My friend Angela has been quilting her old embroideries and the latest one is quite stunning. It was a cross stitched embroidery stitched by her late mother-in-law, so it held special memories. She turned it, from an embroidered table runner
To a stunning work of art by mounting it on a background and then quilting it.
This is then an heirloom for future generations. What a wonderful way of transforming a piece of embroidery.
One thing I did do last week was go to the Laidley Spring Festival. I looked at the quilts which were many,
all hanging in the Lutheran Church which had an old tractor display out the front.
All this area was settled by German people who were fleeing persecution back in the 1800's, so there are lots of Lutheran Churches. (The first missionaries to come to Q'ld were Lutheran, back before people were allowed to settle here.) There were so many quilts, all on top of each other, but this one caught my eye because the patterns for these embroideries were published in the newspaper back in the 1940's and 1950's. The maker had found buttons to decorate them, like the ducks on the wall.
This was the first day of the fair and the official party were having morning tea out the front. I know those tea pots came from the CWA. Every CWA in Australia have the same ones.
This valley was completely destroyed by floods just a few years ago. It is so good to see them bounce back.
Then I headed for the gardening show. Paul West was speaking, and this bloke can talk underwater! (You might remember him from A River Cottage TV show.)
I loved the gardening pavilion. I could only buy one plant, because that was all I could carry, but I bought a face for my old tree out the front,
I always knew there was someone living inside this tree, and, I bought a little dragon to scare away the mozzies.
But I think he is too cute to scare anyone!
Then we drove down to Forrest Hill for lunch, which is a very small town in the next valley, but it does have two pubs and some rather nice places to eat at.
This was a trip organised by my patchwork group. A lovely day with lovely people.
I now have all of my Apple products talking to each other. Thank goodness, and I do have quite a few, 8 at last count.
It has taken me nearly 8 months to get this done and at times I was just tearing my hair out. Living in paradise does have it's draw backs when it comes to technology. There are so many people working from home and taking up a lot of space on the bandwidth because they are computer progammers and others that are streaming information, the rest of us get squeezed. Even talking to the techies today on my phone saw a very limited reception. But I got it sorted, on my own!!
I don't think I have had a run of adverse events in years as those that have dogged me since my cancer returned at the end of last year. It has been a constant struggle just to get from one day to the next. But I am learning how to accept the circumstances that have come to me. At first I 'raged' against fate but now I find myself accepting what is given to me and continuing on the best I can.
One thing that has brought me great pleasure has been my garden and this year the Camellias have been beautiful.
I have some interesting books to read, especially the Marjory Allingham books but I also found "The Remarkable Mrs Reiby" by Grantlee Kieza.
This is the true story of the woman who graces our $20 notes. My ancestor, who decided to settle in Australia, was an officer in the 73rd Regiment. He was a mounted soldier so wore a blue jacket rather than the red. This was the first Australian Light Horse Brigade. He transferred from the 73rd to be part of the mounted troop who became the Govenor's (Macquarie) body guard. (The rest of the 73rd were sent back to England.) The book gives a vivid description of what life would have been like for him and his family at that time.
But the most precious thing I have come to appreciate more and more are my friends. They are a true blessing.
Yes, all alone, except for the dog. My husband has gone to Tangalooma Island with his ex business partner for the week.
He has a holiday apartment over there. I'm not sure if there are any whales at this time of year but it used to be a whaling station in the old days as it sits on the whale migration route
The resort is situated on Moreton Island, which is some way out in the bay but you look back to the mainland and see the city skyline. It is remote and beautiful. (The website has some great photos and information.)
I took day trip excursions there when I was a high school teacher. It is quite a 'wild place'.
I have taken this time to struggle with the computer, work in the garden. walk the dog and have commenced quilting the last quilt. I hope to have this completed by the time he returns. It took 2 full days to get it all tacked together, by which time my wrist said "that's enough, I give up". So then I sat and read my next Marjory Allingham book "Flowers for the judge". This was published in 1936 and there is a notable change in the writting. A lot more modern in the use of the English language and her use of suspense sees a change, but the story is just as enjoyable.
So, it has been a kind of holiday for me as well. I am enjoying this time.
This is what my daughter constantly asks.
I looked at the weather blog this morning and this is why!!
It's too cold, -2 degrees this morning and they live in an old Queenslander with no heating!!!
I took my grand daughter Jasmine and her friend Lotte to have a hamburger after school and then drove them home. By the time I did all this I was late for the ferry home and by that time in the afternoon all the parking has been taken. (Even though I have a disability parking sticker there is nothing.) This meant parking near a bus stop and catching a bus to the ferry and the buses only run every hour so I didn't want to miss it. In the rush I left my phone in my car, that meant another trip over to the mainland the next day to get it.
The morning was wrecked so I decided to cook. I normally cook a large amount and freeze what I don't eat straight away. On impulse I bought some one serve Dutch Oven pots at Aldi. They were cheap and I am always looking for this size pot. I have to say they are great. As I am visiting my son tonight I have our dinner plus 4 other meals for me. (I also did a big pot of mince in a tomato sauce, mince on toast, spaghetti and sauce, Lasagne.)
As I was in the mood to cook I picked the end of the lemon crop. I only have the one tree that I have grown in a pot but I always get a good crop. This is right at the end of the season and I didn't want to throw them away, so, Mary's Lemon Butter, (lemon curd). (if you have an induction microwave, which has higher heats than the one used in this recipe you may have to play around with the timing in the microwave.)
I will never eat all this myself so I have some for my friends.
I am so relaxed by all this activity that I think I can go back and fight with the computers!
The intruder is my husband.
He has decided that he needs to alter some of his clothes so has come in and just taken over my sewing room for his project. He needed my overlocker. But this machine, true to form, is being difficult. (Lucky for me I saw him set it up and took a photo of the settings.)
Because he has set up on my machine table I am unable to sew on my machine and as you can see I have work in progress set out.
Old age is starting to muddle his thoughts as I am sure he is totally unaware of the problems he is causing. He thinks because I put the cover on the machine I must be finished. If only!!!
Looks like hand sewing for a while until he moves on.
I had my sewing room sorted, now it is, well, not actually a mess but "unsorted."
Those off cuts from Japanashe had to be opened so that I could work out what I would use for my daughter's quilt. I haven't come up with a design just yet but I have managed to pull out the pieces I think will be used in the quilt. I have put the samples together to run past her and make sure that she likes them.
There is a good amount of plain colours in the bundles, plus I have some more in my stash. I selected the water and fish patterns as I know these will appeal to her and have added one print from my stash. I may not use this but I might need it to give a bit of pop.
I said there might be more than one quilt here in the fabric I bought, I revise that estimate to maybe 4 or 5.
This is a long term project and I am giving myself a year to complete it.
I am determined to get to grips with this technology issue. (Says she gritting her teeth and pulling out her hair!)
I was all set to buy a new desktop but then Mr Apple wouldn't let me into my Email account and on top of that said I had security issues because I was trying too many ways to get in. So I have put my $3,000 back in my bank account and am going to learn how to use this laptop properly.
I have had some wins, but I am still behind. I managed to link this machine to the printer, download a new browser and attach an external hard drive, air drop a photo, (which I can't open), they were big wins. Next I have to transfer everything over from the old desk top. Hope I survive that!
And then in the midst of all this chaos a parcel arrived in the post from my friend Marion in the UK. It was a lovely embroidery kit .
I already have it set up in my hoop ready to start stitching. I find stabbing easier than scooping when stitching these days, hence the hoop. This isn't something that I would have bought myself but I just love it. Thank you Marion. (This will now be part of my WIPW.)
I spent the morning with the scrap material and and thinking, "should I continue with this, or should I put it all in the bin?" The constant cutting is aggravating my wrist problem but then again it is starting to take some shape. Maybe just a bit each day.
The mess is getting to me but I don't want to waste the fabric. Then again if I put it into the bin I can concentrate on other things?
Decisions, decisions.
Lest we Forget.
I always remember my father on this day. He died in his early 50's as a result of physical war wounds, the mental scars he suffered were even worse. I pray for all those who have and are now experiencing war.