FOR MY DAD!

Well, as we all know, Father's Day is approaching, and I suddenly realised the other day that I had better get a card in the mail to my dad, along with his present.



So yesterday, this is what I made to send to him. I had to get it in the post yesterday (as he lives in Wagga Wagga) so that if he doesn't get it on Friday at least it will only be a day late and arrive on Monday. Hope he likes it.

NEXT PLEASE........................

Now that the green version of "Simply Red" has been posted off to Danielle at Creating Country Threads, it is time to get the next quilt out for quilting. Yes, I am going to hand quilt this one too. Anyone would think that I had nothing better to do!!! Ha ha!



I bought the fabric to make this quilt for our son Toby for his 18th birthday, and guess what it didn't happen, the fabric stayed in the stash. Well last year he turned 21 and so I got the fabric out and decided that I woud make it for his 21st, which I did (well the quilt top anyway). I got it ready for quilting, and that is where it has stayed for the last 12 months.








Well Toby turned 22 in the middle of this month, and I have now got back to quilting the quilt. I decided that I would hand quilt it on the main highways and byways -- i.e. the white lines that are printed on the fabric. I didn't want to quilt over the top of the cars, which I would have if I machine quilted it. So, Toby will definately have this quilt by the time he is 23.
Hmmmmmmm ---- maybe I could give it to him for Christmas!!!

AND THE LAST STITCH GOES IN........

Here it is, the last stitch going in the binding of the "Simply Red" Quilt, the green version. It will be in the mail to Country Threads on Monday.

QUICK TRIP AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND

Early on Saturday morning, I left home to head up to Wagga Wagga to visit my Dad who lives up there. It was also a good opportunity to catch up with my sister Dianne and her husband Robert (who live in Port Macquarie and had come to Wagga for a visit too) before they head off to America for a lovely 5 week holiday.

It was Dianne's birthday on Friday and so I made this journal and took up to give her. I just love this paper with the pears on, and this is the first time I have had a play with colouring chip board.

On Sunday lunch time I left to head back home again. I didn't mind the trip on my own at all, even though it is a long drive, a stop every couple of hours makes it go quicker, and it is time out from the every day routine of family and farm life.

By the time I got to the ring road at Geelong, I could see a beautiful sunset starting to happen, and of course once I got onto the Princes Highway, and a few more minutes had passed I was able to enjoy driving into this magnificent sunset. Lucky I had my camera and I could pull over and take a photo

By the time I was getting to Winchelsea, the sunset was getting lower, and the colour in the clouds was just magnificent, so I just had to pull over and take another snap.

By the time I got home, it was well and truely dark, but driving the last hour of the seven hour journey was a pleasure as I admired the lovely sunset.

LOOK WHAT THE POSTIE DELIVERED TO ME.....

This lovely wood turned plate and pen holder arrived in the mail yesterday. They have been made for me by my Kindred Spirit, Rachel's Dad (Snowy). He is such a clever man, and I am lucky enough to have received lots and lots of beautiful pieces made by him. Thanks Snowy I will find a special place for them.

GETTING EXCITED, ALMOST THERE..........

Well, it has taken me a long time, but I am almost there. This is all I have left to quilt on this quilt. It is the Simply Red quilt, gone green. Hopefully by the end of this week, the binding will be on ready to hand stitch down.



Then it will be off to Danielle at Creating Country Threads. She has been very patient waiting for this quilt, as it was to be to her by the middle of January. Yes, that is right, I said January, but this year has been a very hectic year for me, and I am almost there now.

CREATING COUNTRY THREADS VOL. 12 NO. 2

Well I have had my copy of Creating Country Threads Vol. 12 No 2 for a few days now, but my computer has had a bug in it and I haven't been able to use it.

This is my Suffolk Romance cushion which has been published in this issue and it is out in the newsagents now so get yourself out and about and grab a copy.

HERE IS THE BALL DRESS

Well, here is the ball dress. Sorry about the background, but it was just a quick shot before we headed out the door. I will try and upload a nicer photo down the track, but she did look lovely, and had a fun night.

SOME BLING TO GO WITH THE BALL DRESS

Well yesterday we went shopping for some bling to go with the dress, now that it is completed.
I cannot believe that I had last night and tonight where I was not stitching a ball dress. I am usually finishing it off the night before or the morning of the ball, or just a couple of hours before when I might be finishing a hem or stitching on covered buttons or something.

Isn't this clutch just a gorgeous piece of bling. We found some lovely gold earings too. So, can't wait until Friday night to see it all come together.

FINISHING TOUCHES TO THE BALL DRESS

Here it is Tuesday, and I am hoping (with all of my fingers and toes crossed) that the ball dress will be finished by the end of the day. Here it is in almost it's final stages. That means that I will have it finished with three days to spare. Normally I am doing a hem or something the night before the ball. We have to go shopping for jewellery and lippy and nail polish yet. Lucky we have the shoes.