Thursday 27 April 2017

Fairy Girl's scraps..

not a quilt finished by me but Fairy Girl has her scrappy quilt finished...........
Last stitch in the binding........all done...........
We'll call it "modern"...........
she started out a few years ago just wanted to sew fabric...joining piece of scraps together........learning how to make things fit.........
it grew and grew and grew......she used a few random blocks........scraps my girlfriends visiting over time also gave her.........
Sadly this quilt is double bed size and she didn't put a dint in the scraps....lol..
but she had such fun just joining pieces together.....making things fit together...........I think I straightened up one edge when it was very small and it is pretty square........
It is backed with a light green with white spot polar fleece so very snuggly......
quilted by Betty Field........
I had told her I was not getting it quilted and she would have to do it but I surprised her not long ago and she was so excited........she had to finish the binding off........
I wished I could just "play free"  like this..........but ideas, colours, styles of fabric have "rules" in my head......
Catch you later.....
Chookyblue.....

Keeping the love of blogging alive

Tuesday 25 April 2017

Sunday 23 April 2017

Too many choices.....

After some messages with Sandy @ Shiralee Stitches today she also asked if I have been playing with "Lucy" I said no...........but oops I forgot at the time I had been playing with this block.........options, options.......what to make up now.........
This one will be going into LucyII as I have enough for  LucyI........
I started this post but then I popped to the neighbours for coffee and took Lucy with me.......working on background piecing.......there is heaps of that to do toooo..........
1
2
3
4
5
Same pieces just the placement changes........
So what do you like the most..... 1-5
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I'll enjoy the next 2 days before the temps drop on Wednesday...........
might have the fire lit by the end of the week..........now that's exciting........bring on some wintery weather.........I'm well over summer.........
some rain wouldn't go astray........people keep complaining about too much.......we've had none.......
Catch you later.......
Chookyblue.....

Keeping the love of blogging alive

Saturday 22 April 2017

New SAL.........

Just in case you need a new project I am trusting the Stitch-a-long blog to my friends Fiona and Raewyn..........head over to see what they are up to...........
You know you need a new project like a hole in the head but hey whats another project.........you only live once..........
Catch you later.............
Chookyblue...........

Keeping the love of blogging alive

Monday 17 April 2017

10 years and a fresh start............

So many memories...............Girls Day in the Country has allowed me to make so many wonderful friends..........mostly just thru blogging..........
can't believe it has been 10 years...........
Some faces have come and gone.........
but lots keep appearing year after year..........
bit sad some don't blog like they used to as this is how we met to start with............
I had to leave early in 2012 for family reasons and cried 1/2 the way home...........a very sad trip...........
but every year friendships are started or rekindled...........
groups photos always taken.............

smiles all round............memories made............
Like I said earlier GDITC is no longer..........and I was pretty sad about this.........immediately I was thinking how could we keep meeting..........where could we keep meeting........who would organise something...........
I would miss this so much not seeing all these girls again........
I sulked for a few weeks.......
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I've had a venue in mind for years...........just never sure what to do there..........how to do it..........I have organised other retreats and trips so knew i could make it happen.........
(I think I should have been one of those people who organise functions etc........not much call for it where I am)
It is hard to find venues for groups that don't cost a fortune and have the space required.......
(Finding The Vale for the Bathurst retreat was difficult)
Sonia was here a few weeks ago and together we checked out the new venue......she also organised retreats in the past...........
we made some bookings, organised a caterer........
BAM 2018 we have a plan..........
" Scrub Stitchin' "
emailed some friends who have been on various retreats with me.......they loved the idea....thankgoodness...
$$$ deps being paid........
beds are filling fast..........
&&&&
I'm so excited we will gather again.............
new and old friends will gather.........
new friendships made.........
old ones strengthened......
Catch you later......
Chookyblue..........


Sunday 16 April 2017

So how did I go...........

So I think an update is due here as quiet a few of my online friends supported me during this challenge.....
I learnt things about myself......
pushed myself further and further as I raised more money.........
realised it is ok and essential to push yourself out of your comfort zone.......
I can do more then I thought I could do..........
found new friends connecting thru this walk...........

Goals                v                 Actual
93km (3kms/day)             reached 164km
$1971                               $5017

Best day 12.5kms
Best single walk/run 8kms
Best speed 8.05mins/km 


Started a walking group after work and that is continuing on........
about 6 of us now........
encouraged some of you to get moving.........
hope you are continuing on..........
thankyou for your support be that monetary, emails or comments.......it all added up to me doing something i never thought possible and raising great $$$$$ for the Cancer Council
please take care of yourself 
you are the one that makes the decisions for your health and future
mental health, physical health and gut health all make a difference as to how you feel and only you can want to make a difference.....

I've been working on "me" for a few years now
slow and steady making the difference........goodness me for the first 6 months or more I didn't even put joggers on to walk.........lets just say good joggers are the best investment ever.........my friend gave me a new pair.......she brought the wrong size and could not return them.........
I now eat better, feel better, exercise regularly..........
most importantly there is 25% less of me.......

I have crap knees but with all the extra exercises I have been doing (this year) albeit some modified to suit me it must have really made a difference to the muscles and they have behaved so well this month.........
And after this month I also realised life is better taking asthma puffers.......my allergies really hold me back...........
I didn't walk far to start..........
I didn't have time for exercise.......
i've fallen off the wagon a few times but picked myself up.........
brushed the dirt off and headed off again............
I know if you want it you can do it too........
every little change adds up over time........
Go for it!!!!!!

Catch you later............
Chookyblue..........

Keeping the love of blogging alive

Swaps, Shopping, Prizes..........

GDITC always means a swap...........Make it, Bake it, Fake it Swap is great as everyone gets to join in......its a swap we do with our blog friends in our group...........if you don't have time to make something or bake something just fake it and buy a gift.......this way everyone can join in.......
I faked it this year and Janice received my gift.......no pic sorry.........
I received from Sandy and you may think she faked it but really she didn't as she designed and put the kit together for this gorgeous little pin cushion.........
This is what it will look like when I make it up.............
The Little Red Pincushion 4
I'm sure Sandy won't mind me using her photo esp if I include the link so you can buy one for yourself......
you can find them @ Shiralee Stitches........
so tiny and cute........
&&&&&
GDITC always means some shopping.....both at the Cottage on the Hill and designer goodies on the day............
the kit for a baby quilt..........
Some of Anni Downs Hatched and Patched new fabric just in store Garden Whimsy..........so pretty............
A new bottle of Best Press
WARNING - has anyone else had the problem I had the squirty/spray on and while not using it in summer the whole bottle had somehow leaked out all over the ironing board..........thru the nozzle............so now I will never leave the screw top off when not in use................such a waste of a nearly full bottle...........
Some of Bonnie Sullivans new patterns..........and some cards  - quilty cards are always great...........
Now I must say I was not a huge fan of Bonnie's work before the workshop...........her things were a little more black and prim which is NOT me.......but I must say I LOVE all these new designs.............very happy with the project on the day.............and as Bonnie lies in the USA I had never met her before but she was soooooo lovely and we had a fabulous time...........
Bonnie is preprinting fabric........nothing like I have seen anyone else do......the pattern on the back ground is also preprinted.......the lines you can leave or stitch over..........add a bit of wool work and jobs done...........
the pre-printed christmas ornaments...........just add some wool and stitching....
I won these as I was one of the 4 ladies on the Saturday who had done the whole 10 years...........Me, Marcelle, Helen and Lea......Not sure if there was anyone on the Sunday............Lea I didn't know the first year but Marcelle and Helen we catch up every year since then just at GDITC...........Lea and I are good friends..........spending lots more retreats and sewing weekends together.........

Catch you later.......
Chookyblue.......

Keeping the love of blogging alive

Lucy Love.........

I am so behind with this post..............but it has been great to see some of the girls Lucy Boston quilts in progress........we often contact each other to see what we are up to or what do you think of this block.........
This is Sandy's.............She runs it as a BOM thru her shop online shop Shiralee Stitches........Sandy has also fussy cut the cross point blocks that make the 2in square (inside the grey) and they look great.........
the rest of us have done lots of her blocks but also made some of our own.........
It was great to see them together..........amazing the difference in the colour choices.................
Googy Girl is using blue.........looks so different........its the lovely french general blue..........
still amazes me how each block shows a different pattern........be it x or + some even the whole square........just by placement of fabric............
oh I love fussy cutting in Lucy.......
Here is an update on mine............6x2 so far.............we actually had mine and Sandy's on the bed together at GDITC and can you believe none of us took a pic............I was sure one of us had taken one........mine looked softer but in Sandy's the blocks popped out and showed off more............
Sonia didn't get to GDITC this year but I've caught up with her a few times since then and we had some great Lucy time.............we put these on the design board to see what they were going to look like............really liking the red too..........
Here is the stitching in the car on the Syd trip.............this one needed the extras around the edge but it is now sewn into the quilt............
I can't tell you how exciting it is now to have this coming together..............it sure is exciting to see those minutes, hours, days, weeks and months of stitching coming together...............oh I still have a long way to go but I can now see that this will come together and get finished............not tomorrow but it will happen...........
Hope you find some stitching time this easter weekend............
Catch you later...........
Chookyblue...........

Saturday 15 April 2017

From Special guest to waitress..........

What a few days.............we headed down to the Sydney Royal Easter Show.........had been wanting to go for years and the CWA that I am a member of won a grant and someone had to be there to receive the grant and give a speech........the speech bit i didn't get til I was well and truly locked in to going.........OMG I was so nervous about it but the ladies said it went well.....no one fell asleep and no one left so thats good........I had to drag out a dress and dust off the high heels - only have one pair.............
put my best manners on..........
they had some very special guests Linda Hurley the wife of the NSW Governor..........she is just delightful and so easy to chat with........
Sue Ryan (above) head of the Royal Agricultural Society Charity Brunch committee........this is a very small committee of 5 ladies (who I think are all RAS Councillors or wives) holding a fundraising brunch each year
Raising some serious funds from one morning brunch......
(Sophie Hansen, Natasha Maclaren-Jones, myself)
Sophie Hansen from Orange Australian Rural Woman of the year 2016 was the guest speaker. She is so passionate about social media and using this to tell your farm story, home cook, food writer.......visit her blog @ Local is Lovely
Natasha Maclaren-Jones is the first female whip in the state government.
It was such a lovely morning............they held a silent auction throughout the morning which also raise funds..........the food was fancy and lovely not what I can ever get in my home town..........I felt very spoilt.........it was an honor to represent my branch at this function and I can't wait til they start the project that we were funded for ...............
After a quick change of clothes to something much more practical and back into my RM boots I was off to the CWA tea rooms at the show.........these are so well known and very popular - there is pretty much a line up of people for tea and scones all day........people were very patient.....Fairy Girl and I worked out the front for the afternoon shift clearing and wiping down tables.....we never stopped..........I would definitely do it again......i'll make better plans for next year..........I just dropped in the afternoon before and asked if they needed help.........I tell you it is a hive of activity and everyone has there job to fill...........
Onto the crafts pavilion...........some of the quilts........
I found a Lucy Boston.........
this amazing cake was made from wood............it looked so real.........
recognised this quilt immediately as one of Carols @ Cherry Pie Designs patterns.....she actually knew the lady who entered it too..........
under 20yrs work...........
this circle blanket  was gorgeous...........nice to see one finished as I had seen a few of these growing online.............
We loved both these mini quilts..........the bottom one was about the size of a A4 sheet of paper..............
amazing flowers........
there is something for everyone at the show.............
I don't have any pics of the Man From Snowy River show but there was also camp drafting finals, Polocrosse, the above were motor bikes and utes doing crazy stuff...........
great fireworks display............
just got these on my phone..............
 the other thing for me that is a show tradition is the District exhibits.........made with produce from the areas..........



 it's been years since I went down but I can't wait to head down again next year..............Its still on until the 19th so go along.......the weather is great in Sydney this weekend.......
Catch you later............
Chookyblue............