Friday, May 27, 2011

Colourful Friday-sunsets

Daisy quilt's colourful friday theme of "Sunsets" is quite apt today, as I have had to go to a funeral. I actually wrote the colourful Friday date on my calendar, as I love sunsets photos, anybody's sunset photos, it is just a great light.


I have probably gone overboard, but found it hard to choose a favourite sunset, perhaps you can do it for me!
















































Have a great, sunsety day!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Here comes your block, Nancy.


Nancy, near Philadelphia, is making a cow quilt from donated blocks from bloggers around the world. There was only one cow I could do for Nancy, and that is one who mimics my 'cows in quilts' photos, so here is Nancy's block, almost ready to go.



Stitched with a hand that has a shocking case of dermititis, I wont spoil your meal by showing you, but something has upset my right hand, could be milk powder, or wheat dust, or from picking figs...even my hand cleaner. Whatever it is, it's all cracked and sore...but no trouble stitching for you Nancy!! I managed to go to boxing tonight by putting some emu oil on, but has anyone a good natural remedy?

And also, still, any feedback on the musical sequel to Phantom, Love never does? Should we go?


I have also finished this little play, i was trying out my latest ruler purchase, now I just need to work out how to make a whole quilt with the block. fabrics came from my scrap bag, love scrap bags.
Any good tutes anywhere for this spider web look?


I like it, intend using it for a table runner.

A few little dragonfly photos for you, I have never seen a year like this for dragonflies, so much water I suppose, but amazing to see.









Congratulations to Margaret, lucky commenter who gets to choose from the chook sewing tool organizer, or the quilter memories one.

And lastly, prayers please for my little niece who is spending a few days in hospital with an unknown temp and tummy pains. Hopefully a heap of tests and lots of iv antibiotics will get to the bottom of it...but it's just another reminder of this...


'cos we never know what's around the corner.

Tracey

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Felt, farm and family.

Almost forgot to share some recent wool felting. we did these for the school market, beautifully soft and warm. Love the bright colours. They are just done with the bubble wrap, warm water, detergent and lots of rolling method.
















Migraine headache ended hopes of getting too much done today. On a better note, just got a call to say I have a football photo in the rural newspaper, The Weekly Times, today. I am taking a lot of sports photos lately...another time sucker! But lovely to see people's reactions to the photos. They usually go in our little local town newsletter, and in the local football program.





Here's a few of my boy from his last game...love how he "thinks" with his tongue, my grandfather used to do that too







Everyone loves a bit of affection? Well, these two do! This was the bright spot of my morning!

























And to leave you..with your busy lives, take a minute to view a traffic jam in my world. Thsi was us shifting cattle yesterday across the main road! And also, congratulations to nancy in Philadelphia, my daughter drew your name, now you need to choose between sunflower charm pack and the Bluebonnet trail! Next one drawn tomorrow..and remeber all commenters are entered in the big one!
Can you help me, anyone seen musical, Love never dies? Dd loves Phantom, should I get tickets for this?

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

And the daily blogging continues!


Do you know, this daily blogging for a week has really been fun..and the week isn't even over yet! I completely remember why I have kept the blog for nearly 5 years..and almost 500 posts! A diary with feedback..(.other than the time you got a LOT of feedback when your Mum found the one under your bed!!)



Loving the comments, especially the sunflower ones, isn't it funny how we all like something different, i adored the silhouettes, but almost didn't include the one I posted, yet that is some people's favourite as well. Keeps me motivated, but also shows me why I have to have a big card range, everyone is different!
I was going to sew all day today and have heaps to share, but I had to sort cattle and freeze my behind off in the paddock all day instead. A good job done...but only 30 minutes for sewing, though I had a lot of fun in the 30 minutes!

I have been catching up on a lot of blogs, and I have searched back thru my history but cannot find where I found this, but add it in the comments if you know who recently posted a picture of these handy sewing caddies. Suffice it to say, NOT my design, someone clever thought of it and I have played with my version today.

They are little tool keepers, especially good for when you go to classes, etc. I think fabulous in the office for pens-heaps of uses. They just slip over a standard acrylic phoot frame, too easy am going to make some more tomorrow, have a few ideas of my own to add...I would definitely need a pincushion somewhere as well (and my family would agree...pins end up EVERYWHERE !!)
Seeing I am right back in blogger mood, lets make today another giveaway day. A lucky commenter will win one of these two!! I will also announce the sunflower fabric winner tomorrow.

Notice one has chooks, the other quilter memories, well here are a few of my real chooks for you. They have multiplied hugely over the summer...a great season.
I



One of my frizzle hens
hens with the frizzle rooster





Oops, one of yesterday's 2 missing sunflower pics!







...and the other!








A pekin bantam crossed with a frizzle. Don't tell anyone, but she is my favourite!






A very handsome rooster!







Who was your favourite?

Have a great day, Tracey

Monday, May 23, 2011

Sunflowers..and a giveaway on Giveaway day.

I planted a lot of sunflowers this year and have had 2 months worth of fun from a $5 investment at the animal food seeds shop...much cheaper buying your seeds there in bulk (nobody made me sign something to say that it wasn't going to be fed to birds!)



I just love them, they are such a happy flower, the kids agree, but did suggest that perhaps there wasn't a need to photograph them again! I must have disappeared into the backyard with the camera a lot. But it was like an elephant in the room...and you can imagine how often i would photograph that! I wanted them in all the different lights..and much more fun to take a photo of a sunflower than keep walking to the clothesline to hang another lot of washing. Here are a few for you...can you pick a favourite...and perhaps even win a charm pack? There are 12, with the firs being #1...and so on down to 12. OOps, editor's note, blogger has stolen 2! So only 10!





























I am hoping to add a new sunflower range to Tracey's country Cards, if you list your faves from today's photos for me, with the idea of the photo lending itself to a card, it would be a great help. Anyone who does comment today, on what seems to be blog giveaway day, will get an entry into the commenters prize of a charm pack. You can choose whichever you like from these two florally themed ones. drawn next time I post, so hurry!






The blog every day for a week prize is still on offer as well for all those that comment this week.





Have a great day, Tracey

Sunday, May 22, 2011

I know I am a softie!






But how could you leave this beautiful, abandoned baby to risk the elements!!Posted by Picasa







Home wet, cold and with a splitting headache from a long day in antarctic conditions at the football carnival, but still have to do the jobs...headed out between showers to check my sheep. I have made a conscious decision to walk around one lambing mob so i am combining a job with exercise. Takes me around 40 minutes at a brisk walk to do this one paddock, then I do all the others on the motorbike. I love the walk, especially with the camera, but any day



Archie has been just waving me good-bye from the fence with his ageing body, but came with today...he confuses the heck out of the sheep!










It has come home to join these two




and this one...






The lambs are joining my 7 big babies (to say nothing of the ones in the house!!) These are now 3 weeks old, but still sucking up as much of my quilting time as milk!







Very messy at that they are, as well.





Was talking about the new additions the other day at Bible Study, (but not for Bible study!) most of the other mums are younger than me, still having babies and thus at home for day time Bible study...unlike me who slides in off the motorbike with a lamb rather than a baby on the back!! Something then got us onto James herriot books, I adore James Herriot...funnily enough!! The other girls had seen the BBC shows and read some of the novels but never seen the kid's books of the best stories.



Home to dear Google, I found they were out of print, but thanks to my other friend, dear eBay, these ones are all on their way here. I have some, like the Market square Dog, Bonny's big day and Blossom come home (personal fave!!) but I have wanted the rest...including the Christmas day ketten whose pic didn't want to upload, for ages, and I was very pleased to get them reasonably. I am planning on giving the copies of the ones i already have to the girl who hosts the study, for the sheer fact her enthusiasm means I only ever have to slide in, not clean and host!!




Anyone else seen them? They are truly beautiful..and firmly ensconced in my section of the kid's book library that never gets handed on forever.



My relationship with ebay brings me to another good friend today. I haven't been on Ebay for probably 18 months, but as soon as I got on the other day, twas like I'd never left! From searching for james Herriot I moved to fabric, to interesting quilt tops, to a few favourite authors, and before I knew it my friendship with ebay was refreshed! This hasn't just worked with eBay, reconnected with my lovely friend Suse the last few days, and just like eBay, but much, much nicer, it is just like old times!! Handy that she has kept up via the blog, but just lovely to have a friendship you can recapture so quick! love ya Suse!! And promise to stay in touch!!


Betetr go to bed, still battling to feel warm after today, remember commenters are in the draw..and have a great day! Tracey