Kainga, where Roses bloom, life is lived at a gentler pace.Living Simply, doing all those good things like stitching, gardening, cooking and reading.

Monday, September 27, 2010

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 39.

Hello,

Happy Monday everyone. It is a public holiday here so that is a great reason to be happy. We are also on school holidays for two weeks. This will actually be our last school holidays ever. On Friday when I got home I found a envelope stuck half way in the letterbox. It was my prize of some scraps which I won on Stef's blog. Look at the lovely floral/rose material I won in a giveaway. Thank you so much Stef. Please make sure you hop over to Stef's shop to have a look to see what she has on offer. Over the weekend we went here for some lunch. Nothing like sitting in lovely surroundings and being served a meal in super quick time. Look at the sweet peas in full bloom on the front side fence.


We sat around the side of the home. It is a great setting with cushions etc and floral inspired tablecloths. The smell of Jasmine perfumed the area. Several of these climbers were in full bloom just near our table.



I am also happy to have done block one of this Block of the Month by Dawn. I have decided to do mine with button hole stitch. I hope everyone has a Happy Monday.
Happy Holidays.
Bev C






Wednesday, September 22, 2010

97

Hello,
I got these little crochet circles out of the bag yesterday. There are 97 of them. I won't tell you just yet what I will be doing with them. After hours of trying to turn them into a square yesterday trying different stitch combinations by adding a round or two I found it was impossible because there are thirteen lots of trebles on the last round. I needed an even number to make a square. Then I had a light bulb moment!!! In a flash I new what I was going to do with them. Then I realised they needed washing. They were so dusty,after all they have been in storage quite a while. I hope to have them finished by the middle of October.
Have a wonderful day.
Bev C

Monday, September 20, 2010

"Makes Me Happy Monday" Number 38.

Hello,

Happy Monday to you. This week I am happy to have just finished my Cross Stitch Sampler. I changed a few things around on the border because of the size of the Aida Cloth. I bought the Aida from Good Sammy's (op-shop). It was still in the packet,though it had been opened up because I found a small cross on the centre in pencil. Obviously it wasn't needed by that person so I am glad to have found a use for it. Next week is school holidays so we will probably be going to the "big smoke" so will drop it of to the framers.
I was so happy the other day when I went to the local library and found they have added a few more magazines that we can borrow. I just love "Country Style" magazine and I can spend a great amount of time reading this. I like this magazine because it has some beautiful photography in it plus the homes and gardens look like ones you can actually live in.

I am happy that these two envelopes were in the newspaper which we bought on Saturday while shopping. This great organisation that is helping the Youth of Australia fight cancer is asking for you to donate your old mobile phones. We managed to find two phones we no longer use and will be posting them of. Please go to the website and see if you can help. Thank you.


I was so happy to receive The Sunshine Award from Melissa. Now I am supposed to pass this onto 12 blogger's. I want to adjust the rules a bit, I want to pass it onto all those who read my blog,after all,you all make the world a better place. So feel free to copy and save the "Sunshine Award" and put it on your blog with pride. Let me know and I will come and share some "Sunshine" with you.
I nearly forgot,everyone is extra extra happy in this home after yesterday's win by
Swan District's in the WAFL grand final. Ian Bonnie Lucy David and Sherri had the time of there life at the game. I stayed home but turned on the TV just as the last goal was kicked. Lucy tells me it was the best footy match she has been to. Swan's won by one point!!!!
Happy Monday.
Bev C




Saturday, September 18, 2010

Friday -Night- Sew -In Results.

Hello,



Preparation played a big part in my projects for yesterdays sewing. Cutting things out and organising threads and of course fitting the needles to the overlocker played a big part in getting things done and finished. I managed to get three items done. This is the potholder/heated pad and potmitt I made for Bonnie. I ended up using some recycled calico for the lining of the potmitt and for the backing of the potholder/heated pad. I made the potholder/heated pad a bit bigger than usual because I was using up the insul bright wadding I had left over from another project. The material I had bought at Goody Sammy's and have used all of that up now. A few less items in the sewing room. Not that you could tell the difference.

I also made a T-Shirt for myself. It is a Kwik Sew pattern Number 2054. I made the short sleeved one,though I didn't worry about the pocket. I have metres and metres of this stretchy material. It must have been on special ,one of those buy 2 get 3 metres.I guess I will be making some more shirts. I made this a couple of inches longer than the pattern as I tend to get a little sunburnt in the summer when leaning over while I am gardening. This will help aleviate this problem.


I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Back on Monday with "What Makes Me Happy Monday" posting.


Happy days.

Bev C


Friday, September 17, 2010

All Sewn Up.

Hello,

How is your Friday going? It is a beautiful Spring day here. I like this kind of weather because we haven't needed the wood fire to keep us warm for a while now. I have finished my tablecloth. When I finished it I debated about how I was going to quilt it. I have decided to get if done by a machine quilter and will probably be dropping if of next week. I was thinking of getting a edge to edge pattern of something from nature eg;butterfly. I will be meeting with the quilter and discussing this with her. With the tablecloth I didn't have to buy anything,just using up bits and pieces I had in my stash. Of course I was able to use some of the bluc ric-rac I bought a couple of weeks ago.I also have another queen size bed quilt I want done. It will be good to get that one completed instead of sitting on the bench in the the sewing room.
Now I am completly surprised at how good Australia Post has been lately. Yesterday I received this pattern and georgous material from Vickie. I was lucky to be a reciepant of Vickie's Random Act of Kindness Monthly giveaways. Thanks heaps Vickie. Last week I was pleased to receive a giveaway win from Cath. You can see one of the siggy tags in my sidebar to the right. Thanks Cath.
Now as tonight is Friday-Night-Sew-In I had better go and get organised for that. I plan to make something for Bonnie's new kitchen. It is not to late to join in,just click on the link and it will take you to Heidi's blog. As I type this there are 105 people joining in and there is room for you.
Happy Sewing.
Bev C

Monday, September 13, 2010

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 37.

Hello,

Happy Monday to you all. Plenty to be happy about here at Kainga. I was so happy to see the Dutch Iris starting to bloom. Last Wednesday they started to bud then on the weekend they came out in bloom. I love Dutch Iris,there are several parts of the garden that have a few tucked in between other plants.
On Sunday Ian celebrated his Birthday. He is a big Brisbane Lions fan and he was given lots of gifts to do with this. So he now has a new shirt mug cup photo frame etc. Which I noticed was on his bedside table,will have to shift that I think!!! Lucy bought him some number plate surrounds,these he put straight away on his ute. Talking about the ute I am so HAPPY to say that on Friday Ian picked it up from the panel beaters. You may remember it was damaged in the hail storm that Perth had earlier on in the year. Six weeks ago today it was put into be repaired, we thought it would be ready in a week maybe two weeks. I am sure the panel beater has a list. A list of excuses.
I am also happy to have found a new author by the name of Clare O"Donohue. I am reading the first book called "The Lover's Knot" If you like Jennifer Chiaverini's books these are very much the same.
I am really happy that Bonnie and Ryan shifted into there new home last week. I got to give her belongings that have been in the spare room. Plus a few boxes from the shed have gone to. There is still more to go but Bonnie tells us that she is busy every weekend for the next couple of months!!!!
I found this little tidbit in a magazine the other week and I knew it would have made the English very happy- In 1547 English Law abolished the method of boiling people to death as a form of execution for criminals. That makes me so happy to be living in 2010.
I hope you all have a Happy Monday.
Bev C


Sunday, September 12, 2010

There are bugs on the tablecloth.

Hello,



On Friday I worked on my tablecloth. I had already done the sunflower stem and leaves by hand in button hole stitch. As I had to sew through several layers to attach the brown material I decided to use the machine to do this. Then I did the petals on the machine as well. I decided to add some machine embroidery designs to add a bit of character to the sunflower. I used designs from a disc called "Sarah's Dream". This was a fundraiser for Sarah a few years back. Sarah was a young girl who lost her leg to cancer and was aiming for the Paralympics.
I added some bees to the top of this sunflower.


On the panel on the other side I added a dragonfly to the sunflower.



Over the next few days I will be working on the longer panels. I have cut out some ladybugs to put there on some ric-rac.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.


Bev C




Wednesday, September 8, 2010

"Tulips in Bloom"

Hello,

Sometime ago I started on this design. Something happened and I had to stop. Some of the yellow triangles I had cut out completely disappeared. I searched high and low and through my huge bag of scraps hoping that somehow they had been put in there. I can remember having them in my hand and getting ready to go to the laundry and ironing them. I had to go and pick up Lucy from work. I think I must have put them in the bin with the thread scraps. So after the triangles not coming back to me I decided it was time to cut some more out. So yesterday I got to it and finished it. The missing triangles haven't turned up. I thought they might have. Things usually do after you buy or get a replacement of something.
Now the tulips were supposed to be done by needle turn but I decided as I like doing button hole that was what I was going to do. I used some some multi coloured green thread for the leaves.
After reading Dolore's blog about using some ribbon for flower stems. I decided to look through my stash and I found just the right length. The ribbon was sewn on by machine using the button hole stitch.I made the centre circle a little bigger to cover the bumps. I used a Master foods spice lid to trace the centre circle. If you like the pattern for "Tulips in Bloom" it is available from Vicki. It is a great little table runner .
Happy days.
Bev C

Monday, September 6, 2010

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 36.

Hello,

A very happy Monday to you. Lots to be happy about here,though some rain would make it better. We have been blessed with sunshine the last week or so. Lovely weather to get out into the garden. That is where we spent most of the weekend. Outside. I noticed our broad beans have started to crop. So we will have some for tea tonight. Nothing like walking a few metres out the back and picking organically grown veg. I am happy that the oranges and mandarins are cropping so well to. In fact we are buying very little in the way of fruit and veg from the shops at the moment.
Over the weekend we drove across to York to check out the new markets. There were lots of people doing the same thing. The restaurant was doing a roaring trade. The markets were held in a big shed adjacent to this building.
This is the side of the main building. It seems to reach for the sky. Can you image being a bricklayer in the 1800's. There was plenty of work around for you.

Can you see on the right hand side of this and the above photo how a window has been bricked over.


After a look around the market we went for a walk down town. We passed a cottage that was for sale. We actually noticed the unusual lead light windows first. Then we saw the name on it. A home for Lucy.



I think this little cottage would suit Lucy. I am sorry I didn't get a photo of the windows up close now,but we were more interested in the name of it. When we left York and got home the footy was on TV. Isn't it great that the Freo Dockers had a win. That certainly made me Happy. Have you noticed the increase in bird life around your garden. The little birds that fly in and get the bugs out of the spider webs are fun to watch. Having lots of birds in the garden makes me happy.
Happy Monday to you all.
Bev C




Friday, September 3, 2010

Friday Sewing or was that supposed to be cleaning.

Hello,

I can't believe it is Friday already. Aren't you glad we live now and not in the days when Friday was the day for cleaning
Last Friday at my sewing day I decided to make a table runner using my floral scraps and a few plains thrown in for good luck.

The idea was to add a border or two. Some stitchery and I would have a new table runner. It seems to have run away from me.



I am still working on it but I now think it will be a table cloth. Sunflowers and Ladybirds are ready to be appliqued onto it. I will be doing some machine embroidery to it as well. The good thing is I haven't needed to purchase anything. Finding bits and pieces of material and using up the small pieces of embroidery thread make this a great project. I am designing it as I go along,after all it did start out as a table runner.
I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will be back on Monday with "What Makes Me Happy Monday"
Enjoy your weekend.
Bev C