Freshen up

I’m looking forward to the coming spring. 

Not that you could tell today. 

It’s a dark, cold windy day. The wind is coming straight form the Antarctic and it felt  like it. 

But I’m manifesting better weather. 

The hanging baskets needed their annual refresh. 

Hubby got them down for me and I started to carefully empty the pots. Weeded them and repotted with fresh potting mix 

They definitely look better. The weeds were starting to out shine that actual plants 

Any breakages were potted up in what ever pot I had that was empty. Hopefully they will take and I’ll get some free new plants 

I was going to start tending the pots under the veranda, but it just got too windy 

So I came  inside and enjoyed nice cup of tea in my favourite mug 



I’ll try to finish the rest of the  pots tomorrow. 

Product review

I got excited and purchased some self threading sewing needles. 

I thought what a great idea. You can see there is a gap with a little bit that hangs over. 

You pull the thread in that little gap down and then up. 

Easy right!

No. The thread comes off constantly 

I tried doing a little twist and then put thread in a second time to try and keep it on. 

Good idea right! 

No. It works like a knot and won’t come through the fabric. 

Then trying to push the needle back out, it acts like a fishing hook and that little barb prevents you pulling the needle back out 

Needless to say I do not recommend. 

It frustrated me to no end. 

I then went back to the nice normal sewing needle and the rest of the hand stitching progressed with no problems at all 

First quilt is done   The girls even used it as building materials for their houses. 

For further information refer to previous post 



I’m now finishing off the second quilt 

Machine sewing takes much less time. But 

It really doesn’t look as nice 



As you can see. I used different colours in the bobbin when quilting. 

I purchased extra bobbins and it said comes already with cotton on 

I’m very sure, but honestly who knows, that I ticked all white

Instead this arrived with the whole rainbow of colours 

So I had white on the top stitch and a coloured bobbin in the machine 

Quilting used so much thread I burned through them quickly. You can see the empties 

I’m also using it to hand stitch the binding, although I did choose a very pale yellow.  You can hardly see it 

So if you decide to try these newfangled sewing needles be warned. They will drive you drink! 

Girls day

It’s school holidays and that means granddaughter x3 

Here they are eating popcorn and discussing something or other. Melody in particular looks pensive. 

The two mischief  makers in the making are engrossed in Gabbys Dollhouse. 

Melody is just in front of me using the colouring in app on  my tablet 




Melody made a cubby house. But the other two wanted to come in. So she had to make it bigger. 

Grandpa is helping her.  I’m pretty sure he has never made a blanket fort in his whole life 



Here they all are. 

All snug as  bugs in rugs 



It was still squishy. They decided that the two little ones are visiting melody. 

They eventually all made “ homes “ and were neighbours 



Wonderson knew he had no hope of getting Ana home with “ her girls” here. So he rang his sister and they made a time to both come together. 

It’s nice to see them finally working together 

I’ve waited a long long time lol 

The days go by

My days are pretty much the same. 

Get up feed animals 

Feed mum and give her meds 

Spend the morning doing dressed housework 

Feed mum give her meds 

Afternoon is spent doing crafts. 

Today craft got interrupted when mum asked me to make her pjs fit her better. They were huge 

I’m now sitting getting the first quilt ready to hand sew the binding 

As promised here are the squares 

I’ve got 19.5 finished 

Once the last one is done I’ll join them 

Quilt is ready for me to sew 



Soon I’ll organise dinner. 

Hubby left to go to the farm Monday so I only 

Hand to feed me and mum. 

And give her meds. 

And tomorrow repeat 

Work and fun work

Remember when I said hubby went out to find something to do? 

Well he did. I had asked about the tree in the foreground. It was being attacked by something and it looked like it was dying. 

It started to grow back. I wanted to cut out the dead bits. 

After all this time, it’s been months, he decided now was the time. 

It’s not his fault. It’s been raining way too much. And while wonderson was recovering from his surgery he had to work long hours to keep up with the work that was booked in 

Here it is with its hair all cut off   Maybe in the spring it will take off 



The branches were put into the paddock where the stock dug in. 



The steer was first, the the alpaca and finally the sheep. 



Even the chickens wanted to get in on the action 




Today I made myself vacuum the living areas. 

I had put it off because the girls were coming. Kids just naturally make mess. I don’t care. They all had fun. But I couldn’t put it off any longer 

But once that was done I started to pin the quilts together ready to quilt 



I didn’t take a pic of the second one. But here they both are. 



I’m exhausted after all that. 

I’ve got frozen spaghetti sauce out of the freezer. All I need do for dinner is cook the pasta 

I’m still knitting the squares. I’ve only three more to do and then I can sew them together. I promise I’ll show you what it looks like soon. 

At least I can rest while knitting 

Fuller house

After a busy Friday, we woke to a cold but sunny day

Perfect for catching up on tasks that have been neglected 

The fruit is ripening and it’s definitely an orange tree

The little citrus next to it is a lemon 

Even though their both dwarfs, I think they will do better in the ground   Ill need help with that 

I pruned the mulberries. It doesn’t look like it, but I promise I did   I cut out the middle branches and any crossing. I also gave the tops a hair cut. It will be easier collecting the fruit 



Our apricot tree. When netted we get lots of fruit. 

This has been in the ground over ten years 



The plum trees. They got a hard prune last year so only a little off the sides needed 

They are prolific producers. Once again they need netting or all the birds party in my front yard 



The roses were pruned about a month ago. I didn’t do it this year. Hubby has a nice young man who brings in his car for a service. He’s not flushed with money so he does some gardening to “ pay” for his service 

He loves gardening but unfortunately he is his father’s carer so really doesn’t get to spend as much time out as he would like. 

Having a “small job” in our back yard keeps him happy as well as getting his car road safe 



Dobby has learnt, very quickly, that when we are outside he gets fed. So when ever he sees someone he comes running 






Hubby took full advantage of the nice day to mow the lawns they were getting a tad long 

The girls arrived in the afternoon for a sleep over while their parents went out to a birthday party 

Melody likes using my iPad to colour in pictures in an app I have.  Trixie was relaxing with her 



Brianna did some colouring in on my phone. It has tha same app. But she got bored with it and decided to go and play 



This morning they went out with grandpa to feed Dobby. They both decided to climb the tree and wanted their picture taken to send to their mum. 



They have now gone home. It’s just the three of us here now. 

Hubby had gone out to find something to do. There is always something to do 

It’s a bit too quiet now 

Full house

Ana arrived early when it’s was still very cold and dark. 

She knows grandma will not only have the fire going, she will also have the central heating on as well. 

The jumper comes off about 30 seconds after coming in 

She has started eating on the coffee table. I think she’s sick of Trixie watching and hoping she shares 

Great grandma, yiayia, arrived yesterday. 

She will stay here for three weeks while my sister is overseas 

It took a little time but eventually Ana was getting help to build a fort to hide in 




Trixie decided she wanted to just relax in the sunshine 

I think she’s missed it these last few weeks 



In between feeding both of them. 

Making sure meds are taken at the correct time

And some housekeeping I sat and knitted. 

The baby sprinkle is next Saturday so I’ve only got a week to finish it 

I’ll post pics soon 

Bitter cold

It’s cold and very wet. We have not had such wintery weather for a long time. 

We really needed the rain 

It was a perfect day for working on a large quilt. 



I finished quilting it and now I needed to take out all the pins before I could proceed 

I usually do this sitting down. But the back was aching so I had to change to standing 

It was actually a great way to get all the pins out. I usually leave many in because I just don’t see them 

I definitely could see them here and I knew a section was done before I rolled up the top part of the quilt to reveal the rest of the blanket I needed too do 



It turned out to be a rather large quilt indeed 

And it’s done. 

I did both sides of the binding on the machine. I didn’t want to spend hours hand stitching. 

All I really have to do now is cut off all the long bits of thread. 

The rest of the day will be spent on the couch. With a cup of coffee, fire going while knitting. 

I’m rewatching “call the midwife “. That will do to keep me amused 

Clearing

I’ve spent a considerable time in my craft room over the last few days 

I went looking for my compression gloves, nope didn’t find them,

But I did find a big bag of fabrics 

Pretty sure they were a gift from someone, as I don’t remember buying most of it. 

It did have a few I definitely bought so I must of just put them all in the bag

To sort out later. 

Then promptly forgot about it. 

Going through it all. I found this panel. It’s was for a door weather stopper 

I kept it out and I made it up yesterday. 

It’s used all nearly all my hobby fill so I will have to get more. 

I spent a couple of hours patching together pieces to make up wadding to fit the two new quilt tops 

I’m also had to piece together a flannel sheet to make the backing. 

I had bought the sheet sets years ago and only used the fitted part for the bed on the van

I then kept the flat sheet for backing for quilts. 

They’re not pinned. Just ready to be pinned when I pull the table out again 

It’s not easy pulling it out. That’s why I wanted to get them done. So I could then pin them at the same time. 

The quilt in the bottom is the one I have pinned.  Quilting will commence soon. 

I’ll need the pins for the other two 

When I made the quilt with the flower panel I was sure I had enough for a complete patchwork top 

When I spread it all out on the floor I was one short. 

That’s why I made the two pillow cases. 

But. While looking around for those gloves, I found one that had fallen behind the sewing machine. 

Oh well.  Quilted it and turned it into a pillow case too. 

Only. I hadn’t put the last boarder on and it was too small for the cushions I’ve got 

My brain went into action,  I know I was shocked too. 

I had an old pillow case that was was going to cut up for rags 
I measured the cushion, cut up the pillow case. 

Filled it with the hobby filling and sewed it up. 

It fitted perfect you can see the cushion peeking out 

It’s the perfect size for putting under my elbow while knitting. 

And finally I found two charities that will take my trauma teddys 

And stuffed owls. 




I covered the boxes, so you couldn’t see the company’s logo. 

Used half a roll of tape to make sure they don’t open 

And added the addresses 

I’ll take them to the post office sometime this week and send them off 

Between these parcels and the “random acts of  kindness “ I’ve been placing everywhere I go 

My stash of toys is now all gone. 

I’ll slowly build it up again once I 

Finish the blanket for the new baby 

Finish my jumper

And finish quilting those quilts. 

I honestly don’t know how people find time to go to work!,

I just can’t fit it into my schedule t all 

Weekend

The weeks are flying by 

Six months until Christmas! 

Ana decided yesterday that we should relax and take life easy 

I think children can teach us so much 

She took off her tshirt, it’s always warm at grandmas. 

Trixie decided to sleep on it. 

She really loves the girls 



Today after art in the morning. We headed off and saw my mum in hospital. 

She’s coming out Thursday and she will come stay here for a few weeks 

I started to sort out my scraps and decided I wanted to make something quick. 

I’d seen these pin cases. And I made one 

Very easy and effective 





It’s now in my sewing box. 

In the big stash of scraps I found the off cuts from a quilt I had professionally quilted. 





I’ve spent some time getting the fabric separated from the wading. 

I’ve still got a few big pieces to go. 

Once done they will go into the tubs and used for later projects 

Meanwhile. Hubby borrowed a truck and got hay for the menagerie 

If I didn’t have animals I’d be so much richer in the bank, but poorer in my soul 

Now we are finally sitting and waiting for the football to start. 

Who knows what we will get up to tomorrow