A Completed Quilt!!!

I DID IT!!!!! It only took about 3 years but a quilt I started way back then, I finally finished, well yesterday all in time to gift it to my partner for Valentine's Day as you saw yesterday :)

I thought I would share with you a couple of pic's of just the quilt.I have to say I am pretty proud of it. I have no walking foot or the like and thought hell with the hand quilting and just sewed it on the machine. I like how it looks :)

 Now I can't believe I am saying this but I am thinking of doing another one. Crazy I am aware since this one was 3 years in the pipeline!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!

Ok, so essentially this a day made to make Hallmark an even wealthier company, but since I am resourceful and was not spending a cent on the love season I was happy to indulge in a little Valentine's Day hype.

Since it fell on a Tuesday I really wasn't keen on getting up at, like, 5am in order to make my partner breakfast in bed......so I did that on Sunday morning. Made some pancakes for breakfast, then headed to The Entrance to bop in the water. Bliss! The water was soooooooo clear!

So today was a lonnnnnngggg day in order to have my partner's gift ready for when she got home from work. But alas I prevailed and got it done with about 10mins to spare :)

Why was it a long day? I did all the hand stitching of the binding today!!!!!!! But it was worth it. One completed quilt, a little heart gardland and a handmade card :) SHE LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you all had a fantastic Valentine's Day!!!!!

A Baby Shower

My partners best friend is expecting baby number 1 in March and last weekend we went to the baby shower. 50 or so ladies all going gaga for the soon to be here little boy. I of course was sent to the sewing room in the week before and asked to make some gifts and that I did - and I even remembered to get pictures (last minute I will admit!)

First up I made a gorgeous (by my own admission) blanket/wrap. It is made from 100% cotton flannellete and a satin binding where I added eyelet lace and then weaved contrasting ribbon through. While a tad fiddly (is that even how you spell it??) it turned out really well.

Then it was a little jumper as it will be coming into winter here. I appliqued a rocket onto the front and it looks "rocking" bahahaha.......lame I know.....I also added a dummy clip in matching fabric.

Lastly I made a total scrap fabric inspired "monster"doll. I nearly didn't gift this as I was totally in love with it!!!!!!!! (The picture is terrible, this is what happens when you remember you wanted to take pictures of them as you are starting to wrap them about 10mins before heading out the door!!!!!!!!)

He is sooooooo cute!!!!!! Everyone at the baby shower was completely shocked that I made every part of our gift - but of course I would have it no other way :)

mmmmmmm a spot of baking!

Our new years resolution for both of us was to drop a few kilos for a healthier life. It is actually going really well, however the other day (more like the other week lol) my cousin, his partner, my cousins two boys and his niece were calling in on their way home from a trip up north and I was met with a dilemma - no food in the house for entertaining. Of course I could have walked to the shops, but I decided lets see what I can come up with.

The result - this gorgeous cranberry oat and honey bread I made it true to the recipe with the exception I didn't have enough honey so I topped it up with golden syrup. It was truely delightful and the verdict from the kids aged 13,13 and 11 - "Love it!!!!!!!" Thumbs up all round! So much so my poor partner missed out altogether!

I have to say the one thing I am missing about weight loss is baking - I love mixing something up and having the house smell delightful (I don't miss the washing up though lol) The mother-in-laws 50th is coming up so I am thinking I could get my chance :)

A little Craft Time

Summer here has been exceptionally cool and I have been feeling the need to crochet and knit. Now while I never quite got that granny ripple blanket finished from Christmas, it is a project I do want to complete, but love the joy of something new!!!! So hence coat hanger cover thingy's lol - basically old nanna crafty item number 1!!!!

I came across this tutorial for the coat hanger covers, which is written in Dutch. I don't read a word of Dutch, but one look at the pictures I had it sorted. I have written a basic tutorial below in English to help you get on the way. But make sure you check out the original site as the pics alone are gorgeous and easy to follow!!!!!

BASIC TUTORIAL: These are really really simple and you only need to know any crochet stitch, whether it be single, double, half double or treble. Chain about 15 stitches (or however many you need to fit around the coat hanger) then just working back and forth in rows till it is about the same lenth as the coat hanger. Sew the ends together and slip the hanging part of the coat hanger through the middle. Using any joining method you feel fit, join the bottom and your done!!!! So simple.


I think I will probably do a few more over time just to spruce up the wardrobe :)

Christmas Wrap Up!!!!

Ok, now I am aware it is now well into 2012, but I finally got around to downloading the pictures from Christmas and wanted to share with you this photography technique I came across one day while scrolling blogs. It is called "Bokeh" basically you make shapes out of lights by placing a "cover" over the lens with a small shape (or just a hole) cut out of it and what better time to try it than at Christmas with all its fairy light goodness :)

I love this one of our Christmas snow globe :-)

We also got some lovely flowers from a friend for Christmas and I just had to get a picture of them with the vibrant orange colours!!!!

I do love the festive season but I have to say this year I was glad for it to be over! Moving on to a bigger and better 2012!!!!

A Tad Late - Merry Christmas!!!

So I have been awfully slack of late, with the festive season upon me I got all caught up in making gifts, begging for more christmas lights to put up outside, (even though I was acutely aware we did not have the budget for it) making 5 puddings -YES 5, 3 traditional Christmas puddings and 2 Chocolate Christmas puddings (Ok technically I only made one of the Chocolate ones entirely, after 4 days of boiling puddings I managed to convince my partner to take over making the 2nd chocolate one!), planning Christmas lunch with my folks who drove the 5 hours one way trip for a day visit (NUTS I KNOW), of course shopping, wrapping and thinking about what to get next!!!

Of course none of this is really an excuse for that fact I was just down right lazy and lacking motivation lol.

What else have I been up to? I did apply to go back to Uni next year and start a second degree (only 10years after I finished my first)! Time for a career change so what I am hoping to study? Science - specifically geography and spacial information. I love geography and maps so I thought why not!!! I am actually really excited, I will be study by distance, but I am hoping to do 2 subjects on campus to start networking!

So what gifts did I make? Pocket Handwarmers for my family who live out in Bathurst where winters rarely get over 10degrees and heat packs for everyone else! I was a busy bee!!!!

Aren't they gorgeous??

I seem to have forgotten to take a picture of the heat packs, though I am certain I took one, maybe on a different camera since we do have 3 floating around lol

I have also tried planting some new vegetables after the last lot kinda failed miserably lol. I went simple this time radishes and a chilli plant! Fingers crossed.

I will try and be more efficient with my blogging next year so I would now like to wish everyone a fantastic New Year and hope that 2012 brings you all your dreams!