State of things here .............

Daisyson20 - is in hospital, he had a cat scan last night and may need an operation to clear his very infected sinuses - he went in yesterday - truly the day from hell........had to leave the lunch I organised for the new prep parents for next year early, got him to hospital, arranged for someone to collect daisyboy7 from bus, take him home and then take him to school concert, where daisydad met him with orange shirt that I had to buy yesterday (Year 2 had to wear orange - tried to buy an orange shirt this summer??????????????) Daisyson21 came home early to be here for daisygirl and dasiyson12 to get off bus, left them and went and did stuff he had to do because he picks up his new car today. Called and organised for someone to collect daisyson12 and take him to the year 7 mass and farewell supper. met with doctor at 6.35pm did I mention daisyboy4 is with me ? we arrived at the hospital at 2.30 and he was PERFECT not good, not quiet just absolutely PERFECT!! talked to doctor got daisyboy20 settled put daisyboy4 in car drove to college - rang daisyboy20s father and tell him what is going on on the way - met daisyson21 who took daisyboy4 and car seat on the rest of his errands with him - where is daisygirl????? - she is home on her own apparently washing up - arrive at mass only 5 minutes late get to stand outside - yay at least it is cool, do the supper thing remember I haven't phoned daisyson17 to tell him his brother is in hospital do that he has enough of schoolies and is ready to come home oh and he is out of money - note to self put money in his account tommorow on the way to dropping off patterns, before I pick up daisygirl and her friends oh wait can't do that going straight to hospital, note to self message daisygirls friends and make sure they have an alternative way of getting home, remember client who didn't show up this morning is coming tomorrow at 8am note to self get friend to collect daisyboy7 for school in the morning - oh pack patterns to deliver to quilt shop! On the way home stop and get groceries daisyboy12 is off to Wetn Wild tomorrow buy ham etc for good lunch, finally get home daisyboy4 passed out on the couch, daisyboy7 wants to show me the orange shirt fits and the flashing hats I ordered three weeks ago have arrived for the concert so everyone has a flashing santa hat on - make sandwich pour wine, daisydad in bad mood loads of work coming in (boo bloody hoo)

daisymum

The Stitching Cow has a Giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!

Click here to discover more details about this beautiful quilt

Lenna from over at The Stitching Cow has a giveaway happening. You may have seen this quilt advertised in the latest quilting magazines. It is called "Cottages in Common".

This quilt has loads of hand stitching on it and is going to be my 2009 project (once all the ones I talked about in my last post are done or well on their way to being done). She runs it as a Block of the Month and has a tutorial that she sends via email with tips and tricks and demonstrations for those tricky bits.

So she is giving away one of those tutorials (which includes the pattern) emailed to you once a month - and all you have to do is post the picture of the quilt and the embedded link to your blog to get the word out and about.

I am so looking forward to doing this one but I put off buying it until some of the my other projects were looking closer to being finished and I could save for it. Now I have the chance to win the BOM how cool would that be???? I had to share this chance with all of you - good luck!!

daisymum

Progress Report....

I was finishing these off yesterday afternoon at my machine and I realised that things were getting way out of control I needed to clean....so I began.....it is still a bit untidy but at least I have all the fabric that needs to be folded and put back in one place, all the pieces for the quilts I have to quilt and bind in one place, all the BOMs in one place and all my business paperwork in one place. So another hour or so and it will be done.

Cleaning gives you the chance to sort and throw and collect your thoughts I always find so I have finally started my secret santa gift for the my patchworking group.....well it is cut out and I found the coat hangers so I am way ahead of where I was yesterday morning (still deciding what to do!!!)

I also came across the list for this year the things I had decided to make -

-a quillow for each child (daisyboy4 has one, daisygirl's needs to be quilted and bound)

- Be Attitudes BOM (only 3 done so far out of 10 - and I still have hand stitching to do on them)

- Journey of a Quilter (block one finished nothing else)

- Angels Story (three blocks finished, two with appliques fused ready to hand sew, and four together with no applique on them yet - I did much better with this one)

- Carolina Crossroads (from Quiltville) the top is finished just needs quilting and binding

- Orange Crush (from quiltville) same top done quilt and bind

- Old Tobacco Roads (from Quiltville) first units together just need to make the blocks.

Other things that got added along the way:

A strip twist quilt for daisyson21 top together just needs borders and quilt and bind.

Shabby Blooms - top together needs borders and quilt and bind

Finished:

A tablecloth I made ages ago quilted and bound

A baby quilt for a friend

Another baby quilt (the pink heart one) for sons friend

Gardeners Journal quilted and bound

and countless tea cosies, lunch packs, tea towels, hand bags, shopping bags for my market stall

Christmas decorations for the kids and one for the family (minus the hand sewing to put the eyes and features on!)

Two table runners for the stall at the quilt show

A quilt for my friends new home (I won first prize at our local show with that one)

Pj pants for the kids (10)

pj pants for me (1)

pants for me (1)

Still to do:

evening pants for me for daisydads christmas party

2 more pairs of pants for me

a dress for daisygirl

and everything unfinished from above..............................

BIG SIGH -

All I want for Christmas is a week in my sewing room uninterrupted!!!!

Listing it out helps put into perspective what I have finished this year and just how productive I have been in this area of my life whilst not ignoring the other parts. Having a tidy sewing room will help me get all this done faster - but I can't guarantee that it won't be just as messy by the end of it!!!LOL

Off to finish the tidy up I have four clients coming this morning to drop off alterations so I need to look like I am organised!!!!!

daisymum

A new addition to the family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is my stove - a bit sad I broke the glass in the door sometime ago and when I got the quote to fix it it was almost the cost of a new stove. So we have lived with it and cooked in the BBQ. Now the piezo ignition has died in three of the burners at the top and the bottom of the oven has a big rust hole in it. (well that was there when we moved here five years ago - the stove hadn't been treated well - or cleaned for that matter)

The other week a friend of mine was saying she was getting a new stove - and she offered me hers - but - I had to get the hinges on the door fixed as the door didn't close properly and there were scorch marks on and around the knobs.

So amidst another horrible storm last week my wonderful daisyson21 went to their place on the way home and pulled out their old stove helped put the new one back in place loaded her up and bought her home.

I couldn't resist playing with it and I flicked a little taggy thing on the hinge and the whole door came off in my hand!!!!!!!!!!!!! So after a big lecture from daisyson21 about leaving things alone until it is daylight and not flicking things until I know what they do...he got the door back on, then we realised the door was bent not the hinges so with a few strategically placed taps with a hammer the door is fixed!!

Here is my new stove all ready for someone to come and connect up....so why isn't it?? well the oven is electric I have never used an electric oven before - I might have to actually pre heat! So anyway now we wait until pay day next week and get the men (one electrician, one gas guy) to hook her up.




How much did I pay for this miracle??? Well nothing really I have to do some ironing at my friends house for a few months and that is it. I love bartering for things it makes so much sense - this stove would have ended up on landfill somewhere I am sure instead of in my kitchen looking fabulous and cooking something for my family every day. I will post a photo when it is installed and clean and with the glass lid on it etc.

I know posting about a stove is strange but it is an integral part of the tools that I need everyday to do the things I do - don't get me started on the washing mahcine - I almost had a nervous breakdown when our last one died - seriously as long as my laundry is clear I can function but two days without a machine around here is like being buried alive.....but I digress.

Gavin from the Greening of Gavin is talking about greening the home today in his Zero Footrpint series - this is an example of how by just paying attention to what people tell you - things can come your way without costing money, just some time and ingenuity and maybe a bit of ironing!!

happy day

daisymum

Okay okay i'm it.....

I am a bit slack picking up awards and things as my time this week is very limited so please don't think I don't appreciate them I just don't have the time to do anything about them yet but I will I promise.

However Cabbage Heart has tagged me to write 6 things I am happy about and then nominate some other to do the same:

so.....

1: I am happy I am married to the greatest guy I have ever met. We started dating at 15 and after a 17 year break we reconnected so I feel very blessed.

2: My children - this week I have one buying a brand new car because he works so hard is so responsible. One who is sick and needs his mum to look after him even though he is grown up. One at schoolies who I pray is doing the right thing but I am confident in the way he was raised so I am sure he will be fine. One who is in her last week of a very very long first year of high school. One who is in his last week of primary school, one looking forward to free dress and mission day tomorrow (cancelled due to storm damage last Monday) and one who decided today that he wants too many things for Christmas so he will let "santa" decide what he should have.

3: I am happy in my work and that my little Saurday job will turn into a three day a week job next year so i can still have my family, my home, garden and some money coming in.

4: I am happy that I have wonderful friends who keep in contact with me and support me no matter what I do and who love me enough to be honest and give me a lecture if they need to - then we can have a laugh and a glass of wine together

5: I am happy I have some time to sew and some time to work and some time to volunteer and that at least for the moment I seem to have all that in balance

6: I am happy blessed and joyful being at home and being a mum, treading lightly on our earth by creating, growing and recycling, repurposing and reusing. Taking pleasure in the little things, the simple things and knowing they are important to me and that really when it is all said and done that is all that counts.

So I tag (when you have time)

mandy from the old Dairy
caroline at the simple things
Tracey from Frugal luxuries


daisymum

Monday - back to the vegetables....

Apart from a few lettuce and tomatoes and herbs planted in between everything else in my cottage type garden I haven't been much of a vegetable gardener.

When I started last year in a proper dedicated vegetable bed I grew lettuce, silverbeet, tomatoes, beans, snow peas, rosellas and eggplant.

One of the eggplant bushes came up again so I left it and this is the result, little eggplant!!!! I posted a photo a few weeks ago about one that looked gorgeous tasted divine but was really really little..well they are all really little. The big yellow things are what they look like if you leave them on the bush in the hope they get bigger...they don't they just go yellow.

So a few questions, is the soil lacking something? (although the leaves look really healthy and it is still flowering)Or does this always happen to two year old plants??

Can I eat the yellow ones or should I give them to the chickens??

Has anyone got a good recipe for marinated eggplant?

daisymum

PS: The little yellow zucchinins would get bigger if I left them but I like them little and crunchy I just blanch them really quickly and toss them through a salad - a bit like asparagus.

Glass half full weekend...

Graduation:

I was awol this morning from blogland because we had to go to daisyson17's graduation mass and parade. Then tonight we are off all dressed up to the graduation dinner.

It is a strange day we are only half way through our boys going to this college three more to go!!we finish in 2021..... and then there is daisygirl and her high school journey she will graduate in four more years.

Daisyson has loved school, at the end of mass we got to walk down to the morning tea through the school grounds with the students and teachers from the school lining the way. So many spoke or called out to him it is a lovely thing to see.

One of the nicest things was his new girlfriend came with us, she is a lovely, lovely girl and I hope she will be around for a long time as they seem to have fun and have a lot in common.

Storms:

On cue this morning the sun came out and we were blessed with a beautiful day.

The SES, army, council and volunteer workers are still plugging away trying to clear as much as they can before the next round of storms comes - sometime tomorrow afternoon they are predicting. Say little prayer for them or if that isn't your thing then offer a wish to the universe to smile kindly on their efforts and their generosity, or perhaps be safe in the knwoledge that kharma will bring them all good fortune for their toil. However you do it - think of them.


Which brings me to another theme for today....Someone I know through one of my children asked me what the cakes in the car were for....so I told her I had cooked some cakes for the SES guys and she looked at me really blankly, and then asked why?

So I answered because they are doing a wonderful job and it is my way of showing appreciation -

then she asked "was your place damaged?"

no

blank look - "then why cook for them?"

So I answered because they were hungry and got in the car and left.

Today at the Mass Fr Jim's sermon was about meeting people who never look outward he said something like "for some reason they have turned in on themselves". Instantly I thought of this person - and there was my answer she was so busy worrying about her new shoes and her daughters new curtains that she never looked outward.

So Glass half full weekend is about looking outwards and upwards and onwards...you don't have to do anything just look outside yourself, and try to find the silver lining every time.

Have a wonderful weekend

daisymum

Blessings from above and Australia Post...

Our Dam is FULL it overflowed sometime early this morning after the third storm went through. We had 80mm last night and about 250 for the month so far. The water now stretches some 27metres length wise and about 19 m in width. So swimming tomorrow on the hot day they predict will be fabulous and so fresh the dam hasn't had a good flush out or about four years.

Yesterday I found this waiting at the Post Office for me!!

It is my diary swap package from Ngaire that "I too am addicted to scrap" organised.

I opened the lid and there were two parcels!!

One wrapped in gorgeous duck egg green paper with a beautiful almost lithographic print of birds and postmarks in red - and big red

ribbon.

The other in pink with flocked black flowers on it - this paper felt great really thick and the flowers were raised and felty.

Inside the pink package was............

a cannister of bath salts in Strawberry and Cream scent - and it smells just like that sounds!!!

And a little notebook that I have decided will be my saying notebook for when I think of a good saying to

add to one of my stitchery patterns and I need somewhere to write it down and keep it safe.

The big package had two more gifts....

My Diary on the right all dressed up in Amy Butler fabric with Ric Rac - I love Ric Rac. I also love the fact that it is week to an opening it is a great size just big enough not to get lost too often in my sewing room and small enough to pop into one of my handbags and take it with me.

The other soft pink folder opened to reveal this little surprise.....

three pockets................

Filled with hand made gift tags and cards and envelopes!!!

I sent Ngaire an email yesterday to thank her for all these wonderful gifts, in it I said "I don't do paper" - I am not a paper person I love the look and feel of hand made cards and I buy them all the time to send for thank yous and birthdays etc. But when it comes to scrapbooking and card making it is not something I have ever gotten into. I adore fabric and how it feels and the possibilities and I have quite enough trouble keeping all the scraps from that in order and using them imagine what I would be like with paper and then there are the cutters, scissors, little beady things etc etc etc...!!!

Ngaire I cannot find words to adequately express my sincere appreciation for this lovely package. I am not sure if you chose these fabrics becasue you liked them or becasue they were what you had on hand or perhaps you had an insight into me but they are absolutely me - they scream me - my favourite colours have always been pink and green and pink and yellow - in all their variations from dirty mustards, olives and raspberrys to lolly pink, mint and lemon and here in this package I have them all.

I am so touched by your generosity and the beautiful work you do - thank you so so much - you made my day!! I will think of you everytime I sit down and juggle my time with my diary and whenever I choose one of your cards to write a message in for a friend.

daisymum

Wednesday cleanup...

Well the last few days have been busy. Daisyson7's school is still closed today but hopefully we will be back tomorrow. It has just rained and rained here all night the dam is filling and filling it should overflow in the storm that is predicted for his afternoon which will be great it needs a good flush out. The world is weird here at the moment the colours aren't the same in this strange rainy light..

The top photo is the dam two weeks ago and the bottom one about two minutes ago......

For an idea of far it has come up look at the base of the gum tree.

A DARK ONE...

Yesterday I went to the launch of the ACRATH Stop Human Trafficking website. This is an interactive resource for everyone to access, and is a SAFE site for teenagers to access appropriate information, it has all kinds of information on slavery and human trafficking - yes even here in Australia. There is a survey they are running to see how much people know about human trafficking so if you have the time click the badge on the sidebar and it will take you there.

This is something I am quite passionate about it ties in with how I bring up my children and how I was bought up. When you value the work that you do and the rewards or payment you get from that work then it is a much easier step to respect that others have the right to reap apporpriate rewards for their work( there is a link from the ACRATH website to one that tells about which companies use "slave" labour to produce their goods). When you instil in your children that you must work for the things you wish to purchase, that it isn't a right or having the money it is easier to explain to them that not everything and therefore not ANYBODY is for sale.

When we bring our children up to have respect for themselves and their families they gain a respect for others and their families. Once the sanctity of the family is established in a child's mind (no matter what form that family takes or how it comes about) the concept of a safe place is firmly entrenched in their hearts from there it is hard to imagine taking someone by force or against their will from their safe place.

This is what I believe and why I do the things I do here in my family.

A GREEN ONE....

Whilst at this launch I got to speak to a man who has just launched a green website - I have only briefly looked at it, but it seems to be a place where we all might find something positive, helpful or insightful for out own green journeys.

It is called http://www.supergreenme.com/ - check it out. I regaled him about all of you and the things you all do , so he may very well visit your blogs as well.

A RAINBOW ONE...........

I was trying to think of something I could do for the people whose homes have been trashed by the storm here on Sunday night. If any of you have been through a cyclone think that kind of damage...the last time I saw damage like this was in 1985 when a huge storm hit Brisbane.

I have taken a cake down to the SES volunteer station and some homemade quiche. And I think I will wait a week or two and then plant some seeds once I get them going I will just drop them off to a street so that they can plant them out I figure it will take six weeks before anyone will be in the postion to do that so it may be too hot I might wait until say February and then take them. Who knows someone who hasn't ever had a vegetable garden before may start one, and for someone who lost one it might be helpful. What do you think???

A BRIGHT ONE.................

By the time the sun comes out in a day or so I will have all the pyjama pants I have started for the kids finished and some more for me and a diary covered for a swap and my secret santa gift finished. So I should have a lot of great photos to show you all of my efforts.

Have a terrific day whereever you are.....and if there are storms predicted make sure you pack away all those loose garden things, have batteries, water and something ready to heat up on BBQ for dinner!!!!!!!!!!

daisymum

First Storm of the Season

Hi everyone

Really quickly we have been without power for almost a day (Yay me Rhonda bet I win the saving power race!!)

We are all okay not any damage here but daisyson7's school closed and am helping with that clean up. Have a constant stream of friends popping in to shower (no power - no water when you are on tank) and to check out the news and grab some dinner.

Dam has gone up by over 2 metres (it is 25m long and 18m wide) still raining here now.

Will try to post some photos later in the week for now pray for all those who weren't as lucky as we were and that the storm predicted for tomorrow is kind and just dumps water, not more hail or wind.

On the up side - I was sitting in the dark on Sudnay night reading my book by candelight and thinking this isn't so bad we may have a few no power Sunday evenings from now on BY CHOICE!! Of course I have no idea how I could sew by candlelight. But having no power menat no washing, ironing, floor washing, so my diary swap is well under way!!! And I have loads of projects cut out.

Take care will post later in the week.

daisymum

Friday - it's AWARD time....

Okay you all know by now that I am a tad computer illiterate (and yes you can be a tad illiterate when it comes to the computer it isn't like being a bit pregnant)... But this week I was awarded by my dear friend Caroline over at The Simple Things the Marie Antoinette Real Person Award.
Now i am not sure why they chose Marie Antoinette as the face of the real person award but it is she and so....


I want to pass this award on to all of you who posted real posts ( with and without photos)

so The Real Person Award goes to

Mandy - The Old Dairy - for "two for the price of one mess"



Cathy - Cathy's Capers - for "Charity begins and gets packed at home"


Tracey - Frugal Luxuries by Tracey McBride - for " confessions of the ramshackle patio with chips"


Caroline - sorry lovely you have to have it again for the - "breakfast dishes and empty beds "


Jacqui Jones - I too am addicted to scrap - for "desktop disasters in scrapping and underwear"



Lisa - The Tin House - for "cleaning up before she takes the photos!!!!!!!!!!!!"



and finally to Granny - My Old Fashioned Texas Living Ways - for "Granny get your gun we are going to clean up that coyote"

So Ladies come on down and collect the award and pass it on to all the real bloggers you know (7 I think)

What a great week.....promise I am not going to challenge any more messy room photos for at least another 6 months or so.

When I posted the verandah photos I couldn't stop thinking about them so hey presto by Friday afternoon last week it was clean and has remained so, Cathy posted her lounge room photos and then told us today she had cleaned it up, Mandy fessed up about the study and showed us and then went in and cleaned it.....and I bet Caroline won't be able to help herself she will get that empty bed planted out this weekend.

So we know where the mess is - we know we need to fix it (or hide it) - we post the photo and it is like once the confession is out there we know we can just stop feeling guilty and get the thing clean. I think it is hysterical that we all posted bits we were ashamed of then fixed them as soon as we did!!!


You guys are great - have a terrific weekend.

love and hugs

daisymum

PS: Just so you know - here is the sewing room AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Given up all hope of it being clean any time in the next three weeks.

FUNNY!!

A dear friend just sent me this and I had to share it. Funny how some people in you life manage to send you the very thing you really need just when you really need it.

smiling again now

daisymum

beginnings and endings

This has been a year of firsts and lasts...........



daisygirls first year in High School



daisyson17s last year of High School



The last enrolment form for Prep



The first time a child of mine has been so upset that we had to go back early and collect him from the Orientation Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am upset for him not being able to enjoy sometime in his classroom for next year, I am mortified that he caused such a ruckus that that shooed him off to the office , I am wondering where I went wrong with this one..................

daisymum

"Tweenies"

A few times over the last week I have come across blogs or comments that say "it must be an age thing."

I think there is some truth in that those of us who are in their 40s are firmly caught between the 50s housewives who were our mothers and the bra burning radical feminists that were our older sisters - we were certainly part of the feminist movement but our part was largely to get stuck in, rise as high as the male dominated corporate ladder would allow us and the bra burning feminists could push us whilst bringing up families and running a household. Bascially we were he workers that made their dreams a reality. The "super mum" generation????

Except here we all are in our 40s surfing blog land and finding delight in the fact that there are so many people out there who want to stop the ride now and just get off!! Maybe some of us have already done that and have been at home I call myself a SAHM( a stay at home mum) but am I?? I have worked part time, all the time, in various things including my own home business every year since I had children , as well as the school committees, charity events, church councils etc etc

Part of the lasting legacy of that is that we still believe that appearances are important. So we work like navvies to make our worlds acceptable - but to whom - our families? mine couldn't care less what the house looked like as evidenced by the fact that they never pick anything up!!! Our friends ?? - how many of them say we didn't come to see the house we came to sit with you.

Is it still so hard for us to admit that we can't do it all? Not when you have a toddler running around putting dirty finger marks on the walls you just spent two hours cleaning( so you best friend could come over and have a coffee with you?).

If our homes aren't perfect will our mothers haunt us about it?? If our minds aren't full of the latest economic figures, policies of the both political parties or the latest trend in educating our girls will our sisters beat down our doors and tell us we are letting the side down??

Is blogland the place where we come for verification, for affirmation, that comfort place where mostly we all agree that what we are doing is vital to the survival of our families, our planet and our sanity?

Or is it the place where we post doctored photos of our world so we can still "keep up appearances". Last week I posted an honesty post of the BLAH spots in our garden - I challlenged you all then to do the same.

This week I issue the challenge again I want to hear about the things you didn't get done (bet there are loads of things related to your happiness and your enjoyment that slipped by the wayside because something else was more "important") I want you to post on your blogs all the BLAH in your life either reality or figuratively - explained or not explained ....

Why because when we all fess up - and we log in tomorrow and everyone is still there laughing with us and telling us they are human too - it enriches all of us, it may encourage some of us to go out and fix that spot - or to cover it with a sheet or mulch and pretend it isn't there.

I am not a SUPER MUM, I am just me getting by with the encouragement, laughter and "blogship"(a bond as deep as friendship becasue it is built on words) of all of you.

Honesty posts before the end of the week including the lurkers...............................please

daisymum

Back to the Garden

It seems like a lot of my posts lately are about cleaning and sewing, maybe that is just the rythm of my life one week for sewing, one week for cleaning, one week for the garden......although I do a little of each every single day!!

Yesterday I planted out a whole bag of potatoes (5kg) that someone had given me - they were all shooting in the pink plastic bag they were bought in from the fruit shop - I have only ever used seed potaotes before so not sure what these will do if anything. But after asking advice from Stewart over at "my veggie garden" we decided that although it may be too late to plant out another crop now I had them, they were free, so I might as well give it a go. If they do happen to crop well we will have HEAPS of potatoes!!

Today I bought some seed raising mix while I was in buying some chook food - so later today I am going to have another go at planting seeds. I read every week about everyone elses success so I figure I can't give up yet. This time I am putting them in the toilet roll tubes and then placing them in box and I will put plastic over it and see how we go with that. I ahve some bean, tomato, and carrot seeds left i may even ahve time to pop in to the organic shop and buy some more they stock the Eden seeds range.

Other than that I am off to do some hand quilting on my great nieces quilt and the usual, washing, cooking stuff.

I really love these days at home and the best bit is I get to stay home tomorrow as well. Might even ahve tiome to take some more photos.

have a lovely day

daisymum

Monday

As predicted Thomas the Tank Engine drove me from the office Friday and out on to the verandah where I tidied and washed windows!!!

I also managed to get the Christmas Cake cooked because last week the piezo ignition on our stove died and while I am waiting for electrician son to look at it - I have to bake everything in the BBQ. I can light the stove top but not the oven. So because the BBQ won't stay at 150 degrees I need to be around to open the lid when it gets too hot - so while I was doing that I cleaned.

Yesterday was pretty much a perfect day for me. After Church we had a cooked breakfast then I got to go and play in my sewing room all day.

I had to quilt that quilt my sister had given me to do for her granddaughter so yesterday was the day armed with all the quilt essentials, pin cushion, coffee and carefully measured out amount of smarties I set to work.

I sat down at the machine at 10.15 and apart from getting up to iron I stayed at the machine until 5.30!!!

Daisygirl bought me tea and a sandwich at some stage but it was a misty almost rainy day and it was lovely to just sit and sew. I had been thinking about how to quilt the quilt since she gave it to me - I always like to really think about how I am going to do something before I start so once I do I can just go until it is done.


So here is a really flattering shot of my fat arm, the gorgeous quilt and my trusty sewing machine.

A word about Smarties - I am not normally a lolly person frankly I can take them or leave them most of the time but when I machine quilt I will often have a little bowl of something I don't normally have - it is a treat. And when the kids come in an invariably chat to me I have something to pop in their mouth to keep them quiet!!LOL

Here is some of the quilting detail.

One of the reasons I was able to sit so long at the machine was that a few days ago a lady from my patchwork group offered me her old sewing chair, it hurt her back so she bought a new one and asked if I would like hers. I had been using an old office chair (wooden base, wooden arms) that I rescued from the trash and treasure shed at the dump. Well I was going to keep my old chair and put the new one at one of the industrial mahcines so I didn't have to wheel up and down the length of the sewing room. One sit in the new chair and I despatched the old one to the trash and treasure shed!! I can't believe what a huge difference a chair makes.

All I have left to finish on it now is the binding a little bit of hand quilting. So sister dear if you are reading this I hope you like what I have done so far.

Have a wonderful Monday

daisymum

PS: and just to keep it real the sewing room is officially a bomb site.........in fact it is so bad that I won't even show you a photo of it. And you've seem my thistles!!!!LOL

The Friday Report

State of the Nation here at Daisy Mountain:

Verandah still a mess

Sewing room ditto

Vegetable garden needs some manure and weeding

Floors done

Kitchen clean

Christmas Cake - hmm fruit still brewing (what does mascerating mean anyway??????????) May get into oven today

Dinner sorted

Afternoon tea - almost cooked

Washing done

Ironing ?? Piling up nicely thank you

Sewing - heaps

Shopping - done (including gifts for the various charity hampers and more manure for the veges)

Spring Cleaning job of the week - our bedroom - not started yet

Confidence I will get something other than scooting aournd on the computer done today?? Not high

You may have guessed I don't feel terribly inspired or motivated to do anything today I would like to hang out and just watch videos with daisyboy4 but as he is watching a 20 year old Thomas the Tank Engine video that I have quite literally seen a MILLION times - who said video cassettes don't last forever????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - I think that might be the push I need to chase me outside and into some work.

have a wonderful weekend

daisymum

My real Thursday post.

I was just over at Rhondas and I saw that she had posted a piece about time management. Sometimes I feel like I do everyting in bursts. But I do have my routines... this is atypical at home day - sometimes daisyboy 7 gets picked up or bought home from school so that saves one trip a day.

4.30 - 5am get up make the bed (assuming daisydad has left for his run) get dressed

5.15am - hot water and lemon with my diary, school notes, bills

5.40ish - turn washing machine on -daisyboy7 awake chase him off to get dressed for school, make his bed, get packed etc.

5.50 - daisydad back from his run - wake daisygirl - start making lunches

6am - wake daisyboy12 - get breakfast things organised

6.15am - daisyboy4 awake and off to the chickens with daisydad

6.20 am - breakfast is served to daisyboy12, daisyboy7,daisyboy4 and daisygirl

6.30am - cup of tea with daisydad, breakfast - sometimes catch up with tv news

6.45am daisydad, daisygirl, daisyboy12 off to school - check emails and reply - check in with blog maybe post

7am - wake daisyson17 if not already awake, feed said son get dasiyboy4 dressed for the day, listen to daisyboy7's reading book, hang out a load of washing and put machine on again!!

7.25am daisyson17 off to bus stop

7.25 - 7.45 computer time, or sweep, mop floors

7.45am - clean kitchen

7.55am - leave to take daisyboy7 to school

8.30am - shop for fruit and veges if I need to or anything for dinner, post office to collect mail

9.10am - home again, dust, throw out old flowers, start sewing if I have work sewing to do, clean the house, bake

10.30am daisyboy4 and I have morning tea

11am - 11.30 ish - get dinner ready for tonight

12.30 - daisyboy4 and I have lunch

2.25pm - daisyboy4 and I back in car and off to collect daisyboy7 from bus in the village

3.10pm - home again, afternoon tea, homework checking, washing in

3.30 - daisyson21 home - quick chat about his day etc.

3.45pm daisyson 20 home quick hi to him and chat

4.ish - outisde time - planting in the vegtable garden - weeding, planning etc.

4.45pm - dasiyson17, daisyboy12 and daisygirl off the bus - afternoon tea chat etc while I fold washing,

5.15 - iron in front of the early news, chase children off to bath (well I start now they get in about 30 minutes later!), get them to put thier folded/ironed clothes away

6.30 - dinner

7pm - read to dasiyboy4 and daisyboy7, or play go fish, or watch some tv.

7.30pm - bed time for kids.

7.45pm - peace at last!!! check whoever has done kitchen has done it properly(or in daisyson20 case that he has done it at all!!), sweep again, load washing machine. make sure folded/ironed clothes are put into kids rooms or baskets in the laundry.

8.30 tv time if there is anything on, otherwise read a book, sewing

9.30 lights out for me.

This is a perfect day for me - and obviously I don't have perfect days that often so my new schedule is to try to have at least, three of these at home days a week. But the last two weeks that hasn't happened. Oh well next week maybe!!

I would love to hear how you guys organise your days or do they just happen??

daisymum

A tad political today...........

I know a lot of people who read this are American and I was thinking yesterday as I listened to the concession speech of John Mc Cain and the acceptance speech of Barak Obama that for the first time in a long time America had a real choice.

John Mc Cain's concession speech was gracious and inspiring, a testament to the great hero and independant politician that he is. For although he is a party man the record indicates that he has always voted with his conscience and within his beliefs. His speech paid homage to a great competitor, it acknowledged the historic nature of this election and the result and it urged McCain supporters to work together with him for the future of a country in serious trouble on a number of fronts. It must have been a difficult and turmultuous time for this man but he came away from that podium every inch the gentleman and hero he is.

And then there is Obama - his speech could have been an inflammatory vindication for two centuries of mistreatment of African Americans. What it was was a measured, well crafted heart felt "call to arms" to work together for the good of a country in turmoil. His understated acknowledgement of his belief in a country where "all men and women are created equal" could have marginalised the latino, asian or any one of a hundred other minority groups - but his carefully chosen (and yes the speech writers really need applause here too) words were humble and thankful.

Obama and McCain may be at opposite ends of the political spectrum but I suspect like some politicians of old they actually do have the country's best interest at heart unlike so so many candidates and presidents of recent times.

Obama is being hailed as the man who got the voters to turn out in record numbers but I think the calibre of both candidates did that, on the one hand the white elder statesman and war hero (harking back perhaps to a Roosevelt?), on the other the young inexperienced African American (the Kennedy of the 21st century ?).

Either way I hope and pray that both these men - and they will both have a role to play in the government of America for the next four years - never lose sight of the common sense, love of their country and her democratic ideals , and gentlemanly, gracious behaviour of yesterday.

God Bless America - certainly - but may god reserve just a few of those blessings for both these wonderful men and their families and the taks ahead of them.

daisymum

A quick note about patterns

In my endeavour to save a bit of paper (plus the fact that I keep losing paper) I try to source as many patterns as I can off the internet or buy them in pdf format. I then save them into a pattern file (which I then subdivide into clothing and quilt or stitchery patterns) so I don't lose them in a computer crash I also then save them onto an external hard drive so I will always have a copy.

A long time ago I started cutting my pattern pieces out of heavy interfacing, so they last a long time.

I tend to reuse the same patterns over and over again, so I find this method works really well for me.

The old dairy asked me where I got the pattern for Thai Fishermans pants from. There are several places on the net but I think I prefer the one from mediatinker.com. Burda also had one but there seems to be some problem with the download of that one.

If you are a larger than life type try taking your most confortable pair of pants folding them in half, back halves together and tracing around the front for the front pattern piece. Trace a centimetre or so outside the pants to give you a seam line.

For the back piece turn them inside out and pull one leg inside the other one (so the right sides of the fabric are facing each other this will give you the curve for the back piece, trace around this.

Then it is a simple matter to cut a rectangle to fit across the top (remember the seam goes on the outside because when you fold it down it will be hidden. You can make this fold down piece a different colour if you like.

There is also a pair of japanese style pyjama pants on that site you might like to try I prefer the loose leg of the fishermans pants better.

If you are new to sewing buy some really cheap fabric or use an old sheet and make a trial pair first. That way you can iron out any mistakes on the practice pair. I make several paris out of white calico and it is very cheap so if you want a white pair you might try that as it is usually 150cm wide so it is very economical you can get a pair out of a metre to a metre and a half and it will cost you about $6.00Aust.

You can even make them in flannel for winter lounging pants.

If you try this pattern let me know how you went.

daisymum

All sewn up ...but more to do

Here are some photos of the sewing I finally got to do on Sunday despite promising for days that I was in fact off to sew. I have had a lot of work sewing come in so that always has to take priority. Anyway Sunday was the day and this is what I got done....



One pair of pyjama pants for me and one pair of fishermans pants for me!! I love these you can make them out of really fine material because the top half folds over and if you make it just the right length can cover you bum and any sign of undies!!!!! plus they are super cool and comfortable. These white ones are made from white calico so they soften up beautifully once you wear them.

Daisyboy7 asked for a new pencil case as his had a broken zip, this fun holden fabric, with Australian state maps in the background, is on one side and the other is some dreadful bright red monster truck fabric but he loves it and I have instructions that four of his classmates want one for Christmas or their next birthdays from him!

Daisygirl got three pairs of new pyjama pants the photo was her doing so forgive the focus but the ones with the red frill were made out of left overs from my pair. I have bought three white singlets (boy ones) and hemmed them shorter and taken the arms up and one I am putting a red frill on, and these will be her new pjs for summer.

And finally I finished another one of the block of the month blocks I think I am now only five behind!! But this one seemed like the perfect one to finish this week. Of course it looks weird because I haven't done any of the hand stitching yet - that I will do when all the blocks are together and the applique is done. So this looks weird but it will be an ant holding up a cupcake.(once I do the legs !).

And I made a start on a gorgeous Melly and Me pattern for FIDO the dog for daisyboy4 - it was the bribe I purchased at the Gees Bend quilt show a few weeks ago, he really wanted the giraffe but they didn't have that pattern there so it was the dog. I will show you that in a day or so when it is done.

Today we went off to a Melbourne Cup function in the village. I am so very lucky to live in this community with these gorgeous people I had a lovely time, and was able to get to know a couple of people better and catch up with some old friends what a wonderful way to spend the day. Daisyboy4 played with the daughter of a friend of mine (also 4) and they had a lovely time being the only two kids in the place!!!

I hope everyone has the chance this week to spend some time with people you love ( who you aren't related to!!) or just have the time to cherish your friendships.

Daisymum

PS: the verandah is still a mess!!!!!

Awards

Over the weekend I received some comments from Linda the remote treechanger, caroline from the the simple things and tania from outback - all giving me awards for my blog. It is terribly flattering of you all and I sincerely thank you.

However not being very computer literate with some things I have no idea what I am supposed to do to "pick them up".

daisymum

AWARD UPDATE:

Thanks girls I got the award logos downloaded and I have sent the awards on to some of my favoruite blog sites WIll bput them in a later post so they get the recognition they deserve by being at the top of the posts lists.

Here it is..............

Well here we go living proof I am not perfect.......................

Thought I'd start with the verandah another place we sit regularly to have breakfast or chat while we BBQ dinner. It is such a mess at the moment, I promise myself after seeing these this will be cleaned by tomorrow.

Then we move on to some of those lovely roses look closely weeds loads of them all different types!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah now this is great rememebr my shot looking at the clothes line over the sea of nasturtiums well here is what the nasturtiums hide from the front, the very messy corridor between the house and the water tanks and what I euphemistically call the "potting shed" more on that in a second.

Here is the inside of the potting shed no potting going on in there ever!!!!!!!!!!! It has become the place to put the stuff we don't know what to do with and not very tidily either.

I took this shot of the alley way to show you my green thumb look at the size of that THISTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the real view of the dam when you are sitting in those chairs you can kind of glimpse the water.......................

here's what you see from those chairs if you turn back towards the house if you look closley you might see half a dozen car bits....

And for the absolute proof that photos can tell two very different stories here is that lovely pink rose I keep showing you photos of.............along with the weeds it lives with.

Do I still love my garden YES

Do I still enjoy getting out in it and sitting in it YES

Does it matter if it isn't perfeect NO

Will it ever be??? Not unless someone stops the clock at some stage, the garden is living proof people live here along with all the things they have to do and their good and lazy habits.

My garden is me big, and blousy and kind of messy but welcoming, fun and a place you'd like to spend some time.

Like I said on Friday it is about how you view the world my glass is half full I can see all the untidiness but I would rather sit and talk to my family in my garden than ignore them and have it pristine.

So people is your glass half full or half empty ? Do you only see the weeds or is it the flowers that capture your heart??

daisymum