Easy weekend

Love is to be fortified by many friendships. To love and

to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence.

- Sydney Smith

I was the best little house wife anyone could ask for over the weekend. Cleaned, washed, ironed, dusted etc. And the best bit about that was that it stayed that way all weekend, you know, no one there to mess it up (Cory). Two of my darlings had the last round of go karting for the year. After all  my chores I did all the things I wanted to do.

Isn't Heather a clever lady. I was given this as a gift last year and I just love it. Heather comes up with some great ideas and this lovely piece hangs in my lounge room.

Late Saturday morning I just had to go back to the Op shop and cross my fingers that the bag of toy stuffing I didn't grab the day before was still there. Yay, joy it was still there, so I quickly grabbed it. While I was at it I spotted a cushion that would look nice in the library, so that came with me. The total cost of all that was $4. Bargain! When I got home I found there was 2 bags of toy stuffing in one bag and the plastic bag has a pattern of Humpty Dumpty on it.

  

Look! one of the new girls laid a lovely egg.

 

For the first time ever, my fingers are actually supposed to be in the photo! Talking about fingers, I can't even show you my finished Mrs Perkins because my fingers took her head off in the photo. Will show and tell another time soon. I have been busy again sewing, another little creation is this small bag I made. This is Natalie's creation and it is so pretty. The bag will be for me. I used pastel colours because of the material I was using.

 

This is Max our dog. He is such a sook sook.

 

I went to the local library on Saturday as well and had a scratch around and returned one of my books I finished reading. I have found another book called 'It helps to be stubborn', Australian history. Have to make a start on it.

I'll have to get a chug along as the sun is starting to set and all my darlings will be starving, and so am I. Up for another big day tomorrow at work. Getting things ready to do my first stock take, and what a task it is. I like being busy at work, the day just zooms, though it is such a nice work place that time could even go slow. I'm going to try and take some more photo's without my fingers in the way this time and I'll catch you all up in a couple of days. kind regards, Anita.

 

Busy hands

 There is nothing on this earth more

to be prized than true friendship

 -Saint Thomas Aquinas

I've made an early start today with my blog. 6.22 am and I'm at it. Infact, since I've started blogging, I've sprouted hairs and warts on my nose, my finger nails really have turned into claws and you have to peel my fingers off the keyboard to get me off the computer. We all have to take turns at the computer, but I don't want to now. I have been very busy this week in all aspects, work, housework, crafting, gardening and it goes on.

I have finished this great cushion cover, that I had a stack of fun making. It will go to a friend of mine who is a sweetie. Oh drats, I've just spotted my fingers again. I will have to stop doing that. 

Yesterday I went to the shops and purchased some bits and pieces to make Heather a little Christmas gift. I also went op shopping and found some great treasures.

I couldn't go passed this lovely pink felt and the beautiful ribbon. Oh and below are my finds from the op shop. Can you believe it! Look at those buttons, I could go into a frenzy.

The white bag with the blue embroidery was also found. I mean, I just love it when someone goes to all the trouble of sewing things that are beautiful, giving them away to the op shops and then I find them. Can't get any better really. I look at all the work that goes into some things, and then they are given away. It's blissful....for me.

In a few more weeks it will be school holidays and boy am I looking forward to spending the holidays swimming, crafting and relaxing with the boys. Cory loves coming with me in the mornings to check on the chooks, and saying hello to Max our dog. My hubby won't get holidays over the summer, but he only works 15 days a month anyway, so he'll be buzzing around home mostly.

Pixie and Cory have already left at 5.30 this morning to do the last round of gokarting for this year. Yes, I've already started my worrying, travel, are they alright...etc. Can't help doing that, it's a mother's instinct. Did my washing, folding and a bit of ironing yesterday, so today is ahead of me to sew. Will catch you guys all up soon and hopefully we will all have a lovely weekend.

Kind regards, Anita.

Lyn's Cup Stack

There is no medicine like hope, no incentive

so great, and no tonic so powerful as the

expectation of tomorrow.

- Orison Swett Marden

I've been having the best time lately making gifts for my workmates. My photo below is for Lyn, who by the way doesn't know about my blog. Hehe! Lyn is a lovely lady I work with and has been such a support to me in my first year at this job. Her office is next to my library and I notice when I go into to drop something off at her desk, often there will be a bit of a collection of cups!

Needless to say that when I saw this pattern somewhere, I made a free hand copy and stitched like made. Laughing all the while. When I hand over the present I'm going to tell her my alter ego Devilina made me do it.

 

The only part of this wall hanging I purchased was the decorative hook. It cost me a whole $1.20.

 I have been busy making other things as well. This next mini hanging is going somewhere, not sure where to, but it will find a home. I found the pattern in an older edition of Homespun. I had to use some material that Heather had given me, and they went well together, so it turned out lovely. I enjoyed making that.

I just love that cheeky face

A little while ago I saw a pattern for an sewing machine apron and determined I was going to make one. Well it went down sista! I couldn't help it.

 

 Once again I didn't purchase anything to make this little number, just bits out of the cupboard. I hope I'm coming across as a thrifty and frugal person. It's just a ploy to empty my cupboards out a bit, and show my husband and then sook sook so I can buy some more material!!!

This will actually go to Heather as part of a chrissy present. The great thing about having a friend that is not connected onto the internet is that they can't look on the computer and find out what they're getting. Ha Ha Heather. I love that girl to bits. The pattern for the sewing apron is in Handmade Vol 27. No.5.

Phew I've been busy! I managed to get my hands on a couple of chicken scratch books and had a go at it. I love the craft it is very relaxing. I didn't have any white embroidery thread so I just used some thin cotton thread. The white work is a bit stiff and the circles are a bit square. But I imagined how it would look if I'd used the right stuff and the white squares would have looked like circles. When I do a proper copy it's going to look lovely. Have a go at chicken scratch. 

Talking about chickens, I love my new chooks so much I have ordered another 10 of the little champions. Can't wait until 7th December, that is pick up date. I better go now because I've gone on like the brook today. Have a special night and catch you all soon. Kind regards, Anita.

Clean out

Very little is needed

to make a happy life.

- Marcus Aurelius

I have been having a bit of a clean out of my cupboards, and while doing that, I found some cross stitch I had made for a class room display when Cory was in year 6.

I found the designs in a cross stitch book at the library and some of the patterns were stunning. There is a huge design of King Tut, and all sorts of other things egyptian.

 

Oops! There's those fingers again. I'm going to have to hide them.

All of the material were just odds and ends, and really was very handy to have them laying around. I enjoyed doing the cross stitch pieces and the kids at school really loved them too. The hangings went on display in the classroom along side the books the teacher had. Cory was very proud too. Nothing is too much for my children.

A friend of ours gave me this tiny cutting from his garden. Some sort of succulent and just look at it. It has really grown into a huge thing, sorry I'm not sure what sort it is. I love the red lining on the end of each section. Since crafting has invaded my life, my knowledge of plant names has just dwindled to zero.

Had to share this stunning rainbow with you all. We had a down pour a couple of weeks back and Cory took a photo of this stunning rainbow. I love rainbows, they are special.

Next posting I have some creations I have been wildly hacking away at, so I will show and tell. Oh I have just finished my book 'Ma, It's a cold aul night an I'm looking for a bed' by Martha Long. Want a good read, get it from your library. It is book number three, so get 'Ma, he sold me for a few cigarettes' first. 

Better take off, more washing to hang out, get tea started because my three petals will be getting hungry soon and then some crafting. Hope you all have a great night. Take care. Kind regards, Anita.

Sweet Sunday!

For everything you have missed,

you have gained something else.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Hmm. Folding done, tick. Ironing finished, tick. Kettle boiling, tick. I'm happy with my lot. What a lovely Sunday, with some of my jobs out of the way, it's time to stitch. I'm hacking away at some gifts for my workmates and what fun. It is my first year at this job and it was the best move I have made, workwise. From working in one library (23years) to another library, they are completely different. I miss the customers from the first library, but I have gained so much in this job. Monday's are great, no more Mondayitis for me.

Well two of my darlings came home from V8 supercars yesterday looking like a pair a walking beetroots. I was going to take a photo of them to show you, but that might've scared you off. They're both licking their wounds today, so I will be extra caring today, poor little petals.

A friend of mine gave me the centre part of this table runner already made. Boy was I happy. I looked at it for a while and decided it would like nice as a christmas table runner. I remember sitting there for simply ages, just quilting around the centre piece of it. Every christmas it comes out on display.

Cory snuck up on us having tea the other night, scared the beejeebee's out of us. We were all very hungry that night, I'm glad he didn't start taking photo's quietly, because we were really stuffing the tucker down our throats.

I love Pixie's uniform, no shirt and shorts. My young boys have always done that. As soon as they see Dad with no shirt on, off comes theirs. They are an interesting specimen those males. Wouldn't be without them though.

Oh I had to move my girls. This is as far as Benjamin or the other ladies would let them out of the chook house. I'm going to send that lot to the naughty corner, I tell you. I have another big cage that I put my sweetpeas into and they started scratching, and laid down in the sun, they were really loving themselves sick! I mentioned about getting some more of these chooks and Pixie was happy about more coming.

I went for a cruise around the garden yesterday and I just love my Elle Marie, see the lovely colour of the flower. So pretty.

Oops! Who's finger is that?

Baked some choc chip cup cakes. They tasted really nice.

My friend Heather came over and had some lovely afternoon tea on Friday and the little darling swapped her copy of Handmade for my newest copy of Homespun. It's very funny when we swap our magazines over, because then we both sit at the table flicking through the magazines. We are a pair of nut cases.

I can see some lovely things in this magazine. If I keep looking nothing else in the way of housework will get done. I'll be terribly sad about that. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Kind regards, Anita.

Meet the girls

 Faith is nurtured by love, as the flame

in a lamp is nurtured by the oil.

- Martin Luther, Discourse on Free Will.

Meet my lovely new girls. I picked them up on Wednesday morning and they're so cute.

Cory and I went for a drive at 6.30am to collect the paper and then my little sweet hearts. I had just finished saying to Cory that I don't think they will be the pretty coloured hens just the white ones and was delighted to see that they were indeed a lovely colour. Not that white isn't nice as well. These girls were ex-battery hens, so they have had to be shown the ground and what to do with grass. We waited until night before putting them in with our bantams and they could wake up together and be a bit nicer to each other. It has worked for us in the past.

 

Unfortunately, Benjamin and the girls have had bad manners and not been too nice, so the three new girls have been more than happy to stay in the chook house. I will leave it for a bit longer and may have to shift them, I don't really want to do that but we'll wait and see what happens.

This is a lovely antique sewing machine my husband spotted for me. He did well at having a man's look! We hitched the trailer one day and went for a drive to the city (Perth). One of the surburbs we stopped at was Guildford, very well known for its antique strip. We went from one shop to another looking for 'stuff' and tucked away in a corner was this box. We were curious to see what was inside the box and...................

When you open the box, look what's inside.

I had to have it. It still works and we don't have a bobbin we have a shuttle!! The date on the machine is 1883. And when I discovered that the black base lifts up and you can store things in the wooden part of the base, we found an invoice, needles and another piece.

What a great find. I was so proud of Pixie for spotting this treasure. I often look at the machine and wonder who owned this before and when did they first own it.

Today I didn't actually do much. At about 7am this morning I sneezed and pulled the muscles in my back. I have never ever done this before so of course I was dying. It wasn't until 10.45 that I got up to go and help at the school canteen. One of the ladies went home sick so just as well I went. When I came home Pixie rubbed some heat cream in my back and it helped alot.

Later in the day we went for a trip to the local library and collected some books that I'd ordered in and they look very interesting. I'm off now to check on my girls and stand guard with them. I hope everyone has a nice weekend, two of my darling are off to the V8 Supercars at Barbagello race way. So I will sadly have to sew again but this time do my washing!!!! and my ironing!!!. Beaming you all lots of love. Kind regards, Anita.

The Christmas bug

                Just as water reflects the face,

                 so one human heart reflects another

                                                                                               -Proverbs 27:19

As soon as I start churning out the yoyo's, even I know that the christmas bug has bitten me. It happens every year. I come across bits of christmas fabric while looking for other things and it starts. I have also found some lovely stars and gold beads to put with them. I'm not too sure what will become of the yoyo's, but it's just a matter of time.

I have received an interesting email this week regarding my Mum's photo and the fact she was an immigrant to Australia. For an interesting read you should pop over to immigrant daughter and be blown away. The lives some people live and become strong because of how they worked hard and struggled gives inspiration to everyone, especially those who think they can't do it.

I have been busy on several things including the last of the beanies to donate to the hospital. I hope to drop them off tomorrow during the day and then really concentrate on other gifts. I want to make an early start for Easter next year  and other events that happen.

See the pretty material, I'm not telling you what this is going to be. You will have to wait and see. Not very nice am I. I'm having fun with this project (pity you can't see the picture) but it's one of those enjoyable pieces of work. Much better than housework I can tell you. I've also been hacking around the yard in the last few days, just checking out all the garden after the down pour of rain we've had. My garden is full of mini sunflowers. See how dainty  the flower is! They are so pretty but you have to be careful to cull because they grow like crazy everywhere. But I love them.

When I was a young child I remember the lady far across the road had her front yard full of sunflowers. It kind of takes me back there to old Mrs Lawler. Her husband died very young and left her with at least 6 children and she raised them on her own. She was such a strong woman.

I found another cute treasure from a garage sale. It is an unusual multi-coloured ball hanging from string. It really caught my eye. It's interesting the things you find at garage sales.

I've got this hanging just outside the bathroom window. I love the strong colours. Well it looks like everyone is starting to retire to bed and that means I have the remote control for Foxtel. I feel like the Queen wielding some sort of power when I have the control, I mean when i can peel it out of my husbands hands that is. I might watch some Crime investigation. Or I might just knit. Catch you little petals in a few days time. Kind regards, Anita

More Books and more crafting

 Happiness consists not in having much,

but in being content with little.

                                                             -Countess of Blessington, Desultory Thoughts and Reflections.

I have been for yet another visit to the library to collect books I have requested in. I have been surprised at how many sweet projects I have discovered in some of these books.

Oh my miniature tea set is in the way. My girlfriend Heather bought those for me, she does know my weaknesses, and tea sets are one of them. The pink craft book has some great ideas in it. There is a pattern to make a card to give at Christmas time and plenty of other things to make that I haven't seen before. The Girl mechanic is actually a Popular Mechanics edition, can you believe that! It is very interesting and has a bit of everything in it: woodwork, paper craft, beads for paper necklaces etc.

These little treasures were bought for me as a gift from my lovely sister-in-law Lee. She so precious and much loved by me. Not just because she selects lovely gifts for me and she is a gem of a person.

See this funny little object....it turns into.....

On one of Heather's trips to the eastern side of Australia, she returned wielding this lovely box. It was a gift for me and when I opened it I thought it had fallen to pieces. Heather assured me that it had not. It is like one of those whatnots. You can store beads, cotton, thread anything you need to contain while you're crafting away.

My photo came out a bit bright but the colour of this wool is fantastic. I purchased the wool in town at one of the local craft shops and it is a dream to knit with and stunning colours. This is one of the last beanies on the go and will be donated to the local hospital here in town.

Now the next photo is a bit naughty, so if you think you might get a scare don't go any further. I pulled this out of a bag of carrots from the shops. I got a fright when I first saw it but I had to share with you. Have you ever seen anything like it?

Isn't this really suspicious. No it is not rigged and I certainly did not grow that thing. Truly I found it in a bag. On that weird and wonderful note I had better choof off and get tea started, we're having carrots tonight. lol Until next time take care. Kind regards, Anita.

And a fine Good Mornin to ye!

 Counting time is not

so important as

making time count.

I was up with the sparrows this morning..but not early enough to see my honey bunny off to work. Pixie was up at 5am and off! But I wasn't too far behind in waking up. Because I had my lazy weekend last weekend, I really had to chug away at the ironing and now it's done, so I'm laughing. Scratching around my photo collection this morning and found a picture of my Mum. She was such a cheeky minx, always into playful mischief.                                        

Mirror mirror on the wall, I've turned into my Mother after all. A lot of the migrant people that came to Australia with my parents tell me that. I have many of my Mum's traits one of them being I'm a nose presser. when I see one of those button noses, I just have to press it. My husband and two boys are so used to me pressing their noses at any given time, that when I press their nose while they're talking, they just keep right on talking. If they're not home and the urge takes me, I just press my own nose. No just joking.

I have been gathering scraps of material and over the years slowly been making blocks to make this log cabin quilt. Some of the material has been given to me by friends, other bits from my own stash. At one stage of the game my sewing machine broke down and I couldn't cope. I kept looking at an antique sewing machine I have and thought 'does this machine actually work?'. Out of the wooden box it came and what do you know she works. So off I went. I will show you the machine in the next week, it is beautiful, but I can't get a pic right now, it's in Brandon's room (teenager...say no more).

I'm saving some special scraps to make more of my little dolls. this one was made by a friend, who started this habit of mine off. But what a lovely habit it is.

I'm trying to think where I got these lovely pair of shoes from, or who gave them to me. They are so cute. I'm just finishing off a present for Cory's teacher and I'm so happy with the outcome. You will have to wait to see it. I have also stumbled across some material Heather gave me for my birthday at the beginning of the year. It will be nice for christmas.

I'm charging off now to stir up Cory in any way possible. He is such fun and is very quick witted. I love his company - oh all my three darlings are great company. Keep enjoying life you guys and see you in a couple of days. Kind regards, Anita.

I'm so happy!

It is not what we take up, but what

we give up that makes us rich.

- Henry Ward Beecher

Look what came in the mail for me today. I won a giveaway on Clare's blog and the material is so pretty.

When I opened the parcel I had to make a nice hot cup of tea, sit at the table and stare at the material, and think and think and admire it. Thank's again Clare, I love it. My friend Heather will be over soon to stare at it too.

We had such a sky show over the Avon Valley last night. The thunder and lightning only lasted a while but the sky afterward was just stunning. The lightning didn't just travel downward, it also travelled across the sky. After the storm, the sky took on a magnificent yellow tinge, and Cory and I stood outside for ages just looking at it. In the end I thought to grab the camera and in the short time of going inside and coming back out, the sky changed to a darker colour. I wished I had thought of the camera sooner. But look at these pics.

Lovely colours in the sky.

The clouds were so unusual, that they looked like great big dumplings in the sky. This photo was taken at 6.30 at night.

I have been for a visit to the local library and found some really interesting book titles. The book written by Martha Long is the third title in a series of hers. I recommend you read book number 1 'Ma, he sold me for a few cigarettes'. Truly an amazing biography of a woman growing up in Dublin in the 1950's.  Book two is 'Ma, I'm gettin meself a new mammy', just as good. And the third book is unwinding to be as interesting as the other titles. 

The fairy book and quick gifts has some lovely ideas to keep me out of trouble. The knitted beads look like a great way to use up bits of wool. I've just finished eating a yummy bowl of nachos with Cory, as we do everyday after school and now Brandon wants me to watch a teen spook on TV with him. A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. Have the best weekend, and catch you soon. Kind regards, Anita