Birthday round up.... and a huge case of Mother guilt!

A fair bit of chaos around here, (hey, don't say, "As usual!!) I only have today to get all my little retreat packs/gifts done for 9 people, I have not quite finished my last rounds of frienship border and the reveal is on the retreat. DD is on the couch with what now looks like the 'flu, DH is not recovering as quickly as I would like from his chesty type flu. I want to make soup and slice for the retreat, I haven't cut up my shirts, the phone keeps ringing and I have the housework to do as well!!! On top of all this I think I may have a slight touch of something myself ....but I don't have the time or inclination to succumb!

I could, of course, say I wont go, but I need a change of scene, I get to blow out my candles on Friday night and this is my favourite weekend, also, it will do DH good to rest in front of the TV with the kids on the weekend AND I'm sure that once I actually get out of the house, the motherguilt will disappear. (well, I hope!) I am well aware he can cope with any eventuality, he is just not looking enthusiastic-we'll blame the flu!


Here's the bouquet of Australian natives the family bought up for my birthday, they would make anyone feel better!

Thought you may like to see some of my lovely presents. My friend Lyn made me the lovely covered journal, and gave me some of her cute bias and ric rac she found on ebay.

Quilting Bebbs sent me the pincushion-thank you so much! It even arrived the day before, I was very impressed!

Family came good with a massage voucher and a plate of soaps and lotions. DH said the kids were gorgeous, they spent 3/4 of an hour examining everything in the shop, then they had to get little individual things and the plateful, all the time dancing around and hugging each other in excitement. You see that knowledge is all I require...that there was effort!!!

My sister found me the great print of Audrey, and the naughty little rooster sign and hook. DH is not sure what to make of that! He did say that all we needed were more chook things!!!
There were also about 3 boxes of chocolates...they are gone! And really, I shared some!

A close up of some of the scrap bags from Mum. I rang her to tell her they were in the sale a few weeks ago, so she was waiting when they opened the doors after Church. There are some great pieces, not really scraps at all!

Got this huge bag of wool tops for felting at the sheep show, I am thinking about a big blanket with hot pink through it-maybe when the weather warms up, it's a little cold for throwing around water at present. The check material is from the op shop-50 cents! It is going in with the shirts this weekend. I need a 2 week retreat to get all I want done!

I bought this gorgeous velvet kangaroo paw at the sheep show as well, another Australian native. If you go back to last weeks' kangaroo post you will see why it is called a kangaroo paw.



And, last but not least, the cat and the dog enjoying their strange relationship. I am trying to get a pic of how the cat softens him up with her claws but they stop as soon as I appear.

Well, duty now REALLY calls! Back Sunday, should have 7 round robins to post and 9 people's work from the weekend, have a good one, Tracey

The perfect present for a member of Scraps anonymous (should have called my blog that!)

Oh, just for a little drooling......my Mum did make it to the scrap bag sale a few weeks ago, this is what 24 gorgeous scrap bags look like.....that sure beats the usual gift voucher! There are a few bagfulls drying in lingerie bags as we speak...ready for a spot of retreat fun!
Post in the morning, I need some sleep. Tracey

Gifts

Wow, so many nice comments on my birthday! BIG post to follow before I disappear on retreat! Thank you!!!

Now, seeing gifting is my thing, I have a (possible) one for you.

As a birthday and 'coming up to 15000 hits' commemorator... if you have commented during birthday week then you will do in the draw to pick one of these lovely address books.

Now I suppose birthday week doesn't officially finish until next Sunday, 12th August, so you have until then. And as I get up to 350 hits a post nowadays, I would love a few lurkers to rear their heads, I can't find your blogs if you don't say hello on mine!

Have fun Tracey

And, no, this was not a present...but it makes perfect sense to me!!!

Favourite week of the year.

Went to a fabulous fashion parade tonight. My friend Lyn took me as an early birthday present. I wish I could have taken photos, but no cameras were allowed, if any appear around the place I will link to them at a later post.

The Parade kicks off my local town's big sheep industry event, I wont say it's name or every searcher for info. will be sent by Google to me! The parade consisted of over 100 young designers entries into the various wool fashion categories, The winner overall, who was sitting next to me, won an $8500 trip to Milan for a fortnight, for a gorgeous little check and plain dress and jacket that I would have killed for in a more me friendly colour. Needless to say, she was beside herself!

The stunning thing I loved was a white woollen coat, quilted like a wholecloth. It won it's section and if I can post a pic i will!!!

Love it when my birthday turns into a birthweek, card from my lovely friend Suse -AND finally 'fessed about the blog. (Hi Suse!) Out tonight, mum and sister due for birthday cake on Tuesday, family off secret shopping tomorrow (gotta love children you have raised to appreciate birthdays!!!) and finally, the icing on the cake....quilt retreat in Port Fairy on Friday with the girls!!!

I'm working at the sheep event tomorrow with the School, here is my 12 litres of vegie soup ready for the catering. You are all posting lovely stone fruit in the Northern hemisphere, well nice warn soup is very appreciated in Australia at the moment.

Having heaps of trouble with crows getting my eggs at present, and it is time to start weeding as well, so I put a few hens back into the chook dome. For those recent readers of my blog, the chooks turn all the weeds and house scraps into a fabulous worm rich, chemical free plot for my vegies. I don't have to dig a thing and never spray. i just shift the dome to a new spot in a few weeks or often take the tarp off and plant straight in the dome-then it keeps the chooks off the vegies!

Thought you may like a pic to see more uses for old play pens!!!

Went down to see my Mum for her birthday yesterday, sis and I gave her a digital camera. It will probably be great for her, but of course I had to spend my day setting it all up for her and teaching her the ropes! She had made DD this scarf that I thought you knitters may be interested in.

I noticed there were a number in the same style on some of tonight's models. Mum has the pattern if anyone wants it. DD loved it.

Been playing with my camera, not much colour in my garden at present, these will have to do.

Got my sewing machine back today, fixed all the noises, apparently you really should get more regular services but my place closed down and hadn't found another. My needle up down lever hasn't been wanting to stay up, I got her to check it and she thinks she has improved it but that it is on the way out-patchwork really overuses it and when it's gone it's not replaceable!

Hope that dome starts meaning I'm getting eggs because a new machine will be a lot of egg money! Have a great week, Tracey

What an idiot!
I was lying in bed and thought about how I typed an answer to the 5 things about me meme that I wrote a week or more ago and then I felt sick!!!
I wrote that I wanted to outlive my children, but meant that the thing I wanted the most in the world was for them to outlive me...that's what I get for typing in a hurry.
I can go back to bed and sleep in peace now that people do not think I am that odd!!!! Tracey

One step forward and one step back.

During a fairly quiet post-camp slump yesterday I did manage some progress on my roses, but I am just giving you a tease because I am close to a finish. (I also managed to lie on the bed and slowly re-read a good portion of Harry, but we wont mention that!)

DD has just gone back to bed, the tummy is really not great today, so much for the usual 8 week window between troubles, this was less than 3. We'll keep hoping it is tiredness related and will quickly go.

Very wet and miserable today, I am meant to trek to town for provisions but at the moment that doesn't look at all inviting, neither does a walk-Harry is once again looking the goods!

This is the camp hexagon that had all the girls wanting to learn, out of my LQS sample mailout, can't find the sheet to say what they were.

Have a great day, Tracey

Returned....to housework!

I am back.....and should be fitter after all those camp activities, but really just feel exhausted. Lots of walking, hanging from ropes, canoeing-great fun.

Camp was great, DD coped and had lots of fun but is back with me today as the tummy has moved back to sore. At least she got to do her camp, we are hoping a bit of rest may spark her back up.

The men managed very well by themselves as well, had a great time I think.

Took a few photos, actually took 238, but there are only a few that I can share.

Met this lovely quiet mother, think she may have been hand reared as she hangs around the camp, isn't that baby gorgeous!

And here is a close-up, because I can!

(Feel free to "borrow" the kangaroo pics to share.)

I noticed on the way up that there were a few little noses peeking over the seat as I made hexagons on the bus. I bought the sewing out by the fire one night before tea and suffice to say I never got much done! Luckily I had packed extra fabric as a group of girls were very keen, they have taken home their hexagons to make a variety of things.

Can show you my daughter concentrating hard,

and also some interesting works in progress.....

Hoping that if I can get a big couple of hours in on my house I may have some actual quilty things to post tonight or tomorrow, Tracey

The 5 Love languages.

On my last post I skipped over the whole Love language thing, mainly because I have the kind of personality that likes to know a little about everything (hence the success at trivia nights) but I readily admit when I am not an expert and I try to leave the expert things to those who really know what they are talking about.

Unfortunately I had a number of emails about the general gist of the love languages, so I am sharing the cover of the two books I own and adding a little more info. so that you may decide for yourself whether it may be a good purchase for you. For all of you who are bigger experts at this than me, I ask your tolerance!

Chapman describes 5 love languages that each of us may possess in some form but usually one is(for many reasons) our prefered way to "speak" love. They include: Words of affirmation, Quality time, Receiving gifts, Acts of service and Physical touch. His book goes on to show you how to work out which is yours and your partners love language and gives insight into how to better deal with a partner with that love language.

Now, my husband did not buy into blogging, I did, so I am not going to give you a heap of examples of how it works, but he would have no problem with me sharing the whole gift thing. As I said in my last post-gifts are v. high on my list, it is ingrained in me somewhere that people may say whatever but the proof is in the gift! Now as I get older I am far better able to value all the other love languages but you can't just quash 37 years and 51 weeks of what makes you tick. So what did this presenty girl do?-marry someone who just doesn't believe in it, family really didn't do the gift thing, probably didn't say much either, but they did things for you-acts of service, and spent quality time. Now it is fabulous to marry a man whose has a main love language of acts of service (I only have to mention casually that something needs doing and it is instantaneously fixed)....until is is Mother's day, Christmas or your birthday and...nothing!

This is where the book's insight comes in-you can read a million articles about how to spice up this area of your marriage or build up another area or understand how men tick....but if you don't know which language they are speaking then how do you work on these dialects?

You may be running around trying to be a better wife through acts of service like cleaning the house, when he doesn't even notice and is just hurt that you never sit and talk to him for 20 minutes. (Quality time) Until the light goes on about this you just don't realise how long you have been batting your head up against the wall.

So you may like to give the book some consideration, especially if you have ever said the words, "But I did this for you...and you can't do this for me, why?"

Anyway, it is almost 11 pm here, I am off on School camp up the mountains in the morning for 3 days, think of me abseiling, canoeing and jumping off the flying fox in 0 degrees as you sit by the pool. DD is so excited she can barely speak, she has been packed for over a week and if she wakes and find my things are not in my bag there will be trouble!!

On that last note I am off, sorted some of the buttons off the Op shop shirts today, I didn't want to get them all mixed up so I put them in a $2 pill dispenser, already making it easier to replace buttons so i thought i would share-have a good few days and don't hesitate to email for more of my non-expert advice!!!It just worked so well for us.

He's here!! And he bought nice friends!
My books arrived this morning, I have just returned from my favourite coffee shop where I toasted JK with a skinny latte (and cream covered delicious scones!!!) And read the first 3 chapters in an environment where I didn't feel I should be doing something else, more worthy!
How will I read him, again, the dilemma-all at once or make this last treasure endure over an extended period of time. I know what will win, it will be just like a box of Lindt chocolates-I want to make them last but they just mysteriously keep disappearing-pages of Harry will be exactly the same!

Fresh from Church ladies fellowship zone rally yesterday, as the V.President they utilized me as the entertainment! I am full of Bible trivia! I wonder who is the first to tell me how many siblings Joseph had...hey, off the top of your head....no research! Also off to a trivia night tonight, I have been headhunted by a table determined to win!


Anyway, that is not the point, today I have a question-


What would a good wife do??


Now, there are less that 2 weeks until the event known as D-Day here, yes, my birthday. Been married 12 years and it is only recent years we have worked out the love language thing. Still good though, as many people bat their heads up against brick walls for years wondering why their partner doesn't appreciate what they do "for them" when it is not what the partner wants at all. Anyway, that's a whole other post!


DH now understands that the whole gift thing is high on my love language list and I realise that even though gifts are my thing, he would prefer me to sit down and spend quality time with him.

Hence the cause of serious perspiration at this point for DH and the question.

When would a good wife tell him that there is a Jim Shore nativity and quilt book in the cupboard? Perhaps even a few of the books from today's photo, as Harry and 3 days at School camp next week should keep me suitably occupied without the need for them until D-Day.
....A good wife would be tempted to tell him now and end the huddled secret discussions going on between DH and kids...wouldn't she?
Well, all I can say is what a lot of birthday related fun "good" wives miss out on!
I have fairly regularly remembered to stop quilting and cook, I have occasionally cleaned, I've been known to mend, I have sleepily packed lunches even though mornings are not my thing, THEREFORE I want to see effort, the secret stash are "in case", but only after the effort and the perspiration!

What would you do?

Some actual sewing...and a meme...and a thanks!


Is there anything nicer than a day with bright winter sun, a sewing machine, a whole heap of cut up shirts and a sentimental movie? Yes, it would be the addition of a package in the mail!




We will start there! After doing a trifling service for ATET, I received this lovely package in the mail today......





Spoilt my little darlings and me! Aren't those fat quarters divine, I am not sure which ones to walk around holding up to my face first, the pretties or the gorgeous blues/browns. I'll go the lot! Thankyou so much, love them!

Now she also tagged me for the meme Finn originated, I like this one, so after giving it a night's thought here goes.

5 things to do before I die

~outlive my children EDITED!!!NO, NO NO!!! Typo-that they outlive me!!!
~See the Lady of Shalott painting for real. Missed that experience in London, now shall have to go back!
~Watch a test cricket game live overseas, my friend Robyn and I have a penchant for a West Indian one.
~handpiece and handquilt something.
~put stuff away after I use it-on a regular basis!

5 things I can do
~Talk!
~ 2 finger type a lot faster than when I started blogging!
~parallel park, it's easy when you have to do it every time you shop.
~dress poultry-and i don't mean in clothes!
~tell stories... for a long time, with no notes, on anything a child asks me to include. Doesn't make me rich but makes me a popular mother at school! My kids think I am close to famous.

5 things I cannot do
That I admit to-
~function if the bed is not made.
~go into things half heartedly...if I am involved, it is fully.
~hand quilt in a manner resembling appropriate.
~always put stuff away.
~walk past an Op (thrift) shop without going in.
Family would say-
~patch clothes and sew buttons on quickly even though she has a whole room to do it.
~sing
~say no to people who ask her to organize things
~live without the computer and the phone
~ cope without going to quilters

5 things that attract me to the opposite sex-
hmmm, there's a difference about attracting me and keeping me attracted, I'll split the difference.
~a ready smile
~a generosity of spirit
~good with children
~adoration of me!!
~the ability to ignore my faults! So, so , so attractive.

5 celebrity crushes, with some specifications.
~George Clooney -in Ocean's 11,-13 and ER
~Harrison Ford-as Han Solo and Indiana.
~John Corbett-as Aden in S*x in the City and Chris in the morning on Northern Exposure.
~Sean Connery-pretty much in everything!
~Cary Grant-in pretty much everything!

5 people to tag
Not sure who hasn't done it already but I will take a stab and tag: Gail at Quite Quilted, Kim at Kim's big quilting adventure, Dawn in Korea, Cheryl at Quilting Hollow and Fiona at scraps in progress.

Here is the patchwork I promised, I have been working on shirts. This is only a few sleeves so far.

I am toying with the idea of adding in the red blade type effect, what thinkest thou?
I am also playing with the offcuts, a real scrappy look that I forgot to photograph!
And finally, the only downside to my day, I just dedicated 2 hours of my life to message in a bottle and Kevin Costner dies at the end...does no-one do happy anymore???? I think I'll put Northern exposure back on! Or take a peak at my Indiana trilogy, maybe even that one that has Indiana AND sean...yeah, now that's a plan!