Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone

Merry Christmas all. 


Kath
x

Is there such a thing as being too young to start a bucket list?

I found some wonderful hints over here:  The ultimate bucket list
I think some things, you heart just wants at anytime.  ;)









Dream the biggest and wildest, and see where I end up.

K x

Who said you needed to go to NY to try beautiful bagels??

I have wanted to have a go making bagels for ages.  So I did a little research as you do, the Internet is an amazing place.

Easy as.  NY Bagel Recipe  that I used.  I had most of the ingredients in the cupboard which was great.

They taste amazing.  I'm looking forward to popping them in the freezer and having one whenever I feel like it and maybe trying some different flavours..

Shares, I love this picture.  The wings get me.......  :)

Have a great weekend all.
Good sewing weather.
Kath x

What are you grateful for?

The Gratitude Project, is on facebook.  Whats it all about..??  Go and check it out...   As extracted from FB.....  "Personalised cards created to cultivate the habit of saying thank you."  And you know it is as simple as that. 

Thank You.......................

For as much as we text and type, do we really ever take that personal touch anymore?  Well you can with these cards which are available from the Gratitude Project.

I've had a wonderful day today.  I was out and about for the day pottering around the Southern Highlands, NSW.  We went to a craft market in Bowral, the Highlands Design Collective, "A Christmas Fair".  Ran by these 2 lovely ladies highlands handmade blog.  It was a sensational market, with truly inspiring crafter's and makers from body lotions & creams with essential oils, cupcakes to die for, softies, bunting, beautiful rustic bread, Pate', clothes, canvasses, olives and soy candles and on the list goes.  It was good not too big, not too small a wonderful collection of bibs and bobs in an intimate environment..  Nice.  Not to mention the lovely devonshire tea.
 
We then hit the shopping strip in Bowral.  We found the cheese shop, oh yum, with locally produced cheeses, olive oils and vinegars to lust after for all those summer salads.  Not to mention all of the other shops on the strip in Bowral.

What has been happening in all of our strip shopping areas?  closures left right and centre.  It was noticeable in Bowral, as it has been in my own local shopping area.  Our shopping patterns are changing, as is the way we collectively meet, share and shop for life's essentials. I must say a day out shopping and touching and feeling fabrics, patterns and being surrounded by inspiration and inspirational people, talking and laughing over their passion.  The Internet just cant replace some personal preferences..  But it is too late, the machine has taken over and changed the way we live, communicate or live in our own little worlds. 

There is heaps happening over the next couple of weeks in the Highlands on the South Coast. 
The Southern Highlands Arts Studio Trail is on at the moment, we just happened to pop in here on the way home.  Celeste Coucke @ Cloud Farm Studio.  It was fogged in when we were there, but Celeste assures us the view is spectacular.  So when I get a chance, I'm going to pop back up there and check out the view, as it looks clean out over the Illawarra.

Well that's all folks, there hasn't been much crafting from me this weekend.  But it was wonderful to see what others are creating and inspiring.

Till next time.
Kath x.

PS:  I stole the picture from the Gratitude Project on Facebook.  Cause Goosie Lucy here forgot to take any photos of the day....  Oh and cause I love it.  :)

Latest knits off the needles

One of Mum's knits that she has finished recently.  Wendy on the right is modelling a long line cardigan 100% wool.  It would look lovely with boots and a long black skirt.

Kath x

Finishing some bits off.......

Thought I would just have a day of trying to finish off some things that I have started and they are half done or you know they are nearly there.  Just to get them done before I start something else.

Finally, LOL finally finished this bag. I'm hearing a cheer from up north.  My sister helped me with this one ages ago.  I love the panel on this.  Very cute and easy to stitch around.  My sister just made a cushion out of a remaining panel which was lovely.

 

Meet "Grace", I thought the other little softie one might like a friend.

You know so they can pop off with their little suitcases under their arms for some adventures together.

I might have to find a home for them. 

These little softies are great because you can just use scraps and little lengths of lace and doilies a bit of hand stitching and tonnes of different effects.  Its on a small scale so it is a quick and effective win.

 

I had been looking for a triangle template for the past couple of months well I don't know why but I ended up looking in my craft room.  & guess what...  I had one tucked away.  I don't know if I bought it or if someone gave it to me.   But I had one.  I made some "bunting" ....  Fun, effective and easy peasy. 

New motto, before I go rushing off to buy something, check the cupboard out first just in case.

K x

Oops! Who put that there?

Truly I don't know how on earth that fabric got into my handbag.  Well that's my story & I'm sticking to it. 

Seriously thou, how could I resist. Spotlight is having a 40% off all quilting fabric this weekend.  So I thought I would go for a little wander.   You know, just to see if I could find any of Denise Schmidt's last line that she did with Spotlight.......   After a big dig this is what I unearthed in my local store.

 

So anyways I thought I would get a little bit.  You know just to add to the stash, cause you know there isn't enough in my craft room already..... 

Oh and the ladies at the counter know me as the "crazy quilter lady"....  ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Could always be worse... Nothing like dragging up 12 bolts of fabric for some of each...... 

Happy sewing all...  And may the weekend fairies be with you all to help finish of some crafty stuff..

Best I go and get busy with it...

K x

Ever thought you had lost something?

Well I didn't think I would ever see this quilt again.  I must say I was extremely surprised to see it on my doorstep.   Without any warning, I arrived home today to a package.....  & this is what was in it. 

Of course the end result is spectacular.  It has taken a long time to get to this stage and find its way home to me.  It all feels a little bittersweet in the end.  Just the binding needs to be added now.

I started this medallion quilt probably close to 10 years ago now.  It was one of the first things I had ever sewn.  From memory it was off square, and pulled together as a beginner does.  I didn't follow any pattern or guide.  I just went with the flow, adding extra rounds as I went and making it up as I went along.

It sat unfinished for a couple of years I was very hit and miss with it all.  Till I finally pulled my finger out and finished it with lots of prodding from a favorite and kind Aunt, who continually inspired me to get it done.  Well she took it home with her to get it quilted for me.  It had been with her for a couple of years, misplaced in her craft room as so many things do in her little treasure trove of a room.  I figured it would turn up when it was ready as these things do.  

Bizarrely she must have found it.   It must have been annoying her in her craft room.. Staring at her as she tidied up.   :)

The colours of the quilt are muted and countryish, as much as I love it I hate it.  The style is totally different to where I am now. 
But I love the whimsy of it, and the fact that I know I did it with little to no practice or understanding of how to put a quilt together.  And that my kind Aunt helped me with it along the way, encouraging me to get it done and try different techniques.

A big thank you Auntie for re finding it, get it quilted and sending it home to me.  Not to mention your encouragement to get it done in the first place.  x

K x

Softie Sundays

I've been getting creative in the sewing room with some softies.  Little hand & machine stitch soft toys.   This one is all about wonder and dreaming on a Sunday...  LOL I think I might keep adding some bits to it.    

I need to do some hand stitching on them..

If you pop over here to Grrl+dog you can see where I'm getting my inspiration from.

Have a great week all.
K x x

Meet my Mum.....

So I would like to introduce you to my mum.  She is a crazy knitter/crocheter/sewer and general crafty person.  The quilt is a gift from her sister, is over 20 years old, and hangs on her craft room wall.

I remember seeing my mum at her sewing machine as a child, or working on some different knitting project.  There was always hand knits throughout the winter that she had knitted for us.

Well retirement hasn't slowed her, funny I think she is more inspired to knit now for pleasure rather then out of necessity as in previous years.

She has been knitting up a storm for the past couple of years, here are a few of her recent projects.  They are all for sale.  If you would like to purchase then please get in contact with me I will get you in contact with her.

 
She has her hand knits at local markets, in the Southern Highlands including Robertson and Bundanoon which is on monthly. If you would like to see some of her other work.


This is a sweet little cardigan for about a 7 year old.









This is a poncho, possible for a 7 - 10 year old. 




 This last one is a ladies, Size 12- 14.

Well I hoped you liked meeting my mum.  If anyone was wondering where and why I'm crafty, well know you know.  I have no hope  :) it is all in the genes. 

Happy sewing, knitting, painting or whatever it is that gets you creating something.

K x x  

Wacky Wednesdays

Funny things happen sometimes.

You know this morning, I woke up thinking about a gorgeously close girlfriend.    I felt like I had had the most amazing catch up session with her.   You know what I mean, that we had just spent hours catching up, laughing and ribbing one another, drinking wine and giggling our butts off.  

Well I collected my mail this afternoon, and guess what?  save the date.......

A save the date card in the post, for a wedding...  LOL her wedding to a man who so looks her match.

We've been slack you know, busy with life as we know it.  But you know, I woke up this morning and all I have been thinking about today is her.

OMG I'm so excited to see this stunner walk on down the aisle.
Congratulations girlie.

Love you long time.
K x

Do you know what I love?

I absolutely love learning new things. 

It doesn't seem to matter how old I get, I just love it.

I've managed to figure out how to create different pages on my blog.  Eg:  check out my cooking adventures.  I've even managed to figure out how to link the pages back to the original recipe.

Sensational

Hitting mid week stride.  Woo hoo..... 
Have a good one...  K x

Birthdays everywhere

Where have I been.....  Well I've been busy.  I have managed to get a free builtin wardrobe & a wonderful friend helped me get in what I wanted, which will give me heaps of storage in my wardrobe.  Oh and I would like to say I got it all for nicks.  How?  Freecycle on Yahoo.  Someone had ripped it out of their bedroom and didn't want it.  After borrowing a ute (woo hoo I got to be a ute chick)  and someone to help me get it all in the ute and home in one piece.  There was enough for me, and friend.  Sensational.

The picture on the right is how much rain we have been getting. OMG...  Nothing like a little bit of rain.  Saturday morning it absolutely bucketed down.  & I had a party to go to...  Arghhh  thankfully it started to clear.

How many birthdays can one have in a row...? 

October is the month for me.  But they are nearly all done now.  :))
I have been trying to get some housie stuff done.  My front courtyard garden has been so overgrown with grass and weeds.  Crazy, so I got cracking this morning and cleared it out.  I will replant out the whole thing the plan is to get a weed mat in so hopefully it wont get this bad again..

There hasn't been a lot of sewing going on of late..   

But there is something coming..... 

Have a great week all.

Kath

x x

Weekends away as the spring kicks off

There wasn't a lot of sewing this weekend. 

I headed up north to catch up with my sister, her partner and a little girl in their care who is very sweet.

Can you find a better way to spend a Friday afternoon?  Not me in the pic, but seriously, I was wishing it was.  :)))  Casually floating about.  Not a care in the world.

Looking back towards the hinterland at the back of Coffs Harbour from Sawtell.

This is the river that runs through Bellingen.  The one that floods when the rain comes.  But this weekend the kids where swimming and jumping in the deep parts off the bridge.  The water crystal clear.

The Saturday craft market in Bellingen with the locals.  And a new op shop in town. Bizarrely the place to be. 

So as you can see I didn't get a lot of sewing done. However I did have a relaxing couple of days.

Oh & I did get to go through soem of my sisters patchwork books/magazines looking for something new to get into. 
And I would like to say I've got it.  But it's a surprise.  So you will all have to wait till it is seriously under way for a sneak peek... 

Happy week all.
K x

Sunny Stitchy Sundays

 

 I have this little stash of fabrics that I nicked off someone.  LOL & and yes they know that I nicked off with them, maybe, perhaps they have forgotten.  Which is always possible.  Anywho I was too'ing & fro'ing as to what to do with them this morning.  Nothing was jumping to mind. 

They are a bit boring. . . so they are tucked back where I found them.   Until something springs to mind.  I was thinking something really modern since they aren't.

The quilt along...  it is taking some motivation to keep onto of late.....  :))  I figure I will just do a couple every now and then.  Fingers crossed I get to finish it some time soon..  

But I was a little stuck on what to do?  Do I start another quilt?

Finish something that has been hanging around for a little while?

I have been a little on the sick side of things, so my motivation is a little slow this weekend.




The spider pattern block from a couple of weeks ago, popped into a cushion.

I have so much of this hydrangea range in the cupboard it is a bit on the ridiculous side.  What can I say.  I love it..  Oh and I do have different colour ways too.  So I wasn't short on a piece to do the back.


Happy week all..

K x

Shiny little things

It was a hassle trying to get more covered buttons. No credit card facilities, so I thought I would try making my own.  I just grabbed a little packet from Spotlight and followed the instructions.  Cute hey.  They look good, and it was easy peasy...  I want them for the next set of sprocket cushions...  Which are happening below.

I was surfing about the other day, on a couple of other blogs that I lurk on and I found a great tut for a spiders web block here .  Honestly with instructions as clear as this tut how can you go wrong! 

The effect is amazing, shame I don't have too much more of this hydrangea fabric left in this colour way.  Oh well.  I'm visualising another cushion maybe.

The last of the Sprocket cushions, I'm just struggling trying to get the button onto this set.  I will have to try again.  Maybe I have too much wadding in them.  Oops.....  :)  These ones are a bit wonky.  Not to worry. 

Enjoy the last of the weekend

K x