I've Been Missing from my Blog :(

Hello All !!!

What a tumultuous year I have had.

I lost my sister-in-law who I spoke about last year. I spent a lot of time with Lee-Anne during her last few months and the last week was the hardest. On September 19, 2012 Lee passed away after a relatively short battle with breast cancer. This insidious disease metastasized. Chemo and surgery were not to be the be all and end all. The hospital and staff were fantastic letting me have the bed next to her so I could be with her till she was no longer.  I was there for her and she knew that she had love and companionship to the end as I had promised her.

My newest grandson was born weeks earlier - Lee never got to see him in person but my little phone videos and photos made her grin. She revelled in the fact I assisted his entry into the world.
Unfortunately Lee left four daughters behind. The eldest only 15 and the youngest only 2 at the time.
It saddens me to say its only two weeks til the anniversary.

I had my name on a list to train for voluntary palliative care and assistance and when I rang last week they had mislaid my name - I was told I now have to wait another two years for another training session. I feel saddened as I really felt I could help somehow.

Family crisis, both good and bad have competed for my time. Elderly parents in-law have developed the onset of old age, friendships changed due to locality. Family partnerships have stopped and started, a child born and torments of modern day living affected us all. And pets have too left us with holes in our hearts.

My computer died and as avid craftspeople you know my hard saved dollars would be spent on a new sewing machine before I would purchase a new computer. Thank goodness the craft I make and sell bought me this newest toy - my new 'Puta" :)

So now I can be blogging on and on and sharing of my crafts and busy life.

Warmest thoughts Dee

Swaps - For Friendship and Kinship Patchwork

I have always wanted to be involved in a swap with someone else. Maybe even become great penpals or rather emailbesties :)
One I have been reading quite a lot about is Sew Phrim Khris.
Khristina - Khris has been doing this for some time coming up with words which initials are used as things to swap.

For example :-
C - Chocolate - this can be chocolate coloured fabric, chocolates themselves,  always appreciated by patchworkers/quilters alike, chicken - a pattern perhaps
B - bag pattern, blue fabric, bugs

You must be vigilant though - because YOU chose to join a group means YOU must follow through. Swap packages must be sent by the dates given, Packages themselves to include useful and thoughtful things that YOU yourself may like to receive from someone.

I can't wait to 'meet' my swap partner and have already got great ideas for this years SWAP :)) So excited

You can follow Khris's great blog for yourself even if you don't wish to join a Swap Group - you might like to purchase one of her patterns, read her blogs or just write a note and say Hi!

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I am off to Victoria's Great Ocean Road tomorrow - we have waited so long to visit. After cancelling a time or two, we get to actually travel together. So close before yet so far .... could have travelled by myself but what fun would that be when two people have been waiting to do this trip for quite some time to do this together. Would be a little cruel to blab about the great time one's had - would it not?

Great Ocean Road - towards Lorne

Aerial View - Great Ocean Road

Hope I can get some great photos like the above ones from Victoria Tourism :))) Looking forward to seeing whats left of the Twelve Apostles before there isn;t any left to see.

And whilst travelling, t'would be a true shame not to stop and peruse some Patchwork shops - now wouldn't it? LOL. I beleive there is 180 shops throughout Victoria.  Threadneedle Craft at Daylesford,  The Patchwork TeaHouse at Warburton,  South Fabrics at Euchua, Riviera Patchwork at Bairnsdale, and any others I am almost driving past - watch out - I'll be visiting :)))))

Till I'm back to you - Cheers Dee