Playing catch up.........Liberty Showcase

Early Feb I headed north to the Liberty Showcase......I had purchased the tickets about 6 months earlier........Due to a few life things I needed to fly up instead of driving.........

Brace yourself this is a long post............

Moreton or North Stradbroke Island..........either way very beautiful from the air.............. 

My uber Susan whisked me away from the airport for a quick catch up.........

First stop was catching up with the Warwick retreat girls.............

Me, De, Sandi, Susan, Lynda and Helen............

planning the next retreat........

Lunch with Michelle and Cheryl..........haven't seen either of them for a long time..........

Then I went back to Susan's for the afternoon and she delivered me to my motel.........

%%%

When at lunch I discovered that Cheryl was also going to the Liberty Showcase so we decided to meet up for breaky prior.........thanks Cheryl.....that was a lovely cafe.....so pretty...........

waiting to go in.........

Thankyou for organising this event Two Green Zebra's.........would definitely do this sort of thing again............

OMG we got goodies bags.........

The book wasn't in the goodie bag but I did purchase it.........

It's by Anna Burma.....Anna was Archive Director at Liberty 1996 -2022

Anna Burma and Mary-Ann Dunkley Head of Design at Liberty gave a wonderful talk about Liberty of London...... Could have sat and listened to them for hours........so interesting.........

A colour burst for dessert.........we got morning tea, then lunch and desserts..........

OMG the food was lovely...........

I got some yardage of this Liberty print to make a top from Minerva's Bower.........

Really liked this quilt from Mel Storey Patchwork......so tempted...........

Style Arc were giving away a free pattern for the Jacket above.............

While I don't have enough fabric I do have some of the print for another project...........

its divine...........

just a display but so nice...........Blue really is my colour..............

This was a work of art...........I have no interest in trying to make it but the details are below and worth a read thru...........made specifically for the exhibition.............

Below are some of the vendors and random shopping that I have forgotten where it all came from..........Lets just say I didn't have any Liberty really prior but I certainly do now...............

Little Moo Designs................

Some patterns............

This kit from Sand Salt Sew ended up going to Fairy Girl for her birthday..........

Sand Salt Sew - Fi - may have done extra damage there............woops...........

 

This quilt kit came home with me.............but I got the pink binding.............

Wendy from The Next Stitch and her helper Helen.............

Brown Lily had some beautiful gifts..........

60 Stitches..........

Fifi's Fabricology............

Fabric Pixie............so tempted here with Alice's Country Diary but then I came to my senses..............

Cute little needle book from Quilters Angel in one of my favourite prints Wiltshire.............

Cheryl and I after we signed in............

I was staying in South Bank right near the Convention Centre........so I enjoyed walking around the area...so pretty......

Who thinks to put a beach in a park..........

The bougainvillea walk was stunning.........and very long......

Dinner with Wendy and Helen..........Spanish place....food was delicious and we had a wonderful waiter that made the night even more fun.............

So nice to wander around the waters edge..........

clearly nothing like this out home.............

Enjoying some of the flowers............

old mate cooling off..........

Finally Sunday morning I wandered some markets and enjoyed brunch with Susan before uber Susan dropped me back to the airport........thanks for organising the girls to catch up.....it was very much appreciated...............

A very quick trip but I really needed to escape the heat and dry here and have a little rejuvenating break......even if it was pretty packed in.........

Catch you later........

Chookyblue........

19 on the 19th........

It truly amazed me that I have been blogging for 19 years..........

Blogger keeps throwing little challenges at us every so often which I think is why people have stopped over the years........

But I am forever grateful for 

- the friendships I have made thru blogging

- the inspiration I have gained from this community

- the support I have received 

- the things I have learnt

- the swaps and stitch a longs

- the encouraging words

- the motivation 

- the squirrels that have taken me off on yet another new project

- the kindness shown 

- the retreats and workshops I've held, found and been invited to because of blogging

- the many meals I've share with bloggers

- the wonderful emails/ conversations with so many different people that have been part of this community

- all the comments I've received on my blog over 19 years which has been a lot

- finally to those who are still blogging it's a special place to be in this instant satisfaction world we live in now

Thankyou!!!!

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

I found it......... No excuses now.....

I found my machine foot and power cord.......

I was looking for something else......

Strange that!!!!!

Really exactly what I pictured in my head......

So I'll be sewing this weekend........

Not sure if Saturday or Sunday at this time (Friday/Sat on the flip side) but keep an eye out....... I'll zoom sometime this weekend.....

It's going to be hot so the usual chasing hoses trying to keep the garden alive......

Catch you later

Chookyblue

Chookshed happenings.......

The weekend before Christmas Fairy Girl was home for the weekend...........Sadly she repossessed her sewing machine that I quite like using and she was searching thru her stuff to find some sewing supplies to take back with her............

insert issue number 1..........

Yes those eggs were found in the corner of her draw tucked under a draw full of fabric........they belong to a gecko I think.........yes one is still in the shed somewhere.........and when one got broken yes it did have a growing reptile inside............

Insert additional issue I just thought of but I assume you need two to tango to make baby gecko's???????????

Then of course if was terribly hot that weekend...........42+ deg C (108) and she wanted a drink of water from the fridge

Issue no 2 she discovered that the bar fridge was not working in the Chookshed.............

Problem solved............new fridge purchased and in place this morning.......Boxing Day sales and a a discount gave me quite a good deal.....I knew they had one in stock and exactly what I wanted that was going to fit in the space..........The old one was given to me by a friend and I am sure I had it for 10 years..............so it owes me nothing.......it was still running just not cold............we've had lots of storms so who knows if something happened in one of them.........

The Chookshed has been a bit lonely of late and neglected.......

Rectifying that now...........

Hoping to zoom soon.............just trying to work out what suits best........

Have to work 1 day and then go out to dinner that same night and that is all I have planned until I go back to work on the 5th Jan.........Relishing the quiet time at home..............

New Years Eve or New Years Day (my time) are looking likely at this stage...........

Sew the year out or sew the year in??????

Anyone have a preference??????

Catch you later........

Chookyblue..........

PS sorry thought this posted last night.......

Merry Christmas......

Merry Christmas everyone...... I'm enjoying Christmas with my grand children this year....

Meeting the newest one also.....

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and I hope to catch up with everyone very soon......

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

Pretty Woman weekend.....

Still alive and kicking.......

Life is busy as usual......

Recently I got to go to Pretty Woman the musical....... Loved it...... Now I need to watch the movie again.......

Some pics from the weekend..... All mixed up.......2 nights wandering the city with my girl friend........ We have been going to shows together for so many years........

Caught up with Betty also as she was in the city doing choir.......

Shopped, ate, wandered the city, enjoyed the Botanic gardens, saw so many beautiful Christmas decorations and lights, drinks in a top floor bar..... 

Walking, taxi, light rail, metro.......

It was a great short escape...... Perfect company..... Perfect weather.....

Hope you are all well......

Chookyblue

The August Escape 2025..............

Lets rewind 12 months cause this one is being posted Aug 2026 (if it shows up in your current feed) and it's about August 2025. But I am trying to catch up on old drafts I have found in my blog......I want them in my blog books that I am going to catch up on............

Lets rewind to the end of August...................I cannot believe it was 3 weekends ago..........September has disappeared with the blink of an eye.............

Here we are set up for The August Escape retreat................enjoying a cuppa........

The forecast was for a cold very chilly weekend........we were not cold at all..........the dining rooms was so snug.............a few of the girls didn't get the air conditioner setting right the first night and were a little chilly but that was all sorted for the next night..............

The tables all set up ready...........

Always a lovely mug in your bag...............

tea and nibbles...........whatever works...........

most of my pics are from food..............

enjoying some scones...............

Mum made us some scones.......

Everyone busy sewing...........

Around the table..........Lynda, Sue, Jenny, Gail, Tracey, Diane.........

Around the table.........Me, Janice, Natasha, Mary, Annette, Miss Jules.........

always some great quilts hanging around the room...............

Maree, Dianne, Miranda, Linda, Brenda (Lianne missing)

I worked on this made up project........Strips that I brought when I went to Coona the day before............Think they are 3.5in strips..........

My progress wasn't huge..........but I enjoyed what I got done.........

Pretty sure this one was Tracey's.........

Another wonderful weekend with friends.............

I loved sewing, cooking and chatting with friends over the weekend.........

These retreats are such a special time and it makes my heart sing seeing everyone mixing, chatting, helping, teaching, encouraging each other........

This is some of my tribe and I am blessed..........

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

Chookyblue........

Oops............jelly roll day..........

The drought of posts is evident......... Sorry...... Time is going by too fast......

I have stuff to tell you just not had time to pull it together.........

Apparently this Saturday 20th September is National Sew a Jelly Roll Quilt Day 2025

So as I need a quiet weekend I thought I'd see if anyone else wants to zoom and sew with me Saturday morning down under / Friday afternoon-evening on the flip side.........

Pretty sure I can dig out a jelly roll from the stash....... Or maybe pull out my jelly roll quilts that need borders.........

I'm thinking 6am-10am AEST 

Really any excuse to sew will work for me.......

This week is pretty hectic with a few things on........ Actually every week seems like that lately....... But mostly it's all been good stuff........ But I have actually said no to a few things...... Shock.......Yes......

I just need more hours in my day then it would work..........I could fit it all in........

The daisies are flowering well in the paddocks...........

Have a great week.......

Hopefully see you all Saturday.........

Catch you later...... 

Chookyblue.......