Oh B*GG^R !!!

Back in September I posted that my Checkerboard days where coming to an end 'cause at the time I had two sets of jumbo pieces left in my stash. I used one set at the time, for Natalie which leaves one set right?

So WHERE IS IT?!?!?!?!?!?

I have just finished a checkerboard for our little friend Annie, who is coming over tomorrow afternoon with her parents for a BBQ. Iwas about to photograph and then wrap her present and I can't find the pieces.

It is 1.50am here and I have had to pour myself a glass of wine to calm down. Please send me your searching eyes and a Sherlock Holmes if you have one lurking around the place.

TIA,
Jodie

Santa Cushions and the Christimas Tree Saga Continues

I have made three Santa cushion covers as gifts for some quilty friends. All need to be posted off and I have really cut it fine to get them on there way. But they are done now, so this afternoon it is off to the post office.

Our Christmas tree leaned just a little bit too far by then end of last week.......

so I have borrowed my mum's. She wasn't going to put it up this year anyway. Looks pretty good I think.

Jodie

Christmas is coming and packages from Norway......

Well the silly season is truly upon us. I can't believe it is so long since my last post. I have been very, very busy but nothing is finished, so I will wait a little longer before showing. However, I will tell you I have quilted Russ's quilt now, and a panel my MIL gave me. Both are waiting for the binding.


We have put up our Christmas tree (three times is fact this year! Lost count how many times last year). No it is not a strange camera angle. The tree leans that much. Dear sweet Chanel cannot leave it alone and it keeps crashing down. DH has attached it to a large piece of timber under all the tinsel so it should survive the season. Guess what I will be shopping for in the after Christmas sales?


Now onto the packages from Norway. Back in September Inga Helene showed us a new project she was working on and asked what quilting design we thought she had planned. I thought she was just asking for fun, but she sent me a package for the right answer! (BTW I guessed Cutlery). She sent me some Christmas fabric, a little basket she had made and some snowflakes! I thanked Inga Helene by email at the time, but should have thanked her publicly. I am very sorry.


The second package arrived today from May Britt. We exchanged quilt pins after a post on her blog. Three pins from Norway and two Christmas patterns. I think this is a great idea and will have to come up with a wall hanging to display them on. Anyone else want to exchange pins?? My guild doesn't meet again until January so will stock up then.

I still have not changed over to Beta blogger. Seems most of the Blogs I read have. Should I just take the plunge? What happens if I don't?

Jodie

On this day in 2001.........

Charlotte Samantha Brunker was born weighing in at 9lb 13oz (that's 4470grams)!


Happy 5th birthday gorgeous, love from Mummy, Daddy and Chanel!

I am really proud of this one!

My MIL Val is turning 70 very soon. She has five children, lots of grand and great-grand children and she is very active in her local community. She lives interstate and we aren't travelling down for her birthday as she will be up here with us a few weeks later for Charlotte's birthday. I made her this wall hanging and the white sections are for her family and friends to sign their name and any message they want for her.

It went together so well. The fabric is all new for this project and I am so happy with it. My fan club think I did a good job as well!

Sunset

I love to watch the sunset. I love the colours displayed in the sky as the sun goes to bed. I am sure the sunrise is just as spectacular but honestly, I am not up for sunrise. My husband is a night owl and my daughters appear to be following suit. I get up in the morning when the first child awakes and that is around 7am. Sunrise here, at this time of year, happens about 5am!

Recently Inga and Hedgehog have posted sunrise photos from their part of the world and they look beautiful.

These pictures where taken just after 6pm (18:00 hours) on Thursday 26/10/06.



Jodie

Our trip to Narrabri - Australia Telescope National Facility

Russ travelled out to Narrabri on the Thursday night to bring the girls and I home. He made us promise not to go to the Telescope with out him. We saved it for the Friday.

It was really interesting. There are 5 small telescopes on railway track that they manouver around. That way they get the capicity of a much larger telescope.

This photo is taken up close to the telescopes but I could only fit 4 in the photo.



All five are in this one......



It was a hot, dry day with lots of flies. The girls didn't find it as interesting as we adults did. Here they are in a little bit of shade with Russell.



This Goanna was sunning himself near the road as we drove out.



Jodie

Our trip to Narrabri - Mt Kaputar

Narrabri is in what they call "Big sky country" as it is so flat but Mt Kaputar is less than 1 hour driving time away. We went there one day and took a picnic lunch with us. The kangaroos are used to people and so tame they come right up close.

This is the view from the lookout on Mt Kaputar.



There were three Kangaroos that came over to us and two had Joeys in the pouch. You can see the joey clearly in this photo. No zoom used, they came this close!



This is Loretta and the girls at the first lookout we stopped at on the way up the mountain.



Jodie

Here is the wayward photo!

This is the picture of my WIP Christmas Wreath that wouldn't attach to the last post.....




Not really worth all the fuss was it! Lol.

Jodie

We're Back!

The girls and I spent a week in Narrabri visiting Loretta, the girls godmother. Narrabri is "Big Sky Country" approx 7 hours driving time from here. It was great to see her and great to have some time away but it was fantastic to get back again. There is NO place like home!

Today is the first chance I have had in the sewing room for awhile so I have some WIPs to show.

Firstly some blocks for Charlotte's house quilt. I would like to make some of Tonya's wonky houses or Bonnie's Happy Scrappy House blocks to alternate with the house fabric blocks which is why I have ground to a holt on this one. (I don't know why this photo is sideways, it isn't when viewed on my computer!)




Then there are the blocks I made for Loretta's cushions and placemats. I stalled on these as I didn't like how they were turning out, but now that I have been to her new place they may be ok. I will ask her what she thinks. If she doesn't like them I can always turn them into charity quilt.




My current hand project is another colour wheel. I should get this put together tonight as I am going to a sewing group. There will be three of us, Cathy, Sarah and myself and tonight is the first night. Hopefully the first of many! Cathy is hosting the group and wants us to come up with a name. Any ideas?



Finally this Christmas Wreath wall hanging is for my secret sister in the SSCS swap I am in. I am sending to Anne-Maree but she doesn't know my identity. I was to send her a parcel per month to put in the stocking I made her but she has been away and then I was away so by mutual agreement I am sending her a parcel with several presents to go in the stocking later this month. There will be a candle appliqued in the centre of the wreath and then borders of course.

Oops I'm sorry, but Blogger outright refuses to publish a photo of my wreath. Maybe next time!

Jodie

Mint Green!

You Are Mint Green

Balanced and calm, you have mastered the philosophy of living well.Your friends seek you out for support, and you are able to bring stability to chaotic situations.You're very open and cheerful - and you feel like you have a lot of freedom in life.Your future may hold any number of exciting things, and you're ready for all of them!

What Color Green Are You?

Preschool Fishing Excursion

Today Charlotte's preschool went on a fishing excursion to Jabaru Island. The idea was the children and their fathers' were to make a fishing pole prior to the event and if possible the fathers' were to attend the excursion. Russ and Charlotte made theirs from a branch I found in the park and he was able to take some time off work. (Mind you his mobile phone didn't give him much peace!). I took Chanel to music as is usual for Thursday mornings and then we joined them in time for lunch. It was a perfect day for the beach. They didn't catch any fish but they had a lot of fun!
Chanel was a hand full, getting caught in everyone's lines, splashing in the water and trying to help at all the wrong times, but that is what little sisters are supposed to do!!






















Jodie

Life on the Lake

I have posted before that we live on a man made lake - Paradise Lake (hence the name of my blog!). The weather here normally, is beautiful one day and perfect the next (to quote an advertising campaigne from the past). These past few days it has been awful. Gale force winds and torrential rain. We need the rain here in the south east so I am NOT complaining about that, but this sort of weather makes MY lake less than picturesque!

Here are some photos of what it is usually like.......

A black Swan

Ducks,



a Pelican.

The sunsets are beautiful as we face west, but I have no digital photos I can post. Will remember to take some soon.

Jodie

Another Day Another Checker Board

I think my checker board days may be nearing an end as I haven't been able to buy anymore of the jumbo checker pieces! I still have two more sets in my "stash".

This latest one is for Natalie or more to the point for Natalie's grandkids so that Natalie can get some sewing done! No guarantees it will work. This photo has come out quite yellow the sunflower/olive fabric is creamier in real life.

Natalie is my other swap buddy in the Friendship swap I am in. I got to meet Maree last week and we got on very well. She liked the colour wheel, so I was pleased. I had my camera with me but didn't take and photos. Oh well.

Jodie

The Colour Wheel

I stayed up late last night (till early this morning), but am glad I did as now the colour wheel is finished. This is for Maree, my buddy in the Wheel of Friendship swap. She is holidaying here on the Gold Coast at the moment with her family so we are meeting for the first time tomorrow at a GTG with some of the other Gold Coast Ladies.

I am very happy with how it has turned out although I do wish I had a plain "yellow" fabric and then a patterned fabric for "yellow/orange". Anyway sometimes you have to make the most of what you have.

It started life as all these bits....

I hope she is pleased. Charlotte likes it. She says it is as pretty as a rainbow.




Jodie

My Girls

Here are my two gorgeous girls - Charlotte and Chanel. Charlotte will be five in November and Chanel turned two in July. They play well together and are great friends. Here they are on their "train".

Here they are after recent haircuts.

I haven't had anything quilty to post lately. I haven't started to quilt Russ's quilt yet. I have almost finished a little colour wheel for a swap buddy that I will meet in person for the first time this Wednesday and I have almost finished a Christmas Wall Hanging for another swap. Pictures when they are done!

Jodie

Birthday Pictures (a bit late I know, sorry!)

Firstly the cake........ Chocolate mud cake, with chocolate coated, custard filled profiteroles and chocolate shavings on top. Told you it was wicked!

the flowers.......

and a special gift .............

This little piano is a music box that my Nan has had for a long time. She doesn't have it out on show very often but I have always loved it. She gave it to me for my birthday and said because I love it I may as well have it. My Nan is 92 years old and pretty amazing.

No photos of me in this post, don't like the ones on my camera, so will see what DH has on his when he comes home tonight.

Jodie

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Today is my 38th birthday and I have had a fantastic day. I got croissants and coffee in bed and lazed around reading the paper. Russ cooked on the BBQ for lunch and he cooked Stuffed Mushrooms for dinner. He bought me a wicked chocolate cake with profiteroles and chocolate shavings on the top!

I spent some time on the sewing machine this afternoon working on a Christmas wallhanging and had a snooze while the girls had their afternoon sleeps.

Yesterday my parents and my nan took me out to lunch and I had a BBQ prawn salad - yum! Afterwards we went back to mum and dad's for coffee and birthday cake mum had made.

It has been awhile since my last post and I haven't anything finished to report. I have the batting and the backing for Russ's quilt but they are still three separate items, I have been working on a hand project as a gift for a quilty friend I will catch up with in early September and the above mentioned wall hanging.

I joined "Stashbusters" but couldn't keep up with all the emails. In fact that is part of the reason I haven't done much sewing lately. So I unsubscribed and am getting back to it.

Blogger is giving me grief and not uploading my birthday pics so I will try again tomorrow.

Jodie

When 12 Blocks become a Quilt Top

No the quilt isn't wearing sneakers! This weekend I trimed the blocks in navy, sashed them in cream and used the "keg" fabric for the corner stones. The inner border is brown with gold (like a tie print) and the outer border is browny/gold. I am so pleased with the way it turned out!

So is DH........

Tomorrow I hope to get to the quilt shop to buy some batting and on Wednesday I will shop for a sheet to use as the backing. I will look for something in blue to match the trim on the blocks as I will use the same fabric for the binding.

This is my first BIG quilt and I am so happy with how it is coming together!

Jodie

Russ's Quilt

I have FINALLY finished 12 blocks for DH's quilt. I gave up on the BOM pattern in a magazine I originally started as it was too frustrating. There were errors, corrections, then errors in the corrections. As a beginner I found the instructions assumed you knew what you were doing and in most cases I had no idea! Instead I made the remainder of the blocks from the quilters cache.
Today I bought some more fabric to finish it off. Navy to trim the blocks and bind the quilt, brown with a bit of gold for the inner border and gold for the outer border.

Here is a piccy taken from the other end. (Please ignore my purple tablecloth - it has nothing to do with the finished project!)


Jodie