Don't look now!

Four Seasons Swap

Well after it being suggested by Louise that I might like to join this swap ... I agonized over it drew some pictures, thought and thought and thought about it. Monday I was in. Monday night I rethought and was out ... then thought again and decided I would give it a go. "But what if I like it so much that I don't want to give it away?" I asked my husband ... "What if things happen and I can't get it finished?". So after I got over all of these what ifs ... deciding that I would make two (one to give & one to keep) and that I would do it straight away to avoid the worry of being late or not being able to finish because of what ever ...I went across just now to sign up and ...

ITS CLOSED, AHHHHHHHH!

Note to self: Stop procrastinating!

So I am going to join in, on the 'outer'!

You see now the old cogs are turning they wont stop until it's done ... now Kellie be honest ... until it is started ... being finished is now an option seeing there is no risk of letting someone down :)

Also I can't put down my sketch pad when it comes to Leanne's challenge. Of course in true me style I can't possibly follow a pattern, that would be way too easy! I have started selecting fabrics, trialling pens, finalising my design & I even cut out some bits & pieces last night. Before you know it I will have something to show!

Also a big thanks to Cathy for playing tag! And to Louise for introducing me to so many of you! Thank you all for your comments and I am pleased you like my pin cushion.

Have a great day!

See ya

Kellie 

One of my favourite things ....

I have been wanting to share this little sewing tool, that was first introduced to me by Trish from Amitie. It is a Pointer Finger Pin Cushion and I just wouldn't be without mine when it comes to hand piecing. Give it a go!

1. Cut your scrap of fabric to 3 1/2 " square

2. Fold in half diagonally and sew around raw edges using a 1/4" seam allowance - leaving a small opening in one of the sides - large enough for turning through & stuffing. I hand stitched this one because my machine is in hospital but I would recommend that you machine sew to ensure strong seams as you will be stuffing this heavily.

3. Turn out.

4. Fill with fiber fill - this little thing takes much more fill than you would expect. Make sure you fill tightly to ensure your finger is protected when you are using it.

5. Stitch opening closed.

6. Bring the points together and mold into shape. Check for correct size - you can fiddle with the tips of the corners by tucking them in to make it smaller or turn out further if you need it larger. Once it fits comfortably on your finger sew the points together securely.

7. Finished!

8. In use .... just like that!

Now Jessie's quilt is complete I have moved onto Joshua's - I love this quilt and hope that it will look as good when complete as it does in my imagination. It is hard going though ... matching points can be tedious ... lucky Bernina is away otherwise this one would have found it's spot back on the shelf.

See ya

Kellie

I've been tagged!

Last night I was happily reading Louise's blog and thinking to myself what a fun thing this 'tagging' thing is ... then I got to the bottom of her entry and saw that she had tagged me. Firstly I will again say thank you to Louise who has been so kind to me and for noticing my quilting adventures and family ... and then I will say please don't run for the hills when you view my responses ... because I will have you know now I am totally strange and I do hope that everyone else who reads this doesn't hold it against me and will come back sometime in the future to see what we are up to ... so here goes (with a few photos of our Family day out on Sunday to the Eureka Tower thrown in for good measure - not crafty but fun!);

Four jobs I have had:

1. Director of Nursing - Nursing Home in Tullamarine

2. Nurse Adviser - Nursing Home in Sandringham

3. Practice Nurse - I did Health Assessments for aged patients in their homes for an excellent GP (my DH!)

4. Mummy - very tough employers, super long hours, crap pay and rough conditions!

Four movies I have watched over and over again:

1. Steel Magnolias

2. 4 Weddings & a Funeral

3. Hotel Rwanda

4. The Departed

Four places I have lived:

1. Wedderburn - small town near Bendigo in central Victoria

2. Gravesend - small town in northern NSW - parents were farmers & yes it was as bad as it sounds!

3. Brisbane

4. Melbourne

Four shows I watch on TV:

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

2. Stargate SG1

3. The West Wing

4. Star Trek Voyager

Four Places I have been:

1. Vanuatu

2. Maui

3. LA

4. San Diego

This is my alternate preferred but less exotic answer to this question;

1. Lorne

2. Launceston

3. Cradle Mountain

4. Sydney

Four people who e-mail me;

1. All People Quilt - newsletter

2. Borders Book Store

3. Louise

4. My Husband

Four things I love to eat;

1. Lady Gray Tea - I have seen someone else include a drink here so I thought that it would be OK seeing I would rather a good cup of tea than anything else any day!

2. Lemon Meringue Pie

3. Licorice

4. Jubes!

Four places I'd rather be;

1. In my sewing room

2. At Amitie!

3. Any where where it is quite and there is good light so I can hand sew!

4. In the clean version of my home - even my GPS can't locate this place ... dam!

Four things I look forward to this year;

1. My husband

2. My kids - their birthdays, Christmas, their successes, their smiles & their cuddles

3. Finishing quilts - too many to list

4. Starting the 365 Challenge - I found this at Leanne's House last week and I have been planing it ever since - but more on this later.

(this picture is of the Prep Welcome BBQ last Thursday - can you spot my two musical babies?)

Finally I have to tag some people in return ... this will be hard as I don't know anyone ... So Cathy please forgive me seeing we only officially met last night ... I hope that this is not too much too soon! Jenny you too! Sorry I don't know anyone else to name ... :(

Before I go take a look at a terrific blog I found a couple of days ago syko.

Thanks guys hope I didn't put you to sleep or scare you too much!

See ya

Kellie

Australasian Quilt Convention

Last week I went to the Australasian Quilt Convention ... unfortunately I only was able to attend the trade exhibition. I would have loved to have had the chance to have completed a class. Becky Goldsmith of Piece O' Cake Designs is a long time 'quilting hero' of mine. Regardless I was able to see this quilt of hers which in in my rapidly growing list of 'quilts I want to make before I die'.

 

I never took many photos but this one is one that I also must share ...

It is by Monika Potter and is called 'Cogs'. Isn't it just fantastic!

I bought some beautiful fabric - all from Ballarat Patchwork ...

 

... these fabrics were designed by Emma.

And of course I had to get the obligatory pinks ...

I actually went to the convention with the idea that I would get a machine quilting frame (for my birthday) but no matter what I do it just will not fit into my sewing room ... :( ... so instead I bought my Bernina a present ... a Fab-U-Motion which will help out with machine quilting for the time being until the children are a little more grown and I can kick them out of their 'Toy Room' and my Sewing Room will become our study ... but this is a looooong way off! This new toy is another reason to miss my Bernina & look forward to her return!

See ya

Kellie 

Coconut Ice!

It's finished! I started making this quilt for Jessica in 2005. Jenny Kingwell now of Amitie helped me select the fabric and the pattern is one form Rosalie Quinlan. I love how it glows in Jessie's sun drenched room.

   

I should send my Bernina off to the hospital more often I seem to be more productive without it. Which reminds me only 7 days left until I have her back!!!!!

See ya

Kellie

Look what I got!

So as promised here we have my acquisitions from Monday. First stop G.J's Discount Fabrics (no link, sorry)...

Nice and bright just as I like them! And then on to Patchwork on Central Park for something a little out of my comfort zone ... but gorgeous none the less ...

these photos don't actually do these justice. They aren't as 'washed out' as they appear - I am no photographer thats for sure. I plan to put these together as six pointed stars inside hexagons with a 'winter white' background - for our bedroom ... yes these aren't for the kids! Can you believe it?

These on the other hand are for Jessica's room - I think that I will use these to make a bunting or something along these lines.

And as promised my finished project. Yay!

This is a small wall quilt that I made for Jessica called 'Someone to watch over you'. I found the pattern in this book that I got from Ballarat Patchwork when we were on holidays in January.

 

Last-minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. This is a fantastic book and I cant wait to do some more of the projects ...

there are just too many to show them all!

I also visited the Australasian Quilt Convention yesterday and have stacks to share but you will need to wait for this.

Before I do go have a look at my links to other blogs ... I have included a few more of my favorite sites. Louise from Lululollylegs regularly leaves me her comments ... for which I am so grateful - thank you very much Louise! Also take a look at Melly & Me, Rosalie Quinlan & Leanne's House I love these guys!

See ya

Kellie

Tic ... tic ... tic

Can anyone else hear that? ...TIC ... TIC ... TIC ... it's that dam clock! Yes it's official 366 days until I reach the big 'four O' ... see I can't even write the number. I'm sure it wont be as bad as I am anticipating. I had trouble with the transition from 28 to 29 with the fear of 30 looming upon me ... and it ended up being a tumultuous but good year ... so lets hope that 10 years later the Gods too will shine on me in my 39th year (...yes I know that in actual fact this is my 40th year but I am choosing not to acknowledge this ... OK?).

Anyway, with that out of the way ... Happy Birthday to me!

   

I have had a lovely day. The children have been delightful and have reveled in my birthday as they would their own. My dear friends stopped by bearing flowers ...

     

another SMSed with offers of babysitting ...and the best of all Lyn from Patchwork on Central Park & GJ's Discount Fabrics very thoughtfully held their annual sales on this very day ... I ask you how on earth did they know it was my birthday? Although strangely enough they still required payment for the lovely gifts I chose. I will do a show and tell with all of my acquisitions from today very soon.

A note of sadness, however, my Bernina is visiting the sewing machine hospital ... already missing you my dear friend!

See ya

Kellie

PS. I finished something on Sunday! Will also show this soon! YAY!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day or 'Happy Love Day' as Jessica calls it. I made a yummy breakfast for us all this morning - Bruschetta with honey ricotta & vanilla strawberries. I found the recipe in February's edition of Good Taste magazine (pg. 75)... it comes highly recommended!

The kids loved the gifts I made for them and we have had a quiet 'at home' day enjoying each others company ... well mostly. No school today thanks to our striking teachers & our State Government that obviously believes them to be the worst in Australia hence their lowest paid status ... not a revered claim to fame!

Anyway these are the little hanging hearts that I made for kids ...

   

I have a romantic dinner for two planned for my other 'love' once all of the little ones are in bed.

Have a wonderful 'Love Day'!

See ya

Kellie

Growing up

This year is going to be one of great change for my babies & myself. Just when we were getting used to Jess & Ben heading off to school ... what should happen next? Well my littlest baby, Joshua started 3 year old kinder on Wednesday.

So what have I been doing this week other than trying to get used to our new routine ... not finishing my quilts thats for sure! Instead I spent the first part of the week putting together a wall quilt for Jessie to hang above her bed ... but more about this later. Then on Thursday night I suddenly remembered that it is Valentines Day next week ... so now I am throwing together something to give to the kids ...

 

Anyway I had better get back to it! Have a great weekend!

See ya

Kellie

Did we have a holiday?

oh yeah remember that holiday we had ... well I finally finished unpacking today so as promised lets take a look...

Warrnambool is such a terrific low key family holiday for those with kids around the aged of ours. We stayed in a very modern 3 story apartment that over looked the ocean only a few minutes walk from town & a couple of minutes in the car to the Adventure Play Ground. Take a look.

As my husband was not 100% we kept things low key & totally focused on the kids. We tried to swim each day (indoor only - too cold for the beach) & combine this with one other activity like bowling, mini golf, playground, local fare etc.

Megan's favorite was a giant jumping pillow ... notice Joshua's position

and again check out Josh ... you will only see his very dirty feet ... he mustn't have enjoyed it quite as much as the others!

He did get the hang of it eventually on a jumping castle more his size ... hoooray!

Everyone loved the horses...

We really had a great time just being together and you have got to be happy with that!

 

 

See ya

Kellie