December challenge - just made it!

This is a piece of hand dyed fabric- Oz Dye in fact!

It lends itself to this design, even though  the centre is not done yet. Unfortunately the colour is a bit off, the top one is the best representation. I have taken to using 2 layers of batting lately, it does give better puff/loft, this one is a polyester, and even though is a bit stiff, I like the effect.

I did find that as I had no seams a few straight lines along the borders made a difference to the final effect.

The thread is a mixture of polyester variegated and Wonderfil. I am off for a few days to the beach, on the way back will stop at Ikea for new cushion inserts so I can use it.

I have had such fun with this challenge, will try to post the whole years work when I return. Thanks Sew Cal Gal for the inspiration!!

Food and fun

 Simons crunchy fried chicken, just what we needed to use up the buttermilk in the frudge- yum.
This carved woodblock is what my lovely children bought (together) for my christmas present- what a lovely treat. now to play with it.

I have much to do, some quilting for the December Sew Cal Gal challenge, about to start that now, then prepare for a few days away at a beach with my husband.
It will be nice to get away for a few days to relax, walk the golf course and generally chill.
Keep watch for fun pictures of work about to appear in the next few weeks!

Ho Ho its Christmas

 

hand made xmas tree decorations - sorry its blurred

Hmmm, Christmas can be a strange time, family, friends and work - for those of us fortunate or unfortunate enough to have a job that needs to be done 365 days a year. These days it is mostly friends that keep us sane and happy at this time as family live a distance away and I have a job that requires one to work  some xmas days(I did have last year off). A few lovely dinners and lunches with friends last week- good times. a lovely xmas lunch with friends and then extended family xmas dinner which was nice, they don't mind if I sleep on the couch as I have been at work since 7am!

Working with people who you would otherwise not spend much social time with, at what is traditionally a 'family' time is special, we share the good times and the not so good, we share - food, fun, workloads.

I am priviledged to work with such fine people.  

A good, if not interesting day was had by all.

 

I have been inspired by Peters aunt, she is a quilter and provided me with just what I needed before I slipped into uncounsciousness on the couch on xmas day (it was 8pm).

QQ challenge I am prepared! no showing as it is a secret.

Back to work!

After 3 weeks overseas with my daughter, and a very busy first week back at work, I have succumbed to germs, there are worse things to bring back from France than a midle ear infection, although it is not pleasant- hope the drugs keep on doing miraculous things.
On the quilting front- nothing much is happening, in my absence my lovely husband tidied my sewing room! he mostly just put things in boxes, I knew where almost everything was before, now I have to wade through boxes to find things....... I suppose he thought that he was helping.... but it needed a few things to be thrown out, so now I have to go through his boxes and find things....... not overly happy with that.


my sewing table- a mess!

I have many projects to finish and some to start. The Queensland Quilters have revised the deadline for next years exhibition, it is a bit earlier, and I have grand plans for another overseas holiday, with my husband this time. So it will be head down soon to get onto some serious sewing.



QQ challenge fabric- waiting for inspiration to grab me!

I have the Sew Cal Gal December challenge to start, and of course it is christmas- so they say! The boxes of tree and decorations have surfaced, it is the 19th of December, so I suppose we could open the boxes and see whats there...


xmas decorations ready...

I spent a lot of time looking up during my holiday, lots of fantastic ceiings and wrought iron work, so inspiring, maybe some quilting designs to be made, this is one in Paris.


This is one of the best meals I had overseas, it was in Nice, the jar had a layer of shredded duck, hot mashed potato then caramelised red onions on top, a nice salad, baked cherry tomatoes and a curry flavoured pastry - of course a glass fo wine to help it all go down, the presentation was great, all served on a tile!

 

 

 

Eiffel tower

Today we went in the cold up the Eiffel tower, an amazing view. We also discovered that you could spend the whole day riding the metro for a very small fee! We didn't but you could if you were extremely bored. A little shopping expedition, tried to buy jeans as kind have got a hole in the back! Bought other goodies too. One more day in Paris then off to nice. Dinner might be bread and cheese again.