My New Hair Cut

Wednesday week ago I decided it was time for the long locks to go. After much deliberation and "permission" from Jeff (it was going to happen anyway!) I bit the bullet. Here is not the most flattering picture of me and yes it is supposed to look unbrushed - that is why I like it so much!

We have been busy having our family room and kitchen area painted in the last week or so. The change is wonderful. I am so happy with it. We wanted to have the painting done before the new furniture arrives next week. So here it is - still with the old furniture and no pictures on the walls because of course we want to wait until the new furniture is here. I can't wait to get the new blinds measured. i want to have what are called 'Sheerfold' blinds which are a cross between a vertical blind and a sheer curtain. As you can see the room is huge and is mostly windows so the new blinds will look so much better than the heavy drapes we have now.

Completed Projects for 2007

Here are the quilts I finished in 2007. Looking at this lot, I actually finished a lot more than I thought I did. I also made two bags, and bound a quilt which was made for me by all my quilting friends for my 40th birthday, which I don't have pictures of. So all in all I had quite a successful quilting year in 2007. This is partly because I joined a UFO challenge with one of my online quilting groups and finished 4 items that I had on that list. FGMs are going to be running another two UFO challenges this year and I will definitely be signing up for at least one of them, if not both!!

New Year's Day 2008

Here it is 2008 already! Just where did 2007 go. Hopefully I will be able to keep my blog up to date this year but I am not promising anything!

Jeff and I had a wonderful day today. We were going to go to the beach but because of a tropical depression up in the north of our lovely state, it really wasn't a beach day at all. Mind you when we got to Perth the ocean was as still as a lake! We had decided to spend the day and have lunch in our port city of Fremantle instead and that was a great idea! We had lunch at the best fish and chip restaurant called Cicarellos on the wharf of the fishing boat harbour. Jeff and I both had squid rings and chips with tartare sauce and lemon. Mmmm - it was so good!

After lunch we went for a walk along South Mole of the main harbour and arrived just in time for the start of the 4th leg of the Clipper 07/08 Round the World Yacht Race. It was so exciting to see. for more information go to http://tinyurl.com/364dle to see all about the race, though the link will take you directly to the Australian boat. There are four legs of the race to go ending in Liverpool.

The start was a real sight to see. There was a clipper ship and a rescue boat with all pumps flowing and the south mole was packed with well wishers. I am really kicking myself that I didn't take my camera with me but we had no idea this was on and just stumbled across it!

After the boats had gone, we continued just ambling around Fremantle and finally decided to come home at about 2pm.

It was a lovely pleasant day spent with my darling husband.

I really hope everyone else's year is off to as good a start as ours!

Secret Sister for August

I belong to an Internet quilting group called the FairieGoddessMothers. Every now and then we do a Secret Sister Swap where we have a theme and send each other a fat quarter of fabric and other goodies to our nominate Sister! Well, here are my spoils from Janice the homely that I received in the post yesterday! Wasn't I spoiled. She tells me that the sparkly fabric (front) was bought in the white mountain area of New Hampshire (I am guessing that is what the NH stands for! ) during a vacation.

The sea creature one reminds Janice of her vacations in Fort Meyers Florida where her brother and family live. Janice hopes I will enjoy the 'do dads' she sent me - boy will I!!!! She has spoiled me rotten! Thanks Janice!

Only the final border to go....

This is the quilt that I am finishing for my Mum's 70th birthday. I have only the final border of white on cream to add and then I can send it off to the machine quilters to have it quilted. I am going to bind it in that fabulous pink bordering the applique. I started this quilt about 6 years ago! It will be lovely to have another of my UFOs finished!

First of my UFO hopefuls is DONE!!

I have finally finished my "Diamond Dazzler" table runner! It has taken a few year to do but it is finally done! This is all hand pieced using the English paper piecing method. i am so glad it is done!

Alzheimer Quiltlets

This is a little quilt I made using the pattern of the Fairie Goddess designed by Linda M Poole. As I type it is winging its way to the US to become one of a hopeful 100 little quilts being donated to be auctioned off for research into Alzheimers Disease. A number of the ladies belonging to the FairieGoddessMothers Yahoo group are all busily stitching now to make these quilts so that they can be handed over in Paducah in April.

Happy New Year!!

New Years Eve was a wonderful celebration for us. Ruth who works with us and is like a daughter got married to her long time beau Clayton. Despite being a really hot day, the celebrations were wonderful.




















I just love this picture -they look so happy!



I was especially touched as Ruth wore my veil from when Jeff and I got married!


This is my favourite photo of Ruth. She spotted me snapping away and actually stopped for this one - just for me!



This is the work crew - Ruth, me, Sarah from our Midland office and also like a daughter and of course Jeff (Isn't he gorgeous - but I am biased!) There is also Krystal and Jo but they weren't at the wedding.

...and on to Africa

After a week in Mauritius a group of 24 intrepid travellers continued on to South Africa for another week. We stayed one night in Johannesburg and then boarded light aircraft to be flown into Madikwe Game Reserve for a three night stay at Tau Game Lodge and a series of Safari drives. WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE!!! All 24 of us agreed that this was the most amazing part of our trip. We also spent two nights at the Palace of the Lost City at the Sun City resort in Pilansberg but all agree that if we ever did this again, we would rather spend the extra time on Safari.

Tau gave us two drives a day and they were amazing. We saw lion and elephant just driving back from the air strip.We hadn't even been there for half an hour! The two young male lions were just lazing under a tree on the side of the track! We were stunned!

During the total of 6 drives, we saw elephants - and were even charged at by a herd which was a bit scary, black hyena, white rhino, Lion, the two mentioned above plus a big male who had been in a fight, wart hog, african wild dog, spotted cats, impala, buffalo, monkeys, eland, wilderbeast, giraffe, and many others that I can't remember. The rangers taking us on Safari were wonderful and couldn't do enough for us. We had morning tea with giraffe on one day and sundowner drinks near buffalo and zebra on another evening.This picture with the elephant in the background was taken from the deck of our room!! That elephant was only metres away from me and the group of elephants were on the other side of the water hole that our room overlooked! It was just fantastic! The elephants came every morning and evening to drink!

While there I ate things I never thought I would! I have now eaten buffalo, crocodile (curried and it was yummy!) impala, eland and goat! But hey- when it is all cooked and served for you - why not!!!

After Tau and Madikwe we said goodbye and headed an hour and a half down the road to Sun City. This is a man made oasis in the middle of the veldt. It has four hotels, several casinos, two golf coursed and a huge water park. It was the ultimate experience of indulgence. The Palace hotel where we stayed was opulent. There were huge sculptures of animals everywhere and big chandelier and gilt furniture covered in zebra hide. It was truly amazing. We had a great day at the water park and spent a lot of time just wandering around. I had a wonderful massage at the Gary Player Health and Beauty Spa!

This picture is in the court of the hotel - this is the back folks! You are looking at the Crystal Dining Room whichis where we ate breakfast. The little orange dot is Jeff! Don't you just love that Jacaranda tree!




















These two chairs were just two of many dotted around the hotel Yes - they are REAL zebra skin. Just awful! But I had to take pictures - they were amazing and HUGE!

Two days there and it was back on the bus and back to Joburg to catch a flight back to Mauritius where we spent one final night before coming home. We arrived home tired and weary on the 17th October. Just in time to put Matt and Kerry on a plane to New Zealand on October 18 which as also Matt's 21st birthday. The trip to NZ was our birthday gift to him.

Mauritian Fun!

Well, here I am after not posting for so long. Once again Jeff and I have been galavanting around the world! We spent the first two weeks of October in Mauritius and South Africa. While I have been to Mauritius before, it was still a lovely place to visit. The local people are just so friendly and helpful and the setting is idyllic. Our business forum was held in the Hilton just outside a little village called Flic en Flac. What a great name! We had a wonderful time.

We went on a car rally that ended in a place called Chateau Domaine which is high on a mountain and has the most wonderful food. We saw old plantation houses and learned a lot about the history of Mauritius which is very culturally rich. There is a French, Dutch and Indian influence there plus the pull of Africa. The Creole cooking was fantastic. The trip up the mountain was very exciting as we had to go up in the back of open vehicles because the cars we used for the rally weren't able to cope with the steep roads. It was so much fun!

The last night in Mauritius was an Indian Feast and we were supplied with traditional clothing to wear which we got to bring home with us. The women even got to choose their own sari fabrics and the tops were made to measure. (though mine was too big when it was made up and I was pinned into it!!) I thought we looked fabulous, evenwith the name tags around our necks! I had a henna tattoo painted on the palm of my hand which lasted for three weeks. I just loved it!

Catching up!

I can't believe it has been a month since I last posted. On the weekend of the 8th -10th September, I went to Fairbridge Village in Pinjarra for a quilting retreat. A few projects came to fruition while we were down there.

I know those of you who have been following the row by row quilts I have been working on are dying to see how my quilt turned out! Well I love it!!!! It is truly amazing how the ladies doing the quilts stepped up to the challenge I set them! Here is the result - not the best photo but will have to do for now!

The other challenge I did was to use 8 very incongruious fabrics together in a quilted item making sure that all fabrics were recognisable! I decided to do a bag and added a few other colours to make it all work. I was very happy with the outcome but would never use it - just not me! At the retreat only 3 out of the 8 ladies doing the challenge had our items there and I think I came out a winner! Jocelyn had made a stained glass slash and stack quilt with hers that I fell instantly in love with - so she swapped with me! She liked my bag, and hated her quilt! Here they are!


The other swap we do for the retreat is a mini fabric challenge which has to be a quilt no bigger than 12 inches square using the fabric provided. As soon as IThe other swap we do for the retreat is a mini fabric challenge saw the fabric, I saw a Hawaiian girl so that is what I did. I think she is rather cute and is actually the 2nd in a theme I have started for this particular challenge.
Last year I did a Japanese girl. I think they are both pretty cute!
The fabric for next year is really crying out for a Carmen Miranda type personage, so I am working on that one at the moment in my mind!

I have actually finished a long standing UFO this week that I am very proud of. It is a Sloping Star quilt made with blocks from the Internet group I belong to called the Magpies. The girls sent me these blocks for my birthday in 2000!!! But Hey! It is finished and I love it! Well thats it for now!

Cycling Legs

Tonight I had a new computer experience. I got to chat to my favourite friends Ali from Britain and Cheryl from Kentucky on the new Yahoo Voice MSN. It was unreal! It will be even better when Cheryl gets her head set from Walmart today! We were talking about Jeff and the girls want to see him in all his cycling glory so here he is! He looks pretty speccy to me!

My Pirate Son

Matt had to go to a 21st a couple of weeks ago and the theme was "porn Stars" - Yeah right! Matt decided that he would be different and go as a pirate and this was the result! I think he would make a great Goth with all that black eye makup! Don't know about the hair though! He drove to the city dressed like this!
So Now I will hand the computer over to the pirate and talk to you all later! xx

I haven't really dropped off the face of the earth!...

Just busy living! I know I haven't posted in a while but I promise to do so a bit more regularly. I would write more right now but there is a tall 20 year old waiting to use the computer!

I have finally finished the row by rows. Karen's was the last one and I found it the most challenging! Karen had chosen the theme "C
hildren" and thirties fabrics. This is what I received:


















And this is what I did! It took me so long to decide what to do! It was tough! Firstly because I was the last to work on the quilt and secondly because I am not really partial to thirties stuff! I came to the conclusion that the quilt needed some more stitchery which I did - a cute little row of children waiting for a little girl on a swing. Then I realised apart from in the pattern of the fabric there were no flowers on the quilt so I added the foundation pieced tulips. The checkerboard strips were added to stop the row from being really white and bare and also helped make up the 30 inches I needed to stitch! This is the result:


I am really happy with the result and balance in the quilt and hope that Karen loves it as much as I do!

Bev's Row by Row

I have finally completed the row I had to do for Bev's quilt in plenty of time to swap them over at Anne's place tomorrow night! Nothing like leaving it till the last gasp! I am very happy with what I have done. My row is the butterflies under the hearts at the top.

I only have Karen's row left to do and then I have done all I need to do. I can't wait til
September when I get my own completed quilt top back!

This is the second last Row By Row quilt I have to work on. This one is Bev's from Grass Valley. I will post a picture of my row when it is done. I am doing some more butterflies. My dearest friend and quilt designer Gillian has allowed me to use her "butterfly ballet" pattern for this quilt.










I will shamelessly plug her website here. Go to http://www.deezignerquilts.com/index.htm
Gillian has such a great and refreshing approach to quilts. Yes. I do admit I am shamelessly biased about this!

May 31st - the day from Hell!

started off okay but went pear shaped when Jeff failed to arrive home from his bike ride after work. After a few worried calls to his mobile, I set out to look for him at about 810pm with strict instructions to Mick to call me if he heard from dad or dad came home.

At about 8.30 I got a message from Mick that Dad had rung and he was okay and in the hospital!! Two things were wrong with that sentence. Jeff and hospitals just don't happen. I headed straight for the hospital.

It turns out that Jeff had a freak accident with his bike just outside the gates of Muresk Agricultural College. A lady coming from the college found him unconscious on the side of the road and called an ambulance. He suffered a cut to the forehead where his riding glasses broke and a broken collar bone and concussion. He was very lucky. He looked like he had done ten rounds with Danny Green! He has very little memory of the accident. It turns out that his left handle bar snapped off at the gooseneck on the bike. He remembers falling and hearing the ambulance men talking but nothing of the ride to the hospital or even being put in the ambulance. He doesn't remember me being there until he was admitted onto the ward. His biggest worry was that he couldn't remember who undressed him. It was me!

It is over a week since the accident now and the stitches in his eyebrow were removed yesterday and the bruises are fading. His arm is still in a sling and will be for a few more weeks yet. I have one very frustrated husband who desparately wants to get back on his bike! The doctor told him he could ride his stationary bike after this weekend and could try to ride his road bike again in a fortnights time. I don't think it will be happening quite so soon!

The upside from all this is because he is so bored he is cooking dinner most nights with some help from me and the kids!

Quiltwest 2006

Wow! I can't believe it has been a month since I updated my blog already. Lots has happened since then. I got to spend a wonderful day with my sister Lee and my niece Amy at the Quiltshow held at the Perth Convention Centre at the end of May. We had a wonderful time checking out the vendors. We spent a lot of time looking at beads as Amy is into making jewellery at the moment. Amy's 14th birthday was last Monday so I took the opportunity to actually GIVE her her birthday present. I found this really funky purple handbag which I just couldn't leave in the shop. Amy loved it!

We met up with quite a few of my friends while there and had afternoon tea with them all. It was great fun. There was lots of show and tell of what goodies we had bought from the stalls. I was really quite restrained. I bought a large roll of freezer paper for my applique and some needles and a couple of buttons for an over seas friend. That is all I can tell you about the buttons as I haven't sent them to her yet and she doesn't know I have them! :)

There was so much to see at the show and we actually ran out of time! We were two thirds of the way around the quilt exhibition when the announcement came that the show was closing for the day! We whipped around the rest and had a good look at the beautiful Japanese quilts which were there.

We caught the train back to Lee's house and her hubby Mark came and picked us up from the train station. We had a yummy dinner of Red Rooster as Amy was invited to sleep over a friend's house and needed to be there not long after we got home. It was a fabulous day and I headed home when Lee took Amy to her friend's.

I can't wait to do it again soon!!!

Kerry and Matt May 4

Matt took Kerry down to Perth to meet my Dad and step mum Pat on Sunday and then took her down to Fremantle to have a look around. This picture was taken at the Round House in Fremantle (which was the first prison in WA) over looking Fremantle Yacht Club.

Kerry is settling in well and loving WA despite not being particularly fond of Northam! :) Northam is a bit too quiet for the city girl from Portsmouth England!
On thursday they both had the day off so Matt took Kerry for another drive to a local picnic spot called Lake Leschnaultia which is only about a half hour drive from here and very pretty. She is glad to be getting out and seeing a bit more.