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

Spring Sewing Retreat Day

Why don’t you join the Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild at our Spring Sewing Retreat…right here at home!!

“Super Saturday Sewing Retreat”

When : Saturday 13th October 2012 from 9.00am to 10.00pm

Where : GJ’s Discount Fabrics, 443 Lygon Street, Brunswick East 3057, phone 9380 2989

Cost : $49 for the day, which includes pizzas and salads for dinner, snacks and drinks, door prizes and giveaways by the hour, a special 20% discount at GJ’s for the day (not valid in conjuction with loyalty card), AND a fabulous guest speaker ….

Rita Hodge from Red Pepper Quilts! 

To secure your place for this event, you will need to register via Eventbrite on the website and 

prepay in full directly to GJ’s by no later than 30 September 2012.

We will need a minimum of 20 attendees registered and paid in full by this date for this event to go ahead, so please don’t delay in registering for this very special day. You can do this by dropping in to the store personally, sending a cheque or money order, or paying by credit card over the phone.

Please note the following fine print...we are unable to offer half-day rates or discounts and refunds will only be offered if the event is cancelled. If you have registered and paid and are unable to attend you may send a substitute as long as they are a MMQG member.

We will be ordering pizza suitable for vegetarian members for dinner, however we suggest that those who have other dietary requirements bring their own food, to be completely safe.

All attendees are asked to bring suitable lunch items to share, such as sandwiches, mini-quiches and salads. You will be contacted about this closer to the date, so we ensure a spread of dishes for our feast!

We will need a few helpers to coordinate lunch dishes, purchase drinks and snacks and help run the activities of the day, such as games and brain teasers

Please email your willingness to help for this event Now to admin@melbournemodernquiltguild.com

It is going to be a fabulous day-into-night event and a great opportunity for some truly serious sewing!!

I did say snail's pace

Okay - after my last post about how it is okay to be a slow blogger - I did kinda get the guilts cos it was back in July when I last said hello, and really, you shouldn't treat your friends like that....so....

this is what I have been doing....

Hubbie and I had a very indulgent trip away to amazing Thailand (more wonderful shots to come)

but I wanted to show you my travel project.....

 there was a hex on the beach 'grin'

I took my travel sewing pack away with me - it was the perfect thing!  

Thanks again v.v. much Jules!

Hexys on the poolside table

Cut to home - DD2 was making her Ood Doll for school while hexys lay on my lap...

The first layout of my 

City Highlights 

Quilt

Did you like the white sand shot?

Be prepared for more!

snail's pace

I'm proud and just a little crunchy underfoot!  I'm a slow blogger and am happy to adhere to the manifesto of all slow bloggers around the world......

(Pretty much lifted from Knotted Cotton's page - thank you KC for making me feel okay!)

"Slow Bloggers salute those amazingly productive bloggers who can show a big mosaic of makes at the end of each month - we are among your most admiring and avid readers.  Slow Bloggers generally worry that they are not so good at juggling the requirements of life, households, jobs and crafting.  
The Membership declares:
There are no conditions for membership - if you're a slow blogger, you probably know it.
A Slow Blogger may get on a roll and be very productive, but may equally well disappear into the summer holidays and appear sporadically, if at all. 
The aim of the Slow Blog movement is to take the pressure off by reminding ourselves who we blog for - us! - and encouraging ourselves that we will still have some readers even if we don't blog for more than a few days.  We will blog what we do, but will not do so that we can blog.
With membership you are declaring your intention not to sweat about the blogging when other things take over, or to feel apologetic if you have only made one thing in a month.   
Membership can be temporary!  You can drop in and out. 
Slow Bloggers do not have to Follow other members but will support those Slow Bloggers they do follow in their attempts to be productive in the face of the many obstacles that life throws up.
A Slow Blogger is identified by the snail button - no trouser-legs at half-mast or special handshakes!
Members of the Slow Blog Movement can if they wish share their activities and achievements (or excuses) in a Linky party at the end of each month. Hosting will be rotated - details tbc. A member may have had a productive month, or simply been smelling the flowers.  Having nothing to show is less important than having something to say! 
Nothing in the above is to be taken entirely seriously."