more from the Retreat and what I've been working on.

Thought you'd like to see what I purchase from Esmes, Calico Crossroads and Patchworks Plus

This little cupcake was in the goodie bag I received at the retreat, they were kindly donated by Lovely Fee

and the Quilt Card I won in the lucky number prizes!

Whilst at the retreat I was working on my xmas swaps so I can't show you them yet but here's a stitchery

I've just completed for H who is off to Market in Melbourne in November,

wish I was going too :-(

If you're going be sure to say Hi to Helen and Lori!

Retreating

 I've just had a weeks leave from work which ended with a wonderful retreat with my Tassie bloggy friends plus a couple of ring-ins.

While on holidays I made some peg magnets, some of these will go to my son's school for the fair

I completed the first "Stitching Around the Block" which is winging it's way to Kez for Part Two

On Friday Fee and I headed up to Hagley, about two and half hour drive from Hobart but we went via Launceston and Exeter so we could visit Esmes and Calico Crossroads. We also did a little op-shopping.

So it took us all day to reach Hagley School Farm.

The farm is attached to the school and has been a major part of school life for many Tasmanian children over many years. Lots of grown ups said they had been there when they were at school.

It's a great facility in beautiful surrounds and suited us quilters perfectly. Great choice of venue Cathy!

Although the outside looks a little bit tired the inside is clean and kitted out with bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen plus extra rooms for little classes and a bigger gathering room where we spent most of our time stitching and chatting.

Here's Fee busily stitching away in one of the little workshop rooms.

Sarah put together a fabulous goodie bag and unfortunately the freddos and koalas have disappeared and the fabric cupcake is still in my suitcase but I did whip this ornament up, so quick and easy to do, another fab design by Marg Low and beautiful painted button by Theodora Cleave.

Some of us even took part in a sewing accessory swap, pop on opver to Sarah's and see the lovely pincushion I received. Leanne ended up with the one I made, keep an eye out, I'm sure she'll post a pic soon

For more photos and stories visit Fee, Sarah, Cathy, Lizzie, Vicky, Razzy, Pauline

So Moo Cow, I'll see you again next year!!

P.S. My apologies if you've been waiting for an email from me while on holidays our internet connection was on a go slow thanks to my DS who used up our limit while on his holidays!!

Home and Heart

I regret having to share this with you cause I know you're all going to bloghop your way over to enter and reduce my chances of winning. Jody from Home and Heart is having a giveaway of one of her gorgeous bracelets, this one she has named "Bliss" and it's so pretty. So go and visit and even stay awhile, she does some inspirational work.



WANTED.....(UPDATED TO FOUND)

....3 Aussie stitching friends to join me in Helen's

all that I ask is that you're a follower of my blog, an active blogger yourself and can commit to the finishing and posting . Sorry to my overseas friends but I need to keep postage to a minimum.

So who'd like to join me?

Friends who have joined me

Dawnie from Itching for Stitching

Bec from Bec Clarke Creations

Kerri from Willow Grove Quilting

The Beautiful and the Ugly!

Well my secret project  baby has been shipped off to it's destination, won't be long until the big reveal

but here's a sneaky peak of one of my favourite blocks

Can you guess who the designer is of this block? Here's a clue, it's not an Australian.

It won't be long now and all will be revealled, you've waited so patiently.

  

At home we've been working on some sewer and stormwater problems, it has certainly snowballed into a very costly exercise but once it is complete we know we'll never have any problems again.
 

Since taking these photos we've ripped up all the concrete from our driveway and we'll replace the whole lot rather than just strips.

The worst part is that this work has impacted on my sewing budget and once the plumbing work is all finished and covered in concrete you can't see how much money we've spent! At least when I sew I always have a beautiful object to show for it!!

The good news is that I'm still going to the Tassie Retreat organised by my fellow blogging buddies Cathy and Sarah, I'm looking forward to some time out, only two weeks to go Yippee!