Present for The Girls

Plans have changed Barbie! That expression has been in our family since Elizabeth received her first computer game (Barbie game on a Commodore 64). Our weekend plans changed when our friends rang to say they couldn't come over for dinner. Gave me an opportunity to finish making Sherbet Bags for Jenni and Gabby using various fabrics Jenni chose from the Lecien "Folklore" range. Bought the buttons on our recent trip to Melbourne - can't remember which shop.

Some photos from Elizabeth's birthday lunch the previous weekend:

Elizabeth, Mum, Michael

Jared (Elizabeth's best friend and our "fourth child"), Jenni, Ian (Jenni's boyfriend)

Matt (Elizabeth's partner) - chef for the day

Weekend - Yahoo!

Wollongong Song & Dance Festival is over for the year; family birthdays are over until Mum's in December, so for the first time in 8 weeks I'll be having a weekend at home - friends coming for dinner on Saturday night and I'm going out for lunch on Sunday with Mum and a couple of her friends. Should have a chance to catch up on some household jobs and perhaps finish off the late matching presents for Jenni and Gabby.

Tonight is the last episode of a favourite tv show, "Wire in the Blood" - this series has been particularly gruesome and I have been wondering why I watch it.

I can't show what I'm stitching at the moment because it's for my online group's Secret Santa Swap. These photos are some goodies I made pre-blog:

Rosalie Quinlan's "Bucket Full of Angels" made in 2004 with my all-time favourite "Bed of Roses" fabrics (Robyn Pandolph).

"Raymond Rooster", (c) Maryanne Day, Australian Country Threads Vol 3 No 2, made in 2004.

Jan Mullen's "Sunshine & Stars" which was in an early Homespun or Quilters' Companion. This quilt was finished in 2005 for a dear friend's 50th birthday present (her maiden name was Bright).

Happy Birthday Elizabeth

Our darling No 1 Daughter, Elizabeth, is 29 tomorrow.

Elizabeth on her first birthday/Christening Day with Nanna Two years old (such a cheeky cutie) - loved dressing up alreadyStorytime with Grand-dad in her big bedEight years old and so gorgeous
Sixteen - Year 10 Formal
Seventeen - school pantomine

Happy Birthday Princess - we love you more than you'll ever know.

TS Girls Finished

Here are the final two Truly Scrumptious girls: Gracie


and Miss T Tipsy

When life returns to our version of normal, hopefully after this weekend, I might find some time to start to sew all these blocks together. These girls have been a delight to stitch.

A Tale of Two Cousins

5 days after our gorgeous Jenni was born, John's cousin Stephanie gave birth to her second daughter Gabrielle. Our girls spent a lot of time together during their early years.

Jenni and Gabby (about 6 months old)


September 1990 - Gabby's third birthday party (the groovy dancer is Gabby's older brother Nick) Christmas 1990
September 1991 - Jenni's 4th birthday party - dancing the afternoon away to the "Grease" soundtrack

September 1992 - Jenni's 5th birthday party

Each time I made Jenni a new dress/outfit, I also made one for Gabby. Jenni wrote a comment on Gabby's birthday card saying "at least my mother isn't dressing us the same any more"! Little do they know that I have plans for one last identical present, although it will be quite late. Happy 21st birthday gorgeous Gabby!

Razzy sent me this award - thank you. All my blogging friends have awards.

The Swan

Jenni's 21st Birthday - Part 2

Tuesday dawned and Jenni had to get up early for 8 hours of uni. Lovely way to spend a birthday.

John and I spent the day getting ready for the evening (including finding out our new second fridge was not working and the microwave blew up) when the Nannas, Elizabeth plus Jenni's closest friends and our friends were coming over for dinner with The Birthday Girl.

After dinner, there was The Cake

(from The Mighty Boosh, one of Jenni's favourite tv shows - suggested by Elizabeth and decorated by John), followed by a little speech from John and presents from us:

The box was hiding Ally Turtle made by Mick Barber of Divine Hammer (Eumundi)

Leanne Beasley's "Travel Quilt"

and

"Very Hungry Caterpillar" Quilt, which was wrapped inside the Travel Quilt.

This is the key John painted for Jenni but, in all the fuss of the night, we forgot to give it to her (we have some hooks to add to make it a keyholder).Later on Jenni and some of her friends went out.

Wednesday morning John and I drove Elizabeth back to Sydney, had breakfast at the cafe where Michael is the chef, then went shopping for a new microwave. Back to work yesterday and now slowly recovering from a hectic but so enjoyable week.

Jenni's 21st Birthday - Part 1

Where to start? Tuesday, 2 September, was Jennifer's 21st birthday and, in usual family style, the occasion was "bigger than Ben Hur" - she's truly had a birthday to remember.

Last Thursday evening, after a few itinerary changes, Jenni, Elizabeth, Matt, John and I flew to Melbourne, booked into the hotel than wandered down Swanston Street to find somewhere for dinner - "Sahara" Moroccan restaurant - delicious food. Friday morning I had an appointment at Henderson's to have my eyes tested and choose some new glasses frames. Jenni and Elizabeth came along to help me choose - three rooms of frames - luckily the assistants know their stuff and a choice was finally made. The new glasses should arrive in the next couple of days. Check out this bicycle that was used as window dressing in a nearby shop.

Late breakfast followed by a look around the cbd then Jenni went to meet up with her boyfriend who had arrived that morning. The rest of us went shopping on Bridge Road.

Elizabeth and Matt treated us all to dinner that night at Scarpetta on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Great Italian food.

Saturday morning after breakfast

John spent some time checking out the motor bike shops. Michael and Peta arrived and met up with us in town

before we all headed off to Chaple Street. Bought some hot pink Adidas Shell Toe sneakers and a gorgeous Alannah Hill bag. The girls found plenty to buy. Saturday night was the family birthday dinner on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. Such a great night.

Sunday was miserable weather-wise. Breakfast at SouthBank, a wander through the markets under Federation Bridge, then some more shopping around the cbd before heading to an Irish pub to eat and while away some time before heading back to the airport.

That's the weekend in a nutshell. Next installment will be of the actual birthday.