What Happened to June!

Well, what did happen to June! The weeks have just flown by and with each passing week the weather has become colder and colder!!
I didn't get up to a lot over the past month - hence a lack of posts since my last time here.....
A few days, though, were spent in Sydney - spending time with mum & dad......
On the way up - over the June long weekend - I stopped off to see the Milton Quilters Exhibition.....a few of the many lovely quilts on display....

All hexagons 

.......a splash of colour....

....a lovely Bargello....

....and one inspired by William Morris designs

While in Sydney I popped into Cottage Quiltworks - an inspiring quilt shop with beautiful materials - never disappoints and hard to just buy what I went there for.... a few of Jenny Kingwell's latest range - "Beach Road" - also came away with a some Liberty print rolls and just 1 extra fat quarter! 

Also made my way to this embroidery shop.... Stitch......a couple of pieces of handkerchief linen, X-stitch Aida band and embroidery hoop made their way home from there! 

 And, with time to relax, a stitchery was worked on while away.....

........though now finished it will have to wait for next time I write for "show and tell" as it is a gift not yet received! 

June finished with Megan's birthday - turning 30!..... As she said such an "adult age"!! She is back working in England having "hung up her backpack for a while"... a parcel is on it's way and a birthday greeting has been sent.......

Let's see what July brings - maybe the promise of warmer weather? I think not, but the days will be getting longer - just by a minute or so......and a new stitching project will have to get started..... which one? 

Happy Stitching

Asta

A (Very) Little Trip Away....

After a very busy and somewhat stressful week at work I headed off to Canberra on Friday afternoon - a 2 hour drive dodging (unexpected) storms along the way!! You've heard of "storm chasers"? Well this time it was me being chased by storms - the black skies and lightning being very menacing but no photos - I wasn't stopping for anything!! 
Saturday was a much more pleasant day as I headed out for some retail therapy - including one of my favourite shops.....

After an hour of browsing - and being very tempted - I finally left with just these purchases....

The latest Homespun magazine has a lovely BOM using some of the Tilda fabrics but, though my initial reaction was "yes, I must make this", having some time to think on it while browsing,  I decided I had enough projects on my "to do" list and will be happy enough to maybe create a block or 2 ....perhaps some cushions?..... I did buy some Tilda fabrics though.......at this point in time I'm just adding them to my stash!!..... And a charm pack to make a "table topper" - also in this issue of Homespun.

Then a stop off to Myers - and new shoes came home with me!

Next stop to visit friends where I enjoyed a few hours lunching, having afternoon tea and catching up before heading home again - this time no storms! 

Sunday has been spent doing some "secret sewing", reading....this book was finished and again Kate Morton didn't disappoint - really enjoy her books! 

And so another week starts...... another book will be started, more "secret sewing" - it's not huge but it seems to take forever when I work full-time and enjoy my reading time as much as stitching time..... oh - for more hours in the day!! 

Happy Stitching

Asta

Hello!

Well.... here I am back again..... not that I've been anywhere.... but the time just seems to slip by and before you know it another week has disappeared!
Firstly I must thank the lovely ladies from the Fat 1/4 Birthday Swap.... some lovely fabrics with little extras were finally opened last Wednesday (my birthday).....

.... my "special" gift was made by Michelle..... she certainly "stalked" my blog to add in all the things I enjoy into the beautiful stitchery!

There were many reasons to enjoy my day - a long lunch with a good friend and dinner with another dear friend, Dzintra.... many birthday greetings sent by various means of technology..... and some beautiful flowers from Hayley and her partner.....

But, I must back-track a little...... before my birthday it was time for OPAM and although the update here is a little late I did finish another felted bowl for the end of July.......

That though was the only "creation" I've managed to finish of late..... but did buy this little kit from Anni's lovely shop.... after seeing it on her emailed newsletter - hopefully will be made in time for Xmas!

And.... of course I'm still reading - though this book was not part of the "reading challenge" I'm taking part in.....

This was one of my favourite Agatha Christie "who done it" stories from all those years ago....but as I was reading it I did remember who the "culprit" was so though I did read it to the end it did spoil it a bit.... 

So that's about it for now...... will be back soon again.... till then.

Happy Stitching

Asta

A Birthday, A Reunion & OPAM

Here we are at the end of another month and already half way through the year!! 
This time of the year it is time to celebrate my younger daughter Megan's birthday..... as she is off travelling..... still ..... and will be for a while yet her birthday cake has to be sent via means of technology........

....although this present made and filled with some of her favourite chocolates has gone via "real" mail! 

Meanwhile another felt bowl has been made.....which will be a gift for a friend.....

And while I was away on holidays a couple of weeks ago just a few purchases were made - some to add to my stash others with a definite purpose - including another ball of wool for yet another felted bowl!....perhaps I'll keep this one for myself.....

Last weekend a visit to Sydney for a school reunion of...... my 6th class primary school!!! It had been at least 50 years (!!) since I had seen some of the class members and out of a class of around 50, more than half turned up for the reunion.....and surprisingly we were able to identify each other quite well considering the years in between.......We had a reunion about 20 years ago but not as many turned out then but we have decided that we should now get together every 5 years.... not 20 at our age! The reunion was held at the Kirribilli Club in Sydney and as we all caught up with each other this was the view we overlooked....

And..... here is little Miss Dora soaking up the sun on these bleak cold days that we have been having lately!! (Mr Mezzie must have been in front of the heater!) 

The little stitching I had done this month for OPAM was Megan's purse and the felt bowl...have spent most of the time reading but more on that next time.... time to cosy up in front of the heater with my knitting. 

Thanks for popping by.... till next time

Happy Stitching

Asta

Secret Sewing & Reading

"Good Morning Sunshine....."

The warm Autumn days are still with us - inside and out..................

 What have I been up to over the last couple of weeks! Well..... all "secret" sewing which is still ongoing!

 .....and reading..... this book being another challenge ticked off - "a book that is to be a film in 2016" ...... I found this story a bit slow to start off with but ended up not being able to put it down - a surprise ending! 

 The next book has been started - " must have a number in the title" - this is another Agatha Christie book I've kept from way back when I spent my summer school holidays reading her books - note the price 60c!

 Another trip to my local patchwork shops Steph's Fabrics...... firstly enjoying a coffee from the cafe bar while overlooking all the temptation in her shop.....

 .....leaving with a new knitting book and ball of wool as there was a pattern I plan to knit up... it will be a another "secret" project..... and the original purpose of my trip - the material for the border of the "secret" quilt which will soon be finished (note the fabric tucked behind the book)..... this quilt is not being "gifted" till June so will be a while before it appears here!

So for the time being everything here is very secretive!!..... I do have projects to work on but at the moment the secret ones have deadlines! Till next time......

Happy Stitching!

Asta

Relaxing Weekend!

This past weekend was a quiet one with just a little mix of this and that.......
Saturday morning decided take a drive down to my local patchwork shop.....Stephs Fabrics - just for some freezer paper - well - who would have guessed that a couple of extra purchases would come home!....had been deliberating as to whether to purchase Anni's latest book and as I walked into the shop...there it was!! The other pattern? Well, it just caught my eye! 

 This lovely bunch of daisies also found their way to my home.... to brighten the day!

 Over the rest of the weekend time was spent doing a bit of "secret" sewing......

 ....another book was finished and now "a book that involves the ocean" can be ticked off my reading challenge.... I had not read a Di Morrissey book before - thoroughly enjoyed this one...."The Winter Sea"....it was set on the South Coast - not far from where I live - an added bonus to the story line!

........and a start was made on writing up copious notes for stage managing our latest local theatre production.... unfortunately it can take up quite a bit of time and that, together with working full time, leaves not a lot of time for other more creative pursuits.....but... after this show I plan to take a break for a while..... as with all voluntary organisations it always seems to be the same people that put their hand up!

 These 2 were having a bit of a tiff on Sunday as to who had the chair with a cardigan to sleep on... the solution was found with a second old "round the house" cardigan found!

 The postman should be bringing a couple more "retail therapy" purchases this week....and... Hayley is arriving from Queensland for a few days (unexpected) visit - will be lovely to see her and spend time catching up over cups of tea!!...I do miss my girls!

Happy Stitching!
Asta

FNWF

The first Friday in March and it was time for a catch up with blogging friends.......

....but first I caught up with my friend Dzintra after work.....over a couple of drinks at a new local restaurant....

Earlier in the week I had met up with friends for a dinner at the same restaurant..... a lovely outlook over the river and our local marina....

...........this one from a distance

Back to Friday night..... I'm starting a"secret" sewing project so spent time doing some calculations for extra border fabric required - the rest had been "stashed" away for quite some time!

 Once that was sorted it was time for a bit of stitching - what else but my Nature's Journey quilt! The weather has been so warm that hand stitching with a quilt over the knees was not even a consideration so it has taken some time to get the binding finished but this time I was on a mission!!

with a little interruption when these 2 decided my lap was a very comfy spot to have a nap!

....the last stitch was in sight! ....though I still have the label to do for the back...then I will "announce" it finished! 

Saturday and it was time to head to Stephs Fabrics to purchase fabric for my "secret" project..... driving along the beautiful Moruya River on the way.....

Steph has now added a coffee bar to her "inspirational" shop....... opening onto the street and into her shop .....

One of Stephs assistants 

Steph on the the left and her barista

......What a coincidence that I should run into a like-minded friend, Mary.... Now I really had an excuse to stay and enjoy a coffee....the problem being that you can gaze over the lovely fabrics and contemplate whether you really need to buy more.... I did resist.... at least till next time!!

 A quick stop at an op-shop and another book was found for my book challenge "a book about an ocean".... pictured here with just a very sneaky peek at the fabric purchased....

Then time to head off to a luncheon date with a dear friend, Barb, but no photos - we were too busy chatting as we hadn't caught up for quite some time!  

On the agenda for the rest of the weekend? Dropping into a rehearsal for the play I'm stage managing - still not a lot for me to do yet....hopefully get my label made for Nature's Journey quilt.....maybe a spot of gardening - the "green" waste bin gets picked up this week so I feel I should fill it!.... And - checking in on what others were up to on Friday night!

Happy Stitching
Asta

Where has January gone!

Hard to believe that January is almost over..... have been productive over the last couple of weeks..... the "book pillows" have been finished... just waiting for the books to be popped into the front pocket.....

This pattern was from a book called "Growing Up Modern" by Allison Harris.... lots of lovely patterns for children's quilts.

Then the batik fabric quilt came back from the quilters .... not quite finished yet....

A little retail therapy over the last couple of weeks.....including a Jelly Roll of Jen Kingwell fabrics....... no projects  yet but it is lovely to look at them and ponder.... 

Finished reading a couple of books .... this one is set in the year 1908 near Eden on the NSW South Coast with the eldest daughter of a whaling family narrating the story .... 

and the second ...... one of Hercule Poirot's cases.....

A local bookshop has a book challenge which I have joined - there are 16 challenges ...... "Rush Oh" is "a book by a debut author" challenge and the Agatha Christie book is for "a book you have not read since high school" (I loved reading Agatha Christie's books every school holidays - and still have all the books!) .... so 2 challenges ticked!

In the garden.... a bumper crop of tomatoes - the first picking of many!

.... and in October 2014 I posted this...... a diamond python coming out of my guttering...

well, I thought it had gone but found it asleep in the garden alongside the house the other day - nearly dropped my green waste bin on it.... not sure who would have got the bigger fright! Having 2 cats who could have been dinner I called the "snake" man who exclaimed that it was "one very big snake!" - now re-located he convinced me it would not be back! 

Once again I have joined up with OPAM (One Project a Month) so that will keep me busy stitching and with all the reading I will be doing I think 2016 should be a very productive year.... so till next time

Happy Stitching

Asta