Candles

I'm currently in the midst of making items for our Mother's Day stall that we have at school.

While looking at Pinterest the other day I stumbled across these gorgeous candles.

So of course I had to jump in boots and all and have a go.

I'm really disappointed about the tapered candles as they were a creamy-yellow colour 

and so the magic ingredient looked awful on them and so I decided to colour them.

Of course the only food dye I had left in the house was from when I made these cupcakes.

Now I'm not so sure I like them - they do look different in the photo compared with my eye.

I'm sure there will be a couple of kids who like the sparkly gaudy blue...

Surprise mail

 When I got home from camp (oh I mentioned it again ,sorry), there was a little parcel waiting for me.  

It was this month's button club from Theodora and it is just gorgeous, me to a T!

There was also a little something extra.

I was lucky enough to win a competition for one of Barb's brand new creations,

part of her Millie collection about her cat.

I love it.  

Not sure what I will do with it but being a cat person I think it is sweet.

24 years ago today my Father lost his 5 year battle with cancer, please spare a thought today for those currently undergoing their own fight, that they might be spared and rise above and beat this insidious, awful brute.

The last of camp...

Hard to believe that this time last week I was frantically stuffing things into bags 

and checking lists and hoping that I had remembered everything.

Camp seems like a distant memory now, from long long ago.

Well for me anyway, but this little guy would probably tell you something very different.

And on the note of this little guy, he was a little upset the other day when we spoke of 

camp next year and I told him I doubted that I would go - that I didn't think I would be teaching 5/6.  

He was crushed.

Guess he loves me after all.

Lucy update

We finally heard back from the vet.

turns out she had a high level of crystals and some bacteria in her urine.

Now we just watch and hope that it doesn't happen again or she has to go onto a special diet.

Thanks for all the well wishes, she is much better.

She may even be feeling well enough to sew again soon.

ANZAC

The Ode

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Did you know that 'The Ode' comes from "For the Fallen", a poem by the English poet and writer 

Laurence Binyon and was published in London in The Winnowing Fan: Poems of the Great War in 1914.  This verse, which became the Ode for the Returned and Services League, has been used in association with commemoration services in Australia since 1921.

Since my eldest son joined Scouts about 6 years ago we have been going to the dawn service.  It is a very moving and special time and I am blow away by how many people come along.  It gets bigger and bigger each year.

My son and his fellow Scouts walk up the hill from the centre of town to the R.S.L. and spend the next couple of hours serving breakfast to the soldiers and their families that feel like a 'gunshot' breakfast.  He does this with a sense of pride and gratitude for the sacrifice that these brave men and women have made for us to have the freedom that we enjoy today.  

To those who did not make it home safely, I say, thank you.

Lest we forget.

What is written across my forehead?

SUCKER!

Yep I fell for it hook, line and sinker.  

I bought this for my daughter thinking it would be fun to make these 3 items together.  

Ok, truth be told it was the pretty pictures that got me.

Everything you need to make three items and the patterns included in the kit and all for under $20, what a bargain!

She was so excited when i gave it to her, it was a nice feeling.

I opened it up to find what looked like calico!

What?

Yep everything else was there - tissue paper patterns and notions.

But the fabric - where was they pretty stuff on the front?

Dummy - always read the fine print.

They saw me coming at Spotlight, a mile off...

Live and learn, well it will be an inexpensive way for my daughter to learn to make these things.

Me too!

I'm getting in on the act, 

both Shez and Cheryll have blogged 

about their fun making these little beauties.  

So I thought they would be great to make 

for our Mother's Day stall.

They were right, these hand towels are so quick and easy to make.  

I see a few more of these in my near future.

Spotlight on a Sunday

20  minutes was all it took.

All pretty much to be used to make gifts;

Mother's Day stall for school,

birthday gifts for friends

pillow book for me - to make pillows for presents,

gift for my daughter.

I think spotlight should give me some sort of frequent shopper bonus,

or at least my own car parking spot, lol.

On a completely different note, I'm off to school camp with 120+ students for 3 days and I'm not sure how I will survive without ANY sewing or craft for those 3 days.

A finish!

Remember how I redid the centre block of my Marcelle Quilt?

Well I decided to reuse the original centre block.

This is the completed pillow case - I just used the whole centre block and decided not to add a border for fear of making the pillow way too big.

I did a simple stitch in the ditch quilting around all of the triangular pieces.

There she sits, on the couch but I think I will need to make a proper pillow insert so that it gets into the corners and has less bulk around the middle (oh she sounds like me).

I'm happy with it and feel good for not wasting such beautiful fabrics.

Lucy

Sorry blurry phone picture but she was so cute in my cupboard, sniffing around all of my fabrics. 

Anyway...

This little cutie is not very well.  She had a trip to the Vet yesterday and I'm going back this morning with a urine sample.  Having blood in your wee is never a good thing, is it?

Not sure if you folks out there are the praying kind but Lucy could used some good vibes right about now, me too for that matter.

Don't really want to have this hanging over my head when I'm off to school camp on Monday.

I'll keep you all posted.

Follow up

A little while ago I posted about needing advice on some Internet shopping that had not turned up. You can read the original post Here.

Thank you to everyone who contacted me, it really made me feel so much better.

Anyway I have finally had a response.  I sent emails,  I contacted the fabric company the person in question designs for and also a shops he had done video tutorials for, I even left comments on her Facebook page and her blog.

It was the comment on her blog that she finally responded to.  Well I can say now that I finally have the fabric kit that I paid for in December. Sadly there was no note, to apology, no nothing in the shipment, but I have my fabric.

I won't name names but one thing is for sure, I will never order from this lady again.

On a positive note, I met a lady who was also waiting for her order and we have been exchanging  emails.  See, there is always a positive out of a negative!

Have a great weekend :)

Sunday afternoon

I'm sure you are probably getting sick and tired of me going on and on and about my escapades with Marcelle.  She most certainly is not my best friend.

I spent Sunday working on her and after a quick trip to Spotlight I started to quilt her.  I opted for a very light weight bamboo batting by Sew Easy.

My kids aren't too good at holding quilts for photos...

or it could be me being all shaky cause the top is finally finished!

I decided to try and expand on my free motion skills and do a bit of a Green Fairy - I love the way she quilts!  Now I am in no way, shape or form anywhere near as talented as Judi is but I thought I'd give it a go.

How will my skills improve unless I push myself, right?

So there is in the centre lines within lines for the star, followed by  squiggly lines in the dark green/grey triangles and then pebbling in the 2 mid grey triangles

Not sure what else will follow but I'm happy so far.  I just know it's going to take some time to get it done.  Unfortunately though it wont be finished before school goes back - that, sadly is today.

Lately...

There has been a lot going on but at the same time there hasn't - if that makes sense.  Busy doing family and household things.  2 trips to the orthodontist for kids 2 + 3, one new set of x-rays and a 'keep going, you're doing really well' - that was for #2, she was hoping that the archaic and barbaric structure she has in place would come out early (due out in October) and there is a chance it may, but not as early as she would like...then the braces go on.  Yikes!  All because she sucked her thumb...

 Baby bear #3 has discovered a new talent...I'm so very proud ;) 

he had us all giggling the other night while he was waiting for his dessert.

This old Buzz Lightyear long stitch has made a resurgence.  I bought it ages ago in an attempt to get baby bear #3 working his hands and fingers and also because he is a HUGE Buzz fan.  It has been very hit and miss - his frustration levels are not the best.  #2 has been working on it for him a little.  Don't expect a finish on it any time soon.

This is what remains of my Marcelle Medallion.  Yes, I pulled it apart.  I had always thought it needed one extra border and then I was having trouble getting the borders to fit and blah de blah blah.  So I did what any self respecting crazy person does...I unpicked it.

And started again.  I have kept the original centre piece and think I will turn it into a pillow.  I redid the centre making sure that it was spot on and much to my dismay, surprise, pleasure - it was exactly the same size as the first (so I didn't make a boo-boo after all).  I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon sewing the borders on - I made a few minor adjustments and now have 2 borders to go and the top will be finished.

Think I may need to go to Spotlight this afternoon to get the necessary batting and backing fabrics.  Any suggestions on how to quilt it? 

Super Saturday!

Can you guess where we went yesterday?

I will give you a clue.

Did you pick it?  Yes, no, well here's another clue...

Yes that's my 3 baby bears walking through the mouth - they were a little excited!

 Aren't they so cute!

And of course, the obligatory family pic, say cheese!

No trip to Luna Park would be complete without a purchase from the gift shop as you leave.  Baby bear #3 has a 'thing' for moneys, so this little guy came home with us.  Here was I thinking how cute he was until this morning.  He screeches when he lands and at 7 am, it is NOT the best sound to hear.

I did get some stitching done in the car on the way down - no easy feat with the state of some of Victorian roads!  Sadly there was no stitching on the way home - we didn't leave Melbourne until almost 8 pm.  We all had the best day, but I tell you, the Scenic Railway is not what it used to be (or am I getting old???)

FNWF

My FNWF was productive!  I finally got around to ironing, cutting and ironing o all the pieces I still had to do for my Merry Merry Snowmen quilt.  Now to just blanket stitch them...

I even had time to finish off the latest in the series  for my blue quilt - it was the best Friday night ever!

Some More Marcelle

Well she continues to grow and the end of the top is in sight and soooo close but still so far, just chain piecing my little heart out.

I was undecided yesterday as to whether or not do the crosses that are in the pattern for the second last big border.  This morning I caved and decided to follow the instructions (I'm such a good girl).

I'm just not sure about the busyness of this quilt, there is a whole lot going on and I keep thinking that maybe I should have included a plain border between the geese and the bricks to tame it down a little.  I do still love the centre of the block and think it would make a lovely pillow.

Mama's China continues to grow - it's quick and easy and doesn't require the focus that Marcelle does.

And last night I finished another one of these from Anni Downs that I started ? deciding to do it all in blue - it shall be my blue quilt when it is finished...