Gum Valley Patchwork

New website

My Christmas Sale has been going along well and I have been catching up with quite a few ladies. Yesterday I had a visit from Margaret & Wendy from Clever Ducks Quilting when they called in to drop off a quilt they had quilted for me - Margaret and Wendy now have their own website with all of the information about what they have to offer. I can't show you the quilt as it's a gift for my niece - Lillian - for her 18th Birthday (which was in early November) and Christmas. I can tell you it looks fabulous and I'll post a photo after I give it to her.

Linda :) 

Christmas Sale

It has taken me two days but I have finally done it. The ‘it’ is tidying up and getting the shop ready for my annual Christmas Sale. The first and most important task undertaken was finding a place for the Christmas Tree…..that was relatively easy as I just put it where I had it last year. But the jobs got harder – trying to fit everything in around the tree and the Christmas decorations. I also managed to finish my ‘Send a Christmas Wish’ Quilt designed by Lenora

 

I think it look really nice in the ‘Peace on Earth’ range. I have also been busy trying to get extra kits made up…including the little ‘NOEL’ banner that the girls in the ‘Christmas Club’ made a month ago as well as the new version of the ‘Lollipop’ Cushion made from the lovely ‘Butterfly Fling’ range.

Well I thought I had it all sorted and then in drove the delivery guy with 4 big boxes of my new order from Glasshouse Candles……five different fragrances of their beautiful candles ($32.50) as well as matching body bars ($12.50) and two fragrances in their diffusers (also $32.50). I have a tester of the ‘Tuberose’ diffuser set up in the shop and it smells divine. They would certainly make an excellent Christmas present for that person with everything. Another slight re-arrange and it’s all looking great for the Sale. The Sale is on from Thursday 27^th November through to Sunday 30^th November, 11 am to 4pm and there is 20% all stock (including the specials rack).

Maybe I might see some of you at the Sale....

Linda   :)

Today's the day........

Today’s the day……the day Hannah moves out of home. As of tonight we are officially empty nesters! She is moving to Melbourne for a couple of months to work a summer job and then will return to Colac to commence a cadetship as a Finance Officer with the Colac Otway Shire. She is very excited about it all but we will miss her heaps. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was taking her to Kinder

and now she’s finished secondary school and is leaving home. I know that we see a lot of her as Colac is only 55kms from home, but it still seems rather final. 

I am preparing the shop for my annual Christmas sale which starts on Thursday and runs through to Sunday. I am going to have to do a little bit of a re-arrange so that I can fit the Christmas Tree in….as well as a few chrissy gifts and decorations. With a busy day ahead I’d better keep moving.

Linda   :)

I'm staying put.....

This is just a really quick post to say that contrary to rumours that may be circulating, I am definitely not closing down or shutting up the shop. I was made aware of such rumours today at a class and wish to set the matter straight. I'm now off to milk the cows prior to the evening 'Christmas Club' class. Back soon with more news...

Linda  :)

Bananas anyone?

It has been a few days since I have logged on to the computer. I have been away in Melbourne for a couple of days catching up on a few ‘city’ jobs as well as attending the AQM. It was really nice to see all of the new fabrics and sewing bits that were on display at the market. I have ordered quite a few things and will post about them when they start arriving in the shop. I have also ordered some more fabric (sssh don't tell Russell) from the new Moda ranges which were released at Houston last month. I have ordered the full range of ‘Swanky’ by Chez Moi (I really love that name!) and also the new 3 Sisters range called ‘Aviary’ (all bolts except 3 with bird eggs on them….yes eggs). To compliment the ranges I have also ordered jelly rolls, layer cakes and charm packs.

I also popped by the Creative Abundance stand – this may not mean much to some of you but it is the company that distributes patterns by Leanne’s House; Rosalie Quinlan; Melly & Me; Gail Pan; Cinderberry Stitches; Lynette Anderson plus more. The stand looked fabulous and the quilts, bags, runners etc all looked beautiful – a lot nicer in real life than in photos. I managed to catch up and say hi to Gail  and have ordered some more of her patterns. I have ordered ‘Red Blooms for Christmas’ – a table runner that I really love (and am very tempted to make for my table this Christmas) and ‘Holly Blossoms’. I have also ordered more of ‘All things Christmas’ pattern, so those waiting on that one to arrive won’t have to wait too much longer.

While in Melbourne I tried to make a start on some christmas shopping but I’m afraid I wasn’t too successful. Only managed to cross two off my list, but did buy myself a couple of new bits of clothing and also a book…..yes a book…..not a patchwork one either but an autobiography. I have actually only read one book since I left school (and that was in 1980!) so this is very unusual for me. I love Dawn French and think she's so funny so while I was in the ABC shop I bought her book called ‘Dear Fatty’…..not sure when I’ll get to read it but I’m going to give it a damn good try.

Finally a funny story to finish on. Hubby Russell is very fond of lollies. In fact some months our bill from Murray Goulburn (local farm supplies store) is only for packets of lollies!..don't think the tax office consider these as a deduction! On Friday Russell and Lister (our Staffordshire Bull Terrier named after Dave Lister on Red Dwarf) went to Cobden in the ute - the ute usually can't go out the driveway without Lister on board. Anyway, Russell bought a bag of banana lollies and was eating them on the way home – occasionally giving bits of them to Lister. He had to stop in Simpson and buy something and when he returned to the ute he had found that Lister had helped himself to the rest of the bananas and had even licked out the empty packet. Lister – 1; Russell – 0.

Linda   :)

Reading and riding

Today has been a busy day. While Russell was doing this…..

I was doing this…..

And while I was doing that I was also reading this……

It arrived in the mail yesterday, but as I had to go to Melbourne I haven’t had a chance to have a good look through it. It has got all of the new Moda fabrics from the Houston Quilt Market which are due for delivery in February and March of next year. A couple that have caught my eye are ‘Aviary’ by 3 Sisters; ‘Patisserie’ by Fig Tree Quilts; and ‘Swanky’ by Chez Moi. But there are soooo many lovely fabrics to pick from.

I am heading to Melbourne for the AQM on Saturday so will be able to check out the samples and make my choices then. I missed out on seeing them all a few weeks ago when Rhys was due to call in. I had to herd test and couldn’t get to the shop to meet him…..mumble grumble mumble... :(  So I can’t wait to catch up with him this weekend….get your pen and order book ready Rhys! 

Linda   :)

Memories of Mammar

Today would have been my Grandmother’s 98^th birthday. I consider myself very fortunate to have experienced the love of grandparents, something that many people including my husband Russell never have. So today’s post will be all about my Grandmother who we called Mammar.

Elenor Jean McLean, (known to her family and friends as Jean) was born in Portland, Victoria on the 9^th November 1910. Her parents, Hugh (46) and Elenor (28) were married in the January of 1910. Her mother was warned by her family that marrying an older man was foolish as he would die and leave her with a young family to raise on her own. Unfortunately the reverse happened and 8 days after giving birth to the youngest son, Elenor passed away at the age of 34. Grandpa McLean lived to the ripe old age of 96! Mammar told us of how she was dressed all in black and even wore black ribbons in her hair for many months. She went to live with her mother’s two spinster aunts, who reared Jean, Ian and Irvine, with Angus moving to Melbourne with another relation. Auntie Sis and Auntie Jeanie (who I can remember) were dressmakers and lived in Camperdown. Mammar told us many stories about her early childhood memories of growing up but I particularly like this one. Mammar had very long hair. In fact it was that long she could sit on it. Her aunts would spend lots of time brushing it for her, and when her father came to visit he would plait her hair. Once it was 14 pieces into one plait – especially done for a family portrait and the photographer left it at the back and not over her shoulder as planned. Back to the story…… well Mammar was a teenager and bob hair cuts were all the rage. She visited a friend and came home with her hair bobbed off. Her Aunts were horrified (in fact one didn’t speak to her for week!) and threatened with the time old saying….what til your father sees it! Grandpa McLean said something along the lines of moving with the times and that it looked nice.

She met and married the love of her life – Alexander John Scouller – on the 15^th August 1934, and celebrated 60 years of marriage in 1994. Three children came along, Elenor Lillian (my mum), Kenneth Alexander and Arthur John (who was killed in a hit and run in 1971 at the age of 30). My siblings and I would spend every school holidays with Mammar & Grandad, and I have fond memories including:

• Playing in the garden and under the huge old Bunya Bunya tree in the front yard.
• The outside toilet - complete with spiders.
• Chooks, chooks and more chooks plus budgies, canaries, parrots etc.
• Taking the dogs – brown curly retrievers – fetching sticks and swimming in the nearby dam.
• Being allowed to stay up late in front of the open fire.
• Watching TV Ringside; World Wrestling (with Haystack Calloon) and Turf Talk (racing tips) with Jim Coglin; Midday movies – Ma & Pa Kettle, Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin & Elvis Presley; Days of our Lives & The Young & the Restless (we only ever watched the soaps during the holidays but could always keep up).
• Saturday morning trips to the TAB for Mammar’s weekly flutter on the horses (50c each way!)

So very many more but I won’t go on and on.

I have really enjoyed writing this post and I hope that I haven’t waffled on too much. Maybe we should all take the time to write these types of memories down and reflect on happy times before they are lost.

Linda   :)

Tra La La La La

Let’s have a stroll around the garden……..

The seaside daisies along the edge of the carpark are a mass of white flowers.

 

All of these plants were self sown in other parts of the garden – so I transplanted them. A great way to fill in gaps / rows at no cost.

The Avonview lavender hedge is covered with fantastic deep purple flowers.

These foxgloves have been self seeding in this large garden bed for the last couple of years.

The south westerly winds usually make the spikes go all bendy (a very technical term…lol) but this year they appear relatively straight and tall. The alstromerias in front are starting to show colour – they make great cut flowers that last and last.

The glow of the red heuchera flowers is very bright.

The green chamomile lawn, which is creeping up and over the rocks, is in need of trimming back before it smothers the heuchera.

In the orchard I was very excited to see I have sweet little baby cherries on my ‘Stella’ Cherry tree.

I don’t think that they will eventuate into anything edible this year but it’s a good sign for the years ahead.

Also a green apricot hidden amongst the leaves.

My favourite fruit are the stone fruits….apricots, home grown nectarines and peaches…….yummmmm. Excuse me while I mop up the dribble.

The sweet peas growing by the front door have responded to the sunny days that we have had in recent days and are really starting to look and smell great.

The bush roses are just starting to come out, but the ground cover, hedging and climbing roses are still in bud. In fact they are covered in buds. It will a fantastic year for roses - well it will be for mine anyway. I will take some pictures and show you all - maybe in about a fortnight or so.

Linda    :)

Blown away.

Hellooooo November......goodbye October. Can you believe it - November already! I just have a quick post today. It is always fun browsing around other peoples blogs and seeing lots of great projects by some very clever people. One such blog I came across about a week ago had me speechless - it blew me away. Even Russell was impressed. Check out Jodie's blog -  Vintage Ric Rac . Even if you have seen it before - have another look (I have visited it about 4 times!) Jodie is from Ballarat which isn't far from here - about 1 1/2 hours to the north. One very talented lady indeed. 

Linda   :)