A little card

From Australia Post

in my letter box meant

a trip down to the Post Office to see

what they couldn't deliver.

 It was a great big bag full of lovely goodness

from Ballarat Patchwork.

Emma is having a closing down sale

and everything is 30% off.

Everything inside was carefully wrapped in paper -

adding to the excitement!

Solids.

Stash builders.

More stash builders.

Pompoms - large and small.

Ric-rac.

Issues of Vignette

And a book.

You know how much I 

LOVE books.

So pop on over and see if you can grab yourself a bargain.

How did I...

end up with a 15 year old son?

Wasn't he just running around in nappies

and smearing stuff with his chubby little hands

the other day?

Apparently maturity does not kick-in at 15 for boys, lol.

In our family the birthday person gets to choose what 

we have for dinner - we ended up at

the Green Olive, a family restaurant here.

There was cake.

I almost got a good photo...

Then the photo-bombing started.

As did the silly face pulling.

I'm sure just to try and razz me up, but it didn't 

as it was all in good fun,

besides I told them the pics were going here!

I love it when I can still one up them!

Weekend wrap up

This quilt was sandwiched last weekend and quilted this weekend.

I made a mountain of binding and got that done too.

It's finished and will be sent on it way back to 

The Phoebe Foundation.

Then I decided to drag out this old thing and work on it some more.

I haven't touched her for quite some time.

There may or may not have been the odd mishap while quilting.

The quilting might be finished this week.

I think I can safely say that I have not enjoyed

the process of making this quilt.

Oh golly gosh

More mail arrived today 

and I'm not sure what to do.

You see, I still have blocks 1 & 2 sitting in their packets.

So now number 3 has arrived I'm feeling a little twinge of

sadness, shame and regret all at the same time.

I am beginning to think that this one too is destined for the

"retirement" pile.

I just find it so difficult to work full time, manage a family and spend time sewing.

Anyone want to just pay me to stay home and sew?

On the needles

I have a size 9 circular needle

only I am using brown

to make this.

Not sure how it will turn out as the yarn I'm using

is different to what the pattern says, so I have already had 

to make adjustments to the pattern.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Pinning...

With the family.

At one stage every member of this family

was pinning this quilt.

This quilt is not mine.

Julia from the Phoebe Foundation

sent it to me to be quilted and I am happy to help out.

They are trying to make quilts for kids with 

congenital heart problems.  

I think it is a very worthy cause.

They need this quilt for September, so I had better get

to it and finish it off and post it back to Julia.

Reading

I read a lot.

Mostly it's for work - I spend my days

surrounded by books of various kinds and

information, reports, tests, data, etc.

I do love to relax with a good novel.

This is mostly during holiday time.

I discovered Linda Castillo and her character

Kate Burkholder from Painters Mill.

It was because of my interest in the Amish that I found these books.

On my recent trip to Fiji I took just one novel, not sure how much reading I would actually do.

Bad move - done in 3 nights.

I then had nothing to read.

There are no more novels in this series left for me to read.

I hope Linda writes more.

If you like murder, mystery, romance and Amish life style, then you should read these books.

The postman always knocks twice

When he has squishy mail, lol

All of the BFF packs have arrived.

#3 of Vintage Rouge has arrived

(guess I should finish months 1 + 2)

Scrumptious!

I love shopping online!

FNSI rehash

This is what I was supposed to do on Friday night.

When in reality I was doing a lot of this.

Yes texting, trying to organise accommodation

for 11 people, not easy considering most clever people

have already booked their Christmas vacation...

guess that means I'm not that smart.

I did manage to finish this one.

And managed to get started on this one.

One day I will have my BFF finished.

More Fiji

These were our rooms for the week and we also

had a kitchen and family room.

We heard and saw plenty of these critters.

Some of these too.

We may have eaten here a couple of times too as it was a hit with he kids.

Bula!

This is where I am.

Hard to take, I know.

Leaving the Australian winter behind was tough...

Nah, who am I kidding - best decision ever.

We visited the Nadi Fire Station and had a tour and looked 

at some of the trucks that were once CFA trucks.

Visited the mud pool and spa - got treated well 

by one of the locals...this is the only time 

I have allowed my kids to play in mud.

And of course the obligatory photo with the local

law enforcement.  Turns out there was

a big political conference here at the resort

for 3 days and so there was an awful lot of

security around the place.

We have just found out that our flight home has been

cancelled and are currently waiting to find out

when we can get home.  

13 + a plane

13 years ago today 

this cute little red head came into the world...

making noise and nothing much has changed.

She still makes noise but a lot more of it!

She has changed my life for the better and I 

love every minute of being her mum.

In about 30 minutes I am going to jump on a plane 

and head here...

So I'm not sure how much Internet access or time

I will have but I will try and post.

Just in case, 

enjoy your week,

I know I will!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

Sharon!

Sharon and I have been blog buddies for some time 

and were partnered

up for Mrs Martin's celebration swap.

One of the celebrations we were to acknowledge 

were each other's birthdays and

what better way that to do that,

than on a blog?

 Sharon is getting this bag that I made out of one of

Bonnie & Camille's fabrics 

(Sharon LOVES B&C).

A pocket purse - she can slip all sorts of 

things in there.

A glasses case out of the General,

I know she is a little partial to him.

 Another little pouch that she can put

make-up or whatever into.

And the beast.  Those stupid bees we emailed

over Sharon, were all for you!

Happy Birthday to one of the nicest people 

I know, and someone who I am 

proud to call my friend.

Have a wonderful day!