A Rosalie Stitch-A-Long with Melody!

My lovely friend, Melody (The House on the Side of the Hill) is organising a United Stitches Stitch-a-long.

As not everyone has received their Urban Stitches kits yet, this month's linky is any Rosalie Quinlan design.

This is Rosalie's Welcome Friend project caddy.

I am really pleased with my caddy.

There is also a matching needle case.

But I made mine into a door hanger instead.

Have you stitched any of Rosalie's designs? 

Head over to Mel's blog to see what others have stitched. There is also a lovely giveaway.

Some thank you's

 My lovely friend, Shez, gave me some of her homemade goodies when we caught up on Saturday. Zucchini pickles and strawberry jam. She even has her own labels! 

Thank you, Shez.

Sharmayne from Country Fragrance recently celebrated her 5th anniversary of blogging. I was lucky enough to win some of her homemade soap. This one is spearmint honey. Along with some homemade lavender melts. Thank you, Sharm.

Have you seen the Sew Sweet Simplicity free BOM by Jacquelynne Steves? I'm not stitching along as I have too many other projects on the go at the moment but I've been enjoying seeing everyone's blocks. My name was drawn out by one of the lovely hostesses of Jacquelynne's Stitch A Long, Teresa from A Quilt and A Prayer. These are the patterns I won. Thank you, Teresa and Jacquelynne.

2015 Track and Field Regionals

 Over the weekend, Austin competed in the 

2015 Track and Field Regionals. He competed in four events and came home with four medals.

Triple Jump - Silver. This was a personal best (PB).

High Jump - Silver.

Long Jump - Bronze.

400m - Bronze. PB with him coming in under 1 minute.

With Will and Brandon receiving their medals.

Congratulations, Austin!

Another great athletics meet.

Mill Rosie Get Together!

 We had a wonderful get together at Mill Rose Cottage yesterday. This swap's theme was hearts. 

Once again there were some beautiful swap gifts made.

I received the gift that Marg made. 

This gorgeous little wall hanging will fit very nicely in my sewing room next to the hanging Fiona sent me for Christmas. It can now be my blue wall!

Marg also added some chocolate hearts, heart fabric and a little purse with 2 heart soaps. Thank you, Marg.

I put my heart into a hoop. 

This is one of Michelle's (Rag Tag Stitchin') designs.

My gift went home with Kim, 

along with some chocolate hearts too.

 I did manage to get a little stitching done!

We missed you, Mel (The House on the Side of the Hill). 

Liz did comment we were a bit quieter than normal. 

Must have been because you weren't there with 

your funny stories and infectious laughter!

Friday Night Sew In!

 It's now 11 o'clock and I haven't done a stitch!

After having a 4 hour, yes that's right, 4 hour lunch in the Melba Restaurant of the Langham Hotel in the city, I had to catch up with the things I hadn't done like the washing. These lovely ladies are in my tennis team and this was our end of season lunch for 2014. We just couldn't organise a time before Christmas or even before this season started but we finally got there. I left home at 11 and didn't get back until 6 o'clock! We may or may not have checked out 

the new (to me) H&M store.

But I'll be joining the girls at Mill Rose Cottage tomorrow 

so I'll be stitching along with them and the 

ladies in the Northern Hemisphere!

Hopefully I'll have something to show you tomorrow.

First Day On The Job!

Today Austin headed off to work for his first day 

at the City of Whittlesea Works Department 

for his School Based Apprenticeship 

in Heavy Vehicle Mechanics. 

I forgot to get a photo this morning as we left about 6.30am so this is from last year. Perhaps I'll get one this afternoon when his overalls won't look so clean!

Have a great day, Austin!

Stitchery Club Swap

Have you met Baa (Baa's Amazing Adventures)?
Well, it turned out Baa and his assistants, Miss H (aka Hannah) and The Mother (aka Karen), were my swap partners for Jenny's (Jenny of Elefantz) Stitchery Club swap. My package came from New Zealand!

 The sewing machine was beautifully stitched by Hannah
and Karen put the hoop together.

There was also some yummy chocolate fudge. 

Thank you Baa, Karen and Hannah for my lovely gifts.

Thank you also to Jenny for organising this fun swap.
You can read all about Jenny's Stitchery Club here.

I've Been Published!

 In Homespun! Although not as a designer.

 My bird cage wall hanging I made for Peg 

for our FHFS Spotty Swap.

 It's very exciting to see your work in a magazine.

And I'm in good company. 

This is the issue that my lovely friend Jenny of Elefantz 

has her gorgeous Sweet Tweet quilt in.

I've been having problems getting photos from the camera. The downloading worked Sunday and when I tried on Monday, nothing shows up! I ended up putting the memory card into the old camera and that seemed to work. Hopefully I can get it sorted out.

Such a nuisance!

Tomorrow I'll show you the gorgeous stitchery
I received in Jenny's Stitchery Club Swap.

Friday Night With Friends!

I didn't get as much stitching done as I had hoped.

Block 2 of Jenny's Vintage Kitchen is now done.

I basted a couple more hexagons and 

then joined three together.

What took my time? 

I came across this little project in the drawer. 

These blocks were made many years ago. 

They are part of a mini Vintage Sampler quilt. 

I have decided I am never going to make the other five blocks so I'm going to make a mini with these four. 

So where were the fabrics I knew I had kept away from my stash so they wouldn't be used? I spent ages searching the sewing room, the four boxes of fabrics under our bed
and everywhere else I could think of.

I woke up this morning and remembered they were in this tin. So I searched a bit more and found the tin.

Yay! Here they are! Now to work out what I'm going to do.

Thanks to Cheryll for hosting us last night. 

Here is the link to see what others stitched last night

Back To School 2015

Today is the first day back to school for Austin and Nelson. Austin is in Year 11 and Nelson in Year 9. It's a bit strange only having two boys in this year's photo!

The added bonus is Mitchell works in the Estate across 

the road from school, so he will do the pick up!

Relaxing Sunday And A Flower!

 Yesterday I spent a pleasant afternoon 

making lavender sachets.

 The room just smelt lovely with all the lavender.

 Twelve sachets were made. I had four more 

stitched up but ran out of lavender!

I also put together my first hexagon flower! 

I basted them the old fashioned way as I didn't have any glue and found it a very relaxing process. It's been a long time since I've made any hexagons, maybe 15 years 

or so (and then I only made two flowers).  

But like some of my lovely friends said

"it's just like getting back on a bike"!

First OPAM for 2015!

 

 Can you believe January is over already! 

Time for our first OPAM report of the year.

 Little heart hanging.

 Sewing folder.

Initial hanging.

Three finished projects for the month of January.
Of course, you know I have other secret sewing 

put away but you'll have to wait for those.

Thanks to Peg and Kris to keeping us inspired.