Seasons Greetings...

...to all my friends and family. May you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May 2011 bring a great year for all of you.

Take care, enjoy the season and see you all soon.

Hugs

Christmas...

I was sent this poem - by whom, I cant remember. But found it on the web again today. So thought I would like to share it with you all and particularly those that have lost a dear one this year. I read the words and try to put into perspective the thoughts. Hope you enjoy it and take comfort in the words.

This poem was written by a 13 year old boy who died of a brain tumor that he had battled for four years. He died on December 14, 1997. He gave this to his mom before he died. His name was Ben.

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless
Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,
reflecting on the snow

The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear
For I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
that people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you,
the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description,
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away,
We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones,
You know I hold you dear.
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,
from my heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious
than pure gold.
was always most important
the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other,
my Father said to do.
I can't count the blessing or love
has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and
Wipe away that tear
Remember, I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

End of term...

has come around again! Seems to happen quicker and quicker as the years go by. This last term I decided to learn to decorate a cake - at the Thursday craft group that is! Even though I had to work for a couple of the days and missed out on the lessons, I managed with the help of our wonderful teacher Beth, to complete my cake for Christmas!!!! Every one did a splendid job and I was extremely happy with my finished product, so thank you Beth :)
All the completed cakes....
My cake - like me, plain and simple!! LOLEnd of term also saw the completion of two wall hanging quilts that I had been asked to co-ordinate for the Craigmore Christian School. It was their 30th Birthday in October of this year, so we were a little late in completion (for various reasons). The hangings were handed over to the Head Mistress - breath was taken - and then we could breathe! as they turned out wonderfully. The blocks were worked by the ladies of the Thursday Craft Group, the Creche children and some of the pupils, classes, students and ex-students from the school. I must say that I was thrilled with the hangings and was proud to hand them over.
The theme was ' What does this group, school or area mean to you?'
This weekend saw SW and I take some time off from 'normal' life - and spent some time doing almost nothing at all!!!!!!! Except eat, drink and be lazy!!!! It was SW brothers 50th Birthday and we all headed up the river for a couple of days (Murray River that is). We had a beautiful house to stay in, lots of good food to eat and lots of laughs and chats. So THANK YOU!! Michael and Denise for a great time.

The house....
The birthday boy and cake...Some of the breakfasters.....Some of the local wildlife...One of the toys that we played with.....which I got tossed off and into the very cold water!So now we are back home relaxing and looking forward to another busy week!

Gosh!!

A month since my last post!!! Well, since then we have had a couple of birthdays in the family...which were all nice ones to celebrate. I have been working for a few days - that's been a nice bit of money before Christmas! And of course one of the highlights that happens every 6 months is the Snobs & Slobs bi-annual getaway to Carracklinga. We celebrated Angela's birthday while we were down there, so I baked a cake and put a candle or two in it for her to blow out.Then we had a lovely dinner to celebrate again that night. Our friendly family of Magpies came for a visit and feed again.There are some new houses being built up the street so one of the Snobs and one of the Slobs took a stroll in their pj's for a look!On the menu for the weekend were some very yummy looking dates that were a bit large to fit in the mouth in one bite - as Lynne can attest to...Believe it or not...amongst this madness and mayhem...some sewing did get done by all!!! Kay and Claire did a Cathedral Window each.Lorraine did some stitcheries. Angela did some hand quilting.
Glenice did her nails!! LOL
Glenice did do some stitching tho seriously - just didn't get a pic of her doing it!!!!
On the way home we stopped in at the Alexandrina Cheese Factory - and Claire had to have a play...So did Lorraine...And while we sitting having a drink there, a little Blue Wren popped by the window for a look at the monkeys on display!!This week we have had some sunshine believe or not! And one of the days allowed my dads cactus to bloom..... shame they only last a day tho :(
Now the count down starts for Christmas!!!

Three days to go.....

...and I get to see by BF QuiltyGal again!!! Hooray!!! Cant wait to see her as I have missed her a lot. So if you are reading this Claire, have a safe and sound journey home. Hugs till Tuesday xx

And after the sun.....

....even more rain!!!! and cold!!!!! and windy!!!!!!!!!
But never the less, there is nothing we can do so we just have to plod on :)
I have to share this pic of these lovely roses I received last week from a friend of mine. The peachy ones are called Florence, and the green ones are really green!!!! and not dyed.Last weekend was our youngest great nieces birthday, so we all trotted off for some coffee and cake. Happened that the weather was absolutely beautiful, so we sat outside and enjoyed the sun. One of the children there, had her 'baby' with her, so just HAD to take a pic and share it with you all. Sadly she is not as cute as the baby I posted on here last week. But her 'mother' loves her, so I guess that's all that counts!!! LOLSo that you all are not too traumatized after viewing the above pic, I will leave you with another pic of my flowers!

A busy weekend....

was had by all!! I attended the first AMQF (Australian Machine Quilting Festival) here in Adelaide. I cant put any of the pics up of the quilts but I can tell you it was a wonderful display.
I can show you a pic of one of the teachers there - Pam Clarke from the USA - lovely lady!!! I was fortunate to be her "Angel" for a couple of classes so was able to sit in for the lesson. If you ever get a chance to go to one of her classes - don't hesitate! Very patient, knowledgeable and funny teacher. I was also fortunate enough to catch up with some friends from the past, meet lots of new friends and bloggers. This Festival was about machine quilting, whether it be domestic sewing machine or one of the larger long arms. Another will be around in two years time - so keep your eyes and ears open for the venue :)During the course of the weekend, there was a young couple who visited the show with their little baby. And of course I just had to take a pic!!!! The little one slept like this for the few hours mum and dad were viewing and walking around - wish I could sleep like that!! How comfortable she looks :)
Earlier this week I was able to deliver a shadow box to my friend who is involved with the Volunteers at the Lyell McEwin Hospital. There was a handout of several or more boxes earlier this year and the recipients were left to do as they pleased to decorate. I chose movie themes. Very simple but I think effective. These boxes are going to be placed around the hospital later this year. The idea is to for the boxes to be a bit of a light entertainment while visiting the hospital.
Well....of to do some work now, so till later, stay safe!!

PS We actually have sunshine and warmth finally in South Australia!!!!!!!!! Yeh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just had to put this on the blog!!!

May be we could all learn something from this clip?

http://www.slide.com/r/hD6DvyAOxD9ClUhvUpVcUMABW9QzpGnQ

I can now show you....

...what the earlier mess in the corner of my workshop was about!!! As you all know QuiltyGals daughter got married a couple of weeks ago, well the mess was in the corner from making this little Double Wedding Ring Quilt for the happy couple!
I decided to embroider some words of "wisdom"?? on the back so if they wanted a change of scenery they just have to turn the quilt around.
Last week SW and I took a trip to one of our local shopping centres - haven't been there for a while - and since the last time a new shop (I am sure one of many) has popped up! An English, American and Australian Sweet Shop :))) We had a bit of a splurge indoors there..will have to curtail over the next few weeks now :((
This weeks craft finishings include the two following quilts. Both by ladies who are beginners.
The first is Teena's candlewick quilt - she wanted to use up some of her lace so did a really wide border and sashing which just finished the whole thing off lovely. Excellent work Teena :)
The second was Sandra - beautiful job Sandra!!!
One of our friends daughters celebrated her 18th just recently, so I thought she might need a quilt to go with the rest of her gifts.The other night SW and I were coming back home from a trip to the Adelaide Hills. The sunset was so magnificent I just had to stop and take a pic. Unfortunately the pic does not show how red the sun was while setting. Last night two very dear wonderful friends took SW and I out for dinner to a lovely restaurant in the hills - Windy Point. We had a fab meal (even have quite a lot of gluten free food there too!!) and when dessert came we just had to take a pic to share with you all what we had in front of us to eat - its a hard road but someone had to do it!!! LOL

And finally, for all you quilters out there that live in Adelaide or near (or those that would like to travel here) there is a quilt show happening. It is the "Australian Machine Quilting Festival" and is being held at Endeavour College, Mawson Lakes. Go to the link for more details :) Hope to see you all there.

The newlyweds....

My best friends (QuiltyGal) daughter Whitney and her new husband Nathan aka My Little Pony (as named by his dad when we were in Wales a few years ago! lol)

...and even more rain!!

I just found out today that 'they' ( the weather people) say it is going to be raining right up till Christmas!!! Might just have to go overseas till then :)
Talking of overseas...here is Quilty Gal and Quilty Man awaiting their departure from Adelaide to go on a journey that will take them far, far away to the land of Daffodils and Leeks!Also travelling with the pair is Quilty Child (well, cant really call her a child anymore saying she is almost 21 !!!)As we left the airport even more rain came down, but we plundered on and went to see some friends who have a brand new baby - let me introduce you to Maya - soooo cute (I tried to smuggle her under my jacket but I was caught out )
She is only 3 1/2 weeks old here but is very alert and quite a strong little girl.
Then it was back out into the rain again - nearly got lost in the council strip as it was so sodden with water. Oh well, lets hope this means no water restrictions this summer!!!

Oh my goodness....

......rain, rain and yet more rain!!! I know we need it but.....enough is enough!!! Anyway, onward and upward as they say!
Since my last post I have not done a lot - due to the fact that I managed to spear tackle myself in our lounge and ended up with some fractured ribs :((( rather sore unfortunately!
A lovely lady brought me some flowers to cheer me up - really nice thing to do saying I had only met her the week before!!
However, I have managed to get to the Snobs and Slobs bi-weekly meeting (only wild horses keeps us away). This lovely quilt was completed by Lorraine - unfortunately the picture doesn't do the quilt a lot of justice - the colours are quite stunning in real life.As you all might know, we had our miniature festival last month - one of the items I bought was some little shoe boxes and shoes - I had to make them up and was quite pleased with the end product. Now just have to think where they will go!Some friends had their first baby last month - a beautiful little girl called Maya. This was the little quilt that went her way to keep her warm in this awful cold winter.The back was a bit different than the front - and quite different for me to do! (colour wise that is)
SW and I were invited to a friends 50th Birthday Party also last month (quite busy really when you look at what we did in August and here I was thinking it had not been much at all!!)
So here is Louise on the right and Debbie (the hostess on the left)
As you can see the theme was Western - cowboys etc. The cake was a wonderful effort and was a banjo.SW and the host, Neville. Looking really happy don't you think???

Speaking of cakes.....this delightful piece was done by Debbie's daughter as a trial type cake. How cute is it????Last month, Norma from the Thursday craft group, finished a little quilt she started a few months ago. Once again, a job well done Norma!!The Snobs and Slobs do a quilt for whoevers child in the group turns 21. This month it is Quilty Gals daughter, Kayla who turns the key of life. So in our group tradition, we made her a quilt! (How about that then??? LOL) I think you can tell by her face that she likes it!
Tomorrow SW and I are off to the airport to wave a short goodbye to Quilty Gal and co - as they are off to the UK. Hopefully the wind and rain will hold off for a short while till they get in the air and settled in to the flight!

Well folks, it is still blowing a gale and raining heavily....so I might go and make a hot chocolate and plant myself in front of the fire for the rest of the night!!