CATCHING UP WITH A BIT OF THIS'N'THAT

 I'm really struggling with so much uncertainty and dear old Oz in the grips of another wave of Covid.    We are staying home a lot with little snips of time spent with a local trip in the car, pick up a takeaway coffee and finding somewhere scenic to drink it.  I've picked up a free ticket for the quilt show in Melbourne, but so unsure whether to go or not.  Other people are not quite as anxious as I am and we have had our 4 jabs, plus the flu vaccination.  Will I on won't I?  

Anyway, let's see what we've been up to anyway with a few photos of local countryside & crafty bits.

Looking out over Bass Strait from Kilcunda on very windy day.
I nearly got blown over trying to take this photo.

Another day saw us go slightly further afield for me to try and pick up some fabric I needed to finish a quilt and as we were coming home, we decided to take a detour to somewhere we'd not been before.  We had noticed the signpost to Yaringa Boat Harbour often, which turned out to be a small marina on Westernport Bay.  We may go again in summer to take a better look, as it was a cold overcast day threatening to rain, but we did enjoy the extra jaunt.

Another day when we realised that we'd have a little sunny break so we headed out to take a small walk on the Two Towns Trail which connects our town to the nearest to the west of us.

And what did we discover in the park in front of Council Chambers but a new to us sculpture.

A beautiful gum blossom planted in the middle of pond, where I have taken quilt photos just recently near the small waterfall behind this.  It certainly makes a statement.

Now for some crafty bits we've been up to.

This the start of what I have on the go at the moment, after buying very pretty acrylic yarn that was on sale at Lincraft for an absolute bargain,.  I don't really need another, but I loved the colour.

I finally finished the blue and white jumper which has been on the go for a few years due to not being able to get the stripes to match up on the sleeves as I don't need them as long as the pattern, but it took some working out and I've worn it recently.

Hubby remembered a broken toy that we had squirreled away and decided to play at Repair Shop tactics and mend it.

My mother had given us this when she worked in the office of a large company that imported these big dumpers, I think, and our boys played with it when young.  Somewhere along the line it had broken, but with a lot of effort all these years later, we have......................

                                                                         Now mended.

Can you see the Butcher Bird sitting on my hanging basket?

Well, one morning I looked through the kitchen window to be taken aback by him sitting on the edge of the combie planter that I'd put on the new plant stand out of the weather right in front of the window.  By the time I'd got the camera out he'd flown down the length of the verandah, hence the above photo.

QUILTING.

This very old pieced top went onto the machine last week and is now awaiting binding.  Turns out I made it in 2001.  Oh dear, shameful.  I'll possibly donate it to the foundation my brother attends for their Christmas raffle.

 Two works in progress.  The top one is from a book and the lower one, a design of my own.  More to come about these two soon.

                                            

                                                                         WEATHER.

Yesterday saw more rain and even a thunderstorm and this what the sky looked like as it came across Middle Farm.  We've certainly had our fair share of inclement weather so far this winter.

The gutters in our street were awash.

OK, that is my lot for today and this post has been a real hassle with blogger not playing along nicely.

Hope all my lovely blogpals are either staying cool or warm depending on where you live.

I'll try hard not to be so wayward with posting.

Take care all and big hugs from down under.

Susan.  xox

FRIDAY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT - NEW

 

Joining  with the lovely Kate from I live, I love, I craft, I am me, once again for our hunt.

Today's word is NEW..................thought this would be difficult, but a few things happened this week which made it more manageable, except for photography today.  We have a thunderstorm happening right this minute and it's been ridiculously cold for mid summer.  After 37deg during the week, it's a stark contrast today and also blowing a hooley, so my photos aren't the best.

Not quite "new", but a nice shiny new paint job for a project started many years ago.

The window frame Keith made while living at No. 4 before retirement & relegated to a corner after it's initial undercoat.  It went with us to Ballarat, then  followed here to No.5 & again got lost among other "stuff" in the garage, till I went searching for something & saw it languishing & thought, "It's now or never", so bought some purple paint & those pretend mirror squares & went to work with a little help from my other half.  Deciding soil may not be a good idea in the very narrow window box attached, I opted for some plastic type foliage.  It hasn't been put in place as yet, due to the windy conditions today, but should reflect our steps & the pergola with climbers.  Hopefully.  The old pink heart shape casserole has my new succulent planting, but isn't quite what I imagined.   Maybe it might need a makeover at some time.

MY NEW TOY.

This wasn't planned for this post, but here we are............Not wanting to buy new things, I really got to the stage it was necessary.  I find it hard to not have music on all day and without being able to play my old LP records  and then the CD part failing as well, we lashed out yesterday and bought a new "my style" sound system.  Has anybody in my age group found it nearly impossible to get a record player,

3 stacker CD & tape deck with radio easy?  Nothing comes with a CD stacker, so it's one at a time, but I love my vinyl & CD collection & played one of my Dad's old records this morning.  Heavenly!!!!

Ready to go.

In action.

LASTLY..............A little surprise arrived yesterday morning via the parcel post man. who delivered this.

A garden wall calendar and tea towel accompanied by a card from my lovely blogging friend Rosie who lives in the UK.  I was quite overcome & thrilled to receive it.  Thanks Rosie, they'll be put to good use.

OK, my lot done for this week and thanks to Kate for keeping me motivated.  I've been so all over the place lately, that I need to sit back, make some lists and get organised for the year ahead, my quilting, gardening, blogging and just life in general.  Hopefully we'll see an improvement in the year ahead & at sometime get back to a new normal life.

Pleas take care, stay safe and hugs from down under.

Susan.

IT'S SATURDAY.

 Not much of a title, but then each day seems to come and go at the moment with not much meaning to it.

Just plodding along at home, not venturing out & wondering if this is what the rest of our lives will be like, though I've had the camera handy to capture whatever the imagination can find.

A walk very early this week near one of our new estates netted this.................something I actually detest!

The benching of the hillside into little blocks that are flat.
UGH!!!!!ugly.

TODAY..............weather!!!!

Looking from the study window at about midday.

The back verandah a little later covered in itty-bitty hail (sago snow).

Looking along the back paving beside the steps & retaining wall.

We also had a thunderstorm amidst all this and at 3.30pm as I type this it is 6.5℃  It is cold & the fire is lit, though the sun has just appeared briefly with lots more grey storm clouds on the horizon.

A FINISH and A PHOTO SHOOT.

My quilt now named "Whimsy" inspired by the colours of Attic 24's dahlia rug is now quilted & bound.
I took this photo today after waiting for a break in our weather, but it hasn't come so this is the best I could do.

I also finally finished this butterfly embroidery, which has similar colours, though I started it a couple of years ago.  Not sure how to finish the back now it's in the hoop.  Any suggestions?

This is one that didn't really come out how I'd envisioned, but I did use what I had available in my stash.  It was designed by me on trusty Quilt Wizard & I'd thought of using a plain tone on tone mauve, but this was about the only mauve fabric I had.  It is quilted and bound & although not what I planned, I don't hate it.  I've come up with the name Sonora & can't fathom why.
A very "pandamic" quilt I think.😖

Just a quick lot today after being a misery guts for most of the week, due to weather, a computer that's been playing silly, not venturing out & missing family.
Luckily I've a little project to do for a newborn bub.  That makes me happy & busy at the same time with purpose.
Take care all, stay safe & huge huggles from down under.
Susan.

PS:  Still having trouble using this new blogger.  How's everyone else coping?

MISERABLE......WEATHER & MOI!

The sky today from our front garden.

Yes, our weather has been dull, dreary, cold & damp, not necessarily pouring with rain, but just so bleak & wet underfoot.  Not much happening in the garden & trying to stay focused & motivated on anything is somewhat hard to do at the moment.  I'm way behind on both my own blog & reading others, so finally sitting here doing this one. 

Finding & finishing a few bits'n'bobs.

A child' jumper.

A summer cardi & I no longer have the dress I was going to wear it with.

PARTICIPATING IN A MYSTERY QUILTALONG.

            The quilt is now waiting till I can get some backing to put it on the big machine & quilt it.

I fussy cut some of the 2 1/2" squares.  This QAL was hosted by my friend Joy in Ballarat who blogs at Days Filled With Joy.
Another crafty thing is slowly coming together too.  I bought & showed an old picture frame I purchased at a vintage market earlier this year & it has now become the frame for these, but still needs a fixing for hanging it.

DH made these musical cutouts after finding them photocopied (by me) and thought I'd done them for him.  Anyway, I loved them & I just fancied them in a frame.  I've quite a bit of blank wall space, so once done & hung I'll show them on a blogpost.
IN THE GARDEN.

                                                                Pottering about.

Some waiting for repotting & others for the garden.

A bit of colour on the plant stand & retaining wall.

The first fully open flower on my camellia - Volunteer.

One of my dark hellebores with the darker one on the right, which always flowers last.

One of my white/green ones.

My Garrya, after not flowering for the first four years has "ONE" flower & going by it's length, it's the male variety..
Yeah!!!!!

Lastly, a bit of nonsense.

Can we call this "snail mail".  How I got it from our letterbox and only about an hour after the postie had left it.

Well, that's about it from me and with Melbourne now being in lockdown once more, we have limited access, so can't venture far.
Oh for some sun and to feel somewhat normal, rather than being on edge all the time.  Hopefully I'll post a little more often and show what we've been busy with during this next half of "weird" 2020.
Everybody please take care and stay safe.
Huggles from Susan.

5 ON FRIDAY - GRATITUDE.

Joining with Kate from I live, I love, I craft I am me, for this post on "gratitude".
Before I even start, I want to THANK everyone for saying they'd like me to continue posting, after I mentioned to a few other bloggers, I didn't think I'd keep on blogging and for all my lovely comments on my Wordless Week.
Grateful for..............

1.  Having a clever hubby.

                               See the little table he fashioned for my chair in the family room.
2.  A garden.

                                         Finding buds on at least 5 of my different hellebores.

     And being able to pick a lemon from our little lemon tree to make this slice earlier in the week.

3.  Having a stash.

The cupboard where my stash belongs after a good tidy up.  Doesn't quite look like this now.

Because I've been rummaging to make quilts, like this Quiltalong I've been  doing and not having to go anywhere to purchase fabric.

4  Anticipation!  Is that something to be grateful for?

Our new wood heater awaiting the plumber to come, so it can be installed.  Ooh I can't wait.  Next week, as long as it doesn't rain.

5.  And for an odd one.......
After creating a big blister on my right thumb from helping cut up small branches to go in the green waste bin after we'd removed a couple of very overgrown shrubs, I'm so glad to be ambidextrous.  Just changed hands to finish it.😌  So "grateful" for that.  I was actually left-handed as a child, but it was very frowned on in those days, so it best to learn to use your right, but some things come naturally to my left at times.

This is probably somewhat disjointed, but then that is just me.  Thanks if you take the time to read & I will be replying again, as it isn't a wordless week.😊
Take care all, stay safe & huggles.
Susan.

FEBRUARY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT...2020

Linking up for the second hunt of 2020 with Kate from I live, I love, I craft, I am me.
Our list of words for this month, weren't necessarily tough, but the weather has not been conducive for getting out much, even with it being summer.  Had to do quite a bit of searching through the archives & photo bombing inside.😖  I've also come up with a few doubles & a little bottom heavy(lol), you'll see what I mean as you scroll down!!
So here goes.....

1.  HEART/S.

Can you see the heart shapes indented into this rock?  I took the photo at Smith's Beach on Phillip Island some years ago.  I often wonder how rocks get to look as they do with etchings or bands of beautiful colour.  Our world is so fascinating!😖
2.  REPAIR.

I thought of many things for this word & then DH got involved & suggested repairs to our lovely MM which has happened many times over the years since we got her in 1991.  In August 2015, it was decided her timber tray back needed replacing & I happened to take a few photos of the progress.  Looking through the folder of photos, DH spotted this one & said, ooh, that one is good.
After the next photo, you'll know why I underlined a certain word.😊
3.  TAIL.

Left was the obvious one I chose to start with.
I took this photo at Melbourne Zoo a few years ago when we went with DD, Master L & Missy Moo.  I was looking at the peacock, camera in hand & he suddenly opened his tail & stood looking at me as though waiting for me to take his photo.  I obliged.






Next as I was looking at other photos, I realised that so many people are fascinated by our local wildlife, that I'd pop on this one too, to feature the size & strength of a kangaroo's tail.  Er!!  That underlined word has just made another appearance in this photo & I wasn't going to use it, but DH thought the coincidence was funny & everyone may get a good laugh.  Certainly need to smile with so much in amongst all the bad news this year seems to be inflicting on this huge rotating orb.


4.  KEY.

Me being silly once again.  I thought of so many for this one & failed to get out to find a few I'd thought of.  Hence a photo was needed of something & as the last few days have been quite dark, dreary & wet, I needed to put my thinking cap on.  Here we have piano keys, a timber key rack & an old style key on a big ring made at Sovereign Hill (based on a gold mining town) in Ballarat.  And why the monkey?  Monkey ends with "key"....ha ha!  This one with it's rather flat tail, was eldest son
A's, when he was little & he chewed that tail.
5.  KNOT.

I had this one in mind for heart, but when I couldn't find my old Macrame Knot plant hanger, I changed my mind and chose my Colonial Knot embroidery of a heart.  Again I took this photo yesterday & the light just didn't do anything justice.
6.  MY OWN CHOICE.
Can I have 2 again?

                                              A dream space for a sewing studio.......yes?
This garden room is at Harlow Carr, the RHS garden in Harrogate, North Yorkshire where they hold talk, lectures etc. and I think it is gorgeous.  Or you could be viewing this from it's windows...........

                                                        Aren't you ever so cute Mr. Caterpillar?
Also photographed at Harlow Carr last year in August.  I really must catch up on some posts about our trip, as I've lots of lovely photos.
OK, that's my lot of being a bit wacky this time.  Hopefully there will be lots of giggles.
Thanks Kate for supplying the words & now I'm off to link up.
Take care all & huggles.
Susan.