what I am dreaming of...

1. Having fun in the sun, getting laid in the shade, 2. Whitsundays, 3. Bling, 4. Bathing Box, Mornington

Apologies for the name of the first pic! I just realised what it was (I didn't name it, don't blame me!)

Christmas sewing

Have you started yours yet? Everytime I visit Chookyblue's blog and see her countdown, I freak out a little bit! Christmas is actually quite soon!



I spent the whole weekend sewing and this is all I can show you - just a sneak peek of part of my present for the SSCS swap.

I hope you had a good weekend with lots of sewing!

what do your flickr faves say about you?

1. fabric stash, 2. Cleaned off the sewing table, 3. progress in the studio 1, 4. little garden pin cushion, 5. Hello Kitty Redwork Quilt Top 2008, 6. Printers Tray, 7. Heaven, 8. My throne, 9. fada, 10. Olivia the cat, 11. va, 12. Where the crafting happens Trois, 13. Where the crafting happens Trois, 14. plate rack, 15. A Doll's House, 16. Grandmother's Flower Garden

I think mine say:

* I would like a bigger fabric stash

* I would love my own, organised sewing space

* I would like my own cosy, comfy house

* I like pretty, girly things

What do your flickr faves say about you?

Hot + Not

We're half way through the week again!? These weeks are flying by... It's going to be Christmas soon (eek!)

Hot

Stitching! I have definitely gotten back into the stitching groove this week and have done a few hand projects on the train. And last night I got started on a present for my "little sister". Her bedroom is bright pink and green so hopefully this will match!

Glee - I am a Gleek. I admit it. I love the satire. I love Sue. It makes me laugh so much because the humour is so very wrong - love it!

Finally having the courage to make my own designs...

A husband with a new BBQ book. He asked if he could cook me a BBQ on the weekend- Sure thing!

Deadlines - I have to get my SSCS present for Chookyblue's swap finished and sent in just over 2 weeks! I can't keep putting it off and the deadline has dragged me to my sewing machine - which isn't all that bad really!

Bonne Maman jam - it is soooo good! It tastes like homemade jam and not that crap, jelly-like seedless junk you get from the supermarket. I made scones recently just because we had this jam. It is seriously delish!

Not

Colds. I had Monday and half of Tuesday off work this week. I am still feeling pretty rotten, but I have too many things that I am in the middle of at work to take any more time off. Although being able to watch the full first season of Grey's Anatomy on Monday was fun!

Hot weather and Sydney's trains - they just don't mix. Disgusting.

Being the only one in blog land not solely using designer fabric!? Am I the only one who still buys material from Spotlight or other small fabric stores that doesn't necessarily have a Moda or Free Spirit label on it? Will people scoff if I join a quilting bee and send non-designer fabric for them to use? Only if I really love a range will I buy some - hence the woodland bloom fabric used in my project above. But I can't afford to constantly buy and only use the expensive stuff. This is one reason I love Crazy Mom Quilts, this lady is great at being thrifty. She uses cheap Ikea bedsheets as quilt backings and even for sashing - genious!

Do you have a hot + not list? There are more here...

Meet Blossom

A little while ago I showed you this:


Well, please be the first to meet...
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...
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Blossom!

After the wandering around the incubator section of the stitches and craft show earlier this year I was inspired to start creating my own softies. While Blossom did not turn out exactly as I had pictured, it is exciting to see something come to life from my own vision. And I really enjoyed not following a pattern and just sewing on the fly!

You never know what friends may be waiting for her at the bottom of the garden...!

what's hot + what's not

Seems only yesterday I wrote the last one, but it's what's hot + what's not time again!

What's hot

Having a cat who runs to the door when you get home from work and reaches up like a child for you to pick him up for cuddles. It's a nice welcome home each night

Body attack classes - at first I thought they were a strange form of torture (and sometimes I still do), but I am slowly becoming addicted to them. They definitely get me going of a morning.

This one is kind of hot and kind of not - A year of volunteering coming to an end - and actually noticing that a difference has been made. I have been part of a youth mentoring program this year, which has been both tough and very rewarding. We now only have the graduation night of the program left and while I am sad, I am thrilled that the girls have done so much and come so far this year.

What's not

having a cat the meows for breakfast at 5am. My alarm goes off at 5:30 - why can't he wait an extra 30 mins?

My sewing machine having not come out of it's bag for 2 weeks now (although it is about to come out. I have to 'pimp' a labcoat for a colleague that is leaving on Friday!)

My best-friend living overseas. She has been in France for over a year now and I miss her dearly. I miss our coffee dates and sitting on the couch with quilts and cups of tea and chatting into the night.


Check out Loobylu's page for more lists

no sewing?

because there has been too much cooking...!


This is the second Sunday in a row that I have spent almost entirely in the kitchen. My goodies from the last 2 weeks have included a couple of loaves of seeded light rye bread

Pizza

Banana toffee pie

Coconut and dark chocolate bread

and lemon polenta cakes

And there's still a veal and mushroom pie for tonight's dinner and lemon meringue pie for dessert.

The diet starts tomorrow...!