Back online...finally!

Guess what, I have been away in Africa on Safari...missed me?

Saw this...and these....

Okay, okay, we actually visted the Werribee Park Open Range zoo actaully. No time for overseas trips for me!

No, real reason I have been away...again. Never live in the internet eqivalent of the outback!! Well, only 20 minutes from a largeish town really! But we only get mail 3 times a week and I have been off line on and off for 10 weeks, and 6 weeks basically off. I now have my 4th modem in 6 months (industrial strength!) plus a big antenna on the roof...and if you have read the Stephanie Plum books you will remember their views on the cable companies from the book with the taxidermist, well, I am with them!!!

So, what's new...well, I have just worked my first full time week teaching for lots and lots of (probably pre baby) years! I have 3 weeks to go, so not a lot of quilting at present, binding to go on this weekend, then something to post!

A few more shots form the zoo...

Loved the next 2 photos, they made me feel skinny!

More news, turns out I shouldn't have blindly believed the man we got DD's kitten from last November, turns out Magnum never developed the right things in the right places, but ended up the proud owner of these....

Now, we knew the real Magnum was pretty impressive, but would like to see him manage this!!

Of course, we are adoring them, we weren't quite so excited about her commencing the birth process on the kitchen floor, Dh drew the line and put her outside, she had them on the door mat with 2 very interested young observers not missing a minute of the process! We transferred her into a cosy basket and she has spent the rest of the time being a devoted mother in the middle of my kitchen! Why, oh why, does everything end up in my kitchen?

Daisy niece loved "boos, boos" we had a hard time teaching her how to be gentle! But SO cute!!

Anyway, hope you are all well,and yes, I know I owe emails..I have only managed the odd 5 minutes on other computers. Here's to extended service! Tracey

10 years of (mostly) joy!

The sun sets on 10 years....

10 years of often very hard labour!

10 years of constant cuddles..

10 years, the first 4 years of which he did not sleep all night for!

10 years of blonde rascal cuteness

1 year (the last) of being able to raise one eyebrow to get his own way!

10 years of constant activity

10 years of love

10 years of preferring not to wear clothes, or as few as absolutely physically and legally necessary!

10 years of noise, now often focussed as singing...and the ability to remember the tune and words to every song he hears.

10 years of the muddiest knees I have ever seen!

10 years of preferring to not be separate from his mother!!

10 years of forgetting me once he's with his friends!

The last few years of attempts to 'work" me with frequent compliments of, "have you lost weight, you sing beautifully mummy darling, wanna cuddle on the couch gorgeous..."

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Where'd those 10 years go???When did I stop having to watch Bob the Builder (and start doing it just by choice..hee. hee!!) Now I want those small years back, it all went too quick, did I make the most of it? Who knows, with no sleep, 'twas all a haze!

Happy birthday DS, I'd do it all again...well, not now!!! But theoretically 10 years ago!

Remember, this week you have a chance to win some cards....off to wrap presents, boy, hope I have a card!!LOL!!

Introducing my new giftcard range!!!

Hi, yes, finally getting to this! Lots of school holiday distractions at present.

These are the new giftcards, about half the size of my normal cards, 10.5 x 7 cms or 4.5 x 2.75 inches. Still professionally printed on glossy card. No envelopes with these. The pictures show how they look before they are folded. I am stocking these in 5 shops, in packs of 2.

Big news...anyone who commented in the last week since I began posting about my Quilt retreat, wins at least 4 of these cards posted anywhere in the world, I will try to email you all in the next few days. If you have missed out, don't worry, i will choose a few commenters between now and the weekend to win a pack of 10...or two!

So today, tell me why, in this day and age of instantaneous communication..why you send and /or like to receive a card..... or even what one you like.

For a closer look, these are all over at Tracey's country cards, along with the normal notecards with envelopes.

Ed's note: oops, forgot to say that for this week, you can buy 5 of these giftcards and have them posted anywhere in the world for $5!!! An extra card thrown in for Aussies to make up for the postal difference.

My quilts made on the weekend...and a chance to win!

I think we have seen all of the girl's quilts from the weekend, so here are mine. Three made from scratch, and then Kael's and the stack and whack were over half done when i got there. Lise, janine and Anne are helping me hold them up.

This is the stack and whack, with Heather Bailey fabrics.

Took a scrap bag of Robert Kaufman strips with. There were 30 x 2 and 1/2 inch strips in there, with a black border it got to quite a sizeable quilt top, I love how it looks like the black is curved. The colours are magnificent in real life.

In a previous post you saw Anne's daisy quilt top, this is mine, as different as could be. All blacks and reds, with the white contrast. I cheated, of course, cutting up charm squares was not on any agenda I held, so I cut out 5 inch strips instead, it ended up a good size as well, a good groovy baby size.

And finally, had the other things done by Saturday night so i tipped out my collection of chicken fabrics, (well, the ones I had managed to locate in the mad rush before I left anyway) and started putting them together into something for me

This was the layout about when the socceroos were starting their Saturday night game against Ghana...(was it?) I watched it until Kewell was red carded then decided the game was too technical for me, I like a free flowing and scoring game, kinda like my patchwork, nothing too "quilt policey"!!

A chook quilt was the intention when I began collecting these fabrics 10 years ago, and i have noticed more and more disappearing into other people's quilts, so this one is my turn. As you can see, by the time we left at lunch the next day, it was together...sort of...the sides aren't even, it will grow in width now it's home, there is more fabric to addin and I am determined to get a taste of it all.

The other thing I noticed when I was putting these photos on is how handy the backing width black on black was that I threw in the car...it has got in all the quilts...bar Kael's red and white.

So, what do you think, pick your favourite, tell me about your most productive quilt weekend or just say Hi here, or on any of this week's posts, and go in the chance to win some of my new card range, being launched later in the weekend. Yes, emails are accepted from my non lurking readers, I'll put them into the draw for you.

After over 100,000 hits and 450 posts I could probably do with a little motivation to keep posting!

As thanks in anticipation, here's some cute farm shots, just in case you have been missing the sheep!

Traceyxxx

Gratitudes...that I wasn't given 4 at once!!

Retreat quilt show, part 2

Ok then, more progress for the quilt weekend.

We were invited to join in group projects if we were interested. Three girls completed their shnibbles one, myself and Anne did the Daisy one, (shall have to check the name!) They were recommended for charm packs.

Jane's version
Helen and Heather's versions...all very different.
...but the same!

Anne's is here, light is abit harsh, but it's in beautiful pastel florals.....mine comes next post...

Robyn chose a very intricate pattern that would have been the death of me, I could never be this detailed and precise, she got 2 done for the weekend. The blocks were very time consuming, 3 to go for her horse loving daughter.

Chris worked on her Kaffe fassett jelly roll quilt, the colour organisation took a lot of time.

Jane has retired this year and is enjoying the extra quilting time, she added borders to this on the weekend.

Almost forgot to show you what I made for my 5 yo niece's bday a week or two ago.

II copied the Russian doll from a colouring book and appliqued it to lightweight interfacing, then ran around it with normal machine stitch to put it on the shirt- much easier than machine buttonholing onto a readymade top. I like the paper doll "M" one, she is at the age when it's all about her name and letters.

Remember, big card launch coming and comments this week could get you something....

See you soon with my retreat progress, Tracey

Retreat quilt show Part 1.

Wow, 2 posts in two days! You can tell I actually have some quilt content for you...I will go through some of the show and tell before I get to the weekend's work. I thought these were very nice and you may be interested. The Japanese one is showcasing japanese fabrics..I think from a trip to japan by Jenni. She was trying to decide the best quilting, not sure what the final decision was but heard a fair bit of "fan" discussion.

Anne had also worked long and hard on this beautiful red and white quilt. She has the name and pattern, but not at the retreatm so i could probably get it for you.

A lot of stitching really adds to this.

Ten year quilt group member, Chris, has moved to the big smoke. We had a farewell for her and she received her stitched hearts quilt to remember us by. I also searched back through the archives and made her a photo book of all her quilts and quilt group memories.

Robyn was cuddled up under her thimbleberries quilt.

And finally, sharing a photo I may get in trouble for.... This is Lise, the Chocolate cat blogger, who was relaxing on retreat in front of the ocean view...she needed a good rest after weeks of winter flu.
Better run, spent the day drafting cattle and am tired to the bone but the housework fairies STILL have not come...sigh!
Also, noticed I have gone over 100,000 hits and 450 posts. I am launching a large range of new cards this weekend...when they arrive! Quilt ones, farm ones, native animals, flowers, etc, etc. Just a heads up that comments this week when I actually have a lot of posts to do may be more than worth the effort!

A change of scene at Quilt retreat!

Headed to the historic fishing town of P*rt fairy this past weekend for our quilt retreat. Went with the best of good intentions to blog progress at frequent intervals, managed to get my online footy tips on before the power ran out and I realised I only had half the charge cord!! So much for that plan, but I still took lots of photos! And I now have a justifiable reason to post for the next few days!
The scene was fabulous, right on the beach, we even had these dolphins swim past,



and gorgeous oceanic rainbows...it is very cold and winter down here!

It was cold, under 5 degrees in the morning, but so appealing that I actually swam! Didn't stay in for long, but it invigorated me for a few big days of sewing.


This is what the house looked like shortly after we started moving in, lots of trestle tables starting to be added to the beautiful house, I think the neighbors thought we were some kind of cut and run sweatshop! But 13 women with a mission need space!

This is my spot...also a few minutes after moving in. It did not look this good for very long! Nowhere I work ever stays clean for long!

I couldn't start anything new until I finished off my Quilts for leukeumia quilt, so it was first, I am hoping to get it all finished off and in the post soon.

Back to the real world today, groceries, lamb marking, feeding kids and workers, it's now after midnight and I have been watching to see if Roger comes back from 2 sets down but I may have to give in...just as he seems to be! So I will just leave you a snippet of the many quilts you will see in the next few days....

Hope life is good, have agreat day, Tracey