PatchworkDreams

Laurel leaves and fairies Part 11 of LE I'm making my varies up in two pieces rather than just one piece not so many tight curves and con caves this way and much much quicker too.

3 different medallions partly made and wee rose heads Part 11 of LE

I am enjoying making these laurel leaves (Oval shapes) the fabric just rolls around the wash away so easy when basting them with thread. There are around 90 in each brooder so thats around 360 all up but they grow so quickly. I have made roughly 70 in the last 2 weeks plus a few varies and the medallions . Nothing is sewn down just placed it such a lovely border to work on I can not leave it alone. LOL.

Finally made some wee flowers for the bottom of the border, I think I will go with the red centre rather than the yellow?????? I will not make the stems and vines till I appliqué the pieces to the border in about 6 months may be LOL. I also think I will change that dark blue in the yellow rose, they look like fish eyes to me?????? may be an orange tone will be better.

I'm surrounded with flowers as exotic as this cattleya orchid so when you see my Le you can under stand the colours I work in ?????

A very old pillow slip embroidery is all done in satin stitch. Backing of the pillow is very worn ; but the front material where the embroidery is as good as new. I will add a red border around the front panel and make it back in to a pillow slip and it will last another 60 years plus.

same pillow slip but seen from the back. I was so surprised it was originally green yellow red and a brown vase?????

Close up of centre basket and flowers it looks nearly all white and red now it has faded so much????? I thought the area of the vase had a stain on it till I turned it over to look at the embroidery from the back?????

Back of the pillow fabric. Vase and flowers still has so much colour here. It is hard to believe it has faded so much over 60 years plus. They used yellow, green, brown and red and only the red has kept it's colour from the front where it has been exposed to light????

Vase 3. Not much to see but I have been working on it on and off all week. Now working on the little leaves and dots, those dots are tiny LOL. My borders are just lying there, I'm playing to see what it will look like in this corner.

My first Laurel Leaves ready to be appliquéd, hopefully tomorrow I can make enough to make another circle to see the cross look.

Before cyclone ITA

Winds from cyclone ITA took out around 15 trees to the right of our property down across the railway line and on down to the river. It is sad to see this scar each morning. I will never see it regrow as it will take around 40 years to grow back. I have added more on cyclone ITA to my blog earlier in the week. With the loss of so many trees we can see a lot more of the river now?????

A copper and brass jug soaking in a salt and white vinegar brine

After removing the jug from the brine it always gives me a surprise at how well it removes all the years of grim these jugs came out around 1950

Unbelivable this took all of 15 mins to get rid of the dark grime. Now the hard part starts polishing it with brasso and elbow grease this all ways takes a long time but is worth every rub.

I was unable to finish polishing the jug the other day with a copper and Brass polishing agent and this is what happened in 12 hrs.

There she stands in all her glory waiting to be loved again even with her few dents after a lot of elbow grease rubbing. Made of copper bowl and brass handle and base. From around 1940 to 1950's

A beautiful large blue vanda orchid. Nature never stops surprising me, this orchid is out in the garden and survived the terrible winds we had during the cyclone and then flowered the day after????? there were four other buds to bloom when yesterday My DDIL saw the buds lying on the ground a caterpiller had chewed through the stems of them, after all they went through a tiny tiny wee caterpillar destroyed them???????

Would you make a quilt with bright pink purple and green???? Nature puts these colours together and Bingo?????? Again nature surprises me.

Trees pulled down the power lines in two different places in our street. Yes there is a street under all that????

Many trees came down and neighbours were not so lucky and had them come through their roofs and windows. Road has been cleared for access but those are power lines under the big log on the left??????

A Giant rain tree we lost and it took out over 11 smaller trees coming down??????

This was dense rain-forest now it is all gone, in seconds mother nature can take just like that..

For about 50 metres it is all gone just tree trunks left where they snapped off. This is on the side off our block of land, this brings the birds and bush life to our door step. It's very sad to see it gone like this.

Two days ago down the left hand side of this photo was dense rainforest trees now there are just a couple left cyclone ITA took them all out.

Our Giant rain tree that took all those trees out like dominos; well the last ones ended up on the railway line. only way you could get any where was walk the rail way line this morning and climb over trees even on there.

This is our side veranda and Rods mini is buried in the middle off all this??????

We have our side veranda almost back??????

Every where you look there are piles of rubbish this was midday. They finished carting it all away at 5pm, 9 hrs work for both of them????? Most people put there storm rubbish out on the streets and the council will come and collect it after a cyclone we are lucky as we have a huge gully where we can put it and the bush turkeys love to make there nests in it.piles of vegetation and more vegetation rubbish, thank goodness Callum lives on the property now, it is his first clean up from a cyclone and I'm sure he hopes it will be the last for a few years!!!!!!

What a difference a day makes, 5pm after Callum had racked up and picked up all the branches.

After removing all the branches and leaves off Sai's fish pond and cleaning it all up we were surprised to find no damage and the wee fish still happily swimming around????

when the Barron Falls flood they are always a beautiful champagne colour.

10 months of the year the falls are dry so we love to go and see them when they are in full flood.

when the Barron Falls flood at night time it is like hearing a jet engine roaring all night. When we have the big flooods about once every 10 years we can feel the vibration from the water going over the falls. As the crow flies we are about 500 metres from them.

Barron Falls are 260 metres long and rising up out of the basin is this huge pinnacle of rock which is a over 100 metres it is beautiful to glimpse it now and then amongst the foam and spray from the falls.

Gloriouse sun, late after noon the skies have cleared and the sun settles on the far range across from our home. Peace settles over us once again.

Cyclone ITA it has been raining all night so the River Barron is flooded power down, range is closed but we are all safe. Cyclone is meant to pass us around 4pm this after noon.

ITA April 2014 9.30am cyclone is now down loaded to a category 2 so we are very lucky We have a generator that is big enough to run a couple of fridges and freezers and the best part my sewing light so guess what I have been working on this morning ????? Yes LE. so LE is even going through a cyclone with me!!!!! LOL. Hubby has even managed to connect us for now to the internet as he has hooked us to the mobile battery pack. So sending news out through my blog when I can.

There is a Mini car buried under all that gear we have stored out of Cyclone ITA way ????

Look hard and you can see his Mini????

Wild rain

Sai's fish pond looks rather sad and has a wee river running down the side of it as the rain is bucketing down still.

Good news I have time to work on my LE !!!!!

Appliqued down my two yellow flowers and main flower this morning, now cutting out my 8 hearts and will work on them this after-noon. It helps keep my mind of the rain and wind.

I was sitting at my sewing table this after-noon in front of my large window I can not look out as my neighbours bamboo has come down on to our side of the fence, lucky the Giant bamboo has come down on to her own side.

LE hearts I have basted 8 hearts over washaway freezer paper this afternoon now I need to pin them in place and appliqué them on to night.

Front Patio 4.30pm 12th April we are very lucky as our block of land for some reason is sheltered. Just 30 meters away at the Same time see below

4,30pm taken the same time as the above this is the street that goes past our door. At the bend in the road at 4pm a large tree came down .

Large tree has come down and brought several little ones with it plus the power lines some locals clearing the trees??????

For the first time I can see the river again as far as you can see there is water, The Barron River is in full flood.

4.45pm 12th April 2014 2 metres under that water in the fore ground you can usually see a small creek that runs from our property in to the Barron River ?????

I started by making around 30 berries and appliquéing those on; I do enjoy making these. Then I remade a vase as my other two were a reverse by mistake?????

I then added my main centre flower. I wanted to use this salmon pink but I could not choose a dark colour to use with it, finally I picked out a piece of kimono fabric and all these salmon colours had this deep purple and mauve back ground so I went for the deep purple silk and I think it works.

Yes I do like the deep purple!!!!

I real must finish off making my Oak leaves but they scare me LOL

My first yellow flower, I have made 5 petals over wash away freezer paper then arranged the petals to make my flower using two different yellow silk fabrics with a deep navy centre not sure if I will stay with the navy centre??????

This is my 3rd vase I have made for my 3rd armament ????? I'm much happier with this lighter colour I felt the dark brocade was to heavy for the style of this vase this looks more art deco to me. I have also added another yellow flower they are time consuming but satisfying.

Background fabric is made of very very fine wool kimono fabric it is so fine most people would think it was silk. Appliqué parts are silk.

Close up

Silk petals and DMC threads used in the yellow button hole embroidery and centre colonial knots

It was a beautiful morning but there was no one on the beach just Liam and I.

This one is for you Anne Marieke I was lying on the beach taking this photo, waiting for a big wave to come up to the log when an extra big one came in and swilled around me lying there and the log LOL. I got the photo I wanted but I was in my clothes not swimmers so ended up rather wet LOL.

My DGS slowly unwinding and been silly for me. Pretending to be incased in the rocks. It was wonderful to walk along the waves as they washed up today.

Life is good!!!!

I gave DGS my camera and said try and take photo's out side the box???? This is his first photo!!!!!

2nd shot

3rd shot

4th shot

Even the coastal flowers looked beautiful in the earl morning sunlight.

Seen on the way home from the beach a very exotic tropical plant.

Two very different but both lovely plates I found this morning down at the Beach Opp Shops. One for Bulgaria and one from Japan.

I've pulled fabrics this week for Vase 3. I wonder what i will end up using?????

Zig Zags and more Zig Zags, not many left to make now though for my second round of them. I will be sad to make the last one as I have enjoyed making them, now on to more Dutch Pixies and they will take me several months to complete too.

Ohhh dear, I have made my vase back to front????? Well I did manage to complete appliquéing my stems for Vase 3 now I need to remake my vases !!!!!

I also found time to almost completed my Colonial knots in my hearts, because I'm working in silk I don't want to cut small holes if possible because of the shedding so where possible i will use embroidery for my slits.

Finally I have them appliquéd on these sharp points scare me and I can never get them sharp like many of you do?????. Now to make them look like the ones below??????

These slits are made with Colonial knots using two threads of DMC thread. I made this set months ago may be in 2013 LOL.

My new Dutch clogs I love them but they keep falling off. LOL!!!!!!

One of my favourite toys; River stones want one Nanna!!!!!!

Green Dragon fruit it grows on a cacti t plant.

1/2 a Dragon fruit now ripe it was my breakfast this morning.

Dragon fruit. Hows that for colour??????

Old fire stand, rather corroded, if I can not bring it back up to how it should look I will spray paint it with black lac and it can be loved again by some one.????? This looks like an early settlers home in the USA or Canada as it is a logcabin and has pine trees on the left hand side.

Well to start with I have to put gumboots or clogs on as it is back raining!!!!! I wear gumboots if I'm going to be out side for a while but for short walks my clogs I found in a Opp Shop!!!!They are much easier to step in and out off. It is has been such a long wet my stone path is covered with mud silt and the weeds are growing and covering the path and the pavers are covered in mould. Not some thing you can remove with vinegar and baking soda as many of you use??????

Another sign of a long wet the stag horn fern has grown on my lemon tree notice how it curls it self around the trunk, nature is so beautiful and cleaver.

Even the tiniest succulents are loving the long wet.

Begonias love the long wet and I'm rewarded with stunning splashes of colour, my double pink one grew stems over a metre long and I have had to cut them right back so the wind will not break off all the stems.

I have not been able to keep up with pruning my passion fruit it is covering the DGC's basket ball goal?????? Next week it will have to be removed as the school holidays start for two weeks.

Teddy Bear quilt top finished finally

Teddy's now have their eyes ears and noses.

A beautiful peachy pink silk Kimono that came in to the Opp SHop yesterday, sadly it had a very very bad stain on one sleeve but for me it was perfect as I will unpick it and use it in my Love Entwine as it is the exact colour I need for my LE

I unpicked the sleeves from the Kimono and washed them. This is a close up of the fabric . In every kimono there is roughly 7 yards of fabric at 14 inchs wide .

Under silk kimono used like a petticoat.

Very neglected brass candle stick.

2 1/2 hrs later to this??? A lot of elbow grease and time.

From 4 18inch squares too???????

Evolving????

slowly changing.

From 4 pieces of fabric that measured 36inches square I end up here with 23 inch square now you can see why many men can not understand our love of patchwork LOL. My father never got it!!!!!

On my front veranda, I went to wind up the front verranda blind this morning and walk splap bang in to him, he was right a cross my face thats how big he is. They are harmless but do look pretty mean. We call them Charlie if we have one around they catch lots of mosquitos and flying insects. .

Back of Charlie

This stunning orchid opened this morning while I was out. How a bride would love this in her bouquet.

Pooh Bear baby quilt. I started this over 4 years ago and after blanket stitching around one bear it was put away???? why I have no idea but found it last week and have been working only on this and my UK heart mini quilt since as my eye is still not focusing for fine work. May be it will get finished this time round?????

I foolishly asked my DGS what are they and he looked and studied them and said monkeys with horns LOL.. Now that I have added eyes to the ones I have appliquéd he can see them as bears. Oh they are bears running!!!!!! but they still have horns LOL It takes me roughly 3 hrs to appliqué one bear so lots of sewing done but lots still to do, I have 7 more bears and 19 eyes to appliqué plus one honey pot hive too.

My UK Heart mini quilt finished now I need to make the hanging sleeve and add my paper shells.

A piece of black Bamboo for the hanger and the paper shells that need to be drilled so I can thread them on to fishing line, so they will hang some thing like a mobile down each side???? My hearts are like Islands in the tropical sea where I live in Australia and it is going to the freezing cold in the UK to fund raise for The Quilter's Guild of the British Isles Festival of Quilts 2014>>>>>>

Nana's wonderful looking pin cushion???? My DGD 14months likes to sit on my knee and oh and argh over my goodies beside my chair, she knows she is not aloud to touch any thing on that table, but yesterday she insisted on pulling out the pins I told her that they hurt and were dangerous and pricked her each time to show her, but no she would pull them out again. After 7 times she stopped, she is not a slow learner just very stubborn like her Grandmother.LOL. I think I will have to let her push them in to material next time, may be we have a new quilter in the family?????

Lego is serious business in our family, they start learning how to use it from around 7 months old, here DGD is learning about Technical lego with DGP.

Here DGS 5 comes to help DGP too. He builds sets made for 10 and 12 year olds on his own!!!!!

Teaching her new baby how to play with big lego?????? My DGD 14 months old with her first Baby doll. It was interesting to watch her reaction, horror at first and did not want any thing to do with her, then she tried to smash her face????? Then for an hour carried her around cuddling her and shared her toys and what ever she was doing with her?????? I must admit she does look and feel very real like!!!!!

About two weeks ago I brought home the Teddy bear bookend on the left to clean up from the shop, I was sad there was only one bookend, I took him back to sell and there on the shelf was the Mrs Teddy she must of been handed in a week later. Now to clean up the Mrs Teddy and hope they will be loved again for many years to come. It's amazing what some dish-detergent and elbow grease can do.

Hubby picked this beauty from the garden 3 days ago. It is one of the biggest we have seen here, and has a lovely perfume as well. It is 7inches by 5 inches rather large???? I still can not believe that they just grow on the trees in our garden here,

Last week I showed you a wall hanging from India made from recycled embroidered sari dresses, well my wee dog thought it had all the right smells and claimed it for a while till i put it away!!!!! It must of been uncomfortable with all that beading to lie on?????

In the last month with all the hot weather and rain the air roots from the tree canopy above have grown 3 and 4 metres, you can see them crawling along the drive way, they are a bit like the triffids one moment they aren't there and the next they are??????

Our Dragon Fruit are doing well this year, this is a scrumptious fruit that grows on a cactus and looks like a bright red kiwi fruit when opened . I will try and remember to upload a photo when I pick a ripe one.

A uninvited house guest, my DDIL foind it in her house yesterday not the kind you really like to visit. Around 4 inches long.

Imagine cleaning that many feet every night??????? They have a nasty bite but not deadly.

Part of a slatted door and behind them are some of my quilts with a small heater to keep them dry as the humidity is around 80 to 90 % in the wet season which is now.

Yep thats mould???? I have cleaned 3 doors and this one is on the to do list today. Not sure it will get done though. LOL

I'm even utilising the kiddy gate in to my sewing room, it is to keep out my DGD aged 14months who now can run every where so quickly.

I have put my spare sewing machines and overlocker on to a tea-trolly and can use the space as a work table. Here I'm fixing a puzzle box for DGD, repairing a Papua New Guinea wall hanging, and cutting out part of LE design for marking.

My cutting board is area is been used to rethread some broken beads.

My little table that was supporting the big table top is just the right size to work on my LE. I have finally started to appliqué my second circle of hearts to my centre. It is such a joy to work in my sewing room now.

I have spent quiet a few hours making tiny parts for my LE in future Parts 7 and 8. This way I'm not going to end up making the same pieces over and over. Plus they look so nice laid out in my box all those different colours LOL.

Broms way up high leave a splash of colour

I have even had to bleach the water fountain as the water and ball had turned green???

Even the river looks dirty this morning and the creepers are smothering the rainforest trees.

But even when it looks so drab and gloomy you find incredible beauty nature at it's best . How wonderful these two colours go together, this is a small flower on one of Hubbies Broms.

Branches on one of my citrus trees is covered in these caterpillars I don't know what this turns in to it is new to me???? Even after 17 years living here I get a surprise now and then.

All I know about this fellow is don't touch??? Many of the hairy caterpillars are very poisonous to touch.

From my bedroom window.

Taken in Sept 2013 but this is what it looked like this morning too. Just beautiful.

I finished my 2nd vase on Sunday, I started appliquéing the flowers last Wednesday and to my sunrise they just flowed and I loved every moment I was stitching. .

I wanted some thing Australian in my quilt so added two sprigs of yellow Wattle. I just noticed I have not added the beginning of the stems so need to do those. I have introduced a soft salmon in to this vase of flowers.

It is the same shade as my salmon silks I used in Vase 2 of LE!!!!!

We have just had tremendous rains and the Barron River is in flood, the falls are only 1/2 km from our home and they look beautiful. Normally there is only a trickle going over the falls so I always like to walk down and see them.

At the bottom of the falls this pinnacle of rock rises up out of the mist I just love it

Awesome!!!!

Isnt it beautiful, it turns in to a large black and white butterfly with a wing span of around 5 to 6 inches wide.

The more you look the more different colours you see. Zoom right in and you can see tiny ants too????

Close up of the same type of flower before the buds open.

Another Brom, I find the Bromeliads a wonderful lesson in what colours can go with what.

A Sunbird taking nectar from a small Bromeliad they are very very tiny like the Humming bird they move so fast they are hard to photograph I have been trying to get a good photo for 17 years????? I have added this photo so you get an idea how small he is. He is in the middle of the photo. If you enlarge then Zoom you can see him clearly

What a Beauty and only 2 inches long. A male Sunbird they are my favourite creatures in my garden, they mate for life, and this one flies in to my veranda's every morning a flutters above the spiders and has breakfast.

Taking the nectar

3 sewing machines and my over locker are all set up to use now. It will be wonderful.

Ive taken out the 2 metre long work table it was just to huge for the small room. I will use a old small table that has two drop down sides so will take up little space when both sides are down and will give me a 1 1/2 metre length by 1 metre and when I need some thing bigger I will work out on the terrace.

Other end of the room I have left the same this is my cutting area a metre plus square and it works well as I have lots of draws bellow it. So after 5 hrs I have space to work in now.

Start of a beautiful morning. 7am Wednesday

Tranquility 7.30am

A lone fisherman enjoying his solitude with just the sea and early sunrise for company. 7.30am

8.30am and there is only my girlfriend and I on the beach!!!!! the sun has burnt off the mist and it is very hot and humid around 30C and 80% humidity. Time for coffee.

Who was spoilt Valentines Day?????

Golden dragon machine embroidered on to a black satin Kimono dressing gown.

Golden Dragon on Red satin dressing gown.

Close up for you Bunny as this is made by machine.

Really close up.

A reversible satin Kimono. This was in my washing basket from the Opp Shop!!!!! I will make two wall hangings from it.

Cotton and chenille King-size quilt

Close up of one corner, I'm sure it is out of China as there are two large pillow slips too.

Stems all appliquéd down, I used a 100% narrow 1/2inch bias ribbon; now the fun of making the flowers and leaves.

I think I will make to branches of berries both side instead of one of berries and the other just leaves??????

Add a few leaves

I need another 15 berries or more and about 8 more leaves, then at least 3 weeks to appliqué all the pieces to my back ground fabric??????

I like my garden patio plants but I love butterflies so I let the caterpillars eat my begonias!!!!!

Same species but it is eating darker leaves.

He or she is going to be a big butterfly if the birds don't get it first.

Arn't I cute?????

They are only 1 1/2 inches long full size.

Drain cover is 12 inches square this gives you an idea haw small they are.

A couple of more days work on these and they will be on there way.

Dr Catherine with some of her patients and their blankets we help make.

Sun is trying to come through. We have had a monsoon trough over us the last 4 weeks so while we are needing gumboots to walk about our poor southern country men are having their homes destroyed by bushfire.

I could see the range this morning for the first time in weeks and even some blue sky but sadly it has closed in again and rain is coming yet again. I saw the dreadful floods in England last night and they were forcasting it to be be a lot worse today. My heart goes out to those who have water through their homes.

This is who visits us when we are so wet, they live down by the river in the swamp areas but as it is so wet they move up the hill, he was about 3 metres long and was in the garden Monday night?????

Night spider who built his web right across our drive way last night around 3 metres wide, and he was a mean looking spider, I went to close the gates and when I saw the web and him I left the gates open LOL.

Another interesting night beetle at present, he is around 3inches long.

I have been procrasternating for about 6 months over making my second 8 hearts for my circle of hearts, for some reason I kept thinking they were difficult to do, finally yesterday I cut them out and today basted with needle and thread and they were no trouble at all. LOL Now to find time to appliqué them and the tiny flowers to the Centre.

Close up of those hearts that I kept on putting of making LOL.

Close up of my other circle of hearts that are finished , I have made my tiny peepholes with french embroidery knots instead of cutting the fabric and doing needle turn appliqué.

I've made up the pieces for my second vase, I have been hunting for the main part of the vase fabric for months, I had folded it in side another fabric and each time I searched for it I could not see it, oh the frustration of a quilter????? So finally I can now start my stems on my second vase hopefully later today I took this photo at 1.30am this morning!!!! .

I have just made my vase 3 and 4 (it is 4.30pm) out of the same fabric as my first two vases, I think I will go with the same fabric for all 4 vases now.

To day I have these wee cherries to cut out and make, I have around 20 cones prepared ready to baste with thread for part 8 , this takes time but I can not use glue as it is around 90% humidity and it is silk. I will sit and watch the winter games while sewing what a lovely day to spend a wet rainy day . I also want to make up lots of wash away clogs to iron on to my fabric for Part 8!!!! Yes I'm along way from Part 8 but it is fun to make all these repeat pieces when I feel like it and not all at once.

Found this dear wee Rabbit dressed partly in a Kimono in a give away box at an opp shop, so I brought her home and dressed her completely, she had on a knee length navy skirt and bow in the front, so she now has a lovely long kimnon on and the bow is at the back where it should be, and she looks so much happier. She even has a wee crocheted flower in her hand and a wee bag in the other one????? She is 4 inches high and is resting on a pin-cushion.

Hubby would shine the torch on them and I would set the camera up;  hubby would turn the camera off and I would take the photo’s. These were all taken last night

I'm not scared of you!!!!!!

They are never bigger than 1 1/2 inches but you would not believe the noise they can make.

Stunning red.

Pink Beauty.

Orange delight.

Pink Beauty in a hanging basket a little sad after all the rain.

Several of you are talking about English Paper piecing that you have started doing, this is one of mine I'm working on its along term WIP LOL. I'm just making it up as I go, it has been fun to make.

All though I'm a long way from Part 8 I just had to play around with those wee Dutch Pixies. I started our using all dark blue cones and red clogs at the bottom and pink clogs at the top. Then decide to have a strong contrast with every second cone.

This is when I should of stopped but I went on to cut out my 4 borders to make sure I was going to have enough fabric before I appliquéd or marked my fabric with thread to add the Zig Zags which I had been making over the last few months, . I was short of 3 for the first border now I have more than enough ready to appliqué on.

OK I'm happy with the cones contrasts but not happy with the clog contrasts so now making up some in a soft neutral pink

An interesting corner lay out. None of the pieces are sewn just all placed to get a feel of how I want it to look.

I have ironed on a facing behind the border panel, this will stop the silk from moving and I'm able to mark straight lines a lot easier this way plus it makes the silk fabric lie nice and flat and does not crease; it is a very fine soft interfacing so will not make it heavy or stiff. Now to find time to make up some pink clogs LOL. I'm having fun. My back ground is silk so it keeps changing colour and shades as I take photo's from different angles.

I managed to make a wee vase and some soft pink clogs and I'm much happier with this pink.

Fran this is for you, I have taken a close up of some of my flowers so you can see where I have added padding to some of the flowers. Cheers Glenda

I'm far from Part 8 but I just had to have a wee play making those dutch pixies so I could see how my LE would look, they are such fun to make.

I'm still managing to make an odd mine afghan square now and then.

I did find time to sew 4 off these squares together, but it is taking a long time tiying off all the ends have managed to do one square so far. But it is going to be worth the effort, it is off to South Africa around mid June.

We are on cyclone alert so no beach today instead busy getting ready for the cyclone or lots of rain, yesterday was spent putting up the first of the tarps to protect the side where all the rain comes and this helps keep the rain off the side veranda and under the house were every thing is put from out side like pot plants, garden furniture any thing that is movable so it does not become a flying missile. Of course if a cyclone hits us it will all go but if it is the edge of a cyclone we will git metres of rain so this will keep us dry to it blows out.

Every thing you can see on the paves will need to be put undercover if the cyclone keeps coming our way!!!!!

even this water fountain and surrounding sheets of metal, as they can become lethal weapons flying through he air.

DGS just turned 5

DGD just turned 1 she loves to read.

First day at school yesterday, it has been a busy week of birthdays and back to school for all the Grandchildren.

Kookaburra sitting on the chair beside the fish pond??????

Now he is just above the fish pond??????

Now he has his head in between the bars trying to catch the fish?????? It did not take him long how to work out how to catch them???? I have now added some fine wire netting as well to stop him I hope?????

I also managed to printer off my next flower arrangement, the stems are slashed ready to mark my stems and hopefully tomorrow I will add some stems.

These were in the bag under the wool which was on top??????? There are enough squares if I finished the last two to make a lovely child's cuddly .

These centres have an unusally raised centres. Each square is around 14 1/2 Inches and the wool is so lovely and soft.

We are hoping the rain will hold off till they move in to their new home next week.

These were on a tiny highland fling jacket that was beyond repair even for me!!!! but been a button person I spotted them and bought the jacket home for the buttons. Scottish thistle is on each little button.

This was in our rubbish pile at work very very dirty no one could work out what it was, it took me a while to work out what it was too. It's wings were very dirty even though it looked like an odd duck where was it's beak???? I rescued it as I felt it had to have a good use as it had been so well made under all the grim. Brought it home scrubbed it up and then it hit me its a ???? see in next photo!!!!!

Scissor, cotton reels, pins, and needle holder!!!!! I need to make him an eye!!!!!!

And this lovely cloth was in the material draw it is even finished by hand crochet???????

Close up Such a pretty wee tea cloth to be discarded??????

All that remands are the ball of dead leaves of the Green Tree Ants nest. It is the size of a soccer ball.

I have opened the ball of leaves and you can see 100's of leaves gathered and stitched together by the ants to form a home for 1000's of tree ants to live and breed in.

Where I love to be every Wednesday morning. Happy New Year every one.

Local rescue helicopter going in to up lift a hurt tourist on Monday from the bottom of the Barron Falls a sad ending of 2013 for our wee tourist village.

An old saucepan and a plastic bucket is much more fun than all the new Xmas toys?????????

A female Huntsman spider sitting on the wheel of the tractor she is BIG!!!!!!!

I préfère thèse wee créatures????? Around 200 in the trees around the swimming pool Herald in the New Year for us, at times we have to shut the windows so we can sleep they make so much noise.

These wee fellows only grow to about 1'' long but we also have the lovely green tree frogs that grow up to 6 or 7" long I have one who has made his home in a pottery vase on our patio. He climbs out after dark and goes back in just before dawn!!!!!!

DGS 12 made this painting for his mum from paint he found under our house all old house paint???????

DGS mum with her painting Xmas morning she was very happy as they have a very big new home to move in to in 10 days time

All though I spent many hours here and there on Janets quilt I did not get it finished in time to send it to her for Xmas. I have finished all the tying but now need to hem the bindings and appliqué the butterflies on.

Hopefully I will see this quilt top finished by the end of the year????

Buttonhole stitching the broderie perse down with DMC single thread or double thread, butterfly made from flower petals.

Back of Janet's quilt an antique Chinese silk panel

Cakestand blocks were made but different quilters whom I swapped with many years ago. Then I added the flowers which I used blanket stitch to appliqué them on to the quilt, blanket stitch is much quicker than buttonhole stitch as the stitches are not so close together.

Close up of one of the flowers using buttonhole stitch but I prefer blanket stitch when doing the broderie perse see top photo of blanket stitching.

I'm still plodding on restoring this lovely old afghan there are a lot more squares damaged than I first thought!!!!! But I do love the throw so will keep on till it will last another 50 years or so.

Every couple of evening s I manage to crochet a couple of rounds on a tiny square. It is in 1 ply wool.

Xmas Ice-cream pudding turned out of bowl ready to be cut for eating Xmas Eve dinner

I showed how I made this pudding just before Xmas on one WOW and some of you asked me to show what it looked like when out of hr bowl. My boys demolished it in 2 sittings??????

I start off by making my lining for the Pudding with one pkt of ginger-nut biscuits that I crush in a vitaliser, added two table spoons of milk powder, then add 2 oz of melted butter, mix till you have a crumble mixture,

All ready to press and line my bowl. I use ginger-nut biscuits as it gives a lovely brown colour similar to a Plum duff plus it gives a little spice to the dish.

Bowl lined with ginger nut biscuit mixture I just need to leave it in freezer for an hour to set; now to make the ice-cream mix

Add 1 1/2 cups of Mixed fruit that has been soaking in brandy for a week added to 2 litres of vanilla ice-cream and mix in quickly put back in to freezer to freeze again.

600 mils of pure cream beaten till thick and 1 cup of cherries that have been soaking in brandy a week .

I have now lined the inside of the ginger nut lining with the ice-cream mixture and about to add the whipped cream and cherries in to the centre, do not add the cherries to the whipped cream till just before you pour in to the centre of the ice-cream lining.

Finished ready to put back in to the freezer till Xmas day. First lining was the ginger-nut biscuit mixture, second the ice-cream lining and finally the centre that is left is filled with the whipped cream and cherries. Before serving Pudding is turned upside down on to a flat dish, if it does not slide out of bowl set in hot water for a couple of moments. It will look just like a Xmas Plum Duff. Place the holly leaves on the top and serve???????? It is very rich but goes down easy with adults.