A CRAFTY POST FOR EASTER

Hello my lovelies!

I found THIS lovely post with crafty ideas for Easter.

Hope you're having a lovely day when you read this.  Don't forget to send me some photographs of the mezzanine and crafts you are working on.

Love Nanxxx

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK CAN MAKE!

Well!  One week they're shouting "Hosanna!" and laying their coats down for him and his donkey to walk over as they travelled to Jerusalem and the next week they're shouting for him to be crucified!

Where were all his supporters?  Where were the crowds that travelled long distances to see him?  Or even just the local fans?  Where were the disciples?  Where was the blind man saying, "Free Jesus, for I was blind and now I see!"  Where was the deaf man?  The lame man?  Jesus' mother and brothers?  The centurion whose daughter was healed?  The bleeding woman?  Mary Magdalene?  Where was the father whose son was possessed?  Where was Lazarus saying, "Free Jesus!  For I was dead and Jesus made me alive again!"  Where was Zacchaeus saying, "Free Jesus!  For I was a short, nerdy, tree-climber and Jesus hung out with me anyway!"  Where were the large crowds that spread cloaks and palm branches and sang as he entered Jerusalem?  Where were the droves that were healed?  Or the thousands that were fed?  Where were the legions of sick crying out, "Free Jesus so that we too may be healed!"  Where were all these people?  

Perhaps they were there, but their voices were drowned out by the mob's demands for his death.  This wasn't the king they had imagined would lead a revolt against the Romans who were occupying the Jewish nation.

Following his trial, he was 'crowned', a purple robe was placed on his shoulders, a staff was placed in his right hand, the soldiers fell down in mock worship and the cross itself bore the sign of his crime: JESUS OF NAZARETH - KING OF THE JEWS.

"For unto us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

will accomplish this."

Isaiah 9:6ff

QUILTING AT KERRIE'S

Hello my lovelies!

Well quilting at Kerrie's began with morning tea and as it was a gorgeous day, we all sat outside.

Did I tell you I have new hearing aids? One in each ear!  At one point I had to say "Would everyone stop shouting!"  Can you believe it?  I can even hear when I have my head down sewing :)   

I managed to finish off all the little bits and pieces that needed to be completed on my Hebridean quilt and it is now up on the wall permanently.

In the evening, I pulled the blue log cabin over and gave some thought as to whether I would quilt it as usual with the small needle or try a different method - with a thick cotton and a longer needle. 

 This makes a longer stitch and after some sewing I think I will go ahead and use this stitch and cotton on the whole quilt.  I think it gives the log cabin a 'rustic' look.  I'm not sure if it's much quicker than sewing with the small needle and waxed quilting cotton as I can only do a couple of stitches at a time.

 Papa has headed up to the church to help continue with the renovation to the floor so that it will support our new grand piano.

There is a working bee up there as well at 3.00pm to prepare the church for the Good Friday service tomorrow.  When Papa and the other men have finished there is always a lot of dust to clean up!

I'm off to have some breakfast, give the place a bit of a tidy and settle down and do some more quilting.

Love Nanxx

IN THE GARDEN TODAY

Hello my lovelies!

I dragged this pot which is full of gorgeous smelling herbs around from Papa's 'pot garden' this morning.  I thought this little corner needed a wee pot.  Doesn't it look fab?

Here's a photograph of how our Pittisporums are going on the northern boundary.  We planted these after the builder finished next door and they are doing their job beautifully.  Almost up to the roof-line of the house next door.  I imagine too, the filtered light from the trees on the window must be lovely for those inside.

I'm just getting ready to head to Kerrie's for quilting.  The other Kerrie is picking me up as Papa is at his U3A class this morning (Shakespeare).  I'm taking the Hebridean quilt as I still have some finishing off to do.  I'll take the blue log cabin along with me as well just in case I finish off the Hebridean bits and pieces.

I imagine, as it is a beautiful autumn day, that we will be sitting out on the back deck while we quilt, chat and get some exercise going to the coffee machine now and again :)

Love Nanxx

PALM SUNDAY

Hello my lovelies!

Today is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday and the Sunday we remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem to shouts of "Hosanna!" from the crowds.  The crowds were so excited to see Jesus, they waved palm branches as he passed by on the donkey and they laid their clothes on the ground for him as he passed by.

Mark 11:1-11

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

We had a lovely service this morning up at the church and I noticed that the organist was wearing a tea shirt which had palms all over it.  I'm not sure she had planned to wear it because if was Palm Sunday or whether she didn't even think about it when she put it on.

After the service, we went into the hall and all shared a yummy lunch together.

Now we're home.  Papa is having a wee snooze in his chair out the back and I'm just about to start a bit of sewing.  I've prepared one of my log cabin quilts for tacking up at Robyn's tomorrow and I just want to check the batting again.  It isn't the normal batting I get and didn't actually fit the quilt top so I had to cut it in half and sew the halves together again in such a way that it made the batting wider.  The batting had to be joined by butting each edge against each other which was difficult to say the least and I just want to double-check it's not coming apart.  I think I'll go over it again with my zig-zag stitch to make sure it holds in place until the quilt is tacked.

Well I shall away and get started.  

Perhaps a cup of tea first!

Love Nanxx

I SAW THREE BOATS...

Hello my lovelies!

I've just about finished my Hebridean quilt.  Just have to quilt the two haystacks to the centre right of the quilt.

I'm so pleased with how it's turned out.

Love Nanxx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILIANE!

Wishing you a wonderful day today Liliane.

Love Nanny and Papa xx

AND SHE'S AWAY!

Greer left after breakfast this morning.  She is now on the road, heading towards Bundaberg and home.  Her plan is to stop somewhere on the way for the night so that she can arrive home around lunch-time, fairly fresh with plenty of energy to empty the van and get herself settled again.

It's been a huge trip.  If I remember correctly, Greer said that since early December she has driven over 11,000kms!

We had a lovely couple of days together, chatting about 'old times' and when she came with us to church on Sunday, she felt as though she had travelled through the past and was sitting in our old church in Golden Grove again.

Andrew preached a fantastic sermon.  I'm sure there wasn't a sleepy eye in the place.  All backs were straight, hanging on to every word.  And the music too was wonderful.  The organist had prepared a Bach prelude and postlude.  I'm sure Opa would have loved it.

I'm off to Brisbane tomorrow to visit Auntie Emma and the family.  I think we are going to be doing a bit of sewing on her log cabin quilt.  She has bought some beautiful William Morris fabrics for it.  You can imagine us tomorrow taking it in turns sitting at the little lemon sewing machine, the cutting board and the iron.  Will take photographs for you to see how we are progressing.

Love Nanxxx

GREER'S COMING TO VISIT TODAY

Bedroom's all ready for the traveller!

She left Bundaberg back early December, stopping off to see son and family in South Australia and then onwards to Western Australia to see another son and family.

I've just Googled how far by car it is from Bundaberg to Perth in Western Australia.  It's 4,528.7 km via National Highway A1 or a 48 hour drive!

Greer does this every year in her wee Vw Combi Van which she had all kitted out a few years ago.

She's due in around lunch-time!

Love Nanxx