Tracey~ ozcountryquiltingmum

Forecast...no change predicted here!

2009-12-31T13:54:00.003+11:00

40 degrees here, with hot strong northerly winds...there's nothing cool about north winds in this area of the Southern hemisphere!
Another year about to depart...almost 2 pm, a few due here for New Year's...(perfect for the pool)..I have just got home from groceries, food to prepare,tidying to do and a wardrobe to sort because I decided today was the day to get that organized so the contents are all over my floor! I have realised that with the best of intentions the New Year will bring no change here! I am always full of good intentions and attempts to be more organizedand nothing will be different! But really, when life is good, why make too many changes!
We have had a little extra excitement here and perhaps a little extra to be thankful for as we leave the old year behind.. my darling husband was in too much of a hurry yesterdy between fixing a windmill in the heat and trying to cart loads to the silo and came off his quad bike. Of all the days he had his phone on the charger and I was returning niece and nephew to my sister, so it was very fortunate he managed to get himself up, get the bike back up and get home, of course he went back about his work and only went to emergency a few hours later when breathing got tricky!! turns out there are a fair few broken ribs, a dodgy arm and leg but he's dosed on painkillers and back working, harvest stops for no-one. They are closing silos early so he promises he will be home to put his feet up. I shudder when I think of the eventualities if he had been knocked out or the bike had fallen further and unbalanced onto him in the table drain as it threatened to, with noone home and noone with any idea where he was..in 38 degree temps!

Here is a harvesting photo from the other night for you.
My dh has become a bit of an online shopper lately as well, I started it with the fabric, but I have a feeling he got just slightly carried away! here's his purchase...

Gotta love those husbands!! Have agreat New Year and see you next year, love Tracey

Christmas round up

2009-12-27T17:02:00.018+11:00

I am laughing at myself here..I read how not to put your weight back on over Christmas and it's apparently important to not keep eating like it's Christmas day, just to leave the excesses to the one day...well that may be fine if you hadn't made up 2 separate dip and cheese platters for the 2 different family Christmas day parties...and came home with about half of each of them! I don't know about youbut I cannot let beautiful cheese go to waste...or caviar dip for that matter...so am slowly working through the platter(s)...this is exactly what happened after my 40th as well, and it is amazing how quickly the 6 kgs I lost crept back on!!

So I am heading out after blogging to resume my mini triathlon training regime, a couple of kms up the road on the bike..a couple of kms run/walk and 25 laps of the pool...surely that will negate today's debauchery!

I photographed my first paid wedding job yesterday, i was to provide the alternate view. How cute is this little fellow..

Christmas day meant that I could finally open my SSCS parcel. Chookyblue Donna ran this swap again this year, Thanks Donna, it was great. This is the parcel from Dawn that tempted me for weeks..and it was well worth the wait!

Here are the contents...

Gorgeous dawn..I love the wallhanging..the fabric and the book is brilliant, you clever shopper! I think the jelly belly pooping reindeers (not shown) were nearly the hit of my kid's Christmas...seen nothing like that around here! They loved all of it and want me to send you money for more particular candy they liked!They only see lots of animal's real thing!

My parcel went to Norway, to Anne-marie, here is what she received..

a plastic coated moda bag and purse, Roman holiday table runner, an apron and some of my cards

My girl also received her Christmas swap from Fairy girl, Chookyblue Donna's girl.

They had to include a needle case. This is hers, it's beautiful. The other things were eaten and dispersed by the time I got the camera out!

My girl had jessie girl, daighter of Oh sew busy. She sent this parcel, we tried to make the needle case look like a bag (Left)...and added in a real bag to match.

That is the Christmas round-up and if I am to get off my ever-so-slightly-getting-rounder-as-we-speak-behind and exercise, i better go now!

Hope christmas was great! Tracey

Happy Christmas from Australia!

2009-12-25T00:25:00.005+11:00

Oh boy! How did it get to 12.20 am Christmas morning already!! I have to get to bed! Lunch with one side of the family, tea with the other for Christmas, a busy day! Kids were in the Church Nativity tonight, DD was a narrator and did a great job, her brother was very good as chief wise man...obviously not method acting!!
I am looking forward to opening my SSCS and i actually think DH may surprise me as well...who says they don't change!!
I finished a santa sack for niece Daisy in the last week, probably getting filled as we speak...got Magnum kitten to model for you!
I also had to make smaller versions for all the pets!!
Thought you may like to see them....

The things we do for our kids...knowing our luck, next year i'll probably be appliquing over the top of the names!! Should be more optimistic.

The first 2 canola paddocks are done, the hot fortnight has affected them, 0.75

tonne to acre in one and 1 tonne to acre in other. Not fabulous but fine~we're definitely not cancelling Christmas! rained today so DH actually had a sleep on the couch, a beautiful early Christmas present!

Wishing everyone a fabulous Christmas, wherever you are around the world...we are hopefully changing our internet in the next few days..in the hope of reducing our costs from in the hundreds every month to more like $50..and with a lot more downloads~ I may get around to everyone!! Stay safe, Tracey

Linseed and coffee...break?

2009-12-15T23:06:00.005+11:00

As the harvester arrives to do the canola, our linseed is just flowering. I love these blue flowers, unfortunately they don't last like the yellow ones.

If it rained they may last a week, but it's to be 39 tomorrow so they will only last a day. Our linseed has struggled to get to this unimpressive height, got too much heat when it was in it's early stages. Does look great when all the flowers are open, like a blue sea.

I made a few things for my girl's coffee loving teacher to add to her present. A wall hanging and pot holders.

The kids are at their grandparents tonight so I have wrapped, organized and generally sorted all the presents and they are safely under the tree with a week to go...now doing the Christmas cards..in the traditional way!! and just got a call from the kids wanting to come home and it's a 2 hour round trip...think I talked them round. I thought we were past this! We even bought a Nintendo wii for the grandies. Note to Grandies, don't keep the kids up past bedtime or it all goes to.......

Hopefully i have a day to sew tomorrow before picking them up...hopefully!!

Have a great day, Tracey

Christmas everywhere!

2009-12-08T11:13:00.006+11:00

Such a busy time! As I have discussed a good 3 times in my bloglife...Christmas is very trickily scheduled here! (That's if you realy consider Christmas "scheduled"!) A winter Christmas would be a lot more restful!

It is summer time and the kids breakup from school here tomorrow, the hay harvest is almost done, but the canola is ready to go as soon as the harvesters get here from the warmer northern regions where they have already harvested..within the next day or two; EVERY organisation has a breakup for Christmas/holiday break...so I have been out almost every second night...and in there somewhere you are trying to fit in Christmas..and even some sewing! I am heading over to my sewing room in a minute to work on a special Christmas present for a patchwork admiring school teacher..no pressure, i have until tomorrow!

I have received my SSCS parcel form my lovely friend, Dawn...who used to be in Korea and is now back in the US...doesn't it look exciting..I am being so patient and waiting for Christmas...there are even gift bags for the kids! This is the decoration that I am allowed to open!

Thanks Dawn! Anne-Marie in Norway has received hers from me as well, it is always nice to know they have arrived safely.

We had our quilters break-up lunch on Sunday. I had been on the run after attending my High School reunion the night before...(such an interesting evening...to see people after all that time!)

We had a Chris Cringle and here are some of the gifts...

There are some good Christmas gift ideas there..the suffolk puff Chrsitmas tree, machine sewn fabric cards, the rustic card hanger...to name a few..

Off to sew, have a great day, tracey

More finishes...

2009-12-01T21:22:00.003+11:00

Still on a finishing roll here, this little chook panel is hand bound and off the to-do list, it reminds me so much of my girl out feeding the chooks.

I have another "finish", regular readers will have seen this finished before, but I wasn't happy with the big expanses of gold left next to the star and I am not a confident enough hand quilter to make that a feature in the space, so I added more diamonds and ouline quilted them, also outline quilted some of the main lone star as well. Now I think I'm happy...every bit done by hand except the initial attaching of binding to quilt edge...you can't do that by hand!

Here magnum, the kitten, who is ruling the house after only 9 days of owning us!
About to sift through all the year's photos for entries in our local show photography competition on Saturday, that will be a busy night's work. I am also running the animal nursery, and have my "we're all 40" high school reunion that night, the the week is about to get busy!
I haven't seen most of these people for 22 years! My two best school friends wont be there, one doesn't get back from Kuala Lumpur until the next week and the other is lost at sea, perhaps drinking carona on a Castaway island somewhere, but I think that's a pipe dream. So it's lucky I'm not shy, just hoping I will be wearing the "right" clothes and it doesn't feel like high school did!!
Have a good day, Tracey

We have sewing!

2009-11-28T17:59:00.001+11:00

I have been in a finishing mood this week..finishing a few of my own projects, not just b/fire ones!
The Secret Santa Christmas parcel is safely mailed away, to be shown to you after Christmas. I have also delivered a few bag orders and last night I had a site at the local German festival and sold over 150 cards, plus baby blankets and bags. Best result ever!
The finishes I have taken a photo of already are the 70's clothes scraps string quilt for my best friend's Mum. Yes, i know you all saw it ages ago, my BFF is in Kuala Lumpur and about to shift home, so that was the motivation to declutter that UFO.
As you may know...from a lot of photos of quilts on animals...I love Jim Shore. I bought this panel a year or two ago and now it is a finished UFO as well, why is it so hard to get a binding attached, because it is so nice to see these things finished!!
Note to self, weaned calves are NOT the best models for quilts!
#1. They don't want to come to the yard
#2. They don't like 2 dogs barking at them
#3. They see no motivation to get their head from the bucket and
#4. They REALLY don't see the funny side of blankets thrown over their back!
I should show you the "deleted scenes!"
So this is the best we can do today...

I have to run today, my Dh is showing up at 6 pm instead of 11pm as it has rained here and you can't bale in the rain so, much to my emancipated sister's disgust I am sure, I am off to get out of the tracky's into something respectable and put some make-up on for drinks...a girls goota make an effort!
Have agreat day!

Lots and lots of photos...and a new kitten!

2009-11-21T21:26:00.000+11:00

Back again, and after those nice words of encouragement I promise I will never again consider deleting the blog! If you are happy for me to call in when i can then that's fine with me!

Arlette was the lucky commenter drawn out by the slaves, Arlette will get her prize in time for Chrsitmas ...like a few other belated ones!! Drop me a line Arlette!

I have actually had some sewing time...and can i share? No, not until after my Secret santa Christmas swap person opens her parcel on Christmas morning. How different her Chrsitmas will be from mine, parallel opposite probably! It has been so terribly hot here for November, after being so wet! It went from Winter and straight to Summer, my garden was lovely for a week! DH has been working 18 hours a day cutting, baling and raking hay...what joy!

So with no sewing i can show, i thought i would take some pics at the little country show we went to today.

This wedding ring quilt is on my list, think I will need to break a leg to get to everything on my list! It was hand quilted and needless to say, made a first place.

Another first for this, great use of photos!

I'm a sucker for a pinwheel and a kaleidoscope, loved this...received a second.

Thought the cross stitchers would be impressed with this height chart. I was! Could only snap this through the wire.

Snapped a few animals while I was there, I have picked up another shop that wants my cards, a pet shop! So i thought I had better have a few ones particularly for there to join the animal ones I have already.

Like my horse?

I loved this pig...

And this pig..

and more of this pig...

and I also have a new peregrine falcon shot. I have adored peregrine falcons since I first read Catherine Gaskin's Falcon for a Queen when I was a teenager, anyone else read that, it is fabulous! I even forgive them for the occasional chicken I see them fly away with!

This was the favourite animal of the day. After 6 months of grieving over poor drowned Tom, my girl has had another try...this is Magnum PIC, (pretty impressive cat or something like that!)... and yes, there's very few 80's TV shows she doesn't like!

I will leave you with a job...seeing I am packaging up and posting cards and SSCS gifts, I may as well add some more. I think these two last photos lend themselves to some kind of saying/verse and they may well end up as cards..or not! Give me a something suitable in the comments to go in the draw for some cards,
have a great day, Tracey

New cards,a prize and harvest already!

2009-11-11T13:21:00.008+11:00

Back again, but feeling mighty guilty about this blogging business, there just doesn't seem enough hours in the day anymore! I am thinking, if I am struggling to get round all the other blogs, is it manners to delete mine? But I love the blogworld, -the support, encouragement and connestion -when time allows me...surely things will settle.....What do you think? Leave a comment on this, the cards or anything today...and as a thanks for "hopefully" re-enthusing me you, will go in a little giveaway draw. Gina and lady hopwood know that because I have grand plans, my giveaways don't always get mailed the next day...but I am guaranteeing Christmas delivery for everyone! LOL! i especially feel I owe those 60 or 70 people who statcounter says check in on me everyday!! Thanks..and take the time to comment, or email and you will go in the draw! Just put blog in the email title so I open you!

Weather here is unseasonably hot, looks like it may be 10 days of over 30 degrees and it is still Spring! This means DH is working around the clock, last night he fell into bed after a 39 hour "day'...if that makes sense! Valiantly trying to beat the weather to the hay.

So I am playing the supportive wife and getting back into the harvest swing of being available 24/7 for any job, preferably with food always on the ready!

The card range has grown to 150! These are the new ones added today to the blog site, so feel free to go over and have a look. I did a market on the weekend and sold almost 100, so am busy replenishing! Off to clean enough to "legally and morally" get in some sewing time, just feel like having a sleep on the couch really! Bring on February and the end of harvest...boy, that seems a long long way away! Cheers, Tracey

Granny Goose has received ny washcloth swap parcel so I can show what i sent! Two matching wash cloth/pot holders and the requisite seeds.

I received mine from Oh sew busy, chenille cloths in almost the same colours as I had sent to granny goose1 great minds think alike! The seeds are planted so not in the pic!

Catch you soon, with sewing! Remember to comment to enter, Tracey

To iron, fold ,do dishes ..or blog?

2009-10-24T16:49:00.006+11:00

Start with a few Australian natives, I have been rebooked to provide the cards for a big festival next year, so am working on my portfolio.

What do you think?

As you can see on the blog title , not any fun alternatives here today, house work and more housework! Things got a little out of control around here during shearing, so I am catching up. It is also beautiful Spring weather and I am in garden and clean mode. But surely I can sneak in a little blog!

Gotta love the black sheep in the pack, even though you don't want any of it's wool getting near the good stuff.

Kids were good helpers, daughter kicked me out of the drafting yards, said that job was hers! Didn't know whether to laugh or cry! Got over it fairly quickly, I remember how proud I was when I became my Dad's #1 drafter...and some possible farmer husband in a lot of years may appreciate her training as much as my DH did!

Here she is modelling her tin dog, it makes the noise that gets the sheep moving, my Dad has a business making them.

Oops!Dh just walked in, and I am NOT doing any priority items!!-better look like I'm working!!

We did get to the Pompeii and St*r wars exhibition, I had better keep those pics for next time!
See ya!

Here comes the shearing...

2009-10-12T21:54:00.005+11:00

How much am I loving a laptop! Mobile internet access and a card slot for the camera memory card and I can actually keep up with Flash Forward and blog at the same time...wow!! We are at Episode 3, is that similar to the states? seems like quite a good show, interesting premise!

The fridge is packed full of baking, roasts and sausage rolls ready for shearing to start tomorrow, a very busy time here and looks like uncertain weather so it will drag out. We are hoping to get to Melbourne for the Day in Pompeii exhibition and St*r wars at science works before they close, but it all depends on this shearing.

Mainly farmy stuff to share, only sewing I have done is stuff I can't show just yet.

Canola is flowering, seems I have shared photos at this season a good few times, it is my 3 year blogiversary next weekend, that's gone quick. I wonder if there will be a competition?

I have taken a few photos of my girl, her friend..and Rosie, her pup...who should have had a bath!

Rosie fancied herself a sheep dog today, the pet lambs have grown..hugely...and got out and ate my rose garden today. We wont go into the ingratitude they are showing for those 4 hourly night feeds!! The "farm" dogs and kids helped get them in the orchard, quite a circus!

Weather is only just ok, but didn't stop the kids getting in th dam to celebrate the big Holden Bathurst win yesterday!Their father was celebrating even harder!

Hatched a late duckling out in my girl's hand the other night, thought you may like to see the last stages...

Gotta love the little egg tooth on the end of the beak, that will fall off withing a day ot two. Just there to do it's job.

And, here we are! It is truly amazing how things hatch...if they have been left unwarmed for longer than the hour a day they can manage in their incubation period, they will often continue to grow in the shell, but don't have enough built up energy to get out the shell...so die with the end in sight.

That's why we kept an eye on this one, the dawdling is often a bad sign but warm hands and a light did the trick and it went back to it's mum safely out. We never interfere and hatch them ourselves, even an hour too soon can mean they haven't fully absorbed the egg yolk and what's effectively their umbilicus wont heal up properly.

Better sleep, big days ahead!

Have a great day, Tracey

Where is the time going??

2009-09-30T22:58:00.001+10:00

School holidays are almost over and, like both dogs, the cat and about 20 roosters..I am flat out chasing my tail!

Sleepovers here, sleepovers there, a new calf to feed, 10 new ducklings, 6!! more clucky chooks...to bring the total to 10, playdates here, playdates there. an hour's trip to catch up with my friend home from Kuala Lumpur..and BIG Geelong grandfinal win and celebration day. The sewing room is meant to be clean by Friday night quilters and unless someone is coming here tomorrow with a heap of Oompa loompas and a large truck or two that is NOT going to happen!

Today was start day, kids were at Holiday Bible Adventure all day so i was to get the tax stuff done, go to pilates and then all go! I haven't managed pilates for 5 weeks, surely today was the day...no, a phone call from the Landcare group who need a slideshow of photos of the land killed that next 2 hours. That got me to lunchtime...all ready to start..until a phone call from the Bible Adventure, the boy wanted to come home after getting wood or sawdust in his eye...went to get him, only to find out that he was now right! Then home and handed bills to pay in town..the other direction! Back for pickup, thinking i had a clear 3 hours to start before tea...the boy shows me the 3/4's of a front tooth he has left after an accident with his knee, so find a ride home for the girl and head 100 kms to the dentist who will see us!! Pretty unlucky day for a boy who was at a Bible adventure!

An hour, a rebuilt tooth and $160 later (not too bad I thought!) we headed back home, to organize 200 cards for a big wildflower show! See why the oompa Loompas would be handy?

I'll leave you with what my darling niece and nephew got upto on their farm adventure-they never wanted to leave....I could make money hosting farmstays-IF they invented a 30 hour day!..DN woke up at 5.15 am the second day, ready to see of the ducklings had hatched and to feed the chooks some more!

Have a great day, Tracey

ps, the calf's name is Hagrid!

Here comes Spring..kind of!

2009-09-23T21:39:00.001+10:00

All the signs of Spring are here....
my chooks just keep walking out of any bits of undergrowth with babies.

These are the latest...13!
I found this nest today..fortunately noticed the hen cluck clucking around the yard and followed her back to this icanthus..right outside my bedroom window!
The bees are going just crazy! Never seen anything like it, they really must like pigface, they had no interest in me putting the camera virtually right up against them, they were only intent upon their work!

The only thing slightly unspringlike, well not in the last 10 springs anyway...is that it just keeps raining! We have had close to an inch again in the last few days, with much more due...and all this while NSW and Sydney areas are enveloped in dust storms..it's a strange country!
This canola is slightly struggling under the weight of water
.
Gotta go...gotta sew!
Have a great day, Tracey

So much for a quiet Sunday....

2009-09-20T22:19:00.002+10:00

10.30 pm and the day still isn't over, a funeral in another town tomorrow and a Church meeting here tomorrow night mean I really have to clean!

Day started early with Church cleaning and flowers before Church, with Sunday School teaching thrown in, then bought a friend home for the kids, helped Dh cut up and pack two sheep for shearing,then performed the Dalek operation on 9 unwanted and ugliest looking roosters. You see I did a census last night and found I had 29!!! I probably only need 4 or 5!

After that clean out the kids and I went and bought a trio of pekin bantams...working on the one in, one out theory!! Takeaway tea and choosing videos, then home to work!!

Cleaned up things I seem to have ended up with from my DMIL's kitchen. Thought you may be interested in some...

I actually know the story of these cooking slides. i wish I knew more of the stories, but you unfortunately don't always ask. Grandma always fed the workers until about 20 years ago when they werent living on the property any more, Between 50 and 60 years ago one of her workers loved her kuchen and fashioned these slides with 3 flat sides and just a lip, and with the holes, to help with the elaborate kuchen process. I asked grandma to teach me kuchen last year but I think i left it too late, she said it was too hard, too time consuming and I should forget about it! My German grandma was well into alzheimers and Parkinson's by the time i was a teen, so she never taught me either. But I am glad I have the slides, fabulous for my bulk cooking.

These extra long spreading knives have come my way as well. They aren't pearl handled, not quite sure what you call them. You can see the top two are discoloured, I have some more like that, does anyone know any maintenance techniques or anything I can do to improve them?

These seem to be some kind of pearl handled set. Don't quite know what the wide one is for, any ideas?

Now I really need your help... Any ideas what these would be for? They are wooden, they were in the retired shelf, so not been used for a long time. Are they a kuchen thing? They are definitely kitchen related.

I think my Dh may feel they should all be going to the tip, but I can't get rid of my stuff, let alone my Dear MIL's! What do you think? And any help?

Have a good day, Tracey

Always keep my promises...

2009-09-14T21:23:00.001+10:00

No broken bones!! Both of us returned intact from the snow. I promised you photos of me skiing, well, turns out it was only the first day i was on my backside a bit-(and these were day 1 pics..by the look of those knees!!)..all those pilates and circuit classes may not have made me skinny, but they made skiing a piece of cake! I threw the stocks away on the second day and made it much easier.

I do have to confess to having found a lot more muscles now than I thought I owned before, but it was all good fun and only one bruise!

My girl did well, all the kids did. They all mastered the chairlifts and could ski down from the summit. The best plan was the private camp blog, I uploaded pics and text everynight and all the parents loved being in the loop, took all the anxiety away!

Got some sewing to show you, but still catching up on washing, the kids and sleep, so may be a day or two...

Cheers, Tracey

Quilt group sewing...and snowing!

2009-09-05T10:26:00.011+10:00

Off to the School Snow trip tomorrow, 5 days in Mt. Hotham, 10 hours to get there in the bus!! I cannot believe the amount of organising it takes to leave home for that long with only one kid!But I am determined to have the house and life in order before I go, even cleaned the pantry...Dh worried I am pregnant or dying! Think either would be equally traumatic for him!

Think we are all finally on the road to recovery, one sick after the other! My boy, who is never sick, has been home for 10 days, girl about half that time....which probably explains the clean pantry!

The weather hasn't helped, although much of Australia is unseasonably hot, we are having the most rain for about 10 years, a little too much for cropping, but we really shouldn't complain, at least we can shower!

Dh needed me last weekend, (even more than usual!!)was putting out urea fertilizer on his canola and this happened...

spreader was nicely bogged

I had to help pull him out, well, I drove the green and he the red, then I had to take the red one back across to the gate...luckily you can't hit much in a paddock-that thing is big!! As we drove out of the paddock we said, this crop might be right if we get no more rain this weekend...we then got another 2 1/2 inches!!

Lots of little sewing jobs, these bags for presents...

And then last night we had our stack and whack night at Quilters, got some very different quilts...a few girls were away but the ones who were there produced these-

Kath's blocks...had a real sun, sand and surf feel.

Robyn's quilt top

(heather Bailey's fresh cut)

Christine's Kaffe fasset

and my Heather bailey, with partial sashings...we realised it was 12.30 am!!! Time stands still when you are sewing!

I may drop you a line from my mountain adventure. I have set up an invitation only snow camp blog for all the parents and am taking my laptop and camera to keep them in the loop, I may show you a good photo of me on my b--- as that is where I imagine I will be as I learn to ski!!Any good tips from my overseas friends?

Have a good week...hopefully I will! Tracey

Rainy day fun...

2009-08-25T15:46:00.002+10:00

Pouring rain here, and gale force winds...the best kind of weather for a spot of sewing. I had a play with a Fig and Plum Jelly roll. I was hoping to get to the basting this afternoon, but it's too wet to even wander over to the sewing room!

Good weather for playing board games though...especially my latest birthday present.
My lovely quilter friend, Robyn, surprised me with this little delight on the weekend, have you seen it?

Stitcher's monopoly! How great is that! The counters are a thread cutter, cotton spools-you get the idea. And the properties are all stitch instructions.
........Now, if I could only convince DH how much he would really love to play!!!

They all grow up...

2009-08-24T13:24:00.000+10:00

Look what i found in my bath?

Seems my darling children have been too well trained. These chickens wandered out with their mother from some secret nest and she promptly abandoned them, my kids heard the cheeping and spent a hectic hour or so tracking them down..all while this mother was insisting on more beauty sleep as she had watched cricket until way too late and it was the weekend!!
I should have got up as when i finally did it was to find the chickens living in my bath!!and on a good towel, with half of our latest loaf of bread added for good measure! ahh, the joys! They have now been rehoused to a better mother (that's the chickens, not my kids!) and the bath has had a good scrub out to return to normal.
Seems the kids grow up way too fast, visited my niece, Daisy, on the weekend, she is now walking! I used her a crash test dummy on a few chenille bibs i want to make more of, she scored these two and is a much better model than me just taking a pic of them on the floor...don't you agree?

They were a hit with her, and her fashionable mother, so I will make a few more.
My own daughter has been doing lots of growing up and has been giving me the third degree about the reality of Santa. As you know, we are a religious family, but I have never felt that that precluded the fun of Santa. My daughter has a different view and seems to think that it has been a form of lying to her...and that it is counterproductive to the true meaning of Christmas..oh to be given that lecture by your 11 year old!! The only salve to my conscience is how much she enjoyed the 10 years of "Santa!"
We haven't delved into it much further since that chat, any advice from those who have been there??
Have a great day, Tracey

More birthday, and a winner.

2009-08-17T15:55:00.003+10:00

Oh, is there anything more dreadful than a Dh with the flu?

Because he is so far in the good books I will just leave it right there!! And keep getting the panadol!

I had a lovely time reading through the Tracey Kasem Top 40 ( or 30!) Amazingly a good few songs I didn't know, and i thought I was a music trivia-ist!

The random winner is Lady Hopwood's blog, http://primrosegirl.blogspot.com/

I hadn't heard this Dr. Hook song and enjoyed the youtube version very much. If you would like to contact me, Lady Hopwood, I will share the birthday joy!

Continuing the birthday joy theme, my kids bought me the Pandora bracelet and my family started off the charm collection.-all courtesy of an organizing sister!

There's a heart, an elephant, the zirconia one, the sand coloured to represent the beach my sister and I are both happiest upon, the rose from my sister that she thinks looks like my patchwork on, The Church and the chook make up my collection so far. I am being very well behaved and not wearing this or the ring when doing my farm work!

Our quilt group has birthday buddies for the year. Christine was my buddy this year and I was very lucky to score this beautiful table runner that I have shown previously. I love her first try at machine piecing, and I love IT very much! Thank you, Chris.

This is the back.

I am loving these patterns as well, the melly and Me chooks look great fun!

The lovely Chookyblue sent me these gorgeous cow salt and peppers, hope you regular readers remembered it was Donna's birthday Saturday!!

And I will leave you on a floral note, I have been asked to provide australiana cards for a big event coming up here,

Here's a little taste, they really do look like kangaroo paws, don't they!

Have a great day, Tracey

Birthday review

2009-08-12T22:50:00.000+10:00

Just a quick post tonight...letting you know I survived the party...just!! I have what is probably a chest infection and have worked the last few days, so not been up to much posting!

Had a great time and caught up with alll my favourite people.

Apparently the consensus is, you want to see the dress-actually on!

So here is my sister and myohsofaketannedself-it's winter here peoples!

My darling daughter came to the hairdressers with me and had hair straightened for the night.....and you can see my son refused to get out of his normal "uniform" of tshirt and shorts!

My friend, Lyn, made my favourite Hummingbird cake, it was delicious. She made it in 4 big slabs and iced them together, little secret for you, there was enough over to cut up in a tupperware container in the freezer...did you know it only takes a couple of minutes for Hummingbird cake to defrost for a perfect snack with your coffee??

Many of you know Lise, from the Chocolate Cat, I have borrowed this pic from her blog, because I like it even if she isn't that excited!

I will share a few quilty birthday presents shots with you next post, but this can't wait....

DH gave me this eternity ring!! Bought it himself!! No help from our daughter, my sister or me...and it fitted perfectly! He is soooo loved right now, (of, course, difficult to be anymore than usual. LOL!) between that and the party he reckons he's right to buy a lot of machinery in coming months!-and he is probably right!!

To top the birthday off, as I was wandering into the house at 3 am, I happened to put on the cricket for a score and discovered we had routed the English for 102 and were looking great, had a lovely time rewatching that a couple of times on Saturday!! A perfect birthday all round!!

Thank you for all good wishes, I'll announce the winners of the Top 40 next post! Tracey

"Tracey" Kasem's Top 40.

2009-08-06T21:43:00.003+10:00

I picked up the Jukebox for my party today, 3500 songs!! I have been having fun finding obscure numbers all afternoon and watching the dodgy old video clips. I Grew up with Casey Kasem's American Top 40. Even here in Australia it was the "have to" listen to show on Sundays. We would all get out of Church and pile into the cars to listen for number 1, even though it may never make it on our own radio stations.

It has actually been digitally remastered and we get old editions on Saturday mornings now! Love to hear the ads for the Osmond t-shirts and Jackson 5 cups!!

Seeing i am about to be 40....and I am more than happy to be ...and enjoying life, I thought we may revisit the Top 40 idea..with a few differences of course.

I would love a comment from you on at least one song that brings a special memory back to you...and preferably why? I have a few, usually old boyfriend related! Roxette's Joyride, Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman and Lee Kernaghan's Goondiwindi moon are fairly high on the list for romantic reasons, at least the last is with my husband!!

So, share the fun, there may be a lucky commenter drawn..and I'll be really excited if we reach a TOP 40!!

Thought you may like a peek at the invites, pity I can't have a cyber birthday!!

A feast of finished quilt tops...

2009-08-04T21:23:00.000+10:00

Plenty of patchwork eye candy for you today. No, not all from me, seems that having a big B & S themed birthday in your own woolshed does entail some preparation ....so patchwork is a little scarce, but my quilting group girls are all go!! Maybe by next week I will have my own sewing time...a late birthday present to myself!

The girls and assorted assistants have put together some more quilt tops, please especially comment if you see any of yours!

These blocks had the big brown based floral print added, a brave choice that i think has worked well.

The same lady put together this one, love the stripy sashing fabric.

Helen has put together this star themed quilt.

Christine decided that her Kaffe fassett would add to these blocks. There is a new bushfire kindergarten that we are hoping to assist with the fitting out, we are thinking this may suit the kids.

Christine has worked hard with these circles and has them all together. This may be another one that would be good for the kids.

Remember the jelly cake that the Fat Quarter Shop were kind enough to donate? Christine has turned that into a lovely shaggy for our original family.

The girls were very interested in the stack and whack bushfire quilt featured a couple of posts ago. I had a practice play at quilters using some of my shirting fabrics.

We are intending all making our own at the next Quilters in september.

Seems I am on the 400 posts cusp, which is an interesting variation on the coming birthday. I am a big believer in sharing the birthday joy amongst more than myself, so look out for a competition close to the weekend...off to make mini quiches....

Have a great day, Tracey

Photography joys, brolgas and books.

2009-07-30T14:32:00.010+10:00

This photography business may look easy, but boy, do i have some fun getting the "right' picture!!

I had thought that spending an hour in the heat trying to keep quilts on calves was tricky, followed closely by trying to keep chickens on calves' heads, cats lying on the dog, chickens sitting on a quilt......you get the picture!

But that was before I attempted to join David Attenborough in the nature photo business! I have a specific order for brolga cards...(.and I can now see why there aren't many!!)..the cards should be $100 each to justify the time spent lying in reeds and trekking through paddocks, the wet feet and the generally wet me! All my other Australian animals have just popped up in front of me, but these like to keep a very discreet distance.

So, have a look through these and tell me which may lend themeselves most to a card in your eyes, or whether I must keep trekking and give up any idea of sewing this week!!!

We'll call the first photo #1, and move on accordingly. Oh, the brolgas are the big grey things!!

This last one of swans I just liked!

I finally have the dress for next week's big party. I have given into the fact that I will not wake up at my 25 year old self's size miraculously one morning so did the shopping! I am very happy with it and it feels lovely on. I haven't had a formal dress since I was pregnant with the 11 year old and in a wedding...lucky me!! I had to have the size 18 dress and the other bridesmaid was a 10 (we have different sizes to the U.S here, I was not THAT big!)
Here is a little sneaky peek...

I have Quilters tomorrow night so if you are lamenting the lack of quilting action you should see some work after that, I hear there has been lots of bushfire quilt progress!
Oh, and I try not to read too much gory stuff, I have trouble getting word pictures out of my head, but someone told me if I loved the Time Traveller's Wife I would love "The Lovely Bones". ??? Well, I did read the whole thing in a couple of days as the mystery part of it got me in, but the premise has meant my girl will be 25 before I let her walk home from school! DH said when i went to sleep the first night after those first chapters i was calling out and obviously really upset in my sleep..I think I better go back to Janet Evanovich and Georgette Heyer for a week or two!! When is Janet's next one out, or have I missed something??
Have a good day, Tracey

Reasons I owe my parents

2009-07-30T09:11:00.003+10:00

Thought you may appreciate this email I received...how many of the 25 have you said???? I didn't realise I was adding so much to my child's education...but we never realise, do we?

25 REASONS I OWE MY PARENTS

1. My parents taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.'

2. My parents taught me RELIGION.
'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.'

3. My parents taught me about TIME TRAVEL .
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'

4. My parents taught me LOGIC.
' Because I said so, that's why.'

5. My parents taught me MORE LOGIC.
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me! .'

6. My parents taught me FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'

7. My mother taught me IRONY
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.'

8. My parents taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'

9. My parents taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!'

10. My parents taught me about STAMINA.
'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone.'

11. My parents taught me about WEATHER.
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'

12. My parents taught me about HYPOCRISY.
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'

13. My parents taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.'

14. My parents taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'

15. My parents taught me about ENVY .
'There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.'

16. My parents taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home.'

17. My parents taught me about RECEIVING .
'You are going to get it when you get home!'

18. My parents taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.'

19. My parents taught me ESP.
'Put your sweater on; do you think I don't know when you're cold?'

20. My parents taught me HUMOUR.
'When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me.'

21. My parents taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.'

22. My parents taught me GENETICS.
'You're just like your father.'

23. My parents taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a tent?'

24. My parents taught me WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'

25. And my favourite: My parents taught me about JUSTICE .
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you

Of exercise, finished quilts and a fast approaching big day!

2009-07-21T23:48:00.002+10:00

Wow, has anyone tried to fit in a good amount of exercise into their life lately? Really sucks up those few precious "spare" hours that I would normally have stolen for sewing. I wonder, in the comments, whether you think it is difficult to be thin-ish and a quilter as well, do the two go together?

Now, why would I do such a silly thing as sacrifice sewing for exercise, well, 1. It's good for all of us AND 2. I have tried and tried but cannot invent a suitable machine that I can exercise on as I sew. But the big point number 3. is that I have only 2 and a half weeks left until I hit a very big birthday...and I can't keep calling it baby weight if the baby just turned 9, can I??? So, since about last birthday I have been doing the odd gym class, definitely got fitter, but haven't appeared magically slim. How much of a miracle can occur in less than 3 weeks...probably not much! Luckily clothes size doesn't make the man...or in this case, woman!

The cards are keeping me busy, thanks to all those who have ordered, many on their way and more being mailed off hopefully tomorrow..Narelle!

raining again tonight, but we had enough let off this last week for Dh to get back on a few more paddocks to get some more barley sown.

When shifting him from paddock to paddock I spotted a few unexpected visitors,

I tried to get nice and close to these Brolgas, but this is the best I could do. They hang around in pairs, around wetlands. I don't think thse are nesting here, still flying around deciding where to settle.

And these black swans are doing the same thing, back through the same wetlands, except there isn't enough water for them here, this can be a full swamp. DH hopes it doesn't fill because that means a wet year for croppers! There are plenty of other lakes for them to nest in around here, they build fantastic nests in mounds in the swamps, last few dry years it is a race to see what happens first, the water dry up enough for the foxes to get to them..or they successfully get the babies hatched and away.

Bushfire blocks/quilts continue to call back in here and disappear again-to many homes. Kath from my quilting group recently gave these to me, anyone recognize their blocks?

A star block stack and whack.

Kath's sister-in-law donated this post and rail in muted green shades.

Now, were these start Libby's? Think so,I will have to check, look fabulous as a table runner.

Well, quarter to midnight..again! Even without cricket on I am up too late! Shouldn't mention the cricket, a heartbreaking loss last night, oh well, 3 more tests to get it right!

Have a great day,