Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Rainbow Squares Photographed.

While doing my 2011 Quilt Review on the weekend, I realized that I didn't have any photos of this quilt finished. So I went outside and took some, its big, queen sized.

I love the back as much as the front!

We have just moved house, I have a real Hills Hoist clothes line in my back yard! I wound it all the way to the top but it still wasn't high enough for this quilt to hang.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Beautiful Bali.

Daz and I are back to school tomorrow, the girls start on Wednesday so today is officially the last day of holidays. Thought I would share some snaps taken at Bali. We had an amazing time. So many West Australian's holiday in Bali because it is so close and so cheap, but this was my first trip. Daz has been before when he was straight out of high school with a group of graduating friends and doesn't remember much of that trip, this one was much different!

We stayed at a hotel in Nusa Dua called the Melia. The grounds were amazingly beautiful.

This was the view from the end of our corridor. This pool was private access only for the rooms on the bottom floor. You could swim from your verandah!! Next time we are staying in those rooms!

This was our daily view going to breakfast.

We had breakfast every morning at the hotel, buffet style, every single breakfast food you can imagine! Daz and I had omlettes made fresh for us, Milly had pikelets made for her. Both girls ate their body weight in watermelon each morning. Fresh pineapple juice and chicken noodle soup for me.

This man played this type of bamboo xyolophone every morning throughout breakfast. He always had a smile on his face and would nod hello. When a child approached he would switch from traditional Baliness tunes to Mary Had a Little Lamb. Milly loved it.

Daz's first bintang beer and nasi goring. I think we had been at the hotel for an hour when this shot was taken!

We stayed at the hotel mainly but did venture out a few times. We spent a day at Waterbom Park which was just awesome! Here is Grace being brave on the bungie jump thing.

Chips Waterbom Park style, served in a wooden cup with the sauce in a handmade coconut leaf basket! Love it!

Another outing we went to the Bali Safari and Marine Park. We rode a camel and also rode an elephant but I was so focused on hanging on I didn't take my camera on that ride and now of course I wish I did!

We had our photo taken with a baby orangutan also at the Safari Park. Her name was Chloe. The girls were trilled to touch a real orangutan.

Back at the hotel.... Kids Club was optional, Grace was so against going but of course when she got there, she loved it! They did things like crab catching at the beach, sand castle making and visiting a temple within the hotel grounds.

Dress up Bali style.

We had the traditional buffet one night for tea at the hotel. This was the fruit display at one end, on the side, behind this display was the real fruit to eat. We particularly loved the watermelon face here!

With the dancers after dinner.

My first of many pina colada's of the holiday! Happy hour was from 5 till 7, buy one get one free!!

This was my view poolside most days! I did go for a swim sometimes, but reading and people watching was just as much fun.

The girls had their hair braided on the beach. It took 3 ladies an hour to do Grace's hair. She was in tears the whole time. "It hurts Mummy!" But as soon as the last bead was put in, all the pain was forgotten. And now three weeks later as I write this post, both the girls still have the braids in!

"Mum we can't stand in the middle of the road!" On our last day there we walked 5 minutes down the road to a big shopping area called the Bali Collection to get the usual cheap dvd's and sarongs. It was a fantastic holiday, we all had an awesome time. The right mix of hanging by the pool and going out. It was perfect, I can't wait to go back!

Friday, January 27, 2012

2011 Quilt Review.

Time to review the quilts of 2011 and ponder on what 2012 will bring. I was thinking on the drive coming home that 2012 might be the year of the table runner for me. I have so many quilts, some table runners would be nice. But we'll see. 2011 started off finishing the above quilt, Pink Squares which was donated to the Queensland Flood Appeal.

A quick jelly roll quilt which was also donated.

Two quilts made for DQS#10 in March, one for me, one for my partner.

Blue and Green Askew Squares back in June.

And another askew block quilt. The Pink Askew quilt, cot sized made back in July. Only just given to friends new baby last month in Perth. It pays to have a baby quilt stashed in the present box for those occassions!

For the DQS#11 in August.

And Miss West's wedding quilt in September.

A queen sized quilt for our very own bed! Rainbow Squares was completed for the Naked Bed Challenge.

And the last quilt, finished in November, single bed sized. My favourite of the year I think, sewn with blocks from Around the Block 2. I'm in another block swap this year and I think I might have the ladies do the same block but a different colourway, red, orange and yellow maybe?

Writing this post has made me realize I don't have any photos of the Rainbow Squares Quilt all finished. It's hanging on the line now. I'll have to go take a photo. * edited to add - done! But realized I don't have a shot of the pink and purple strippy square quilt now! Have to go over to the friends place that one is at and photograph it!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Hello Blog!

Well I have been a bad blogger! 40 days betwen posts! That is terrible! But I do have a really good excuse, holidays. We have been on holidays since December the 19th. It has been a big trip, we drove 3,213kms to Perth which we did in three days. Here we are on one of our first stops, only 884kms down the road.

Only 2,240km to go! We spent Christmas in Perth then we flew to Bali for 10 days of pure bliss. That was our real holiday, it was beautiful. We then flew back in to Perth and drove another 3,213kms back up to Kununurra where we then moved house. The last five days have spent cleaning the old house and unpacking in the new house.

My sewing area has been downsized but that didn't stop me buying just a little bit of fabric while away. I won't be buying any for awhile now...