Quilt History

It occurred to me that I have not documented all the quilts I've made - I think I've completed 13 in total.  Pink and green, blue and brown, Floral Parade, Black white and aqua, black and white, Flea Market Fancy, Ode to a Rose, Floral Fiesta, Blue Farm, Amelia's, Maya's, Retro Squares, Blue Lagoon Liberty quilt. Perhaps I just haven't labelled them in my sidebar but anyhoo, I thought I'd have a summary post, just so I have a record of my quilting history, albeit a very tiny one.  I mean that's the whole idea of this blog for me - documenting my creative journey amid my daily life.

Black and White Quilt



Flea Market Fancy Quilt

Floral Fiesta Quilt

Ode to a Rose Quilt

And just for my reference too - I have the following quilts-in-progress.

1. My scrappy trip around the world.
2. My cowgirl boho.
3. My hexie quilt
4. My 9 patch quilt
5. My Hammock quilt
6. My Russian Doll Quilt
7. My Chelsea Flower Show quilt
8. And another as yet unnamed quilt similar to Ode to a Rose.

Right yes well.....there's a bit to get on with isn't there!! :)

My weekend away

My weekend away was just what I needed.  It was lovely to leave Perth behind and look out at countryside, albeit very, very dry countryside, passing fields of cattle, sheep, horses, goats, corn!

Also stopping to taste cheese and visit quilt shows in 2 country towns.  Below are just a few pics from the Quilt Show in Balingup.  I was too busy looking at the Waroona quilt show and forgot to take any photos.  In fact when I look over the photos I did take, it strikes me as an odd assortment. I've collated I few here to give you an overview, although there's a lot left out. 

Quite a bit of time was spent reading - leisurely mornings in bed with the first cuppa of the day, and last thing at night.  I am totally into my latest book by Kate Atkinson "Life after Life". Dinner at the Bridgetown Hotel, a little bit of stitching, lots of chatting and laughing.  My friend's friends were wonderful hosts and great company, even if they said they'd never take up quilting as a hobby!  They were great sports and came to the Balingup quilt show with us and Sandra and I were able to educate them a little. They both gained insight and appreciation as we talked them through different techniques.

Sweet little squares

I liked this geometric block

My favourite - a scrappy quilt

The entire scrappy quilt

Mosaic detail in Balingup

Donnybrook apples

 

the big apples gracing the main street - New York eat your heart out!

 

 Fun at the fair - our day out at Balingup Small Farm Show

A miniature Dexter calf...my next pet! I didn't know such a thing existed!!  Miniature cows - absolutely adorable!

Sheep shearing demonstration

Scarecrows abounded in Balingup town and at the show

I don't know why but this one makes me think of Johnny Depp?

The view over the hills at Bridgetown from where we stayed

Someone liked my handbag!

A pair of 1960s tapestries, evoked wonderful memories of my trip to Egypt in the 80s. I sailed down the nile in a felucca and saw the pyramids and rode a donkey or 2 - all of which are depicted in these 2 beauties.

this irresistible pirate seal!  A gift for my mother who collects seals, although I'm not sure I can part with this fella!

An old Lionel Rose record.  I can sing all the words to the song "I Thank You"!! I put it on the shop and sang along. So did some other browsers...others I'm sure just thought quietly to themselves....bonkers!!



A mosaic bench

A fab bike outside a great kitchen shop in Bridgetown - tempting everyone to ride off on it!


I hope your weekend was fun too.  Thanks for stopping by!

Susie

Fatigue Funk

I'm heading away for 2 nights over our long weekend this weekend for some time in the country.  It's sort of a quilting retreat as my friend and I are taking along a project each which we will spend a little bit of time on, whilst exploring the Bridgetown area.

I'm taking my hammock quilt, to work on the hand quilting.  I'm sure it will be lovely. I'm hoping I'll be good company as my energy level is very, very low.

I've been to the doctor today and it seems I can add another condition to my growing list.  I'm a bit fed up with my body.  I've had a bad couple of weeks with extreme fatigue again. I've constantly felt like I'm coming down with something, but it never eventuates - which is good, I know.  It's not developed into the full blown flu, but I'm so over feeling like I'm coming down with it.  Everything aches and my limbs feel terribly heavy.  I'm acting positive and interested with all those around me at work, when I just want to curl up in a ball.  I have a rash spreading over both calves.  It's incredibly itchy and red and sore.  It's been diagnosed as Urtrical Vasculitis. It can be idiopathic, however, my GP thinks I can add Sjogren's Syndrome to my list, as it is often associated with this condition, and given my dry eyes and mouth and aches and fatigue, blah, blah, blah, blah....it's all pointing to SS.  It's also associated with Lupus.  Who knows? The symptoms are so interchangeable, for Hashimoto's, Fibromyalgia, CFS, plantar fasciitis, gluten intolerance, Bursitis, Badly degenerated back, Sjogren's Syndrome and Lupus.  Chicken, egg, chicken, egg, egg, chicken...I give up!  What should I treat first?

What I think my body is telling me is that it can't cope with my stressful work environment and the constant stress of budgets and sales targets - let alone full time work, so I need to figure out a way of living on less money, working less and coping with all that without creating further financial stress, but I'm way too tired to think constructively.  Murphy's Law! 

I'm thinking of going RAW - a raw food diet.  I've read testimonials that this has helped people with auto-immune and I know myself that going gluten free has made a HUGE difference, so I just have to get my head around this new dietary initiative and plan for it and make it happen.  I'll try anything. In the meantime, I just try and remember, it's just a rough trot, not a disastrous life :)

Easter Parade

My very special Easter gift from my Mum.  It's a Blue Bunny needle case.  I LOVE it.  It is so so special to me.

My darling Easter Bunnies



The Easter Table



The Easter Table



Greek honey and pine nut cake with cinnamon orange glaze



Little stitches



Hand quilting....



Finished this book

I caught 'the movie Ëaster Parade on tv this weekend. I'd never seen it before.  It was lovely to sit stitching away at my hexie quilt listening to the songs and watching Fred Astaire dance. Judy Garland really had the most amazing voice!

So in homage to the film, here's my pictorial Easter Parade for you. Just a few snippets of what we got up do over the lovely, lovely break. 

Absent from photos...my weekend also included, walking Tilly, kayaking on the Swan River, a movie outing to "The Other Woman", lunch with friends, a whole day at home and working on my hexie quilt, dvds with my girls, coffee and chocolate - I love the little Turkish delight eggs.

and for fun....yours truly having a go at the piñata.....

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Easter.  Apart from plans on Friday, I have nothing, absolutely nothing, planned yet for the other 3 days of the holiday. I'm thinking of devoting hours to my hexie quilt, sitting on my bed, watching dvd's in my pj's.  I am so excited at the prospect, I can't tell you.  Perhaps I'll mix it up a bit with some baking and the odd walk or 2 or 3 - oh and definitely some reading, some hand quilting and some knitting and crochet, although I am thinking of concentrating on one project - hexies!! My girls are working quite a lot, so it will be me and Tilly hanging out.

Back to my hexies.....I have a way to go yet before the quilt top fits my king size bed....so I hope to get it done this weekend!  I can't wait to sit and stitch and stitch and stitch....

 

 

 

Here's a few zoom in's....................aren't they beeee--ute-eeeee-full!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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And yes this little witchy-poo will be very much in all long weekend.  Stop by for a cuppa if you're around and game - there may be a slice of something delicious on offer to boot :)



Bits and bobs

Book Review

I have just finished Anh Do's (pronounced Dough) book The Happiest Refugee for my book club.  Simply put, I enjoyed it.  It's a light hearted read, covering some not so light-hearted times in his life.  He thinks himself so lucky and blessed - which I think he is - totally, blessed with a great disposition and outlook on life.

As he has a profile in the Australian media arena, it was interesting to know more about him and his background.  Also, reading the book in today's current political climate, where the media have a field day with the term Boat People, which I abhor. These people are not viewed as refugee's fleeing terrible war-torn countries or human rights atrocities, but as queue jumpers.  I cringe as an Australian, on our treatment of refugees. Every Australian would benefit from reading and knowing one refugee's story.