The Pear

Wow talk about busy over the last few weeks!!
I have been extremely busy at work and at the same time preparing to say goodbye to my parents while they travel.
For this I decided to make them a little gift. A rather ambitious gift I think as I only have 2 weeks to get it done. Well 1 1/2 now.
I can picture just the way I want things to look in my minds eye but getting it to be like that in reality is somewhat harder. And so began the pear.

Bernie

No, I didn’t fall off the edge of the earth

I almost feel like I have been in isolation or something. Well from the internet that is. This hasn’t been an altogether bad thing but it has meant I have not been able to write here or read what other friends are up to via their blogs. Feels weird!!

Internet at home is still giving us grief after 2 weeks but I am able to get this up by other means. J

So what have I been up to instead of surfing the net? Where do I start!!  I had some annual leave from work (believe me no leave from life) and have managed to get away over Easter. I drew up a task list and I am very pleased to say I got all but one thing done and some little extras too. And what would holidays be without a trip to at least one craft shop.

Over the Easter weekend we did some camping and our eldest son decided it was time he had a tent of his own. Our younger son followed suit but I really think he did it just for a bit of excitement. By the third night he was back in the caravan with us. Which is more than ok with me, he is only 6. The Easter bunny still managed to find us and Oma organised a big treasure hunt, including clues and directions, instead of just handing the grandkids the eggs. Even after all the chocolate and toasted marshmallows the children were always completely exhausted in the evening and dropped off to sleep before we could even zip up the tents. I suppose running all over 5 acres of scrub will do that.

What a task list I created for myself for over my time off. It still involved being a mum and definitely did not exclude washing all the dirty clothes from our weekend away. One of my projects was to repair and paint a wardrobe for my youngest son. I must admit I love to paint but not pictures or landscapes. I love to paint walls and furniture. It always feels so good to give a room or a piece of furniture that fresh lease of life. Now all I’m waiting on is a little muscle to help me move it into the bedroom.

What else? I have almost finished doing the hand stitching on a queen size quilt I have been working on for a couple of years. Getting to go and buy the batting and the backing fabric for the quilt makes me feel as though I’m almost on the home stretch. That gives me the extra drive and determination I need to get a long running project finished. I’m normally the kind of person who likes short practical length projects so big projects take me even longer. But now I can’t wait to get this one done.

For now though I need to get some rest as I need to go to work tomorrow to earn the cash to finance all my projects, long and short term ones.

Bernie

A little time to get away and relax

Relax. Yes ok, I will.
I have just returned from a relaxing weekend away with my man. This would be the first time in a long time the two of us have been away together without the kids.
We ended up in Bright, Victoria instead of Wilson's Promontory National Park as was first planned. I think we would have got blown away and ended up with icicles hanging off our noses if we had of gone to Wilson's Prom.

Bright was beautiful, as it always is. The weather didn't cooperate until we were looking at going home. But you know I'm always going to nosey through the shops no matter what the weather is like. And guess what, in Bright it self there are two gorgeous little shops full of all sorts of quilting things and notions and embellishments. Ah yes, I was in my element.

Sew Bright Alpine Quilting

Sew Bright Alpine Quilting is a gorgeous little shop that sells fabric and a heap of embellishments. What I loved the most was all the quilts they had hanging around the store. It was such an inspiration to see all of them and all so beautifully finished. You can view Angela's store here. However I think being in the store just has a specialness about it.

I also had the rare opportunity to show my man what a machine quilting set up looked like and how much room it takes. Finally I think he has agreed to let me get one in the future (something I have always wanted) and will allow me to take over one of the rooms in the house. However as much as I would like it to be the lounge, I think it will be a bedroom when one of the boys move out.

Country at Heart

I also popped into Country at Heart, also in Bright. It has everything you could ever need for Christmas in the way of statues and quaint little ornaments for the tree. But it was the back of the store the I loved the most!!

I loved it so much I just had to share

This whole area of the shop was devoted to the autumn colours that Bright is so well known for. All the fabrics were rich rustic colours and woven wool fabris abounded. They had patterns to match with all the autumn colours and highlight the season so well. Once again browsing through the website does not come close to meandering through the corners of the shop and feeling the fabrics. But for those who can't get there in person you can visit it here.

I got back to our little cottage for afternoon tea and all that could be done after seeing all I did today, was stitch. So with a nice cuppa and the sunshine poking through before it set, I settled down to stitch for a little while.

It was inspiring to look at what others have created and to dream about what could be and purely relaxing to sit in the sunshine and stitch. Overall the weekend was great and I find that my love for crafting has had some rejuvenation along the way.

Bernie

Discovering a new kind of yum!

Just recently my GP has asked me to cut a few things from my diet. These are the kind of things that I suppose we all take for granted until we are told that we need to stop consuming them. I have been asked to cut grains, specifically wheat to start with, dairy and processed sugar.
So off I am on a journey of discovering some new tastes and ones that I was no longer tasting because of the amount of sugar in my day to day life. It means that I will be getting all my sugar from my fruit and vegetables. A couple of days in and Wow! I can't remember fruit tasting this good!!
Even better my fantastic husband had let the strawberries from the previous owners of our house, run wild in the vegie patch and had planted some vegies too. Tonight we had fresh corn. I don't think I have ever had corn this fresh in my life. It was so good. And then for dessert, fresh strawberries.

Fresh corn and strawberries from our garden

So wish me luck in a battle to get my body and health right and here's to discovering new recipes and foods.

Bernie

All put together, well sort of !!

I have had a rather busy time over the last week.
My husband has been building a retaining wall behind the garage and I have been piecing together a quilt top. Guess what. . . .   I won!! (Not that it was a race)
I have finished putting together my quilt top and minus a small patch of appliqué, I am ready to start quilting.
My darling husband has not been quite so successful. Even with my continuous help there is still a fair amount to be done before it is finished. But believe me when its finished it will be a fantastic achievement. However right now we are both exhausted! Who would have thought a retaining wall could be such hard work.

Bernie

I love Craft Night

Last night was "Craft Night", as so affectionately called by a rather crazy group of us who get together once a month to craft. There are all sorts of handcrafts brought along by the ladies and all sorts of conversations had. (Sorry what's said a craft night stays at craft night.) I must admit that its something I look forward to for the whole month. Getting to get together with like minded people, chilling out and doing what we all love - craft.
So what do we do? Well there was knitting, crocheting, patchwork, cross stitch and sewing and lets not forget the cutting out for the next project. The mix always seems to differ and the amount done always varies based on the conversation being had. 
Last night, we were in for a treat. We got to see Mrs S's newly finished house. It is gorgeous!! But what had some of us really excited, was the craft room. Mrs S has a purpose built craft room with space for everything and more. What caught my eye first was her gorgeous glass jars with buttons in them.(pictured) 

They were perfect sitting along side jars of ribbons and pins and buckets of markers and brushes. Everything is visible and the room is well lit. A good size work bench for the sewing machine and all the cutting that needs doing is easily accessible. Mrs S you have done it. You have created a fantastic space for craft. 
However there was only one chair in there and I don't think even dragging other chairs into the room would have allowed the 8 or so of us to sit and craft. So around the big kitchen table we gathered.
We talked quietly serious and then laughed loud and at the end of the night, I wondered if I would have a voice at all in the morning. I love that there is no agenda, no rules and no kids. Just us ladies and our craft. 
What great friends are made when craft is the common thread.

Bernie

Happy Leap Year Day!!

Happy Leap Year Day!!
I'm not really sure why this is something that needs to be celebrated but the powers at be at work decided to ask everyone to wear rainbow colours today. As long as I could wear black pants, I was happy with that. Some went all out, coloured wigs, very bright clothes and even Hawaiian lays. But for some it proved to be obviously harder. Black or beige was their colour of choice. At least their mood was colourful and bright.
Last week we had friendship day, where we all needed to wear red. This I forgot completely as I had been ill a few days before. As I am the first and last port of call for most people that come to my work, it seemed to draw a reasonable amount of comments. However by the end of the day people had stopped commenting. I think I got out of the wrong side of bed that day.
As much as I was in a horribly bad mood that day, in the end I ended up in a very good mood as I stopped to enjoy those little things we take for granted, like the smell of a rose or the gentle whisper from our children telling us they loves us.
When was the last time we truly stopped for a moment and thought about something or someone that is special to you, something that we may easily take for granted. It can make your day so much better.
I just have to remember to do this a little earlier in the day so not as many people get the raw end of my grumpiness. :)


Bernie