Travelling Treasures, Secret Santa, Girl8

Hi everyone,

There is a new winner for Travelling  Treasures.  There will be a long journey this time, all the way to the USA!

Please join me in congratulating Aunt Marti.  Her blog is very interesting and she is a prolific quilter as well.  She won by correctly guessing what Susan was stitching for her giveaway.

I received this gorgeous wall hanging for my Secret Santa gift from Alison.

As you can see, I have the perfect place for it.  I just love that sweet little hanger she included.  Thank you so much, Alison. 

Yesterday we had a visit from the lady that coordinates adoptions.  There has been an enquiry about Girl 8.

Girl 8 was acting silly with the visitor here....Anyway, the lady will be going to inspect the home and interview the lady that is enquiring today.  I'm hoping she has lots of stairs at her house, which Girl 8 would not be able to cope with, so then she will stay with me....

See, she is laughing...anyone can see she is  happy here with me LOL.

All that performing wore her out.  She loves to be under the table when I sew there.

After the lady left, I went out for a short while. Mmm, I just love summer fruits. xx debbie

M&M's, Girl 8 is home

Hi everyone,

Our stitcher's Christmas party was last Sunday.  We had a most wonderful day.  There was plenty of food, laughter, and of course, our Secret Santa gift exchange. 

I made my partner Maree this fabric box.  This is the stitchery by Michelle Ridgway that I have been showing progress as I stitched it.  The gorgeous needlecase was made by my dear friend Marilyn.
Check out Marilyn's blog to see the stunning Celtic knot design she made for her Secret Santa partner. Wow!!  Thank you Marilyn  for letting me use your photo.

I traced another of Michelle's stitcheries (a very cute teddy) and tied that with the red candy cane ribbon around some thread to do the stitchery in redwork if she likes.  The other gifts were candle and jar, lotion, sweet goats milk soap, notepad, tea bags from USA, and mints in a tin.   I will show the gift I received from my partner in my next post. 

I have been asking dear Susan for advice as I learn machine blanket stitch.  She suggested next time it might be easier if I do the blanket stitching first and then quilt around it, rather than quilting the fabric first as I did here.  Thank you Susan for all your help.  We have the same sewing machine, so she has been  so very helpful with all of my questions. 

Dear Girl 8 returned home to me on Monday.  This new picture just melts me.....
This is her with the  bunny after I showed her my new game of bunny bowling.

But...she has appointed herself the neighbourhood monitor as well...so we are working on some very naughty barking habits.  She is frightening young children that walk by on their way to school :(

She likes to lie in the sun for about 5 whole minutes....then she gets hot and wants back in LOL.  See that clay pot on the left? It is huge...and those are potato plants in there. 

I have a nice friend who comes to mow for me in between so I don't have to pay the lawn guy every time. He mowed on Monday and the yard looks so nice now.  xx debbie

FNSI

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed FNSI with you and got heaps done.

 

I was able to get around halfway through another baby quilt top.  This one will be 30+ inches square.  The rows on the left are not attached yet.  Soon.

 

 

 

I also made another little basket to keep so I could trial  more machine blanket stitch.

 

 

Today is our stitching group Christmas party.  Here is a sneak peek at my Secret Santa gifts...I will show more later. 

 

 

 

Sweet Girl 9 left yesterday.

 

 

Only one more sleep until Girl 8 returns, this time with no set leaving date yet...

xx debbie

Girl 9, Vinnies, & Cheese

Hi everyone,

Today is my last day with Girl 9.  She goes back tomorrow morning.

She has been a nice companion for me, although she has been nervous with all the recent storms.  Here she is with the much loved Teddy.   It's turned out to be the best $2 I have ever spent as all the foster dogs love it.

She loves the bunny too.  My house has a long hallway, so this morning we played a game of " Bunny Bowling".... I threw the bunny as far as I could and she was keen to retrieve it.  Here she is all tired out after playing.  Bunny looks tired too...

Yesterday I went to my local op shop just to get out of the house for a few minutes.  I found this large Christmas platter, a smaller glass platter with a fruit design, a bag of sparkly Christmas stuff, and a generous amount of barely used flannel fabric.

                                          I won't know how much there is until I wash it.

I recently learned how to make Greek yoghurt at home.  Greek yoghurt makes a lovely meal and also makes moist cakes.  It can be used either sweet or savoury.   Did you know it costs less than half the price to make it yourself?  You can also make it into "Quark", which is very much like cream cheese but with a slight tang.  Here is my yoghurt draining to make cream cheese for my stitcher's Christmas party.  I will add home grown garlic chives and fresh baguettes to the cheese for the  request "bring a plate".   I am making extra to bring to FNSI tonight.  See you there! xx debbie

Secret Sewing and OOPS!!!

Hi everyone,

Our stitching group Christmas party is this weekend, so I have been putting the finishing touches on my Secret Santa gift.  I might even be done early LOL!!

 

Here is a sneak peek.  These are two of my favourite fabrics and I hope she likes them too.

 

 

This celery stub was headed for the compost bin, but I read somewhere that it would grow, so here it is on day 8 after first cutting.  I've been showing weekly updates since it was growing well...

 

But then I moved it and (OOPS)!!! forgot to water it, and this is how it looked yesterday morning...

I thought about the compost bin again, but decided to pick off the slimy bits and try some fresh water...

 

 

Only two hours later, I could see much improvement...

 

 

And today, it looks like nothing bad ever  happened...Mother Nature can be so amazing. This is day 31.

 

 

Girl 9 is a lovely companion for me.  She is friendly and has nice manners too.  She leaves on Saturday morning and then Girl 8 comes back Monday morning with no set leaving date so far.

 

 

I miss Girl 8 this much! Can't wait to see her again. xx debbie

 

Travelling Treasures, Tuesday Treasures Time

Hi everyone,

It's that time again...time for Travelling Treasures to go to a new home, and time for Melody's Tuesday Treasures too. 

The Travelling Treasures parcel has been with Susan for the month of October.  Susan is offering a fun guessing game for a chance to win the next parcel.  Just leave a guess on her post by midnight Brisbane time on Tuesday, 12th of November. 

Tomorrow is also Tuesday Treasures.  You can visit Melody for a chance to enter her giveaway too.  Just leave her a comment about your pet for a chance to win and good luck with both entries!

You just might be the winner this time.  xx debbie

Stitching, Girl 9, and Girl 8

Hi everyone,

It's been a busy week here at the cottage.  I've been chopping palms till I drop.  I am trying to do as much as I can before it gets too hot.

 My friend arranged for my stereo to be fixed at last!!
First up was my fave BeeGees CD  "One Night Only".  It's been so  nice to hear my other CDs again too.  But when you have to  move all those speakers, you might as well clean back there too, then when you take old curtains down, might as well clean the windows, and if you move the stereo, might as well dust the whole cabinet...well you get my drift by now LOL.

I made a Teddy Bear box this week.  I wanted to see how my Secret Santa stitchery would fit on
this size box,  (this is not that stitchery tho)  and I also wanted to practice machine blanket stitching.  This one will probably live on the
table where I sew to corral some of the loose bits.

I haven't quite gotten when to turn the corner perfect yet, but I think I am nearly there.

I found this wide fabric for the bargain price of $5m a few years back and it suits the cottage well.  I've been meaning to make curtains and I finally did that over the past few days.
They match the tablecloth I made recently that is in the next room.

I went to collect Girl 9 yesterday.  I will have her until next Saturday.

Like the others, she is a sweet and friendly visitor.  I am happy to  have her.

Remember Girl 8?  She was my first senior, aged 9.  She has multiple health problems and
she has not found a forever home yet.  I had a call last week, would I be willing to take her back
again? I nearly cried....of course...I wish she never left me before!  She will be coming back
in 8 days.  I am very happy she will be here with me soon.  She is a precious old soul.
xx debbie

FNWF

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed stitching along with you.  I was able to finish a baby quilt. I needed to join the binding, trim, and hand sew it down. 

I finished the quilt in the middle. It has the cutest binding that looks like candy sprinkles.

                                                                                 

The quilts on either side have been finished for a few months now.  I just had to wash them so
I could see their quilty goodness before I send them to their new home.

There is a nice breeze today, great for washing quilts, not so great for taking pictures.

This is when I gave up and brought them inside haha.  These 3 little quilts will be sent off in the post to Cheryll in the next day or two. 

I needed another quilt to make the washer full, so the Pips are all nice and fresh now too. 

If you are following the celery story, today is day 21. Still doing well!  I didn't eat any yet after all.
xx debbie

Visitors, FNWF, OPAM

Hi everyone,
I live in an older neighbourhood that is fairly quiet most of the time.  Last night wasn't so quiet:

I heard some rustling noises out the front and found these 5 visitors heading up the steps....

Not long after that,  I heard three "woof, woof,  woofs".....hmmm

It was quiet for a few minutes.....then I thought I smelled something yummy......

Very unusual to hear 3 motorcycles go by in one go....hmmm...it was an odd night indeed!!

Tonight should be a bit quieter.  I am joining in with FNWF.  You can sign up to join in here at Cheryll's place.  I will be working on this baby quilt. I made some yummy cheese 2 days ago and will bring plenty to share with everyone. We must keep our strength up for FNWF, right?!

I put the binding on this morning, but then I had to do some other things that took all day.

Tonight I will join the ends, trim, then hand sew the binding and the quilt will be finished and ready to mail next week.

 

My OPAM for October is 4.  I finished the bright baby quilt, 2 Breast Cancer Drain Bags, and I made this shell tablecloth to replace the quilt that was on the table and is now on my bed.  I reckon those wrinkles will go away on their own....eventually...cuz I am sure NOT going to iron it LOL.  xx debbie