Dinner anyone????

Sunday evening in Brisbane on the north side(???) somewhere..........email me or Susan or leave a comment here..........details to be worked out............not sure where I am staying just yet.........

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

1200 random thoughts.......

Yep that's how many random thoughts I have shared in posts here with you.........

Below are some pics from the weekend...........a big morning calf marking..........I was reloading the ear tag pliers...........the boys were working very fast and I was kept very busy loading the 2 sets..........

I struggled to get pics as it was very busy and this one was taken of the last pen full...........the best sight of the day...........the job nearly done.............

Thanks to everyone who has visited my blog over the time............especially those who have commented  it's the interaction that makes this whole blog thing so much more fun..........

And if your a lurker there reading it's never to late to start blogging and yes you will find things to say and post about..........obviously I have managed it although doubting very much when I started that anyone would ever read what I have to say...........you have proved that wrong...........

THANKYOU

So in celebrating 1200 posts what would be a memorable random thing/photo I have mentioned on my blog.....something odd I have said or shown............

Catch you later

Chookyblue

Feedly views....

If you use google reader you MUST change now before it dies 1st July

For those who view there blogs on their dashboard then I think you are ok as the feeds there comes from some other feed thingy...........

Just thought I would show you some pics from feedly.......

sorry with no computer things are a challenge - i'm currently borrowing mum's computer but I can't do all your normal things on it.......all my programs and links etc aren't on it....anyway.........

Not the best pics but you get the idea...........Feedly will give you a choice of views of your blog feeds.........

on the left there are a list of the blogs you subscribe too........this is the right side of the screen

See the little icons in the top left of the pic???

This is title only view

This is magazine view........

This is cards view.......

this is the full article.........this is how I view mine..........this makes it look the most like google reader..........

also down in the left hand corner - below your list of blogs you will find the preferences where you can change some other settings............

Really I don't care what you change to but change before the 1st if you use google reader.........

if you don't know what google reader is don't worry...........

a sunny but chilly day..........no wild rainy weather here like along the coast......

Catch you later.....

Chookyblue......

Blog buddies "b" list........

Wow what a great response you had to the first list so I will continue on.............

This list is nearly all Aussies so I will just mention country when they are not in Australia.............

I'll label all the posts "blog buddies" so you can find them and I don't have to keep linking more and more post......

BaiSiNoLil  Khrissy has beena bit quiet of late with extra study but shes a lovely lady who I have coffee and lunches with a couple of times a year.....
Bear's Mum Suze came to visit this year on the way to GDITC........I know she sews and works in heaven (a quilt shop) but she's a bit quiet on the blogging bit........
Bird on the Border my great friend Jenny........she a busy stitcher, she also posts about little trips here and there......I love seeing what she's up too.....she's supposed to be coming to visit soon toooo.......whats the date Jen.....oh and Mr Bird on the Border makes great Chilli Jam......
Bits and Pieces it's funny how different world collide and this is how I discovered Brenda was a stitcher at a craft show......always sewing something I love............
Bizzy Martine Martine is from Belgium and writes in Dutch.....just translate it.....a great place to visit....
Bliss in the Burbs Kayly is a regular at GDITC although she missed 2013.....always love catching up.........
Bloom Ros a gorgeous designer and stitcher....she has had some projects published in mags.....she loves gardens and is often stalking botanical gardens to take pics of projects......love the photos
BOM Quilter Yvette in the USA been following her blog for years.....
Broderie love her pics.....always love to see what she is sewing......
BubzRugz Fiona is a prolific stitcher........always working on something.......she's inspiring me to have a go at machine quilting but it hasn't happened yet...........
Buddy and Me love the fabrics and designs Sue works on.......civil wars/reproductions...
By Hoki Quilts Miche'le is in New Zealand.........she owns a patchwork shop.......

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

Google Reader --->>> Feedly.......

I've been holding out on what I what I was going to change too but with 10 days to go I have made my final decision and it was nailed only just now having read a news announcement about Feedly.........you can read it on the Feedly blog too.....

I looked at blog lovin early on but didn't like the look of it............

So then I found Feedly......Googy Girl and I were using it and chatting about it..........I was pretty happy with the look I changed a few settings and it pretty much looked just like google reader.........

I was a little concerned because if I read posts in google reader it was updating in Feedly too.....I was worried Feedly was based somehow on Google reader and would i have issues once google reader died on 1st July....my concern was confirmed in what I have read this morning.....and here....

Feedly was using Google readers platform in the background BUT problem solved with 19th June announcement FEEDLY has a new cloud and has become it's own platform woohoo......

....so now when google reader goes it won't bother Feedly 

So now I am definitely very happy with Feedly and will be sticking with it to read my blogs.......

NOW it not only works in the google environment it also works on Internet Explorer and iPhones and Androids too plus more but these are the main ones i paid attention to......

If you have no idea what I am talking about i'll attempt to explain.........

When you write a blog post it gets sent out as a RSS feed (in the background of doing a post - you see nothing of this)

Feedly and Blog Lovin are RSS feed readers. Meaning you can have an account with them. You go to one page and subscribe to all the blogs you want to read there and the RSS readers work in the background searching all the blogs you follow and as soon as your favourite blog does a new post it gets pulled into the one spot. So you can just go to Feedly and open one page and all the updates are there from when you visited last time. Saves going to open all your friends blogs only to find they may or may not have written a new post. 

What to do if you haven't used google reader well just go and start a new account in Feedly and you can subscribe to the blogs you want to follow.

For you untechy ones out there NONE of this will affect your blog as it is now. 

Your blog will open as usual.

You do not need to claim your blog anywhere for it to keep going.

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

blog buddies the "A" list..........

One of my blog buddies Thimbleanna in the USA only just discovered one of my long term blog buddies in Iceland Miss Bee............it's funny as we were emailing about a post where Thimbleanna met Miss Bee (in real life)............we all have our own blogs that we visit for various reasons............lots of us have blog lists on our sidebars some don't - it's a personal choice...........Thimbleanna only found Miss Bee online recently........you just think because you know of someone everyone else should know of them  too but that's not the case..........we all move blog in different circles..........

I have always had a list on my sidebar.......and last year I moved it to a tab at the top of my blog............I update it maybe twice a year..........some of the regular blogs I visit may not even be there cause I pick up blogs here and there and forget to add them so i'll apologise now if your not there and I visit you all the time..........it's not because I don't want you there is because I haven't remembered to add you to the sidebar..........

So what I am going to do is introduce you to my sidebar....it might take me awhile.......i'll just got thru my list so I don't miss any.........today you have the "a' blog names........

&&&&

A Cup Full of Stitches - Sam a lovely lady who I've met at GDITC.....
A House in the Country -Liz an Aussie blogger who takes some great pics and does lovely sewing projects........she also works at Millrose patchwork shop and posts on a blog for them too.........Millrose
A passion for applique - Carrie is in the USA and I love seeing what projects she is sewing.........
A Quilt Lady - I think I found Grethe in Norway when I we started the Stitch-a-long blog......we've been sewing together for years now.....she's so sweet.......
A Quilting Life - Sherri doesn't sleep I am sure........she has just released a book too....I just wished her blog RSS feeds would all come thru instead of the first  few lines.........but she's about the only person I follow who doesn't put out the full feed...........a very prolific blogger too.....been following her for years.....
A Sample of Stitches - Margaret my buddy from Spain......we met in a bag swap years ago......she only posts about once a month but she does gorgeous stitchery, sewing and cross stitch and it sure is a post worth seeing.........
Abyquilt - MayBritt........one of the first bloggers i found from Norway.........never ceases to amaze me how much she gets done.......part of the SSCS swap for many years.......
Addicted to Quilts  - an amazing quilter called Desley....one day I hope to get to work magic on a quilt for me....
All Momas Quilt - A Danish blogger I enjoy seeing what Maria is creating......just use the translate button on her sidebar....
All Things Vintage - Teresa another Aussie blogger..........we have meet and we are in an online friendship group too....
Anita's Quilts - Anita writes in Dutch and English......she does many different crafts......we met I think as swap partners........
Anne Marie's Quilt - I enjoy seeing what she is working on.....up in the northern hemisphere - Norway....
Applique and Patch Quilting - a Canadian bloggers.....Rose-Marie makes beautiful quilts..........
As Sweet as Cinnamon - A bit of sewing, designing, this and that is what you'll find on Dawn's blog.......another Aussie....
Aunties quaint quilts - an Aussie blogger Christine loves sewing with soft pretty fabrics........she pretty quiet during the school terms and gets busy during the holidays.........

Let me know if you share any of your blog buddies in a post..........

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

Yippee......

Well I have been waiting for the mailman..............when you only get mail delivered twice a week and it rains and he doesn't even come 3 mail runs your bursting to get to the post office...........

I knew this parcel would be there waiting for me...........

As soon as I saw this I wanted it............

Heather Mulder Peterson aka Anka's Treasures

And you need this ruler to go with the patterns in the book...........

I got it from my gorgeous blog mate Sandy @ Shiralee Stitches...(locally)......

that is the cutest little tag............

She's stocking this book and some of Anka's patterns..........

Can't wait to get into a block or two.............i love the quilt on the front cover..........

I'll let you know if I love or hate the ruler..........

Catch you later

Chookyblue

PS another chilly day even with the sun shining.........the winds must be coming from Antartica...........

Playing with journal covers..........

Another freezing cold day...........it's been a cloudy week all week which is unusual........it only got to about 13deg cel with a chilly wind yesterday which is pretty cold day for me............

I know some of your would think this is a nice warm day and some of your have cloudy days all the time but not in my part of the world...........i've enjoyed it but am looking forward to seeing the sun...........a pretty cool week is coming up..............

Fairy Girl and I both needed some birthday presents.........

this is one i made........playing with some stitches - actually looks like bird tracks.....

....wasn't planned but I really like it..........

It's going to my niece so I hope she likes it.......

Nice to use this fabric which I have had for a few years now.......I was saving a cute project for it and think i have done well with this project.........

and here are 2 together.............Fairy Girl did most of the one on the left but we joined the wrong bits together and had to do some reverse sewing and I got the %*$#&* with it and it got left and we started another on..........i fixed this one up and finished it for her...........the other one Fairy Girl made has gone to a birthday party..........Fairy Girls friend loves the owl fabric she has already given her something made with it before..........

Off to stoke the fire and change the clothes rack around to get some more washing dry.........then some lunch and bookwork..........might even fit in a "nanna nap"

thanks for all your comments about the "windows" versions and thanks to the girls who also emailed me directly.........much appreciated.........I'll be going with Windows 7 as my bookwork will still work on that version and it sounds like the go from all your comments.............

Hope your having a great weekend........stay warm.....

Catch you later

Chookyblue

windows.........

Not the sort in your house..........the one on your computer...........

Need some info if you can help

See my old laptop computer was Windows XP or Vista.......

So if I am getting a new computer it will have to be windows 7 or 8.

I know Windows 8 looks pretty different. Anyone got much to say about either versions.

If your using 8 is it easy to work out yes/no? What do you like/dislike???

I think Windows 7 is more like XP and Vista????

HELP.............

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

a great day and bargains.......

Today I had to take kids on a school excursion...............it was raining when we left............another 12mls of rain today............things are wet now......a muddy drive...slipping here and there (appreciate your sealed roads).......nothing running to fill some of our dams yet but the ground is wet..............yippee...........now to grow..............waiting waiting...........

Anyway back to the subject I got to meet up with a old blog friend while I was there.........we spent hours together which was great since we had not caught up for 2.5yrs.......it was just like yesterday...........

Of course we had to check out the fabric shop.............it was great.........20% off all the quilting fabrics.....a few bits of French General.........and I got 40% off the French General layer cake.....woo hoo........should I tell you she had 2 more there...........email me for details if you want to get one.......the shop isn't online.....yet....

What a great day......4-5hrs hrs in a car with 6 x girls was fun...........loud music/singing, dance competitons (sitting in carseat belts), constant chatter.....I sure wasn't going to fall asleep driving........lol

Catch you later
Chookyblue

soft pretty flannels.........

Much prettier then in this photo........

about 60x70in...........this shaggy quilt is for Little Chicken.......she probably thinks I will never get it done.........

surprise Little Chicken...........it actually got delivered to her today............
i'm just waiting to see what she has to say...........

this is more like the colours................all ready to be snipped...........

the range is "Cute as a Button" by RJ Fabrics.........

Remember I got these scissors (Birch) "Heirloom Rag Scissors" from Cottage on the Hill

It was Mr Chooky's present from GIDTC.........he snipped the whole quilt in no time and no complaints of tennis elbow once he was done................so much easier then normal scissors.............

It's been a long weekend here and after a glorious warm June long weekend (usually wet and freezing) today we have had more rain..........another 13mls which is wonderul and more is forecast this week.........yippee the grass can grow for the sheep and cows.......busy couple of days coming up....... 

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

Death of a laptop.....

Oh bugger.....

Borrowing Fairy Girls new iPad she saved up and brought......I much prefer my laptop.....
Had a nice day out sewing with a new to me group....Kerry was teaching a class so I joined them ( doing my own thing)

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

a foggy drive..............

 While i was off one day we were driving very early......see the inversion line in the fog.....cool hey....we drove just under it.....

The sun trying to shine thru.....

It was very eerie but so cool to see......

The computer is in the Drs.....taking to long so a bit worried about that......hope it is ok......

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

bit of a wrap up..........

The weekend before last I was driving along turned a bend in the road OMG look at the moon I immediately thought of Leanne - The Stitching Room - we often send moon pics to each other........the moon was big and stunning..........the picture doesn't do it justice..........

this was the view behind me.........

With the Googy Girl having a stitching weekend with me I HAD to get my April 9-patch blocks finished.........

The girls made sure I got the May ones done..........Googy Girl must have worded them up to keep an eye on me to make sure I got these done...........

They also helped get binding on The Finisher's quilt...........

Peg and Dale got into the bubbles then  - too much work..................

"The mountain girl" - new to the Chookshed got the borders on this quilt...........

I had such a great time with the Googy Girl........so please she came for the weekend sleepover...........she really boosted my mood.............sewing with friends sure is a special medicine..........if we could bottle it up and sell it we would be very rich............I do hope you come again soon Googy Girl............maybe next time we can work on a quilt together for you

&&&&

onto the weekend just gone.............The Super Fast Finisher was only coming for coffee then she went home and got this fabric kit for a Twirly Bird Quilt.....she used my 60 deg ruler to cut it up.........

didn't take very long at all..........

I am so tempted to make one of these quilts...........

The Fast Finisher was working on her binding...........

 a jelly roll quilt..........and from one of the jelly roll books the pattern Hidden Stars?.............

Another friend is working on this quilt..........love what she has done so far...........

More to show soon.........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

60 degrees of fun.........

wow so where do I start..............firstly last night when i went to bed we had 2mls of rain............this morning  23mls..........and a funny day today with sun one minute and a misty shower the next..........1ml of rain....a lovely day........

I was pretty miserable when I did my last post and with a serious change in the weather during the month and a few small showers - not enough to do much but with this on top will get something growing.........lets hope the next fall is very close............the weather change hadn't brought much rain but atleast the same weather patterns that had been coming thru with NO rain had changed.......and I am loving the cooler weather..........summer seemed to go on for ever...........

thanks for your emails/comments taking my break.......even the lurker in SE Qld who emailed me (hi)........thanks your caring is appreciated.....getting me back here......

%%%

I got a good injection of fun and friendship last weekend and again this weekend so i'm feeling pretty good...............more on last weekend next post...........

But last weekend the Googy Girl and I started this quilt......i've had a 60deg ruler for a little while and wanting to make something...........so last weekend I cut into some Denyse Schmidt Spotlight range

this I think should all be from "Picnic and Fairground"........

as we started to play we were busting to put blocks up onto the design wall.........

pinwheels......

hexagons.....

when Googy Girl left some rows were joined........

today I got the rest of it together.........

ta da........ "60 deg's of fun"

hope you like it Googy Girl and thanks for the fun..........

love these fabrics........

more soon........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

1st birthday celebrations...........

Can't miss posting today..........

My sewing space affectionately called the "Chookshed" is one today..........

I didn't have time to make a cake before the girls came over this morning and I would have made scones but one of the girls was bring some date ones so my next quicky recipe - ANZAC biscuits.......

And a candle to make the "chookshed" smell nice...........

a sanity saving space that I have been able to enjoy with my sewing friends.......thanks for a wonderful day girls.........so pleased you could join me today......of course we popped a bottle of bubbles too to celebrate at lunch time too........

I'll be back again soon I promise........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue
PS the mood has improved but more about that tomorrow..............