Christmas Joy Warms the Heart.............

Christmas 2011 has arrived................. Christmas Eve has dawned bright & sunny which is most welcome as we in the Hunter are experiencing an unusually cool & wet start to summer!

Wherever you are are spending Christmas I wish you joy & peace! I'm looking forward to gathering with my family to enjoy love and laughter, the spontaneous joy of little people tearing open presents, good food and of course a drop of good wine!! Our family is also anticipating a new addition to our family sometime over this Christmas period, my niece and her husband's first child is due to make its appearance any day soon.... We all send them our love and positive thoughts...................

Wishing you peace, love & joy. Until the next blog, K.............

November - been & gone!!

Greetings..............I started a "post" some weeks ago, titled "November" - well November has been & gone, so thought I should get on with it before December & with it 2011, escapes me..............

What have I been doing: finishing a quilt and other small projects; spending a wet drizzley day in the country; attending a Baby Shower for my lovely niece Rylie whose first baby (little Billy!) is due to make its appearance any day; started Bridge (card game) lessons; and getting together with my Wednesday sewing group & the Saturday Stitchers, among other things.........

The Baby Shower - baby photos of the guests (ages ranging from 1940's to 1980's!) 



Recently finished quilt, hand pieced and ready for hand quilting
- my interpretation of Sarah Fielke's "Jazz Hands" from Material Obsession Two.



A close up of one block - there are 72 pieces in each block!!



The very cute "Dilbert the Dinsour" which I made as a gift for the Baby Shower



Another project - completed at last................. I embellished this beautiful piece of fabric using Perle cotton & made it up into a cushion

A trip to the upper Hunter Valley on a wet & drizzley day........

Visiting my friend at Roughit in the upper Hunter - even with the rain the country is looking lush & green......

Another day out in the country but this time on a very hot & steamy day - a suspension bridge over the Allyn River near Gresford. Believe it or not this bridge take vehicular travel, albeit one vehicle at a time!!

 During November I also enjoyed a trip to Sydney with my friend Robyn, where we indulged our senses by feasting our eyes on some delicious quilts, fabrics, patterns & other textile paraphenalia............. We visited Material Obsession; Calico & Ivy at Balmain & Quiltsmith at Annandale. Needless to say we purchased some beautiful fabrics and a couple of patterns along the way. On leaving one shop, Robyn was heard to comment that she had spent too much money but it didn't stop her indulging at the next opportunity!!

The other exciting thing I'm doing is planning a trip to Burma (now known as Myanmar). I depart Australia on January 11th, so more about that next time..........

Now I'm off to Sydney to attend a wedding tomorrow. Nicole the daughter of my dear friends Marea & Chris is marrying Angus. May they enjoy many years of happiness.

May you enjoy December and your preparations for Christmas. Until the next post, K..................