Busy Last Week of the Month

Goodness, where has this month gone - today is the last day, and here I was talking severely to myself last week that I was a week too early for my monthly finished project. I needed not to worry. This last has just flown.

Last Friday Pete and I joined a bus load of Vietnam Veterans and their wives/partners for a lovely day out. The weather was just perfect and we headed up into the hinterland behind the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland to a little locality called Kenilworth where we sampled some of the delights at the old Cheese Factory.

Here we indulged in scones, jam and cream with our coffee - oh boy were the scones HUGE!! They were so, so fresh and of course beautiful rich cream - oh don't worry about the waistline, we are on a day out. We sampled some of their cheeses, ice cream and yoghurts, before I purchased some oh so yummy salted caramel fudge and some Irish Cream fudge. Have to tell you that was not all ..... I also bought a jar of home made pineapple and passionfruit jam and a jar of Rosella jam.

Then it was time to hop in the bus again and head off to another locality that is on the main north/south rail line called Cooroy where we had a beautiful lunch at the RSL Club and time to have a good look around the shops, and surprise, surprise, there was a patchwork shop, and of course I could not restrain myself, I did buy a small piece of fabric, will be pretty for little vests/dresses on some of my bears that I have in the making.

A day to recover on Saturday before heading off to our main cinema complex for a live stream concert for Andre Rieu from Holland - they are so much better on the big screen.

 

 I understand that he and the orchestra are coming back out to Australia in November and there will be another live stream concert from the Sydney Town Hall in December. It was also advertised that the Edinburgh Military Tattoo will be doing a similar showing at the theatres in November - will have to go see that one too.

Thankfully the rest of this week is a relatively quiet one, so I will be able to unwind and start to get myself into gear for the coming month.

In the meantime, enjoy yourselves and .......

Do More of What Makes You Happy

June

Mini Quilts

I started on this idea last year and it is one of those 'on going' projects - you know the type! Last year I made the first set of mini quilts that I called 'Celebrations' that included New Year, Easter, Birthdays and of course Christmas. Was extremely pleased with how they turned out and Peter made me the stand to drape them over. I decided to make them either out of patchwork, embroideries, applique, or ..... whatever!

So, after quite a lot of time looking, and looking again, I came up with 4 designs for this current set of mini quilts that I am happy with. Where I needed to I have requested permission to use a particular design, or I have purchased the pattern required. This set is called 'My Crafty Set'.

This photo is of the 4 designs I have used:

Now is one of the mini quilts stitched together to form the way they sit on the stand, and of course you can change them all around.

The mini quilts are a finished size of 7" square, then you join them 2 together (head to head) then with light wadding in between, they are then stitched together to form two each side, back to back - if that makes sense.

I intend to make a few more sets down the track - you never know what might pop up in the future, have a few ideas floating around and have started to collect designs for a set entitled 'Seasons' - should look good too.

Thanks goes to Karen from Karen's Korner for encouraging me and helping me to join the 2018 OPAM through tagalongteddies.blogspot.com and to Kris from Tag Along Teddies for the help she too gave me to set myself up - and of course it means I now have a goal to aim for each month.

For now though,

Do More of What Makes You Happy

June

A Special Little Bear

I have just finished a little bear that is special for today - you see it is the 2 year anniversary of the group I belong to http://ameakindnessbears.com or their facebook page. These random acts of kindness bears are made with love and given with love to whoever you feel needs a lift. I came across an article about 5 months ago about this group and felt it was ideal for me to participate - I have a love of bears and a love of stitching, and I could use both to help others. The group has gone global and they are hoping that today they may reach a total of 30,000 bears made and given away. How's that?

I shall continue on and make some more to give away to those in need of a little bit of love.

For now though .......

Do More of What Makes You Happy

June

World Chocolate Day

 Yes, it is a very special day today (7 July) and I for one am going to indulge. It is World Chocolate Day and after ..... 1. Pete (hubby), 2. Bears, No.3 priority for me is CHOCOLATE!!

So with a quiet afternoon ahead of me, I am going to have a very yummy hot chocolate, one that I bought the pack for when we were visiting the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia the other week.

This is fine Belgian chocolate and we were fortunate enough to be able to call into Chocolique and purchase some from the couple who make them. You take the little block of chocolate with the wooden spoon in it and add it to hot milk and stir until all the chocolate is melted off the spoon the plop in the two marshmallows, sit back with your feet up and thoroughly enjoy.

Just thought you may like to have your tastebuds given a real treat on this rather miserable looking Saturday afternoon.

Cheers

June

PS Know it's not exactly the best for the waistline, but .......

Finally Back to 'Normal'!

After about 10 days of cleaning out our caravan and catching up with the washing etc. from both the van and the house, I can now say 'I am back to normal' although I have yet to work out exactly what 'normal' is.

I was actually glad to get home after our tripping around South Australia, Victoria, ACT and NSW as I started to suffer from withdrawal symptoms re: my sewing. Don't get me wrong, I love the tripping around that we do and exploring lots of different places around the country. However, in amongst everything else I have managed to do a little stitching creating some calico shopping bags now that we have gone single use plastic bag free. At least with the calico ones I can wash them when they get a little dirty.

Am quite pleased with them as I used up a few scraps of fabric to make them a little brighter, and of course they fold up to put in my bag.


I have also fished out an unfinished project that I am determined to get completed this month. Still a way to go though, but it will get done!

For now though,
 
Do More of What Makes You Happy

June