Snuffling WOW

This bag using hand-dyed fabrics was made for me as a gift several years ago. At the time a Brisbane-based Aussie business of fabric dyers and printers had some great designs featuring Aussie icons, the yellow print has wombats dancing along to the words 'snuffle....snuffle....snuffle.....' as they look for grassy shoots to eat. With a wombat applique, and a wooden wombat button, it's a useful bag.

Despite being well and truly out of action over the past week due to a rather nasty respiratory infection I managed to get to the big quilt and craft show yesterday for a few hours. Was able to look at most of the quilts briefly, and to do a very little bit of shopping, before I ran out of steam. With nearly 400 quilts to look at it does take quite a while to get around and to do it justice. I got around, but I'm not sure that I managed to do it justice this year! The winners are here if you would like to feast your eyes.

I have been feeling crook as Rookwood this week but am starting to feel a little better now, thank goodness. Haven't done much by way of sewing or knitting, just a little hand-piecing when my nose wasn't running and my eyes weren't watering. Much of the time I just reclined feeling delicate and fragile. For the non-Aussies among us, "to feel crook" is to feel unwell, and to be "crook as Rookwood" is to feel very unwell indeed. I think the implication may have something to do with being at death's door, Rookwood being a very large cemetery, plus of course the rhyme - some of Aussie slang is rhyming slang.

So as I was feeling very crook I haven't started sewing Maple Leaf blocks. But today I have the strength and energy to thread the machine with red thread, so that's a start isn't it?

Have a lovely week.

Jennifer

Windy day WOW

This is my very distinctive key ring! The fluffy wombat came Port Macquarie on the NSW north coast, courtesy of our older son when he visited there some years ago; and the green enamel wombat is from Canberra, I bought it few years ago. The choice was blue, green or purple - no wombat-coloured wombats! And a Maple Leaf key fob made specially for me by Kiera-Oona.
What do you reckon about the Bearly Autumn Bears Paw blocks? I'm quite pleased how they turned out. The start of another quilt....as if I didn't already have enough to do......sigh. Never mind, some of these fabrics have been sitting in my stash for ages so it will be good to see them in the open. This will have its turn in the sun, but not for a wee while yet. Yesterday I cut the pieces for the Maple Leaf runner, today I had intended to make a start on sewing it, but I have come down with The Dreaded Lurgy and feel rather second-hand. Painful experience in the past has taught me not to sew when I am not well, or Dreadful Mistakes can get made. Kevin is enjoying the peace because if I talk I get a tickle in my throat, which makes me cough heavily, which makes my throat sore, which tickles it, which makes me cough......etc. Just as well that, being a public holiday today, there is no choir practice tonight. One of the sopranos croaking the frog chorus in every song is not pretty.

But I will be jumping out of my skin in a few days.

Y'all be good now, ya hear?

Jennifer

Do you know, if I had half a brain.........

.................I would be dangerous. Last weekend I finished knitting the second sleeve of my cardigan that I wrote about here and cast on stitches for one side of the collar. Knitted about 10 rows and realised it wasn't right. Pulled it all out. Cast on again. Knit one row....and realised it was wrong again, because I had been reading instructions for the wrong size......as I said, if I had half a brain I would be dangerous.......it's right now, I am reading the correct size instructions and all is going along well. You don't have to lock me away just yet.

It wouldn't be a weekend post without a picture. We spent several days in Wagga Wagga over new year staying in the caravan park by the Murrumbidgee River, this was taken late in the day when it was very peaceful.

The lovely red and white fabric for the Maple Leaf runner has been treated to stop the colours running (she says with fingers firmly crossed) and is now drying in the breezy sunshine as we speak. And I am about to leave the computer and head for My Lovely New Bernina, to sew together Bears Paw blocks from lovely autumn prints.

Enjoy your weekend.

Jennifer

First WOW for June

A garden wombat, so I thought it should be photographed outside! Bought this little feller a few years ago at the local hardware/garden shop and photographed it this morning between rain showers. None of my garden wombats live outside....yet......

Yesterday a friend asked me how many wombats I had, and to be truthful I have no idea. Since I have been selecting one each week to have its turn in the spotlight, I am beginning to realise I have many more than I thought I had. A couple of people have suggested contacted the ABC TV show "Collectors". One day perhaps, when I have a clean tidy house with my collection beautifully featured instead of jumbled everywhere.

Over the last few days I have been cutting into some of my lovely autumn prints to make "Bears Paw" blocks. Some of the prints were bought in autumn 2007 in Canada, so they are ridgy-didge fall fabrics! Much as I love autumn leaf design quilts I didn't want to be obvious and use my autumn prints for one, so I am going to make an autumn Bears Paw quilt instead. I have been playing around with EQ6 for layout ideas but haven't settled on one in particular, so it's time to make a few blocks and see where they lead.

Today is a cold, cloudy, showery grey day and would be a good night to hunker down indoors with my knitting or sewing. But it's Monday, which is choir practice night, so the hunkering will have to wait until I get come at 9.30pm.

While waiting in line at the supermarket the other day I picked up a magazine to leaf through..... makes me glad I don't spend good money on these. They are full of stories on people who are supposedly rich, famous and fabulous although quite a few pics were of the less fabulous variety, such as a well-known actrine caught in public in her daggy casual clothes. As for the outfits - let's just say, definitely proof that having money doesn't guarantee having good taste. And I have never heard of many of these "well-known" people, have you?

I bet they've never heard of me, either.

Jennifer

Pop on over to Yellow Bird Art......

....they have a lovely blog and they are having a giveaway with some lovely goodies!

Jennifer

Last WOW for May

Another pewter wombat, this little one was beautifully cast in Tasmania, the base shows leaves and twigs scattered on the ground just as it would be in the bush where real wombats live. One of these days we would like to visit Tasmania, judging by photos it's a beautiful place.

Last week Meg tagged me for a list of questions, I'm not sure about tagging lots of other folk but here are my answers.

1. What are your current obsessions?

As always - music, reading, sewing, knitting, and of course my collection of wombats

2.Who would you most like to have dinner with?

Someone who will order the best food and wine on the menu...then pay the bill

3. Last dream you had?

I can't remember!

4. Last thing you bought?

A new jacket

5. What are you listening to?

Drottningholm music for a royal wedding 1744 by J. Roman, on the radio

6. If you were a god/goddess who would you be?

The most gorgeous one in the firmament

7. Favourite holiday spots?
Anywhere with mountains

8. Reading right now?
"Chain of evidence" by Gary Disher

9. How do other people see you *this is the question I changed*

Creative, procrastinating, sensitive

10 Guilty Pleasure?

Chocolate

11. Who or what makes you laugh until you’re weak?

Old cartoons

12. Favourite odd thing to do?

Eat raw potato

13. Planning to travel to next?

Northern New South Wales in our caravan

14. Best thing you ate or drank lately?

Moscato....yum, yum......

15. When did you last get tipsy?

Good heavens, it's been so long I can't remember!

16. Favourite ever film?

Anything with Sean Connery in it

17. Care to share some wisdom?

Always measure twice and cut once, and always pre-wash cotton dressmaking fabric...ask me how I know

18. What item could you not live without?

Chocolate

19. Thing you are looking forward to?

A holiday in Canada later this year

20. What’s your favourite smell?

Floral scents - lavender, violet

21. What food makes you heave?

tomato and cucumber

22. How many REAL regrets have you got in your life?

I have learnt that there is no point regretting that which has already passed, much as we wish we could change things
23. If you could change places with one person, who would it be?
My great-grandmother

So that’s it. Now, the rules. Respond and rework. Answer questions on your own blog. Replace one question.

Add one question.

Then tag 8 people.

I don't know that I can tag 8 people, a lot of people hate tags, so if anyone reading this would like to pick up the ball and run with it - good on you.

Yesterday's choir concert went well, even my tiny solo was heard. Four words at the end of "Dream Lover", I'm the echo singing the words "dream lover" twice. Geez. Fame, at my age. Who would have thought. Next thing the talent scouts will be beating a path to my door.

We are both still adjusting to retired life but it is getting easier. When one has worked since the age of 15 (as I did), not having to be answerable to anyone is such a wonderful feeling. And we have started, in a small way, clearing out the house ready for The Big Move out of Sydney - after we come home from Canada in October we will list the house for sale. We have lived here since June 1987 so there is a lot of clearing out to be done, but we've started baby steps.

Have a lovely week. May your seams line up and your stitches be neat.

Jennifer

Night and day.......

..........you are the one....only you beneath the moon and under the sun......

I love old songs. Our theme last night at the music club was "Night and Day" - songs or poems about night, evening, twilight, noon, morning, whatever. It's surprising how many times these words come up in songs! "In the early morning rain" was one song I sang, "Walking after midnight" another. And tomorrow evening my choir has a gig, so lots of singing this weekend.

Before Easter I wrote about this rather gorgeous fabric. This week I ordered some Synthrapol and Retayne to treat the fabrics before I use them - it would be heartbreaking to make up a pretty Maple Leaf runner and have the colours run! That will be the next project I start, and of course there are some UFOs waiting in the cupboard, they will all have their turn in the sun eventually. Everything comes to those who wait.

On Wednesday I had my spa treatment and it was very luxurious. It's probably too little, too late (she says with tongue firmly planted in cheek) but it was nice to be pampered. A bit confronting though, as I had to strip and put on a thick towelling robe for the treatment....as the song says, I just don't look good naked anymore.......one of these days I will learn all the words to that song and perform it in public.......fully clothed.

Unfortunately too, I am becoming resigned to the fact that I am transmogrifying into my mother, a scary thought. My mother was one who "enjoyed ill health" as the saying goes, and I always vowed I would not be like her. Following a recent visit to the doctor, apparently I am at risk of developing some of the same physical symptoms. Age and genetics are taking their toll. Bummer. Double bummer.

But my mother could not sew or play guitar.

Enjoy your weekend.

Jennifer