Cyclones....!!!!!

The cyclone that travelled down the coast of Western Australia, stayed out to sea and slowed down, it then hit the colder waters which downgraded it as it crossed over land, into a rain depression. Which we're all thankful for.

However, Queensland is really struggling. Not only with flooding since December, with nearly 2/3 of the state under water, about 3 times the size of Texas, which did go into New South Wales, then Victoria. Then they were hit with two cyclones. With the worst one last night, a category 5 cyclone, Yasi.

It's ladies like Jenny of ELEFANTZ I'm concerned for.

With all the flooding both in north WA, in the eastern states and the cyclones, the food bowl of Australia is severely descimated.

Rare Cyclone Alert for SW Australia

The last time a cyclone managed to get further down the coast was Cyclone Alby in the 1970's.

It looks like we might be in for a bit of a rough ride over the weekend if the cyclone travels according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast maps.
You can view it at http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDW60281.shtml

So to be on alert, from Jurien Bay to Albany, with possible effects felt on Sunday, is indeed, amazing.

Also there are two others off the coast of Queensland, so they are wtching and waiting also.

First 2011 project

I have completed my first project for 2011. A x-stitch bookmark I received as a Christmas gift. It was "very me"!!! I love roses and pink with cream and green!!

Also end of last year I completed Kaaren's Huswif Needlecase, that she had as one of her First Friday Freebie patterns. The following is the stitchery completed,

Now sewn together with outer fabric, binding and button.

Inside the Huswif Needlecase. I altered Kaaren's last image changing it to a pineapple (from another of Kaaren's FFF's) and my own words "Heart given to hospitality." My home has been that in the last week and a half, with 14 guests either to a meal or staying with us.

Finally a picture of the lastest chickens my daughter is loving to death!!! This is a picture she took on the back verandah, where she plays with them for hours.

"Give Thanks" Free BOM from Jenny

Jenny of ELEFANTZ has a new BOM with a slight difference. The following is what she shared of her thinking behind this BOM.

"Over the last couple of years there have been many challenges facing our nations, our world, our neighbours, family, friends, and our own lives. When struggles occur it is far easier to focus on the sorrows and trials than on the continuing goodness that still exists in our lives.

This BOM is my small attempt to have our hearts and thoughts dwell on those good things for which we can give thanks.

This month, January, we shall make the wall hanging part of the BOM. Then from February 1st – December 1st I’ll share a small stitched verse of thankful inspiration, made up into a mini hanging that you can display in the blank centre section of the wallhanging."

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”!!

More denim and more things

You have probably seen those adverts that want to sell you something, then they say “but wait there’s more!”

I’m going to tease you and do that right now.

Firstly, you need to see the view from my sewing room window at the moment. Isn’t it beautiful?

Secondly, I mentioned the “ah huh” moment I had after notification of the position as school chaplain, how I still having left over denim to use up and that I could make a journal cover. Well here it is. Can you see the “splotch of paint” on the denim? which is the reason these denim jeans were no longer wanted.

Well you can’t see it in the finished product!!!

Thirdly, I had a swap with Cyndi from blue bird swing, after she made a lovely comment on Sue’s blog "The House That Love Built" when I made and sent Sue a crocheted hat pincushion. I offered to make Cyndi one, so she offered to make something as a swap. I had wanted to make the wallet tutorial she had, and so she made it for me using denim fabric. Here is the gorgeous parcel.

But here are the special contents!!

Fourthly, I had contact from the editor of HOMESPUN after seeing the mug pouches I’d made. I was asked if I’d like to submit a “Readers Letter” sharing why I made the mug pouches, any changes I made and so forth, after using the pattern from their magazine. That was a real surprise!!!


Finally, the winner is…………


But wait there’s more………….


I decided, because I can, that I would make an extra couple of mug pouches. I knew it would be sad, when so may entered the giveaway, that I couldn’t make one for everyone.

So I decided I would choose -

Number 1 – Jeannette , because number 'ones' don’t come up often in random number generator’s, also because Jeannette has just started a new position in a school situation, in New Zealand. A similar story to me!!

Here are the next two winners, by a random number generator:

Number 92, which is Darlis, one of my anonymous entries. So Darlis, I need you to email me your email address. If I don’t hear from Darlis, by Monday Sept 13th, I’ll draw another number.

And

Number 18 which is Marianne. I shall be emailing you shortly.

I had 154 entries into my excel document, accounting for those that in one comment were a follower, or blogged etc. Thank you all so much for entering and for the increase in followers.

“Thank You, Sarah Tobias”

Blackbird Designs released a x-stitch book in 2008, titled “Thank you, Sarah Tobias”.

I found out about it from Kaaren, as she told me of the gorgeous needle case in it. So I was able to get my own copy, and indeed, it was just beautiful and I had to “have it”!! Kaaren completed hers last year.

I was able to obtain the Crescent Colour threads at Janine’s shop, Colours Downunder, that I spoke about here. Then commenced the x-stitching, enjoying any and every moment. I bought the most gorgeous “olde world” rose type fabric, done on a black background.

I also found in a second-hand shop a beautiful piece of rich gold heavy lace (for $1), and knew it would look just right with the rose fabric.

This is the completed x-stitch, folded to form pockets and bound. The felt is sewn on the bottom on the inside. The black and gold button, just made for it!!

My finished version of “Flowers for Sarah Needle Case”!!