Friendship Swap 2013 - Cheryll & Dee

 

Friendship - A way of showing someone how you feel

Communal Friendship - such as ours - Friendship in which friends 'gather' often to provide encouragement and emotional support between two or more people. That's us :)

World Happiness Experts say that people with friends are happier than most.

Empathy, sympathy, compassion and understanding form the basis of all friendships, Here we show the ability  to be ourselves and to select the gifts we think that another would like. Re-read the basics, colour choices, hobbies, likes and dislikes certainly form the ideas we have in our heads. Our common interests can form bonding friendships.



 

 

 

"R"

 

"R" - Rest your Teapot on this (came with 4 serviettes too!)

 

"I"

 

"I" for Ironing Cord Holder in my favourite colour - PURPLES - yey

 

 "E"

 

"E" Enjoy this Owl pattern (You bet I will ) and Enjoy some Chocky & Tea (Nom Nom Yum)

 

 

"D"

"D" - Dry your hands on these - there was a little OWL button on one - HOOT HOOT!!

 

 " S "

"S" Store your bags in this
 

 

Random  - For Cheryll

 

I chose this pic as a random thing for Cheryll to show how much I appreciate her swap ideas.

The Parcels :)

I'm still OOOOing and AHHHHHing

 

 

 

 

 

The Items are truly GORGEOUS

 

 

"F"

 

"F" - FIND your Needles and Pins

 

 

"N" - Notebooks

 

"N" - Note Paper and Sticky Notes with OWLS :)

 

 

Sorry the pictures went on all over the place - having problems with the internet connection this time. So you'll have to go back and forwards to have a look - it's worth it :))

 

THANK YOU Cheryll for sending me this wonderous parcel Khris for organising the FRIENDSSHIP SWAP again this year. It's certainly a wonderful way of expressing friendship.



Fire and danger ......

Fires are raging all around the Mid North Coast of NSW at the moment. Have been up that way and today the Pacific Highway had to be closed to all North Bound Traffic at 2pm before being closed in the other direction due to high winds. The fire was not contained at that point. Very close to the service station and food outlets and the small township of Purfleet. Some relatives were up that way tin the morning and said they could smell smoke and see small flames late morning.
By 5m the Pacific Highway was also closed at the Forster/Tuncurry turnoff.
At the same time a large tree fell on the Bucketts Way - that was the only other access point to Taree !!
Whoops- headed home at 2pm to see plumes of smoke coming from down near Forster Keys/Green Point....and I didn't get to see the news so hopefully the 10 houses that were reported on the local radio station to be under threat survived it.

Hopefully you and yours are safe and out of harms way.

I'll be back later with my Friendship Swap 2013 picys :)

De

Showoff

Today I sit here - freezing and sneezing. Yet another cold has taken over my head and chest and the wind is howling outside!!!! BUT the sun is shining so it could be warm somewhere in the garden. So in between availing myself of the tissue box, I can sit here and blog away.

I don't want to 'infect' my sewing so I'll just write about and show off some of the creations I have been making for quite a while - a little later on in the blog.

The Craft depot is so close I am salivating. Going to go get Noreen some more bobbins for her new embroidery sewing machine and see if I can locate some winged needles for Mum and her friend. They can complete their tablecloths then. Amazing you can't find them in Taree.

Alas on my travels up and down the coast I can check a few stores - so annoying to have to stop in at each and every craft and fabric shop - to check on these hard to get necessities!

If my spelling becomes "erratic" its cause my fingers are frozen......brrrr Soz about this :/

I am wondering why my genetic makeup in crafts and art has not followed through to my one and only daughter.   The nearest to craft is the plaiting of the horses manes and tails and painting of their hooves for show :) She's also a mad hand at helping groom dogs too so that in itself is a craft of sorts I suppose.

My eldest son isn't creative either. Ummmmm. Nope can't think of anything here other than rolling up ciggies - doesn't really count though huh? Does playstation count?

Thank goodness in a round-about way, my youngest son - a middle child like moi - paints. Not just drawing etc but on cars. As a spray painter he is very good with colour matching - luckily for him didn't take after Dad & Paternal Grandmother with colour blindness. It's a dream to watch him paint. He glides his hands and arms like a ballerina - no make that a conductor. Tooing and froing left to right. His eldest son looks as though he has that creative link with drawings :)

My Mum - who any think I must take after - sewed my dresses as a child because affording dresses was a little too difficult. That's and knitting were the two crafts Mum kept busy at and  I loved my hand knitted jumpers and cardigans!  I loved the dresses don't get me wrong - but I craved a pair of jeans. I had to borrow a pair off a friend in year 9 for mufti day. She didn't want me coming to school to be made fun of in my quirky hand me downs and other. Oh to be bullied and teased. High school is another subject :(

I attended ceramic classes and made pottery bits and bobs at our Foster Arts and Crafts Centre when it was still located in the Bullring on Forster Main Beach - wow things have changed these days. My daughter was just a dream then.


We did a crochet class with Aggie McClutchey at Taree. She had a shop at Centrepoint Arcade. Always told me I was cacky handed doing the loops and she was amazed they still worked - I still don't understand the complexity of this explanation of my skills. Looks normal to me. I now make flowers without patterns cause I can't remember how to read patterns properly. A few loops here and there and wallah - a flower is created ! I reckon f the end result is what you want - well? Only getting around knitting - my 8ply bootees are quick and cute - at times. No cables for me. I have knitted socks and baby things, toys x heaps but a jumper for my hubby - well he could be in a nursing home by the time I got that completed :/

Then we attended machine patchwork classes in the old Nabiac Hospital now the Community Centre with Jenny from the Post Office. This was after a lady whose name I do remember, but as this is my story ..... told me that using a sewing machine wasn't patchwork and I basically wasn't welcome in their group - snobs !! I can do both now with some aplomb. See kids - there is bullying at all ages. Have a few UFO's but well... we'll keep that a secret...maybe not cause we all must have at least one.


I now handmake and handcraft items. Funnily enough I have only grandsons though most of my creations are for little girls :) Wishful thinking maybe?

My burpers and bibs are popular with their quirky sayings on them. Boottees and blankets are ooed and ahhed about. My dinosaur and owl hats are popular as are the little hairbands I buy to embellish. The little baby rompers I craft, have guipere lace, roses or hearts on them and for little boys I make ties and belts. Singlets are embroidered and I have eco bags and eco nappies. All good.







Loving Mums embroidery sewing machine and have been creating new bibs for her and other things for me - will have to hint in my 'Could be good idea for presies box' for my own. I could do sooo much more.






You do realise at this time I have another hundred years or more of life to complete all these tasks - am sure this is to happen (pffft)

That brings me to my fabric stash. Actually looks more like a shop or as I like to explain it - 'Its my Fabric Library.' I say to my hubby - 'And just how many screws, bolts, nails, tools and toys do you have?'  He is the one when we travel about to offer to have a quick stop at a fabric shop should he see one. He doesn't really complain. gotta luv him :)

Won't write much more here - want you to stay awake so you can go create something exiting - whether it be craft or a meal or even dusting - a job well done makes for a happier person.

Enjoy your day and remember to smile at strangers

Dee :)

 

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

Happy Birthday to Self - LOL

Who said birthdays are fun? Some certain hubby rubbing extra year in face at every occasion - wait buddy cause you've only got a few more years till your next large milestone birthday - OKAY !!! Hear me buddy!! And I WILL write about it on my blog in October - hear me? Anyway at least he remembered and left my birthday presie I selected and laybyed for him to go get so he could say he bought it, only to have to go and pay and collect - then he leaves it in a drawer at my Mum;s home !!! So I did a little retail therapy of my own, some nice new sheets - in a lovely purple shade of course, chocys, oil burner, neck pillow and a yummy mega chocolate birthday cake later - I came home :))

Had just spent a couple of nights with my daughter as her navy hubby was away and had a little girl time with her and hubby just had to go to his sports club on Saturday - my birthday - so I said, go - stuff around and I will go visit my nephew and nieces (adopted by me by choice) and have a cuppa with their Dad as well, Mum was at work :(( shame that - we always have a great chinwag. Then the shopping where I bought an enormous amount of fruit and veg :)) Except when I got home and opened the apples - there was mega soft bits on them - shame veggie shop - shame !!

I had a presie from my bro and sisinlaw - gorgeous stuff she made me - decorated a bag, a triangular doorstop and a hand made wood and glass display for my wall :)) Thanks Nique & Baz. Funniest thing is - we are decorating the same bags :))) So much of our craft at the moment is exactly the same and we live hundreds of kilometres away from each other - amazing again that soe of the items are so close in making its scary lol

This pic is sooooo true LOL

My kids rememberd me this year too - thanx for the sms's - I am soooo worthy of them. Hubby came home and rushed off to have a shower - let's go out and have dinner and go to the movies - so I checked the movies - went through them and stated them out loud - nup not that one - his Lordship says - nope that;s a kids prgram - funny that since it's school holidays again - nup, nup, nope, oh yeah that one - Snow White and the Huntsman. Soooo grown up. So dinner we had - lovely steak and a beer at the pub - yep - the pub and then went to check in at the cinema - WT????? A two hour wait, so we headed back to the pub, which is closest to the cinema and waited for a bit before deciding that 9.25pm was another 1..25 hours away and journeyed home. Have tried again to see it - another two hour wait - must be my old bones - can't walk quick enough to get there so miss out LOL



I particularly like this one - thanx a lot!!

A great quote I like is - The best way to remember your wife's birthday is to remember it once !!

One I made up is - Your birthday lasts 366 days a year - as you never age a day till the next birthday !! Who goes around saying I am 50 years, 8 months, and three weeks and 4 days ???? So 50 for all that time is very good huh? And once you reacdh 50 you are legally allowed to go backwards My choice and I am sticking to it !!!



Am so lucky to have friends, personally, on Facebook and via my Blog. have have heaps of well wishes - it's been awesome - so thank you all very very much -  mwah !!!! Life isn;t so serious when you can chat to a friend. I wrote to a lady only a month or so ago - and feel we have a lot in common already. I know when I am writing I can share funny anedotes, stories and read what you say and hope I respond with care, lightheartedness, fun, concern and all the emotions I feel from your notes.





Well it's time to be off and enjoy another round of cr** on the television and then off to bed.. Am doing some craft whilst I 'watch; - can cope well that way. That's a noisy square shape with pictures flashing on and off in it - at the moment there is a cougar that just caught a large bird and is crunching on it - lovely - :( glad I have already eaten my dinner.......



Dee

Bags from Fat Quarters or Fabric Scraps

My friend D and I had some left over strips we had cut to make something or rather for and D decided to give me a quick and easy idea for a lovely bag.. What do you think of this one?
I have another almost completed that my friend Jo and I started together in peach colouring :))
I love all types of bags, have designed a couple and just sold my very first KIT !!!!

Quilting Books from Amazon n more

September is Spring in Australia

And Spring starts an onslaught of birthdays.. My daughter has her birthday next Wednesday 14th - Happy Birthday KB. My adopted 'granddaughter' Stephanie is 5 two days later and I have made the little lap quilt in the picture for her. I was to have finished it ages ago - but she had a thing for Dora Explorer so my quilt idea didnt fit in at the time. The red and white theme came about because thats one of her favourite colours. The little Redwork ladies where done by a lady named Maureen from eBay. I should have asked my Mum Anne to do them I suppose because she has embroidery sewing machines that would have done these. She is so busy making things for her market stall , ahe doesnt have much time. I hope she will soon complete some so I can sell them on http://www.ebay.com.au/ or http://www.oztion.com.au/.for her. As you can see they are so appropriate for a little girl. She has had a party every year - as an only child her Mum spoils her so much lol - so I will give it to her on the 18th, If you have an queries on how to obtain the pre embroidered machine stitcheries - please dont hesitate to contact me.. Again I did some stippling at the Quilting Mouse at Worrigee Nowra.

Until tomorrow - nite all Hugs from Dee

My Quilt Diva Wall Hanging

This is m,y beautiful Quilt DIva made in my image LOL. Made with purple hair, pink glasses and many add ons not originally on the pattern - thats poetic licence for me :) Found some wonderful charms in the shape of hands with Hand Made wrtten on them, these can be bought from me on http://www.ebay.com.au/ under my.hummingbird.   I managed to track down some extremely small cotton reels too from http://www.oztion.com.au/ for the necklace, the smallest buckles ever from a quilt shop in Nowra, NSW for the shoes and a gorgeous badge stating I Love Quilting which I found on eBay too. I did all the stipple quilting at The Quilting Mouse in Worrigee, NSW. You can contact Di via http://www.facebook.com/ under the Quilting Mouse for costs.
The designer of this ecletic wall hanging is the wonderfully talented Amy Bradley at http://www.amybradleydesigns.com/. There are many quirky and fun projects for you to enjoy, so please have a look on her website for more. You can follow Amy's pages for photos of the same hanging in other quilters interpretations. Amy would love to see what you have come up with.       
Chat again  soon - Hugs Dee

One Day Dry the Next its a Wet Spring Day

Can you believe it was a sunny two days ago in NSW, and yesterday was overcast. Tonight its wet wet wet and we certainly need it up here in the Blue Mountains. We havent had a decent pour for a while. Unlike our city neighbours we are on tankwater and look forward to the rain. Our tanks were down quite a bit and our neighbours main tank was empty. Thank goodness they have two smaller spare ones. My hubby - Steve - picked up a new pump and installed it last night for them. They were very happy not to have to go without showers for long. He got a couple of our spare water containers and filled them for them as they are elderley and couldnt climb up to the top of the spare to get water out. At the picture left is two of my very nosey chickens - who normally do chicken like things and amaze our visitors when I call them to go into their pen area like I would my dogs. Here, we were taking some pictures of metalwork that my hubby had made for a nursery. We had to hold the items in front of the white board so they would show up in the photos. Then Mrs Nosey and Henny Penny decided they should have their pic taken as well. They really are amazing creatures, even following the horses around to pick through their poop without getting crushed underfoot. I would have thought the horses would be annoyed by they weren't. So you can see no sewing was done today, but I did manage to knit three pair of boottees whilst sitting as a passenger for the delivery. I shall put up some photos of them once I have sewn them up. Hopefully you are enjoying the weather that you need and creating something that gives you pleasure - Hugs Dee