Little Sweetheart is 2

Monday was little Gulliver's 2nd birthday and his party was held on Sunday.  Lots of fun and great times with his little cousins and the rest of his family there to celebrate with him.

On Saturday I needed to use the power tools to put Gulli's present together.

Melly and Me's "Giddy Up"

Also made him a reading cushion and added a couple of books.  Gulli loves books and has an impressive library for a 2 year old.

Other recent sewing has been more "Wish Upon a Star" blocks - all are now done and I've started sewing the sashings/posts to make smaller stars where the blocks join.

I need a larger design wall!

Two sleeps until Diann arrives - we're going to the Quilt Show on Friday and looking forward to catching up with some friends there.

Long Weekend

We've just had a long weekend for the Queen's Birthday, so I decided to make it extra long and take a leave day on Friday to catch up on a few things that needed to be done around the house.  ChaCha came for a sleepover on Friday night and after she went to sleep, I watched the British crime dramas on ABC and stitched down the binding on Pathways and Crossroads

 

 

 
This is the second time I've made this design and I think I have enough of the blue border fabric for one more (one day ...).

On Saturday Mum and I went to the Opera House for the "Last Night of the Proms" - it's such a fabulous concert with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and a guest singer.

We had fantastic seats - centre of the front row in the circle.

Funniest part of the concert was the "March from Thunderbirds" where Guy Noble, the conductor, was dressed as a Thunderbird and conducting as though he was a marionette - hilarious.

I snuck a photo right at the end of the concert while the streamers were being thrown.

Sunday, after some secret sewing, Mum and I went to see "Churchill" - set in the days leading up to D-Day.  Monday was mostly spent in the sewing room with more secret sewing and then some "Wish Upon a Star" blocks.
 

Another 8 to put together then sashings and posts to be made.

This afternoon I received a photo from Sarah showing the quilting on my "Swoon" quilt - it's halfway finished.  Pretty excited about having this one finished and on my bed.

Knitting

No sewing but there has been some knitting.  Finished off Gulliver's little jumper on Friday night.

and tried it on him on Saturday night when he came for a sleepover.  He's such an adorable little boy and wonderful company.  Gulli had a great time playing with his cousin during the afternoon - I love seeing the two little ones having fun together.

On Sunday the stitching girls came over for afternoon tea.  Karen brought back Pathways and Crossroads.

I asked Karen to use any new quilting design she wanted to try out.  This one is Oasis and it looks great.

The only sewing-related things I've done in the last few days are trim some Wish Upon a Start half-square triangles while talking to the girls on Sunday afternoon

and buy a load of background fabrics as well as a layer cake and charm pack when I called in to Karen's last night to drop off a couple of cot quilts for quilting (they've both been finished for a long time).  We ended up going out for dinner so that was a lovely surprise.

Almost No Sew Weekend

Another busy week - Mum, my girls, Robyn and I went to see a local production of "Chicago" - really enjoyed it.  A couple of the performers were outstanding.

I've ended up with a lap-sized quilt of "Fresh" blocks made from the leftover "Kumari Holiday" fabrics.  ChaCha had a sleepover at Nanna's on Friday and I finished putting these blocks together after she went to sleep.

On Saturday afternoon my nephew was married - such a lovely ceremony in a beautiful spot on the South Coast.

Mum with her No 3 Grandson, the groom.

Out again yesterday morning to see Jenni's school performing at a local music family day and then dinner with friends last night so no time for sewing - maybe tonight.  Next weekend my other little sweetheart, Gulliver, is coming for a sleepover.

I Love Weekends

Another fabulous couple of days.  The weekend started on Friday night - dinner with the Schoolgirls.  Always lovely to spend time with Denise, Gail and Lynell - catch up on what's happening with their families, their latest travels etc.

Saturday was a big day out with Lynell, Robyn and Paula.  First stop was a couple of light shops in Punchbowl - bought some beautiful crystal lamp bases for the stained glass shades Lynell is making - then we headed off to the Lyric Theatre to see "The Bodyguard".  I've been a huge fan of Paulini since I first heard her sing at Schools Spectacular when she was 16 years old and her singing in "The Bodyguard" is just wow!  There aren't many people who could handle singing Whitney Houston songs (especially the number of songs in this show) and Paulini is absolutely sensational.

The finale/encore is just wonderful.  Everyone comes out of the theatre feeling so happy.

Next stop was a little walk around Walsh Bay, then delicious dinner at Hickson Street Kitchen before seeing "The Play that Goes Wrong" at the Roslyn Packer Theatre - totally hilarious farce/slapstick with such brilliant timing as well as loads of physical comedy.  Tears streaming down our faces and running mascara everywhere.

This sign was in the foyer of the Roslyn Packer Theatre

During the week I added the borders to Swoon

and Sunday morning I sewed up the backing

and made two pillowcases

The butterfly fabric is another piece of "Kumari Holiday" my friend Elizabeth sent to me - it wasn't used in the quilt top because I didn't want to cut into the butterflies.

There were lots off triangle off-cuts left from making Swoon and I've been sewing them into half-square triangles

and then making "Fresh" blocks (a Thimble Blossoms design).

The plan was to make a cushion to put on the bed but there were enough to make 6 blocks and there is plenty of fabric to make more - could end up with a lap quilt.

Yesterday afternoon Mum and I went to see "Viceroy's House" - a beautiful looking film telling the story of  the partition of India - something I knew very little about.  Mum knows lots about it, having lived through that time in UK.  The film is well worth seeing.  While we were at the movies, Elizabeth and Matt asked us up for roast dinner - not going to say no to that - a great end to a terrific weekend.

Two Quilt Tops

What a great weekend!

Last week was my birthday and I celebrated the day with lots of food!  Morning tea and lunch at work then delicious dinner at Elizabeth and Matt's with ChaCha, Jenni, Kurt and Mum.  On Saturday the whole family and dear friends Lynell and Darren came for lunch .  The little ones kept us entertained all day and were so much fun.

Saturday night I finished putting Pathways and Crossroads together - the colours are a bit stronger than showing in this night-time photo.

ChaCha stayed over and we had a fun Mothers' Day morning gardening with the new wheelbarrow Lynell and Darren put together, blowing bubbles, playing in the makeup drawer etc.  Lunch with Mum then it was time to take ChaCha home.

Sunday sewing time was spent sewing my Swoon blocks into a quilt top.  There is one more border to add and, when the extra backing fabric arrives, I'll send it away for quilting.

Dear Lynell is making me some stained glass lampshades for the bedroom - she is so clever - the  finishing touch for the room.  On Saturday, with Robyn and Paula, we are going to see "The Bodyguard" and then "The Play That Goes Wrong"  - on our way to Sydney we will be shopping for bases - maybe crystal.  Hope we find some.

Zen and the Jelly Roll

When I was off over the Easter/ANZAC break, I found a packet of batik strips in the sewing room.  "Zen and the Jelly Roll" from Pam and Nicky Lintott's book "Jelly Roll Inspirations" was very quick to whip up and I'll definitely be making it again.

 

 

Karen quilted this one with Ginger Snaps - my mother's favourite biscuits.