Block Swap Australia & V8's

I have just joined my first block swap. It's fun to be meeting new people out there in the blogosphere and swapping our blocks. I look forward to receiving my first block from Larain.

Things have been kind of cruisey around here. I have been getting a bit of patching and quilting done but I haven't felt rushed like I normally do. I go back to work next week so things are bound to change. I also haven't done the costumes for Ethan's school musical yet. There aren't as many as I thought so I'm not rushing those either. Next thing I know it'll be a mad rush to get things finished. Oh well, I've had a nice break and I feel really chilled.

Tomorrow is Bathurst car race. The race that stops our household. Paul is a crazy Ford nut and we all have to watch the start of the race in complete silence. It's funny really. I am actually a closet hoon myself. I love the roar of the V8's going around the track. I think we might make the pilgrimage next year to "The Mountain". The boys have never camped the weekend at the track before. I think they are old enough to handle it now. It's alot different there now compared to the 80's when it was complete anarchy.
Tomorrow will be spent between the couch and a sewing machine of some description ( straight sewer or quilter)

Happy Quilting
Leanne

I'm Back!!!!

Sorry it's been a while. I just got so busy that something had to give. Computer time had to be the thing I stopped for a while. It was that or I didn't sleep.
I have been working for Ange doing dancewear. It's crazy time of the year for dance studios, so I'll have work for a few more weeks yet.
I am on holidays with the kids at the moment. It's nice to not have to rush around in the mornings. I can just potter around and stay in my jammies as long as I want. That's not to say that I've been doing nothing. I have been getting some quilt tops finished, some quilting done, costumes for the musical at Ethans school and a formal dress for a neighbour. Wow, it's sounds a lot when you write it down.

Little Strip Quilt made for Guild Charity Quilts 

We have been having lots of fun too. Paul is on holidays as well so we have been doing lots of family things. My sister and her boys came to visit last week. We went to Treetops Adventure Park for a couple of hours swinging in the trees. The boys and Paul were all harnessed up to go into the trees, across rope bridges, zipping across the flying fox cables ( zipline ) and heaps more fun. They were all exhausted.

Boys with all their safety gear on

Archer

Oscar flying high

Paul

Ethan

The weather has turned a bit sour so we've been to the movies and played some board games. With just under a week left of the holidays there is plenty of time left for motor bike riding( the boys just got new quads) and for me to get some more sewing done.

Happy Quilting
Leanne

Back On Track....

After my wierd week things changed for me. As well as my beautiful Tuesday patchwork class I have picked up two days work at the shop sewing up dance costumes. I would like to thank Ange and Jody for that opportunity. It has been great. Although, the full work days took a bit of getting used to. But now I'm back on track.
I doesn't rain, it pours!! I also had a bunch of quilts come to me for quilting . I love quilting. Seeing the flat quilt come to life with the beautiful texture of the quilting. It always feels so nice when it's finished.
I have also been designing some quilts with the hope that they will be published. Even if they aren't the patterns will be available for purchase.
I have been so busy that I haven't even had time to take any photos, so here's one of some of my stash.

Happy Quilting

Leanne xo

Oscar turned 11

My gorgeous boy, Oscar, is 11.

I really splurged on the cake!

Aren't they beautiful? My 3 gorgeous boys.

Cheers

Leanne xo

A Weird Week

The boys went back to school this week after two weeks holiday. I thought everything would just return to normal. But it didn't.
Monday was nothing unusual. I layed out a quilt top ready for piecing together and finished a cushion that I have wanted to make for a while from this tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew.

lots of half square triangles joined in rows

Tuesday was  the beginning of a new working relationship between Ally and myself. Ally is helping me with the ever growing Tuesday patchwork class. It's great to have her there. She has a very bubbly personality and everyone loves her. So, Welcome Ally!

That day I found out that I will no longer be working Fridays. I was a bit upset a first but as the week went on it turned out to be a blessing. I have picked up Thursdays sewing dancewear for Angela.

Thursday was great. It was just us 3 girls sewing together. We got heaps done. We have to though, with dancewear it always needs to be done yesterday.

Friday came and I got a call out of the blue. It was my friends Jo & Tracey, who I've known since Ethan started Pre-School in 2000, they were just down the road from our farm and wanted directions to get here. I haven't seen them for ages. It was wonderful to see them. We had a cuppa and a catch up. It really made my week.

So sometimes things are just meant to be.

That was my weird week.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Some Finishes

These are the two quilts I bound this week.

This is for my niece, Annalee. who lives in Western Australia.

The pieced back

For my little Archer.

These prints are from Prints Charming.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

40...40...40...40...40...

No matter how many times I say it, it doesn't sound real. Yes, I am 40 years old. I don't feel it and I don't think I look it ( however it is we are suppose to look at 40 ) but I am IT. I bet my parents are feeling old about now. Their first born is 40.

I had a great day. I started the day off binding two quilts and doing some circle work on my new machine. Have I told you how much I LOVE it?  My sister and her boys came to sympathise celebrate with me and stayed with us for the night, and my parents came for dinner. I actually cooked it myself. So nothing really changes. We had Coles BBQ chickens, my famous potato bake and steamed vegies. To end it off, a black forest birthday cake. YUM!

This is me at 40

My 4 Boys

My Sissy

( i don't know what's goin' on with my wig)

My Lovely Mum & Dad

My Sister came bearing gifts (see below ) and Mum and Dad got me a webcam.

Some really cute necklaces

California Dreamin'

A gorgeous Vintage Hand Embroidered Turkish cushion cover. We found this at the Sydney Craft Fair.

Thanks to everyone for their best wishes.

As they say

"Life begins at 40"

So bring it on !!!!

Cheers

Leanne

I Got Real Busy.

After feeling rotten at the start of the week, the end of the week turned out to be great.
I finished 3 quilt tops

Quilted a top. I designed this quilting pattern myself for my quilting machine. It worked out really well.

And got a NEW MACHINE!!! How exciting. It was kind of a last minute decision. I got a Husqvarna Mega Quilter. I always said to my boss, Jody, that if ever that machine came on sale that I would get one. In the 4 years I have worked at the shop that machine has never been on sale. I just HAD to have it....

I picked it up on Friday. My boys went to stay with Ma & Pa for the weekend, so I sewed up a storm. While Paul watched the car racing, I annoyed him with the constant whirring of the machine. Because it is an industrial machine it goes super fast. I sewed up 366 HST ( Half Square Triangles ) in no time at all.

When I picked up my new machine, Jody had a little surprise for me. It is my 40th birthday this week and she had a gift for me. A 1/4inch foot for my mega quilter and 3 quilting books. I was from all the lovely ladies I work with at the shop, so Thankyou to you all for my gift. ( I can't believe I am turning 40! )

I am expecting another busy week with customer quilts and some of my own to get up on the frame. I've 2 quilts to bind and another to stitch together. So I better get going.

Happy Quilting
Leanne

Tuesday

After the party, I woke up with a hideous cold. It is school holidays, I have 2 weeks off work and it's like my body goes into meltdown for the first week. It always happens to me.
So here is some fabric I recently got for an upcoming project.

I have been designing quilts a lot lately. I have been inspired by Kate and Ally. I have even been designing my own long arm quilting designs. Sometimes I just dont have the design to suit a quilt so this time I just drew it and I thought "Why haven't I done this before?", it looks great. I will be using it on a quilt this week. ( once I don't need the tissue box anymore )
Hope your week is going better than mine.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Birthday Celebrations

We had a birthday party for my little man, Archie. This is the first party he has had with friends from school. He only had three friends because once all the cousins arrive, it is a party in itself.

We had lots of fun things to do.

Paul rigged up Henry ( our little blue Ford tractor) to pull the trailer. A bit of safety bunting and the boys loved it. They would have rode around all day on it.

We got a new trampoline! It's the first one we've ever had. With three boys, trampolines aways scared me. This one has the safety net all around, so they can only hurt themselves on the tramp, not falling off it.
( will insert photo once my mother sends them to me- I won't hold my breath)

The giant swing is always a hit with the grown ups.

The boys played all day with just a stop to put food in their bellies and then off again.

Cake time, and I was pretty chuffed with myself. I stenciled a Transformer logo onto the top of the cake. I knew my craft blade would come in handy again one day.

Happy Birthday to you.........................................

Another successful party done and dusted. We are all exhausted and everyone had a great time.

Cheers

Leanne

OH the COLD!!!

I knew that moving to the country we would be in for cold winters, but I didn't expect this. -2 degrees at 7am

It has been bitterly cold. I know it's been cold everywhere but out here on the prairie there is no shelter from it. The cars are completely iced over in the mornings, the grass snaps under your feet and the dams are all frozen over. Our little water pump is having a conniption every morning. I think the water in the pipes may be a bit frozen. It's like a winter wonderland, ( as long as we stay on the inside of the door in the beautifully air conditioned house )  well as close as I'm going to get to a winter wonderland, anyway.

And what's with these kids of mine. No jumpers in zero temperatures. There is something not right about them. NUTS!

Archer having fun snapping the frozen grass.

Back to the air con and some quilting. I can't think of anything better to do when it's cold outside. Making a nice warm quilty to snuggle under.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

No. 73

Just a quick update.
Here's what I'm quilting.

For a customer

Here's what I'm patching.

A big Zig Zag for my big boy Ethan

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Sunday Sewing

Today I finshed a quilt top that I should have done a year ago. I purchased 3 printed panels from
Prints Charming at last years Sydney Quilt Show and I was inspired to get them into a quilt for Archer.
This is the panel.

Isn't it cute? I couldn't resist them for my little boy.

This is the quilt top today. All ready to quilt.

It was really fast to do with all those big blocks

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Our Latest Guild Meeting

On Thursday evening I had a lovely time with the ladies of the Central Coast Modern Quilt Guild. We had a couple of new members and some of the real regulars. Kate came for the first time, even though she has been a member for a while now. It was really great to talk to her about her patterns and the whole designing process. She brought her sister Ellen with her. They are both beautiful girls.

Ally and Kerrie dropped in too. They didn't have time to sew, but they did have a chat for a while. Their enthusiasm is always infectious.
It is always weird sewing with Jody and Ange. We don't get to sew together to often because when we are at the shop we are working.
 Everyone always enjoys their time at the guild. Sarah brought her famous toblerone cheesecake, YUM.

Some of us did an improv star block. It was nice to do something a little different.

See you next time

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Archie is Six

I can't believe my little one is growing up so fast. Six already.

Look at that hairdo

Happy Bithday Archer.
Love Mummy and Daddy xoxo

My Quilt Show Bounty

Here is my bounty from the Sydney Quilt Show.

Hunky Dory

Verna

Hushabye

Hope Valley

Nicey Jane

 

Kaffe is always good for the stash

Good Folks Voile for a soft scarf. Mmmm

Happy Quilting

Leanne