13 1/2 hours to go!

Right then, if I don't sleep i may get everything done...but I'd better get a good rest as I probably have to share the driving, so I'll be taking a few projects with and DH may have a few less things in the freezer.

I have this ready...finally...and I intend quilting/tying in the car, it's also to keep me warm if needed...or sit on!

It is made from all my chook/red barn fabrics and I love it...nothing was pre-measured, or planned, it pretty much just sewed itself...i love those! I look forward to it soon being off my UFO list. Must get off, food and photos and sewing do not prepare themselves!

11 pm update...and some help please!

Okay, another article and photos done, a name badge made...just needs some stitches, a few other little jobs sorted and ready to stitch in the car, onto the paper pieced pincushion. Anyone who is making it, do we baste 6 of one colour and 6 of another (contrast) to get the thing to look like the pic? It must be getting late but I can't see that on the instructions, just that there are 12 blocks and we make them in 2 colours. There are no spare papers if I stuff up!

took this photo today when the boys were burning off. They atre burnign my usual lambing paddock that is full of tussocks and all uneven, it was the last paddock like that and DH has decided it is time for it to be improved, so by June it will be all beautiful with a magnificent crop on it...we hope...and pray! Can't have a third dodgy season.

10.23 update

Oh, this is a good plan...have to justify my time to cyberspace! Almost as bad as justifying it to husband!

Photos all sorted for paper and another job, showered, dressed, looked at my paper piecing project for GDITC and realised I need fabric glue...added that to my increasingly long shopping list for hopefully 11 am! Photos are to prove I do still sew, made the chenille and bright quilt for a baby, and the little washers were for a market, I love them. They are now doing to be all I wash/do dishes with! Can you see their hanging tags? There is a lot of resourced stuff there, Moda tape, Aldi tape!

Off to get more done, this is my baby and me form the weekend...14 now!

Two days until Girls Day in the Country...I need 2 weeks!!

Oh dear!! This little frizzle chook is how I feel this morning...frizzled and flustered! How did 6 weeks go past since last post, my life is mental!! And now I have 2 days until I leave for Girls day in the Country, that's the 2 i was going to sew all the projects...and I have a photo shoot to edit for the paper, and school's rung, need the mum "who doesn't work??!!" to accompany the kids to a Collingwood football clinic tomorrow...Collingwood!! I can see a lot of sewing in the car!

I am going with Lise at Chocolate cat and Granny Loz, I'll find her blog in a minute! To (try)keep myself on track today, i am going to try and give a few progress posts!

Summer holidays nearly over.

School holidays almost over here, back from the beach again. I'll do a quick recap of the month you missed... boating at the lake,

harvesting,


more harvesting,

family at the beach,

Breakwater jumps at the beach,

lizards in the backyard...and boy distracting Archie from taking him on!

13 chickens hatching...on the shed roof!

and lots and lots of photos!

That's about enough photos for tonight, tune in tomorrow night for the next installment!

Hope you are great, Tracey

She sews...and sews some more!

This exciting thing is a sewing machine...with fabric! I am doing my annual pre-New-Year -panic-get-organized-and-throw-stuff-out routine and found this hancock's black and white jelly roll in a safe place. As a reward for the previously mentioned attempts at controlling the objects that invade my home annually I got the machine out yesterday to sew.

The previous day I had picked up a double bed woollen rug at the op shop

(yeah, yeah, I know, I was meant to be throwing stuff out!) for $4! I decided to cut it in half and do a bit of a string sewing arrangement, but with the whole width of the strips to save time and wastage...seeing I wasn't having to work with scraps.

Then I just cut 8 and a half inch blocks from it when i had some strips down...wanted to see how it worked, but ALSO, had decided I really liked the fabrics and had a plan B! I sewed the blocks I had done into a groovy pillow sized cushion for my couch...with some of the wool blanket on the back...works for me!
Then I addressed Plan B, string skirt for me!! I really like it and intend wearing it at my New Year's Eve party. Forgive me for the knees!

It's funny, if DH cleaned out the office, it would not involve sewing, i am completely different...as he often shakes his head over, I like new ways of storing stuff and creative ways of utilizing what i have.

I hate the fact that there are curtains in front of my computer, would prefer something useful like a notice board, well today i converted them to storage!! This is very much a WIP photo, The plastic pockets are sewn on the bottom, but pinned into sections..I am waiting to see how functional it is before i sew the sections. The little ipod pen holder is also only pinned on, though the actual thing is sewn completely. So far I am liking it, so handy for photos and notes and...anything!

Grace i the Us has received and opened her SSCS swap parcel, so I can show you what I sent here, The big wall hanging has plastic pockets (sensing a theme?) for displaying her cards and photos. I put a few cards in there, Then there is a stirchery bag and various miscellaneous items.

At the beach on Wednesday, ready to spend some days down there with the family, loved this little fellow.

And this was my Christmas morning sunrise, Looks almost like a Stairway to heaven i thought. Was my reward for feeding all my animals at 6.30 am!

Hope you are getting in the New year spirit, want to share your plans or preparations? I have 35 + coming for the pool! Cheers, Tracey

Christmas!! Again..

Merry Christmas!!

Some of you Northerners may only be just getting going, but for me it is already Boxing Day. I have performed in a Church drama, driven a round trip of over 200 kms to my family for lunch and hosted DH's extended family here for tea...looking forward to a restful day of Australia in the Boxing Day cricket tomorrow while eating left over prawns and desserts! bliss.

Can't go to bed without showing you the lovely gift i received in Chookyblue's SSCS this year, it is from Andrea, Welsh quilter.

Beautiful work, Andrea, and perfectly chosen, Thank you!! Can't show you mine as it may not be opened yet...soon!

Some other shots....My girl made two Gingerbread houses, from scratch!

The poopin reindeer helped demolish this one!


A true "family" shot of my brother with nieces and nephews...some stubborn, some uncooperative, some happy, some sad. it takes all kinds to make a family, but all equally as important. Hope your day was great, back soonest! Tracey

Christmas is a step closer...

My present has arrived for Chookyblue's secret santa swap, it is from Welsh quilter, Andrea, who i have known a few years on here. I have only opened my ornament, as requested, and am waiting for Christmas day for the rest, thanks Andrea, very excited! Here is the ornament.

Onto a few photos for you..

A gymnastic caterpillar on Queen Anne's lace...

My SSCS presents!

A present i made for our Quilter's breakup, it is a card holder with plastic pocket.. shocking pic!

My son came into tell me there was good light and ladybirds piggybacking...

Gotta love an inch long baby praying mantis

And here is my shearing photos in "Downunder" magazine. They have asked for some more.

Some black and white succulents

...and a hatching chicken....lots of those happening around here, 13 today!

I have now photographed almost 25 woolsheds for the book, so staying well out of trouble. My kids broke up school last night, boy is deputy school captain for next year and DD won the service award, so everyone was happy.

have a great day, catch you very soon, Tracey

Leave you with this year's decorated hay bales at our local annual laternenfest.

Sheep and more sheep

Hi, anyone still out there...can't believe that it is 6 weeks since I last posted already. If I tell you what i have been busy with will you forgive me?? The camera!! So many photography jobs to be fitted in around the normal stuff. The only sewing is for Chooky's secret santa swap and of course I can't show that....oh and some chook wheat bags and pot holders, but forgot to photograph them...amazingly!
Shearing has been and gone for another year. I took a lot of photos and posted a few on the net and now have a two page layout in a magazine in December. Very excited about that. That has started another photography project...I finished cooking for our woolshed, loaded the wool and the truck and I headed off visiting other woolsheds...with an idea of a book. Have done well over a dozen sheds already and am getting very good responses to my photos so in about a year....or 100 woolsheds, hopefully a book!
Here are a few of our of ram shearing to give you a preview.

Not just taking photos of sheep though, a few other things thrown in for you...

Getting close to summer at the beach...

Last night's sunset after my boxing class.

My frizzle rooster who is belted up and friendless in my chookyard...well except for me.

And a dandelion...big one...from the back of our lake

Also found and relocated this young fox.

I'll leave you with a woolshed photo i can share because you can't see a face...hope you are all great....Tracey