A Couple of Treats

This post is so long overdue that both Christmas and New Year celebrations have come and gone so belated greetings on both counts. (In the middle of the renovations life had to make a necessary deviation  from the projected course which has required ongoing medical treatment and changed the order of things for a while longer.....)

So, even though I have been throughly spoilt with a wonderful new living space and kitchen, I felt a few more treats were in order to complete the renovation on the one hand and to bolster the soul a little on the other........

Since I wasn't able to shop in person I turned to online shopping - a potentially dangerous occupation when still in bed.

We have talked about pink bags before in an earlier post, so imagine how thrilled I was to discover that my order from my favourite kitchen supplier came in a pink box instead......it seemed entirely appropriate.

One overly large, pink box......

Fortunately the packaging material is fully biodegradeable and can be hosed away on the garden or in the compost.......

Inside, some new champagne glasses and tumblers to toast the future, some commercial quality cooking pans for the cakes I intend to bake and a silicone mat to drain said glasses and more to use as heat pads........

And to feed the mind, a couple of treats from my other favourite online shopping destination.........

A couple of sample pages......

A very interesting take on Art Quilt making - also involving the use of Haiku poetry and will hopefully lead to a piece  of work someday.......

And another idea to fill the gaps when a little new inspiration or a restful interlude is needed.......and the scraps around the house are threatening to overtake every nook and cranny.........

Making fabric from scraps.........

Another decision needing to be made - what to do when a faithful friend, after 39 years of hard labour, packs it it when mixing the dough for this walnut foccacia?

Back to the 'shops' to seek another bargain - and what a beauty. With a model runout the bonuses kept coming and seemed way too good to pass up - even though spending should have long ceased by this point.........

And just to round off this post so it doesn't drag out to the next New Year, meet Roxie, adopted a month ago and settling in nicely. More about her soon.

If there is still anyone out there reading this, thanks, hopefully not so long til next time,
Sue xxxx

Calling it Finished!

There is still furniture to be moved out of the garage and boxes to unpack but we are up and running...........

Back to more normal programming soon.......

Sue xxxx

Tantalisingly Close

Getting oh so close to the finishing line..........

Farewell and thanks!

First camp kitchen

Second camp kitchen......until the carpet had to come up......

My garage - stage 1

.......where the fridge still resides.......along with more boxes of ovens, cooktop and dishwasher......

Current camp kitchen - and yes, we watch this TV over the top of the table.....but despite all this we are still eating proper meals........

Most painting done......

Lights we can turn on........

And floating cork flooring laid......

A couple of chairs to practise using our new space.......

Hmm - don't ask!

By next weekend we hope to be using the space - I'll let you know.....

Sue xxxx

'My Complements' to You and Other Abstractions...

What started as an exercise to compare pairs of complementary colours (those opposite each other on the colour wheel) and the impact of varying amounts of each colour became a small wall quilt which I'm really happy with. 

The impetus to get it finished was the South Coast and Country Quilters' Guild show which I had entered it in - so, for once a deadline......

Pairs of complementary colours from my earlier hand dyed fabric.

I quilted it using straight lines  a quarter of an inch apart. I had considered straight line quilting but after watching a Craftsy class with Jacquie Gering (Quilting with a Walking Foot) the idea was confirmed, ultimately creating a modern look I think.

The back was cobbled together with some of the less successful fabrics - but they seemed to work - and a hanging sleeve as required........

 This small piece was my entry into the challenge for the same show - 'I See Red'
Another small abstract pieced together as I went along until it felt balanced.

I then quilted it with another of Jacquie Gering's straight line techniques using two focal points, which again I was very happy with.

I couldn't get to the show but was pleased I made the effort to enter. It was a good mental shift from the renovation and other life events tossed into the mix.

Sue xxxx

(Old) Boys' Own Adventure with (Old ) Girl Permitted to Tag Along......

Subtitled 'The Golden Day'. (This is what I called it in the 'ship's log' at the end of the day.) This post is WAY overdue.......the pictures will have to tell the story.

The Captain is back in Australian waters and will soon be heading down the coast from Bundaberg to home - there'll be lots of adventures to catch up on.

Sue xxxx