Two borders added to the centre of my version of Charleston Harbour.  Here is where I start to digress, because it needs to be bigger.  Blue and cream Carrie Nation blocks as a whole border next, rather than just top and bottom, though though they won’t work for the corners.  I’m thinking shoofly blocks, but we’ll see.

I’m not making too many changes, just adding a few elements because it makes the quilt a more useable size for this family.  Original pattern is by Leslee Price for Painted Pony ‘n Quilts.

Block 11 for my miniature sampler.  I usually do this in conjunction with my Dear Jane quilt ~ two blocks of this in the morning and a block or two of DJ in the afternoon, but this was the entire effort last Saturday, because I distracted myself with these:

78 x 6.5” hexagons – all different.  I need 10 more, I think, then a trip to Pennant Hills is called for so I can get three different black fabrics for borders.

Of course, before I put the borders on I will need to unbury my dining table/sewing machine – and there will go my excuse for having at least three (maybe five) quilt tops that are done except for borders, which are even measured and cut to length.  My space is tidy when I’m actually sewing, because you can’t sew in a mess.

I bet you all thought I just hated binding.  Nope, borders too.  I can piece until the cows come home, but once it gets to sewing on big strips of fabric, ie the the last half to one hour, my brain is on the next thing.  So, off I go… LOL

L-O-L-A

Well, she doesn’t at all, but her name is Lola and she’s a Maltese-Australian Silky X.  The Princess brought her home after being expressly told that she couldn’t.

My kids aren’t old enough to know the lyrics to the song.  They are definitely of the post-Kinks generation. Hehehe.

She is still teething, nothing is safe.  So far I have sacrificed a slipper and a pair of sandals.  She successfully attacked and protected us from plankton, a care bear, a small rainbow teddy bear, a pink fluffy thing and Gene Simmons.  Which displays both her bravery and the rather eclectic collection of stuffed toys amassed over the years.  Lord knows, we should all be saved from Gene Simmons. LOL

Oliver the cat and Murphy the cocker spaniel are coping, sort of.  Much like me.

She’s cute as a button, but if she doesn’t house train soon something is going to have to happen.

Imogen and Mark

He was very taken with the gelato

Best friend David flew up from Melbourne for the evening

On 15th of September (and the dog was 9).  We didn’t have time to give him a party – nor he to attend one – until 17 October.

Organised by The Princess, but generally a nice, quiet backyard barbeque with friends and family.  All I really did was organise cakes (two, a black forest gateau and a gelato extravaganza) and black russians for the dirty stop outs at the end of the evening.

Lots of good food, drink and company, it was a nice evening.

I really AM behind with everything.  There will probably be another post or two today, as I’m off work and may be hovering a little around the computer.

Really long, photo heavy and probably of interest to no one.

Only small amounts of crafting have happened, but mostly tidy up stuff so I can see my way clear to new projects.  If you’re waiting on block swaps from me, sorry, I am getting there.

I have rediscovered reading!

It’s ages since I’ve blogged.  There has been heaps of things happening, but things not necessarily interesting to anyone but me.  I will inflict them on you regardless.

At the beginning of October (can’t believe it’s so long since I’ve written anything) The Princess and I went to Geelong in Victoria for the Australian Irish Dancing Championships.  The Princess competed ~ I drove, cooked, organised, soothed and (mostly) paid.

I’d love to show you some fabulous shots of touristy things around Geelong, but as is usual for this kind of event, all I got to see was the inside of our hotel room, the inside of the venue and the road to and from.  We did find a lovely fruit-shop / deli and stocked up on healthy stuff, but that was about it.

In no particular order, here’s a few shots of her in full swing:

Lost a shoe in her first round, but the judges let her re-dance.  Disappointingly for her she didn’t place, though still managed to have a good time (the seniors seemed to have a very good time).

They managed to come back (not so) bright and early the next morning for teams dancing.  Placed 4th there, so were quite pleased with that.

Below videos of the Dance of Champions (stepabout) held at the end of the competition.  For people who like Irish dance, only. LOL

It comes in two parts, each running to about five minutes.  Good to watch if it interests you.  If you want to only watch one, the second is a little better, I think.  Not straight Irish dancing, they have fun at the end of the competition.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Well, that’s the ramble for this morning.

PS:  On the way back, we had the worst pies, ever at Glenrowan, the Ned Kelly town.

The winner of the strawberry fabrics is 3, according to the random number generator.  Katy, email me your details and I’ll get the fabrics off to you.

Thanks everyone!

… so a little Hot Chocolate is needed, I think.

Yep.  Works for me.

and a giveaway…

I remember buying these to make a pincushion, but had a change of heart and used entirely different fabrics.  So, if you are in a “strawberry fields” kind of mood, leave a comment and the random number generator (or maybe Wonder Boy) will choose a number and you just might be able to have them.

There is a fat eighth of the top one, fat quarter of the middle and two fat quarters of the small print at the bottom.  All yours if strawberry is your favourite flavour.

I’m off to Geelong for Australian Irish Dance Championships on Thursday Morning, so let’s make it by 9.00 pm Tuesday night, Australian Eastern Standard time, and I can mail out on Wednesday.

Cheers,

Clarification:  Yes, I am happy to mail internationally.  No, it’s not me that’s the Irish dancer, that would be The Princess;  nobody wants to see my middle aged wobbly bits on stage.

… and now for something completely different

Just an indication of time spent sitting, waiting.

Other than writing about stupid things the kids have said or done, or the occasional rant about whatever has stuck in my craw at the time, I try not to put too much “life” on here.  We all have busy lives and I don’t think I need to bother most of you with mine.

That being said, thank you so much to everyone who commented or emailed about my Dad; it is very much appreciated.  Dad has recently been diagnosed with chronic lymphatic leukaemia, and now with lymphoma (I guess they go hand in hand?) and there is concern about a possible mass on his liver, hence all the tests.  He is a stoic old farmer and is quite well in himself.  He gets a little tired, but says at 76 he has the right to be a little tired.

It has been a busy week – Dad in Orange on Monday for CT scan, then down here (Sydney) on Wednesday for PET scan, then back to Canberra hospital with all his various results in the near future for biopsies and decisions on treatment.  Everyone has been marvellous with he and Mum.

My sister phoned on Wednesday evening to let me know she is to have an MRI to “rule out” a brain tumour.  She seems to feel there is no real concern in that regard, but that it simply has to be discounted while they look for the cause of tinnitus and headaches.  In her own inimitable fashion, she laughs about how she is woken up by hot flushes and can’t get to sleep again for the ringing in her ears.

Most shockingly one of my very best friend’s son is in CCU at one of our major teaching hospitals, having collapsed and been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy; completely unexpectedly and a shock to us all, but obviously mostly to he and his family.  Such emotional turmoil.  Lynette and I have known each other since we were 18, we were pregnant together, he is the same age as The Princess, just 21.  Such a shock to be told you have heart disease at that age.

I love quilting, but it has really been put in perspective recently.  While waiting for Dad to have a PET scan on Wednesday, I bought a Clover yoyo maker.  It gave my hands something small and portable to do this week.  There are 60 yoyo’s – I thought there were 62, but I was wrong – all made in Japanese print fabrics, all different.  I love the way the large scale prints give real variation to these little circles.

University reading and studying has been put to one side to the point where I think I will have to wink out of this term and start again next.  Wine consumption has risen exponentially – I sent Lynette home completely sozzled last night. 

Things will only get better from here.

Made these in class with Anne Sommerlad today.  I now have eight 2″ blocks in total for my miniature sampler.  Just twelve more to go.

I also made two Dear Jane blocks, blogged here.

Blogging has been intermittent lately.  Actually, my Dad isn’t well so there is a bit of “stuff” going on, everything has been a bit intermittent.

Hope to get back into the swing of things soon.