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Well Easter is all over for another year... these school holidays are nearly done here in Qld so by next week all will be back to 'norm'... whatever/wherever 'norm' is these days...

This time next week we will be celebrating our eldest Grandson's 17th birthday... goodness that time has flown - poor fellow has a broken foot at present... not been his best year so far... but I know he is looking forward to his birthday with the gusto of youth.

I was driving over the Gateway this week & I was thrilled to see all these little Morris Minors driving north.

There were tradition coloured ones, wildly painted ones, real Girls ones as well was Boys ones, soft tops, utes & vans... fabulous to see them all, all looking their very best. Apparently they had their 14th Morris Minor National Rally here over Easter & this week is spent having a bit of a touring... Hope you all have a great time, as I noticed several were from Victoria, I was too busy looking at them all to notice the number plates until I ran outta cars... ohhh, how we love our little Morries... it all ends with a private viewing of a great collection of Morries in Toowoomba where the club first began 20 years ago... It was a shame that we never saw anything advertised or shown on the TV about the rally - we do watch the news every night but sadly these 'feel-good' events aren't newsworthy enough for TV news.

Did you notice this... umm must tell you about my new/re-newed adventure in craft... No, I never stop finding something else to do... just ask my hubby...

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Here it is nearly in the middle of our Easter w/e... I do hope you are all having a wonderful Easter... celebrating as is appropriate for you... I've packed the eggs & they have been distributed to some of the Grandies with their socks... I often wonder what they will say in years to come ... 'our Grandie used to give us sock & a couple of chocolates each Easter... how boring...' but I know their parents are thankful of the socks & really we don't want them too have too much chocolate when it turns them into little [big] monsters... Now it looks like DH & me will have to finish off the last of the chocolate packets ... ummm... hope it won't turn us into monsters... ha ha
We have spent some time with family already... there will be more to come next week - all being well... I have a movie or too picked out already...

I've been doing a lot of blog surfing of late... I mean a real 'lot' in the last few months... seem to be in some sortta slump... I'm not really sad, just can't seem to get my lard a___ outta the chair & go make art or any kind, although I seem to have lots of ideas but actually accomplishing... well there seems to be an imaginary mountain to climb before I can start...

I know we all have these times - times of no mojo [but I have the ideas, so I don't really think it's that one] more like that Inner Critic saying 'you think you are 'that' good you can make 'that''... Yes I think it's more that Inner Critic that's inside my head- lately he seems to have taken over my whole being. I've noticed a lot of other bloggers seem to be going through the same dilemma of late... it got me thinking today - why today? you may ask... well, I woke after a reasonable sleep-in, feeling all refreshed & ready to face the world with more ideas but a way to accomplish my ideas as well, a way that pleased me & a way I know will work for me...

Like I was saying, I wonder why so many of us have these dilemmas at this present mo... could it be the lead-up to Easter - I mean the true Easter not the Easter Egg kind... death, rebirth - the birth of new critters... is it the death of our old ideas/work, that feeling of same old same old, wanting our Inner Critic to end his hold, the rebirth of new ideas & the means of making these new ideas into reality... to me, it seems to all fit... maybe I've been married to a Vietnam vet for too long... anticipating his down times & keeping him on an even keel...

No matter how it happens so long as we all get ourselves back on track... doing what feels right for us... End the reign of our Inner Critic...

Enjoy the rest of your Easter & Stay Safe...

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Remember back In February we Celebrated OWOH organised by the lovely ever patient Lisa... My little giveaway quiltie was won by Katina over in USA ... what I did was take a photo of me getting it ready to post ....[well DH did]

And when it got to the other side of the world Katina got a photo taken of her receiving it ...

I love to see who receives my little quilties... Congratulations Katina...

Thought I would show you some more photos of the Grandies last visit ... I got a bit sunburnt on my arms [I did put suncream on, too] not to mention just inside of my shirt down my neck ... naughty, naughty I forgot there - you have to be so vigilant ... well my arms are only just peeling this week & that was nearly 3 weeks ago. We did have a great time in D's boat & a fab BBQ after with Birthday cake... yum.

Here is B after he washed & lost his big worm, he found a very large & fat skink lizard on the boat ramp ... but it wasn't too happy about being caught by little boys so was a bit bitey, so it soon got let go ... don't you love the extra hat ... just in case... Boys being boys - letting off steam - looks like half a dozen boys there with all those legs but, there's on 3... ha ha ... wonder why the magifining glass is there too???

I found a lovely bright & ever so colourful blog this last week & I'm so enjoying reading all 'Lucy's' going's on [not a different Lucy to my Lucy... OK ... clear as mud?]. She writes so well just like you are there having a conversation with her in her front garden BUT this Lucy has something to answer for ... she does the most beautiful bright & cheery crochet... but I won't go into that today ... I'd better go off & make DH some tea ...

Thankful for the World Postal System & little boys & their games ...

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Well I'm over it ... I've been feeling rather sad, forlorn & just plain 'Old'... but there is nothing I can do about it so I'm moving on with life...

What am I over??? ... over having our beautiful eldest child turned 40, yes 40, I'll say it again 40 ... now I'm over it ... think she is a bit too ... lol

The time has gone far to quickly since she was this gorgeous little baby ... but she has grown into a beautiful woman that we are so proud of, with two wonderful sons that we so love. While looking for this photo I found so many more & have spent several days going through them all & re-living wonderful memories, even DH enjoyed the trip back in time. After doing this post I have to go back into the spare room & put everything back in the cupboard ... never mind it was fun.

It's amazing how many photos I have of those times but also how many photos I have that I really don't need anymore so many double-ups - I think I should add it to my 'to do list' & that's to spend a week going through these photos & deciding what stays & what goes ... scanning is always a great option as so many have gone such dreadful colours ... When we shifted here I brought 4 large plastic boxes full of photos & photo albums - they were the one thing I didn't want to loose ... our poor southern- state fire victims & our northern-flood victims lost it all - but they still have the memories within themselves but I'm sure as time goes on they will have such moments of sadness for these past-memories lost, no matter how 'blessed' they feel to have themselves & loved ones saved, it will still be a fleeting sadness.

Not much action has been happening in the Gyrlie Shed this week but I did manage to make a couple of dozen PostCards for my PostCrossing so that should see me through for a couple of weeks. I had a great day at the CraftFest yesterday with my friend L & we even entered the Apron Challenge - what fun that was ... apparently we will be in the photo gallery of CraftFest next week.

Thankful for having ways of keeping our memories in visual ways...

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We have been having a rather busy time of late; sad week last week when DH lost his B-I-L but on the other side of the coin it was wonderful to see all the family again ... why is it always that way but I'm sure Karl would have loved the family all being together again.
I had my eldest daughter visit with the boys so we had a great w/e, as we haven't had her visit us in over 18mths. Our youngest with her family came over on Sat & her DH brought over his new boat so we got to go for a ride down our river. We've been here 6 years now & I've always wondered what was down along the banks so it was great to have a looksee. When we got back our youngest Grandie was a little bit disappointed that his big worm he found had got away when he went to give it a wash in the river ...
All kids love dirt & worms ... Thanks D. for the great boat ride...

Thankful for our great family ...

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When we went to our Grandies birthday the other day before we left for home we drove down to the waterfront near where we used to live & had coffee over looking the jetty ... what a lovely end to a wonderful day ...

I've been having a go at painting faces on fabric in the last while ... it has been fun & another steep learning curve as I have never been able to draw faces let along paint faces before so I was quite pleased with my effort - they are not fantastic but I think they show some character. These faces are for some dolls I'm working on at present.

This week the last of my gifts I was so fortunate to have won on One World One Heart arrived ... see my lovely collection of gifts. Lisa was our wonderful hardworking host - Thank you Lisa for another yearly event of such great fun. The pendant fish-watch is from Imelda at Meldy's Blog, thanks Imelda, then the ceramic pendant beads from Gaea at Gaea's Ceramic Studio Blog, thanks Gaea they are all so lovely & last but certainly not least was the lovely bookmark from Sandra at Thistle Cove Farm - don't you just love that name ... thanks Sandra... Next time I will try & remember to show you the little quiltie I made for my winner, Katina - I know that Katina was very pleased to received it.

Thankful for the spirit of giving in our world

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Well the first week of March is all but over - no I'm not going to say 'where did it go...' cause I know you are saying/thinking it too ... lol

I finished another little 10 x 12" art quiltie for my M-I-L but we haven't been to see her yet for me to give it too her, so I hope she likes it.

This time I didn't make the butterfly 3D but it still looks lovely, I think. I've been teaching myself to stitch with two threads in the top needle on the sewing machine - once I read the destructions it worked fine - not a great one to read them instructions until 'all else fails' ... ha ha

Last w/e one of our Grandies had her birthday & had a birthday party - long time since I've been to a kids birthday party but we all had fun. I made her one of the triangle purse that I gave our other Granddaughter.

I just love the bright colours you can buy fabric & zips in these days. Remember the pattern is from Living Creatively projects...

Thankful... for wonderful days spent with loved ones...

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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...

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ONLY SIX HOURS TO GO ... time now 12 midday... WINNER... Katina ... Thank You All
My One World - One Heart Giveaway...
I'm playing yaaaa ... this is approx. 10" x 12" (A4 ) fabric collage/art quiltie ... I have some problems defining the difference ...

The one I have for my giveaway will be very similar to this one - same flowers & same coloured butterfly ... binding maybe a different colour & the word will be 'Cherish' ... I'm still working on it & once it is finished I will swap the photos over for you.
It has a hanging pocket on the back ... I will include a rod to hang it as well.
Anyone can join in the fun but please make sure you leave me an email addy or some way of my contacting you if you don't have a blog yourself.
I'll be using OW-OH's recommended random counter to pick the winner on the 12 Feb 09 so go for it folks...
Thank you Lisa for this wonderful giveaway idea - I had heaps of fun at OW-OH last year & meet heaps of wonderful giving folks & know I will again this year ...
Lisa CONGRATULATIONS on such an successful International Blogging Event - one of the highlites of my year...
Everybody out there I hope you are having a FUN time too ...
Thankful... for such wonderful people who are so willing to give of their own personal time for the pleasure of others...

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Home again after a lovely 6 days away - which included the Australia Day long w/e - visiting our eldest daughter & taking her boys home... We had a wonderful time with all the Grandies over the school holidays but they are all back at school again now... much to the relief of their mothers... ha ha.

We are attempting to come back to the normal route of life ourselves as it has been rather full on ... Gilly gets groomed today - she is so in need of it especially with all this hot weather we are having ... Hot Humid & Horrible ... but at least we are getting rain here & there & some good rain at that ...

Here is TC taking Gilly for a walk in the park while she was here with us all. All the kids loved to go to the park each arvo ...walking or riding their bikes...

In between all the comings & goings of kids I did get to do a bit of sewing/fabric collage so will have a bit of a reveal in the next while ... so keep tuned

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Gosh it's been two weeks since I've been on here , sorry if you have popped on by & seen nothing new...

but I've been called into Grandie duties ... one sick daughter, two Grandies, one visiting Grandie & now the Boy Grandies who's Mum is in need of a well deserved break - from each other ... ha ha - don't we all know that feeling ...

Sick Daughter well again so has gone home with her two, O/S Grandie has gone home too - all a bit sad as it is so quite for the Boys but we are having a couple of quite days - so I can recuperate if nothing else ... ha ha

Here is how the younger ones cooled down the other day - the bigger ones can't fit into the pot sadly but they can run faster & load their bottles quicker ... ha ha

Nothing beats a good old fashioned water fight ...

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Well I have mentioned the One World One Heart event a couple of days ago but thought it needed a post all of it's own, especially now that I have the logo to go with it.

Please do consider joining in the FUN of One World One Heart - a wonderful world-wide giveaway.

It starts on the Mon 19 Jan & finishes with the giveaways on Thurs 12 Feb so that gives you 24 days to go check-out others blogs. Soooo what happens you ask??? ... well if you click on the logo [in the side bar] you will be able to read all about it but just to give you a bit of a teaser...

If you want to be a player you have to the 19 Jan to make something to giveaway [I joined after it had started last year so, no worries if you are a bit like me & wanted to see what sortta things were being given away...]

Then you just go visit all the blogs to see what lovely item or items are being offered as a giveaway Plus you can have a little LookSee at what sort of things interest or are made by each blogger ... it's like going to a big party and doing some networking in other words meeting other like-minded folks & like at all these sorts of functions you get to meet folks that you get along with/admire forming a blog friendship... I meet some wonderful blog folks at last years event ... shhh ... don't tell anyone but most of the time I went in my PJ's.

There will be a list of blogs on the site to go through & leave a comment if you would like to be in their giveaway - each day more blogs will be added as Lisa, the leader is able to get through the list at her end. No worries once you have visited a blog it will show a different colour so you know which blogs you have looked at. Now, no laughing, as this gets serious when you have a couple of hundred blogs to visit, YES, there were something like 300+ last year so I'm thinking Lisa will get near the 500 or more this year as the word gets around all the bloggers.

I've started making my giveaway already, I'm so looking forward to it so come on along & join in the fun...

Thankful ... for the wonderful blog world of so many givers

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Seem like forever now I have been busy drawing out - from cardboard templates/stencils I've made. Cutting out little flowers etc, using every skerrick of fabric I start to use - those pieces that still have some fusing on them. I know a lot of you draw & cut the image out first on the fusing then iron it to the fabric but I just seem to do it the other way around - that's me always have to be a bit different ... wait a minute I only just read the other day that is one of the things that make an artist ... doing things different or back-2-front...

My flowers looked a bit lop-sided [as I said in the post before] so I decided to use my punches as templates - I must get a bit fussy I think as I like them to look 'right' although not everything in nature is perfect in shape, I know, not that 'mine' are perfect but I think I do 'over' try... ya know what I mean ... I think my girlfriend says I'm being a bit pedantic!!!

Sooo what do I say of my DH when he asks me... 'couldn't really do 'something' with these bits?' ... oooooh cheeky Buggar ... just because it was his birthday ...

Doesn't my inside garden have lovely colour ... in flowers & in circles ... love colour...

I must have enough for 10 Art Quilts I think ...

I knew those Ferrero Rocher boxes would come in handy & with Christmas just gone a new supply ... ohhh the thrill of it all ...

Thankful ... for finding the simple pleasures in my life ...