2016......the ones that got away

Welcome 2017......let's hope this year doesn't fly by like the last one!!!

I like to do a catch up post in January of the previous years' photos that just didn't make it on to the blog for one reason or another.....

To kick off January I had a go a making some Mozarella Cheese and it turned out really well

We were all really happy with it!

Just need more practice at making smooth round balls!

February sees me going up the Hill to the National Gallery Canberra 

to view Australian Artist Tom Robert's Exhibition

Oh my how stunning it was!

Artwork is 'The Golden Fleece' painted at Newstead North Station, near Inverell, New South Wales and Sydney 1894

Oil on Canvas......purchased 1894

My Friend has a Tapestry of this and it is just beautiful

The further away you stand from it the further into the Shed you go!

I made this little cushion 10 years ago for my Sister and finally took a photo of it

It's being used as a little brooch holder

Original design by Cathy Penton

April sees me off to a Book Signing with Fleur McDonald and Josephine Moon
Fleur writes about Rural Fiction and Jo writes Foodie Fiction
Pic here with Fleur but the one with Josephine has vanished and luckily it did make it to Instagram at the time.
 Im having Lots of trouble here with the photos......
Blogger won't talk to my Photo Library here and I think the Photo Library keeps changing the photos around!

In May we were still getting Cherry Tomaotes from our garden

In June I was lucky enough to win this Book hosted by Gail Pan Designs

Thank You Gail!

In July I was the first to finish a Book Challenge hosted by our local Bookshop

August sees JoJo's Birthday......the day she waits all year for

Here she is with a John Farnham cake

In September I was reminiscing about my Paris trip and how I scored a visit into the Kitchen of 

Alain Ducasses's Jules Verne Restaurant in the Eiffel Tower

Oh my....................

In October I went to Manu Fieldel's Book Signing

Here I am with him......sigh

November saw Mr Armchair cook a meal from a recipe

Beef Sirloin Steak with Rocket Salad and Balsamic Onions

Very delicious too!

And Christmas December 2016 saw a Spit in the Backyard

Here we have JoJo's Sister Jacqueline and her little one Lidija

So ends a quick trip through 2016

Wishing everyone a Happy, Content and Peaceful 2017

Dzintra xo

~OPAM....One Project A Month, September 2016~

Time for another OPAM again, how fast is this year going!!!

A couple of small finishes this time

First one is a little 'Frozen' Book Bag complete with Nana made it for me on it for little Lidija

 And here she is just after she opened it.......very excited to receive this book

And for the boot scootin' Cowgirl in me a Book Bag for a dear friend

complete with the book of my favourite movie 'Dances With Wolves'

Thank you so much Sweet Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM again this year!!!

~Cover Reveal...Dzintra Sullivan~

Here's something new for me

I recently met my Name Twin Dzintra Sullivan who is Author of the 

Best Selling Series......Halfway House

Today is the Cover Reveal of her latest book, 'Immersion' and I thought I would show it here

How beautiful is this!!!

A little blurb on the book

Payton Hunter's choice to take a late night stroll by the cliffs will change her life forever. A freak gust of wind catches her off guard, and she falls into the ocean below. As the last breath of air leaks from her lungs, Payton surrenders to the cold black arms of death.

Prince Volos, the oldest son of the Water Dragon King, stands proudly with the human spy he’s captured. His father will surely renounce the crown to him as he proves himself worthy.

When this small, dark haired beauty causes his heart to start singing, Volos now wonders what’s more important. Being the next King? Or being immersed in the arms of true love?

Miles under the surface of the ocean a choice must be made.

And a little bit about Dzintra......

Author Bio:
Hello, I am BATMAN..... -laughing-... I just always wanted to say that.
I am happily married to an amazing Canadian man and a mother of four delightful children. I fell in love with books as a young girl, reading Judy Blume and Enid Blyton. I progressed onto loving the supernatural genre as a teenager and never left.
I live up in the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, where the weather is always warm and sunny.
It has always been a dream to write a book, but I have never had the self-belief that I could. Until I celebrated my 40th birthday. It hit me, "now or never" so I pulled on my big girl panties, picked up a pen and paper and didn't look back.
"The Halfway House Series" is my debut series.
Where family isn't always blood related, and the impossible love is possible if you believe.
Now I want to take you under the water, into the magical world of water dragons.
I hope you can swim, because these men like it wet.
The Apalala Clan series is about to take its first adventure with book one "Immersion".

Author Links:
Website: https://www.authordzintrasullivan.simplesite.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Dzintra-Sullivan/1510553862490487
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cR0lE2
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8425947.Dzintra_Sullivan
Twitter: @DzintraSullivan

Title: Immersion
Author: Dzintra Sullivan - Author of the Bestselling Series, Halfway House
Genre: Paranormal/Romance/Comedy
Cover Designer: Desiree DeOrto
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Congratulations Dzintra from Dzintra on this Cover

I think it is just beautiful and I'm so pleased to have met you......

~OPAM...(One Project A Month) - August

Phew, not only is August flying by this whole year is flying by with Spring here tomorrow!!!

5 Book Bags this month along with 3 Mug Rugs

This Book Bag has been gifted

Along with this one

This one I have kept and put into it a book I read for a Book Challenge

The Challenge was to read a book with an Author the same name as mine and I found

 Dzintra Sullivan

Another bag and this time I put some Harry Potter ribbon on

Perfect for this book!!!

And from this bundle of Fat 1/4's (Notting Hill by Robyn Randolph) I made some Mug Rugs

I've taken to lately Make 1 Make 2 when I can and this totally works

It worked so well I made 3

Front

This one was a special one and was gifted to my friend Asta for her birthday

Asta is currently exploring her homeland Estonia in Europe

Thank You Sweet Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM again this year!!!

******

We've been away for the last few weeks up in Queensland hence no blogging and no comments made but will get back into it soon!!!

Happy Stitching......Dzintra xo

~A Harry Potter Day...The Cursed Child~

Well today......Sunday...... I woke up

  and headed off to my Sewing Room as usual for a Sunday morning to potter (no pun here lol) around

At 10.00 am Of course I checked Instagram and saw that a lot of Book Stores were selling the new 

Harry Potter Book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
which the shops were permitted to sell at 9.01 am

and just like that I said to Mr Armchair and JoJo come on we're going to town to pick up my pre-ordered copy!!!

No Breakfast, no cuppa........Nothing!!!

I said to JoJo go and get a Wizard Hat

I went and got my Harry Potter Sorting Hat, Hogwarts T Shirt and Gryffindor Scarf

JoJo put on her Ravenclaw Tshirt

and we were off

You've never seen us move so fast lol

Woo hoo we have our books

Lots of photos were taken!!!

That was pretty cool!!!

My Friend Leanne saw us and popped in and we later had a coffee with her

Here she is with JoJo who is posing away with her book!!!

We even made it to the Store's Facebook page!!!

I came home and put my book into a corner with my Hogwarts and Gryffindor Tower sign

together with my version of the Cat at Hogwarts Mrs Norris

My Mrs Norris is a Patchwork Cat with reproduction colours from the 17th century

An awesome morning

I really should be doing my OPAM (One Project A Month) Post but I'll do that one tomorrow!!!

A Happy Week to all my Readers......Dzintra

~Chookshed Sewing Weekend Celebration~

I happily joined Chookyblue celebrate The Chookshed's 4th Birthday
I put Mr Armchair in charge and said I was sewing all weekend

What started off with pleasant rain and coolness which is perfect for an inside sewing day quickly over the weekend turned into devastation down the East Coast of Australia 

including our own South Coast

My aim on Saturday was to get these borders on to this Quilt,  Past Times

Well that didn't happen in a hurry as a bit of fiddling was done

I started early afternoon

And then what seemed like only a couple of hours Mr Armchair brought up to me an anticipated Happy Hour lol

Time to call it Quits now

And success yay borders on the next day

Mr Armchair hanging the Quilt top over the balcony

This quilt is made up of 15 Fat Quarters all taken from my stash and some are quite dated in 

Country Style but hey they look good and come together really well I think

Even a couple of reproduction fabrics are in there

Somehow they all work together!!!

After rain all day Saturday plus overnight and into Sunday we thought we'd take a little drive around the beaches and see what was happening

Lots of leaves on the ground

A few branches here and there

and a wild surf

Here we are coming down on to Casey's Beach

Down the hill

and then on to Denham's Beach

which was quite wild out to sea

See in the distance the wave hitting a small rocky outcrop/island

And then looking on to Surf Beach and Denham Beach from Wimbie Beach

Wimbie Beach

Our beaches are normally quite tame with not a heap for surfing due to the Bay

so this was all quite something to see

So back home now and I thought I would cut some more pieces for Farm Girl Vintage

yet another quilt I didn't need to start but I've had the fabric for a while now

and come Birthday time I bought myself the book

so what's a Gal to do!!!

Besides I cannot resist starting a new project lol

Lovely 30's Playtime Fabric

And a bit more cut up for the box

I think there are about 7 blocks to go out of 72 

Having done that I thought I would do another block of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler inspired by the 

Elm Creek books by Jennifer Chiaverini

and of course there was a black out

After quite a while power was back and I was into Block 54-40 or Fight

and that's where I left it

All in all a lovely weekend of sewing 

Thank you Chookyblue for hosting this fabulous weekend again

and 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHOOKSHED

May you have many, many more!!!

********

 My Heart goes out to the people whose homes and livelihood are affected by all the devastation of this weekend including the families of those people who have tragically passed away

Sending Hugs and Prayers to you all

Dzintra xo