~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

OPAM...The Royal Wedding...and High Tea for Mum's 80th Birthday!!!

Here's an unexpected OPAM (One Project Per Month) for me...never did I dream that I would complete this quilt in time for my Mother's 80th birthday...what with my broken arm and all!!!

I showed the fabrics for this quilt in a previous post...

the lower part of my arm works well so I sat down at my sewing machine aka Nina...and sewed away over the week taking breaks and blow me down...

I did it!!!  It is just a simple Charm Pack stitched together...white border and I ended up using the cupcake fabric for the back...as well as the binding...wasn't too sure if it would work but it was fabulous...and just suited the occassion!!!

I'm not an experienced quilter so I just quilted either side of the squares...used iron on wadding...

All complete with a label too!!!

Thank you to Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM!!!

All this was completed whilst watching the Royal Wedding...

The dress was stunning...Catherine was so poised and regal...I think this eventual King and Queen will be very very popular!!!

Seeing we were out of town we had breakfast the next morning in a local cafe...and here's JoJo getting into her cuppa...

We had organized a High Tea at the Crowne Plaza Terrigal...

Mum didn't know where she was going...she thought she was going to the Club for lunch...

Two of Mum's Great-Grandchildren...Ryan and Lidija (my Grandchildren) presenting her with a bunch of flowers...

Wine in hand...quilt on lap...walking stick to go...here she is...

Happy 80th Birthday Mum!!!

Looking out to the ocean...

Mum with 3 of her 4 children...Brigita...Dzintra aka Ingrid and Karl aka Charlie... (my family seems to do this with names)

and most of the clan!!!

Lamingtons on offer...

and the Birthday Cake!!!

Happy Birthday Mum...Daudz Laimes Dzimsanas Diena...

Wishing you much Happiness and Good Health...

I wonder what we'll do for 90!!!

My First Beachwalk of the Season...or Sea Fever!!!

With Summer finally arriving here I thought I would take my camera down to the beach and take some pics for this Season...I was not disappointed!!!

The view above leading to 'our' beach...

A lost children's shoe on the post...still there 10 days later!!!

Looking south...

North...

Out to the ocean...

This pic above taken at Constitution Dock, Hobart, Tasmania

our beautiful Island State...

I have blogged this poem before and it always comes back to me every Summer so just had to post it again...

Sea Fever by John Masefield

SEA FEVER

I MUST down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Enjoy these beautiful days in the lead up to Christmas...Dzintra

Narooma Oyster Festival!!!

A few weeks ago we went down to the Narooma Oyster Festival...

A road had been blocked off and it was held next to the River...at Riverside Drive...

Magnificent Clydesdale horses at the gate...





There were floating sea sculptures...


And of course Oysters...
Oyster Shucking demonstrations...


Sea Scallops prepared by the Royal Australian Navy's finest Cooking Cadets...

Sacks behind the Oyster Bar...

And Australia's first Masterchef...Julie Goodwin was there promoting her book...
And here I am with Julie...a lovely lady and so down to earth!!!

And of course I had to purchase one...
I think you will love this book Micki...Micki and I are going to do a Cook Up from Julie's book sometime over the next few months!!!

Inside the cover...

And the autograph!!!

Inside the food tent there were demonstrations going on...
one of which was by Julian Lloyd, Rick Stein's Head Chef at Rick Steins's at Bannisters in Mollymook

Oysters with a (Charantay) Sausage...from memory it might have been made with Pork but not sure now...

Delicious Seafood Platter...
For more pics on the food at the Festival hop on over to my other blog My Dolce Vita...

After that we drove downtown and spotted this Hotel with a Million Dollar View at Narooma...

The view...

A slice of the cheesecake...

Rustic Potatoes...

Then off for a drive and have a look at the ocean...

And look we found this playful seal...so cute!!!
A great day...spent much of the time spent in the Food Tent!!!