Home Alone…

Being a home schooling Mum it is not often that I get to spend time alone, but here I am sitting in my very quiet peaceful house and wondering just what I will do with myself today? Washing? Ironing? Cleaning? Vacuuming?  or Quilt? Um…

Anyway while I’m pondering my options check out this geranium in my garden… Isn’t that colour gorgeous! Can you see the taps amongst the daisies? The compost bins are finally done! And our first broccoli, can you see it? No it’s there look closer… See I told you it was there!Just a small corner of the vege garden. We thought we would try growing potatoes in tyres this season.

My washing is out. And Curly the lamb sunning herself. And Minty wondering if he’s going to get fed again!

Well that’s it for Farmyard Friday today, I may be back later with some quilty stuff to share, I hope!

Re-purpose Thursday

I’m joining Fee for Re-purpose Thursday today…I’m sure this little table once housed a lovely singer sewing machine, and I’m sure it could tell us lot’s of stories from it’s past, if only it could talk, but I’ll tell you what I know. My grandfather(on my mother’s side) made a picnic table for each one of his 3 daughters about 30 years ago. My mother is unsure where he found the table frames she assumes the machines where no longer attached or in working order. I inherited this one from my lovely mother. I have made the new table top(with some help from a friend!) and it now is proudly on display in our entrance way to welcome friends and visitors! I know one of my Aunties still has hers and intends to make a new table top for it too!

Thanks for inviting me Fee, it was fun! If you would like to join in to just click here… http://www.designsbyfee.com/

Fantabulous…

Did you feel the earth move today? That might have been me doing a little jig when this arrived… I scored this gorgeous hutch for $100, from Claire. She needed room for her new shabby hutch (well new to her home, it came from her shop, now that she’s closed down) Eventually I think I will give it a coat of paint too but for now, I’m going to give it a bit of a clean(the dust was for free, lol) and a polish and try and squeeze it in somewhere! Here’s a closer look…

See the chicken wire on the doors I ‘heart’ it! The bottom part of the hutch is a little scratched and worn in places, but I just think it adds to it’s character!

And a little sneak peak of the project I have been working on for DD2…I’ve come to a little standstill on it though as I didn’t buy enough fabric. I’m off to spruce up my new dresser, maybe even make her a new runner…

Enjoy your day!

Sunday’s Story…

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before God along with all the other souls..
Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles;
An angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.
But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with
in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.
I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.
My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.
Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.
My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.
And now, I had to face the truth.. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was..
I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.
An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.
Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of God. Then God stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.
Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let
Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'
May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing God to shine through!

A weeks worth of goodies…

I just have to share what arrived in my mailbox this morning… This gorgeous cross stitch book I won over at…http://madaboutstitching.blogspot.com/2010/10/craft-book-giveaway-week-5-and-little.html

Here’s two of my favourite projects from the book… Aren’t they beautiful, thanks sew much Georgie!!! But wait there’s more, she also snuck in these adorable crochet flowers! Isn’t she sweet, I am going to have to find an extra special project for these! Georgie is giving away one book a week at the moment so for your chance to win just click on the link above to join in the fun.

Yesterday I received some sad news, my favourite local quilt shop is closing it’s doors! I will miss not being able to pop in and say ‘Hi’ to Claire(and fondle all her gorgeous fabrics) fortunately though all is not lost because she plans to continue her website from home.  So if you want to grab yourself some bargains or just have a nosy around head on over to…    http://www.cinnamonlodge.co.nz/index.asp

A few things ended up coming home with me:o)These cute little stools…I think they would make a gorgeous display, perhaps a doll and her quilt made out of these…Or perhaps they will be turned into a quilt for the sofa, Hmmm… Or maybe both! 

And these fabrics are for a very special project for DD2…Note to Georgie - DD2 just arrive home from school and the first thing she noticed were the flowers(Mum these are cute, where did they come from?) Maybe one of them will be used in the above special project, who knows…

Tonight is the last get-together at Claire’s so I better go get myself organised, dinner doesn’t cook itself!!!

Story time Sunday…

As I mentioned in my last post I thought I would share a little story each Sunday, stories that have meant something to me or have had an impact on my life. I hope you will find something in them for yourself.

The Schwinn Bike

Mr. Baxter, once, Earn Baxter, used to manage the campaigns for me. He said up in Canada, they were... one time there was a contest to win a new Schwinn bicycle. They had a board that was a foot wide. They had to ride it for fifty or a hundred yards, setting about three foot in the air. And every one of them there were champions. Ernie said, "I could go downtown, and get my mother's groceries, put them under my arms, and come through the street cars, up around the cars and never touch my handlebars." Said, "I could ride. Set backwards on it and ride the same as he could forward." Said, "It didn't make any difference me." And nearly all of them was champions. And they was sure they was going to win that Schwinn bicycle.
And they had one little sissy fellow among them. He wasn't too good a rider. They knowed he wasn't going to win. But when they put them all on the track and start them out, everyone of them fell off but this one little sissy boy. He rode out to the end. Got off. Received the reward, took the bicycles. And all the fellows got around and said, "Tell us how you done it."
Said, "Boys, I'm going to tell you where you made your mistake." Said, "I thought it all out before I got on there." That's a good idea. He said, "You see, you all were trying like this to keep the bicycle on the board looking right down like this at your bicycle. It made you nervous. You got to wiggling; you fell off. And I seen where you made your mistake." He said, "I never looked what was down here. I just watched the end and kept steady." That's it. That's it! Watch the end and keep steady! Just keep moving on.
I'd be discouraged tonight if it wasn't for that: I'm watching the end, just keeping steady. Move on no matter what takes place. Just keep... Don't look at that. Just keep looking at the end. That's where you meet God down there at the end. There's where the rewards are give out. Don't drop off here. Go on to the end. "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."

FNSI Update…

All I managed for the FNSI was pressing and then basting Little Jacks Quilt! Sorry no photo’s to share yet.

Today the Hubbs and I went out for lunch without any of our dear children, it was so nice. We bought a few plants for the garden, an interesting mix of salad greens, two squash seedlings and a cucumber seedling.

After milking we had a family picnic tea down at the beach, it was lovely, we must do it again, soon!

Have a great weekend!

FNSI

I will be joining in the FNSI tonight, I plan to work on Baby Jacks quilt.

Farmyard Friday…

I had prepared this post earlier in the week all proud of myself for being so organised, but guess what it’s not here… anywhere. I’ve looked under and around things, its gone, vamoosed, adios… so here I go again and maybe it’s just as well because I have something else to show instead. Today we went on a little home schooling trip, to Dave Hungers farm. Now this was no ordinary field trip, we were going to see a trebuchet contraption he had made with his sons. Wow, it was huge!The concrete slab used to catapult the weapon of choice weighed 2 tonne!Here’s Dave hooking the up the high tech (lol) attachment to the end of the swinging arm…The weapon of choice today was a 20 litre container filled with water, then Dave released the catapult. The container flew way up, and I mean way up then landed over in the next paddock, with explosive results. I can see why it would have been the weapon of choice when attacking a fortress or castle!

I think my boys have great plans for the weekend, as long as they don’t use each other for catapults or little sisters for that matter!

Dave also led us on a tour of his farm, there was lot’s more to see and do like this old water turbine built by a mother and her young son(the father having died years before when he got lost in the bush) Dave also collects money, this is a genuine Ten Trillion Dollar note! Which if you lived in Zimbabwe would probably only buy a loaf of bread! Dave asked the question what is inflation, and DS1 answered the question perfectly. (that’s my boy!)

Well I’m going to stop there, this post is getting rather long and you’re probably bored to tears by now.

One more thing… as you may have noticed the title of this post is ‘Farmyard Friday’, well I have decided each Friday I will share a little of our life down on the farm!

I also have plans to share an inspirational story each Sunday (oops that’s two things) so stay tuned…

Little Jack…

Just wanted to show off my nephew and his partners new wee bundle…Little Jack, well just Jack but for some reason I keep referring to him as Little Jack…Isn’t he sweet, now I really must finish his quilt, otherwise he will be off and crawling before we know it!

Another week gone…

My sewing buddies are feeling very neglected this past week, I haven’t found the time to do any stitching at all.  Instead I have been enjoying the school holidays with my children.

You could also have found me in the garden, weeding and cleaning up after this … the cows got in, twice in as many days!!!

Let’s just say my DH is not very popular at the moment!

Here are a few shots of the garden… …the runner beans have popped up to say hello and the broccoli and cabbages have taken off...I also bought some rhubarb in the specials section for $1 a while ago and wasn’t sure how well it would grow…But as you can see it is coming along nicely. I have planted three rows of lettuces, some pumpkins and zucchini. DH has erected a couple of gates(below) to protect the pumpkins and zucchini from four legged creatures.This is part of the view from my kitchen windows… Hope you have enjoyed the little tour of my garden.

I am planning to do a post each Friday to show snapshots from my garden and/or the farm.In other happenings Poppy(the horse) has been a naughty girl, she got into some calf pellets at the shed. Calf pellets contain rumensin to help prevent and control coccidiosis. But if ingested by horses it can be fatal. So an afternoon of calls between me and the local vets and lot’s of prayer ensued. There was nothing they could do for her, no cure and no antidote it all came down to how much she had eaten. They gave us a list of things to look for, sweating, wobbliness, lack of appetite etc. So far 48 hours later she has shown no side affects, Praise the Lord!

It’s been quite a long post so I think I will end it here before I bore you all to tears, Lol.

Take Care and I will share again soon.

Down on the farm…

We have two new additions on our farm, this is Minty…

And this one is curly…

Aren’t they cute?

And this is Ernest and Hemmingway…

Please don’t ask me which one is which because I couldn’t tell you!

Pure Joy…

Little Jacks quilt is coming along nicely, the front is pieced, and I just have to sew two white strips to the back which is also pieced, so it will be a reversible quilt!

The instructions said to press the seams open, I have always pressed to one side and then butted the squares up against each other but I thought I would give it a go… so far I’m pleased with the result. I’m guessing it will help with the quilting too, not so much bulk.

So far it has been Pure joy to sew with these fabrics and it’s gotta be the quickest top I have made, I hope to prepare it ready for quilting tonight, who knows I could have this quilt finished by the end of the week! And I have a few strips left over for me :o)