Craft Show Sights Around Darling Harbour~Part 4.......a delicious cake......and a Giveaway!

While we were at the Quilt Show at Darling Harbour we also took the opportunity to have a look around the Harbour itself...

We came across the HMAS Endeavour which is a replica of the boat that Captain James Cook sailed to Australia on...

Closer up to her...

Looking up at the mast...

I fell in love with this magnificent boat and thought it was so beautiful...

all the workmanship involved, just amazing!

Looking towards North Sydney...

I hadn't been to the Quilt Show for about 10 years and I felt like I have just had a mini holiday along with Mr Armchair and JoJo...

I have thoroughly enjoyed myself......loved the blogmeet and I think a lot of us bloggers felt like we 'just knew each other'

Thank you so much Chooky for organizing this......

You have done a fantastic job in getting us all together...

Here's to the next time we all meet!!!

And here's a post I've been meaning to do for a while...

from this Womens Weekly Old Fashioned Favourites...

Orange Cake...

The recipe can be found over here on my Food Blog

Some Chocolate Raspberry Muffins from a Donna Hay magazine made by Deb...

And here's JoJo chatting with Deb...

It was a lovely morning with us all getting to know each other!

I have an extra copy of this months Australian Good Food magazine if any one would like a chance at it...

just pop on over to My Dolce Vita and leave a comment and I will draw it on Friday!

A Cheesecake...Gifts...A Coffee Warmer...an Exhibition, a New Play and a Giveaway!!!

Over the Christmas break I made this wonderful scrummy Layered Tahitian Lime Cheescake (gluten free)...

I don't very often get to have cheesecake generally due to the bases not being gluten free...so this one was extra special!!!

Recipe was found in this book Irresistibles for the Irritable by Sue Shepherd

Thanks so much Sue...this was a real hit with my family!!!  I'm sure I'll be making this beauty again!!!

This gift was received from my dear friend Nat who will in the not too distant future be living in our area...

The box in the background was for JoJo...a box of chocolates!!!

This lovely green box with an Eiffel Tower on it!!!

Check out these commemorative scissors...Limited Edition and shaped like the Eiffel Tower...how cool is that!!!

And behind them a little notebook with exquisite pink blossoms on the cover...

Thank you so much dear Nat...I'm still admiring them!!!

Also received all the way from Latvia from my Cousin Dagnija these little gingerbread treats and mini meringues...

Thank you so much Dagnija...Daudz paldies Dagnija!!!

Couldn't resist taking a pic of the Latvian language on the back of the biscuits!!!

In a previous post I showed a pic of a coffee warmer that I was looking at making for our Coffee Plunger...

above are some fabrics I already had in my little scrappy box from left over projects...

I used this little Elephant Pin Cushion made by Thimbelina that I received in a 6 Item Christmas Swap hosted by Maree...

After a few hours work all finished!!!

The inside...

I didn't do the strip of stitchery that was on the pattern nor the applique as I wanted something quick to do...but I did put some buttons on it!!!

And all finished...and I'm pleased with my Coffee Pot Warmer!!!

The Ballets Russes Exhibition...The Art of Costume is presently on in Canberra... with magnificent costumes by artists Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse amongs others...and I've been invited by a friend to visit it!!!

Last night I went to my first ever Play Reading at our local amateur theatre...

The play, a musical comedy is Dinkum Assorted by Linda Aronson...

Set in winter 1942 when 2000 American airmen are stationed near the small town of Warrabadanga, fifteen female workers battle to keep the biscuits baking...

After having so much fun in Cabaret with a non speaking part I might get brave and go for a small part...auditions are on next week and I'm thinking about it!!!

~~~

Meanwhile...Fiona who runs our Needlework Group is having her 2 year Blogaversary and is celebrating with a giveaway...so hop on over and enter if you get a chance!!!  Good Luck...Dzintra

Celebrating...Stitch-a-long...A Gardener's Journal Quilt...and some new buttons!!!

 After much deliberation...and with lots of encouragement from Dawnie I have joined Stitch-a-long hosted by Chookyblue...

Here is a copy of the book by Anni Downs I have had for ages...

I have decided to use Anni's recommended coloured threads...

I love Anni's quirky style and her muted country colour choices!!!

I first met Anni in my friend's lounge room while we were stitching away back when we lived in Bathurst...

and I remember to this day when she said she was opening a shop next week...and the rest is history now!!!

Here are the fabrics I have gathered...

 A few of them are from Anni's at Hatched and Patched so I thought it very fitting that they be used in this quilt!!!

I have traced Block A and started tonight...so let's hope the momentum keeps up!!!

I have just had a Blogaversary not too long ago and to celebrate that...

and the upcoming Halloween weekend I thought I would giveaway a copy of A Gardener's Journal...

so if anyone is interested in perhaps stitching along together with me just leave a comment here!!!

I'll draw the winner 2 posts from this one!!!

My banner above I won last year from Annabelle...she has one of the most magical and enchanting blogs I think!!!  Thank you so much Annabelle!!!

A couple of weeks ago a new gal in town...the lovely Barb from Theodora Cleave popped in for a minute and a chat and gave me some gorgeous painted buttons of hers...Just beautiful...Thanks so much Barb!!!

A 10,000 Hit Giveaway...Sarah's Giveaway...and an Award!!!

Wow...how exciting is this...my little blog that I started when I pressed the button that said Create Blog has just grown in ways that I never imagined...

To celebrate wonderful new friendships...

faraway places visited...Latvia...America...Inter-State Australia...The Netherlands...Ireland...England...France...and many more countries I thought it's my turn to host a Giveaway!!!

I have met other Carers dealing in the day-to-day caring of their Loved One...

and knowing that I am not the only one out there doing it!!!

I feel well and truly blessed!!!

To celebrate 10,000 hits on Queen of the Armchair I thought I would giveaway these 2 patterns...

First pic is one of a cushion made up (by my good Friend Geo) to show you what it looks like...

The actual prize is a pattern by Linda Haigh of A Patchwork Cow...including little naive painted dolly to pin onto the cushion...


Second prize is a pattern by the lovely Cathy Penton...

Same deal as in the past...

leave a comment and JoJo will draw the winners from one of her Magic Hats 2 posts from this one!!!

Regular commenters automatically will be put in twice!!!


To celebrate Sarah's 3rd Blogoversary hop on over to her blog...

you will not be disappointed...a very generous giveaway she is having!!!


And from Micki in Ireland this Lemonade Stand award to be passed on!!!

I find it hard to select a few blogs to pass on to...

so I pass it on to you all...as I figure we all need a Lemonade in this warm weather!!!
Thank you Micki for thinking of me!!!
Have a great weekend everyone...

and as usual...I'm off to the beach for a swim!!!

Nollaig Shonna Duit...Happy Christmas To You...A Very Special Christmas Giveaway from Micki!!!

Ho Ho Ho...

A very special Giveaway hosted by the wee Lassie Micki from Ireland...

gifts include a beautiful Belleek China Santa...

odd Irish socks with a Shamrock...

Butlers Irish Chocolate Truffles...

A Christmas copy of the Irish Quilting magazine...

and a few other goodies...

including a card showing some thatched cottages over in Ireland!!!

Micki will draw this on 22nd December...

Good Luck Everyone!!!