February OPAM!

 It's the end of another month and time to report in for OPAM. I've only got three items for February.

My Simply Small Sewing with Sherri table topper.

And the two little owls I made yesterday.

I have actually finished five more items but they are 

for swaps, so you'll just have to wait to see those.

Hoot!

I had a little play in the sewing room this morning and made these two little owls. I used a tutorial by Denise of Gataria. For some reason, the small owl's eyes look bright blue. 

They are actually dark blue!

Granny Squares!

About thirty years ago, I made this little Granny Square blanket and put it in my Glory Box.

I eventually got to use it when I had the boys.

You didn't know I could crochet, did you!

Thirty years later, I have made some more Granny Squares! 

I've just got to piece the backing and 

then it's off to be quilted.

Mill Rosie Friends Get Together and Block 3 Finished!

 

We had another wonderful day at Mill Rose Cottage. 

It was lovely to catch up with everyone and 

to meet some new friends.

The theme for our swap this time was "Red". 

  

Once again there were so many gorgeous gifts made.

 

I came home with this lovely cushion made by Marg. 

Thank you Marg. I'm going to put it on our bed. It would be lovely sitting in my spot on the couch but I couldn't trust that naughty Molly not to chew it up!

 

My swap gift was the table runner I made with Sherri's Simply Small Sewing. O'faigh was the recipient of it.

I was also able to give Cheryl her prize from my Grow Your Blog Party giveaway. It was so nice to be able to
give Cheryl her prize in person.

 

I did manage to get a little stitching in

and finished my block 3.

 

Yes, it's not much stitching but probably more than I normally get done with the Mill Rosie Girls!

FNSI Results!

 I worked on Block 3 of my Quilty Stitches Sampler Along. 

I didn't quite get it finished as it was getting late.

 I'll finish it off today at Mill Rose Cottage. That is if I do manage to get any stitching done between the chatting!

Friday Night Sew-In!

I'm joining Wendy (Sugarlane Quilts) and the girls for Friday Night Sew-In. My plan is to finish Block 3 of my Quilty Stitches Sampler. You can sign up here.

Then tomorrow I'm off with Mel to catch up with the  

Mill Rosie girls! I'm sure we're going to have 

another great day of fun and laughter. 

We may even get a stitch or two done too!

Molly's New Door!

 We got two new security doors with extra strong wire so that Molly couldn't pull the screening

(she pulled the wire out of the old doors very early on!) 

We decided to get a doggy door as we were forever 

getting up to let her in and out.

 It didn't take long for Molly
to get the hang of going in and out.

 Doggy snack bribery works every time!

 Once Molly ate the snack, she just turned around 

and went back in.

What I've been doing this afternoon!

Grow Your Blog Party Giveaway Winner!

 Today is the day to announce the winner of my 

Grow Your Blog Party giveaway.

I used the Random Number Generator and it came up with the number 43 (I haven't worked out how to post 

a copy of it on my blog).

Congratulations to Cheryl of Cheryl's Stitchings!

As we'll be seeing each other at our 

Mill Rosie Get Together next week, 

I'll bring it with me. That way I can personally hand it to you!

 Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway. A special thank you to Vicki for organising this blog hop.

Vicki must have spent hours linking everyone's blogs 

onto the list, over 600 of them!

Quilty Stitches Block 2 And The Girls!

I've finished Block 2 of Corey's Quilty Stitches Sampler Along over at LMS/Adventures in Quilting. Now that 

I've got back into the swing of cross-stitching 

I have really enjoyed this block.

 I don't think I had to undo even one stitch, not like Block 1! It only took me a couple of days to do this one.

 Swoon and Odd Fellows Chain.

Today is the Swimming Carnival at school. 

Meers (Blue) House had the theme of Hawaiian.

I never thought I'd be buying grass skirts and leis in this house! A couple of years ago I had to buy fairy wings!

Tomorrow is the last day to enter my

Grow Your Blog Party giveaway. Go to this post.

Simply Small Sewing!

I've finished the second project that Sherri from A Quilting Life shared in her "Simply Small Sewing".

I used a Scrumptious mini charm pack and 

I'm very pleased with how it turned out.

 Sherri had added another border but I decided not to add it as I preferred this finished size for the table topper.

There's only three more days left for my
Grow Your Blog Party giveaway. Go to this post.

I'm linking up with

Up To Date!

 Block 8 of my Fat Quarter Shop 2013 Designer Mystery Quilt arrived Friday. I cut it out yesterday and I've just put it together! I'm not going to get behind again!

Here are my eight blocks so far.

Back to the sewing room I go.
I'm going to quilt my Dresden plate!

If you are visiting here for the Grow Your Blog Party

and giveaway, head to this post.

Austin The Mechanic!

 Today Austin heads of to the Northern College of The Arts and Technology where he will be commencing his Automotive Technology Studies. In other words, training to be a mechanic! He will go there every Wednesday.

He's all set with his overalls, steel capped boots, 

safety glasses and ear muffs!

Austin being Austin! 

Doesn't he look so grown up!

If you are visiting here for the Grow Your Blog Party

and giveaway, head to this post.

Nelson's First Day!

Today was Nelson's first day back at school. 

Here he is already to go!

If you are visiting here for the Grow Your Blog Party

and giveaway, head to this post.

Last First Day!

 

Thirteen years ago we sent this little boy off to school and Year 12 seemed an eternity away. Well, it's now here!

Today is Mitchell's last "First Day of School"!

Austin is off to Year 10 and will be starting VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning). He will be doing mechanics.

Mitchell is also doing VCAL and will be studying landscaping.

Brotherly love!

Are you wondering where Nelson is? 

He is still in bed as Year 8 starts tomorrow!

By the way. It's my lovely friend Melody's birthday today. 

 Why don't you pop over and say hi!

If you are visiting here for the Grow Your Blog Party

and giveaway, head to this post.

Success (Almost), A New Project and A Sneak Peek!

 Thanks for everyone's suggestions with the 

colour running in my quilt.

 

 I got some of the colour catchers and 

most of the run has now gone.

There were two sections that the run didn't go away. 

A bit on the green spot here.

This was left when I did the first wash 

with the colour catchers.

I did a second wash and basted the catcher over the top of the section. You can see a little more dye came out.

 Quite a lot came out in the first wash. The second pair is actually a very pale pink. The bottom catcher is to show you the original colour. Melody and elliek also suggested using plain Greek yoghurt so I'm going to get some and try to get those last little bits out. The yoghurt won't hurt the quilt 

so I might as well give it a try.

It's been a long time since I last did any cross stitch. 

The last one was I did was this one in 1996 

when I was expecting Mitchell.

When I saw Corey at LMS/Adventures in Quilting was hosting a Quilty Stitches Sampler Along, it made me want to try my hand at it again.

These are the colours I have chosen to use.

I think what got me in was the first block - "Swoon"! 

The centre is actually a pink, not red.

It took me a bit of the while to get back into the swing of cross stitch. There have been quite a few crosses unpicked when miscounting. But I think I've got the hang of it again. Block 1 is now finished just in time 

for Corey to give us Block 2.

A sneak peek of my Dresden plate for our 

Friends Having Fun Swap because Fiona loves peeks!

If you are visiting here for the Grow Your Blog Party 

and giveaway, head to this post.