Chook Shed Challenge #1 July.

 My Chookshed challenge is complete.

I had a DOH! moment when I cut the front panel upside down!

I was able to pop in some off cuts from the base and handle fabric.

Phew!

You can't see it in these images but like many of the others I quilted the side and back panels so that it has a bit of body and sits up nicely.

Very happy with my Scrub Stitchin' bag.

Thank you Chooky for including it in our packs.

Now I'm off to add a Loulee label to it.

Poof! Another week gone.

 So in no particular order...

Today I helped my soon to be Daughter in Law Lee to complete her first ever patchwork project.

You know she was having a go at EPP and had selected some of my fabrics to have a play. She even had a go at fussy cutting, then with the briefest of how tos.... Off she went and glue basted and sewed.

Then after an even briefer how to, she got on and hand quilted her completed top!

Today I guided her through having a tidy up around the edges, cutting and hemming two pieces for the cushion cover back, her first time using a sewing machine ever, then we used my overlocker to sew the back pieces to the front.

She is rightfully incredibly proud of her achievement. So Many firsts.

I think my son Joe is quiet proud of her too.

I caught him admiring her work and giving it a squeeze.

So what's next?

She thinks she might like to have a go a wool applique!

GULP!

I've never tried, so we borrowed a book from our club library while we were there yesterday and asked around about where to get some not too expensive wool packs near home, so that Lee can feel the fabrics she will be working with. Even newbies like to fondle fabrics. LOL

I've suggested that her first wool project could be a hussif.

That led to a lot of googling, she had never heard of a hussif before or even a housewife.

But if she is going to continue with needle crafts she will need one, my spare pin cushion and an old choccy tin is fine for now, but as she grows so must her tool kit.

So, on Thursday we are both off work and we'll be taking a bit of a road trip up to Annie's Country craft store. I've blogged about Annie's before. Lee says she has looked as she has driven passed, and wondered what is inside. In a few days she will find out. 

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Well that was Lee's week, what about mine?

Yesterday at club I sat on one of the couches rather than at a table and pushed on with my Spots and Stripes EPP. I've decided that it is big enough and it is time to begin filling in the spaces around the edges.

Not a great shot, but you can just see the dark pink with red spots filling in along the left side of this image. I'll do better next time I promise.

Also reaching a milestone is the A blocks for my Windswept paper foundation pieced quilt.

They are all made.

Tomorrow before work I'll be making some B blocks.

Yippie!

Progress is also being made on my latest scrappy crochet project. My pile of granny squares is slowly growing.

I was also able to get in a few hours on my Christmas Cross stitch ornament this week too.

It's not finished but hopefully by the end of the month.....

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Two weeks ago when we celebrated Miss Charmaine's 8th Birthday I gifted her a Frozen activity box. It had a great where's Olaf? book and a 200 piece jigsaw puzzle. She was very daunted by such a large puzzle but with some guidance and encouragement and also a little help she was able to get all of the sides sorted and completed and she even had about half of the inner pieces done before it was time to go home. I promised to look after the puzzle until she could visit again. I kept it safe and somehow managed to not put any more pieces in. Today Charmaine ran to it as soon as she arrived, but as I was busy preparing lunch then helping her mum, her attention did not last long and she wandered off to play with the building blocks.

After lunch we sat together and with some more encouragement she got on with the job of completing her puzzle.

Just look at that face.

Another very proud young lady.

It wasn't an easy puzzle to complete and I think she did incredibly well. 

After completing that big puzzle with all those small pieces she made easy work of her 35 piece mermaid puzzle. LOL

I might have to find some more puzzles for her.

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And that was my week.

I wonder if Chooky is still on zoom?

She was there this morning, I was glue basting some batik scraps given to me by my pal at club yesterday.

A Beautiful Box of Goodies.

 You know I like to keep an eye on the local trading pages on Facebook. I often see great deals and giveaways but miss out because I see them too late.
The other day I got lucky. The lady was giving away a box full of 'Crafting Bits'. When I asked what she said some calico, some hessian and some trims.

Yes please said I.

Look at the lovely box, it's so full the lid won't close.

Under the lid.

There were some pretty broderie trims.

More trims and bias tape.

Look at these pretty roses.

Sadly it's only a small piece.

Next out was two big pieces of calico and another mystery fabric.

A good size piece of polyester batting.

And also some iron on pellon.

Some stabiliser for backing stitchery and embroidery pieces.

And finally in the bottom of the box about 2 meters of hessian!

I hadn't realised there was quite that much. I have a plan for a small amount of it.

More about that when/if we use it for the wedding table dressings.

And just look at the box.

Isn't it beautiful?

Not just on the outside, the inside is pretty too.

The lady told me she had a few Trelise Cooper boxes, they like to use pretty boxes when they mail out your purchases.

All the goodies have been put away and the beautiful box has become a project box.

It's right at home with all of my other lovely boxes.

Yes, I have done some sewing and some crochet, I'll tell you about that another day.

I also have some great recipes to share.

Remember that squirrel?

It's now a completed top. 

It looks much prettier in real life.

We are having dark winter days here and getting good photos is not easy.

So anyway about this quilt top.

It was a 20 piece layer cake that I found in spotlight, the outer green border was on the shelf right next to it. The red border came from my stash.

No cutting or fancy blocks required, I just put the squares together after a quick shuffle on the design floor, consulted with my pals Chooky and Janice on the borders and Voila!

This pretty will be going to an ex colleague who will be having her first baby very soon.

So I need to find backing fabric and get it on to the frame. 

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In other news I have made a start on my Scrub Stitchin' bag. Yesterday before going in to work an extra shift I completed all of the applique and stitching on the front. Hopefully today I can make more progress.

I'm also progressing nicely on my latest scrappy crochet project.

And that is all of my news.  

Now I'm off to find a new recipe.

Something sweet. For me. 

New Recipe....

 It's a carnivore recipe but very tasty.

Last night we were invited to a friends place for a pot luck tea.  Our friend knows that Tony is on his carnivore diet and was happy for us to bring along something for him to eat but also let everyone else have a taste.
We opted for the Carnivore Bacon Cheeseburger Pie.
This is not my photo, we forgot to get images and the small amount that came home with us may taste good but it no longer looks pretty. LOL
So I took an image from the website where I found the recipe. 

This was a very tasty dish and something that we would both do again. Our hostess and the other guests all had a taste and I saw people going back for a little more. By omitting the sprinkle of chopped chives or parsley this one is a strict Carnivore meal.

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Charmaine's birthday lunch today.

Roast chicken, boiled potatoes and veg with yummy gravy, followed by Chocolate Birthday Cake (I cheated and bought one) and ice cream.

Grandad gets dry chicken. LOL

Progress....And another squirrel.

After setting off with a hiss and a roar on the first day of the month, I have slowed down a lot!

I've managed to have a look at my Friendship bag pattern and even pulled out vliesofix paper ready to trace the applique elements. But that is as far as that got.

While I was hunting for the pattern I found a wee layer cake and a squirrel was born....

More about that soon.

I did complete the crochet ripple blanket, and have even taken it to work.

It's not the prettiest but it will keep someone warm.

I've since begun another scrappy crochet project.

So that will satisfy the 'work on a scrappy project' goal for the month and also keep up my 15 mins of hand work per day.

Now, about that squirrel....

After writing the last blog post on Tuesday I went in to my room to have a play and wait for the rest of the world to wake up and get moving. I pulled out a 20 slice layer cake that I had purchased from Spotlight earlier this year. I got busy sewing it together. Nothing fancy I simply laid out the fabric pieces in a 4x5 layout and started sewing. Then following consultation with Chooky we agreed on this red for the inner border, but I wasn't sold on the grey the Chooky liked so I went off out to do my chores in town.

Once I got home Janice and I had a good catch up chat and a consultation, we agreed that the green fabric should be the outer border.

And that is as far as that particular project has gotten. It's still lying on the floor of my room awaiting my attention.

I've made a few more of my Windswept blocks, it's exciting to see the little pile of four patches that make the centers of the blocks growing smaller and smaller. 

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On a very exciting note we have booked our flights to Sydney for next years Scrub Stitchin' retreat. 

YIPPIE!

Now I'll need to work out my make it or fake it gift and figure out when to make it.

Plenty of time for that I hope. 

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Time to go and put a pot luck meal together, we're off out for tea at a friends place. 

New month, new challenge, same old goals.

And sew we are now in July!

Time for a new Chookshed challenge. This month Deanna has drawn number one.

For me that means I must make a start on and hopefully complete the beautiful friendship bag we were gifted at Scrub Stitchin' last year.  Yes I know many of the ladies ensured that they were all working on this at the same time. Not me.

I pulled the kit out of it's hiding place yesterday but didn't get to do any more than that as I had an extra shift at work. Today hopefully I will be able to at least have a read of the instructions and maybe even make a start.

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While we are here, let's take a look at my other goals for this month.

Yesterday morning while I was waiting for Deanna to draw out this months number I got myself busy and have already completed my two RSC Kiwi for this month.

Aqua.

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I still have that unfinished Christmas ornament to cross stitch.

Maybe this month......?

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I plan to continue with my early morning sewing and making Windswept blocks before work.

I also hope to continue with my 15 minutes of hand work each day. That could be working on the Friendship bag, my cross stitch or my crochet.

If I really am pushed for time or too tired to think it will probably end up being my crochet.

My crochet will also fit in to the work on a scrappy project goal as I am using up all manner of bits and pieces in this one.

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And my final goal.

Try a new recipe.

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So there you have it my goals for the month of July.

Now I'm off to complete some chores, then I'll play in my room while I wait for the shops to open. I need to go find a birthday gift for Miss Charmaine, who will be 8 on Friday. 

The June Roundup.

Here we are at the end of another month. The end of June!  The year is half way done.

We here in the Southern hemisphere have passed the shortest day, so now the long slow climb back to summer begins. but first we must endure Winter. Brr, we had a good frost this morning. 

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So what did I achieve in June? 

Once again I surprised myself and I am delighted with my accomplishments.

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1) The Chookshed challenge.

This month was number 10 which for me meant I must make progress on my Papaver Pizazz project.

I'm happy to say that this project made great progress.

 

And a squirrel was born. 

It got stuck though.

Next up is my RSC Kiwi blocks.

They were quite late in the month, but they are done. 

Next on my list is to Cross stitch a Christmas ornament.

I have yet to complete Aprils ornament.

It wasn't completed in May, though it did progress.

No progress was made in June.

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I'm also to make 15 minutes progress on something every day.

This I did do.

Each morning before work I have worked on my Windswept blocks.

The pile is nearly complete.

The block A pile that is, there are still blocks B and C to do.

I have also been doing a lot of crochet.

This is also being counted as my scrappy project at the moment as I am using up all manner of bits and pieces and leftovers.

My place mats also count as scrappy projects.

They were fun and bright to make. 

My final monthly goal is to try a new recipe.

I have a new book, so lots of new recipes have made it on to my wants to try list.

This book is a keto recipe book. Which we are told will be good for Tony to transition to when he comes off his carnivore diet. I am soooo looking forward to that day.

In preparation I have already begun to transition to a keto diet and have been trying out a few different things. Cutting out the carb rich foods has not been an issue, sugar was a challenge though!

I've been using stevia. The first time I try something using it there is a mental adjustment to make, but I soon get used to it.

So new recipes....

This first one is chocolate bark.

And an amazing, dense chewy chocolate brownie.

Which is amazing after I zap it in the microwave for a few seconds and serve with cream.

So that is my goals dealt with, what else have I done?

I had a sewing day with my pal Debbie and made progress on my spots and stripes EPP project.

And at work I made a paper doll.

A second doll is in progress.

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And that was the month of June. 

I'm off to see what July will be about?

Midweek Musings...

My paper doll is completed. There are one or two things I would try doing differently but overall I'm happy with her.

The residents craft group and many of my colleagues have stopped to admire her and a few of the resident ladies have expressed a wish to make their own. 

I'm sure she has a name, but she didn't tell me what it is yet.

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More windswept blocks have been made. I have only a few more of block A to complete.

Then it's on to blocks B and C.

I'm very happy that I opted to make this my before work project. Most work days I manage to complete a block before I leave the house at 06.45.

A lovely way to begin the day.

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Today I had to catch up on chores before I could play.

Once I got in to my room I pulled out one of my drawers of blue scraps and made up my RSC Kiwi blocks.

Very happy with these lil' chaps.

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I was supposed to be cross stitching this afternoon, but ended up doing crochet instead.

If I'm going to complete an ornament this month I really do need to apply myself. 

That said, my crochet is coming along nicely. LOL

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DD in law Lee was here with the children at the weekend, she had finished sewing her hexagons together and wanted direction on what to do next.

We pulled papers then I found an off cut of batting and a backing fabric, then I left her pinning while I went to see to lunch and spend time with the little people.

After lunch I sorted out the tools for hand quilting.

I gave her a very quick lesson before they all climbed in to the car and waved goodbye.

For someone who has never done this before, and got the briefest of explanations about how to go about it from me, who has also never done big stitch hand quilting before, I think she is doing an excellent job.

Next time she visits I think we will be turning her quilted piece into a cushion cover.

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That's my news update.

Two more days off, I still have some chores to complete, but plenty of play time too.

Hmm.....

What to do?