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

Almost at the End of the GOR Travel

Ballarat to Bendigo via Daylesford and Hepburn Springs

Found a motel on the net - again through http://www.booking.com/ - great place to get great deals at the last minute. Pity there was no milk for a cuppa in the room though. No-one at the desk to ask for some - luckily I spot a petrol station next door - not that I like petrol in my tea - but they sell milk in cartons there - funny that . The visitor next door had his car over our car spot so we had to take up number 30's spot - luckily no one was booked in for the night. The motel looked quite different from the photo - in the morning we could see why - the newer suites were at the back . As it was pouring we reversed in to get our stuff out that we needed but didn't see the huge puddle of water laying in wait to get the unseeing. LOL. Wet slippers. Another cold and wet night. His Lordship was overly tired today. Wonder why with all the stopping, walking and playing tourists.

Found a few Patchwork shop addresses in the phone book and just had to go see a couple - or three planned for tomorrow:))

The first one I came to in Victoria Street was closed till 10am - forgot we were in the country, so we head off to the second one on the list, we can always come back later. This one closer to the centre of town in Mair Street.  Sovereign Needlework - Ballarat's largest supplier of 'Fine Needlework' was just opening and Elaine the owner for the past 12 months was checking that the log fire was going - just to keep the customers warm mind you. I was 'warmly' greeted and welcomed to browse around whilst she continued to open up. Lovely wools, fine fabrics and embroidery cottons of every colour imaginable hung on the walls. Great quilters patterns as well as ones for crochet, knitting and tapestries were strewn around the displays. I just happened to purchase a ball of wool for a scarf and another piece of fabric for my GORVQ (Victoria quilt) too.

His Lordship was busily checking a store two doors us - just something he had to do as it encompassed all the sports he loves.

Next stop was the store that was closed beforehand. We waited a little longer as it was still before opening time. The window display was very ecletic with Melly and Me patterns and all the latest fabrics. Beautifully done quilts, bags, toys etc around for display. The owner was busily tapping away on her computer. I did feel I was interupting her a bit when I asked questions - there was no-one else in the store so I thought it was okay. Purchased a couple of bits and pieces though I can't say I felt welcomed here.

My next stop was opposite an amazing church built from Ironstone where Lord S dutifully took some photos for me - the tourist thing - while I HAD to go into a store professing a SALE!! My goodness!! A sale!!!!   Isn't that just was a patchworker loves?

Eureka Patchwork :)))

Elizabeth cutting my fabrics

'The Selection!!!!'

Eureka Patchwork at the corner of Victoria Street amd King Street was calling me. I walked into the store and said 'Good Morning' to anyone who was listening as I always do. Alison was busily cutting and sorting fabrics behind one counter and welcomed me in. WOW - a glorious range of fabrics in all sorts of tonings, colourways and beautifully displayed fabrics that said 'pick me' 'pick me'! SO I did. I was told all fabrics were $20 a metre but they were having a sale and everything on display was now $15 a metre. Elizabeth the owner came out to greet me. What a wonderful lady. Showed me the latest collection of fabrics from Jenny Beyer, her secret stashes out back - as there wasn't anywhere else out front to put them, some fabrics in between and more. Elizabeth showed me a catalogue of the Stone Collection of fabrics coming in soon - very very noice :))

Elizabeth is trying to amass 2000 bolts of fabric for her store - and by the look of it is succeeding very well. A few dollars later pffffft, I have added to my Fabric Library some gorgeous things. Toy Fabric, some for my GORVQ and a little more LOL. Both some fabric for a gift too - just know the recipient will love the colours.

Thank you so much Elizabeth & Alison for being so genuine, warm and welcoming to this traveller :)) Check their website -  If you are looking for a particular type of fabric Elizabeth probably has it or knows where you can find it :))
Travel on driver !!!!

Drove on to Creswick where I thought I was going to see a craft store - called Lemon Tree Cafe - ok - some painting and produce on the walls but not quite the craft I was looking to see - by the way - wasn't all fabrics - I do love other crafts and already made ones :)) Right next door was Twin Needles - Embroidery & Patchwork Supplies where  the owner Elaine was telling me they produce their own Crewel Wools, Stranded silks and Organdy ribbons under the name Cascade House. Beautiful. I bought a pattern for embroidering a baby blanket with wools to match. I also got some ribbbon and fabric for the GORVQ.Well worth a visit either in person or on the internet.  http://www.cascadehouse.com.au/

By the way - I did not get anything for FREE at any of the stores I visited - just in case any of you are wondering why I am 'advertisng' for the stores I visit. I AM NOT - I am just passing on where I went on my travels and a personal view to what I see and hear.

Onwards to Daylesford where I had hoped to indulge in 'the waters' to help my ailing bod. But alas time was going quicker than our eyes and car. I perused some stores in Daylesford and found some lovely presies. The Tourist Information Centre was very helpful with their maps and displays. East to see where one should go and see and stay by looking at them. Very well done.

I found Threadneedle Craft in Vincent Street, Daylesford - the main street - where I was invited to look and ask for help should I need it - this gentleman's family lived in Newscastle and we had a quick chat on that topic as well as the type of fabrics he kept as that is what his local customers were after. Got three pieces of fabric for the GORVQ.

Next we stopped at Hepburn Springs - where I did not partake of the waters nor did I 'see' any springs. Might not have been looking in the right place, so next time :))

Up the hill a bit, the journey was starting to take a dark turn. I was laden with enough pills to keep a race horse from the track , that was doing little help to my pain wracked leg and back. Lord S stopped so I could stretch - it was less than 3/4 hour since the last stop - things were looking uncomfortable for the travel ahead.

Onwards towards Ballarat is the Chocolate Mill.

The Selection

A well built straw bale building greets the visitor with a pleasant entry garden. Within the garden is metalwork animals - Kangaroos, Echidnas and Emus. Inside there is a chocolate lovers haven. All made within the walls - this hallowed chocolate lovers paradise beckons.....take me home.....eat me now....take me home. Everything chocolate ...... Chilli, Fruit, Nut, Plain, Dark, White, Rum and sooooo many more. His Lordship and I selected a few chocolates and $17.50 later - 10 chocolates. Hot dark chocolate and mudcake we shared then left to venture on.

Looking for a motel room tonight with a bath tub as I really need to soak the bones. First one we found at Kangaroo Flat - his lordship went in to check - nope its already booked even though the computer link says it isn't - so onto look again - yep - found one - lets see. His Lordship comes back with a key - goodness knows what he has found as he isn't the most budget conscious person at times. Driving into a darkened area, reversing up - where the h is he going to I think. Opening the door - I thought - Honeymoon Suite - LOL. Well it is 35 years since we stayed at Bendigo. This time there is a huge king size bed that greets me at the door, with TV and dressing table to the left, a small wood dining table at the back with a kitchenette (no microwave though that's another  $15 for three nights the brochure states lol). I need to refresh myself - and kapow - there is a spa bath - thanks heavens you say - I did ask for a bath if possible -its a DOUBLE spa bath!!!! I hold my stomach and I laugh in hysterics!! Within 15 minutes I had my bag in the room and was sitting in that spa bath with a glass of wine and soft bubbles, blowing my cares away. My body was saying thanks.

Funny 35 years 3 months and 2 weeks ago exactly - our 'Honeymoon' of 3 days - we had $150 left in our bank account after Lord S's truck needed mechanical repairs the week before our wedding, this our livelihood - :( consisted of a caravan somewhere near Sovereign Hill and the cost of 2012's one night accommodation (gonna throttle him) was enough to pay (1977) for the petrol to travel, the caravan park we stayed at and where the heating consisted of a blow heater under the bed and our coats on top of the meagre blanket we were given, the attractions we saw - S.H. and Kryall Castle and the food we ate. But we did enjoy the sights of end of the Begonia Festival, the swans etc and the one small much treasured honeymoon souvenir - a Glass Blown Horse which was done for us whilst we watched and waited the craftsman to do.

Going off to plot the push onwards ....... Dee

Port Campbell to Warrnambool, Ellerslie, and Ballarat

The day starts at Port Campbell after a great snooze and lie in. Again the weather is with us - rain that is.

Doll Heads displayed at the Port Campbell Tourist Information Centre found from ship wrecks.

The view of Port Campbell.

Well, who'd have thought such a little distance could take such a long time to travel.
So much to see:)))))))) Grotto, London Bridge, Bay of Islands, Bay of Martyrs, Crofts Bay, Boat Bay, Massacre Bay probably more.

London Bridge has fallen down

Kept watching the waves crashing on the coastline.

We had the tourist information staff laughing at Warrnambool when we said we'd had a busy day so far. We had left Port Campbell the largest suburb next door to Warrnambool and travelled 6 hours. The distance travelled way less than 100 kilometres lol. Too busy having fun, stopping every five minutes -  well it seemed like that anyway - to traverse the tops of the GOR coastline, take photos, gaze in absolute
adoration at the sights before us, and wonder at Mother Natures magnificence. So much in fact, anyone who asks, will get a descriptive monologue of everything you can see while driving on The Great Ocean Road.

Stopped in to the supermarket and picked up supplies for a picnic. Then there was the - do we stay here or do we gone on monologue. We decided to go on a bit further. On the top of the mountain range I was perusing the maps when His Lordship mutters - whoa- and slows the car. He thought there was a dog sitting in the middle of the very busy road. In fact, it was a weary looking adult male Koala!! Soft, grey fur fluttering in the breeze. All I could think was, please let the car coming the other way see it - we put our flashers on and pulled to the side of the road so other cars could see why we were stopped as we tried to usher him off the road. The other car coming towards us came to a halt - in the middle of the highway - and opened his car door onto the Koala's back pushing him on. He didn't move, so together with the other driver we scooted him off the road and into the line of gumtrees we could see some 200 metres from the road.  I hurried back and drove the still running car of the other person onto the side of the road as there were some big prime mover trucks coming up. The driver nodded in appreciation and both cars headed their seperate directions. Thats even closer than the last Koala encounter. Lucky for this one - he did not get run over.

At the side of the road at Ellerslie is an old bridge with the cleanest BBQ/Toilet and picnic area we have seen throughout our travels. So we stopped and partook our feast before travelling on to Ballarat.
Got onto a website to help us find accomodation for the night, booked it and stopped. Busy road though - a little noisy, but Lord S did not notice as as soon as his head hit the pillow he was out like a light :) Nite S No cuppa tonight - the proprietor forgot to give us milk.

Nite all :)) Till the moro comes

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