let the journey begin....

Well I have had the ticker on my blog for months and although as I write this it is still 3 days till the Girls Day in the Country, my bags are packed and I am leaving home tomorrow.

Quite a drive for me, so I am spending tomorrow night with a friend en route and will arrive in Nundle on Friday. Apart from looking forward to meeting Leanne and Rosie and checking out the projects they have in store for us, I am also looking forward to meeting so many blogging friends.

I know most of you attendees aren't leaving home till Friday, but now is my last chance to wish you all a very safe journey.

Roll on Saturday.....

Jodie

and number 3.....

Still hoping this one will have a matching glasses case, but at the moment time is beating me. I am tired.

Thanks for all the nice comments on how the handles are attached, can't take credit for that, it is what they tell you in the directions.

Jodie

Number 2 Finished......

DD1 has a Funky Chic Disco Party to go to on Friday night! Look out! She is doing her hair herself by the way!!!

Anyway, her little friend is turning 7 and is getting Cute little tote bag number 2!

DD1 loves it, and that is all I care about.

Jodie

PS How badly do I need a new ironing board cover? Please just ignore it!

I got one finished!!

A cute little tote bag and a matching sun glass case.

Jodie

Life is just a ride in the park......

Ok for all you guys down south, suffering a cool change, up here the weather is perfect. 27C no wind, not that I am gloating you understand! Lol.

To take advantage of it yesterday, we all went for a bike ride on the pathway alongside the river. DD2 peddled her little legs off!! My two big kids (yes I am including DH in that) rode up ahead.

Jodie

Lest We Forget!

What is ANZAC Day?

ANZAC Day – 25 April – is probably Australia's most important national occasion.

It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.

source: http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/anzac_tradition.htm

They shall not grow old,
As we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning,
We will remember them.

{From the poem by Laurence Binyon}

Sunset on ANZAC Cove

Today's photos are oldies, taken by me at ANZAC Cove, Turkey, 9th September 1994 .

Jodie

Holiday Pics Part 5, Pony Rides in Narrabri

Last day of holiday photos. After two nights with Donna we went back to Narrabri for a night, before we drove home. The girls Godmother organised pony rides with one of her work colleagues. DD2 was first on, and loved it. DD1 not so sure.... but she warmed to it in the end!

Jodie

Holiday pics part 4, Pilliga Bore Baths

No sewing here today or tonight..... so hopefully tomorrow there may be some more to show on the little bags.

Back to our trip. Second last post with holiday snaps I promise!

Today's pics are from a stop on the way. The Pilliga Bore Baths are in Pilliga and I think the sign in the top photo sums it all up. We didn't hop in, the kids from the Pilliga School were there and they told us it was great. I have heard it feels a little slimy so not something for DD1 and I, but DD2 pictured above would no doubt love it!

Jodie

these cute little tote bags.....

.............are proving to be addictive. I would really like to go to bed, but just keep doing a little bit more. I have cut out 5 bags, and here they are in various stages of completion.

Step one...

Step two......

Step three.......

Step Four.....

Step five.....

Storms a brewing????

We interrupt these holiday photos......

For some fabric photos!!!

While being a dutiful wife and helping DH this morning I found myself with time on my hands and in the close vicinity of this patchwork shop! What's a girl to do then?

I have some gifts I need to make and have decided on this cute little bag below.....

Which can be found in this book I bought in Narrabri.

The green fabric is to go with some fabric I already have here at home. So if you don't see some cute little bags on this blog in the next few days.... please DON'T ask! :)

Jodie

Holiday Pics Part 3, Big Sky Sunset.....

Ok, you know I love my sunsets, so Donna and I put together a quick mac and cheese for the troops to have for dinner, and we set ourselves and our tripods up for a sunset picture taking frenzy. Unfortunately for me it wasn't the greatest sunset ever, but there is no such thing as a bad one is there? I believe after we left it was pretty spectacular! Typical :)

This last photo is of ME! Taken by Donna and emailed to me. I wasn't going to Blog it but I love the colours and just how clear the sky was as the sun set. The clouds in my photos are taken in the direction I am facing. IE behind Donna who is photographing me.

Jodie

Holiday Pics Part 2, The Shearing Shed

We went over to the neighbouring farm & saw the sheep being sheared shorn.

A bonus for us city slickers !

Jodie

Holiday Pics Part 1, in the Country

We left home on Monday morning and we drove through to Narrabri. We stayed with the girls "Fairy Godmother" on Monday and Tuesday night. I took NO photos in Narrabri! For someone who never leaves the house with out a camera (always have a little point and shoot in my bag) that is unheard of. Perhaps I was tired from the 7.5 hour drive!

We then moved on and spent Wednesday and Thursday night with Donna on the farm. I have a lot of photos similar to Chookyblue's so I thought I had better post some different ones. These ones sum it up well for me, the big sky, the country gate.

Tomorrow, the shearing shed..........

Jodie

The Generousity of Bloggers

I don't think I am telling you anything new when I talk about how generous and giving fellow quilters and bloggers are, but I must share with you the beautiful fabric I received in the mail from Peg. I have had the Civil War Diary Quilt book and the Civil War Love Letters Book since my birthday last year. In an email conversation I said to Peg that I didn't have much of a fabric stash and I hadn't started. She offered to send me some fabric to get me started........I expected some bits and pieces, not seven FQs. Thank you so much Peg. So have I started? Uhmmm, not exactly!

It was our school holidays last week and my daughters and I loaded up the car for a road trip. We went to Narrabri to visit my friend, their Godmother, or as they say, "Our Fairy Godmother", which is seven and a half driving hours from home and then on a couple hours further to see a blogger I know you are all very fond of, Chookyblue of course! I will share photos from our trip in the coming days as I am still sorting through them, but had to show you the fabric Chooky bought me. She saw it on sale and as I love black and white she bought it for me, a whole metre! Thank you so much!

Looks a little grey in the photo, but it is black and white, and I will use it to finish off my Quilt a-long quilt. (IF I ever get that one finished!)

Jodie

Sand forms

Seaside Trees

Circles in the sky

How cool is this..................

A Gold Coast Rubbish Bin!

True!

Tomato Plant

A friend if mine, Nicole; one of the mum's at school, invited a few of us around for lunch today. She said she had it all under control, just bring yourself, but I don't like to arrive empty handed. Wine isn't really suitable when we all have to front the school in the afternoon for pick up so what to take? I thought of flowers, but for anything nice - too expensive. So instead I picked up a tomato plant.

Absolutely laden with fruit. Will be fun for her 3 daughters to watch them ripen and munch away! The original plan was to pick up a herb, was thinking Italian parsley, but couldn't walk past this.

What is your best idea for a hostess gift? Particularly homemade?

I still have some Nectarine Jam in the fridge that I made when the stone fruits where in season, but some people just aren't jam people!

All ideas greatly received.

Jodie