Where has January gone!

Hard to believe that January is almost over..... have been productive over the last couple of weeks..... the "book pillows" have been finished... just waiting for the books to be popped into the front pocket.....

This pattern was from a book called "Growing Up Modern" by Allison Harris.... lots of lovely patterns for children's quilts.

Then the batik fabric quilt came back from the quilters .... not quite finished yet....

A little retail therapy over the last couple of weeks.....including a Jelly Roll of Jen Kingwell fabrics....... no projects  yet but it is lovely to look at them and ponder.... 

Finished reading a couple of books .... this one is set in the year 1908 near Eden on the NSW South Coast with the eldest daughter of a whaling family narrating the story .... 

and the second ...... one of Hercule Poirot's cases.....

A local bookshop has a book challenge which I have joined - there are 16 challenges ...... "Rush Oh" is "a book by a debut author" challenge and the Agatha Christie book is for "a book you have not read since high school" (I loved reading Agatha Christie's books every school holidays - and still have all the books!) .... so 2 challenges ticked!

In the garden.... a bumper crop of tomatoes - the first picking of many!

.... and in October 2014 I posted this...... a diamond python coming out of my guttering...

well, I thought it had gone but found it asleep in the garden alongside the house the other day - nearly dropped my green waste bin on it.... not sure who would have got the bigger fright! Having 2 cats who could have been dinner I called the "snake" man who exclaimed that it was "one very big snake!" - now re-located he convinced me it would not be back! 

Once again I have joined up with OPAM (One Project a Month) so that will keep me busy stitching and with all the reading I will be doing I think 2016 should be a very productive year.... so till next time

Happy Stitching

Asta 

Visitors and a Bit of Stitching

A most welcome visit from my friend Dzintra on Saturday afternoon - arriving with her basket of goodies!

...home pickled cucumbers, black bread and a good bottle of Rose... I had the cheese to go with it all.... a couple of hours later and after much catching up she left with an empty basket!! 

Another friend Jeff arrived from Canberra for a visit on Sunday afternoon with yummy cakes bought on the way - no photos though - they were eaten before we could have a photo shoot!

A bit of stitching was fitted in during the weekend.... 

......and my top for Natures Journey completed for SAL 2015 is going to the quilters.... it has been sitting here for the past 3 months finished and I finally made the decision to have  

it quilted otherwise I could see another UFO happening!  

A very relaxing weekend.... oh! almost forgot I also joined up for the Fat 1/4 Birthday Swap 2016 - looking forward to sending off lovely fat 1/4 s to birthday ladies with one special gift to someone special! 

Happy Stitching

Asta

A New Year!

Well, here we are nearly 2 weeks into the New Year....... and I'd better catch up before time does get away.... 

Bundanoon welcomed the family for Xmas 2015 - at my sister Vivien's place

 Xmas Day and here's the family adorned with various "decorations" - courtesy of my other sister Linda! - the only ones missing were my 2 - Hayley and Megan. 

 We all enjoyed the following week at Bundanoon with shopping at Bowral, a visit to Berkerlouw Books near Berrima and a drive to Robertson - what a great find this (massive) shop was - full of 2nd hand goods and new giftwear....

This nifty basket was one of my finds.... a sewing basket?.... 

.....or a basket for Dora?......

 

And....lunch at the Burrawang Hotel

 another day it was lunch at the good old Primula Cafe in Bundanoon

 We had leisurely days too and even though my stitching never came out of the bag I did enjoy some reading time and finished this book....

 the same author as "Under the Tuscan Sun" but this is a memoir of her early life growing up in the Southern States of America and the influence it had on her life.

Then it was back home for a friends' New Years Eve wedding at a local beach....

 ...and just a few days later the rain started! It rained for 3 days straight so what better way to spend indoors but start a quilt! This one being a present for the newly married couple.... batik fabrics that I had bought many years ago were just waiting for such a project....

These soon became.....

this...with a little help (?)  from a couple of  furry family members - now just waiting to be quilted ........

Another book finished during the wet weather - the first John Grisham book I've read and really enjoyed it 

 Fabrics were also cut out ready for my next project...book pillows for triplets I know who are about to celebrate their 1st birthday! 

And....finally the house was un-decorated - the Xmas tree has been put away, the Santa collection has been added to with a couples as gifts, one from Sweden sent by Megan, some bought while away including another pair of salt & pepper shakers..... 

..but they are all packed away now for another year........

Well, it's back to work tomorrow :( .... have had a lovely couple of weeks off - the rain didn't even dampen the spirits! I actually switched the Xmas tree lights back on to make everything a bit more "cheery"....not that it wasn't cosy being inside....just a bit dark and gloomy! 

That's about it from me at the moment - hope 2016 is a happy and healthy one for all my readers - with lots of creative hours!

Happy Stitching

Asta