Gum Valley Patchwork

It's Show time.........

…….well at least it was yesterday but I spent most of the week preparing for it. My house looks like a bomb has gone off in it, we haven’t eaten a decent meal in days and I can’t see the floor for the pile of washing! But after all of the late nights (actually early mornings 1am’s), long long days, and hard work, Show day finally arrived. To open up the Homecraft Pavilion and see all of the lovely flowers, produce, cookery and handcrafts on display, and watch the joy on everyone's face as they look at the exhibits, somehow made the pain and tiredness just disappear. The highlight of my day was to see Katherine - a young lady of 14 – win her first 1^st prize for her Chocolate Cake. She travels from Melbourne (she has a relative who lives locally) and this year was the fourth time she entered the class. I remember her first effort – not at all successful, but she has improved over the years. Her mother informed me that every time something ‘happens’ at school she bakes a chocolate cake for it. Ahhhh chocolate cake…..the only way to celebrate!

It’s almost March……..in about 5 hours……..and that means a new Pattern of the Month. I’ll be back tomorrow with more details.

Linda  :)

The 'Lady' has arrived.

The weather today is nice and cool……perfect gardening weather and I have plenty of that to do! But today will be spent working on what Russell and I started yesterday - trenching some drainage lines thru the lawn at the Shop…….......oh my poor lawn, it went from glorious to ghastly in 1 hour! I'm sure it will be worth it in the end (keep telling yourself that Linda and you might just believe it!) - it will mean a drier lawn in the winter so I can keep the grass cut. Today’s job will be to lay the drainage pipe in the trenches without knocking the dirt in with it. I can feel that there will some swearing in the air.

Great news too………… ‘Verna’ has arrived…….yay! It is still sitting in the boxes ready for unpacking ......... but as there is a dirty great big trench across the track into the shop, I will have to wait until tomorrow to unpack it all. Actually I did open one of the boxes just to make sure there was something in it………and it’s delicious!

Linda   :)

Class list & newsletter

It has taken me a little longer than I’d planned to get all my latest class list and newsletter posted. It all revolved around new lap top, new programs, old computer, transferring info across and the internet connection dropping out every 5 minutes……arrrghhh……gee computers are great when they work but are sooooo frustrating when things go haywire. I still have a couple of things to add to the class list photo album……so fingers crossed I will do this post first and then give it a go.

Everyone on my mail out list will receive their hard copy today (or tomorrow if the postman has to peddle a bit further than local delivery)………I hope you enjoy your read and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions…..or if you would like to book in for a class/es.

Linda   :)

Tail chasing

It’s been one of those weeks and I know that next week won’t be any better. Jodie has invented a great word for it …….…. ‘hamstered’ …….…. "that feeling where you are running as fast as you can but going nowhere......". I have been working feverishly on trying to get the newsletter finished……….almost there and it will be mailed out today (and posted on the blog tonight / tomorrow)……….as well as getting organised for the upcoming Heytesbury Agricultural Show on Saturday 27^th February at Simpson. I’m ‘in-charge’ of the Homecraft Pavilion exhibits which includes handcrafts, cookery, produce, flowers, photography and much more. It’s a busy time of the year but very rewarding when Show day comes around and the pavilion is full of wonderful exhibits.

Off to hamster some more……

Linda    :)

Pattern of the Month - February

Yes I know I know I’m very late in posting about February’s Pattern of the Month. I can’t believe that we are almost half way through the month already………so to make it up to everyone for my tardiness here’s the deal…………Save 30% off the price of the ‘Windmills and Roses’ Table Runners pattern or kit for the whole of February.

This beautiful pattern from Lenora Jenkins Designs will now cost just $15.00 $10.50, with the kit only $68.50 $47.90…….you simply can’t lose!

Linda  :)

Fabric specials

We have finally got some of the rain that was predicted to come our way…….26mm so far and thankfully we didn’t get any of the hail and storms they forecast…….just good steady rain. The air smells fresh, it has settled the dust, the lawn looks greener already, and the sanils are on the move!

I have been sorting and re-arranging the shop a little bit (yes again!) to make room for the two new ranges of fabric due in this month……… ‘Garden Party’ by Blackbird Designs and ‘Verna’ by Kate Spain. I can’t wait for ‘Verna’ to arrive as I have made a couple of projects from a charm pack and I love it……….have also seen a jelly roll project that Julie has been working on and it looks fabulous. With the re-arranging I have decided to reduce a few more bolts of fabrics. I have topped up the $8 / m basket and I have reduced all of the ‘Sanctuary’ by 3 Sisters and the ‘Posh’ by Chez Moi to just $12 / m. They would make absolutely great backing fabrics at that price…….or even borders / bindings.

Back soon with February's Pattern of the Month........yes I know I'm late!

Linda    :) 

PS. Thanks for everyone's emails and comments about Emma's car accident.......found out the day after that the Insurance company decided to write the car off........much more damage than we thought - the back seat was also pushed forward. So it's off to look at new cars!

Yes Emma you did beat Hannah!

Another one of those phone calls that every parent dreads………..the car accident………Emma is fine…..just very shaken up and a few bruises and sore spots but the car looks very much worse for wear. It wasn’t her fault……….there was a bank up of three cars stationery on Plenty Rd in Bundoora and a fourth car came along and ran into the back of the third one. Poor Emma was second in line and got sandwiched.

Her three year old Nissan Tida sedan now looks more like a hatch (the boot is only 40cm deep now!) and we are not sure whether it will be written off……...just waiting on the insurance assessment.

 
Luckily all four cars were insured but the guy who ran into them all admitted liability.

She was on her way home from RMIT where she has just started her Honours. Her project is: The effect of the shark bile sterol 5b-scymnol after ethanol ingestion in a rodent model. And if you don’t understand what the heck that means here is Emma’s explanation "basically means we are trying to find out if this product protects against alcohol induced liver damage, and if so, how it works". And finally it’s my turn to brag a bit more…….Emma has taken out top fourth year student and also top Graduate student in her Laboratory Medicine course.

Linda   :)

PS. The title of this post refers to whether Emma's prang beat Hannah's last year!

Get your diary out now!

On the way back up to the shop tonight this little fellow caught my eye.

He was out and about looking for a tasty meal of ants. Unfortunately I only got a back end shot and when I tried to move around to take a better photo he quickly clambered down the bank and away from the camera.

Just thought I’d take the opportunity to let you know about the upcoming Colac Quilters Biennial Exhibition which is being held in March. It truly is a magnificent display of the sewing talents of the ladies from the Colac Quilters. So mark the details down in your diary now so you don’t kick yourself later when you realise you’ve missed it!

Linda   :)

Christmas fabric!!!!!

It hardly seems that long ago that we were finishing off the Christmas leftovers, taking down the tree and packing away the decorations for another year………..and actually it wasn’t. But a couple of weeks ago I received my latest Moda catalogue previewing all of the new Christmas ranges due for delivery in May and June. So to guarantee delivery I placed my order with the charming Rhys as he wasn’t due to visit me until after the cut off date. On my order were about 20 bolts from Sandy Gervais’ range called ‘Adoring’. The colours tone in with her chrissy range from last year – ‘Crazy Eight’ - and the panel is a nativity scene this time around. I have also ordered a few bits and pieces from other ranges and with the weeks flying by, it will be May before we know it and they be sitting on my doorstep.

I hope that everyone is getting some of this lovely rain at the moment. We tipped out 25mm at about 6pm tonight and it is still raining……..fantastic for the garden and the turnip crops for the cows.

Linda   :)

Randomness

"If I’m not home in time to milk the cows go in number 4 tonight"…………..Russell was off trenching yesterday and I knew that it would be my job to get the cows at 4pm. It was hot and I decided to take the camera with me on the bike……..just in case I saw something interesting like a snake! Luckily there were no snakes around….probably too hot for them so I decided to take some random photos instead. Here goes………

One of the gum trees near the dam is in full bloom at the moment

 
How on earth can you milk cows with finger nails like those…….actually I bent and tore one below the finger line yesterday……..not gardening or milking but sorting out washing!!! I knew housework was dangerous for your health……..

 
Just relaxing on the bike under the shade of a tree waiting for the cows

 
Trees thinned for firewood, just the trimmings left

 
The country has certainly dried out over the last couple of weeks……we really are in Summer

 
Another rest under the trees (for cows and me) before the last leg of the journey home

 
Locked in the yard at last

 
I just had to change out of those hot rubber boots and into some more comfortable milking footwear…….yes I milk in thongs in the really hot weather……it all just washes off!

The best sight of the day…….an empty yard

Linda   :)