2010 ~ Keeping it real!

With 2010 looming in a few hours – it’s time to divulge my resolutions that I’ve been compiling over the last few days. I was happy with my 2009 resolutions and I managed to do a fair chunk of the list ~ the biggest being learning crochet and doing a creative writing course!!!

This year the aspirations are somewhat smaller, I’m sure there will be bonuses thrown in – but for now, I’m all about keeping it real ;)

2010 Goals, Dreams, Aspirations!

Quilting Goals

Finish Liam’s Quilt (hand sew binding & Label)

Finish Spring Fling Quilt for ME

Finish Eye-spy Quilt for Kaylee

A quilt for Baby Sarah

Finish at least 2 Work In Progress Quilts

Dear Jane (two blocks per month)

Art / Scrapping Goals

Wreck this Journal (one page per week)

Deck of me Challenge (one card per week)

Birthday cards (make ahead)

Christmas Cards

Christmas Tags

Scrap a page a month for Miss K

Creative Writing Goals

Writing – short stories (one per week)

Research further study in creative writing 

Blog (family) Write an entry once a week

Blog (creative) Two / Three entries a week

Toddler Crafts

One big exciting Craft a week

A small craft daily (if time permits)

Challenges

50 in ’10 – Reading Challenge

One a month with Chalet girl ~ one project from one craft book each month

Dear Jane ~ with the EB Newbie Quilters

Art Quilt ~ finish October

Personal Goals

Become more Organised

 

Wish me luck!

To all my blog readers through 2010 ~ thanks for all the encouragement & beautiful comments left, I really do get excited with every comment received ~ so thank you from the bottom on my heart!

Bring on 2010!!! Now where’s my beer!!!

2009 Quilting Wrap Up

Well the best way to show you my 2009 Quilting Wrap up is with the slideshow on Flickr!

My biggest Quilting Goal for 2009 was to expand on my Quilting Abilities. As well as finishing some quilts. With a rush of babies born through the year – I had the perfect opportunity to expand with the completion of FOUR baby sized quilts and TWO  wallhangings for swaps I participated in. As well as an assortment of other Work In Progress Quilts… which I endeavour to finish in 2010! Pretty darn good I reckon ;)

Precious Gem

First Quilt completed ~ for Baby Jewels ~ born in March. My first use of a jelly roll. My first attempt at stippling (my gosh it was a bit dodgy!!!)

Flutterbye Friends

Made for Baby Claire who was the first of the 2nd generation babes born to our Mothers Group in March! For this I used up nearly the rest of the jelly roll left overs from the first quilt. Again I tried a stipple and found it a lot easier and neater than my first attempt. I was REALLY pleased with this quilt!    

Building Blocks

Little Baby Oliver was a surprise arrival to the family with only 3 weeks notice (yikes!) but what a beautiful surprise indeed! Stuck for ideas for boy colours ~ I chose the red / white / black theme and based it on a pattern in the jelly roll book. I did a basic straight stitch about 1/4 inch around each of the blocks and was so pleased with the final result – it was striking. I was getting a little slow in the gifting of this quilt as little Oliver was nearly 3 months when he finally received it ~ and I was still hand stitching the label down when his mum arrived ;)

I’m particularly proud of this one as it’s probably one of the only completed quilts that my beautiful Nan saw before she passed away. And boy was she impressed!!!

Pinwheel Dreaming

For little baby Lainey, our 2nd bub born to Mothers Group in August! I was convinced her mum was having a boy so had been playing around with ‘boy’ colours initially. Lucky I didn’t go on my gut instinct! I loved this one when it was completed – I’m very partial to the cute pinwheel block. 

Circle of Friends

A wall hanging for Kirsty as part of the swap we did with the Newbie Quilters. I loved doing this and I was most impressed with how my FMQ came out (although a little dodgy in places) and my first attempt at hand quilting. 

Hidden Pinwheels

This was made for AJ as part of the EB annual DQ Swap. It was totally NOT what I had set out to do, but in the end I loved the effect and again I have done hand quilting ~ and only a line of machine quilting (just incase that hand-quilting comes undone ;)

That’s it for 2009 folks. I do have one more quilt for Baby Liam which I was going to call completed in 09, but as I’ve still got to hand sew the binding / stitch the label on – I think I will leave it at that!

2010 contains many goals – but I will be back with a goal post (geddit… hee hee hee.) later today!

Bring On 2010

I’ve spent the last few years investing in books / journals / online help in getting organised and have failed miserably!!!

But 2010 is looming… and brings with it my main challenge. To become more organised ~ I invested in this journal. With the plan being everything in one place, instead of all over the shop in several books or on sheets of paper.

Of course with such a boring cover – it needed something to jazz it up some. So rifling through my stash I found this cute canvas fabric that I bought simply ages ago and never knew what to do with it, teamed it with some plain black! 

Letters embroidered from my new machine (yes, yes, I should have changed the bottom thread to match the top ;) but was far to lazy to do so)

And yet another attempt of bias binding… this one I think is pretty darn good (for me anyhow)

I will be back later today with a wrap up of crafting 2009 (particularly the quilting side) as well as some goals and dreams for 2010.

Remember Barbies House?

Well I’m thinking it’s time to sell & buy again!

Check this out!!!

I’m already collecting the boxes, now to start painting and decorating!!!

Advent Blog~a~long #24

and… so this is Christmas and the end to my meme…

LOL. Today marks the end of my blogging spree. Thanks to all the girls who joined in this years blog~a~long, there’s been some great reading, sharing and crafty tips to be added to the treasure trove that is NEXT year ;)

Are you a bit over Christmas yet?  I am. I paid the ultimate price in leaving everything to the last minute with a sick toddler yesterday and a trip to the Doctor earlier today, which confirmed my suspicion of another ear infection and throat infection. Poor little tyke :(  she’s not allowed to go swimming over the next few days :(

It’s 8pm, the presents are wrapped, Santa’s arrival is imminent (well I’m drinking his beer already ;) I’ve made Rocky Road slice and peppermint bark (sorry I haven’t bothered with photos), I didn’t finish the bag for Nanna nor have I put together the dip (tomorrow morning will suffice – actually I’m out of room in the fridge so this suits me to a tee) so alls that left is to kick back with my beer, read some more of my book and R E L A X…

Merry Christmas to All

And to all a Good Night

Advent Blog~a~long #23

Although there are some more pressing things to be doing ~ like wrapping Christmas presents… I decided it was time for “Queenie” and I to really get to know each other :)

Queenie you ask?

QE or Queen Elizabeth ~ I just figured Queenie suits her and besides my late nanny would have been impressed that I had a swish sewing machine called “Queenie”

 

So instead of making the bags I have cut out and ready to make for last minute Christmas Gifts, I pulled out a dolls quilt that I started making for Miss K back in 2007 :o I have worked on it intermittently over the year(s) and it has never sung to me from the design, to the fabrics to my attempt at quilting. Anyhow I needed something to practice my FMQ on and this was just the thing even though it was already quilted around the squares and half bound, I just got right in there and started swirling.

And swirling.

And Swirling some more

And a quick shot of the front

I quickly realised that all thought this new BSR is supposed to be the revolutionary ‘in thing’ for quilters and Free Motion Quilters, it still takes some practice. So there was NO WAY in the world I was going to attempt it on Baby L’s quilt that has been sitting patiently waiting for me to Quilt it.
Instead I decided to Quilt in the ditch around each of the 5 strip pieced blocks, then quilt 1” diagonal lines along each block – switching direction for each alternating block.

A simple design – but I LOVE IT!!!

& a quick sneak peak (the back) :-

The front:-

Look at all those threads :)

Advent Blog~a~long #22

In the words of Ebenezer Scrooge

BAH HUMBUG

Feeling decidedly un-christmassy :(

which for me is most uncharacteristic. I didn’t blog yesterday – went to bed with a headache instead. Thinking of doing something similar tonight.

Honestly though, where are the fairies to come wrap the mountain of christmas gifts? Finish writing the christmas cards? Do the christmas food shop? Bake for Christmas day(s)? I need at least another month to get organised!!!

Advent Blog~a~long #20

& Reading 2009

With less than 2 weeks of 2009 left, I think it’s safe to assume that I will be finishing the 50 books in 09 challenge at the grand figure of 38… possibly 39 :( shame I didn’t even reach my amended target of 40 books!

The last book I finished – Territory by Judy Nunn (aka Ailsa from Home & Away) was very long (I think I need double points for length ;) It was actually a pretty good read once I figured out how all the characters were interlinked. Some passages of this novel I would find myself staying up late to read – particularly her descriptions on actual events, but then the ‘make-believe’ in between sort of dwindled off, before picking up once more. I think I will definitely be reading more of her books, but might borrow them from the library instead of buying!

Currently I attempting Memoirs of a Geisha and after only a few chapters, I am quite loving the descriptive way it is written… however I am finding that if there is not absolute peace and quiet surrounding me, my mind and eyes wander – like last night when DH was watching the newest Rambo on Fox… I am NOT a Rambo fan, but every time a bit of action came on, I’d find myself looking up, which led to needing closure. 2 Hours later – the movie ended on a crappy note (why didn’t he get the girl, even if he is old and not as good looking as he once was – or was he ever? I don’t really remember being a Stallone fan in my hey-day) AND I was still struggling to read the same paragraph I’d started when I sat down… hmmm, does this bode well…

So a quick wrap up of my actual ‘read list’ for the 2009 year!

Shortest Book – The vampire diaries

Longest Book – Dragon Fly in Amber

Book that wasn’t really a book – How to make a journal of your life.

Funniest Book – Shopaholic and Baby

Saddest Book – The Bronze Horseman

Most Disappointing – The Kite Runner

Most Memorable – The Lovely Bones (see this one is now made into a movie) 

When I started this challenge, I thought it would be easy peasy… how wrong I was, life, creativity, an active toddler, returning to work & studying just makes reading a luxury I can only allocate a small amount of time daily. But in saying that – I really did enjoy it! So I’m throwing down the challenge once more for 2010 ~ 50 book Challenge! Join me if you want and I promise you – I will read at least one Danielle Steele in 2010, since I threatened in 09 and not even one made it to my list ;)

Advent Blog~a~long #19

Ok so I have nothing remotely christmassy to share with you today! Sorry if you came along looking for christmas spirit and cheer to spread around ;)

In some exciting news ~ I won a recent giveaway over at Corries Blog… It’s been like forever since I won anything, so I’m jumping up & down with excitement!!!

Today I had ma & pa come visit, anyhow to keep Miss K amused we pulled out my barbie car for her to play with… are the 80’s considered vintage yet? Anyhow upon going through the 2 huge boxes of barbie stuff I pulled out 2 bags of clothing and bought them inside to find a suitable outfit for naked barbie to wear.

Check out some of the clothes I had!!! Apologies for the dodgy pictures (we had a storm coming over and all the lights were on!)

Vintage (home-made) crocheted dress! 

Vintage bright yellow satin dress with cream / brown ribbon straps (so very 80’s!!!)

If only this dress was bigger, it would look cool as a vintage bag ;) for ME!

Satin Japanese style tight pants (seriously I had to roll these up over her chubba thighs) and a matching top with obligatory mid-driff on show!

Trench coat style top (button back) to go over her tight pants!

The retro dress in the middle (I think) is the only ‘store bought’ dress in this bundle. The crocheted dress I believe was made by our neighbour and mum made the rest of the clothes. Obviously my mummy had a lot of time on her hands – there are those 80 style pant suits of terry towelling… remember the ones I’m talking about – off the shoulder with elastic keeping it up above the boobs, elastic around the belly and very, very short… barbie looked quite swish in them. AND if memory serves me correctly – I owned one or two myself… the things mum’s will dress us in eh'?

Advent Blog~a~long #18

It started it’s journey as a simple embroidered linen something or other – 50c from the local oppy…

Some slicing, some dicing, some cursing, some sewing, lots of unpicking later…

A sweet cover for my moleskin journal. Idea seen on Esthers blog, borrowed from here (un-ironed… hence the wrinkly look) 

BUT… you wondering what happened to the beautiful embroidery on the linen piece?

Half on the back & half on the inner wing ;) (Oh dear… it really does need an iron)

Ok – so my ‘planning’ wasn’t clearly thought out, as I wanted to utilise the existing embroidery, I had to go with it (as they were embroidered on the edges!) Plus I didn’t iron the pellon onto the fabric.

Oh and see this one

WHY, oh WHY do I constantly find marks or holes or mistakes after I’ve nearly got it all sewn together. This was my dodgy ‘cover her up, she’ll be right’ wing it style attitude ;) Actually I think it came out rather funky! Will be doing more of these as time goes by.

Advent Blog~a~long #17

Please tell me how it got to 7 days, 3 hours, 37 minutes and 40 seconds till Christmas?

Have I missed a week?

Or maybe a month?

 

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

 

I am still to finish the gift buying, wrap the presents, sew some presents, do the grocery shopping, send the christmas cards (might help if I started to write them too ;)

 

It’s all too much. I’m off to drink some beer instead

Advent Blog~a~long #16

Kylie is having a giveaway in celebration of finishing AND gifting three (3) quilts over the last month :o well done Kylie!!!

At 9:45am this morning I decided that I had to add a little extra to my Christmas Cards for the girls at Mothers Group. Considering MG was starting at 10:30, I think it’s safe to say I was cutting it fine… So I settled on Ange’s Tutorial on lolly holly minus the green cellaphane because our local Woolworths decided to run out of Green in time for Christmas :o

Of course I ran out the door and forgot to photograph the one with the pretty curling ribbon ;) so had to make up more on my return home!

Word to the wise… not a good activity with a 2 year old who enjoys the odd jaffa or two or three LOL

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Returning home I decided it was high time to test out my sewing machine, so after a rest on the couch, some lunch I went in fortified to try out my new BSR foot control.

This should revolutionalise Free Motion Quilting.

Except if your ME.

Of course it would probably have been handy to know what all the hand controls actually do before attempting something that requires no foot control and uses sensor technology.

First attempt it stayed in one place and the machine switched to top gear before creating a great big nasty knot at the back.

Second attempt similar to first, except slightly smaller knot due to me remembering where the off switch was this time ;)

Third attempt, it was sewing automatically, before I pulled the book out to double check that I had everything done correctly.

Fourth attempt – sewing automatically required an SOS call to the dealer who informed me that BSR 2 would ‘sense when the fabric moved’ and not sew before hand. BSR1 is for the slightly advanced… nothing like jumping in with both feet & hands tied.

 

Of course by the time I worked out how to stop the machine going automatically, I had pretty much no space on my small practice piece. Hence the over the top FMQ.

I can see great benefit in this new technology. Anyone keen on a wager – should I start FMQ the Quilt Top for Baby L tonight?

Advent Blog~a~long #15

I nearly wasn’t going to write today, long day at work, followed by traffic to get to the Christmas party, followed by a game of barefoot bowls, following by crappy traffic to get home. I’m pooped! So today – you will have to make-do with a photo of what I gifted my bestie for her baby shower (a few months back :o )

some bibs made from a recycled pair of my jeans shorts that wore out in the crotch :o

And a washer that has ABC knitted into it. I wish I had of used smaller needles for the washer now :)

Advent Blog~a~long #14

Something crafty today… but not one of my creations :)

This one is a little present for Miss K from her best friend Miss C :)

A gingerbread house with no gingerbread, made up entirely of cookies and lollies!!! It’s pretty cool ;)

Advent Blog~a~long #13

Can you guess where we went today…

 

Our first wiggles concert :)

Although we only had seats in the upper circle – they were great seats as we were level with the main stage :) 

Even Murray passed (very fast) by us at one stage

Someone thought her glow stick was pretty awesome!!!

Advent Blog~a~long #12

SHE’S HERE!!!

I picked up my new baby this morning and am looking forward to many, many years of good times spent together :)

Isn’t she gorgeous!!!!

She even comes with her own “barbie cupboard” for her accessories

 

Guess where I’m headed :)

Advent Blog~a~long #11

Following the lead of skipper aka The Queen of Christmas, this morning before swimming we decided to paint the salt dough decorations that we made earlier in the week. Check out Skippers (kiddies) creations here…

and here are mine, I mean Miss K’s

Can you guess which ones she did… yes those pretty awesome looking ones down the bottom right ;)

Miss K painted one then sprinkled some glitter – before pulling another 2 out of the box and said this for Miss H and one for Miss J at daycare. The next 2 were for Miss T and Miss S (both of whom are in the baby room, but she just decided to make some for them too ;)

Awww, am loving that I am teaching my baby the joy of giving so early in her life :)

And then of course she had to paint the very dodgy bowl that the reindeers will drink out of when they visit!

As she ran to me with the painted creation, she said this is for the Jingle Bells to drink out of… hmmm, me thinks a few more sessions of christmas reading may be in order! LOL

& that is a very dodge and very green looking snowman in the back… what is it with green snowmen this year?

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And finally – the next 4 sticheries

Loving this redwork!!!

Advent Blog~a~long #10

I finished another 4 Christmas Stitcheries yesterday (photos tomorrow) but have been awaiting my final 4 plum pudding buttons from Ella and Skysie to arrive before I could finish them completely…

I arrived home from work today to find not only the 4 buttons, but a little extra gift for having been so patient.

Awww *heart*

Now of course I am eyeing off the kit to go with these buttons… hee hee hee *evil laugh*

350

I’m done now & bloody tired.

My bulging bloglines has been wavering between 300 & 320 entries to be read for the last few weeks. I’ve been managing to keep up with my fellow advent blog~a~longs, but had been avoiding the bloggers who were reaching 10 and up posts… some were at 30+ posts :o

It peaked today at 350 – so I’ve spent the afternoon between entertaining the sick toddler & cleaning the house, speed reading 350 entries. Lots of pretty pictures devoured, several links followed, sometimes my reading may have glazed over paragraphs (whoops) no comments have been left. I am Tired.

Hopefully it won’t get this out of control again anytime soon ;) 

Advent Blog~a~long #9

It’s starting to feel a little more like Christmas here! Yesterday stuck at home with the sick toddler, we (as in the EB Newbie Quilters) decided to open our Secret Santa gifts a week early.

I received a not so secret Santa in the form of Nic and I was waiting eagerly to  open my gift – I love, love, love her blog – she has some beautiful stuff.

To the chorus of ‘happy birthday mummy’ (Miss K doesn’t quite grasp that we do presents for Christmas too yet… wait till Christmas morning!!!)

A bounty of little white packages… of course someone had to help

Inside ~ glorious little gifts all for ME, ME, ME!!!

A Get Creative Magazine, A vintage softie pattern, a self covered 2010 diary (love it), a pen holder, a little stitchery design and a sunglasses case - filled with…

Magical Elves of course!!! And some coffee lollies.

Feeling thoroughly spoilt :) I love it all Nic – thanks so much! Can’t wait till next years swap now.

To check out what I made & sent Anna – go here!