Next Project

At the beginning of last year I bought Jinny Beyer's Around the World quilt kit. It has sat in the cupboard ever since but today I dragged it out and decided to start it.

OK I hear you all say - what about all those UFO's you have? Well some of them are definite WOMBATs (Waste of money, brains and time); one is ongoing (Rowena Charlton quilt), one is hard work because it is foundation pieced and all the same block and I need to make about 195 (Peace Quilt). The last one is my Amish syle quilt that I am hand quilting (ROFL) and as it is too hot I am saving that for winter.

So that justifies my latest project!

Anyway I have gone through all the fabrics and sorted them out. I have cut the pieces for the first two blocks and am now reading to start sewing them. I haven't decided whether to cut out all the blocks first then sew or sew as I cut. Maybe I will cut a few then sew a few.

Jinny Beyer provides a 26 page coloured book with each block broken down to lessons starting with easy and then finishing with a complicated mariner's compass block in the centre. She also gives instructions for a simpler centre block but I think I will tackle the harder one. I have made a quilt with a feathered star in the centre and need to step out of my comfort zone as far as quilting is concerned.

BBQs, cookbooks and sewing

I bought myself a BBQ - we had an old 4 burner that was really hard to light and I would never use it. I wanted something I could use and enjoy.

We had built a covered deck on the side of the house and younger son (Bill the builder) cut a hole in the wall of the house and put in double french doors. It gave us a big outdoor room 5m x 8m. I put some pot plants along the side of the deck to hide to old garage (I'm am the world's best a killing plants) and amazingly a lot of the have survived.

Anyway, when I am cooking outside I have a problem with bities wanting to carry off the food or me so decided that was a good enough excuse to make a small throwover to keep beside the BBQ.

I got some lovely violets embroidery designs from S-embroidery and felt they would be perfect, 1/2m organza and away I went.

I was please the way it turned out, of course it was purple and one of my most favourite flowers.......

Now I can concentrate on cooking istead of batting flies with one hand.

I have been scouring all my cookbooks (I collect them) and decided new BBQ - new cookbook so lashed out and found some great BBQ books to experiment with. Hopefully the family won't get sick of BBQs before I get sick of cooking them.

Last thing I cook? De boned chicken marinated in honey and mustard served with smashed potatoes, pumpkin, sweet potato with cinnamon and a green salad on the side.

My own weirdness

On a lot of blogs I have read recently people were admitting to various weird things about themselves. Some of the I could relate to and others I did think were odd. That made me think about my own 'weirdness'. Then I was reading Sheilac's latest post where she mentions dreaming in black & white or colour.

That got me thinking ("again" you say!). I dream in glorious colour, can be anything or male or female, play all roles at once and thoroughly enjoy my dreams. Now for my weirdness ........... I always think and speak in pictures/movies.

In my mind as I think or speak I see little pictures/movies of what I am saying or doing. Even when someone speaks to me or I read something it turns into pictures/movies in my head. Even watching TV or movies if I don't concentrate on the movie the damn thing runs in my head.

Now I always thought this was normal but I remember mentioning to some friends years ago and they all looked at me as if I was mad. (OK I think I probably am but that's my prerogative.) Since that time I have not mentioned it since but now am floating out into blog land for all to read.

So come out - if there are any 'picture/movie' speaking and thinking people out there - please put your hand up. I don't want to be the only weird one in blogland.......lol

"Sir, may I be excused? My brain is full."

(thanks to Far side cartoons)

Froggy Lullaby

For the last 25 years or so we have gone to sleep with the sound of frogs calling to each other. I built 2 ponds for goldfish about 26 years ago - the fish died or were eaten by birds but the frogs moved in and have stayed ever since.

Their 'tok' 'whock' all night and day has become part of the landscape over the years and we don't notice how noisy they are until a visitor mentions it.

Sadly I haven't heard a frog for the past 6 months - the drought has taken its told on our urban wildlife. I have a rainwater tank and keep the pond full but still no frogs. I was sadden to think they had gone and our nightly lullaby lost. Another victim of climate change ...... but here in Sydney from Saturday until Monday we have losts and lots of lovely rain. It must have soaked down through the layers of earth to where the frogs bury themselves and lay dormant, Tuesday night around midnight I heard a lone croak and by dawn there were at least 5 different froggy voices.

This morning the was lots of eggs floating in their pond and there seems even more frogs are singing. Isn't it amazing to think that they can lay dormant under the earth until conditions are right for laying their eggs and for the tadpoles for survive.

Work Areas

I was reading the lastest entries on Sheilac's blog site Aubirdwoman and Erica's Creative Dabbling this morning and both were talking about sewing rooms/studios. Erica had bought a book called Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space as she likes looking at other peoples work areas, getting ideas; and Sheilac was organising her room - she included a photo and I was really envious of how neat, tidy and organised her room is.

Mine, on the other hand, is like a tornado has swept through and drop miscellaneous debris all over it. I am the most untidy person I know but I do know where everything is......I envy all those tidy people. My stash is sorted into colours and I have baskets for either ongoing projects or certain colours/fabrics that I hace planned for something.

I thrive in total confusion and clutter - I feel more creative. When I clean up (only when there is no more workspace) I feel stiffled and it only take a short while for all the 'mess' to creep back in.

My house is clean but not very tidy - I avoid housework like the plague - actually I will find anything that I think needs doing rather than tackle the chores. This morning I was good and after my grandson and his mum left (they stay every week from Friday to Monday) I got stuck into it and cleaned the kitchen, dining/family room, their bathrooom and our lounge. I was very proud of getting all that done and now I can 'play' without any guilty conscience!

So - should I be daring and show you photos of my workroom? Just for Erica's interest I doubt there would be any inspiration (lol)...... OK - bear in mind I actually tidied up last Friday after getting all the things done for the weekend wedding.

How do you like your work area? Are you cluttered and untidy like me or organised and neat like Sheilac? Do you like to see others work area like Erica?

Inspiration comes in Strange Ways

I had to have a biopsy done this week as I have two little lumps - get the results on Monday - and I have been giggling since they were done.

Why? - Because one of them has bruised spectacularly although it has faded a lot - I have a little stitch in the centre which is deep red/black then a yellow orange ring about 2cm wide and then another ring deep red purple about 5mm wide. It looks just like a target. Wonder if I could make an ad for Target?

Anyway, this got me thinking again - strangely the colours work well

together . I thought about tie dying some fabric and then make a small wall hanging with lots of different sized 'targets'. It would look great quilted and then beaded madly.

So - what is the strangest thing that has inspired you to make (or think about making) something?

Lacy handkerchiefs and memories of Mum and Dad

I finished my lacy table runner and had some leftover white fabric. I was very happy with how it turned out especially as it was my first attempt at a lace border and joining up all the pieces.

I can always remember my mother carried lovely lace edged handkerchiefs - delicate little squares of crisp white cotton with lovely edging and often one corner was filled with a lovely intricate lace design. Whenever I see someone with one of those lacy squares I think of Mum.

Nowadays we tend to use tissues and rarely carry a hanky any more. I must admit I am not over fond of the hankies you can buy now - they are usually garish coloured and stiff - is it any wonder we prefer a tissue? Plus it is much healthier to throw it away rather than wash a hanky.

Anyway I thought I could make some edging and stitch it to the leftover cotton and make my own hanky. I had some lovely edging that I felt would do and using BuzzEdit I fiddled with one corner and added a more involved element.

Well - truth be known I kind of got carried away and in the space of a couple of days have turned out 4 hankies.

The first one was a little wobbly; the next I put my initial in the corner, the 3rd was looking better and then I got really carried away and the 4th has a lovely lace heart for its corner!

Now I have some lovely hankies to put in my pocket - at least if I 'sniffle' at the wedding I will have something lovely to wipe my eyes on........LOL

What reminds you of people who you have lost? Is it something as simple as a hanky or the smell of something special cooking? I really miss my Mum and Dad and sometimes the oddest thing will remind me of them.

My Dad was always a clown when it came to taking photos and my grandson (and my younger son for that matter) are the same. A cheezy grin or silly face - rarely could you get a photo that was 'natural'.

They would both be so interested in my embroidery machine - I am sure Dad would want to play with it. They were a great support and always interested in things we did.

Yesterday I was reading on the 'net about the effects of global warming and calving ice shelves (or is it shelfs) and thought - Wow Dad would find this so interesting - he spent most of his life on the sea and the effects of overfishing and increasing water levels would be something he would devour.