Streamlining

I was pretty bummed on hearing Google Reader was closing, but after a teeny tiny bit of research, I found Bloglovin. I'm liking it so far, in fact I will go so far as to say after only one day of using it I like it better than Google Reader. So Google Reader can disappear and I don't care!!!!! because I think Bloglovin is the bomb (at the moment).  The positives so far - I receive an email each day letting me know who has posted in the last 24 hours.  I find it a nicer layout than Google Reader. The blogs I've subscribed too are in alphabetical order. (They were all over the place in Google Reader.) It's easier to check back through posts I've already read.  It's just as easy to go to the actual blog website. It's easy to comment.  The only negative so far - I can't find how to delete a feed from Bloglovin, but I've asked the question and I'm hoping for an answer soon.

I've added a linky thingy on my side bar and you can also use the link below to add my blog to your Bloglovin feed, if you wish.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin     

Most of the rest of my spare time has been taken up with socialising, and possibly a lot more drinking than normal, which I must say, has been lots of fun.  Not sure whether my time management skills have improved at all though.



I'm making the most of my visitor who helped me rearrange my sewing room. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a before photo. I'm kind of glad in a way because it was bad, really bad. Really really bad.
Now however, I walk into my room and feel like bursting into song. It's not perfect, all the little things have to still find a permanent home, but the layout is much better than before, and it works. The fabric has just been jammed back into the shelves to get it out of the way. The next job will be to sort it and fold it nicely. The photos are not great, as they were taken very late afternoon as it was starting to get dark.







Today I've made the backing for McFlurry, hallelujah, that's only taken 20 months to get around to making the backing, after finishing the quilt top.

Not the best and most interesting backing I've ever made, but I wanted it to be quick and painless.

In other news. I quilted Scooter last week, I made the binding today and machine sewed it to the front.  I just have to hand sew it to the back. Lots of photos in my next post.


Now I need to cut out triangles for the next quilt, I can't wait to get back into my "brand new" sewing room.

A big thank you to Julie for helping me move everything around, and sorting through the huge pile of crap that was on the floor. I think we need to go out and celebrate..........again!

Lots of clues

The photos are not the best as I haven't been able to download all mine or any of BP's yet and also can't edit them at this stage.


















Hawaii. The closest state of the USA to Australia, and a mecca for Aussie shopaholics.

Not admitting to being a shopaholic at this stage.

We have just spent a relaxing week cruising around the islands. A well needed break. I didn't realize how "dishausted" I was until I got on that ship. It didn't help, flying overnight and managing to only sleep for approx 45 minutes on a ten hour flight, and that wasn't all in one 45 min block. I think this year had really taken its toll on me. Six months of decluttering 13 years of accumulated crap and finally ending a chapter in my life. Trying to find a new home to move to and also dealing with the move to the city for BP (Bitchypoo). We hit that ship and promptly slept at every available opportunity. Not quite what I was expecting to do. I had multiple nanna naps during the afternoons we weren't sightseeing, and slept for over 8 hours most nights. Brilliant, as at home I'd have been lucky to sleep 4 hours a night.

We survived hiring a car and driving on the other side of the road. Good news - no accidents and I didn't kill any one. It was a great way to "practice" driving. So now I'll be all set to drive on mainland USA as long as I don't have to tackle any freeways.

We are now in Waikiki for some more R and R and S (shopping), and I'm looking forward to eating all the stuff we can't get at home, and hoping I don't have a heart attack in the process. Yogurtland is high on my list. Followed by the Cheesecake Factory, I hope it lives up to expectations. Any other suggestions will be gratefully received.

BP is due to start a shopping frenzy, Victoria's Secret is on her list along with an awful lot of designer stuff, yikes! I'm hoping to find some pants to replace my favourite white linen pants that I bought with me and the ships laundry service tried its hardest to destroy them but still make them look like they were ok. I put them on only to find that there were multiple tears on the seams and the fabric looked like they had resorted to washing them the old fashioned way by using the rocks on the banks of a stream. They were clean and beautifully pressed. Unfortunately I only realized the morning we were disembarking. Fortunately I realized before I got off the ship to do an all day tour, and just had time to change out to another pair of pants, that by some miracle I had packed in my overnight bag and not packed in my suitcase, as our suitcases had to be packed and ready outside our cabin the night before. Imagine my horror, and everyone else's for that matter, if i had been walking around Pearl Harbor whilst my pants disintegrated around me. Situation averted, phew.

The fur babies are having fun at home and being spoilt rotten. I don't think they miss me at all. It's nice to know my house is being looked after while I'm away. I'll have to do this vacation thing more often!

I hit the jackpot, the Mouthy Stitches jackpot

Recently I joined in the Mouthy Stitches swap. It was the second time for me in this swap, and I loved it. It's full of really nice, positive people. I love the rules for these swaps, as it stops people trying to outdo each other. You don't feel bad because you've sent what was stipulated, when others make a bigger, better item or number of items and add a couple of hundred dollars worth of extras for their partner. This swap was for a tote and a key fob.

I tried to find as much time as possible to comment on all the photos appearing on flickr, although sometimes it was difficult as I was in the middle of moving. There were lots and lots of amazing totes showing up.  I had a couple of favourites that I was secretly hoping would come my way.  I didn't want to get my hopes up too much but imagine my absolute delight and surprise when I opened the parcel and found this absolutely gorgeous tote inside. I was so excited.  It's for me. All for me.

Kelly from Jelliquilts did an amazing job, it's perfect. I love every bit of it. The text fabric, the rainbow wonky stars and stripe on the back,  the hand stitching, and the gorgeous lining fabric, that will just have to be reversed so I can parade that side too.

I love the key fob, it's hot pink and has text fabric to match the tote, fabulous.

A big thank you to the swap mamas for pairing me with two very lovely partners.

I really did hit the jackpot with this one, thank you so much Kelly for being the best stalker ever.

It was well and truly worth it

After all the hair pulling, crying, panic attacks, and swearing (lots and lots of swearing), I think it was well and truly worth the hours and hours and hours and hours of working on the house.  At the risk of boring you all witless and/or making you hate me because I'm lucky enough to live in paradise, I'm posting some photos that will be used for marketing.

I wasn't going to put the house on the market until next month but due to being pushed by the real estate agent to get it ready for sale, I pulled my finger out over the last couple of weeks, now it's done, and a couple of people have looked at the house already.  It's still not up on the internet but these are some of the photos that were taken by the photographer that will be used for advertising.

I'm so pleased with how it looks, and now I'm having second, third and fourth thoughts about selling, as it looks so beautiful, even if I do say so myself. It's so annoying that I didn't make the most of the house while I've been living here and now that I'm selling it someone else is going to benefit from all the work.  Typical, and I swore I'd never do that. HA!!!

Look at the beautiful blue sky, it's the middle of winter here and we have had the most fabulous weather, not today though, it's been cold and wet and horrible.

A similar view to the one on my blog header

You've seen these doors before but not the cushions on the chair.

From the studio looking across the pool to the house.

The pavilion

Living and dining areas.

The kitchen is not as huge as it looks in this photo.

Look at those floors!

The hammock and sofa on the verandah and there's Wonky Owls in the foreground, just!

Look at that fabulous view, I'm really going to miss it.

There are 30 photos all together that were taken, most are great, a couple I'm not loving, you can see a few more, but not all of them on flickr.

Oh and I would love it if you could tell me which photo from here or on flickr would be THE photo that should be the first one that will be seen on the internet. There are so many great photos and we are having a very difficult time trying to choose which one would be the best.

Yippeeeeeee

I had a lovely surprise when I went to the post office today. A parcel addressed to me, all the way from the Czech Republic. I don't see that everyday, I was even excited looking at the stamps.

Inside was my win from the giveaway that Dianne at Quiltova hosted a few weeks ago. Lucky lucky me. Look at that cute card and the pretty blue tape.

How cool is this, Dianne even sent me some chocolate named after me...... almost, ha ha.


Some lovely scraps too.


The best thing of all............



a fabulous pot holder, it's far too nice to use, but it goes beautifully with the decor in my kitchen, so will be on permanent display.




Dianne's quilting is awesome too.

Thank you so much Dianne for a lovely gift/prize.

Catching up - at least trying to

Catching up on the Material Obsession BOM blocks.

I'm way behind.

This is block number 2.

It has taken me most of the day, and I've completed - one 18 3/4 inch block.

A first for me -  sewing Y seams.

It looks way better in real life, the brown border makes it look a bit dull in the photos.

Of course it didn't go without a slight problem. Nothing is ever straight forward at Chez Sunshine.

I did read the instructions first.

I didn't read them over again, when I was getting towards the end.

I made a mistake, which I'm not going to point out.

Deja vu, after the "shower cap" incident.

It was fixable, in a, that'll do kind of way.

It's now the right size.


I'm not looking forward to the next one.

I WILL READ THE INSTRUCTIONS OVER AND OVER NEXT TIME



I'm very happy with it, despite the little setback.

Favourite Things Friday

This week I'm sharing my favourite song of all time. It has endured as my favourite for over thirty years.  Did you ever have one of those summers that you remember as THE summer of your life? Every time I hear this song it always reminds me of THAT summer, THE best summer ever. Great weather, lazy summer days with friends, water skiing, camping, partying, not a care in the world, the joy of youth,  when anything was possible.

If it doesn't play straight away click on Watch On YouTube and it will take you to YouTube to play it.

Linking up as usual to my wonderful terrific lovely friend (Shay!!! and you thought I wouldn't type that!)

Favourite Things Friday

My favourite thing this week is something I have never done before. We just spent the most glorious late afternoon and evening with friends doing something really special.  I can't believe that I have lived here 12 years and haven't taken the time to do this.

A Sunset Cruise along the Noosa River.

It was fabulous, we had THE best time.

Warning: quite a few photos.

Today was one of those absolutely perfect winter Queensland days. Look at that sky. 23°C  (74°F)

We had a lovely day,

and then..........

 We had fun. We dank champagne, we ate.

We went past the Coast Guard, my dad is a volunteer there.

We looked at the view.

 We watched the sunset.

 We laughed and smiled.

We oohed and aahed at the colour of the sky.

We watched the ripples in the water.

After the cruise, we visited the bar/restaurant above on the left,
Sat upstairs...

We drank some cocktails.

Then we had dinner. No photos of that due to an abundance of the above.

A fabulous day, in fact one of THE best days I've had in a long time.


Hop on over to Shay at Quilting In My Pyjamas to see what fabulous Friday Favourites there are this week.