It's been a while!!

Time, that is "days and months" have disappeared rather rapidly. Even my daughter is worried at the pace of time.

Family changes have been happening this year - Our son has moved out into his own unit. This was a big thing and hard for me as his time with us seemed so short, considering his first 6 years were in an orphanage. During the past school holidays hubby and son were driving together, to go walking on Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Ranges, and had a car accident on the way. The car was a write-off, but they walked away no injuries, but a big lesson for our son, yes, he was driving, still on his "L's".


For us the ornamtental cherry blossom is once again covering the trees; the ewes are having lambs; and we're bottle feeding one lamb, rejected by it's mother; we're starting to get warmer days, which I love as you feel the warmth right into your bones.



My crafting days have been limited with my part-time chaplaincy work. So I've not been as productive as I once was. However, I participated in a CQ Asian Challenge on the yahoo gruop CQ4Newbies. I was excited to tie for first place with this block.







Gerry on "Block Talk" has done a very helpful critique on my block, and so I will be working on it to make some changes.

I can't guarantee when I'll post again. But I can tell you we will be away on holidays at the end of the year, visiting Bali, Paris, America, London, Malta, Cyprus, Egpyt, Israel and the Philippines. This trip is to take our daughter back to her birth country for a visit.

52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge

What am I to do when I see Jenny of ELFANTZ with an interesting challenge last month of making something by re-cycling some used denim jeans? I was given a pair by a visiting missionary family, who were passing through here on deputation, to leave at a second-hand shop (it had gotten some paint on them). So I decided I would use them some how…………..

Then I saw the “Make a Bag sew along” that Kelly's blog had, which I’ve already blogged about. So I decided I would do this fun project………………..

Then a couple of days ago, I saw this challenge, the 52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge . The idea is to make, learn or do 52 things in a year. I got thinking about some things I would like to do. So I decided I would have a go with this challenge……………

See where I’m heading too? So many things to make and do, and not getting back to my basket blocks, which I blogged about here, and no further sewing on my Dear Jane triangles!!!!

Anyway some things I’d like to achieve with the 52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge in a year.

1. Use my Slow Cooker or Crockpot more – found a couple of cook books in town. 5-Ingredients Slow Cooker Recipes by Jean Paré (Company’s Coming Kitchen Workbooks), at the local Post Office and the Women’s Weekly Slow Cooker recipe book, at Coles.

Have had fun cooking the following since July 1st:-
Homestyle Beef Stew (recipe from the internet)
Italian Beef Casserole (recipe from Women’s Weekly Slow Cooker)
Pineapple Cherry Cobbler (recipe from 5-Ingredients Slow Cooker Recipes)

All yummy, might I add!!!

2. Re-cycled denim jean items – Made a Japanese Knot bag from Helen Heath's Blog, that I’ve wanted to make for a while, and the Gathered Clutch. DONE July 4th and 5th

3. Make a Bag Sew Along – 3 accessories made – the tote, toiletries pouch and mini make-up roll.

4. Practice machine quilting – I made a table runner last year, using some cupcake fabrics I bought. I made it all, even sandwiched it, but stalled at the quilting. I had intended to machine quilt it all along, but was too scared to start or try…..so today, I thought “That’s it! I’m doing it no matter what!!” I want it finished and on the table I designed it to be used for. STARTED quilting July 5th

5. More Crazy Quilting (CQ) blocks and projects

6. Learn Ribbon Embroidery to use in CQ

7. Get a part-time job – after being out of the work-force for 7 years.

8. Complete the Dear Jane Triangles

9. Get up-to-date with the Basket blocks

10. Finish crocheting an Irish Rose lap blanket

I have a year to think of others things I want to make, learn or do for the 52 Marvellous Makes Madness in a year challenge, however, I’ve made or started 9 items in the last few days.

Hearts and Crazy Quilting (CQ)

I blogged last year about the heart swap blocks we did in our patchwork group. One month, we swapped crazy patch hearts. I didn’t do a really “proper” crazy patch, although I did use different coloured fabrics for each section in the different colourways that each participant wanted, but it was foundation pieced really!!!

I have all the blocks put together including two special ones. One from Rosa and one from Cyn. I have a few hearts from Rosa and Cyn that will go into some pillowcases as part of the bed linen set.

I needed another row of hearts to make the quilt the size I need, for my bed, so have made the following batch, although I need two more. Another applique heart which is prepped at the moment. And a friend has offered to make the other crazy patch heart that is required.



This time I did do a “proper” crazy patch heart….and I loved doing it!! So I have discovered I want to do more CQing!!! It’ll be one of those projects I can sit and work away on at night, like I do x-stitch and eventually get through the fun embroidery and techniques. I now know I want to learn ribbon embroidery as well!!

I’m reading up on the history of CQ and more specifically, trying to learn the choice of motifs and meanings they have. So I put an anchor on my heart which represents ‘faith’. The spider and spider web have become a popular motif, which represents ‘good luck.’ I didn’t put that on my heart as one of the other crazy patchwork hearts done by a friend here, had the spider and spider web. I believe it’s walking in the steps of my Lord and His Word, that will bring peace, contentment, direction and blessing in my life.

The butterfly on the heart was using what was on that piece of fabric, it had a number of butterflies over it, so embroidered it and used the colourings for a specific butterfly from Tibet. I looked up butterflies in an encyclopaedia, for that one!!