SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT 12.15PM

Hello my lovelies!

Do you like this embroidery?  I just love it.  Apparently it's the group badge of the folk who made the Great Tapestry of Scotland.  HERE'S a link to some more photographs of the various blocks they have made.

All well this end. Papa and I have had a fairly relaxing morning reading the Saturday papers and doing a few chores.  I stripped the bed and the sheets are now hanging on the line in the sunshine and Papa did some more work on our grass at the back.  Have I already told you what a mess it's in?  We're not sure if the top-dressing a few months ago was full of weed seeds but we've had a hard time of it trying to stop the grass becoming one huge weed bed.   In the end, Papa scraped most of the grass away and has re-sown parts with new seed.  New grass is starting to appear but it's a bit patchy to say the least.  The other problem could be that we have too much shade what with the leopard trees taking over.   Papa is going to work on the grass for a while yet, but if the worst comes to the worst, we shall have to put our thinking caps on and decide where to next!  All ideas will be gratefully received.

We have been watching a fabulous programme on Netflix called LOVE YOUR GARDEN with the presenter and gardener Alan Titmarsh.  It's been a wonderful series - about eight episodes.  The programme starts with Alan talking about the family he is going to surprise and off the cameras go with him down the street to the house in question.  He rings the bell and waits for the owner to answer the door.  It's hilarious seeing them open the door and the look on their faces when they see Alan and the cameras.  After they get over their initial shock Alan says "I hear your back garden needs some work."  The families who have been chosen have been recommended because of some difficulty in the family;  for example a member of the family may be confined to a wheelchair and can't get out in the garden because it's such a disaster.  Anyway hopefully the series will still be on when you get back HOME! and we can watch it together.

Papa's just calling me for lunch so I'll away and have my sandwich.  I'm on cooking duties today so I'll set to and make a nice stew in the afternoon.

Love Nanxxx

THE MICE ARE SINGING

Look what Kerrie's working on!

Isn't it just gorgeous?  This is one of nine blocks for a quilt that she is making for her new grandson James.

As you can see by the needle which is still in her work, it isn't finished yet.  I'll try and get photographs of some of the other blocks to send you.

Some photographs came through this morning of the beautiful powdery snow you are ski-ing and tobogganing on.  It looks wonderful.  The path that has been cut through the snow into the woods looks as though it would take you on a walk you would never forget.  And I loved the river too.

All well here.  We've had some rain and yesterday a cool change came through after three weeks of very, very hot weather.  We are all enjoying having a breather from the heat and seeing the town green up again.

Trust you are singing some wonderful songs such as this one too as you sail through the snow.

Love Nanxxx

HATS AND SCRAPS

Hello again my lovelies!

I am on-line again!  Yoo! Hoo!

We had Robyn and Con and Quilting Robyn for lunch last weekend.  As you can see we had a wonderful time trying on hats.  

Robyn had gone with a friend to the cancer place here in Toowoomba which caters for people who come in from the country for cancer treatment at the Base Hospital.  The place where the folk can stay used to be a hotel.  When you come up the Range and are about to turn right towards Margaret Street, the old hotel is almost straight ahead.  It has a bit of a Tudor look about it.

Anyway, one of the many things the organization who supplies this service to the patients is a room where women can go and look at wigs, hats and scarves.  This, as you can imagine has been organized by very thoughtful people.  Once the patients' hair has grown back again, the patients leave their wigs, hats and scarves for others to use.  No-one needs to pay anything for this service.  They can take as much or as little as they need.

When Robyn visited she didn't think there was a very good selection of hats so decided she would make some.  Folk are giving her lots of material so she can keep cutting and keep that sewing machine going.  When she and Con came for lunch, she was carrying a big bag of some of her finshed hats, ready to deliver.  Here we all are having a wonderful time on the back deck trying them on.

Today I had my first day in the Sunday School Room with five little girls who had come to church this morning.

Simone took the lesson and I was her helper.  The lesson was on part of the Lord's prayer - "...and forgive us our trespasses and we forgive those who trespass against us..."  It was a good lesson.  We could all relate so well to the fact that we all do and think things that we shouldn't and that often other people can sometimes be very hurtful at times.  BUT, we must remember to forgive others as God has forgiven us.

Well my darlings I shall away and clear up some of the boxes of material that are lying around me.  When I was at quilting a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I didn't fold my fabrics and they were very surprised, especially Kerrie who said that she didn't know ANYONE at all who didn't fold their fabrics.  So...I rushed home, turned on the computer, Googled 'storing your stash' and looked at various ways of storing fabric.  I have now gone through all my boxes.  Anything that is less that a fat eighth has gone into the SCRAP box.  I have put these scraps into boxes by colour.  Fabric which is larger that a fat eighth I have folded and put into a boxes by colour.  Fabric which is quite big but not huge, I have rolled up and tied with a piece of material.  They have been put into their colour box and fabric which is very big I have just folded up into a box.   I am now feeling very organized.  Well, not quite!  I still have to take a walk around the house and collect any fabric hiding under tables, on top of tables or chairs and put them into their proper box.  

Now that I realize I have a lot of SCRAPS, I am going to have to start making some scrappy quilts.  Can't wait for you to get here and help me.

Love Nanxxx

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH...

Hello my lovelies!

Isn't this angel gorgeous?

It was made and embroidered by Mary Addison.  You can see the rest of her post here.

Love Nanxx

AND DOWN THE HILL WE GO!

Hello my lovelies!

Thought of you both when I saw this block here.

Love Nanxxx

SOMETHING NEW FROM THE SEWING STORE

Hello my lovelies!

Do you like my recent purchase from the sewing store?  I have said to Papa that this is my Christmas present :)  I just love it!

And here it is with all its children come home to rest.

Love Nanxxx

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN, CLIPPITY CLOP!

Woo hoo!  Mummy sent me this photograph.  There is nothing stopping you both now!  I can see a lot of sewing of all sorts of things will be done on this machine.

And what could be better that to do some repairs on faithful 'blue sheet'?  You look a natural at the machine Liliane.  

And Freya!  This look absolutely fantastic.  What era is this village set in?  What fiddly work but so well done.  

I can see the little wheelbarrow and the 'market cross'.  

I'm so looking forward to talking with you both today but you must talk first Freya.  We don't want you running out of time like last time.

I've been very busy today.  Did a huge washing, sheets, towels, dark wash, light wash;  you name it and I washed it.  It has been windy and quite warm, so everything has dried beautifully.

I also brought up the ladders to bring down my 'summer' clothes which were up high in my wardrobe.  I told Papa when he came back from U3A this morning that there's quite a bit of ironing to be done.  I've hung all my stuff from the baskets on to hangers and have hung them in the laundry for Papa.

While I was bringing down all the summer clothes and packing away all the winter woolies, I decided to give our bedroom a good cleanout too.  So all those dust bunnies have been shaken out the window and perhaps some of the birds that are flying around the place will pick up some of the little balls and feathers and use them to make their nests.  I love recycling dust bunnies!

Love Nanxxx