Countdown to Free Time.

This time next week I'll be home alone & MOTH & DD will be on their way to Moscow! Boy has that time come round fast-I'm not game enough to ask if all the paperwork is finally in order-last I heard- it wasn't so I'm not asking again!
MOTH always gets very uptight before he travels- he hates take-off & landings- but insists that he will not let this get the better of him (he was in a plane that hit the deck in Vietnam, so he has a reason to be tense during landings!)

We travel very differently -he likes to be wherever he has to be at least one hour early than the suggested time to get there-which means about 4 hours ahead of time for a flight-I prefer to get there at the suggested time- neither of us have ever missed a flight from being late-but we always argue when its time to leave!
Some years back MOTH rushed me out the house-got us both to the airport with hours to spare only to find he had us there a whole day earlier than needed. The gal at QANTAS changed the flights for us-saying that it gave her the laugh for the day & for me having to put up with such a dickhead! (I agreed whole heartily! on that point)
DD keeps him in line- she'll take no nonsense from him even if he is her father-from all accounts they travel well together- I think its great that they do have trips away as father/daughter time.
DD's dog, Ella, had surgery through the week-MOTH has been visiting her everyday as she has been quite out of sorts- I suggested he take her a 'get well bone' to cheer her up-my suggestion was not taken kindly! Seemed reasonable to me.
This weekend I've managed to get 2 quilt tops pieced-that's 3 down-2 to go if I make it to my goal of giving everyone a quilt for Christmas.
Good news on the project front- the last project has been accepted for publication- this one won't be out until the middle of next year some time, but submission is in October-so gives me a few weeks to get it all together & write up the notes before I have to post it off.
The days are getting longer- no getting up in the pitch black in the mornings now- I much prefer to have a little light when I have to get out of bed - its bad enough that I have to get up when MOTH is sleeping soundly....and my alarm is telling me its time to get ready for work! The alternative of staying home everyday with MOTH is just not worth contemplating at this stage- work is preferable!
My raspberry socks have been waiting most of the week for me to finish them off- only have the rib to knit, but I just never seem to get there with them- perhaps tonight if I don't get my nose in the photo shop manuals I've been reading....even if my pics aren't perfect I'm learning how to cheat to make them that way!
Until next time,
happy Crafting
Oz-Tralien

Sewing, Snaps, Selvedges & Socks.

It seems I missed last week-I kept on meaning to blog but never got around to it.
I was busy.
The past 2 weekends I've been madly sewing to submit a project- hopefully to be published-its surprising how much time it takes to get a project together. Fingers crossed, now I just have to wait.
The weather has been absolutely glorious the past week- very warm days, cool nights for sleeping & even a soft breeze on a few days- perfect- who would want to live anywhere else than Sydney! Not me.
My socks are progressing- that was one of the reasons I haven't blogged I was waiting for a work colleague to take a pic of my GS's socks I knitted on one of her children's feet-so I could post a photo of them....maybe she'll take them this week for me.
Yesterday I attended the stitches & craft show at Rosehill- there are 3 of us that go together every year, since it started.
The past 2 years I was not too happy with the exhibits & wrote to the organizers & complained about the lack of sewing-it was all beading & paper-that sure doesn't float my boat.
Things had changed this year- they had some young designers upstairs with their wares & blogs & sites to sell their wares- really interesting & trendy stuff-yeah! what a wonderful change.
We did notice that a lot of the old faithful stall holders were missing-its probably got too expensive for them to take a site as I know they charge pretty heftily to exhibit here. That's a shame as they were missed.
All in all we came home with very little- I purchased a knitting pattern, a shirt pattern & a small piece of wool blanketing to do sample on for another project I've had on the back burner for quite some time.
I did come home & make a little purse after seeing a dress, chair & an umbrella covered in selvages- what a clever idea- although they used to make smoking jackets from these & the idea came from a blogger called ricrac- so its not my idea, but I loved the look.
My socks are progressing slowly but surely- am just about to the gusset on the second sock in the raspberry wool- they are very pretty- wonder who'll nab these.
My DIL tells me her Pilate's class are very jealous of her new socks & have asked if I'll knit them & sell them- not bloody likely! who would pay $50 for a pair of hand knitted socks? & that wouldn't even be a good return on my time.

Through the week I had a birthday-another candle in the cake- I'll need a fire hose to put them out soon....not too sure I like the changes as I get older- there are more wrinkles- the boobs are lower (thank heavens for good bras that keep the girls up there!) & I'm not as flexible as I used to be either....and we wont even mention the extra weight!!!
The kids have bought me a couple of books on photo shop so here's hoping that I actually learn how to edit the pics I take to make them look even better- although the key to getting a good photograph is easy- take lots to start off with & get it right pre-edit!
DD & MOTH are still busy organising their trip to do the Trans Siberian Railway- I bet it'll be cold in Mongolia-sleeping outdoors in a tent!
While MOTH is gone I'm hoping to get some quilting done- although he still hasn't fixed the frame...not sure what is so hard about getting a piece of dowelling that will fit inside the tube.
Until next time,
Happy Crafting,
Oz-tralien

This & That

The house is all quiet-I'm not at all that sure I like it this way, it's much more fun when we have a 4.5 year old in the house!
Our eldest son, his wife & our GS have been visiting the past week & returned home today-its all eerily quiet-no small boy to come running down the stairs, excited that I'm home from work or wanting me to share some special treasure he has made or found during the day.

The pirate cave under the stairs is gone, the blankets packed back into the cupboard, until my little pirate returns in October for his birthday.
I notice that my baby doll is still on his bed- he took quite a shine to my re-born doll when he was 3 & looks for her every visit now- he has named her "Cuddles" & is quite happy to carry her around & 'mother/father' her. She weighs about 5lbs- so is no light weight doll!

On this visit we used the sewing machine together- he made 3 little bags, which he has taken home with him, as he told me he could put his 'treasures' in them-its a start & hopefully he'll progress to more projects as he gets older.

During the week I started a pair of toe up socks for him- didn't have a pattern so am winging it-finished the first one today-the great thing about these toe up socks is being able to try them on! Also progressed with the raspberry coloured one I started last week- am up to the heel but have put it on hold to make GS's socks.

Made GS a little pair of soft slippers after he arrived as our tile floor is very cold in the mornings- used a red quilted fabric & lined them with purple wool felt-he was delighted with them & happily put them on each morning after his morning cuddles in our bed!
Took lots of pics of him while he was here & even had a few enlarged to frame.....great subject to work with as he was happy to chat to me while I snapped away at him!

Sunsets have continued to be spectacular the past week as well & have a few more shots of those - DS no1 took the screen off the upstairs window & we lent right out over the roof to snap shots across the bush!

Back to sewing next weekend- the following weekend is the Stitches & Craft Show- sure hope there is more variety this year than last year...didn't buy anything other than lunch last year!

The wattle trees are starting to bloom- poor DIL developed terrible hay fever while she was here from them-they may look pretty but all that pollen sure sets lots of folks off at this time of the year!
Been blogging a year now- wow, hasn't that time gone quick!
happy Crafting,
Oz-Tralien

17 weeks til Christmas....

Don't you just love a sale?! Especially when you know the prices aren't jacked up to pretend to give you a discount & you know bloody well that they are. Not one of those sales- but a real good, genuine sale.

The Sheridan factory outlet is quite near where our work office is located & they had a sale-ended up making 3 trips & buying stacks of manchester- but it was sooooo cheap couldn't resist (& here I was thinking the other day that I more than likely did not need to buy any more manchester for the rest of my life as I have more than enough!) Oh well, bit like saying I'm not buying anymore fabric! Ha!!! as if that is ever going to happen.

I bought 3 of my adult children sheet sets after they messaged me that Yes , please we'd love more bed linen (especially as they know that Mum is paying!)- picked up some sheet sets for my Grandson, new sheets for the single, spare bed & new sheets for our bed- lots of towels (lots of towels!-most for my stash, as at that price they make fantastic gifts- just put a name on them & away I go!). I worked it out that on a lot of the items I saved about 74% & a few of the goodies were closer to 90%!!

One set was delivered this morning to a patient who had requested, if I could, an embroidery on some towels she wanted to give as a gift- they were easy enough-that's a few towels out of the stash already.(2 down 20 to go!!)

Tuesday its Lizzie's birthday & I've put a lovely L on a gorgeous eau de nil coloured towel for her- there were matching face cloths & bathmats with this colour- no hand towels- so she's getting what I was able to buy-I know she loves this colour so its a good choice for her. I picked the Queenie alphabet to use from Francine's embroidery- love this alpha- its really classy & it comes in a really huge size which is nice to put on a towel as a single letter. I'm off Tuesday so I'll leave that parcel on her chair at work for her as a surprise (unless of course she happens to read my blog in which case its no longer a surprise!)

We had a magnificent sunset the other day- I lent out over the balcony to get as much of it as I could-I'd like to be able to get up on the roof for photos- but I don't suppose that's going to happen.

All ready for our Melbourne family's arrival tomorrow- GS rang while I was at work this morning to tell Grandad that he was so excited he can hardly wait!LOL don't you love the enthusiasm of a 4 year old?

I finally finished my sock- I knew this one would knit up quicker as the pattern was much more interesting. So both pairs that I started in Montana are now done....the yarn is already with the pattern for the next pair-have been itching to try these since I saw them in my knitting book & bought the yarn while in the USA-shame I couldn't get the colours I wanted, the pattern is Flame Wave Socks & I'm using Cascade's Fixation yarn in bright red! Should be eye catching.

MOTH managed to break one of the rollers on my quilting frame through the week- not sure what he was doing- so now I will need to get that fixed before I can do all the quilting I have in mind for Christmas....did you know its only 17 weeks until the BIG day? I have a lot to get done in that time.....maybe I need to write a list like my friend Ruth does (for everything) it might just keep me on track!

Until next time

Happy crafting
Oz-Tralien