It's Been a While...sorry

It's been a quite a long time since I last posted an entry, it's just that things have been REALLY busy. I've been back at work for three weeks and within those three weeks I've had to prepare the whole school art show, coordinate the opening night, finish an assignment for uni, have meetings with parents and adult centres for my students who are leaving, I've had an exam, my sister's 21st birthday and of course actual everyday work to attend. I've still got half of the assignment to finish it's due Tuesday so wish me luck! Oh and my cousin had a baby boy two weeks ago as well...can't forget to mention such good news!

Anyhow amongst all this I have managed to work a little on a cross stitch that I started around April this year. It is for a friends new born baby. I had planned to finish it last school holidays but the library lost the book with the pattern and I couldn't find my photocopies. I did though find it on Amazon.com.uk and paid a heap load to buy it. The book itself just arrived a week ago.

As you can see from the first photo I've also bought a cross stitch book that has patterns inspired by antique samplers. I just love old fashion samplers, you know the ones with little houses and flowers, a few bunnies or birds. I want to adapt one of the patterns so that it includes 'home sweet home' in it. I think it would be just lovely to have a classic 'home sweet home' piece hanging in the house. Anyhow I better get back to the assignment, I've just felt a little bad for not keeping posts more regular. Hope everyone is well and getting ready for a festive Halloween. It's a shame we don't really celebrate it here in Australia.

Ilustration Friday "Open"

Nothing like a set of undone babooshka dolls to say 'open'

Brand New Sewing Machine- I'm in luuuuv!

I went the other day and spent all the money I got back from the tax man on a new sewing machine that is also designed for quilting. (So much for putting the tax money back on the mortgage... ) Here is a preview of all the cool things this machine can do...

Life is going to be so much easier with this blanket stitch option!

All I have to do now is practice with the free style stitching so that for my next quilt project I can put a whole heap of fancy stippling ( is that what that curly whirly stitching is called?) Anyhow I am just so excited about all the new things I will be able to do thanks to this machine. It's pretty heavy duty so I can put through thicker threads and metallic threads which will be great if I choose to get extra arty farty with my quilting. Anyhow as I said in the title 'I am in luv!"

Autumn Lapghan in Spring

After trying to sew my blocks together for the other crochet project and ending up making a mess I got really cheesed off and just started crocheting and crocheting and ended up starting this big fat granny square using any bit of yarn I had around. Even though I just started it out of feelings of frustration with the other project it has now taken a life of its own and is pleasing me more and more as it grows.

The yarn stash that is very quickly disappearing, will need to get some more soon!

Anyhow I hope everyone is well and thank you to those who have left messages, they are always much appreciated!

By Candle Light

I know it's not the best for my eyes but I love to read by candle light. I especially love reading or watching horror/thrillers by candle light as it helps set the mood. I usually find it a great way to use up candles I've used for spells, firstly because it continues to release the energy that has been invested into the candle already and secondly... why waste perfectly good candles?, can't reuse them in another spell! I would love to have my own home one day and deck out the whole place with candles. Candles in the most amazing and original candle holders. I think I should start collecting candle holders for when that day comes.

In My Skin- Kate Holden

I am onto my second book that I have been meaning to read for a while now. It's Kate Holden's Under My Skin, which is an autobiography/memoir about Kate's life on the streets of St Kilda as a hooker and heroin addict. It's so weird reading it because I know St Kilda and the other places in Melbourne that she writes about. Even though she doesn't name places only streets I know by their reputation and physical description which places she is talking about. Usually the stuff I read is based in America or England so to have something set in my own home city/town it's really weird. Well I must say it's a one night read because it just reads so well and you don't want to put it down. There are times I wish I could just slap Kate out especially when she describes going straight from rehab to her dealer instead of home. I think you f^&$* idiot! Anyhow its an interesting read and very straight and honest account of one woman's life on the streets. What's best is she doesn't play the victim and talks about her inner thoughts regarding what she was doing. It's no Pretty Woman fairy tale that's forsure.

Finally it's all finished!

So here is some photos of the finished quilt which is for my sister's 21st birthday present. I decided on the maroon fabric for the binding which I'm happy with, looks like a double thin border. Now I have two items I can tick off my to-do list, also finished reading Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. Meh it was ok, nothing of literary genius or anything like that but a good no brainer read.