Quilt retreat progress.

Hi from the winter wonderland of P*rt fairy. I am on quilter's retreat with another 10 girls, The chocolate Cat included. I am up early blogging after a light night working on a new quilt for my boy. I have taken a few progress photos up until last night, and will take final pics for you this afternoon.

Here is me and Lise, the Chocolate Cat at friday night's birthday dinner, Lise is wearing her fabulous birthday apron from Jane, here's a close-up...it would suit all of us I think! She better make sure that is packed or she may not see that again.

I had been looking at all these twister quilts before I went, I think Dawn was doing them. I couldn't possibly get hold of a ruler between Thursday's discovery and Friday's departure, so i made my own and had a play. I just marked a square ruler and worked my blocks accordingly!

Robyn is working on her sheep... and some great hoses I'll have to put in next post.

Lise was working on her SIl's quilt. Fabric range is Simple abundance.
Jane is working on this, will have to check the name when she gets up.

I finished this little cot size pink and cream.

I love this painting of P*rt fairy in the passage way...do you think anyone would notice of it were gone?

I got warmed up on Friday by sewing this jelly roll together, playing the jelly roll game I think it's called. 3 hours exactly.

This was originally going to be what the twister quilt was cut from..liked it too much to cut it up!

heaps more progress overnight but have to run...no animals to feed and sewing to be done...bliss! Dh is worried I wont come home!

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!

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

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?

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

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