Happy 8th Birthday Stu-Art-Tee

8 today! Such a smart boy, especially at maths; popular with his classmates and a great sportsman, but such a grump at times, an avid arguer, never backs down.Oliver used to call Stuart, Stu-Art-Tee. A huge brotherly compliment, when the boys were toddlers they loved Thomas the Tank Engine but Oliver pronounced it "Tee". He added Tee to the end of Stu-Art, lol, giving us Stu-Art-tee! Armed with that important piece of family trivia, here is the birthday boy, 8 today!!His fave present is the Indiana Jones PS2 game and Star Wars activity books (great school holiday presents). He is also getting a Nintendo DS Lite and some other gifts, and wants to have a movie party next term when he has settled into his new school.
Likes~
Money
Star Wars
Lego
Army Men
Running long distance
Sour Lollies
Nachos (corn chips, tomato sauce and melted cheese)
Hot Chips with tomato sauce
Strawberries
Dislikes~
Meat
Vegetables
Baths
Putting things away

Miss Monk Quilt ~ Bento Box

My puple Bento Box Quilt, made from all of my purple fabrics, and a few borrowed from mum. I love this quilt, a gift for Stuart's teacher Miss Monk. One of the nicest people you will ever meet, not just a great teacher but a wonderful, kind, funny and caring person in real life too! Quilted it in the box pattern, I finished sewing it last night and stitched the binding down today, finished at 1.00pm and given away at 3.00pm!!

Mrs Palmer's Quilt ~ Chenille Ragged Edges

For Oliver's Year 3 teacher Mrs Palmer, a chenille backed ragged edges quilt. Love how this came together, no wadding just the cut chenille backing, but OMG at the fluff that the chenille created! Using 12 Sanctury 3 Sisters FQ fabrics, a perfect summer quilt.

Mrs Barrett's Quilt ~ Ragged Edges

One Ragged Edges Quilt, my fave of the quilt family. Using the last of my Picket Fence fabric that I bought in Sydney (another trip is in order Cass!!), 10 squares of 10 in a row, 100 in total, there is room for two under here! Backed with a spotty green Moda fabric, I have washed this one twice and tumble dried it once so it's all fluffed up and oh so snuggly.This is for Mrs Barrett, (Cate's pre-primary Teacher).

New Shoes

Ready for todays sports carnival! L to R ~ Cate size 10, Lottie, Oliver size 1 and Stuart size 12.

A view change

In anticipation of my sewing marathon weekend, I have moved my machine from my nook to the kitchen table. A so much better view. To my left, Cate helping me by removing all the pins and counting the fabric squares as we go.To my right, Muffin, grumpy yet adorable.In front of me, Oliver coming in from the back yard.Now, to do some sewing!!

Christmas Moose

or Christmas Reindeers, I can't be sure, but OMG they are so cute! $4 a FQ from here, I love them, just perfect for some of the Christmas projects I have in mind.

Quilting Retreat Progress

I am back from my Quilting Retreat, some great fun was had, lots of quilting progress and yummy food. A purple toned Bento Box quilt top, nice and bright, a perfect lap size. I completed the top at 2.00 am on Saturday, lol, stayed up so late and spent the next day in slow motion!I need to buy a purple backing, the one I had just doesn't suit. I am not sure which teacher this will be for, I thought I might just make the quilts up and let the kids pick??
From one of the quilting shops, I bought a Leanne Beasley Bag pattern, well, mum bought it for me, yay! I am going to change the pattern a tad, making it bigger to hold my rotary mat, and I will repeat the daisy's on both sides and not do the creative hand stitching panels.

Disappearing 9 Patch

I started not one, not two, but THREE Quilts today!!
The kids will be leaving their school at the end of term 3 so I have 15 days to whip up 5 teachers gifts!! Using the last of my Summer in the City Charm Squares, I sewed together four 9 patch squares and I have cut them up ready to be re positioned and sewn back together. This will be a simple quilt, with the D9P as the centre then a small orange sashing and a wide border.I also cut up a heap of 3" purple strips to make a purple toned Bento Box Quilt, and I am going to make Bec's 9 Patch using my Tula Pink Nest fabrics.
So, I am away for the weekend, off to Fairbridge for a quilting retreat that's been organised by my mum, all of my cousins will be there so hopefully I will be able to get some serious sewing in!

Some fabric shopping

I did some fabric shopping at my Mum's house on Sunday! We went up for Fathers Day, I forgot the camera but I gave my Dad 2 packets of Cherry Ripes, some stationary I got as part of my Election campain kit, and a boxed set of 10 Rock 'N Roll CD's, many hours of listening pleasure there!!
I gave my mum a bag of fabrics I no longer liked or had a use for and in return helped her out in her sewing room, she has way to many UFO's, some very vintage and some that should not be allowed to see the light of day ever!
I went through all the tubs and helped re-sort and cull. I came away with 3 purples each 1 metre long (I can only use some, need to return the rest) and 4 FQ's ~ 2 Japanese FQ's and a 1 metre piece, perfect for my Crane Quilt 2 cherry FQ for my Cherry Table Runner pattern I have been meaning to start ~ And this cute as little Apple print scrap piece ~ Thanks Mum xx

Flickr Doll Quilt Swap 4 ~ recieved!!

Oh my, I just so love my Doll Quilt! Made by Bronwyn, it is just the nicest quilt ever! Made from a log cabin pattern, the quilting is in the middle of the strips highlighting the blocks perfectly, it's just the sweetest quilt, so not letting any cat's near this one, straight to the wall, just need to sew a sleeve onto it!Close up pic~Triangle quilt label~Lottie having a look but no touching!~Bronwyn also sent me some beautiful baby print fabrics and some charm squares, very kind, thanks again, I just love it. Xx

Flickr Doll Quilt Swap 4 ~ sneak peak

Using up the last of my fave Amy Butler prints, I hope my swapee likes it!