Gum Valley Patchwork

Can't I wear that black dress?

With only 5 1/2 weeks until I am a Mother of the Bride, I decided that it was about time I hit the shops to find that perfect outfit. I have to confess a little secret first.......I hate shopping for clothes! I headed to Port Fairy and wandered through quite a few shops but nothing caught my eye. On my way back to Warrnambool, I detoured out to Mailors Flat to the Antique / Demolitions place. Shopping here was not a problem at all as I left with these few things for the Shop......

and this old Singer Sewing Machine for the garden.

Back to checking out more clothing shops.....still no luck. So off to have a look at Provincial....so very easy to buy lovely things in this shop....so I left with more things for the Shop.

Okay so you are getting the picture by now......I don't have a problem shopping for fun things and I even like going to the Supermarket.....and I really love buying plants and garden stuff....

It's just I hate trying on clothes.......so I came home empty handed.......well sort of! So I have another trip planned for next week and I will NOT be coming home until I have my full outfit in my hot little hand......and that includes a new bra....cringe!

Linda    :)

La Belle Fleur

La Belle Fleur is the new range of fabrics by French General for Moda and it has arrived in the shop.

I had to do the usual rearrange to fit this gorgeous fabric in.

I just had to have a play with it and cut up some fat quarter bundles.

Check out the greens.....

and the blues!

Working on a pre-cut table centre kit at the moment and some other fabric packs. It is a lovely range with some of the previous French General fabric ranges blending beautifully with it.

Linda    :)  

Home Sweet Home Block of the Month

At long last I have put together the beautiful kits for the Home Sweet Home Block of the Month Quilt. This gorgeous quilt was designed by Helen Stubbings from Hugs'n'Kisses and I have used her very first fabric range 'Life is Beautiful' in the packs.

A 36 part (10month) Block of the Month quilt uses a simple Gluestick method to make large clamshells with Vintage inspired designs and Feelgood sayings interspersed throughout. 

Fabrics (including borders and binding), Cosmo thread pack, and the Pattern booklet which contains iron on transfers, full colour photos, Stitch guides, Full sized templates , B&W lightbox copies and extensive instructions are included in the cost.

With the initial payment of $60 you will receive the full pattern booklet, thread pack and some fabrics. Blocks 2 - 10 will be charged at $26 per month. Postage charges not included. 

I only have 10  9  8 positions, so please contact me if you want to sign on or you can order here .

Quilt Measures 68" x 68"

Linda   :)

A road trip with a difference

This morning I headed off on a road trip. It was a different type of road trip as I was on a fact finding mission. My destination was this place........

There wouldn't be many of my blog followers that don't know about my 'Dear Prudence' quilt and how the original quilt was made by Prudence Jeffery in 1857. I am in the process of compiling a pattern book for the quilt......but it will be more than just a pattern for a quilt. I really want to make it a book that people will enjoy reading......a book that also has information about Prudence and her family. It hasn't been an easy task. The more answers I find the more questions are asked! So many discrepancies with dates and places. So I went to the Old Ballaarat Cemetery today to find the grave of 2 of her children who has passed away in infancy in 1861.

The location of the grave was in Area D.

But so many of the graves were unmarked.

Others left a legacy of heart break of many young lives cut so very short.

Unbelievable loss.

Families often used names more than once for their children......like John (above) and Benjamin (below)

Other graves showed signs of aging and abandonment......no longer cared for by family members...

and others just caught my eye for unknown reasons.......

So many untold stories....but I did find something that I was looking for....but I will keep the details for the book.....sorry!

I did come away with an idea what might go on Russell's headstone when the day arrives

.....Squire White has a nice ring to it!

Linda    :)    

A handful and the rest

How hard could it be? I have had 2 children.......she's just one little 'girl'.

Elsie......get out of that tree!

Elsie.....don't pick the apples. Because they aren't ripe yet!

Elsie.....let that frog go!

Elsie.....just sit down and have a rest....please!

Elsie......what are you doing now!?

There are no bird nests in the bush!

She certainly is a handful Jodie......but she is wonderful!

Linda   :)

What do you think Emma?

I know that it was only one week ago that I was wishing Hannah a happy 22nd birthday, but today it is Emma's turn to celebrate her birthday. She turns 25.......actually at 2.03am to be precise! Here are a few number stats in our family. Emma and I share the 18th as our birth dates and Russell and Hannah share the 11th.......not very good when picking tattslotto numbers! Our wedding anniversary is on the 9th March which will be the same date that Emma & Ryan get married on this year. And how about this one.....my Grandmother was 50 when she first became a grandmother, my Mum was 50 when she first became a grandmother, and I am 50 ........ but I don't think that this tradition will continue.....lol......???

Linda   :)

Aphrodite Table Runner

I have had the 'Aphrodite' range of fabrics in the shop for a couple of months and have been waiting for a chance to make something out of the printed panel. Last weekend I made up this table runner.

It was fun to make and came together quickly.

It measures 39cm x 114cm and the kit comes complete with the fabric, binding, backing and of course the pattern. I have a limited number of kits available for $35 each, so you can either buy one from the shop or order online here

Linda    :)

Bienvenido a casa Hannah

It hardly seems like any time since I was standing at the airport waving Hannah goodbye on her 7 1/2 week adventure to Chile, Costa Rica and Peru. This morning I was back at Tullamarine holding this sign waiting for her plane to land.

It was great to see her again and especially as it is her birthday today too. Emma & Ryan arrived in time to present her with a special birthday muffin complete with candle.

The trip home went so quick........lots of talking! It was incredible how much Hannah has crammed into the last 7 1/2 weeks. Three things I did learn though......she got bitten by bugs on her legs, she ate a big bug (it was cooked though), and she has caught the travel bug......she is already planning her next trip.

Welcome Home and Happy Birthday Hannah xx

Linda  :)  

 

Raffle Quilt

I am very lucky to have the Camperdown Clocktower Quilters beautiful raffle quilt on display in the Shop at the moment.

It is made using the gorgeous new range of fabrics by the 3 Sisters called 'Double Chocolat'. Tickets are $2 each so why not grab one next time you are in........you never know your luck.......look who won their raffle quilt 10 years ago!

And guess what Russell said when I excitedly told him that I had won? ...... "Just what we need, another bloody quilt" !

Linda    :)

 

Forget Darth Vader

My "To Do" list seems to be getting longer and longer, and I don't ever think I will be able to say that I have nothing to do! Well today one of those things was scratched off the list. Late last year we saw the 'Invasion' Exhibition at the Warrnambool Art Gallery advertised

We are both SciFi fans.......not in a complete nerdy way........love Star Trek & Stargate (all versions), Dr Who (all Doctors), Star Wars (not the latest 3 though....the originals were the best), Red Dwarf (well we did name our dog after Dave Lister!) and the list goes on. We had to go to Warrnambool today to do some farming and other jobs so we took the chance and went and saw the exhibition. In the foyer was this Dalek, who used to frighten the wits out of many a kid back in the early Dr Who days.....and probably still do today!

This actually brings back memories of when Russell and I went to England back in 2000. We were driving around in Wales and came across these small signs with just a Dalek and an arrow on them. We decided to follow them and it led us to the Dr Who Museum with all of the costumes from nearly every episode.......I must say I used to be terrified of the Cybermen when I was a kid but seeing their costumes of cricket pads & gloves somehow dulled that fear! Anyway this is a photo (of a photo) of the last time I got up close and personal with a Dalek....

(Sorry about the quality.......and the photo!)

You could even sit inside it! But I digress........The exhibition had Iron Man, Kryton, Robots, Seven of Nine, Storm Trooper, Alien, Predator, Terminator's head, and much more. The sign at the door said no photos......which didn't stop nearly every kid lining up for a quick snap next to Darth Vader! But who wants Darth Vader when Locutus was there.......a sneaky snap of The Borg.......Resistance is Futile......I just had to take it!

It was a great exhibition for lovers of SciFi......but a word of warning......I swear I saw the Alien move!

Oh and by the way, you might not see me for a while because I have an appointment with the Doctor.......unless we see those 'scare the shite out of me' Weeping Angels and then I will be back in the Shop by Thursday!

Linda    :)

PS. I have just decided what I want for my 50th birthday.....a Tardis......a guy in Melbourne makes them!