Tuesday, July 1, 2025

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 

Saturday, June 28, 2025

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 




Thursday, June 26, 2025

Birthday boy





Today this chubby baby boy turns 36. 
I honestly don’t know where that time went 

At the time if felt like I had forever to enjoy, and stress, about your baby years. 
But in a blink of an eye you grew into a man and left the nest. 

So happy birthday my baby boy. Here’s to many many more years 

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Hump day

Over the last two days I finished this quilt top
I did add boarders between all the blocks and one around the whole piece 




The second quilt top 
I’m calling this “ summer garden” 
Full of flowers and pretty colours 



http://local-kiwi-alien.blogspot.com/

Predicted bread making today and she was correct 
She must be psychic  lol

Here it is before cooking 




And here it is done 
I wondered if the top would go brown with the lid on 
But it did 



The whole house smells wonderful 
Yes it is a cold rainy day today 
A perfect baking day 

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Warnings


I had a doctors appointment today to get my scripts 
While chatting the doctor asked when I last had a blood test. 
Well I couldn’t remember so she checked on the computer 

My last blood test was 2021

We can’t have that right. 
Luckily I hadn’t had a coffee or anything to eat so I couldn’t remember do the “donating “ of my blood straight away. 
I was then given a little plastic container and shown to the nearest toilets 

When I left I was warned  to not lift anything too heavy for the rest of the day 
I didn’t listen. 

I headed off to Aldi and bought bulk dog food. 
Cat food 
And a box of  long life milk. 
A heavy box 



This happens when you don’t listen to warnings   
It looks bad but thankfully it doesn’t hurt 

I also bought this new bread oven 
Another heavy box. Just to add to my load. 

Aldi’s middle isle is a dangerous place that needs a warning sign 





Later in the day we received a weather warning 
I don’t panic. I just get organised 

Firewood was brought in and 
All loose items were stored 





The winds did pick up to gusty. 
And then the temperature dropped. 
We currently have rain. 

So I do listen to warnings and I usually do as I’m told 
But I really needed to stock up. 
At least now I have, I won’t have to worry about it for a few weeks. 

All that’s left to do is wait to see what tests will reveal 
I’m sure I’m pretty much ok 

Monday, June 23, 2025

Catching up

Sunday was a definite rest day  I couldn’t get up and do much at all. 
So of course I had fallen behind in my chores 

I’ve stripped the bed , washed the sheets snd now they’re dry and waiting to be placed back on the bed 

The weather today was warmer than usual. With strong winds. It didn’t take long for the bedding to dry. 

A load of hubbys clothes have been washed and are on the clothes horse  drying by the fire 

In between washing I was cooking and sewing 

These blocks just didn’t match with the others I had made. So they’re now going to be a quilt of their own 

Once I’ve sown them together I’ll add a couple of boarders   It will make a decent size quilt for using on the couch. 



This is the second quilt.  I’m trying to decide if I’ll add strips between all the block as well as a boarder.   
I’ll give it a thought and decide when it comes time to sew it all together 




After laying them all out. I had two blocks left over 
These have become the two cushion covers I still needed 

They’ll match the quilt and look like a whole set   Just like store bought 



I even made some scones while doing the meal prep for dinner



Dinner is done and waiting for hubby to arrive 

A load of towels will be hung up under the back porch to dry. And after finishing with a load of my clothes 
I’ll be back on schedule 

Then all I have to do is sit and knit while watching telly before finally going to bed 

Tomorrow I’ll start on the next set of chores. 
Hopefully after a good nights sleep. 

Saturday, June 21, 2025

Busy days

Friday was Ana day. 
She asked if she could do some cut and paste. 
Of course grandma had the supplies 

She was working on her master piece for grandpa. 
She didn’t quite finish it so it’s still here for to finish next week



Watching Gabbys dollhouse with her best friend 



Today we headed off to the city to see my other beautiful girls compete in the cheerleading competitions 



Brianna on top. She is not scared of nights. 



On stage so happy 




Because they won first place in there age group. 
So very proud of their whole team. They were so good together. And you could see they were having a great time 



After it was all over. We headed to our cousins home for dinner. 

Finally getting home at 9.o’clock. 
I’m now in pjs, watching my team play football. 

It will be over soon, hopefully we can hung for the win. And then I’ll be so very ready for my bed 

Grandma is getting a little too old for two busy days in a row.  
Thankfully it’s Sunday tomorrow and I can have a sleep in and rest day 

Monday, June 16, 2025

Confusion and more squares


The older girls have a cheerleading exhibition that we are going to watch. 

It’s being held in the city. So hubby and I decided to leave home early to get there in plenty of time. 

I looked at the tickets and realised that we were a week early. Thankfully we hadn’t left home yet. 

Being a Saturday I told my art teacher that I wouldn’t be able to come to class. No problem. Unfortunately it then meant that I was going to miss two weeks. 
I didn’t want that. Do I had a lesson this afternoon to work on the new painting we started 



This is what I’ve now completed 
Much better than Trixies portrait. 
I’m back in my comfort zone 

I’ve also made more squares. I’m going to make a smaller quilt 



Going through the fabric the nice lady gave me. I found a piece with these pictures amongst lots of garden. 

I fussy cut out the buildings and then used the same process as the stitcheries to turn them into a block 

Further digging produced another panel with different flowers 



They’re ready to be sown with the first triangles boarder. 
There’s 12 of those. 
All up 20 blocks. That will make a decent 
Sized quilt 

I’m a bit worried that the stitches blocks won’t mix well with the others. 
I’ll lay them out and see once they’re all finished 

If the don’t, well I’ll just put them to one side and figure out what to add to them 

Now I’m sitting and waiting on hubby to arrive home. 
Dinner is cooked and I’ll dish it up when he gets here. I got a text saying he wasn’t far away 




Friday, June 13, 2025

Squares


For the last week it’s been all about squares 
I have four shabby looking cushions. I gave them a nice new outfit 

Two down. Two to go 




These stitcheries are very very old 
I made them in class, when baby girl was still in high school  
They were made into cushions, but when they started to look well loved  I removed them. 
I didn’t want to throw out all that work so I cut them out 

I’m not sure if I’ll turn them into a wall hanging 
Or add different squares and make a quilt 
I think they look nice in they’re new squares 
Suggestions welcome 



Remember when we were young, we were told to not get too close to the television or we will get square eyes 

Ana is well away, relaxing. 





And I’m adding to my knitted squares 



Current one is a monkey 
Everyone loves  monkeys 

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Winter colours

As we approach the winter solstice, gardening isn’t really in the list of things to do. 

It’s cold,wet and gloomy. 
But here in the land down under, we are fortunate. 
We can still grow food and our garden still has colour 

The camellia are flowering 





There is even the promise of what’s to come 



The citrus we “rescued “ has started to fruit. 
I’m still not sure what it is. I’m thinking it might be an orange. The blossoms were very fragrant. I don’t think lemon blossoms are quite as fragrant 

We shall see 



Bright red to make us feel happy 



The Christmas cactus are going strong. 
A variety of colours blooming, with more about to burst 



The first Hippeastrum of the year. 
My aunt gave me a pot with one in it. 
Now I’ve got about two dozen. 



Daisies are always resilient and come back year after year 



One of the many succulents I have been gifted. 
All grown from cuttings, and now they’re flowering 
A Very happy plant



I cannot for the life of me remember this plants name. 
It will come to me eventually 
It’s giant flower stalk has started to open 



I’ll definitely keep you posted on it’s progress 

There is nothing growing in the vegetable garden. 
It was too warm for too long. In other years I did try to plant but they bolted. 

The cold kinda arrived all of a sudden. Catching me by surprise. Pretty much overnight. 

It really doesn’t matter. The beds can do with a rest 

I hope you enjoyed seeing all the colour that is in my winter garden 

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Domestic bliss

Today I’ve been busy baking scones and 




Sewing owls. These are ready to be stuffed and the bottoms hand stitched closed 



I’ve still got four more to sew together. I’ll do those tomorrow 




Its afternoon now and I’m sitting and knitting. 



It’s days like today that I really enjoy 
Just doing what I not only need, but also want to do 

Dinner will be leftovers. 
An easy evening ahead for me