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Myy I sure have been AWL of late ... I've been fine just told myself I would not blog until I got a swap I'm in done ... it seems to have taken me months to do but I think all it was was I got a bit disheartened along the way but never mind they are done & in the mail so they should be arriving as their new neighbourhoods this week & O/S in a week or too...
So here is what I've been doing creatively ... In This House swap...
1st select material & make patterns for the cutting out of...
2nd Cut out material & do the fusing to felt[batting]& fuse backing material to visofix/vilene
3rd start the fun stuff ... sewing then embellishing...
4th sew the back & front together & finish the embellishing ...
This House is my House or Home ... inside the door it says 'a House is not a Home without Love at the Heart'

The second one is 'My Castle' ... behind the 'welcome' drawbridge it says 'My Home is My Castle'
My Castle is a bit of a tongue in cheek go at that fabulous 1997 Australian movie "The Castle" ... starring greats like Michael Caton, Anne Tenney, Stephen Curry, Sophie Lee, Anthony Simcoe, Eric Bana & Bud Tingwell. We have several friends that liken DH & me to the Kerrigan's in The Castle. A great movie to get out when you are wanting a good Aussie laugh.

AWOL...?

Yep I'm here ... not really been Absent WithOut Leave - well maybe mentally ...lol but that's a whole different thing.
Well the weather is really cool here at present ... Ekka[show]time so the winds [Westerlies] will be up by the end of the week I guess & that will make it even colder. Last year there was sooo much sickness around that the authorities were advising folks to stay home but I believe it has been a great Ekka this year with lots of people going & the weather is perfect for a good day out as the sun is warm but not burning like summer. Tomorrow is Ekka Day or Show Day & is a public holiday so it will be packed. Am I going? 'No' it's only about a 5 year thing for me & 5 years aren't up yet ... ha ha
Well it seems like months ago that I went for my long w/e with Luc ... we had a great time & I got a few things done & we looked at DvD's I've been collecting. I've been involved with a Skinny Book swap & seem to be taking wayyyy tooo long to get my pages done but I'm nearing the end now.
I've been using this project to learn how to do free motion sewing ... steep learning curve ... I did start this project just before I went to Luc's & worked on it there as well. Here is a teaser as I can't show them all until at least half of the folks have received them...the theme is Angelic. At least you know I have been doing something...
Ohhh did I tell you we went to see Mamma Mia... was so good we actually have been twice now such a great 'feel good' show so if you get a chance to see it do ... I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I think Meryl & the gang did a great job of singing although they are far from singers but it gave you that feeling that it's quite OK to go around singing so long as it makes 'you' feel good. It amazed me how clever the writers were to be able to weave a story around the songs that had/have been hits just sooo long ago ... real talent I believe.
Here are the some of the DvD's we watched & got some great inspiration from ...Now we will have to schedule time in to have a go at some of the wonderful projects. Seems you can use anything to make art these days making it a challenge to find 'stuff'. I often wonder if we enjoy the making of the art more or the hunting for 'stuff'?
In the last few weeks I received a great parcel from Barbara in Germany[Thank You Barbara] & this is part of a little something I'm sending her ... I know another teaser ... All for now, Take care & Keep Smilin'... B

Grandies back at school..

I've been having a lovely time having Grandies visit plus me visit others but they are all back at school now - much to their mother's relief... I got to take these ones to see Water Horse - I loved it too ... as we were walking out of the theatre I found this prop so just had to use it... We went & spent time with the boy Grandies and they wanted to see Alvin & the Chipmonks - gosh the film people are so clever these days as it all looks so real - great movie too ... boys thought it was great and were having a giggle on the way home. Gosh boys I think TJ is getting a bit big to be driving your remote control 4WD around now ... While we were there it was Australia Day so we all went to Mingo Crossing just outta town for a presentation & bush BBQ brunch [combo of breakfast & lunch]. It was lovely to see local folks being recoginised for their voluntary contributations to their town, from doing genealogy of the old townsfolks to the young folks being SES workers since they were little folks - I think this is something I miss about living in the big smoke that personal connection with the locals - you can tell I'm a country girl at heart. The BBQ was put on by the council and the SES guys brought the community canoes out and supervisied the kids having a paddle in the river - which actually had water in it from all the rain we have had of late so that was a big bonus as some of the little guys have never seen that much water in the river. So the older folk didn't miss out on the day, they were collected in the community bus ... you can see why I love country. Some say that living in a small community like that is stifling as everyone knows everyone elses business and maybe they do but is that being nosey or showing you care ... like most things/events in life there is always two ways of looking at them ... right? I like to think it's the touchy feely caring situation...
Our Grandie in NZ started school this morning and she had a birthday yesterday and her's her card I made. I know I will not get an award for my photography but you can still see what the colours were. Our proxy Grandie had her birthday while we were away and I made her a card simular. I was thinking they could cut the front off their card and use it for the front of a book or their diary. I've got a busy beginning of the week so had better get my skates on and get myself organised.