"Happy Monday"- introducing "The Big Girls Eye Spy" Quilt.

Hello,

Happy Monday everyone. I haven't been on the computer much this last week. Too busy working with gloves. Garden gloves Oven Mitts and Quilting Gloves were put to great use over the last week. I even managed a trip to Needle Ny-dle Noo. I was in heaven there,lots of threads and embroidery supplies that aren't available locally. I purchased threads for some cross stitch projects I want to work on and of course while I was there I picked out another one and got the supplies for that as well.

The quilt that is making me "Happy this Monday" is one I want to introduce you to.

This is the "Big Girls Eye Spy" Quilt. I had sewing on Friday so was able to spend the day getting the quilting finished.

I had already quilted a quarter of an inch inside the triangles and decided it needed a bit extra. So I stitched in the ditch along the edges of each third row. It certainly makes for a interesting pattern which shows up so well on the back of the quilt. I used some floral material and the calico I got from Good Sam's last month for the backing. The only thing I needed to purchase was the wadding.

So I am extremely happy to have a quilt started and finished in a short time. What  is making you Happy this Monday?

Happy days.
Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday"

Hello,

Happy Monday to you all. I hope you had a fabulous weekend. Last week I had a bit of fun with some blue food colouring.

I went out an picked two buds of "Blushing Pink Iceberg" this is similar to the "Iceberg" rose but has a pink tinge to it particularly when the weather is colder. I added some blue colouring and within a few minutes the edges of the petals started turning blue. It was interesting to watch its progress over the next few days.
So I am happy that there is such a thing as a Blue Rose!!!

I am also very happy that Ainsley and Bonnie had a wonderful week in Bali and arrived home safely on Friday. Of course they had no idea about the ash cloud from the volcano in Chile closing the Perth airport during the week or the goings on in Indonesia last week. I was certainly glad to have them back on home soil.

What is making you happy this Monday?

Happy days.
Bev C

Scraps make Quilts.

Hello,

Last night was Friday-Night-Sew-In. This year is all about using up what I have in my sewing room so the project for FNSI was all out of my big bag of scraps.

I cut 2 inch by 9.5 inch strips. Dividing these into light value colours and dark/medium colours. 6 strips of the light colours were sewn together then 6 strips of the dark/medium were sewn together in another block. These were then placed right sides together and a diagonal line was drawn on the wrong side of the light coloured blocks from the bottom left hand corner to the right top corner. Then sewing took place 1/4 inch either side of the line. Then cutting along the drawn line produced the blocks in the photo.
I have yet to make some quarter-square triangles for the sides and corners.

This is a great project to use up your scraps because you can join pieces together to make the strips. I did this in some of the lighter material.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend and see you on "Happy Monday"
Bev C

It must be Friday.

Hello.

As promised I will give you some more information about growing plants hydroponically.

We have been interested in growing this way for a while. While we were in Toodyay back in May we found a little shop that was selling seedlings and items for hydroponics. We asked lots of questions which you must do. When we first walked into the shop there was a display of plants growing in some poly pipe that is used for drainage. There was also a capsicum growing in one of those disposable coffee cups. He told us that last year he even grew a melon that grew 14 metres in length. The best news is that it is very easy.

I borrowed the book called "Hydroponics for Everyone" A practical guide to gardening in the 21st century. by Dr Straun Sutherland. I thoroughly recommend this book as it is written so you can understand the process and has before and after pictures. This book is published by Hyland House.

There are different sorts of growing mediums. This is what you plant the seeds/plants into. We purchased a bag of coco peet and perlite mix. Some of the mediums available are sand, scoria, perlite, vermiculite,growool, expanded clay balls.

Pots, you can buy special pots but we used pots we already had. Just make sure there are holes in the base so the nutrient mixture can reach it.

Nutrient Mixture. There are many different brands available. Bunnings and your local garden centre stock these. These come in two parts, the first part is used when the plant is young. The second mixture is used when the plant is in bloom. Make sure you follow the directions. We were told to use only a small amount to start of you don't want to kill your plant with kindness. We change the water and nutrient mix once a week. This mixture can be used on other plants in your garden.

When planting seedlings please make sure all the soil is washed of but make sure you don't damage the roots.

We have a small pump going for most of the day. You can leave it on all the time it doesn't use up much power. These small pumps retail from around twenty dollars. We have used one the children had for the goldfish.

Your system can be as simple or technical as you want. You can start with just a plastic bucket for your container. Look around your yard I am sure you will find something that can be used.

Lots of vegies and plants like carnations can be grown hydroponically. I would urge you to give it a go. You will be amazed at how quickly things grow. Good luck with it. Please let me know if you try it.

As today is Friday I am linking up with Bronwyn for Floral Friday. I took this photo of my favourite rose called "Heritage" earlier on in the week. It is a David Austen rose and blooms almost continuously.

Robyn is hosting Colourful Friday today and she has chosen Blue and Orange together. I thought this was going to be a bit tricky but it was just out the back door. The Mandarin tree and the blue sky. I know it is a pity the oranges are no where near ripe as I would have loved to shown that.

I also have some orange and blue material that I will be using in my project for Friday-Night-Sew-In.

So that just about captures what is going on today. Hope you have a great night if you are sewing tonight.

Happy days.
Bev C

Tuesday"s Treasures

Hello,

Welcome to Tuesday's Treasures hosted by Melody. This week I want to share with you my scissor collection.

I guess it isn't a huge collection compared to other peoples but they do me just fine. The bigger pair with green handles are my favourite and still cut well after nearly 29 years. I got these free with my first sewing machine. There is a fold up pair which is very handy and some curved scissors for cutting thread and material whilst doing machine embroidery.

Now I bet you remember your Mother telling you to never run with scissors and always to hand over scissors in the correct way. Did your Mother tell you not to put your scissors on the edge of the lounge chair you are sitting on and letting them slip down the side. I mustn't have been listening when I was told this. On Saturday I was doing some stitching and just to let you know I do have a little stool beside the recliner rocker that I sit on. I did put the scissors back on that. Though every now and again I put it on the side of the chair. Of course they fell through to the bottom and I was able to reach it. This happened once or twice and then on the third time I couldn't retrieve the little pink scissors. I got up and turned the chair over so the scissors would fall to the back of the bottom of the chair. Of course I could get my hand in. Then I moved my hand along a bit further. OMG I couldn't pull my hand back out. Thoughts of pushing the chair across to the phone and calling for help were on my mind. Luckily Ian came down from the shed and was able to push the chair apart after several long moments and managed to pull my hand out. Bruised and scratched but we did get the scissors out in the end. So from now on my scissors will be on the tray on the stool beside my chair. I wonder where you keep your scissors when you stitch.

Make sure you see what other Treasures are being shown this week.

Happy days.
Bev C