Stitchery Swap Completed

Finally another project completed .........it will be hard to post this one as I want to keep it for me..........hopefully my swap partner *^#$%#&%#$&* will love it like I do............now the next problem...........when am I going to town next to post it off............

It has been a magnificient day here where I live............very warm for late August.........and with that brings my biggest summer enemy..............snakes...........I saw the first one today........a big brown snake and I want some cool weather to get rid of him for a bit longer..........I need to get into a few more areas of the garden.......

....we are also needing some rain for the crops and grasses..........things are closing up quickly with this warmer weather..............

Finally sunset Monday afternoon over town...........

Today i am teaching a class on internet shopping and blogging.........alas the post......

Comment added that's the library lady standing........I took the picture.........

checking the paddocks

Here are some pics I took when we went around the paddocks to check feed and sheep/cows........as I was snapping away it took alot longer............thought I would share my favourite ones with you.........

The Windmil........playing with black and white.......what do you think..........
At the old woolshed site...............part of some old scales...........1960 beer bottle..........old wheel and cooking pot.........

At a couple of different dams and a water hole......one dam had about 20 baby ducklings.......oh yes that's right we did see some sheep..........it was lovely cloud day for photos....

Finishing up with my favourite........al the daisies which are flowering wildly at the moment.......it makes things look magic.......

It is still green here at the moment but with the days warming up we are at a crucial time for more rain to keep crops alive and pastures growing.............

Bye for now and thanks for giving Gillian (see last post) such a wonderful welcome she has put a reply in for you girls to say thanks also.........

It's all about a lurker - AKA - secret santa

Photo added to post 2-9-07..............I Can't Believe It's a Beginner" just completed and ready to be quilted..........sorry not a very good picture..there is a strip further down the post........

Hi all you Secret Santa's........this post is to introduce you to Gillian my lurker sewing friend who is now officially a secret Santa...........

(start of I Can't Believe It's a Beginner Nundle 2007)

I spoke to her when I started the swap and she was so tempted to start a blog just to be in the swap..........she just is to busy doesn't always have access to the internet so she offered to be my back up swapper if needed..........

.........well I was in a slightly sticky situation and my solution for this was to include Gillian in the swap.....let me tell you she is excited to say the least...........I did email her secret Santa which we cannot reveal and she has no clue about and she was very happy to make for a lurker friend of mine..........

"Remember When" Nundle 2006 (not her usual colours)

some info about Gillian

• her favourite colour is blue


• she loves all things Christmas


• her favourite quilt designer at the moment is Margot Languedoc from Canada - the last two projects she made have been from her patterns including her Nundle Quilt his year


• she is one of the girls I go to Nundle with for my fantastic retreat weekend

Between you and me I love Margot Languedoc also as she is The Pattern Basket and the designer of my Butter Scotch Pie (see previous post)

So please leave a comment for Gillian and welcome her to the swap.....................

Making Pie

The before and after pics of my butter scotch pie.....so far more sewing to do but getting there..............hopefully ready to be mailed to the wonderful Betty on Monday.............

....I have finally got to the sewing machine for myself....

........well that is until I went for a drive around the paddocks this arvo with DH and DS and I will post some pics of that tomorrow.....

.....I have found all kinds of things to take pictures .....

.....heading out to dinner with some family tonight so bye for now and see you all tomorrow...............


I will have a special post tomorrow also about a non bloggy friend who is slotting into the Christmas Swap..............more about that tomorrow...............

Take care till then..............

Friend's quilt needs a name.................

At lunch one day, quite awhile ago, my friend was telling me about a quilt she had made and got quilted but still had to sew the binding on................I told her to get into it..........on Tuesday we talked about her calling out today after she finished work..........she turned up and she brought the quilt along to show me.............


..............she brought along the binding also and I decided to give her a hand to put the binding on................it is a bigger check and she was thinking originally to cut it on the diagonal but that was straining our brains to much to work out if we had enough material so we just cut as normal and I sewed it on (finally I have done some machine sewing this week) and tonight she is going home to start hand sewing the binding down.......


..............then she saw one of my quilt labels and thought it was lovely and asked where did I get it ......I had a spare so gave her one of my great Anni Downs Hatched and Patched quilt labels...........she was so happy.........

(sorry about the blothces on the lens it has left some spots on the pic)

.......now for the problem we need your help to decide on a name for the quilt...........please comment and leave a quilt name suggestion I will pass them onto my friend..........hopefully she is at home with a drink stitching away..........

secret santa swap partners emailed out..........

Merry Christmas you should have now received an email from me with your receiving partners details........you will not know who is sending to you..............and as for Doe (Doreen) she is the naughtiest child who must feel all the presents under the tree.....she is dying for a hint of who is sending to her...............my lips are sealed............
I am not going to give that silly lil doe a hint at all but for one.............your present could come from USA, Australia, Norway, Netherlands, Turkey, England (UK), Wales, Iceland, Belgium, Canada and France................ so have I made it easy for you now Doe.......he he he.....oh and that naughty Janet is giving a hint but I did say that it was an international swap so she is not in trouble yet..............
.........I love christmas..........have fun sewing your projects...................I am just so pleased you are all so excited about being part of the swap........
....oh and if you have received you email from me please make sure you have replied to me so I know you have got it............ta...........

This is a sunset pic I took on the weekend............with a little cloud around we have had some amazing sunsets.................Take care till next time

Girls in Print.........and what is a "chook"

At the newsagents today and found Australian Homespun Stitchery Classics.......not sure when it came out but 2 fabulous secret Santa Christmas swap Janet and Kate........... have projects in the magazine.....
Also top projects from Natalie Ross and Leanne Beasley .........

....nice day out today............beautiful day to be out in a garden and then drinks with friends.........I did get my stitchery finished for the stitchery swap I am in so now to make it into something.........hmmmmm...................

.......and finally just what is a "chook" well most Americans call them chickens.........in Netherlands they are ‘kuikens’ and I call them chooks.......hens (girls), roosters(boys) and chickens are the babies.......but I call the lot chooks or "the girls" and here they are.......

Now about "chookyblue" well very simple I love chooks and I love blue to loves together..............so now back to you where did your blog name come from...............

Here are the flowers that my Mum and Dad sent me for my birthday and where I live it a challenge to receive flowers……….. Thanks to everyone for there wonderful wishes………I had a lovely day and it will finish up with drinks at a friends place tomorrow and she has a birthday this week………Thanks to Tracey for the lovely chook (how appropriate) she sent me and some other goodies……sorry no picture….but I will have to keep an eye on it as fairy girl wants to look after it for me……….
Now for my final blogland August birthday girl please everyone head over and wish Jodie from Quilting in Paradise a wonderful day (19th August) she will get a lovely surprise if she gets some birthday wishes from blogland……….this flower is for your birthday Jodie hope you have a great day..........

Thanks to May K for nominating me for the following award.........

I know lots of people have got this and there are lots of great bloggers out there so it you want consider yourself tagged if you haven't been already.................

SSCS update

For my sanity I will close the swap at 80 people...........you blog girls have been amazing........when I started this I thought if 10-20 people joined that would be fantastic................just need some help..............(I have quite a few names to add to the list on the side)
addition - (SWAP IS NOW FULL..................sorry if you missed out)
...............I need information from a couple of people........Floss in Canada, Ulla, Beelicious USA, Maya Knits, girls please get this to me ASAP..........

NO REPLY BLOGGERS
Also please if you a no reply blogger change it in your profile................it makes it very difficult to contact you...............(for new bloggers) this means that when you leave a comment on someones blog that person can reply to you directly by clicking reply on the email they receive..............if your address is a blogspot you can change this in your profile and then there is a box about the 3rd thing down tick it to show email.........maybe a typepad blogger could leave a comment with the directions to change this in typepad................

Take care til next post...............

Prezzies but not for my birthday.......

Well these 2 ladies did not know when my birthday was but how about the timing............I get to open presents early as technically they are not birthday presents (that's tomorrow 15th)..........Thank you so much Carole USA and Wendy Canada..........so kind of you both..........Carole gave me a charm pack of Moda - Yuletide Blessing and Wendy gave me a magnetic note pad (the last one has been finished up and missing it) and a Bareroots pattern...........love everything girls...................it is so good to make friendships which can span the world..........
Normally I would not get the mail until tonight (if I remember when I came home late) but as fairy girl is home with a sore throat I am home with her............

Swaps and my birthday

This is the needle keeper for Monique in the Netherlands..........
This is the pincushion received from Robin as mentioned in my last post............meet "Sunny".thanks Robin Sunny has already been put to good use........

Thanks Angela from The Country Cellar for organising this swap...............I really enjoyed participating in this one.......

A big thankyou to naughty Tracey for "getting even" at me for telling everyone about her birthday........thanks for the good wishes you are naughty but good.........my birthday is tomorrow 15th......I know there are presents hidden here...........fairy girl wanted to give her present this morning............I did tell her to wait until tomorrow.........

Awards, SSCS, and Pincushion Swap....

From the title you can see that for to much is happening here............

Award............

I would just like to say a big thank you to Norma for nominating me for the nice matters award...........taken from Norma's blog...........

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also, for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

I cannot pick just 7 people as I see lots of wonderful blogs, but I will nominate all of you out there and I know that lots of people have already been nominated so if I usually leave comments (sporadically sometimes) consider yourself nominated.

SSCS..............
Thinking I may have to set a limit for my own sanity..........I have 49 people with another 8 I am waiting to hear more info from. What do you think..........

Does any one know who "Marianne" is and thanks I have found French Knot with your assistance...............blogland is very helpful........
........everyone is so excited about the Christmas swap...........and I have a wonderful international mix.............

Pincushion Swap.................
I received a wonderful chook pincushion from my swap partner Robin in New York..........
Just going to post a pic but can't find the camera so will be back later with that........my chooks name is "Sunny" and the material a a lovely sunflower print and I am to think only good thought when using 'Sunny" and Sunny is bright and cheery..........I also received a few other goodies in my package thanks so much Robin..............this swap has been so much fun.........and a big thank you to Angela for organising it...........



Take care................

Update SSCS

Hi All
I am so excited about the Secret Santa Christmas Swap (SSCS).........it has been up for 3 days and I have over 40 people already..........does anyone know who "french knot" is as she has left a comment and I can't reply or find the blog bad name in a search as any reference to french knot comes up a zillion times.........I have a few girls to add but I am to tired tonight so will put them on tomorrow.........take care........

Secret Santa Christmas Swap

Secret Santa Christmas Swap

After having a fun time in the pincushion exchange and the stitchery swap thanks to Angela and Sweet P I have had an idea to organise a Christmas present swap………….

The rules are simple

- Please tell everyone about the swap and how to join….

- Don’t tell anyone who your swap partner is please This will be a secret swap shhhhhhhhh!!!!!! A different person will be sending to you……….

- You have to be willing to post internationally as I want to swap different countries….hopefully get a partner from another country (depends on how many join)

- Need a blog or flicker site to participate (so your partner can sneak a peak and get ideas of what to make for you)

- You can make what ever you want eg, bag, small wall hanging, softies, stitchery, whatever it is you love to make………send something you would love to receive…..other ideas table runner or cushion...........

- Sign up CLOSED sorry

- Swap partners emailed out early Sept

- Sending deadline is 1st Dec to ensure your partner gets their present before Christmas (remember reason for swap) If you think it will take longer leading up to Christmas post early but not to early

- If you want to join email me (go to my profile) or leave a comment and I will reply to get your snail mail address etc.....I will collect all participants details and email out contacts when organised.

- Any problems or questions make sure you contact me

- I will make a contact list of participants on my blog

- Please don’t sign up if you are not prepared to send........non-senders ?? will be named and shamed

Fav pics for this week at TAFE........

Thought I would share some of my fav pics of the week from tafe with you........will be interesting to see how and if things change from now till the of the course .......

...the weaners (still bellowing after 2 nights...lucky it is winter and the house is shut up otherwise there would be no sleep for me)

(weaners is what we call calves when they are weaned from cows)

river rubbish washed up

Sunset
foot prints in the sand
also wacked in a new header ........what do you think.....

..............take care til next time.........

PS.... sorry the header thing is not working out but will leave this pic for a few days unless it really bugs me.........the following pic in the one I wanted to use but it is just not going to give the effect and is to big......

PSS changed the header again now rock in water

Happy Birthday Tracey!!

Hi all ...........Happy Birthday to Tracey at Oz Country Quilting Mum who is having a birthday on the 7th August..........pop over and wish her all the best as she is just like me and a big kid when it comes to birthday and is very excited..........she is also going on a retreat this week......she is super excited right now...........so go over to her blog if you haven't yet and wish her happy birthday.........

This flower/post is for you Tracey as I have not been into town since I found out when your birthday is to send something in the mail and now it is to late.........I know you will read this post........Hope you have a wonderful day..........and the family come good with the prezzies and you don't have to send hubby to your stash...........

Happy Birthday Fiona

Happy Birthday

To a wonderful friend Fiona at Dragon Fly Crafts....pop over and wish her happy birthday August 5th........

Hope you have a good one.......

PS yes Fiona I stole the pic from your site.....he he....

Patty Cake for the Pincushion Swap

This is the pincushion I have made for my swap partner Robin in New York.....I joined the swap that Angela organised over at the Country Cellar just have to get Monique's needlecase completed............the mail deadline was today but I will just be a day or 2 late.........

Bit fiddly to make and I hope Robin likes it.............she says she has a collection of pincushions about 80, lucky for me she has no patty cakes......what do you think...........
........take care..........

Added......this patty cake can be ordered here (trio of cupcakes down bottom of form) as I got it at the craft fair in a little kit and found there site if anyone is interested......