Months disappeared...Where? and What?

I’ve wanted to post, for some weeks, but other things kept happening!!! Then a dear friend posted a comment, hoping I was okay, so I knew I just had to sit down and get it done!!

So where do I start?
My new job – as a school chaplain, started off and went very well. By the end of the term I knew over half the students by name and started to place sibling groups together. Coming into my office for “teddy hugs” has been a huge hit.

I also made some cushions for the office, using a very colourful cardigan someone had knitted, which I bought at a second-hand shop. It wasn’t complete – just the back and two front side panels, which had been joined, but no sleeves or anything else. I unpicked it, and made cushions with them. The photo’s show the outcome.

Just before I started the job I managed to get some DJ blocks made for someone I’ve been swapping with for a while. I made great progress then they came to a halt.

I made progress in getting 3 mug pouches sewn up for my giveaway, commenced the embroidery work after completing the colouring-in on the stitcheries, then they came to a halt.

Everything changed as my hours and days changed with working and affected my creative/sewing times. Plus I was feeling quite tied.

On top of all that, my sister-in-law was getting married and asked my daughter to be a flower-girl, along with her cousins. So making a flower-girls dress became priority one, in what little time I had. I really enjoyed making this dress, it's been a few years since I last did some dress making, which was also for a wedding. Back in my teens I used to make most of my clothes.

From this:-

To this:-

Along came Christmas, with family coming here. When we have Christmas here in our home, it’s become our tradition to make a ginger-bread house. So this is our 2010 Gingerbread house!!

Our son now has his "L" driver’s license . . . some of you know me as calm, quiet and easy-going. Well, we may have to now add, “she’ll go grey very quickly!!!”

Then yesterday morning…….my daughter had gone into the kitchen, when she called out “Mum!” I said “What?” (Hubby and I were lying in bed relaxing and talking.)

“Mum, there’s a snake in the kitchen!!” (Action…..fast jumping out of bed, unbelief that it could be so….)

There it was right in front of the kitchen stove. Hubby raced out for a shovel, while we kept watch, as it turned and slithered back across in from of the cupboards and sink.

My husband has said “it ‘naturally’ died of ‘natural’ causes!!!” It was a 3ft “tiger snake”. Some interesting stats: one person a year dies from snake bite in Australia. 60% of people die from a “tiger snake” bite.

We can only guess it came through the front door, when the flywire door wasn’t properly closed. Don’t try and think about it being in the house for the day and night, without us knowing!!!

So I’m happy to say we are all safe and well and I’m hoping for some creative times in coming weeks. I’m suffering badly from “withdrawal symptoms”!!

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.

"Dear Jane" Quilt

I love the Dear Jane quilt. I started my journey back in 2005. I completed all the centre squares earlier this year and just have 40 odd triangles to complete for the border.

So you can image how proud I feel with when my fellow DJ'er friends complete their quilt. Have a look at my friend Julia's completed quilt. Isn't it just beautiful?! I meet Julia in her own home, Christmas a couple of years ago, after finding each other on the DJ email list.

Here is a part of my own DJ progress, with another DJ'er, Irene, from Perth.