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At long last I can show you this little purse I made one of my Granddaughter's for her birthday ... I thought it was never going to arrive, over the seas.

It is a Pyramid Purse that is one of the projects on Living Creatively & designed by Nicole Mallalieu & was a breeze to make ... thanks to Nicole's very clear instructions & photos ... I can see how it can easily be made into a much bigger purse/bag as well. Now I'm in the process of making another one for my other Granddaughter's birthday this w/e. I'll try to show you it next week.

I had watched a tutorial on U Tube by Terry White to see how to do free motion thread painting so incorporated it into the initials I put on the purse... so much fun... You can find so much on U tube that is so helpful.

Thankful... for all the learning aides available

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Gosh days just seem to run into each other at the mo can't believe that Feb is just about finished - I know I said the same about Jan. Ohh BTW it's not an age thing either ...lol

I've been keeping busy at my sewing machine but can't show anything at present as I'm still awaiting the arrival of some parcels - just in case don't want them to see them here before they get them.

My sister & I have been busy the last few weeks visiting Aged Care facilities as we prepare to have our Mum placed as she is getting so fraile ... not that she thinks it's a good idea, most of the time, but at other times I can see a flash of relief come over her face so hopefully deep down she is accepting that life is changing for her. It's a dreadful feeling for her & us as we want her safe & cared for but also understand her not wanting to leave her home of about 50 years. Well visiting all these places does take time [& energy, I must say...] some are dreadful places that I'm sure the government isn't keeping a good enough eye on but we won't be putting their names down on our list that's for sure but some places are just so lovely ... we were wanting to put our names down in a couple of them now - you were made to feel so welcome ... don't some people just have that knack of making you feel at ease & so comfortable. We have two more to visit this week & we feel we have our five then that we are pleased with. Mum had to be accessed again yesterday & she is still classed as low care so even though she is not pleased with the result it was good - why do the aged [of her era] be so obsessed with getting a good tick on their results cause as soon as we said she got a good tick she was much happier.

Well I couldn't pop in without a photo ... this was taken at Ban Ban Springs on the way home from visiting our eldest daughter - it is only the second time I remember seeing mistletoe in flower. I don't really know why they call it mistletoe but it is one of those plants that only grows by attaching themselves to another tree - in this case a lovely old gum - they don't kill their host but grow quite happily with it. This is what I found about it "Mistletoes are aerial parasitic plants that use other plants to obtain their water and mineral nutrients" The flowers look very colourful.

Thankful ... for the beauty of nature

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Look what I found in my front garden the other week - note how it has ridges in its dome top ...

amazing it was white the first couple of days then I came out one morning & I thought the neighbour-hood dogs had ... well you know did ... on it but it wasn't them - sorry dogs but please leave the rest of my garden alone I'm sick of your holes.

Anyway back to the toadstool [as one Grandson was to point out - I called it a mushroom] It looked like it had had hot chocolate poured over it but then white started to show through - a bit like mildew ...

After about five days it collapsed on itself. When DH mowed over it it was just like a piece of foam ... what a strange thing to grown in our lawn ... we have had some strange mushrooms/toadstools over time but never quite like this one...

Thankful... for the wonders of nature in every day...

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My OWOH winner Katina has contacted me - she lives in Texas so my little art quilt will be on it's way today, sorry tomorrow, as I forgot to get the envelope to post it in ... drrr
Been to the Post Office now & I've got it all ready now but won't show Katina's 'Cherish' art quilt until I know Katina has it.

I find it hard to believe that it is third week of Feb already ... my this year is sure moving fast... or am I just moving slower ... lol

Well I haven't been idle and I would like to show you what I made my sister & hubby for Christmas ... If you are a regular reader you will know I forgot [think that might be my middle name - forgetter?] anyway I didn't take photos of the art quilt I made her that I had a calendar attached too - the calendar can be removed or replaced when the year is finished & at this rate of knots that could be next week ... ha ha.

My sister & her hubby enjoy belonging to the Grey Nomad set & are off with the car, caravan & boat nearly every full moon as fishing is the name of the game in their books & man they have so much fun & have meet so many wonder people so to commemorate these good times I made this art quilt with the words 'Adventure B4 Dementia' - a bit cheeky but when you're the baby of the family you can get away with it ... I hope...

Thankful... for the wonderful Fire Fighter, SES & all the wonderful helpers helping the victims of the Victoria fires & the north Queensland floods...

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CONGRATULATIONS.... to my OW-OH winner ...

Katina ... Katina does not have a blog [maybe this event will encourage her to start one!!! ... I sure hope so...]

I've sent Katina a email so hopefully she will get back to me within the week ...

Thank You to all for joining in my giveaway & leaving such encouraging messages/comments ...

I must apologise for being a tad late with my results but been down with a migraine & still not too good, so I'm off now before I'm ...........

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'I got mail'... Yes, yesterday I got a parcel from US, so was quite excited as I have been anxiously waiting for my autographed book to arrive ... OK ... OK ... keep your hats on I'm getting to the book name...
It's the new book by Jane Da'vila & Elin Waterston called .... 'Art Quilts at Play... Ignite Your Inner Artist-Experiment With Surface Design Techniques' ... annnnnd guess what ... it's all I was expecting + more... I'm not a great reader so if a book has lots of 'how-to' photos I am as happy as...& this one does ... Girls you have done a wonderful job, as I knew you would, as I love your other book Art Quilt Workbook - I even got the DvD ... hint hint is this new book coming out in a DvD too?
Now I've checked it over page by page, twice now so, now it's time to 'devour' it page by page [ like read all the print - not just the heaps & heaps of hints].
The girls have a wonderful formula to their books ... they are not over cluttered, they are easy to read, they are easy to understand - yes there is a big difference to reading & understanding what you are reading], they are set-out exceptionally well & like I said before they have heaps of how-to photos ... not a page without... oops found one & it's in the credits but with all the other photos what's one page ... so if you were thinking about buying it - I'd say go for it it is well worth it ... & no I not affiliated, 'as they say', just a happy customer...
Thankful... to people who will put, what they have learned, out there, to share with others ...

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Well I have done it !!! ... I have been through the blogs of the 911 participants in the One World One Heart giveaway event ... my butt is at least 4 inches wider from sitting here for nearly 5 days ... What you say?... Yes that is right nearly 5 days it took 'me' to go through them all ...
Such talented, artistic & giving people out there in blog world. It's hard to believe that with the click of a couple of buttons you can be in someone else's little world - like they say...' it's a small world after all ...'

I think Lisa Swifka has done a wonderful job of organising & setting up the OWOH blog & going through all the participating blogs to check what they are offering ... Lisa our indigenous folks in Australia have this song, I love, that they sing ...'from little things big things grow...' It is so true & I thank you for your 'vision' & all your hard work. Here's hoping you have been able to catch-up on some sleep & can relax & now cruise the blogs at your leisure.

I marvel at the talent of all these bloggers, the ingenuity of those that might not be game enough to give something they themselves made, yet come up with wonderful giveaways & I marvel at the wonderful entries some make of their OWOH giveaway ... either weaving a little story and/or presenting it with lovely photos And the names some bloggers have for their blogs ... well they just blow me away ... and just how many wonderful, encouraging 'saying' are there out in blog world - I found so many new ones, it just amazes me ...

Go On... I know you want to go & have a look too ...

if you would like to venture to OWOH and join in the FUN, please do ... there is still plenty of time to put you name in the hat [comments box]... The GiveAway day is Thurs 12th Feb.

I know I'll be re-visiting a lot of these blogs again after the giveaway day ... I've found more folks that are into what I'm into ... yaaa

I'm off to my Gyrlie shed now to finish off my prize...

Thankful... for the 'giving'... that so many folks do so willingly, freely & happily...