My Garden started

The first button and pattern came earlier in the week for My Garden, the new BOM by Lynette Anderson. It took me ages to choose the fabrics to do the patchwork as I didn't order them from Patchwork Angel. It is nice to raid my stash but it is always harder. I think the ones I have chosen will be fine once I have done the stitching.

Here is my first block ready to stitch.

Must finish my "weeding the garden " stitching first before I start stitching this one.

A few things done on Thursday

I did manage to get a few things done yesterday. Mind you, the housework didn't get done but I have attacked the vacuuming this morning! I can't see much difference but at least I know it is done. I did manage to get a couple of the jobs on my list completed. I have finished Block H of the Gardener's Journal quilt so am up to date for this month. I hope to get the next one done too this month as I am away on holidays in August.

I also attacked the needleturn applique on Block 9 of the Crazy Christmas BOM. The little arms were very tricky!

I also traced some more of the Gardener's Journal stitcheries ready to take away with me. I know I have a few weeks left in this month but it was so lovely to have days at home. Days at home have been fairly few and far between lately. 

A little bag finished

This is what happened to the little felt stocking I stitched a little while ago. I am enjoying making these little projects from the Quilt a Gift book.

The vine is stitched.

And here is the little Christmas gift bag. The top looks a little wonky!

I am having a rare at home day today and have managed to waste it so far. I have completed one load of washing (or the machine has and I haven't hung it up yet) and I have made the bed but other than that not much has been accomplished. I think the thought of a day at home makes me "go slow"! I have written a list so best go and start it. I'd like to get my Gardener's Journal block for this month put together TODAY!

Tuesday stitching show and tell

Some of the social stitching girls on Tuesday has some Show and tell. Di has been busy getting things finished and Sheila has been helping too. This is Di's appliqued cushion for one of the stitching days. Sheila put the cushion together for Di.

She even put a zipper in the back. Well done, Sheila.

Di has also finished this lovely bright quilt for one of her grandies.

Judy's daughter came to stitching too and she is working on these delightful stitcheries from the "All Creatures Great and small" book by Natalie Bird of The Birdhouse.

A busy weekend

We had a very busy weekend here in chilly Canberra. It was Ma's and nephew Cameron's birthday on Saturday and some of the family came to visit. Here is a collage of the afternoon on Saturday. I had to go to a special afternoon tea for Donna for her significant birthday so I left 16 people at my house having lunch! I did feel a little guilty but the afternoon tea had been arranged a long time before. As I wasn't there all afternoon, I am glad that hubby took a few photos of the activities... sleeping, reading the papers, little Noah and dad playing with my girls' old duplo, eating, chatting and Cameron having his birthday cake.

Meanwhile I was having delicious afternoon tea with dear friends. Here is the birthday girl and Sue.

This is one of the presents. A lovely thimble with a special holder for your threads and needles and a little box to put it into and a few threads and needles to put inside.

After a pot luck dinner with delicious casseroles on Saturday night and then lunch of leftovers on Sunday, a few of us went to see the Hans Heysen paintings at the National Gallery. Ma is a lovely painter and does both watercolours and oils so she enjoyed seeing the paintings.

I got in trouble for taking photos! I didn't see a sign! 

Here is Ma enjoying the paintings.

And another naughty photo before being caught. Hans Heysen was such a good painter and painted all kinds of things. He painted in watercolours and oils and mainly did landscapes but he could also paint beautiful still lifes and portraits too. My favourite picture was of his wife sewing on her machine with the lovely light from the garden. Sadly I haven't a photo of that one.

A little finish

Just had a busy morning getting ready for Ma and Pa and lots of family visitors for lunch but am ready now and thought I would post quickly as Blogger is working as normal again. I am also going out to a very special afternoon tea for a friend's birthday this afternoon and leaving my visitors to fend for themselves! What a busy but special day.
I managed, in between cooking and cleaning (why is that houses look OK but when visitors are coming, they look really dirty?) to finish this little felt decoration from the Quilt a Gift book. I am really enjoying making these projects.

Black bags and some show and tell

Blogger or Picasa has been a bit crazy and I lost all my pictures several times. Hope they stay here this time!
We had a lovely lunch on Thursday for our Bible study group at Caroline's house. Delicious food and a special time with good friends. I couldn't resist taking this picture of all the black bags!

Janelle was the "odd man out" with her lovely bright bag from Spain. She does love to stand out in the crowd!

Brenda showed her stitching she has finished. Here is her lovely needle roll.

Brenda has also finished her stitching bag from my pattern. Doesn't it look great?