Last Day Skirt

People may think just because it is the end of October, when a certain (weird and really unnecessarily commercial IMHO) occasion that I show my mug on my blog.

Yes - it is true - I am showing you a scary thing, no, its not my pair of lily white legs, but one more skirt I have just made!!!  In one day!!!

Simplicity 2226

Michael Miller fabric - giraffes with the cutest expressions

Pleats, no gathering - ooh ahh

Smaller size than my last one

I got the zip in really well...STILL don't know how I did it...it just happens

Yes, it is too young for me, but so what...I'm living a little.

As much fun as Blogtober is and reading everyones contributions, I am glad it is over.

This ol' Slow Blogger can re-emerge.....slowly ;)

ps - I just counted up my October posts - 13!  Unlucky for some???  That's okay - I did my best - this month has been a hard one personally, so I will try and beat my record next year!

DUDQS3

I received a most wonderful package today and had to tell you about it!

Belinda of  Flickr name:  Beeware70 and Tuffin Tales

has come up trumps with a most wonderful doll quilt for moi!

AMHs Feather pattern made with fantastic colours and prints, on a Seeds Catalogue fabric, handquilted in golden perle

Boy oh Boy oh Boy

This is going straight to the pool room folks!

Some really lovely extras which were not expected but very well received:

A great book, perfect for my new teen - more on that later, and some very rare out of print, cannot find anywhere kind of stuff - Bohemian by AMH

A better close up shot of the beautiful fabric and quilting

Thank you Belinda

You did good!

When it is in the 'pool room' I will show you more, just cos I want to.

My 13 year old!

My 13 year old!, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

My baby has turned 13 - she is growing up to be a gorgeous young lady 

She makes us laugh with witty one-liners 

She frustrates us with Always finding something else to do,other than unpack the dishwasher 

Her love of Dr Who is outstanding and if you get her started on the the intricate plots of the show, you'll be mesmerised

She is a fantastic gift giver and puts a lot of thought and love into her present giving...and her party throwing - she will plan parties months ahead of time. 

She is super smart and not a bad little violin player, when she practices.

She loves to practice her tap dances on our bare wood floors and is a natural at it.

She is loving and kind and a beautiful girl. What more could we want??

(Black Forest Choc Ripple Cake - oh so good!)

Cake cave

, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Why does this happen when party guests are coming over? I have chopped the lid off and reduced the sides. So Now it is a flat disc of choc fudgey cake. Won't stop it going down the cake hole though

Better!

Better!, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

aaaahhhh - so much better - now just a hell of a lot of cleaning to do - v.v.v.v.v. dirty!

Don't let the bathwater overflow upstairs, otherwise you will end up doing A Lot of Dirt Cleaning, after the ceiling is torn down!

My kitchen

, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

Anyone want to come over for a cup of tea and a sandwich? It is a good excuse for going out for lunch.....and maybe dinner?

Some Thai shots

Trying hard to keep up with Blogtoberfest; not getting there each day, but I guess the spirit of it is to just to some blogging as much as is poss, so that's what's happening in this part of the woods....:)

Some random photos from trip to Bangkok:

A wonderfully retro foyer of a Thai movie cinema - the cinema was enormous, with rocker chairs - make sure you stand up for the King when his special film is shown every time!

Just some pictures of the Wet Markets - the first one is either frogs or bugs, you choose!

 Pink eggs are specially picked - I ate part of one - very very eggy strong - little bit shuddering.

Thai temple decoration

Wet tourist after deluge

Reclining Buddha

Just one of the quirky and kinda endearing statues

Spunky man sipping the local beer

Blogtober Fest is a fantastic way of meeting new bloggy folks and I have met:

The Simple Mummy 

A fantastic blog dedicated to the joy of providing a simply wonderful life for herself and family.

She has passed on some questions for me to answer:

1. Do you look at the glass as half empty or half full?

If I'm honest, I would answer half empty, cos that's more my nature, but I try hard to counteract that with reminders of how wonderfully full my life is :)

2. What's one thing you want to accomplish before the year is over with?

My new quilting frame - I want a quilt finished on it before the year is gone!

3. All time favourite movie?

ooh don't know about this one....I love funny, romantic, quirky ones the best - Perfect Catch and 50 First Dates are classics to me.

4.  Most disliked chore?

there are so many hehe...vacumming stairs!

5. What's the first thing you think of when you wake up? 

Well, its a toss up between "oh my aching back" and "cup o'tea"

6. Favourite "you" time activity?

Blog surfing, old movie watching while I sew

7. Walk or drive?

Unfortuately drive - pretty lazy I'm afraid. 

8. What do you love about blogging?

Connecting with people who feel the same way about this hobby..other than immediate family, most others don't give a fig

9.  If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

To zap peoples' hearts into kinder, more generous organs.

10. How would your best friend describe you in one word?

Maybe... quietly complicated - sorry that's two!

11. What are you going to blog about next?

Maybe a Thai photo or two?

Cartwheeling all over the place

IMG_7617, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

For my Down Under Doll Quilt Swap 3 partner ....always difficult to choose the right thing...inspiration is either overloaded, or nothing at all...

BUT as soon as I saw this post, it had me!

http://freshlypieced.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/doing-cartwheels-free-block-pattern-for.html

Thank you Lee!

BUT it was foundation paperpiecing! Oh my, did I put my self in a pickle! I took on the challenge, cos that's what it should be (I think), bought some Carol Doak foundation paper and after 3 tries, unpicking and just a little bit of choice words, I got the hang of it!

Just not entirely sure it is for me....
BUT...I like this result - hubbie does too and always tells me to keep my swap thingy...I won't - the pressure to make something else is too hard on the ol ticker.

22" by 22" using Robert Kaufman Chambray for the background and a mix of some of my faves.

I wanted the quilting to give it more movement - cartwheeling is such fun!

Backing and binding is Pop Garden - does anyone else forget (like me) how to put on the binding, espesh the end bit, cos it has been eons since the last quilt made and bound, and it stuffs up again and again...

BUT all good now.

Goodbye my colourful sweet swirling thing, you.  I think I will miss you.

Just a cartwheeling corner

Just a cartwheeling corner, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

More to be revealed...

Symphonic

This is what the three of us got up to last night! 

 DD2 had a surprise concert booked for her 13th birthday - 

yes, just for her the Hamer Hall was packed to the rooftop!

Well, also to listen to the exceptional MSO (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) play the score of ...

Not the best photo of hubbie (sorry darl) but the best one taken of DD2 (and what the? with the mouth open guy)  The newly refurbished Hamer Hall is wonderful (seats maybe a little firm?) but in the most delicious papaya orange colour!  Loved to pieces watching the orchestra play the fantastic score live and in the flesh!

No. 290

Joining in with Blogtoberfest - feeling left out and really, I have no excuses anymore!  Uni has finished for the year - huge weight off shoulders (til I get my last assignment result back) and now I don't feel guilty if I do anything else other than read copious um..boring... journal articles!

I am No. 290!  Join in too, not cos you have to, but cos it's a lovely challenge to do!  You may not get reams from me each day, though I do have a little bit of catch up, so you may get some random photos pop up, some book reviews, some sneak peak sewing stuff, who knows???

I Saw You Dancing is the lovely hostess this year! 

Have not touched up the colour in this photo - a Koh Samet special - flower heaven!

Scent of spring

Scent of spring, a photo by Whippet Good on Flickr.

If only you could smell this....how I love Jasmine