"Executive Decisions "for OPAM.

Hello,

Guess what? It has been raining here. Not a great amount but enough to lift our spirits and we actually got to use the windscreen wipers in the car. Haven't used those very often this year. I have had to make some "Executive Decisions" with my projects that I have been working on this week. Yesterday I cut sewed and ironed all morning and into the early afternoon. I finished my Row-of-the Month Block. This months theme was "scraps". I did make one mistake,if you look at the second block from the left. The centre purple shape which is supposed to be a five sided shaped is only fours sides. I was wondering when I was making it why it was working out so different to the others. Then came the light bulb moment when I ironed it. This was where the "Executive Decision" came in,the block was staying in there. After all the theme was scrappy!! . Anita is also making this quilt with me. I wonder what she did for this month's scrappy block?

Another "Executive Decision" involved my blue crochet doily. I was running very short on thread and I found no-one else who would have some. When I used to go to crochet each Tuesday I was about the only one at the time crocheting in colours. The rest of the ladies stuck to white and ecru cotton. So I decided to finish it off. The rest of the pattern was more or less using double the amount of thread due to the pattern. Crochet takes a fair amount of time and I didn't want to continue on and find I couldn't finish it. This will be another finish for the OPAM Challenge.

I have started on another cross stitch project. A sampler from the book "Made in France"

cross stitch and embroidery in red,white and blue. The authors of the book are Agnes Delage-Calvet, Anne Sohier-Fournel, Muriel Brunet and Francoise Ritz. I am just using the one thread colour DMC 221.

So I have lots to keep me busy this week.

I would like you to pay Jenny a visit. Jen has decided to join in the "Makes Me Happy Monday" postings.

A pinch and a punch for the last day of Winter.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 35.

Hello,



Happy Monday to you. This week I am happy that the Geraldton Wax is blooming. That is the pink bloom in the vase with Sophy's rose. Sophy's rose is a David Austin rose with dark cerise pink rosette shaped blooms. This has a light tea fragrance. The Geraldton Wax (Chamaelacucium) is a attractive West Australian small tree or shrub. It has needle like leaves and has waxy pink or purple flowers.

I am very happy that the jonquils have finally decided to bloom. I bought a pot of these at a garage sale a few years back. I subdivided them when I bought the pot and now I have several metres of jonquils.

I am very happy with the Rosemary. It is covered in bees which are good for the garden. Rosemary is great to put on some meat dishes to flavour it.

I am very happy with the blooms on my stocks.

Several other things have" Made Me Happy" during the week including"

The smell of fresh laundry when it comes in from the line.

The lady at the craft shop,I needed some needles for my over locker. I broke my last needle during the week. On Friday I went with my manual to make sure I was getting the right ones,she quickly rang up and ordered them and they will be here in a day or so. Happy with that kind of service.

Lucy and Ian were happy on Saturday. They went to watch there favourite team Swan Districts win a great game of footy.

I am happy that I was able to spend Saturday afternoon doing some cross stitch while Ian and Lucy were at the footy.

I am happy that I was able to get another one of those plastic quilting frames that click together.

I am happy that the weather is warming up, I can go for two walks during the day. It was just to cold for me in the mornings lately.

Please let me know what is making you happy.

Happy Monday

Bev C

A Special Sunflower arrives at Kainga.

Hello,
Look at what I received in the mail yesterday. It came all the way from Mylene who lives in Texel Thank you so much Mylene, I now have my very own Sunflower scissor fob.

It was a complete surprise to receive this parcel as Mylene said she was just sending a postcard. Mind you this parcel took its time to get here. There was some concern it had gone missing. Have a look at the parcel it hasn't been postmarked at all. It just has a black texta line through the stamps. I wonder what sort of journey it had.

I finished the cross stitch I have been working on. Sorry for the not so clear photo. I changed some of the writing on the newspaper things in the bottom right hand corner. I left one blank because I was thinking of what to put on there. This morning I decided to put the date we visited Kerkeri but will have to wait to Lucy comes home from school. She wrote a diary while we were on holiday. I will be putting this aside for a while. I do have plans to incorporate into something else though.

I have found another "project on the go" a crochet doily that I started some time ago. I was only up to round 14. I am now on round 22 and there is 33 rounds to complete the doily. I just hope I have enough thread. I doubt that I will,hopefully it is still available or else I will have to finish it of earlier.

Today is my sister Chris's Birthday. Happy Birthday Chris and all the best for the coming year from everyone at Kainga.

Happy days.

Bev C

edit--- it seems that I am the one growing old!!!!Happy Birthday for tomorrow Chris.

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 34.

Hello,



Welcome to week 34 of "Makes Me Happy Monday". This week my topic is a mystery man we call "Mower Man".



"Mower Man" has been mowing in our street for the last couple of years. We have had no idea who he is,he just turns up and mows for hours. On Saturday he mowed the verge opposite our home. This verge is very wide,not your normal average verge. He did the whole lot on a normal mower,not some fancy ride on mower. "Mower Man" pushed for hours then he went up around the top of the cul de sac and mowed some more verge.Now I wonder if "Mower Man" has some desire to own a lawn mowing business instead of being in his present job!!! All I know is that "Mower Man" does a far better job than the council does. Thank you "Mower Man."

Have you got someone in your area like "Mower Man?" I would love to hear about them and what they do for your neighbourhood.



Happy Monday

Bev C

Spring is peaking its head around the corner.

Hello,

Well it is not quite Spring here in Australia. It is not far off though. Having a walk around the garden I found quite a few signs. One of the youngest plums I only planted a year or two ago has its spindly branches covered in blooms. This ones fruit doesn't ripen until February/March. It is having a great start to the season.

When we first shifted here we planted a Hardenbergia on the fence right up the back yard. This is one of its offspring. It has seeded itself everywhere. I suppose there would have easily been about 20 plus plants. Some didn't make it through our last summer though. Last weekend we burnt the original plant. It was to tough to pull out.

This is another shade of the Hardenbergia. Several different colours have grown so I guess it is a throwback to one of the original colours.

I have to show this photo of a truck leaving with its load of hay in the main parking area of Goomalling last Sunday. I didn't get all the truck in the photo because he was leaving as we left the cafe. It was a real rush to take the photo. I wonder where the hay is now?

I worked on my cross stitch last night for the Friday-Night-Sew-In. In the end I decided to make a few changes to the pattern. I was disappointed to see that I was given the white Aida cloth instead of the Vintage Blue that was stated on the packet. I will do some blue sky around the building to compensate for this.

The bird fabric that the cross stitch is on I bought from Cathy, who was featured in last Monday's "Makes Me Happy" posting. Yesterday while walking back from the chook yard I had someone follow me. It was a little Robin Red Breast. They seem to have a home nearby because every Spring they fly around the garden.
Enjoy your weekend.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Kiwi Town" Friday-Night-Sew-In.

Hello,

Last year while on a holiday to New Zealand we went to the Stone Store in Kerikeri. This place is amazing. It has the most wonderful shop inside. I know a few years back when Lucy and David went with there Gran to New Zealand David came home with a huge nail from here. He should have bought two then we could have done some knitting. The shop sells items that were around in the "olden days" Isn't it a stunning building.

At the back of the Stone Store is Kemp House. We had a wander around the gardens. Can you see the sunflowers in bloom? There was a veggie and fruit garden out the back.

I couldn't leave without buying something from the Stone Store. I bought this cross stitch which I have been working on this week. Mind you I think I have undone half of it. Why is it that the stitch I have done wrong is at the beginning of a section. It is quick to undo though.

I will be working on this tonight for the Friday-Night-Sew-In. I am determined to finish this cross stitch before I start on anything else.

Happy Days.

Bev C

"Being Grateful"

Hello,



Who knew when I started this blog that I would be posting a photo of my toilet!!! I certainly didn't. Today and in some future posts I will be talking about things I am "Grateful" for. Some of these things we take for granted in our daily lives. Other people don't have things like toilets so that is why I am having these postings. Just to make you stop and think about what you are grateful for. Yes you don't get to see my sewing room today but I am grateful that we live in a home with two toilets. Just think if you didn't live in a home with a toilet let alone two. I am "Grateful "we have running water and a toilet or two. Having two toilets is so handy especially when you have visitors or a family member is sick.

I am "Grateful" everyday that I get to open the bedroom blind and look at this beautiful view. No homes or shops opposite our home here at Kainga. I especially love it at this time of the year with the green paddocks.

I am "Grateful "that my Stocks are flowering and that there is at least a few double ones. I will have to look for some heirloom seeds next year.

I am certainly very "Grateful" that people like Claude Monet have blessed this planet with there talent and that people have taken the time to record history. Just image this world without its history kept for us.

I am "Grateful" that the potatoes that Ainsley and Julian gave me for Mother's Day have started growing. Some were knocked back a bit by the frosts but this lot in the old wheelbarrow seems to be thriving. They are protected by the lemon tree next to them.

Now what are you "Grateful" for today? Maybe you may like to do a posting on this subject sometime soon. Please let me know and I will come and visit.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday" number 33.

Hello,

Welcome to another "Makes Me Happy Monday". Well the rain we had at the end of the week has certainly lifted every ones spirits. It is the first thing you say to everyone you meet. There is more due this afternoon and the next couple of days. That is a great start to the beginning of the week. We had a fantastic weekend. Ian and I took a drive to Goomalling yesterday and this is the theme for my post this week. Goomalling is a town close to us with a population in town and in the shire of about 1100 people. Goomalling would have to be one of the neatest towns I have been in. When we drove into town past the caravan park,we were surprised at the number of Winnebago's and caravans in the park. Tourists were certainly there enjoying the area. After parking in the main street we had a walk around the shops. We were lucky enough to find a new shop which has recently opened called "Regal and Rustic" Cathy has recently moved to the area and opened up a shop.You must read more about the shop Cathy also runs workshops in part of her shop including patchwork for beginners,machine quilting for beginners,dyeing and printing,felting fundamentals for beginners,fabric landscape workshop,a sculptured doll workshop and a crochet workshop with a twist. I adore these felted dolls in the photo don't you?

The shop has a great range of furniture which has been restored as well as a section out the back yard which has a stunning range of garden products. Inside one of the rooms which is used for the textiles I found these beautiful works of Cathy's hanging on the walls.

I just loved this wall hanging.

This is what you learn in the beginners patchwork class. Cathy has a range of fabrics on sale as well as wool and cottons etc. Yes I did bring some material home.

Of course a day out in Goomalling wouldn't be complete without a meal at the "Go Cafe"

I can tell you,you will never ever leave this place hungry. We have never had a bad meal here,the food is DIVINE!!!! Ian is going back for the breakfast soon. Go Cafe is always busy whenever we go there. I would say it is the best restaurant for miles around and would easily beat restaurants in the city hands down. It is well worth going out for the day just to have lunch or whatever meal you are after here.

So that is what is "Making Me Happy" this Monday. I wonder what is making you happy today?

Happy Monday.

Bev C

"Yonjuu Sankaku Bag"

Hello,

I have been wanting to make a "Yonjuu Sankaku Bag" for sometime now. I keep on getting the book "Easy Japanese Quilt Style" by Julia Davis and Anne Muxworthy out from the library. I have been buying Japanese style material for a while and added some that were not quite Japanese but fitted in with the others. "Yonjuu Sankaku" means 40 triangles in Japanese.

This turned out to be quite a reasonable size bag. It is now holding my Japanese fabrics. I will be gifting this to someone for Christmas. I did change how the handles were made. In the pattern you folded the material over and sewed then you pulled the wadding through then sewed a pattern to hold it altogether. I ironed on some pellon then sewed then turned it all through together. I then used a "feather stitch" pattern from my machine on each edge of the handles.There were supposed to be fabric beads put on the end of the ties. I didn't fiddle around making these I just tied a knot in the ends.

Talking about the library, look at all these lovely books I have out at the moment. I am in readers heaven.

While I was making the lining for my "Yonjuu Sankaku' bag this morning I noticed the numbers or rather lack of number 13 on the selvage. With today being a "Black Friday" I found this a bit spooky!!! It seems someone finds the number 13 unlucky.

We have been blessed with rain over the last couple of days. This has been fantastic for the gardens and water tanks. Though I think it may be a bit too late for the farmers and there crops.
I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will be back on Monday with the latest "Makes Me Happy Monday" post.

Happy days.

Bev C

My how things have changed.

Hello,

I hope you are having a great day. It is a bit cloudy here,there is supposed to be a bit of rain later on today. Fingers crossed. Back in 1998 I used to go to a once a month patchwork group on a Wednesday night.

I made this cushion in one of our lessons. We enlarged the pattern that is used on the wall hanging on the front cover of the "Applique No. 2" by Patchwork and Quilting. Times have changed since then. For the cushion I made my own bias binding for the applique and hand sewed it on. I found the packet of bias bars the other day and guess what there is a heap of binding ready to be used. It was probably meant for the project below. Now you can buy bias binding already made up with glue on it so you just have to iron it on.

I found this project "ready to go", that is my new word for a UFO. All I had to do was sew on the new type of bias binding. I got to try out my double needle. That was really easy and it certainly saved sewing each side of the bias strip. I really didn't want to make another cushion so a search through my stash and I came up with a piece of material that had sunflowers etc ready to cut out and applique on.

So now I have a table centre that measures 19 inches by 19 inches. Plus I have one less bag of "ready to go" in my sewing room. I wonder which will last the longest the handmade bias binding or the new stuff. I know in years to come I will look back and love the handmade one more. It will be interesting to see what history thinks of all our new patchwork ideas in years to come.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday" Numbers 31 and 32.

Hello,





I hope everyone had a great weekend. I was busy out in the garden on Sunday doing some more rose pruning. Down the front part of the garden this time. I will be back into it today. Now I have two things for my posting today. The first item that made me very happy is that I received my ornament in the Christmas In July Ornament Swap. Look what I found in my parcel, lovingly made by Kathy. A Christmas Bell. Kathy went to a class run by Judith Baker Montano a few years ago. The workmanship is just stunning, all those small pieces sewn together to make the bell.

I do like the gingerbread man card and the the snowflake decorative cutters that Kathy included. It seemed just like Christmas on Friday morning when I opened the parcel. Thank you Kathy.

Onto Number 32 in "Makes Me Happy Monday". I am so happy that I finally got around to making this embroidered strawberry pincushion. I was going through my Machine Embroidery magazines late on Friday night and saw I had this marked to do. It was in "Machine Embroidery" Yearbook. Volume 9. No.5. Mind you the magazine is many years old. Better late than never. It is a design by Rowena Charlton. You can download the instructions and design from her website. I even found some real strawberries getting ready to ripen in the strawberry pot so that is great.

I hope everyone has a "Happy Monday"

Bev C

Paper Bag Swap, Angels,"Ric Rac & Blooms" and a Orange Cake Recipe.

Hello,

Anita has dropped of the items she made for me in our Paper bag Swap. I received "Lucy" the doll who now resides on a pile of Homespun magazines in my sewing room. I also received a cup bag with a new cup. I also got a cute little "lolly" purse. Now Anita knows I love my cup of tea but she doesn't know that I have a problem with cups. I can't resist buying them. I have a cupboard full. So Anita you have fueled my passion once again. I was really good a few weeks ago at a closing down of a "House" store. There were some beautiful Maxwell and Williams cups. Lucy and I saw them at the same time. She said "No Mum" I obeyed her. Thank you for the lovely items you made Anita. Anita wants to do another one this month so I will have to look out for some material.

I finished my row of Angels in the Row-Block-of-the-month Anita and I are doing. This months theme is going to be Crazy Patchwork. We are using what we have on hand in this project. I have lots of little scraps so will be using these up.

I finished this little bag called "Ric Rac & Blooms" today. This is a Sally Giblin design.I had the main part of the stitchery done except for the bees. This was finished last night. Then I joined the pieces together and today I had a great time working out how to embellish it.
I should really call this bag a "Blogger Bag" because I won the pattern from Darlene a few years ago. I got the little heart buttons I placed amongst the stitchery from Lyn who is Darlene's Mum. Lyn was my swap partner in a Christmas Ornament Swap a few years ago. The little suffolk puff heart that I added to the heart applique came from Bobbie-Lynn. She sent it to me covering a bead on one of her special handmade cards. The button and the pink cotton lace came from Barbara. I won these in one of her giveaways.

To top it all off the pink material which is second from the top and bottom is a piece of material left over from Ainsley and Julian's Wedding Quilt. So lots of memories in this "Ric Rac & Blooms" bag.

Yesterday I made a delicious Orange Cake using fresh oranges from the garden and eggs from our lone chook. I thought I would share it with you. It is so quick and easy.

Quick Orange Cake.

1 orange

1 1/2 cups castor sugar

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups oil

2 cups self-raising flour

Preheat oven to 180c and grease a loaf tin. Place the whole orange,sugar,eggs and oil in a food processor and blend well. Add sifted flour. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked.

I let my cake cool down then used the juice of a Blood Orange to add to some icing to drizzle over the cake.

I used Rice-Bran Oil for the oil. This oil has no cholesterol.

Happy Days.

Bev C

Ornament Swap arrives in Norway.

Hello,



I am now able to reveal what I made in" The Christmas In July Ornament Swap". My swap partner was Maya who lives in Norway. My parcel only took a week to get there which I think is great. I wish I could go to Norway, after looking up on the net seeing all the beautiful scenery. First I made a "Peace" banner which is from Natalie Ross's new book. I changed it a little by putting the wadding inside and turning the material through. In Natalie's design it was sewn a little bit differently.I also made my triangles a bit bigger.

The reason they were bigger because the banner is reversible. This is the back of the banner with the machine embroidery on it. I showed you a sneak peak in a previous post. I used the Lana No.12 wool embroidery thread in this. You fluff the design up afterwards.

I made a "Goodie Bag" to hold everything in. This is from Natalie's book as well.

I also made Maya a Needle Case with her name embroidered on it. She tells me this is her favourite.

I also added in a card of "Christmas" buttons in red and green. I really enjoyed doing this swap. I would like to thank Terri for organising this. You did a great job.

Back soon with another swap that I have received and I am sure there will be some sewing.

Happy days.

Bev C