A birthday and a donated quilt....

Started my daughter's birthday "week" celebrations yesterday, she passed one small rite of passage and had her ears pierced....hopefully we will again get her to wash her hair in the not -too-distant-future....but right now she is being very pedantic about ear care! She has been wearing her hair in a ponytail to highlight the ears. My sister took a pic of us this afternoon when she came for cake-you don't see many of me so make the most of it!! I prefer being behind the camera.

I love making a fuss of my kids' birthdays (there are a dozen little girls due any day for a pool party..sorry, should probably say young ladies, but they really ARE just little girls!!) But I would have to say the height of enjoyment of this milestone came after my sister and Mum had left and we were jumping on the trampoline, "you know what Mum, I was jumping before and I thought, I really love my life" I said that was what all Mum's wanted to hear and she said, "yeah, I'm pleased i didn't die when i was sick all that time!!" So am I!!

I hardly dare mention that it has been six months since the last serious bout of her irritable bowel/migraine trouble, she seems to be okay as long as she is well rested so we are hopeful that that particular 2 year phase is over. A very joyful lady informed me the other day that it will probably come back really bad when puberty hits.....that lady is extremely fortunate she isn't buried in my backyard!!! Nothing like looking on the bright side!

Speaking of looking on the bright side, I had some finished quilts dropped into me this week, more information and pictures will follow, but this one I just have to share.

This has been donated to the fire effort from a lady in the blue mountains. It is stunning!! And hand quilted as well. My job was to find it a suitable home and it has left already, it has gone to wrap a lady in love who lost the majority of her family in the recent fires. I had a contact for her and thought this appropriate as it seems a little like the light shining in the darkness.

I have received a huge amount of blocks this week, people have been very supportive and I am getting ready to start sorting and sewing. I am going to show you them all, but it takes me a while to get them all in order for you...especially after Tuesday......

Tuesday was almost hurricane like winds....in a tinder dry state! Not as hot as the very bad bushfire day a month ago, but windier! They closed almost 200 schools and closed down the Govt. bus service. i took mine to school in town as they were safer there. Before they went they had to tell me a few things for me to collect if I went anywhere. My girl was her quilts, Hannah montana doll and her cat!! The boy was his motorbike. I packed up my photo albums and everybody's donated blocks!!!! There was no way I was losing them.

I trotted off to Church ladies coffee in the afternoon with the backseat filled with everyone's most precious stuff. Interesting exercise that, when it comes down to it...what really matters but your family? Must admit i would have been a bit sad to see the stash go-but there was no way that was fitting in the car!

Needless to say we got through that just fine, but as you can see, everything got packed in in a hurry and some of my elaborate "ownership" system may have gone astray-but I will do my best. Since then there would be at least 2 or 3 more bags as big as that front one -full of blocks, tops and fabric.....a great effort!

Aside from turning 20 kilos each of zucchinis, plums and apples into pickles, and sauce this week, i also made this little quilt for a friend's baby.

Which brings me to the fact I have nearly done enough for the week, so off to bed I go.

But I didn't forget my competition winner, the kids drew out nancy in philadelphia as the Tag galaxy winner, I have a funny feeling a few of my Bible verse and quilting cards will suit Nancy, so well done! And the "Belladonna quilt group~beating the recession one recycled quilt at a time" idea? I am seriously considering starting that up as a forum for sharing your recycled efforts-stay tuned!

Have a great day

Tracey