Cheering up

My computer is fixed! I am SO pleased! Though I know that these things never last forever (my laptop is pretty old), and it has been playing up for a while now, it was still a GRRRRR moment! All MY stuff!! Dennis spent about 3 hours after work Sunday night and fixed the prob xx

A trip to Calico Crossroads on Sunday did cheer me up! I loved being surrounded by the beautiful fabrics Pauline has! Actually, another reason I dropped in was to pick a bundle of fabrics for 'My Garden' Button BOM by Lynette Anderson. I chose Heart and Soul fabrics like Lynette's as I totally love this range! Roseanne and Kate have decided to do it too, so I have set our challenge to finish this block EVERY month..... I am waiting on some Fig Tree Cream Solid fabrics to arrive in stock, and I unsure if I will use that or not for my stitchery backgrounds....... decisions, decisions!!



On Saturday, I am off to Evandale for a Stitching Gathering with Roseanne and maybe Jeanette. REALLY looking forward to that! A few of us Tassie Bloggers will be catching up there and have even 'reserved' a table for us all! Also, a few of us will be doing a little Xmas Tree Ornie Swap there too..... Which I have finished - just have to wrap! If you are interested in going, I am sure there are some spots available, click on the pic below for the details..... It is such a FUN day!



Guest tutors are Marg Low, Libby Richardson and Rhonda Leith.

Packed to the Rafters tonight WooHoo!
x Sarah

Grrr and Batik's

At the moment, I am really feeling like this!!

**Pic from Google Images**

CRABBY!! Yesterday after lunch, I decided to get online to do some blog reading etc, but... BUT... I think my laptop has pooped it! GRRRR!! I can check by business emails, sign in to MSN..... THAT'S it! No personal emails or web browsing at all.... the page just does not load up GRRRR!!! At the moment, I am using the desk top computer, it is NOT the same cause it doesn't have my CRAP on it lol! I have tried to de-frag, deleted cookies, history etc and nothing seems to help...... Anyone got any ideas?

On quilting news, I know I have not showed any that I have done recently. Many have gone out the door un-photographed, but this one I had to show! This was picked up yesterday, ready to be bound for a birthday soon. Using green, blue and purple Batik's:

The centre piece was a circle appliqued on, ready for a big white Unicorn to be appliqued on after I quilted it!

Very unusual don't you think?!

I think a trip to Pauline's might cheer me up today :+)

Enjoy your weekend

Laptop-less Sarah!

No craft pics today.....

Just some house updates!

This week the tiling has been finished, vanities and loo's are in (the tap ware is now in, but didn't take my camera today - pics were taken early on this week), just waiting for the shower frames.
Here is our Ensuite:

Main Bathroom - Spa bath on one side, shower on the other:

I totally love our Laundry (if you could ever love a laundry lol!!), it is SO bright with the sliding door, our sink is built in the bench and I have a full length cupboard at the side (we didn't have that at our old place.... not even a linen cupboard!!):

PLENTY of storage space in our garage..... Just waiting on the doors here:

It is all coming along nicely, and not too much stress (thank goodness!!).

On the sewing front, I have managed to finish another project.... Only a teeny weeny thing, but cant show just yet - sorry! I will say it it SO cute, and I will have to make another I think (or maybe 3, Razzy would say lol).

x Sarah

Ta da!

All bound! I cant believe it has been sitting there since December and it didn't even take long to finish off! I was watching 'The Box' last night (don't rush out and watch it..... Hubby reckons it was the worst movie he has ever watched, and I must say it WAS pretty bad!! And, I chose it :p) while binding this and finished off this morning!

I used a light green binding:

So, I can say that this is my 3rd finish for this month....... But, I have a little swap gift being sent off tomorrow, so once they have been received I can add them too!

I hope you all have enjoyed your weekend.

x Sarah

Quilting practice:

I decided that I needed to practice a few more free-motion quilting designs to add to my list! I have always loved these scroll thingies, so decided to have a play today. I found this in one of my baskets..... Remember the 'Table Turnover' tutorial I did last year here - made from Nostalgia?

Turned out ok I think...... There is definitely room for improvement, but ok for my second go (I did have a go on a quilt at Xmas time).

Back view:

What have you been up to this weekend?

x Sarah

Working

My latest couple of projects have been secret squirrel projects, for a swap! I am not going to ruin the surprise, so, I will only give you a little peep of one of the items:

It will be popped into the post Monday, and should be received later in the week!

Such a wet and windy day/night here today.... PERFECT stitching weather! I wonder what I can stitch next?!

I must show you all my 'Wild Thing'. I totally love how it has turned out, mind you, it is still only a topper at the moment (need to get some backing)..... Just waiting for my trusty 'ole quilt 'holder-up-erer' to come next time to do her thing LOL!

x Sarah

Block 6:

Colorado Beauty chosen by Bec:

Just in the nick of time too, as number 7 will be here soon!

I have had such a productive weekend, as well as doing this block I have put together my Wild Thing quilt top, done a little stitchery for another Block Keeper Book (yes, I need another!) AND, finished a swap gift! Oh, and quilted a couple of quilts for some ladies here too! Pretty good going!

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend,

x Sarah

Birthday Swap Gifts

I may have mentioned before that, both mine and Roseanne's Birthday are in May and every year we make each other something (sometimes chosen, sometimes not) and swap them a few weeks later.

That day was Thursday night! We had a great night opening our gifts from one another with a 'Ned' spritzer or two!

Roseanne stitched this center 'Down In The Garden' block for me! There is SO much work in this block, would have taken me SO long to do it, but she is such a whizz at it!

Such beautiful stitching! Thankyou SO much Roseanne xx

And, I made her this Block Keeper book (she had been nagging and nagging about them after seeing them heaps on our FIS Group!!).

The stitchery on the front was from the Homespun Mag BOM, and I enlarged it and put her initials in the middle:

Of course I made her the bag too.....

The fabric I used is Portabello Market by 3 Sisters:

I am glad you loved them Raz (now I will get some peace and quiet LOL)!

Long weekend here in Tas! I have heaps of things I plan to do, but doubt I will get them ALL done lol

x Sarah

Another day out........

Today we went on a Craft Shop Hop! Our first stop was Exeter to meet up with Vicki and Christine then off to visit Pauline, we spent a fair bit of time chatting away there!

Next stop, into Launceston to meet Cathy at the Quilt Patch. I haven't been there for SO long! After that we decided we all needed to run some errands then we would all meet in Kings Meadows at Esmes to visit Leanne. Leanne was working and finished at 2pm so we all decided to have lunch together when she finished, at the local cafe Peckish!

After a mishap on Vicki's behalf, when going back to her car with Roseanne to drive to Kings Meadows she found she had a flat tyre! 2 new tyres later, here we all are:

Roseanne, Christine, Me, Leanne, Cathy and Vicki.

I had this DELICIOUS Bruschetta!

And some caramel slice (the same as this....... this one is Cathy's!)

Thanks girls for such a great day out! I will see you all again soon!

x Sarah

Kitchen Capers

It's in!! The Kitchen! Dropped in the other day, and I did squeal with delight! I just couldn't wait for this moment to happen! This will be our 3rd home (in 14 years) and every home we had, we renovated the kitchen - only to sell it a year or two later! And, I must say this one is the best!!

Vinyl wrap white doors, black granite bench tops with an island bench...... Mainly drawers this time:

And, check out my pantry...... Sliding racks!!

Our 'move in date' is now a little later than expected, now middle of July. We are SO happy with the progress of it.

On my crafting news, I have a finish but, I will have to show you tomorrow as I will be giving it to the recipient tonight! I hope she likes it!

x Sarah

'Anvers Antics'

I know it has been a week since we went to Anvers, but I really had to show you these pics!

Here is a pic of Anvers...... they make the most divine truffles! You can actually watch them getting made through the glass windows inside the restaurant! I have been there for lunch a few times and I must say it was DELICIOUS!!

The Chocolate Testing Centre..... Of course we made a be-line there! They had many truffles to test taste and I came home with a box of mixed truffles (which I have just remembered about!) and some white chocolate raspberries YUMMO!!

Inside the restaurant, they had lots of chocolate memorabilia.....

Gorgeous gardens! Such a tranquil place to sit and have a coffee (and chocolate too!):

Here is Mum, Me and Kate in the Gazebo...... I really like this pic taken by Roseanne!

Hmmmm check out this 12year old......

Hold on Kate, I know how Roseanne drives! LOL

And, you cant go to Latrobe without visiting RELIQUARE!! This place is totally AMAZING! I sneaked this pic (you are not allowed - naughty naughty!). It is FULL to the brim of great stuff..... Cartoon Characters, Porcelain Dolls, Jewelery, Soaps, Kids Games..... a bit of everything!

I do know a lot of people can not go in there as it is just too cluttered, but I love it!!

Our visitors have now all gone back home and we have nearly got everything in some sort of order! lol

Ok, that's it for me tonight! I hope you all have enjoyed your weekend!

I will be back soon with a finish!!

x Sarah

The past week.............

Just over a week ago, our family lost our beautiful Nan! She turned 88 in February. She was a kind hearted, loving lady who was a whizz in the kitchen (my favourite Golden Syrup Dumplings and Peppermint Slice!!). She was the sewer of the family too, and made us all many, many outfits, each our own Raggedy Anne doll (which I still have!)....... The sewing skill rubbed off on me I think! Thanks Nan xx I remember when I was a little girl, she would rub silk in my hair to make it shiny, and tuck me in SO tight that I didn't move all night LOL. One embarrassing memory I have is...... One time we walked to the shop after I stayed over the night to buy an ice-cream. Once there, I peered into the big freezer to pick what I would like...... I couldn't see the one I wanted - a triangle one! Yes, a triangle one...... I had the shop keeper puzzled as was Nan..... Me, I started to chuck a little bit of a 'tantie'! We later found out the 'triangle' one was a Cornetto ice-cream.... only new out and the shop didn't have any! LOL..... I used to remind Nan of that outing and we both had a laugh about it!

We love and will miss you our sweet Nan xx


While the family was here from QLD, we decided to take some 'time out' and went to catch up with friends Vicki and Christine at the Cherry Shed in Latrobe. Here is from left Vicki, Christine, Roseanne and Myself...... Mum took the pic and who knows where Kate took off too!:



And, while we were there Roseanne gave Christine her Bag Swap Gift...... Here is Christine with it!

What is Roseanne up to? Hmmmm smoking? Nah, we made her do it LOL

Desert time! Here is what a few of the girls had...... Pancakes with Cherry sauce and ice-cream and NOT the half serve either, but I wont tell! Naughty naughty!!

Me..... I had a scone with Jam and Cream of course!

I have more pics of our day out..... will get to them tomorrow.

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

x Sarah