The start of a new quilt?

I did a bit of hand stitching last night on my quilt...it is nearly all hand quilted...it's so exciting.  I also crocheted a few rounds for my current granny wip.  And I had a bit of a play with some fabric, in particular this piece

leapt out at me and started chatting about how it would love to grace my bed in a giant king-sized quilt - something completely lavish.  So I listened attentively and next thing I'd cut it and had it draped across the bed.  It was so happy. Its excitement was contagious and before long it had me pulling out other bits of fabric for it to play with.  It found some lovely playmates and can't wait to be joined at the hip with its new-found constant companions.  I can still here it as I sit at work...it's shouting come home and play with meeeeeeeeeee.  Such a temptress!

Granny progress report

And I don't mean of the human variety...although Grannies are healthy and busy :). No I'm talking the crochet variety... 

Told you I haven't been idle :) 

mwah my lovelies :)

Scrummy Banana Pecan Loaf

Absolutely delish banana, pecan and golden syrup loaf.

Gluten and dairy free.  Totally delish.  Started at 8 am, baked at 8pm!  Life interrupted.  A lovely Sunday. How lovely if we could sit and have a cuppa and a slice together, eh?



 

Look at me...I'm hand quilting

You're thinking it's been all coffees, beaches and concerts for me lately aren't you?  Neglecting my crafty time....well you're wrong :) very wrong.  Let me tell you little bits of crafty happy things have been happening.  Don't get me wrong there is nothing earth shattering or any big ta-dahs about to happen, just little itty bitty stitches, one stitch at a time. 

I'm so excited...I've started hand quilting!!  I am all fingers and thumbs and have not yet got a groove going on by any stretch - I'm told on good authority that will come in time.  I'm absolutely loving the charm of it though...my awkward little uneven stitches, each one made with great excitement.

Front view
 

back view...

 

I think the captions are unnecessary :)

 

I'm stitching every second square.  And loving it, loving it, loving it! I'll be back when I've finished...oh and there's been quite a bit of hooky going on too.

 

Have a glorious, glorious day, my lovelies xo

 





Perth has got it going on...

North Cottesloe from Barchetta café verandah

Bruce Springsteen Perth Arena Feb 5th




 

 

 

 

Lately, I've really been feeling the love for Perth, despite the intense heat of its summer!  Normally I have a right good old whinge around this time of the year about the heat and how long it lasts.  This year was a bit unusual with summer arriving late, so I'm not yet at my totally fed-up stage.  Instead I'm revelling in it!  Perth is a summer city - most definitely a summer city. And there is so much going on right now if you want to engage in it, theatre, concerts, outdoor movies.  And if you just want to disengage - the beach is right there.  You can soak up the serene-ness of the ocean, the sunshine, the magic of nature's world....the water is mesmerising.

 

And there is no shortage of good coffee...one of my simplest pleasures.  Give me a good coffee and I sing for the rest of the day, I can face anything dished up at me...it can turn a lousy day into a great day...:) 



I miss Melbourne cafes....warning ....whinge alert

Wah Wah Wah....

this weekend I went out for breakfast - my first in Perth this year and after my four days in Melbourne, where I was TOTALLY spoilt with absolutely divine and delicious gluten free toast at every café I went to for breakfast.  Let me tell you Melbourne cafes have it sussed.  BIG TIME.  They buy it from specialist bakeries, or bake it in-house and it is delicious.  Even beyond Melbourne.  In Lorne we went to the burger joint called 'Bottle of Milk". I ate burgers on gluten free buns, that were so good, the non gluten-free-ers choose them over the regular buns. Yep that's right.  I requested a burger in a bowl, because in my Western Australian experience...Grill'd, Jus Burgers, the buns are crap.  Totally disgusting - dry and crumbly, so I just get my burger hit without the bun.  But I didn't have to do that in Melbourne, so I indulged in more than one burger. Nom, nom, nom.  My mouth is watering at the thought of it now...and it's all the way across the other side of the country. ...so here I was at the John Street Café eagerly anticipating my eggs on gluten-free toast.  Soooo disappointing.  I suspect it was the Country Life supermarket loaf....very very dry-, inedible around the edges, like dried out bread for breadcrumbs......Melbourne cafes  were a distant memory.  It wasn't all bad - the eggs were perfect, but, 'this is why I just opt for no bread and go without, because it's too hard to get anything that doesn't totally depress you.  I feel like Melbourne cares...I haven't just decided to jump on some band wagon.  I am seriously, seriously, incredibly better health wise being gluten free - it is totes absolutely amazing how much better I feel.  Whereas I feel like Perth doesn't really care...it's like one of those people that roll their eyes and think...oh, here's another one of those faddish eaters, jumping on the wagon, making my life difficult.

I've never been diagnosed coeliac (because I'm not prepared to put myself back on gluten for 6 weeks and then have a test, when the outcome would be the same as I'm doing now and my body is thanking me everyday and I'm finally listening to it...lesson finally learned...susan you are such a slow learner), I have no qualms saying no to gluten as I just don't want to feel that sick and exhausted ever again. In saying that, there are times when I inadvertently have gluten and here is a the result of one of these situations...I look 7 months pregnant...it is hilarious.  It's my party trick....

I did warn you I was having  a whinge..... :)

gluten belly