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!

WIPs - this is your year babies!

A cool splash is needed for this hot beginning to 2012 here in Melbourne.

A new look always inspires me to do a little dabbling with the ol' bloggo.

I didn't get terribly far hehehe!

I also haven't got very far with my Medallion Quilt borders

I'm still on No. 3 - Applique.

Need twice as many hexies as I had made.....

though my first 'proper' bit of sewing done for maybe 2 months - striped border and white border left me with an aching back and hamstrings, but boy did I enjoy the hum of my machine...sigh... (sorry...I say proper sewing, as if handsewing the hexies together is not....you choose!)

WIP's for 2012 - no resolutions to be made here EXCEPT sew WIPs and sew from stash!

Thats all I'm saying, peeps, no more!

2011 - Year of the Unfinished:

A little fixing of some bad looking quilting and a binding and then + and x quilt is done!

My Liberty stamps - slowly but surely

I have had this collection of DS's Country Fair for sooooo long - they are destined to become a picnic rug and I pull them out everynow and then, but, then they go back in their little hidy hole and get forgotten

This lives on my stair railing unquilted and unfinished - 2012 is your year buddy!!!

DITTO!

This needs so much doing to it - it's not funny - bad joins, batting, backing, borders?

A Don't Look Now/Sewjourn Retreat project - looking pretty....but that's about it.

Wow - this one really does live under my table, hidden away from prying eyes, but no more it cries!

Please fix up the frightfully awful hand-quilting job done on me and get me sorted!!!

Just another piccie of my (once) baby - just a little tweak here and there is needed...

A newbie on the scene - Basket Case pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew - with my British Blues - gotta get you a photo of them - they really are stunning!

My photos Always have a loose thread!

Just a few pictures that I like - thought I would share.

Those little cockatiels are adorable and a childhood dream on a lid

Study is killing my sewing time at the moment - my back accident put me nearly a month behind schedule and I am a-slaving away to catch up...2 assignments done (but only with an extension and a pretty serious semi-melt down) and 2 to go....silent prayer that words get typed on page....

my eyes are hurting

Chinese takeaway is calling

my tummy is rumbling

Mending

Im on the mend which is the only sew-y pun I can muster today. Sunday was my best day in 2weeks. I was able to leave the house to go to dear friends baby celebration lunch. I got dressed into real clothes for first time .... Ahhh a bra! And walked (like a zombie I'm sure) with lanky hair (why does it do that?) and some make up and the best smile I could muster! I couldn't hold the baby. Really for her sake more than mine and I was a conversation stopper when I snail walked to a chair and lowered myself gingerly down. " I'm down!" I announced and the room cheered!

I've just asked for some serious extensions on my first 2 assignments. Did I mention I'm a Uni student now. After years of saying never again I am doing a Master of Info Studies through CSU online. Feeling rather teary about it today just realizing how far behind I am but...I can do it and I will do it! I have a wonderful reward late Jan next year ( special hubbie and wife trip to NZs marlbough wine region YUM. Which is a great incentive to stop the fabric p*** as my husband so eloquently puts it. And get down to stretching some brain cells.

So, life at the moment is looking up. A little down then up again. I've the most wonderful neighbours giving us cooked dinners which was a life saver last night.

I have so many things I want to do for my blog:

need to post photos of retreat at Hepburn Springs back in early Nov I gave a promise to share and it will happen!
Photos of DD1s 14 birthday
Sewing of hexagons on my AMH quilt
Making of hexagons to be appliquéd for last round of Medallion quilt along
Photos of DD1s fabulous bag and hat made at school and her fantastic ticker tape cushions she designed without even knowing what the process was
Progress of my +andx quilt. Whole nother story

I'm sure there's more but the big pain in the a*** is that I have to type all this and more using one finger on the iPad Driving me nutso!
So nutso that's it!
Please stay tuned. Some kind of re-admission into the blogosphere will happen!

What I did just forget to say is Thankyou to all my bloggy friends who have been sending me kind wishes and thoughts. If I haven't got back to you personally please don't be offended its prob cos I'm sick to death of typing with one bloody finger! Even just a few caring words can make an ill persons day and sometimes we need a few and sometimes we need a lot but they're all good Much hugs to you all

Snuggly wuggly

Is definitely how I would describe the deliciousness of a AMH Flannel quilt, made for a girlfriend's first baby (arriving soon!)

I can't believe how bad the photos are (I secretly hate it when people apologise for their photo quality or dirty windows etc - so a little bit of self-loathing happening here)

I think some kind of new camera is instore

(I always blame my tools hehe!)

After good advice from blogland especially Claire of Matching Pegs, I made the pattern super easy and with larger than normal seams, due to the 'interesting-ness' of sewing with flannel.  It really did come together like a breeze, not so much lint everywhere as others had stated (or maybe there is so much lint already surrounding me and my machine, that I didn't notice another layer?)

Love a good quilt with legs

Some cakes for the baby shower - made from this recipe - Everyone Loved Them!  aw shucks

They were yum - but not for weak of heart arteries.

and my quilt was really loved too - I was well thanked - which is a much needed boost to my sewing ego, when others don't say thank you AT ALL for gifts (made and bought)..sad face...

My new hand-project - can't believe I'm actually saying that but.....got a bundle of Garden Party AMH recently  and love it - waiting patiently for its pattern to emerge (as they do sometimes).

Bought a 2" hexagon template from Mill Rose Cottage - so so pretty shop - taking the fam back there under the pretence of the apparently wonderful cafe next door and the super cute little town of Ballan.  Why in Ballan?  Cos it was just down the road from Hepburn Springs and a most wonderful place called Craft Retreat!  Couple of weekends ago, I had the privilege of staying there over 2 nights with a lovely bunch of girls from Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild.  It. was. so. good.  (more to come) 

Kindov addictive!!

Off to SAY tonight (Sew and Yarn)