Surprise mail

Oh my-Miss Fairy (NON Blogger)aka Michelle told me she had  sent me something   , so I was on the lookout at the post office and today it arrived-hmmm 7 days from Adelaide to Darwin *shakes my head at the postal service*-but am so happy it arrived..

 

OOhh lalaa look at this my first Tilda book. And I love what you wrote inside the cover thank you.

and some gorgeous fabric

and there is more..yes I know truly spoilt

Just look at this beauty and with a gorgeous cat  front and back embroidered on it.

And hidden inside a reel of lovely red cotton and a thimble .

Anddddddd

A bundle with some lace some embroidery floss, gorgeous red/gold ribbon and some loveable wee pom pom ribbon-that they use in one of the patterns in the book..

Oh I have been totally spoilt ..thank you so much Miss Fairy aka Michelle.

Cheers Vickie

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Tumbling??

No I’m not  tumble down all the way..even though I’ve felt a bit topsy turvy lately,

And I so so desperately needed a new project –yep good I can hear you all agreeing…

I have admired many different tumbling block quilts over the years, however I have never  even thought about a making  tumbling block quilt, well snap light bulb moment. Just give it ago..happy dance happening –everything worked out just right…

One tumbling block assembled, I decided to just use 3 fabrics for my first go..

And then I made more and more (click on photo for a larger view)..I am loving this design and lots of other fabric ideas are springing to mind..

Cheers Vickie

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Civil War Quilt-Block 12 Louisiana

I have completed Block 12 of the weekly Civil War Blocks offered by Barbara Brackman, this block went together very quickly, I just couldn’t quite get my centres to meet…

but I dare you to go galloping past and spot that they don’t meet..

Love the colour way of these fabrics.

Now off to bed I go..started feeling like zot late last night and am full of it this morning..all feverish and yuk.

Cheers Vickie

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What a week

Golly gosh it’s been a tough week…knowing Janine is no longer here in the physical sense..saddens me greatly. Her children are taking one day at a time and they told me the funeral was lovely and they had heaps of support from family and friends..

I am wanting to make them each a keepsake-like a cushion with a photo of Janine in the centre..will get me a printer over the next coming months and then hopefully by the time I get them made they will be able to accept them..

Have had a fun week with my knee also NOT..had a nasty allergic reaction to the dang tape and blistered behind me knee and ripped skin off..on the up side I only have pain in one area now…

Our 2 small doggies got desexed on Thursday oh man what a trip that was..I bawled all the way home with them..big sooky I am..they were in a bit of pain.

OD all snuggled up and sound asleep…

Delta trying to get comfy…

I felt so bad for them..but they are coming along nicely…

Cheers for now Vickie

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but made it through the night and went outside for the first time today..

Retro Nine Patch BOM

Thought is was time I posted my finished block 2 of the beautiful Retro Nine Patch BOM offered by Lyn.

I am loving the brightness of these blocks.

 

And today whilst sitting at home nursing this…and celebrating the life of my  friend Janine who was laid to rest today.

I reminisced  mine and  Janine ‘s journeys of friendship and I stitched away and now I have completed block 3.

Thank you again Lyn these blocks are awesome..

Cheers Vickie

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SAL Tis the season

Thought I best smarten up and show on my blog, my completed block so far from the SAL .

Wow there is so many different colour ways happening these are going to look awesome when we all display our finished blocks.

Am so happy I chose green am liking it very much

Cheers Vickie

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Civil War block 10

Yeah I have done block 10-London Square from barbara  Brackmans weekly civil war blocks, and I loved the way this came together.

Cheers Vickie

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Happy post

Gee I have been remiss in posting updated photos of my gorgeous grandson Ziah..so without any more rambling here he is

5wk 3days

Don’t they jus grow so quick…

Oh yeah I have been sewing too..promise to post photos real soon

Cheers Vickie

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Thank you

I don’t have the ooommmphhff to reply to each individual comment at the moment.

Please all accept this as my thankyou from the bottom of my heart -for all your kind words, on the sudden passing of Janine .

Thank full am I that we have internet and that I entered the wonderful world of blogging and met more wonderful caring  & supportive people from many corners of the world.

Truly when you are so far from lifelong friends life gets tough, but knowing there will some one at the other end of the keyboard is so comforting to know.

My memories of Janine will never fade. And over time I will be able to accept she has gone-but it no way do I like it.

thankyou all again

Vickie

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Oh Janine this Hurts bad

When hurting so bad and crying waterfalls..why not just speak to  my blog…type it out hopefully will make me feel a tad better..

Only 10 days ago I was chatting on the phone to Janine and we were talking about how great it will be to spend weekends together when hubby and I move back down to Victoria, we joked and laughed and chatted away like we always do-funny how we even touched on the fact that in the years we have known each other we have never had a cross word to say to each other or upset each other.We talked about how much her grandchildren were growing and about my new grandsons arrival. 

THEN…

Janine a  close & dear  friend of 23 years suffered a

massive heart attack on Sunday, today the doctors told the family she was gone it was only the machines keeping her alive..how devastating for them..they all came to say their goodbyes ( me way to far away to do that ).

This poor family has been through hell..Janine lost her husband and the kids lost their dad when he was taken tragically , then a few years later one of their daughters passed away suddenly,leaving Janine and the remaining kids 2girls & 3boys to knit together a life without loved ones..Janine comes from a large family who are all very supportive and wonderful people to be around...Late last year Janines dear mum passed away….

I am so feeling so lost and feeling wrong for feeling lost, when I think of what the poor kids are going through the youngest of whom are twins aged 18.

Janine and I spent so much time together when the kids were young and we lived next door to each other..all them memories are flooding my mind right now. The times we laughed so hard our sides hurt, our many shopping adventures together…the many times we found comfort in each others company and bawled our eyes out..

Can’t stop crying, this is so unfair..oh that’s right there is no rhyme or reason as to why god takes the best..but I think he has his full truly..she was a happy healthy lady who suffered the odd bout of asthma..who is muchly loved by all her children and family  by many many more people she has touched through the years.

My head is pounding away here and I do feel some bit better by typing this out..purely for my benefit – I learnt many years ago that writing down ones feelings in a time of stress/upset is great therapy..my arm does not allow me to pen too much now but typing takes a while but is less painful.

Not so Cheery Vickie

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Block 9–Birds in the air

Block 9 of Barbara Brackman’s weekly civil war blocks is done..

Last night when I looked at this things just didn’t quite add up but this morning it was all clear *Note to self don’t look at new block late on Sat night after a few drinks …

I would also like to add that this lovely lady over hiding in this Cupboard is making these blocks also and she has fantastic how to in the construction of them.

Cheers Vickie

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Hearts all done

OOps have been rather hectic round these parts. Forgot I have not posted my finished project..Feb Hearts from Robyn s blog Daisy Quilts..this was so easy to sew and the instructions were easy to understand and follow..

I ended up making mine a tad bigger to use it as a topper for the beautiful chest that I was given recently-that came from the house of  My friend who passed away..I am so happy with how it ended up ..and yep I just had to sew buttons-I think I have some kind of obsession with buttons..

Isn’t the chest beautiful it was made by my friends father many many many years ago.

Oh yeah I did do some embroidery on it although it kinda has got lost now with all the messy meandering stitch and the big buttons..

Thank you so much Robyn I really enjoyed this project.

 

Crappy part of the week , we had to get one of our furry friends put down..CYA is now in kitty-cat heaven having a fun time-we have some awesome memories of her and her funny antics.

Have hurt my knee this week rather painful..placed a bag of ice on it right away..and continued that till I could get to the Drs the next day, the Dr informed me I could keep icing it till the end of that day (48 hrs only)..and then take analgesics x1 by 3x a day..and have a scan in 10 days-as the swelling will of gone down by then.blah such a klutz…

Nope no photo of my knee is going to be inserted here LOL.

Cheers Vickie

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Leaving comments

Due to recieving emails informing me that people are having trouble leaving comments I have changed some settings, hopefully this will enable you to now post.
Cheers Vickie Thanks for dropping in.

Civil War Blocks

Firstly I am going to say..my blocks are mine –so they will be the way they are and in the end they will all fit (cause I will be damned if I can get them all the same size)..but hey there is not quilt police at my house..

Still enjoying Barbara’s weekly stories of the era and the blocks.

Hopped to it this morning and sewed my missing ones.

OK so block 6 ended up in the bin, 2 different attempts fabric wasted grrrr.(thanking the k goodness of the wonderful quilt Bird Lyn gifted me some fabric)

I have remade it again and this time it is staying.

Block 6-Richmond

Block 7 Log Cabin

Block 8 Cotton Ball

Cheers Vickie

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Power on Power OFF

Before I start I must say this..What we are experiencing is nothing compared to what our eastern and southern states have had to endure these past 7weeks or so.But due to power not being consistent I’m taking this opportunity to update those that have txt and called-as I am turning the phone off to save the battery life.

This week it’s Darwin’s turn for nasty weather. Tropical low started dumping rain on us Monday night..

Tuesday this blighter kept dumping more rain and horrid gale force winds…they put us on tropical low watch and then late in the afternoon tropical low warning-as the low was still over land they don’t call it a cyclone till it gets close to water or hits water or something like that…So this afternoon it did whatever was needed and is now cyclone Carlos @ cat1..rainfall up to 400mls has been recorded in the past 24 hrs…

Lots of flooding and lots of trees down-airport-schools..and all non essential govt sections are closed.The bugger of this beast is it is moving so slow like 6-7klm’s per hour so lots of rain…

Electricity went out @ 9.30pm last night-came back on around 11am then out and back on for most of the afternoon…

This morning I went outside and took some pics.

our driveway is a running waterway.

 

Our front paddock nice water view from the balcony.

 

Bottom of the stairs to inside ankle deep.

 

Lots of scenes like this around the paddock.

Our lounge got wet and some other things but they are only things..

I am grateful that our home whilst old and lacking in many areas it was built to code so we are safe here,I have a roof over me to sleep that does not leak-and the needs to cook with or without power under a dry roof..

Cheers Vickie

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Oh to be pigheaded

What a title that is eh?
But it was all I could think of for my ailment...oh what now ?
Due to me being pigheaded and stubborn ermm just a tad impatient, I am now unable to do much with my hands-LIKE SEW-waaaaaaaaah so unfair. Silly dumb pigheaded me set about to clean the ceilings in the lounge (tropics=ugly mildew)..well when the mild treatment didn't work I went straight to the heavy stuff...bad move..bad bad me-bleach and I do not go together well at all and now due to my foolishness stubborn streak
need to see a job done, I have a very sore right hand with chemical kinda burns.
Annoyed with myself big time as I can't finish my hearts hanger that I was enjoying the hand stitching on and nearly all done on Sat night. Am unable to really grip anything in my hand so it will be a quiet week for me, thought may as well be at work whinging if I can's sit at home and sew LOL....
But hey you know what...you can almost see your reflection on the lounge ceiling.
Cheers Vickie Thanks for dropping in.

Wow check this out.

They say you gotta be in to win it..
So what are you waiting for?
Pop on over and see what Doris is giving away, truly if you sew,knit,crochet or paint or scrap book-you will love this giveaway..go on what are you waiting for?
Cheers Vickie Thanks for dropping in.

February Hearts

OOps look what I done....see that new button over there on the right..yep thats it...
Well let me first say I was innocently chilling out yesterday and cruising blogland...and I spied a project Lyn was making ohh me oh my I loved it so I followed the link and I was sewn. Whilst jumping over to the Link the fabrics for this project where coming together in my mind...
I read what I needed and that was it I cut and sewed, such clear and concise instructions and an awesome project..feel I will make more using the block....Can't post a pic as I painted the sewing room this morning-EDIT_ I painted the room white same as it was before so no diffrence to be seen 'cept I know it's been repainted LOL...so when paint dries I shall post a pic (be right back if I save this draft and go to hubbys pc I can posta pic now wooohooo).

Cheers Vickie Thanks for dropping in.

Grandma Vickie here

Well I thought i would interrupt transmission to report an important event.

Shantal has given birth to a healthy 6lb 13oz 51cm long baby boy

Ziah Andreas Lange, 2.16 pm Monday 31/01/2011..mum and bubs doing excellent and dad is over the moon actually I think he is awestruck. They were discharged from hospital late Tuesday afternoon as the hospital needed beds so they could bring fwd the inducing of other babies before cyclone Yasi..hits with ugly force-they will get flooding where they are and hopefully not much else..

Here he is 10am on Tuesday, quite an inquisitive little man and very strong.

Cheers Vickie

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Civil War Block 5

Kansas Troubles..woohoo wasn’t really much trouble to make at all…

 

Colours don’t really show up to well and it still needs a trim, but hey I was chuffed I have sewn it and it worked .Oh yeah and I used pattern from EQ that’s why its orientation looks different to the one on Barbara ‘s Blog.

Cheers Vickie

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Civil War Block 4-remake

 

Firstly Happy Australia Day to one and all, hope you have enjoyed your day with whatever activities filled you day.

I just wasn’t happy with my block 4 –Seven Sisters..so I have remade it with the block from EQ..doing happy dance big time it is the right size yeah to me..and thanks too the little birdie who saved me from reading the EQ manual just to do one thing…

So I be a happy camper now…

Cheers Vickie

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Civil war blocks

Barbara Brackmans Civil War Quilts block a week.

Finally I have done block 4, man that block nearly did my head in..I cannot do triangles –nope no siree just can’t do them proper…Seriously I sewed and unsewed that block so many times it ended up in the bin (thanks for that tip Lyn).

Tonight I started a fresh and still managed to flop it so I said to self “ok one more time and if it don’t work then there will be no block 4 for me), well I have made it and now it’s a smidge bigger then it should be-guess what whoopdeedo it’s done.

And when I took the photo I remembered I had not posted a picture of block 3 ..

Block 3 Seven Sisters.

Block 4 Texas Tears ..and yep nearly tears making it.

Love the story that Barbara has with this block.

Cheers Vickie

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Advent swap main gifts

Oops so slack of me here are some pics of what I sent to my swap partner Pat as the main gift and also what she sent me.

I wanted to make Pat something different , so the idea sprang to mind to make a block keeper –so I merely cut and sewed and this is what transformed.

Block keeper I loved the final result.

Inside the block keeper..a wee pocket for scissors and a place for needles.

And this handsome reindeer (even if I do say so myself)..found this pattern in an old Homespun mag and knew straight away that I wanted to make it for Pat.

 

And my gift from Pat was gorgeous.

Lovely wrapped with beautiful ribbon

And inside hmmm looky..lovely bag(which I have used)-a pair of beautiful pink earrings (which I have worn) cutest bag thing to pop in your bag to hold your keys and yum yum .

And this fantastic Christmas stitchery hanging..with some levely placemats…

Wonderful indeed..

Unfortunately one of the parcels I have sent over seas ( for the SSCS) has not made it to it’s destination  ..so I will make up another gift and mail it off…

Cheers Vickie

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Retro Nine Patch

Well well well….2 me movies on television last night woohoo..oh boy but I stayed up way past my bedtime and am feeling slightly blah today.

But I sat and watched and stitched and yeah I finished block 1 of the Retro Nine Patch by  Lyn , I so enjoyed stitching in some bright colours.

Yes it’s a tad different to Block 1 that Lyn has shown a picture of and that my friends is due to me kinda getting side tracked…

anyways I am happy with it and chuffed that I have it done,

Civil war quilt block 3 by Barbara  will have to wait for during the week-lost of lovely stars to stitch on this weeks one..and since I’m a flunk @ needle turn applique(even with needles that have 3 pointed sides-or something like that)..I will be blanket stitching my stars.

Cheers Vickie

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Civil War–block 2

Barbara had posted block 2 by the time we had got home last night…I was so tired but I selected my fabrics and then could not resist cutting them and then this morning after all housework done I sewed Block 2 –North Star.

This is awesome to read  the true stories Barbara posts each week and then I usually am thinking about what I have read as I sew my block…

Cheers Vickie

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2011 Projects

Yes one must have new projects for the new year. This year I will still be working on my In Pops Garden blocks..but I will also be doing the Civil War Quilts block by Barbara ..and the Retro Nine Patch by Lyn…just jump on over and have a looky see the buttons are just over there to the right on my side bar…Oh yeah and there is one more stitch along I will be doing but that don’t start till around April 2011.

Cheers Vickie

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Cut that fabric

These words have haunted me for a couple years, since I decided that I liked Civil War prints and wanted some..it has taken me quite awhile to collect several different pieces (not easy to get up here)..I was lucky Miss Fairy in Adelaide sent me a few awhile back and I scored some in an op shop –bonus bigtime…

Anyways when I stumbled upon Barbara Brackmans Blog, I just new the time was right to start cutting into them fabrics. Have you seen her Civil War Quilts blog –how awesome to have a block to make an a historical story to go with each block..don’t know how far my fabric will stretch but I’m going to go with the flow..

This is block 1 I am so happy with it..the darker fabric was a real score cost me a whole $1.50 for ½mt at one of the local Op shops..

I’m sure some of the fabric I use won’t be traditional Civil War Prints but if it blends in then it will be sewn.

Cheers for now Vickie

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SSCS items

 

Once again I joined Chookyblue SSCS swap .

This is the gorgeous ornament Loulee made for me.

Then on Christmas day I opened the rest of the goodies.

Just look at this awesome ‘Baseco”  bag a Dawn Hay pattern.. Loulee used such me colours I was over the moon..inside the bag was some treasures

Have you seen the pear pincushions that  Loulee makes -aww I don’t think I could stab it with a pin way to cute.A lovely covered Diary with my initials on the front and a cute scissors pin keeper..anddddddddddddddddddd

A yummy block of chocolate…thanks again Loulee for the wonderful items you made for me..and thanks again Chookyblue for organizing the swap.

Cheers Vickie

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1-2-3 Tote Swap

This is a way delayed post due to camera card reader issues.

I did show a sneak peek way back here- http://vickiescrafting.blogspot.com/2010/10/and-some-sneak-peeks.html

I joined the tote swap hosted by Paula and my partner was Teri

this is the bag that I made for Teri..we had a choice of winter or Christmas theme for our tote ..Teri asked for Christmas theme and also told me her favourite colour was purple-so I was on a mission to find Christmas fabric with purple in it,and I did.

This is the bag I made for Teri inside the bag was some sewing notions and some lip balm.

And this is the gorgeous bag Teri made for me, inside my bag was a fine cute wee calendar and some lovely Christmas  ¼’s..

Cheers Vickie

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