I Spy for No 2 Grandson

Hi everyone,

Something different today.  When our first grandson was born, our daughter-in-law‘s mother wanted to make his baby quilt.  I had just resumed working again.  My comment was, he will obtain many quilts over the years, we don’t need to fight over the first.  

However I did want to make a quilt for him so I made an I Spy quilt that he could use at our place. In those days our second bedroom had our son’s queen size bed in it. So now we also use that I Spy quilt on our bed. 

That bedroom has change and currently holds two single beds. So this one is a single bed quilt.

I started this one a year or two earlier. Grandson No 2 was a little younger and he loved Thomas The Tank, Paw Patrol, Cars, only to name a few. In two or three years his taste has changed.  So I don’t think this quilt is revered has much as previous quilts are.  He has one made with dinosaurs all over it, at home, oh well I cant get it right every time. 

I am confined to the house at moment.  I love his quilt and using it daily.  It has a polar fleece back so very warm on a cold day.

I hope you like something different today.

Blessings

Let It Ride

Hi everyone,

Who likes riding a horse.  When I was a young girl living in a country town north of Adelaide I spent some time riding horse.  It is such a freeing exercise. I loved it.

 

As our two children grew up they also like to ride.  Quite often during busy times at school they would ask to be taking out to their preferred stable.  I love that they also found the same sense of freedom while riding on the back of a horse.

Well during a previous school holidays our family went to Port Ferry for a week. Our son suggested a ride.   Our daughter jumped at the chance to go with.  Our daughter-in-law and son-in-law were left with the kids and off they went.  They didn’t ask me though.  I’m not sure it would have been a good idea if I went, but that did not stop me wishing that they had asked me.

A couple of days later our son surprised his two older boys with a horse ride.  The amount of joy that I felt when I heard this was fantastic.  A trip down memory lane. A time to share my story on a hose again.  So special. 

When our daughter-in-law suggested that I ride along and she come later with my husband, well that was a no brainer.  I tagged along. Beloew is a picture of our so, two grandsons and myself carrying on family tradition of the love of riding.

Hence these last two photos. The stamp below is called Let It Ride. I’m really sorry to tell you that this stamp set retired when the Annual Catalogue was released. 
Our 9 year old received one of these cards for his recent birthday. 

I used Stampin Blends when colouring the horses.   I also used retired Designer Series Paper. Sometimes it is really good to use an old favourite or get a stamp set out that hasn't been used but applicable for a persons birthday that is coming up.

The current Annual Catalogue is available on this blog.  If you would like a Catalogue posted to you, it will cost $9-00.  That can be deducted from the next order.

If you live in Australia and you would like to place an order over $250-00 (before shipping) you will receive 10% in Stampin Up Rewards.  Click here to place your order.

If you would like to place a smaller order please email me on leanne1982@netspace.net.au.

If you would like the current brochure, please email me on leanne1982@netspace.net.au.

 Blessings

Patchwork

Hi everyone,

I have been a bit slack lately.  While I have been making cards, I have also been quilting quilts.

This one is an example.  This one also has a story behind it. 

Some years ago I made this top and our son suggested making a doona out of it.  So I gave it a go.  Our son and his wife used it for a while.  However it started to come undone.  Yes, that made sense.  I can be a bit slow.  I usually need to have a go and see what happens. It is probably experience.  After all, at the time I couldn't see why not.

Anyway the quilt was returned to me and became one of those insidious UFO'S.  It sat and sat on a chest of drawers among other UFO's. 

Probably thanks to the COVID19 virus, I found time to quilt it. Woohooo. IT IS FINISHED. I need to practice at stipling and this was another practice.  Once I finished, I realised that I didn't fix the two seams that were coming undone.  A bit late now.  If you look closely you will find two names embroidered on the quilt.  I wanted to put 'Love You' but I didn't think our adult son would approve.  When I asked, he said I could have.

Anyway the smile, cuddle and glint in his eyes was worth all the thinking of how this was going to be finished.  Similar to his kid's quilts I backed it with polar fleece.  He fills the cold terribly so he will have something to snuggle into and be warm instantly.

I hope you like this story.  Something a bit different.

Blessing to you

Gingerbread House 2019

Hi everyone, 

Our family tradition of making a Gingerbread House for Christmas happened again early December.  This is the 34th Gingerbread House creation.  As our children grew they were very interested.  There have been years were we adopted s9me young children for the event. Now our children are having children pf their own, they are more interested in showing their children how to decorated the Gingerbread House. 

Yes, it is a sugar overdose event.  Fortunately it is all about the creation and having fun together. The kids tend to pull the lollies off after it has been smashed, and the adults pick at the gingerbread. Mr T has hold of the meat tenderizer in the following photo.  This is the only time that the meat tenderizer gets used. All the young kids participated in the smashing of the Gingerbread House on Christmas Day but I don’t have anymore photos. 

I hope you enjoyed another rendition of our yearly Gingerbread House Tradition. 

Blessings 

Gingerbread house 2017

A bit late, but fun. 

 

 

 

 

I make a Gingerbread House every year for Christmas.  I started when our daughter was 3. Well she now has a little girl of her own.  I have been making these for many years. 

 

This gingerbread house is not about perfection.  It is about family getting together and creating something together.  As our children have grown and probably become blasé, we have enlisted other young children to create this.  Maybe next year I might be able to find some previous gingerbread houses.

 

Blessings

Mr T turns 5

Hi,

‘You can call me Birthday Boy today.’  Someone is not excited, are they.

We have a birthday lunch at our place for every birthday.  We usually ask what they would like for lunch. Mr T asked for party food: popcorn, little sausages, party pies, sausages rolls and, of course, fairy bread.

For those who are not Australian, this is typical birthday party food. Even when Australian are adults, this food brings back fond memories of their childhood parties. 

This is Mr T.  Such a funny, adorable and likeable little chap. 

This is the card that I made him.  I used Crumb Cake, Bermuda Bay and Whisper White Cardstock, Pick A Patten Designer Series Paper and the Number of Years sentiment with Large Number Framelits. 

I hope you like it too. 

Some of the above products are retired.  However the cardstock can be purchased if you go to 'Placing an Order' at the top of the page or clicking in the next paragraph.  If an order is placed for more than $250-00 (before shipping) you will receive 10% in Stampin Up Rewards.  

July Online Order Code : AQ4AXGBQ

If you would like to order you can click here. 

Blessings

Ian and Leanne’s Quilt

Hi,

For those of you who read my blog regularly, do you remember me blogging about a quilt that was doing my head in.  Well it is finished and gifted.

I asked my brother several years ago, what colours did he and his wife like.  Ian stated neutrals.  So I started collecting neutrals which translated to me as being different versions of cream. Well, I have quite a selection now.  However when I put the fabrics together I couldn’t do anything with them.  There did not seem to be anything different. Whilst there were patterns within the fabric, there was no anything else.

So I started sourcing more fabric.  I went to a huge patchwork shop. I knew if I could not find anything in this shop, there was nothing to be found.  Well I came away with a story of fabrics.  Different shades of blues, greys, fawns with a cream as the sashing between each diamond.

I always wanted to create this quilt.  I have always called this The Jane Austin Quilt.  I'm not sure if that is the correct name though. So Ian and Leanne’s quilt was always going to be this one.

This first photo shows my incorrect placing of the diamonds.  As shown below the quilt is suppose to be a square.  The photo above shows a diamond.  Not Happy.  My mum used to say that you have not made a garment unless you have unpicked it.  Well there was a lot of unpicking on this quilt.

Well the quilt has been given to Ian and Leanne.  They like it, that is the main thing.  I can start another quilt now, with some colour in it.

Blessings

CASEing the Catty

Hi everyone,

I found time last week to enter CASEing The Catty.   My dad turned 90 last week, hence I needed a card.  

I CASEd the card showing on page 41 of the Occasions Catalogue.  

 

I created the card by using Night of Navy, Crumb Cake Cardstock and Gentleman Designer Paper Series.  I used Large Numbers Framelits, and Banner Triple Punch. The Happy Birthday stamp came from Your Inspiring Stamp Set. I created the Navy Happy Birthday by stamping on  the VersaMark Pad then stamping on Night of Navy Stamp Pad then onto the cardstock. I used the Heating Tool which created the glossy look.

 

I hope you like this card.  I am very happy with the card.   My dad liked it too. 

These products can be purchased if you go to 'Placing an Order' at the top of the page.  If an order is placed for more than 

$250-00 (before shipping) you will receive 10% in Stampin Up Rewards.  

 

Or you can place an order by emailing me on 

leanne1982@netspace.com.au or ring 0419 004 997.

 

Blessings

Double Wedding Ring Quilt

Hi,

Today I thought I would share some of my other love, making quilts.  Creating a quilt is a more time-consuming task than making cards. 

These two quilts were wedding presents.   The green one was for my son and daughter-in-law.  If you zoom in and look at a melon, you will see there is a piece of music fabric in each melon.  Our son is a musician.  Green is Steph’s favourite colour and music is Kerry’s passion.   Our daughter and son-in-law chose the same quilt but in their favourite colours.  Carren chose blue, and John chose purple. 

These quilts are called The Double Wedding Ring quilt.  As you can see there are rings intertwining, with no end.  This pattern was a very popular quilt pattern in the Depression.  It was first publishd in 1928.  It continues to be a very popular pattern.  

If you zoom in, you will see each melon has 8 pieces on each side, with pieces at the join.  Lots and lots of curves. 

I hope you enjoy seeing my other crafts.

Blessings.

Tooth Fairy

Hi,

Did you have a 'Tooth Fairy' pillow or bag when you began loosing your teeth as a child.  Both our kids had a little cushion, with a pocket stitched on the cushion.  ‘Tooth Fairy’ was embroidered in pink or blue, depending on the child.  Sorry, no photos of those cushions.  That was 30 years ago. 

Our grandson is now loosing his teeth. So some more of my creativeness.  I decide to google Pinterest and found some interesting examples.

Grandson number 1 loves his super heroes.  So here is my take on the 2018 version of the ‘Tooth Fairy’ cushion.  Instead of placing the pillow beside them in the morning, as we did 30 years ago, this Super Hero pillow can be placed on the knob of his bed.

Grandson number 1 has already lost several teeth. Nana is a bit slack.  His mum and dad gives him a couple of coins.  He is able to take them to school and spend them in the canteen.  Mister N thinks that is great. 

The tooth, mask and eyes have been stitched on with blanket stitch. I stitched along the line of the base of the mask, to stop the pocket from being too deep.  I could see the coins being lost in the bottom of the tooth and not being able to be retrieved in time to take to school.

Grandson number 2 is a bit younger and his baby teeth are still intacted.  I will source some pirate fabric, I think. Hopefully Mister T’s will be made before his teeth start coming out. 

 

I hope you like my very version of the 'Tooth Fairy' cushion

South Pacific Islands 2017

Hi,

We have returned from our cruise around the South Pacific Islands.  I spent two weeks of patchwork, patchwork, patchwork, a little reading, talking and sharing with others.  We sailed on the Golden Princess with friends and another 2588 passengers and 1100 crew members.  This was our 6th cruise and second time visiting the south Pacific Islands.

We visited Mare, Noumea, Mystery Island, Port Vila, Champagne Bay and Luganville.

The above photos were taken from the ship in Noumea.  We visited about 6 years ago.  I remembered  Noumea as being a pretty 

place.  However I took a tour around the sites.  The immediate sites 

this time were lots of concrete and concrete buildings. I visited the 

market, bought some fridge magnets and returned to the ship. It was very warm and very humid.  I returned and appreciated the air conditioned ship.

The following photos were taking during a tour of Mystery Island.  Mystery Island is only a very small uninhabited island.  The locals bring their wares over on their boats and ferry.

I did a tour of a village on the main island. Here are some photos. 

The following photo was taken in Luganville.  The group were singing Christmas carols.  It was such an unexpected site. 

Our friend and I played Skipbo during the evenings. 

I spent most of my time during the cruise working on the golliwogs 

quilt.  My husband found splenty if peopleto talk too. Our friends attend trivia games. 

We arrived back in Melbourne. The cruise ship in moored at the dock in Melbourne.  We left the ship about 10:00.  Princess Cruises certainly knows how to unload the passengers from the previous cruise and load new passengers for the next with limitless hassle.