BLOCKS, BEER, A BIRTHDAY AND AWWWW.

Well... I got the new brown/teal blocks laid out last night...  Once again I didn't get to bed until around 1 am!

ABOVE:  what do ya think?  I'm very happy with how it looks now, and I promise, you won't have to look at it again until it's finished!

************************************************************

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our son Russell.  I know you are in a dark place right now son, but things will get better eventually.   

Yesterday afternoon, Steve fell asleep in the lounge.  A certain little person saw an opportunity to grab a swift swig of beer:

ABOVE:  I can just imagine the look on Dante's face as his hands wrapped around the bottle, all the while looking at his Dad, hoping he wouldn't wake up!  I was chuffed that I actually got a photo of his hands on that bottle. *smiles* 

Luckily ... Bex saw him and yelled... which woke Steve up.   Dante didn't get any beer after all.  (I was about to jump up and take the beer off the kid.... of course I was!)

ABOVE:  a few tears ensued.  Poor, hard done by toddler. (That's his crabby face) 

I caught a lovely moment yesterday afternoon. Dante spotted Coco lying asleep on the floor, so he got down on his hands and knees and crawled slowly over to her and lay down and had a cuddle.   His little head snuggled into Coco's chest, it was so bloody cute.

ABOVE: The lovely part was that Coco actually stayed there and let him.  Usually she gets up and moves away from Dante's 'loves'.  Dante can be quite rough sometimes... so it was so nice to see him being gentle.

Right, I better go.  I've got a couple of jobs to do at the mall, then I'm on duty at the Hospice Shop after lunch.

ONWARD...

I had a 'moment' yesterday that sums up WHY I blog.
All my adult life I've been someone's daughter, wife and mother, and of course, Grandmother.

This blog is all about my life, it is something I can do as an individual, something that gives me an identity as my own person.

That is why I blog.  To feel I am living my own life too.  A life that is worthwhile, and fulfilling for me too.  It can't all be about what I am to other people eh?

Yep... that was so out of left field... lol
I used to get asked WHY I blog... now I think I know.  It makes me feel significant in some way.  And that is why I probably won't stop blogging until I'm old and grey, sitting in me bed eating Peanut M & M's.

Right, me hair is dripping down me back, so I better go and dry it.  I don't want to go out with wet hair, it's  COLD.

Well... I'm home again.  It was quite busy in the shop this afternoon... so the time passed quite fast for a change.
I did get a few things today:

ABOVE:  A cute picture of dogs, Dante loves pictures of dogs.  A top for Dante.  A nautical themed photo frame and the most darling little bag for Bex... it's just big enough to hold her crochet hooks.  She's thrilled with it, I knew she would be.  She likes orange.

ABOVE:  the cutest little figurine of a mummy turtle and her baby.  Kelly will love it I hope! Ignore the dust, I WILL wash it.  *smiles*

ABOVE: these two office type units, not quite sure where they will go yet... but for the price I couldn't leave them!  There's two more ... something tells me Bex might be interested in one too.

I have been in pain ALL DAY, my lower back is shagged.  And did I think to take a painkiller or two?  Nope.  Just occurred to me at 6 pm tonight. I'm such a twit sometimes.

WAKEY, WAKEY, RISE AND SHINE

No sleep in today.  Got Keera to look after.
Once again, I stayed up way too late last night... it was 1 am when I went to bed I think.

I was watching a few things on YouTube, then editing photos for today.

 ABOVE:  Having fun in the spa pool...

ABOVE:  Dante is fairly subdued in the pool, unlike Keera who can't stop splashing!  She just loves being in the spa.

 ABOVE:  Our sunset last night.  Beautiful.

 ABOVE: All the fabric laid out ready to go.  4th time lucky!

ABOVE:  I had to get this one in today... so gorgeous.

TODAY?  Grocery shopping.  Lunch at Sylvia Park.  Mall wander too I suppose.

So, that's me for now... catch ya later.

ONWARD...

Well... we've been busy!
Once the morning ritual of feeding, showering etc was over, we all went out to Sylvia Park for a wander and lunch.
Then we went to the Apex Centre, Spotlight shop, where I bought these :

ABOVE:  love them!  In the past two days I have managed to replenish my 'stash' somewhat.  You can NEVER have too much fabric though! 

I had an amazing chicken burger from Oporto in the mall.  Maybe not that 'healthy', but it was darn nice.  I also ate 4 chips.  On that score I'm pretty happy with my choices.

With all the stressful shit going on in our lives right now, I'm happy to just go with the flow and worry about knuckling down again, once the stressful situations have some resolution.

I am SUCH an emotional eater.  NOTHING  puts me in the worst frame of mind than stress.

Keera has been a real delight today.  No sleep, eating everything fed to her, and just happy as.  Her and Dante get on fairly well... oh, about 50% of the time.  The other 50% covers all the squabbling, non-sharing moments!  Dante does not like sharing HIS Granddad!  Or HIS furniture. Or HIS toys.  

We have to keep a fairly close eye on their interactions cos SOMEONE can and does BITE.

And it ain't Teddy, Coco or Keera.  *smiles*  

It's very quiet in the blog world today!  I hope it's because everyone is having a wonderful weekend?
Mine has been lovely, thanks very much.  lol

Stew has just taken Keera home. She hasn't had a nap all day, and she fell asleep, sitting up having her dinner!  Poor bub.  She will have a good catch up sleep once she's home I'm sure.

Steve is cooking dinner.  Beef Spare ribs, sausages, wedges and coleslaw.... with a 'side' of thumb.

Yep... mini panic in the kitchen by Bex and me.  Steve sliced the top of his thumb really good.  So, out came the first aid box... and now he's cooking dinner with a heavily bandaged thumb.

ABOVE: Massive overkill on my part, but at least it's covered.  He, being the 'MAN'... is stoically carrying on!

I am getting excited.  Once dinner is over I am going to be laying out the brown/teal blocks for the 4th time... and this time I am POSITIVE it will be perfect.  I can't bear to do it a 5th time!

Surely with all the different fabrics I have now, it will look good?

End of Day:  dinner was lovely, and Steve's thumb will survive!  He ripped off the heavy bandage after a while and put some big plasters on instead.  
It will interesting to see how it looks in a few days.
I'm going to lay out my blocks soon, that will probably take an hour, then I'll be off to bed.
nite nite

FLOWERS & NO SLEEP IN TODAY

Our weekend to have Miss Muppet, so I will be leaving the house fairly early this morning to pick Keera up.
Stew will stay home and look after Dante, as Bex is on a course again today, and Steve is at work.

So, two toddlers today.  What fun.

I stayed up till after midnight last night getting that blasted brown/teal quilt laid out on the floor.  I'm still not sure it's 'right':

ABOVE:  how it is now.  I'm going to leave it out so I can look at it some more... and maybe change some blocks around.  The colours are not 'true' because the photo was taken late at night under lights.  
I'll be taking another one this morning so I can see it in a better light.

It was our Wedding Anniversary yesterday, and Stew asked me what I would like?  I said nothing.  I have everything I could ever need (well except for more fabric!)... lol !

ABOVE:  he didn't listen to me, cos he arrive home last night with these gorgeous flowers.   I think they are just lovely.  So is he of course!  *smiles*

Right, enough for now, I better get some washing on then go and pick up Keera.  It takes a good hour to get to their house and back so I better be off soon.

ONWARD... 

Well, so far so good.  We have Miss Muppet, the washing is on, and this is happening as I sit here:

ABOVE:  Brylee is pulling it apart for me.  WHY?
Cos I hate it.  The colours were all regimented and it just isn't how I want it.
So... back to square one.  

WHERE HAS THE WEEK GONE? AND AN ♥ ANNIVERSARY ♥

It feels like Wednesday NOT Friday!
This week has gone so fast, probably due to Monday being a holiday, and then going to Hamilton mid week too.

This weekend we have Keera, and as Bex is on a course on Saturday, it looks like we shall be entertaining two toddlers.  *smiles*, that's just what we like.

TODAY marks our 27th Wedding Anniversary. ♥♥♥ Have a lovely day at work Darling ♥♥♥

Last night I stayed up extra late getting the Brown & Teal blocks laid out on the floor... then taking a photo or two:

ABOVE:  since taking that photo, I've already moved a few blocks around.   And I'm not that sure about the Stripe fabric  (2nd row from bottom, 3rd in from the right).  I have put in a bit more cream to lighten it up a little too.

First thing today I will label the rows and get it up off the floor before Dante or the dogs have a field day mixing them all up.  I've put up a barrier to keep them out of the lounge until I can do that.

I've been sadly lacking in energy the past few days.  So I think I need to get on the Treadmill and work on my fitness sometime today too.

Apart from that, I don't have any plans as such.
Right, off to start the day...

ONWARD...

I wish my lovely fireplace in the lounge wouldn't keep turning itself off!
We paid $800 last year to get it fixed... grrrrr.

I'm spending the next couple of hours re-cutting those blocks.  They are all slightly 'off', so I'm trimming them back to 4 and a half inches.  My own fault for not being as accurate as I should have been to begin with.

It is so quiet in my house!  Just me and the dogs again.  Bex and Dante are at Playcentre.

THREE HOURS LATER...

ABOVE:  238 blocks trimmed so they are EXACTLY the same size.  It may have taken ages, but it will be worth it when all the blocks line up!

I'm going to take a break now and have lunch... it's 1.46 pm and I'm a bit hungry!
Then I will get dinner sorted out... before I go and start joining all those blocks.
I'm thinking of making this one into a duvet cover instead of a quilt.

I could kick myself.  I have decided, after picking up all 238 blocks, that I really don't like that stripe fabric and am going to take it out.
That means cutting up more fabric (doing that now), and then laying out the entire lot on the floor again!
Bloody hell.  Not something I feel like doing, but if I don't fix it now before sewing them together I will be annoyed as hell with myself for not fixing it.

*sigh*  Time to have a break for a while and just... be.
I've been busy all day with those bloody blocks.
Kinda over them for the next hour or two.

End of Day:  my back is KILLING me!  Bending over blocks till almost midnight is not fun, but I was determined to get that brown/teal quilt laid out again before I went to bed.
Happy to say it's done.
nite nite

SUNSETS, FOG AND SEWING

Because I'd not had much opportunity to take photos yesterday... I took some on the trip home.  It was at sunset in the Waikato, and the fog was already coming down.

Waikato gets LOTS of FOG!  Shit I don't miss that.  Or the heavy frosts.  It's a cold, damp, miserable place to live in winter.

Anyway, I digress... here's a few photos I did manage to take:

 ABOVE:  the sky REALLY was that colour!

 ABOVE:  Fog drifting across the hills.

 ABOVE:  And fog down really low on the fields.

ABOVE: Pretty, but I don't miss the Waikato at all.

So, they are not that good, but I like them and am pleasantly surprised I got any worth showing.

Today?  Both kids are back at school, the blokes are at work, and it's just us girls and Dante.

I'm going to make a start on joining those 5" blocks. 
I didn't get to Grandmother's Garden in Gordonton yesterday afternoon,  we were much later leaving Hamilton than I thought we would be.

So... I'll get some more brown & teal fabric another day.  It's not like I don't have something else to be getting on with!

ONWARD...

VIC:  what do you mean by 'these holidays'?  They are over now! 

 ABOVE:  What was that I said about going to get more brown & teal fabric another day?

LOL... Bex wanted to go to David's Emporium, so I tagged along.  While out we popped into Spotlight.  They were having a sale, 40% off patchwork fabric.  I got those 5 pieces of fabric, each just over a 3rd of a metre for $15!  SCORE.  Now I can cut them out and add them to the brown & teal quilt.

ABOVE:  Teddy and Dante.  Dante is still a bit rough and ready, but Teddy is learning to tolerate him.  All Dante wants to do is hug him after all!  *smiles* 

Late afternoon and I've finally got all the fabric cut into 5" squares.
What a job.  Now... waiting for Stew to come home so we can order dinner.  It's 'takeaway' night in this house.  Yaaa, no one has to cook.

I have got serious eye strain from cutting fabric I think.  Or else I'm just really tired!  *smiles*

End of Day:  loving all the new programes on the telly right now.  And Mrs Brown's Boys is back, we all love that show.
nite nite

OFF TO THE WAIKATO TODAY

Sadly, a friend of ours died the other day, so Stew and I are heading down to Hamilton today.
Stew is going to attend the funeral.  I'm not.  I just don't think I can bear it.  

Maree was only 50 years old, and she has left two young men without their Mum.  I just know I will be a mess if I go.  Sometimes it's better to know when you can't cope with something like this, and just care from a distance.

Stew is going to work first thing this morning, and then coming home and picking me up around 11.  

While Stew's at the funeral I am having lunch with Amanda in town.  Then I will check out the shops ... it's been a while since I wandered around central Hamilton's shops.

So... before I sign off for now, I will show you what I worked on last night:

ABOVE:  I said it wasn't pink last night eh?
This needs a couple more contrasting browns and blues, and I hope to find them at the Patchwork Shop in Gordonton today.  
Grandmother's Garden is an amazing Patchwork shop, and I anticipate taking a little while to find what I'm looking for!
Poor Stew.

Or not.

ONWARD...

The photo of the brown/teal blocks was taken late last night, so the colours are a bit 'off'.
Bex saw it on the floor this morning and thinks it needs more lighter browns.  
Who thinks that too?  

Bearing in mind I'm going to be buying a few more browns and teals today.

It's very quiet in my house right now!  First time in weeks I've got the house to myself.  Bex, Dante and Brylee have gone to Playcentre.
Well... I'm off to put me face on, then hang out a little bit of washing, make me bed... bla bla bla.
Ya know how it goes *smiles*

Stew and I got home just before dinnertime.  Since then I've had quite a bit of trouble with my computer.  I have no idea why.  It took half an hour to get it to load my blog... so I'm gunna make this quick for now.

I had a lovely day in Hamilton.  Lunch with Amanda, then a lovely wander around the shops, another stop in to chat to Amanda again.
Bought a couple of tops at Farmers, then Amanda bought me another one (thanks Amanda).

Stew picked me up and we left Hamilton around 5pm.  

It was just lovely walking into the house to smell chicken cooking and the veges on.  Thanks Bex.

I didn't really get any photos .... so night scenes as we drove home is about all.  I haven't even had a chance to look at them yet.  Will later though.   For now... dinner is ready!

End of Day:  well dinner was lovely.  I have done NOTHING since coming home!  Talk about lazy!
nite nite!

A NEW PROJECT, AND AN OLD ONE TOO

First of all... the OLD project.

I am really, really glad I didn't plow ahead with my original idea for the borders of my Dresden Plate Quilt.
This is how I had planned to do them:

ABOVE:  with a large border of mainly white.
Then last night I had a play on the computer, it's not perfect by any means, but I came up with this:

ABOVE: More blue than white.  
What do you think?   I'm still in the 'not sure' stage.  I don't want to spend hours and hours doing the border one way or the other and then HATE IT.

So.  As I said before, I'm glad it's taken this long to think about it again.  

Until I can make up my mind, I am going to do a few little quilts... for future grand babies, cos I'm sure there will be more!

I cut out, then laid on the floor some 5" blocks last night.  I thought it looked 'yuk' and was feeling a bit like, shit on it (kinda the same as damn and blast it) ... then I took a photo to see how it would look on the computer.  Sometimes it's a good way to see the lay out in another perspective.

 ABOVE:  Wow!  I love it!  Once it's all sewn together I think it will be a lovely quilt for a little girl.  Hmmmm... who's gunna produce that one I wonder?

 ABOVE:  I cut Steve's hair last night.  For the first time EVER, it was a right shit to do!  He had these annoying 'tufts' of hair that just refused to behave, so his hair is quite a bit shorter than 'normal'.  But at least he doesn't look like a sheep any more.  

Oh and like a few of me kids, he's got a double crown, that makes it tricky to do too.

ABOVE:  LOL... Bex brushing all the hair off him.  He has to clean up, I just do the 'pruning'.  *smiles*

Today Stew and Steve go back to work, and Griffin goes back to school.  Brylee is home till Thursday, so I'm going to set a few jobs for her to do.

Me?  I'm gunna sew!  Of course.  I'm excited to work on BOTH projects today.

ONWARD...

What a lovely morning I've had!  I dis-assembled the girly quilt blocks as I could see I wouldn't have enough to do a whole bed top.  So, I went downstairs and cut up some more fabric into 5" square

And now I shall have a go at assembling it again.

When you think you probably have TOO MANY fat quarters... THINK AGAIN!  This quilt has taught me you can never have enough.

JULIE:  4 year old... hmmm...it would depend on the individual child.  Most kids now days are desensitised to 'violence' on the TV, the movie (Maleficent) has some violence in it, so if the 4 year old is a bit timid/doesn't like loud noises and fairly scary fight scenes, then I would say NO, don't take the child to see it.

My morning's "work" :

ABOVE:  Let the fun begin... joining them all together!
Lunch time.  Off to feed the face and watch yesterday's Home and Away!...

Well... the afternoon's been lovely too.  I watched a couple of TV programmes, then went downstairs and cut up some more 5" squares... cos I have so many left over I decided to get another lot ready to stitch, before starting McDreamy.

I've had to stop for now though.  People need to be FED.  Oh yaaa.

End of Day:  well.. I fed them all, then I watched tv, and then I put another few 5" blocks out on the floor.  I'll show you tomorrow ... it's not PINK.
nite nite

MONDAY, AND IT'S A HOLIDAY

Yesterday I was utterly evil with food.

I had an ice cream at the movies, and some lollies.  Then we got home and I had some more lollies.

WTF?  I want desperately to get back to a comfortable weight, yet I go and eat lollies?

This is called feeling CRABBY with myself. But, today is another day, and another chance to get it right.  I'll just have to make sure there's no more lollies in the house to tempt me.

ABOVE:  Last night I gave Dante my little torch to play with... and he had a ball!  Teddy did too, you can tell that in the photos eh?

Ha ha.... Teddy is getting much more tolerant of Dante now... which is fantastic.

Dante even laid fully on top of him last night and Teddy didn't growl at all.  So glad he's getting better with Dante.

Today?  Not sure if we are going out or just stay in.

I know Bex and I want to watch a few episodes of Home and Away from last week.  I'm pretty sure we have about 6 episodes watch!  

ABOVE:  I almost forgot this photo!  It's just darling.  

Right, I'm off to do some basic housework before doing bugger all for the rest of the day!

I've got a VERITABLE MOUNTAIN of washing waiting to be folded up and put away.  Awesome... NOT.

ONWARD...

It's raining.  A perfect inside day.  The heater is on, the blankie is ready and I'm about to sit down and watch Home and Away.

I just gave all the 'left over' lollies to the rest of the family, so I'm safe from eating them!

3 and a half hours of Home and Away!  Done and dusted, and now I'm going downstairs to do some sewing.  This is a perfect day, *smiles*. (I folded that washing while watching the telly too)

Almost dinner time... Steve is cooking something with pasta and mince.
I've done no sewing as such.  I have spent a couple of hours cutting out 5" squares for the next quilt top.

I was sitting there thinking... hell I REALLY don't feel like doing any of my UFO's right now... BUT I'd already said on here that I was going to work on them before starting anything else.  *sigh*

Then I did a little thinking about it... and realised that I can actually do whatever I feel like!   I CAN change my mind!  So, I'm going to do just that.

End of Day:  I've had a good evening.  Watched some TV, laid out some of those 5" blocks and will show you tomorrow what it looks like.
nite nite

SHARING THE LOVE

OK, I have completely forgotten where I got this from ... but I am going to share it, cos I like it:

To Create a Stash ...
by Carol Coski, The Quilted Feather

1. Buy fabrics that you like
2. Buy enough to do anything you might potentially think you want to do with it
3. Buy a little more because you know by the time you use it, what you have won't be enough and you will need more
4. Buy patterns and colors you know your family will simply love
5. Always buy extra
6. Did I mention to buy more than you think you will need?
7. Sit down every so often with your fabric, and assess what colors/patterns/designs you need to compliment and contrast what you already have
8. Buy the contrasting fabrics
9. Buy the coordinating fabrics
10. Buy extra of all of them, because when you sit down to piece you still won't have enough
11. Always buy enough backing fabric to back a California-king-all-the-way-to-the-floor bed quilt
12. Add a little more to that backing estimate
13. Use backing fabrics that can be integrated into other quilt tops
14. Buy a little more to make sure you will have useable pieces
15. If you see a design you think you might like in the future, buy it now before it disappears forever
16. Buy a little more just to be sure you have enough for what you haven't decided to make yet (I think this one is my favorite! Just sums up the whole thing!)17. Repeat above steps until there is no room left in the house for the inhabitants
18. Buy another house and repeat above

Something else I want to share!

Since the Dr took me off 'piddle pills' a few months ago, my kidney function has become 'perfect'!  It looks like those pills were doing me more harm than good.  

How weird is that?  I'd been on them for 24 years.  So many people who have to take diuretics are stuck on them for life.  I'm so lucky to not 'need' them any more.  So what if I get a bit bloated now and then?
I'd rather that than have me kidneys pack it in! 

ABOVE:  His new pyjama's are a bit long.  Oh well, they will eventually fit him.

Above:  Two jobs done last night.  I finished putting up all the names of fabric/craft shops in the North Island. There's so many in Auckland, I'm SO LUCKY!  
I also sorted out my UFO's, and will work on ONLY THEM, until they are all done.

Only then will I start on a new project.  I was happily surprised at the low number of UFO's I actually had!  Yaaaa.

ABOVE:  Guess what Mum?  When you pinch me cheeks cos I'm so CUTE .... it freakin well HURTS!  See?   She saw.

ABOVE: Lastly for now, a few photos of Miss Peppa ... she was a puppy from our 2nd litter.  There she is with her 'Mum' Jenna, being loved rotten!  Botton right is Peppa and her little friend Molly.  She looks like a handful!  lol

Right, that's all for now, I'm going back to bed for a bit more of a sleep in!  It's nice and warm in bed.

ONWARD...

To whoever it was rang us at 6 am, then again a few minutes later.... ROT IN HELL!  Who the hell rings and hangs up at that time of the morning on a SUNDAY!  Arsewipe.

NOT the best way to start the day I can tell ya.

It's a fabulous, crisp, cool, but stunning day out there.  I am going out with Bex this morning.
I'm taking her to that shop I found in Papatoetoe.  She wants to get some of those cute little balls of wool.

Once home, Coco goes to the Vet to have the last stitch and the staple out ... then she will be totally over it.  Yaaaa.

I should have taken a bucket with me to that shop in Papatoetoe, Bex drooled SO MUCH!
We both ended up getting a few items, her wool and crochet hooks, me... FABRIC of course.

ABOVE: the fabrics I got today.

Gotta run, taking Coco to the vet now...

All good with Coco.
Gotta run AGAIN, we are going to the mall and then a movie for the kids. Stew and I and the two kids are going to see Maleficent ... in 3 D.

Well... the movie was lovely, not so childish that we couldn't enjoy it.  When we went in it was still daylight, coming out it was already dark.  Kinda weird feeling.

The rest of this evening will be spent mucking around in the house, doing some sewing perhaps?  Can't think what's on the telly...?

End of Day:  well a qiet evening... I watched a few things on YouTube instead of watching TV.
nite nite