Labeled, bound and ready to go...

The Teddy Bear windmill quilt is all labeled, bound and ready to go with time to spare! The little bundle is due to arrive in September...

Visiting the $2 shop a little while ago a found this...

It even has little daisies like the label, I was thrilled! But I wasn't so thrilled about this, it seems Pebbles has a new favourite spot to snuggle in the sun!
Hmm maybe I might plant a couple of cacti in here!!!

Ta Da!

Last night I ran away... yes I made it to my sewing room, shut the door and spent several blissful hours, I made my pressing board(finally) and I am sew happy with it:)
And I started this wallhanging...
I am using my machine to applique this one, as I have a few hand stitching projects already on the go, isn't it cute!

SophistiCAT...

Allsorts...

Georgie making himself at home, in Olivia's doll house...

A recent fabric purchase...

Now I've needed a new one of these for a while, yes I've had one before but DS2, don't ask me how, snapped the end off, I don't really want to know do I?

I have been waiting very patiently(not) for this book to arrive...

And I think this is going to be the first thing I make...

The view from my sewing room windows...
The mountain and a view of our cowshed...

It has been so long since I've actually seen this particular view Lol Tonight I have plans... I am in need of some Me time!!! I am going to run away and see if it's still there! Wish me luck... I will come back... maybe.

This, That and the Other...

School holidays are almost over, not sure what we've accomplished but boy have we been busy!
This is all I have to show for myself this week...
282 half square triangles, only 234 to go. Over half way! And a few more yoyo's...
Here in our neck of the woods, we have started calving, so all hands on deck for the next few weeks. We have about 230 cows to calve, so far only 35-40 have calved. Yesterday was a big day there were little legs everywhere we looked, 12 in total, today 9, it's good when it's like this get it all over and done with. I will try and remember to take some photos of our new babies, if the brain remembers to take the camera that early in the morning...
Notice my gumboots are named...

It's Giveaway Day!

Well I haven't had too many comments, not to worry that just gives the few that did comment a greater chance of winning! Here is what you will win...
(Sorry not a good photo)A hat pincushion, a bookmark made from selvedges, a small chook wall hanging and what I call a strawberry bag(filled with goodies of course) So drumroll please...

And the winner is....
Angela

Congratulations Angela, please email me your postal address, and these gifties will be winging their way to you soon... Oh and if you would like the pin cushion in another colour please let me know. For some reason unbeknown to me my blog isn't showing my email address so if you run your mouse over the About Me section the 'view my profile' will suddenly appear( I have tried and it is there)click on it and my email will be there! Confused? me too, if you know what I've done wrong or how to fix this please let me know... TIA

Michelle

Double blessing!

This week I celebrated my birthday, I share this day with someone very special...my Mum!
We gave Mum some money towards a new Bernina sewing machine and the children gave her a stitchery she had eyed up! Hmm I wonder how they knew? And Mum bought me this...
Now this isn't just any old iron, it is a small iron and just for me! I will be using it in my sewing room, a pressing board will follow shortly, that is when I get around to making it;)

DH took me shopping today for my birthday, I bought several new skirts, a new cardie, and spent some me time in a fabric shop with a 50% off sale, dangerous stuff!!! I was a bit disappointed with what they had but managed to come home with a couple of pieces of fabric!!!
I will take photos later as I really can't be bothered right now;)
But I will show a couple of photos of a house we saw on our travels, whoever she is must love colour!!!
Close up of the letterbox...
A mannequin to greet the guests...
Not really my cuppa tea, but I must admit the colours aren't too bad!

Tomorrow I really must catch up on some housework, boring I know but it must be done!

A bee in my bonnet...

Go on over to visit Lori at http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/and enter her fabulous giveaway...

Pincushion Tutorial and Give Away

Well here it is my first tutorial... A pretty hat pincushion. There is a little story that I would like to share about it first. When I was about 7 or 8 my Uncle Mike died and his partner at the time came to live with us for a while... Aunty Cherie. And this is where my joy for crafting began... she taught me to embroider, and make this pincushion! I am not sure where she is today, but I would like to thank her for sharing her gift with me...

You will need a scrap of fabric about 16" x 8"
A compass
Some firm card (I used the card from a packet of charm squares)
A needle and thread to match your chosen fabric

Draw a 4 3/4" circle onto the card and cut it out, use this for a template(and the base) trace and cut one circle from your fabric...
I fussy cut my fabric so that the flower sprig will feature in the centre...
Next make another template circle 7 3/4" in diameter and cut and trace another piece of fabric...
Sew a gathering stitch about 1/8" around the outside edge of the large circle...
Place the cardboard base in the centre and pull the thread to gather, adjust so the circle looks centred and secure firmly...
Do the same for the smaller circle, this time place a small amount of stuffing in the centre(I like to use wool as this keeps the pins and needles from rusting) and pull the thread to gather like so...
Centre the cushion on top of the cardboard base, sew together by catching a little bit of the cushion fabric and a little bit of the base fabric, secure firmly when done...

Next comes the fun part, decorating it! I used some matching ribbon I had on hand, you could use lace, ric rac, add flowers etc Use a little glue to secure if need be...

Now you know how it's done why not experiment, you can make them bigger or smaller... add some lavender and make a smelly for your drawer... Use an icecream container lid for flexibility add some ribbon for ties and you have a hat for a doll...add a bit of ribbon and hang one on the wall...

Now here comes the give away part... leave a comment on my blog between now and Saturday 11th July and I will draw a name to win this pincushion or I will make one in the colour of your choice, there will be a couple of extra surprises as well...

Oh and any questions about the tutorial please ask...

Not this little grey duck...

We have just passed the shortest day here in New Zealand and have been having one of the coldest winters in a long time, we have had plenty of rain too! So my DH and my nephew(in all their wisdom) decided that they would go Dam Dropping... I will let the pictures speak for themselves and needless to say they were very cold afterwards... Me well someone had to take photos didn't they?

Last night was spent tidying up my sewing room, I am sure someone else must go in there and create all the mess... then it was time to do a little stitching! Since I already had my scrap quilt out that is what I worked on. I chained stitched all these triangles, I pressed and cut, and stitched some more.

I finished with a little over 100 squares, only 400 or so to go:) I think this may turn out to be a very long term project. And my sewing room looks like it's back to square one... Oh well!