Well the boys are on school holidays at the moment and the weather has not been the best for them. Which they are alright with at the moment as they both have new games to play. Although I would love to say the same lol, once again the house looks like a laundry mat and I keep tripping over a child as they have taken to laying around on the floor at the moment to play their games. Oh school holidays are fun ....

I am pleased to say that I have finished a quilt top sorry shouldn't say finished but as close to finish as I can get at the moment. It was a block of the month I started last year and this week because of the rainy weather we have been having, I sat down on the weekend and finished the boarders while watch my new birthday present. All the dvds of "The Darling Buds of May" I just love that series and would love to visit that part of England one day. I must apologise for the photo as I think it might be time for a new camera ( hummm Christmas)






Well I hope you are all having a great week with lots of sewing and laughter, I better go feed the animals and that's just the boys :D
Big Hugs Bec

Wow it's here, after stalking our local postie for the past 3 weeks. The poor postie has had to contend with me and my local magpie. Although I am sure he would say the magpie was the better behaved out of us both lol. My order from Hancock's of paducahs here and I am in heaven. I got some more civil war fabrics for the big lone star quilt I am going to make and some charm squares from Moda's "wee woodlands " range.



I also ordered this kit called Chained stars the fabric is lovely and although I have never made a Kaleidoscope block before I am really looking forward to having a go. Although I might have to have a look out for the Kaleido Ruler, if any one has any tips for making these blocks would love to hear them .



Well take care and I hope everyone is having a great week with lots of sewing
Big Hugs Bec

My Time In Florida

I arrived safely here at Beena's place in Daytona Beach, Florida quite some time back. This place really is a paradise! The first thing I did was take off the mittens I came here with from New Zealand. Much too hot here, for that.
Daytona is most well known because people are allowed to drive right on the beach. Here is a picture of one of the beach ramps leading to the water.



While I was here, I made a friends with Nelson, a sock monkey who likes to surf. We had a lot of days where we just chilled out listening to the rock band "The Heavy" that sings that song "How You Like me Now". This is a picture the morning after we went to a night club. I think Nelson is a bit hung
over in this picture, and had too much to drink the night before.


Beena said it was "an absolute must" to buy a Daytona Beach t-shirt while I was here. It's a little big for me, but I love it. It's a tye-die shirt with a shark on it and these fake glittery drops of water. Volusia County is actually the shark bite capital of the world. Nelson says he's seen sharks sometimes when he's surfing, but for whatever reason, they have never been interested in eating him. Something about the way he smells...like a sock...gives him natural protection against predators!




I spent some time watching Beena paint. I posed in front of her painting for her.



She admitted to me she likes this painting so much she is going to turn it into fabric for a quilt.




We shopped today for some souvenirs to bring to the Netherlands, and I am also bringing some fat quarters with me. I sure am going to miss watching Beena paint her dreamy sea scapes, and I'll miss surfing and hitting the night life with Nelson! This has been a very relaxing visit, filled with long days at the beach!

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you think " I have done nothing productive all week" then when you really think about it yes you have. Well its been one off those weeks here and although I have done what I originally thought was not much it real was.
I have done some quilts and some stitching of my own , but can't show you its a secret so shhhhhh.
So I thought I would show you a quilt I quilted for a customer the lovely Edith. Edith loves big quilts and she has given me some amazing and big quilts to do over the past 2 years but this one takes the cake as it just fitted on my machine. We decided that it really needed a scalloped boarder and I think it has really finished the quilt off. It all so took Edith out of her comfort zone as it was her first time at binding a scallop border and I think she has done a great job of it .


It is just simple quilting but I didn't want to take away from the embroidery and sometimes simple is best.

Well I hope you have all had a great weekend and got lots of sewing done. I thought I would leave you with a photo of Binks relaxing in the chair, its a hard life being a cat .

Have a great week and take care

Big hugs

Bec

I have come to the idea that as a parent I am my worst enemy....... DH and my self thought it would be great for the boys to have their own laptops as John is just about to go in to grade 11 next year ( I feel old) and with the homework they both have DH and myself was lucky to get to use one of the two computers in the house.
Now let me just say that for the past 3 years we have been on a Internet plan with Telstra that has been great a few times we have come close to our limit but it always will reset in a day or two. Well on buying these new laptops we told both the boys be careful of the down loads or it will be snail mail for the rest of the month, lets just say that the lovely Nick went through the limit in two days. When asked what he was doing on the computer to go through 12 gbits in 2 days he said " did you know I cam watch tv from all around the world", which would be great if he was catching up on current affairs not cartoons..........
So hence we have been on snail mail for the past few weeks and have been unable to visit any ones blog to see whats new. As for my own I gave up last week and even though it took 1hr to download one photo I had to update it as I have missed you all so much.
Now we are on a better plan and that was a mammoth task in it self and a story for enough day, hate dealing with Telstra at the best of times. So hope you are all having a great week with lots of sewing and laughter
Big Hugs Bec

I would like to say a big thank you to all the get well wishes I have received since my last blog. I am pleased to say that after a visit to the Doctor's where I was told to stop smoking ( I don't smoke go figure) and handed a multitude of medication I am now feel fit and ready for the world. Now just have to get DH better as I do like to share lol .
I have a quilt that I can show you now as it has arrived at its destination for someone special, she loves it which is a relief as I was not to sure of her colours. It was nice to hear that it had arrived and to hear that it made her day, only wish I could have given it to her in person.

The feet and hand in the photo belong to the boys , they are growing up so fast that every time I blink we are shopping for new clothes or shoes that fit . Take care and enjoy the rest of your week I am of to see about a boat as the backyard is one big lake at the moment with all the rain we are getting.
Big Hugs Bec

Oh ah............. a month has passed in a blink of a eye and I didn't even see it go, I didn't realise it had been that long since my last post . I would love to say that I have done lots of quilting but that would be a lie, well lots of other peoples quilts dose that count. I have been busy scaring off bears, frighting off foxes and clobbering groundhogs, no I haven't lost the plot ( depends on who you talk too ) its a game I have been playing on face book called frountivill and time flys once you start.

A while ago I brought a book called "The Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt" by Laurie Aaron Hird. I have to say I have enjoyed reading the letters in this book and find it amazing what these women had to cope with and what their dreams for their children where. In a time of great change in the world these women took everything in their own time , their dreams for their children are not that different from now, as they only wanted the best for their sons and daughters. Which is what all mothers want for their kids. One part of a letter that has stayed with me is from Mrs G.B.H. Richland County, Mont
" This is my work. My blessing, not my doom, Of all who live, I am the one by whom it can be done in the right way."
This little saying can be taken in many ways and for some reason it real stuck with me. I have decided to make this quilt for a school friend who is the proud owner of a lovely farm. I have enjoyed the blocks I have made so far and have only 70 more to go so not to much lol.

Here is the blocks I have finished so far and I am pleased with the way it is turning out. I can't remember the last time I made a scrappy quilt and what fun its been going through my stash although my room dose look like a bomb has gone off with fabric everywhere.
Happy sewing and have a great week I know I will when I get over this flu.
Big Hugs Bec