....now report cards are finished, I know what these itchy fingers will be doing!

sugary hugs

XXX Wendy :O)

Anniversary Wins and Freebies

Just had to pop in for a  quick post.....you see, it's my hubby and my wedding anniversary today and we've been out all day........fishing! 

Believe it or not, I haven't had so much fun in ages....but I was a bit on the stinky side when we got home!!!  We did catch a lovely supply of bream, flathead and one magnificent 65cm barramundi that truly surprised us both!  Hubby's a very experienced fisherman but he never thought (or planned!)  he'd catch one on a 20lb line with a piece of prawn!  He generally lures for them so it was a lovely present for us to commemorate our anniversary...he always says he 'gut-hooked' me....such a fisherman and a real romantic!!!!  Seriously though,  it's been 6 wonderful years that have just zoomed by....pity I didn't meet him when we were both younger!!!

Yesterday was spent at quilters guild and we spent the day making knee rugs for the aged home...it was a busy hive of activity and so busy, that I forgot to take my camera!!!  Will have to take photos of the ones I've done and post them soon.....it's late and the zzzzz's are starting to catch up with me.

But before I go, I need to thank Lyn from Bluebird Quilts who had her blogiversary competition last week to name her antique dolly.  I thought Miss Polly sounded good and so did Lyn, coz....woohooooo.....guess who won????  Big sugary hugs to Lyn, I look forward to putting to good use all the goodies you're sending  (and big sugary hugs to lil sis too!!!)

Lastly, before I fall asleep at the 'puter,  have you been to visit Gail Pan's blog recently???  She has a pretty pincushion freebie you can get from here. 

Sweet sugary dreams and have a wonderful week (I'll be finishing off report cards!!!!)

XX Wendy :O)

Anniversary Wins and Freebies

Just had to pop in for a  quick post.....you see, it's my hubby and my wedding anniversary today and we've been out all day........fishing! 

Believe it or not, I haven't had so much fun in ages....but I was a bit on the stinky side when we got home!!!  We did catch a lovely supply of bream, flathead and one magnificent 65cm barramundi that truly surprised us both!  Hubby's a very experienced fisherman but he never thought (or planned!)  he'd catch one on a 20lb line with a piece of prawn!  He generally lures for them so it was a lovely present for us to commemorate our anniversary...he always says he 'gut-hooked' me....such a fisherman and a real romantic!!!!  Seriously though,  it's been 6 wonderful years that have just zoomed by....pity I didn't meet him when we were both younger!!!

Yesterday was spent at quilters guild and we spent the day making knee rugs for the aged home...it was a busy hive of activity and so busy, that I forgot to take my camera!!!  Will have to take photos of the ones I've done and post them soon.....it's late and the zzzzz's are starting to catch up with me.

But before I go, I need to thank Lyn from Bluebird Quilts who had her blogiversary competition last week to name her antique dolly.  I thought Miss Polly sounded good and so did Lyn, coz....woohooooo.....guess who won????  Big sugary hugs to Lyn, I look forward to putting to good use all the goodies you're sending  (and big sugary hugs to lil sis too!!!)

Lastly, before I fall asleep at the 'puter,  have you been to visit Gail Pan's blog recently???  She has a pretty pincushion freebie you can get from here. 

Sweet sugary dreams and have a wonderful week (I'll be finishing off report cards!!!!)

XX Wendy :O)