Hop on over and say Hi!

I've been meaning to post for a while about this great jewellery I've been buying from a fellow blogger. It is handmade and hand stamped to personalise it. I'm a sucker for something with names of my loved ones on it and from the reaction of my friends I've bought for so are they!!! The first product I saw of Kris's was a necklace she very kindly made just after the fires for the family with a new baby. Since then I may very well be her best repeat customer. Any of my loved friends and family with birthdays are receiving her necklaces. Her service is amazing and the parcel comes beautifully wrapped in handmade envelopes, she has just made some new 'Alice in Wonderland' ones! She is actually having a giveaway at the moment so now is an even better time to hop on over to her blog, say Hi and link to her shop for a look. Let her know I sent you along with the lady from the post office and the lady from the lingerie shop!!!! (Mmm maybe I should be on commission.....) http://missiekrissie.blogspot.com/ . Now I need to head over there myself and order my sister's 40th Birthday present before I leave it too late. Might even get her one of Kris's new rings too!!

Houses!

Surprise surprise there has been some action!!! Yesterday I managed to trace a stitching ready to start and also did some hand stitching on a very long winded WIP quilt. Still not finished but a little closer! Today I actually got some houses ready for Lurline, still a few to go but I am so happy with how they worked out. The pattern was easy to understand and they are so effective. Mmmm think it will be more houses tomorrow!

How cute is this photo??? Not sure that I like Jimmy being inside on the couch but they obviously missed each other while the 'horsey' one was in China. Bliss is having cuddles together and may I add Jimmy was snoring!!

The traveller has returned!

Well our home is full and noisy again and I love it!! The 'horsey' one arrived home at lunchtime after a month in China on a school trip. It was a busy morning of preparation, cleaning and making sure she had nice fresh sheets on her bed. Also making sure there was all kinds of food in the house because apparently she was starving!!! Because it has turned cold when I made her bed up I put her horse quilt back on her bed. My Mum made it for her about 5 years ago. The photo is not particularly clear but it is mauve gingham and lots of horses!!!

Waiting for her was also her Easter goodies!! Yes I've kept her chocolate for her, not that I think much is left now!!!

The fruit bowl was filled , there is apples, bananas, passionfruit and mandarins in there while there is grapes and watermelon in the fridge.There was also a request for 'Special K advantage' cereal with proper milk!!! She has already made a dint on these!

Here is my gorgeous girl with her travelling uniform still on and her chinese hat which she apparently wore for the whole journey!!! Made of woven paper?? She had the most wonderful trip, loved every moment and hasn't stopped talking since she got home.

We have a self seeded cherry tomato plant which popped up in our front garden. We decided to leave it there and see what happened and this week we are getting the most wonderful crop of the tastiest cherry tomatos. Not huge quantities but enough in salad most days.

Thought this was a gorgeous photo! This morning I walked into the lounge to find Jimmy curled up almost on top of Fred (the cat). He looks so sweet and innocent here, hard to believe he is responsible for the demise of our beloved girls (the chooks). Yes they have all gone. He didn't actually kill them but obviously sitting on them , plucking them, chasing them and trying to play was no good for their constitution. We won't replace them until we are certain the fence is 'Jimmy proof'!! Luckily the ducks are okay and don't seem to be bothered by him.

A new toy!

Well I've done it and subscribed to my favorite magazine 'Homespun'. It will save me haunting the shops when its due desperately afraid I'll miss out!!! It was also an easy decision as it came with a free offer of a set of 'bias tape' tools in varying widths. I've wanted some of these since Anne at http://bunnyhill.blogspot.com/ Bunny Tales did a tutorial on them and made them look so easy! Now could someone please send me some time!!!

Basketball and Quilt shops!

Well I've been in Bendigo again for 3 days with HS so he could ref at a basketball tournament. Not sure he realises still that for him to earn some money it costs us a lot more!!! Still happy though that it is 3 days he is active and not sitting in front of the computer. He was also able to come home with a higher grade so that was good. A bit different going to a tournament as the parent of a ref rather than a player. I have a lot more spare time and am really under no obligation to watch endless games. I do try and watch the games that he refs and it has been very good for my self control to sit there and listen to parents blaming everyone else for their childs team losing!!! Yesterday a child (this is an U14 comp) was given a tech foul for deliberately throwing a ball into an opponents back outside play and the parents supporting his team thought it was funny???? Maybe to them - winning is everything? but I worry what lessons they are teaching!

On Friday I went on a mini road trip and visited Maldon and Castlemaine while I was so close. They are historic towns that have lots of interesting little shops. Of course they both have a Quilting shop - what a shame!!! I was very good and only bought 1 fat quarter!!! but at Threadbear in Castlemaine I could of easily bought a lot more. They had a fantastic range of 1930's fabrics and flannels that were so tempting! On Saturday I went to just one more quilting shop - Attic Crafts in Bendigo, well worth a visit, lots and lots of lovely stock. Mum needed some fabric to finish a quilt for my sister and after a disastrous attempt to order it online (she ended up ordering the wrong pattern and the wrong amount!) I was able to get what she needed there. I also picked up a lovely piece of linen / cotton blend to do some stitcheries and a few skeins of DMC linen which tickled my fancy!

The 'horsey' one is home on Saturday, the count down is on now, we are all getting excited. They are now doing the touristy part of their trip, the great wall, the terracotta warriors etc. Just before they left the sister school we had an email that on their last host family visit she was given a gift of a 'turtle'!!! Obviously it is not coming home with her!!

Oh Jimmy!!!

Not a very happy house this morning. My poor SH found Jimmy 'playing'?? with some of his beloved girls - the chooks - in the backyard. He had dug under the fence. They are still alive, just, but one is missing and SH is devastated. He loves his girls and Jimmy and isn't sure what to do now. Of course at this stage he is entertaining worse case scenarios but hopefully things will look better by the end of the day. It may be as simple as reinforcing the fence???

Tears and Laughs!!!

I didn't have to work today which was just lovely! After having a coffee in town this morning with a friend I headed out to Traceys from ozcountryquiltingmum for us to begin the huge job of sorting, finishing and gifting the blocks and quilts donated for the fire victims. My goodness - the blogging community is SO generous. It is just amazing what has been posted to Tracey. I must admit the two of us were quite overwhelmed and very teary going through it and reflecting on the tragedy and the lives lost. We have plans for some of the quilts but it will be an ongoing project for the next few months. We also had some laughs and the time got away from us very quickly!!

I had an email from the 'Horsey' one today. I had heard she had been talking to her cousin on facebook or msn 2 days ago so I was hoping she'd remember her parents soon!! SH had to go to school yesterday to collect her horse softie she'd left on the bus , hadn't even made it to the plane!! Goodness knows what else she has lost! She is having a great time although struggling with the food already. Her camera is not working - she wonders if she dropped it one too many times!!!!!!! A slight disaster on the 1st night in the motel, she sleptwalked and ended up in the passage outside her room locked out. It took her over half an hour to wake a parent travelling with them who managed to wake her roommate to let her back in! Thank goodness I only found out afterwards or I would of been worried sick! She used to sleepwalk a little when she was younger but it is years since she has. Nothing like a bit of excitement and it is only day 4!!

I am off to Bendigo bright and early tomorrow morning as HS is refereeing at a basketball tournament for the next 3 days. He will be earning some $ !!! (lots he hopes) but not sure he realises it will cost us for travel and accommodation. Oh well it will be 3 days he is not sitting in front of the computer so it will be worth it. School holidays have started now for a fortnight so guess there will be plenty of computer time to come!