Monday, March 30, 2009

Words and Pictures - A long drive

The majority of the trips that my Husband and I have been on in the time we have been together involve driving. There is a certain excitement that goes along with a driving holiday.
One such trip we went to visit Friends in Bathurst and came across the eternal question - Which came first - The chicken or the egg?

Well depending on which way you were driving - too or from Bathurst on the inland road from Brisbane, they both took turns at going first:



We aso regularly qnjoyed Driving past the Lamb and Potato festival. I can't remember which small country town hosts this festival but every time we have driven through this town it seems to have been on:




My Take on the weekly theme from Meet me at Mike's.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Birthdays

After getting the Anna Maria Horner book last week and I have an inkling of a feeling that I am getting the Material Obsession book from my husband for my birthday tomorrow (see earlier posts), I have itchy fingers to get stuck in and start making things.

Specifically on my list are:

The Taxi Tote:

This Apron:


Images from Seams to Me Flickr Pool

There is also a tunic/top that I am going to have a go at as well as a skirt but I need to find some fabric for the skirt first.

I also bought a birthday present for myself of a rotary cutter, a cutting mat and a cutting ruler so that I can start experimenting with quilting.


Thursday, March 26, 2009

Cheesecake in my future

My mission for today is to make a cheesecake to take for dessert to dinner at a friends place tonight. When I asked my husband what his second choice was he said...cheesecake...hmmn - guess I'm left with no choice.

Until then I am going to sit here and keep pondering the pile of fabric that will one day become a quilt for my friends baby....

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

More Books



Another one for the reading pile.....

What's Cooking?


I know that it is still a bit early in the year for soups BUT I do so love having a tasty meal tucked away in the freezer.....mmmnnn Potato and Leek Soup

Monday, March 23, 2009

New Header


Being Autumn and all that I thought I would get inspired and create a new header for my blog.

Very soon the leaves here will start turning all the amazingly vibrant colours of Autumn; ochre, burnt orange, gold and russet - I am going to try and take lots of pictures outside this Autumn because when we moved here last year it was right at the end and I just didn't quite make it to taking photos in time.

I have a few jobs toget done in the garden this week and that includes a fair bit of pruning of fruit treesand roses, some soil preparation for planting of a few new veggie crops (broccoli and broad beans, possibly a cabbage and a cauliflower - we'll see) and I am contemplating popping some bulbs in to see what we end up with. Jonquils are my favourite flower ( They have the most georgous perfume) and I am tempted to fill the garden beds out the front of our house with Jonquil bulbs right along the edge of the bed so that I might possibly have jonquils this spring by the bucket load.

Now I have to go and research Broad beans .....

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Winter Vegetables

Unfortunately I can't get to carried away with growing veggies this winter because our very loving Labrador likes to eat things straight from the plant - I have to be careful what I plant in the back garden.

Hopefully by next Summer we will have some of these raised garden beds installed in the front yard so that we can have crops that don't get eaten by the dog for next summer.



I did however throw some Butternut pumpkin seeds into the garden and they have produced what looks to be the beginnings of a bumper crop that will see us through winter.

I am also very tempted to try my hand at growing some broccoli.


The other thing I need to do is put some legumes in the end of the garden that had the eggplants growing in it for the past few months. Need to re- nitrogen the soil!

I would love...

These are the two sewing books that I have my eye on at the moment - unfortunately they are only available through Amazon in the US so that means I have to suffer through the dodgy exchange rate... we will see what happens...

Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross

Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner

Back to it


It's been a while between crafty sessions - due in part to the arrival of Harris Pedro - the newest addition to our family. He is a darling child most of the time - BUT - he doesn't really let me put him down for long enough to really get stuck into a sewing project. I have a sling that I carry him around in and I have mastered the art of typing with him in the sling so sewing is the next fronteir.

I did manage to cut a few things out before I had him so I have a few little projects to start with.
This below is going to be a toy giraffe. And I have a couple of aprons to sew up as well. I might start with the aprons to get the sewing finders back into touch.


I have decided that I am going to have an ongoing project this year of making a quilt. I am going to start off with a really easy pattern of just squares so I can get the techniques down pat. I would like to have it done by winter so that we have a nice rug to put over our laps when we are watching TV - but we will have to see how we go. I have a pattern so I am just in the process of deciding on fabrics now.