It is Going to be a Quilting Year.

 It has been another hot sticky week here, and I have found it very debilitating. It seems to have set off my arthritis, although telling that to a Dr. and they don't believe you. Pain also zaps your strength and makes you tired, so that is what my week has been like, mostly.

I did go to my first quilting group meeting last Tuesday, Australia Day at CWA rooms. It was air conditioned and the day ended up being 30C, so you can be lucky sometimes. I actually have to join CWA as it covers the insurance part, and was there 5 1/2 hrs. Mostly trying to get my brain around 1/4 inch seams and to pick up where I left off 20 years ago. 5 other women turned up which was nice for my first day, and I enjoyed it, and expect this Tuesday to see more ladies. I took in my old Husqvana and yesterday went to use it, light came on but the motor wouldn't turn over. I think the rough ride in the trolley must have upset a few things on the way out, as it was fine all day, or maybe the foot peddle has given up after 25 years.

Love my new machine.

 This now means I have to take my new one and which is much heavier, at least this week I was forced to start it up and get some basics down, via the book and DVD. It is lovely to sew on. Luckily when I got this UFO quilt out, most of it has been done. That was a nice surprise as I had completely forgotten. Each side has another 8 stars to put on, and 10 were already made.

Einstein checking it out, and I didn't bother ironing it.

 All I have to do now is make 6 stars then put them together and attach. The border between the stars and middle has more iron on flowers that will need buttonhole to match the middle.

It is a Lynn Anderson Angel design, and perfect for my angel Miss P for her birthday quillow in March.
 

   This is the book pattern, my quilt is much lighter in colour of course. 

 Australia Day also meant John received all his certificates and plaques as Volunteer of the year. This video is from NBN News if interested, taken at the Botanical Gardens..

NBN TV local news article

These are what he got, and such an Honour. Very proud of his achievement.

Nominee certificates and winner ones

 Monday this week and our Embroidery group goes back. We are doing some book covers this time, and between I will finish off my hardanger. Another rummage through the sewing room and I found some lace and fabric and books, ready to start, plus surprisingly the old basic pattern for crazy quilting type. I use dupion silk, beads,lace to make them. Here is a very old one to give you the idea. 

I am going to have to re think my small sewing and large craft room, now. I love making the dolls and doing the cards but it is no good to keep going if they don't sell. That means increasing my marketing and going on Instagram and Facebook, and do I want to do that is the question?

 I was also looking at the cupboard where all my beads are and thinking I should get rid of a lot of old stuff, there as well, to make use of the shelves, with the juggling I am going to have to do.

The quilting fabric is in computer paper boxes, in cupboards and I need to get it out so I know what I have. Even though I haven't physically done a lot this week my brain is working overtime. I just ordered some drawers for shoes. Just cheap  soft plastic ones, you put together, a group of 20. 4 will fit into the cube storage and will be perfect to hold fat quarters, although I will need to refold them as they are 5 inches square and I need 4 inches square. Then I can file them in the drawers to start with, plus the odd quilting gear, and maybe some thread.

At the moment my new sewing machine is in the spare bedroom, but I need to get it downstairs so I am not spreading myself around all over the house. I can see a major craft room redesign happening this year, just hope I have the energy to match. It seems the best thing for large pieces of fabric is to fold it onto cardboard to put on shelves, or in my case cubes, so will check that out also if practical to stand on edge or just fold to a size and stack neatly. First thing first though is to do a plan and a To Do List.

The Holidays are over!  The year has begun!

Till Next Time.

Tiling the Sink and Opened an Etsy Shop

 I am loving this cool weather as I can get out to the garden in the mornings and when we are having " just a bit of too hot in the sun for me", it means I am getting all this stuff done inside. 

This week I decided to tile the sink in my mini laundry. It has been years in the making and had the tiles which I bought at a recycler for 10c each, saving a lot of money. Just plain white but got enough to also do the downstairs toilet sink. 

My laundry looks like this. 

One sink and one washing machine in a corner behind the kitchen door. A bench joins onto this which, part I use probably the width of the machine, and rest is my office. The other side of the room is an L shape desk bench which is Johns. This whole room was originally supposed to be my laundry craft room and was changed, but that is a long story. 

So 6 years ago when the kitchen went in, the sink was pushed back to angle the wall in there. So on the bit in front was still some glue that I have sanded off and taken down the shelf which is handy for laundry soap and a hand towel.

I am deciding now whether to paint in white as well as under the cupboards, which run along the top above the bench.

These cupboards hold all the spare cleaning things, preserves, and everything else from a bandaid to icy pole gadgets, for the whole house, which I have written about before, all labeled, lol that's me and according to a clutter quiz I did, I am a Clutterbug  Bee. Take the test it is interesting and it is instant no signing up or anything.

What type of Clutter Bug are You?

 So  back to the tiling. I got John to cut them as he is more accurate and the cutting machine is electric and noisy, I knew he wouldn't lose any fingers. 

Before Grouting

It is not actually hard to do, but it has been at least 10 years since I tiled the downstairs toilet. My dad the builder, taught me how, as he did the major work of our tiling.

After Grouting.

The taps are now about 35 years old, so next time John is at Bunnings he will get another new set. Really it doesn't matter what colour so probably silver as long as I can turn the taps easily.

Basically this is my laundry at the moment.

Once the wall is painted white, probably like the front bedrooms, there are two shelves we can put up on the left hand side. They can hold the bits and pieces I need to wash and maybe some sunscreen.

One of the rooms painted white.

 

 

 I would like to set up a charging station as well on the bench or a small shelf on the walls above the drawers, as John is constantly using my washing machine as a bench top for his drills,tools, books, and such, as his desk space is overloaded all the time.

The shelf on the right has always been up and as I said before, is handy with a hook for a towel to hang. The second he found in the garage, as I thought two shelves would be better on the wall. The new one on top.

John made both of these years ago when country was my thing, still love it, even though I don't decorate that way now. 

 

I am pleased I have had the energy to do this so far as still on standby waiting for my blood count to go up, reading from last Wed. still low, this coming Wed having another one.  Feeling positive for 2021.

This week I opened up an Etsy shop called Scribbly Gum Fairies, to start selling Fairy Cards, and if I get around to  finishing them, miniature porcelain dolls as well, dressed as fairies. Something I used to do years ago. My other soft dolls are on a different Etsy store, which I opened up several months ago, and will add to this blog as well, this week. 

You may have seen at the top of the blog, and what is considered as a "page" and I hoped it would look like one, but never mind, it has access to another couple of paragraphs on what I have been making in fairy cards, and a  direct link via a 20%discount just for my readers till next Sunday. 

Even just looking will increase the algorithms needed to boost the site. The discount is automatic if a card is added to the Cart. 

I have several completely different styles in mind which I am still making, plus kits of silhouette fairies for children to make cards. Hoping all this will be successful but it is hard to stand out in a crowded Etsy Venue. 

It took me hours to work out how to do this so feeling computer clever, and I just finished a course on setting up a shop by an Australian Jess Van Den.  Photography is the hardest thing and working on that as well. Now on to working out Instagram and Pinterest, and watching another course on it. Social Media being a difficult thing to learn for me as other than this blog really I don't do much else, and getting in front of people necessary.

No-one has tested this shop yet so would love any comments good or bad.

Keep safe everyone.

 Till Next Time.

The Decluttering Continues

It is pouring rain as I type and this week cancelled my grand daughters visit because of it. It has been raining since last Friday. On top of which after my visit to Brisbane and the specialist, who informed me my Rheumatoid Arthritis is now active after 10 years in remission, so quite a shock, and  I needed time to process that.

Queensland Border Passes, need to visit the Dr.

 Mum's Dr. and a speech therapist  also rang, a couple of days ago,  to say they are trying to help with swallowing liquid and puree food due to the fact her brain no longer knows how to. Dr. mentioning they  will put her on morphine, if needed. We were also called in to see her again, but  I decided not to go this time, I have already said goodbye. Thankfully my sister did and mum was just asleep as usual.

 I have kept busy, but mentally it hasn't been a great week. I am required to start self injections of  the same medicine, but it is a full dose spaced out weekly. In the early days I tried self injections, with another medicine, hated it and pleased it didn't work. I am not sure how this is going to kick start me back in remission, as I am on a half dose 5 to 6 weekly now, last one on Wednesday, and which if taken every 4 weeks causes the neutrophils of my white blood count to go low. I know, I know,  getting complicated, needless to say "watch this space"

Sheets, pillowcases, doonas etc.

Fabric and Christmas boxes

I put away the boxes of material from last week, after cleaning all the shelves. This week I dragged all the wool down from the top and started sorting that. So many 3 or 4 balls that some date back to my young children days. The eldest just turned 46 so definitely had this wool a long time. I have a mantra now of, " do I need it, will I use it and how much time will I have"?
 I can always do crotchet rugs but the time now is always taken up with lots of things,  and I also have a huge stash of quilting fabric to use. Results of working at Spotlight catching up with me now. So in my future, the craft that I am keeping, will definitely keep me busy and still have a bit left over. Anyway kept the quantities of wool which is usually 20 balls or so needed for a cardigan, or jumper and which I could use for rugs instead. Lots of hard decisions there, but still lots left.

Handy stool in middle while I sorted this stuff out.

I packed it and labelled it, like to like so all the op shop has to do is price it and put it out in the shop. I hope some one in great need finds this wool and has a lovely surprise.

The front entrance is now getting crowded again, ready for delivery to the op shop. I still have to pack mine into boxes and put on the shelf. At night I have also been finishing off some knitting I started last year, a lovely cardigan, and up to the sleeves now. When finished will show you all. I am also working on another secret craft project.

Bagged and ready for the op shop

 While doing all this been watching The Victorian Kitchen Garden series, that includes the Victorian Flower Garden and  Victorian Kitchen. Plus the Wartime Garden. These star Harry Dodson and is set in a walled garden of which he was Head Gardner for most of his life, and Ruth Mott in the last two as cook, who also was part of the huge kitchens of that time  and where she started as a scullery maid. These were done in the late1980's and early 1990's. So interesting and it has been a few years since I watched them. Just the thing for this week. You can find them on you tube, highly recommend if you like this sort of stuff.

 I have his book which I am now reading also. Getting my brain around starting seeds for Spring.
This was my pick from 3 days ago, but a lot of it is on its way out so needs refreshing with new plants.

Off now to have lunch and  start the fire, such a lovely warm heat on these cold chilly days.

Till Next Time.

My Birthday Week 2020

In this part of the world things are hotting up, with  social interaction outside the home. While Victoria is now again under lockdown with the virus going mad there, it seems in NSW things are getting back to normal.
I say this as our eldest daughter was  up from Sydney for a week, for the school holidays. I  have spent 4 days out, and it has felt like nothing has changed, especially the traffic, and the amount of people out and about. The last day, was lunch at the Greenhouse Tavern, which recently opened back up.
 

View from Verandah Greenhouse Tavern Coffs Harbour

Out door area

We have been here quite a few times of course, but one of the problems is, it is situated on the highway, so traffic passes by constantly. It was bumper to bumper the whole hour we were there. It felt normal. The meals here are very cheaply priced, which is why we go. I had a delicious rump steak and salad.

 

 The chairs and tables are a little further apart than normal, but you didn't feel like the next table would breath germs on you haha. Again we had to sign on, as we did last Sunday with my sisters outing, which is for tracking people in case of someone having the virus, and hand sanitizer readily available. I do not mind these precautions at all. 

Largest Plant  Pot I have ever seen. Bar is in the entrance area. Plants are real.

My other outing was at the beach cafe on my birthday, several days before, just the two girls. This cafe has a very nice atmosphere, overlooking the ocean. My lunch of fish and chips though was awful, coffee great. The crowd here  were a bit too close for comfort, and rules far more relaxed. No signing on for instance, and no booking, no hand sanitizer.

Lining up for coffee after bulk of crowd had gone.

 I find it very disconcerting when whole family and friends all line up at a counter.... creating a crowd. It makes me nervous. Never the less it is holiday time and a lot of people have descended on our little community which is good. If my immune system wasn't playing up I would probably handle it better.

Tables had been spaced apart.

Following our last day lunch we went down to the Jetty area to show off the improvements that have taken place down there. Again lots of traffic, and we had coffee at one of the stands near the beach. It was delicious and they had hand sanitizer at the tables which was thoughtful.

These little turtles are all embedded in the pathways. Only tiny.

View out to the entrance, someone painted the blocks years ago in the middle of the night. Look like lego blocks.

 

Surf School in Training

 

Steps partly  covered in sand now, but is a lovely area down to the beach. Good amphitheater.

Beach area from the step, enclosed by Marina and  0riginal Jetty

 Lots of sculptures have been placed around, we couldn't resist this one.

Our motto now is to help the smaller businesses, so chose this coffee van rather than another restaurant. Although everyone is hurting.
 

Coffee Van

Last photo as they were cleaning up and it was about to rain so we dashed for the car. It was a great week in all despite the weather. Oh and I am wearing my new insulated coat, very toasty warm.  lol


Till Next Time.

5 Year Anniversary of Blog

Hard to believe but yes 5 years of blogging. I started on my birthday which is in 2 days time in 2015.  I never ever thought I would blog for this long. In the beginning I was posting every 2 or 3 days but it got too much, so have successfully stuck with once a week.

It is never going to be a huge blog like some, as I don't really promote it at all. Mainly for the family and a few friends to catch up what we are doing. So I have taken you all on holidays,weekend trips, working in the garden and house, starting the Community Garden, being self sufficient, plus celebrating special occasions.
 

Cheers to all my Readers.

This post today is the 265th one. The most popular has been on top for some unknown reason, from the week I did it. So far there have been 33,244 views (some bloggers would have this in 1 year not 5 ) and the following are the top 5 and how many views in that time. So as you can see just a little blog in a big world but at least I am doing it, and great to look back, on what we have done.

A New Homemakers Forum Mar 4, 2017, 9 comments	2015
Renovating the Caravan - part 1 Jul 28, 2016	776
The Great Ocean Road Trip- Part one - Sydney to L... Mar 27, 2016	611
Sydney Weekend Shen Yun Feb 11, 2018, 6 comments	560
Renovating the Caravan - Part 2 Mar 20, 2017, 1 comment	336
These are the top 10 countries that have visited.
Australia 13253 United States 8428 Ukraine 1817 Russia 1732 United Kingdom 1077 France 680 Germany 600 Indonesia 488 Canada 454 Netherlands 305

Today though I have just come back from a breakfast/morning tea outing to Garden Mania, my present from my sister, along with a lovely pink quartz bracelet, and luckily our eldest daughter arrived from Sydney last night, so joined us. We will celebrate a luncheon on Tuesday the actual day.

Garden Mania Entrance

Shop from inside Restaurant at back of that .

Hard to believe and still a little scary to be out among the public. My sewing class has 3 others so pretty safe there, although yesterday I  sadly attended a funeral of one of the Community Garden Members.
Slowly, slowly looks like things are getting back to normal. I just hope the virus doesn't come to this area like it is in Victoria.

Breakfast what a great present.

Just a short one today.

 

 Till Next Time.

The New Shed

The new shed is more or less completed now. John finished the floor in a very nice cypress tongue and groove which he polished. Very fancy, wish the house had it. It was the cheapest flooring and a good deal. 

Right Side

Left Side

The two metal sheds were put into place and a clear plastic poly carbonate roof added from bits that we had. The back wall is from the old roofing, that was replaced after the big hailstorm.

This week all the tools were added. One side for all the pots and chicken manure, seedling soil etc. Still an extra shelf to go on for bigger pots.

Left Side 

The other side is tools like the lawn mower and whipper snipper.

Right Side

The front of that shed has a cupboard

 Plus we moved the potting table down to it as well. It will be a case of  if I managed to go down to the bottom of the yard to work there. Definitely will have to bring all the seedlings and seeds back up, as it is too much to visit everyday and having them on the verandah outside the kitchen, or in the glass house, to keep them watered, more practical. At least the verandah where visitors come looks a lot neater now. John has done a very good job and worked hard on this.

Once the flower boxes on the front left hand shed are planted, it should start to look better. As yet we are undecided to leave it open or enclose the little bit at the front. I like the openness, when in there, but there is still a table that can go in, although not a lot of room to spare.  The rain usually comes from behind the shed. The other day it came the other way from the sea, so the floor would have been soaked. We shall see what happens, and maybe add an awning.
 

Shows the pots for flowers on the Left

Outside a couple of water tanks to hook up and the path to finish. 

 The Bridge has been removed also, as in the before photo. Now we will work out how to use and neaten up, the rest of the garden around it.

Before

My grand daughter came to work yesterday and we planted potatoes in pots. We found some new potatoes in one of them so cooked them up for lunch, as she loves them, and I am sure never eaten straight out of the garden. Added parsley and butter and a lesson she won't forget on growing them. Mum requested a Rosemary plant so I also taught her how to propagate some. Hopefully they will grow.

Looking down at some of the pots behind the compost bin. Out of the way here. 

After lunch, we then sorted another laundry cupboard. This time my preserving jars. Threw out a lot of used jars and sent them to the community garden for whom ever makes jam and pickles. Kept just enough for our own use and rearranged filled bottles to an easier and more visual use.

The other laundry cupboard is long and deep, and I was forgetting what was stored, so some bottles and bits and pieces have gone in there. Downstairs is a huge cupboard full of empty jars.

Narrow cupboard next to my brooms and things.

Again very tired today, but I must say best thing I did in "hiring" Miss P as it makes me think about the big jobs that need doing, and so handy for her to be climbing up and down stairs or the ladder. I also let her type all the labels out which she loves to do. So I am thinking she is enjoying it as well as helping me.

Till Next Time.