Hanging my head in shame...

I am most unhappy with my self this month, this is all I have to show for myself..

(and a bad photo)

I have been watching with envy at all the projects being finished out there in blogland, unfortunately I just haven't been able to acomplish everything(or anything) I had planned. Perhaps I just need to be a little more disciplined;o)  But on the other hand I have been busy organising my house, had a garage sale, started packing, ate some chocolate, homeschooling, cleaning, ate some more chocolate, school trips, milking, and so the list goes on... 

We have 8 weeks until the big shift(I hate shifting) we not only have the house to shift, but all the farm stuff, bikes, tools, fencing gear etc and all the animals... I feel worn out already Lol.  Ok that's enough wallowing in self pity! I am now picking myself back up, dusting myself off ready for a new month. Look out April here I come!!!

Did I mention I hate shifting...

Chuffed...

I was thrilled to meet up with my good blogging friend Lis and her hubby Alan, we spent an amazing day together, chatting non stop through brunch before driving to Cinnamon Lodge. Where we spent more time chatting and laughing!  Our DH's had each other for moral support and came in handy when it was time to take photo's!

That's me on the left, then Claire(the owner of Cinnamon Lodge) and Lis. And that gorgeous fabric in front of us had only just arrived in the shop, we bought a panel each with plans to make something to remember our special day! I think we may have convinced Claire to start a blog too! VBG So stay tuned...  Lis loved the shop and all the different fabrics, it was too hard too choose so we asked Claire and she chose some of her favourite colours we dubbed them 'The Essence of Claire' ...

Next it was time for a bit of sightseeing and what better way to see the landscape than a walk up the Water Tower. We have had a bit of rain the last few days and we woke this morning to very overcast skies, but this afternoon it cleared enough, so up we climbed!  

 

Unfortunately Mt Taranaki decided not to show itself, we are suspecting when it does though, it may have a new sprinkling of snow!!! 

Well it's time to put my feet back on the ground now, but before I do I just want to say a BIG thank you to the both of you for coming to visit and wish you travelling mercies for the rest of your journey.  I am already looking forward to next time, Take care now, Love and hugs, Michelle.

Ramblings...

Where to start... at the beginning you say? Where's that! I feel like I have been chasing my tail for the past week or so Lol but I think I have sorted most of my house now and we are gearing up for the 'Garage Sale' this Saturday.  Any one got any hints?  We will have everything priced or on the $5 dollar table or the make an offer table etc... 

Our cats know something is up, they have been acting very strange lately, Boots has been extra cuddly and a bit skittish, he has started sleeping in the weirdest places...

Yep the bathroom sink!  He also keeps hopping onto the washing I've just folded, on the towels in the laundry waiting to be washed, in the shower, you name it I think he's tried it!

I have sorted out my scrap bin, whew what a job that was!  Trust me it was a mess!!!  While sorting I trimmed all the threads and now I have my very own ort!...

They look rather pretty in this jar! No I not going to keep them, but I had thought of leaving them outside for the birds to use come nest building time, the local bird life will be the trendiest birds around!

Finally after a 9 month battle(it kind of felt like one) with a local business, we got our hallway/laundry lino down and this time it was done properly! At least I get to admire it for a few weeks until the big shift, Lol!

And now I have another giveaway, same as last time first in first serve...

My intention was to make two raggy cushions for the swing seat my DH made, I have outgrown them(a polite way of saying it's not really my colours, not sure they ever were) made from a charm pack, one of them is made(no back) and the other one is ready to assemble...

Tomorrow I get to met a blogging friend all the way from the Lincolshire Fens, my friend Lis, I am so excited!!! 

Friday Night Sew-In Update...

It's simple, but I love it!!!

The beautiful fabrics are from a Robyn Pandolph range, I'm hoping to get another layer cake and make it a little larger.  I am also going to get this one professionally quilted as I have seen a gorgeous paisley design which would be just perfect! I'm not sure about the bright pinky one in the middle, but as I said it's in the middle so it's staying there! Lol I also finished some of my leaders and enders blocks, they are slowly but surely coming together...

I think I am almost half way just another 35 or so to go, and then onto the flying geese border! I am already looking forward to the next Friday Night Sew-In, especially with the cooler evenings we've been having. 

Friday Night Sew-In...

I keep reading about all the fun being had on the Friday Night Sew-In so have decided to join you'all this month, check out Heidi's blog for more info... http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/2010/02/friday-night-sew-in-for-march-and.html

Hello...

Is anybody out there? Yes? No? Well I'm pretty sure I had a few followers out there. Perhaps you are all busy. Or perhaps I have scared you all away!  Please don't be scared I would so love to hear from you.  Perhaps a little encouragement is all that is needed! If you read my previous posts I am having a clean out and that has extended to my unfinished projects box, so the 1st person to leave a comment will win this...

A table runner made from a April Cornell Charm Pack. All that's left to do is quilt it unless of course you wanted to add a border!

Ok first in first serve, Lets go!

PS I will be giving away a couple more UFO's so don't forget if you're not first this time, to check back next time!

Keep it simple...

I have been sitting here with my fingers paused over the keyboard for several minutes trying to think of a way to start this post let alone a title for it.  So let's just get it all out as simply and quickly and hopefully as painfully as possible;o))

So the good news or the bad news first? I'll start with the good news as it will help explain the bad. We have a new farm job, for most of you a new job doesn't mean having to leave the home you've been in for the last 9 years! Still with the good news... we are shifting into a lovely 2 year old brick house! The house we are in at the moment is an older home, with lots of room!  So now onto the not so good news, ready?

The new house is a lot smaller so I will no longer have my wonderful sewing room:o((( I knew this was a possibility but oh it's going to be so  hard, I think I'm having a severe case of the poor 'me's Lol.  I am reminded of that quote...

Don't cry because it's over

Smile because it happened!

There are a lot of positives, kids closer to school, closer to town(maybe that's not a good thing) the beach is just around the corner, there's a river for the kids to go eeling, trout fishing etc plenty more room to ride the horse and their motocross bike and so the list goes on...

I still have a couple of negatives to battle through. The house unfortunately has not been looked after, it will need some TLC which I'm sure with the help of a few friends and some elbow grease will scrub up nicely. But oh I really did feel for the house, how can some people live like that, now I'm not the tidiest person in the world but...Ok I won't get into it I'll spare you... Lol

Another negative I just don't wanna shift! All the work involved! We are having a bit of a purging, we have um... collected(that's a nicer way of putting it) a lot of stuff over the years, so in the next couple of weeks we will be having  a Garage Sale. So I have been going through lots of our um... collected items;oD Oh I have so much stuff, I have found so many unfinished projects and not just of the quilting variety!  But it has got me a little inspired to actually finish some, hopefully I will have some show and tell real soon!

Ok was that too painful? Maybe a bit too much information for some of you, I could go on if you want... No just kidding! Don't forget to check back here from time to time as I have a few items to giveaway too and it will be first in first serve!

Long Weekend...

Aahh.... I managed to have a relaxing day yesterday, unwind a little and just chill, NOT! Yesterday was a day off for Taranaki, that meant no school, etc etc but me I decided to have a sort out of craft stuff that I had stored/hidden away in a foot stool thingy in our lounge room.  There was exclamations of 'I forgot I had that', and 'Oh what on earth was I thinking when I bought that'  and after and hour or so I have two piles, a giveaway pile and a keepers pile.  I think the giveaway pile will end up in a garage sale in the near future and the keepers pile will be hidden stored away some where safe. By craft stuff I mean stuff I used to dabble in, cross stitch mainly, I have kept a few I still have feelings for and the rest... well hopefully someone might give them a new loving home! I know I will never do them, because since being bitten by the quilting bug, I have eyes for little else!  But I did get a little enthused over my knitting bag, inside I found not one, not two, but 6 knitted coat hanger covers waiting patiently to being sewn on to the also patient naked wooden coat hangers! I am pleased to say that an hour or so later they were fully clothed relieved they wont freeze this winter Lol.  Golly gosh what am I doing talking about winter?  Well we have been getting this little nip in the air at night(gasp, shudder) and the mornings have been a little crisp! But that means Autumn is on it's way:o) I am an autumn fan(sorry to those of you who love summer)I love the autumn colours! Here is a photo of a leaf I found on Saturday when I took the kids to the park to feed the ducks...

Sorry no pictures of the ducks as silly ole me forgot to take the camera again Duh!  I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself lately, and no one else noticed so I decided to buy myself some flowers to cheer myself up Lol!

Aren't they gorgeous, Lisianthus  are a favourite of mine, they are really pretty and last a long time.  Hmm I just re-read this post it is a bit random and I feel like I've been dribbling on about nothing in particular, next post hopefully I will have something positive to share. I'm off to wipe my chinny chin chin...

Goody goody...

GUM DROPS? Nope, something much less fattening but just as yummy!  it's the latest Jelly Roll book...

This is their 3rd book and I have all three! And I just happened to be in New Plymouth for Still Quiltings Sale this week and bought a new to me Jelly Roll for 1/2 price...

Blossom by Urban Chicks. Now all I need to do is decide on a pattern:o))

I also bought several metres of a lovely Horsey fabric, also 50% off and some fabric for a 1st border I needed for another quilt. 

Having trouble hiding your stash away? You can always try hiding it in the freezer!  Yup it's true, I heard of a lady the other day who has done just that!  Lol. I'm pleased to say my DH is much more understanding, do you have to hide any of your stash? Or do you pretend it's been there all along? I sure hope one of my DD's will turn out to be a quilter, cos she's sure going to inherit a lot of fabric!!!