WIP Wednesday - A Wonky House Village.

I have had just two strips to sew on this quilt top and it was all finished and I got around to doing that today. Hadn't touched it since back here! Naughty Helen, too many lovely swaps getting in the way. Lynne's quilt should be arriving at her place soon and Kim's is ready to post tomorrow. I declare May swap free. That will give me plenty of time to get enthusiastic about the next round of the flickr swap.

I'm really happy with how this top turned out. Love the red wonky wedges. Milly is going to love it. I have a few houses left for the backing.

See the quilt featured today at Sew Mama Sew's blog? My rainbow circular flying geese dolls quilt made it to "Quilt of the Day!" here. How cool is that? I feel really humbled, so many beautiful quilts and talent.

Susie's Blocks.

With April nearly over, I thought I better turn my attention to Susie's blocks for this months round of Around The Block. She requested a wide variety of block types, I went for squares within squares and wonky stars. Hope you like them Susie!

WIP Wednesday - Placemat Swap.

I participated in the first round of The Placemat Swap, sat out the second round cause I felt a bit swapped out, but when sign ups for round 3 went out, I put my name down to play again! And I was lucky enough to score Kimmie as my partner. This swap is different in that it is a direct swap. So I am making for Kimmie and she is making for me. I know she likes red, white and black combo's and she doesn't like wonky. So hopefully I have come up with the goods. When I finish the quilting....

Hanging Quilts.

We have been in this house a few months now and I am just getting around to hanging up some of my dolls quilts. It has taken me this long to work out the best way to hang them. In our old house I was using hooks on the wall and then hanging sleeves on the back. But that was our house, so I could bang a million holes in the wall and it was okay. This house is rented, so I have to be a bit more carfeul. I got my dear cousin in Perth to go to Ikea and get me two of these, so I could hang the quilts from there. But when they arrived, the wire that comes with them, needs three massive screws to go in the wall to hang them which freaked out Daz being a rental..... So back to the drawing board and I have come up with the simple solution of a pin in each corner. So simple! So this is what I did yesterday afternoon in our bedroom. Love it!! We have another huge wall in the dining room area which I am going to next, saving a spot in the middle for Lynne's quilt!

DQS# 8 from Isabel.

More lovely fabric mail today. My dolls quilt from the DQS#8 from Isabel finally arrived. All the way from Portugal! Her stitches are lovely, all so even, my first thought was why aren't my stitches like that! Love the soft colour gradation, very elegant. Thanks Isabel. :)

Bring on the Round 9 hey?

Rachel's Blocks.

I have finished all the quilting on my quilt for my swap with Lynne. Now I am debating the purple or the pink binding? Or the lime green with white polka dots? Normally I'd post a photo for some help but I know Lynne is watching so I'll make a corporate decision myself! While I'm pondering that though, I turned my attention to some blocks for this months Around The Block. We have two rounds this month, these are for Rachel. She wanted "improvised piecing – square with in square or block with cross cut fabric “crosses”. A bit of wonkiness is fine, and squares that are not central are preferred". I can do that! What I like about this swap is that I get to use fabric colour selections I wouldn't choose for myself. Sewing outside the colour comfort zone. And liking it! Hope you like these Rachel. (The bottom block is square, its just my terrible photography that makes it look like its on an angle!)

Fabric Mail!

Now I have been very good lately in the fabric purchasing area. Nothing has passed my mailbox since back here. Up here we don't have mailboxes, too hot for the postman to zoom around? So we have a Post Office Box at the local Post Office which is the hub of town! They can't fit parcels in a little box, instead you get a little purple or yellow slip of paper and then you go to the hatch in the wall, press the buzzer, hatch opens and you hand over your card and wolah! You get fabric back!! Well that's what happened today. My parcel from the lovely Kathy at Pink Chalk Fabric arrived. She squeezed all this on! I have been wanting some Hope Valley for ages. And also one of those Kona Colour Cards. So I can pick my colours like a proper quilter instead of guessing on the screen like I did for the ones above which actually don't match too badly.

Sunday Sewing for Lynne.

A lazy Sunday spent sewing on my swap for Lynne. She is sewing down her binding. I am still tackling my quilting. I have been getting frustrated with my thread breaking every 10 minutes. Finally I clicked, maybe change your needle Helen? Bingo, not a thread breakage since.

Here is some of the thread I have used. Or maybe not.....

My DQS#8 Angel Quilt.

Amongst all the presents and cards for Grace in the mail yesterday there was a parcel for me! My quilt for the recent DQS#8 is still coming in the mail, so the lovely Anita organized an Angel Quilt in the meantime that she had made herself. Its just perfect, I love it!

Her stitches are perfect, all the same length! Very envious, wonder what type of machine she has? Thank you so much Anita, it was worth the wait. I'm happy. :)

Happy 7th Birthday Grace!

Grace turned 7 today! She woke at 5.37, I managed to stretch the first present unwrapping not till 6am..... She seems content, new lego, new pj's, new necklace, new stuffed lizard and that's just the presents in the above photo!

We had her best friend over for cupcakes and lemonade. And to play with all the new toys.

I still remember bringing you home from hospital and wondering what to do with you. I'll admit there are still days that I wonder that! You make us smile and fill our house with love. You are learning to love reading and you adore colouring in, art and maths and swimming. You didn't want to start school up here and now you have a party next week with 17 class mates coming! Happy Birthday Gracie!

WIP Wednesday - Stacked Coins Quilt Finished.

After all those adventures it was so nice to sit on the couch and finish some hand sewing. I finished the binding for this Stacked Coins baby quilt. I'm happy with it, lets hope its a girl!

The back. Using up some more from the stash.

Detail of the stippling. White on white, 100% cotton, no breaking thread here!

And now I have these two labels to sew down and then mail to their new owners. And then to turn my attention back to my swap with Lynne. I need add sashing and then sandwich it. Getting there!

El Questro.

We have just come back from two days at El Questro Wilderness Park. I took 179 photos. So sit back with a drink as there are heaps of photos in the post! I am trying to do justice to the beauty of what we have seen and experienced in the last 48 hours. This was my view at the start out of the front window leaving town.

Some 60kms up the Victorian Highway, we reached the turn off, the start of the famous Gibb River Road.

The Gibb River Road is mostly ungraded, it is gravel and rocks all the way with water crossings. And spectacular views of the Cockburn Ranges.

We arrived at the Emma George Resort and winding through through the tented cabins we were pleasantly surprised to find ours at the end!

Here we are unpacking the car at our tent. I regret I didn't get any shots inside the tent to show how cool it was, it had a little en suite at the end, a queen size bed for Daz and I and two singles for the girls, perfect. No air con, just fans and plenty of zips on the window flaps to let the breeze in, but keep the insects out.

This was the view from our front step. You can't see it in this photo, but there was a little creek bubbling past which was flowing from Emma Gorge itself.

We packed a backpack with lots of water and some snacks and started the trek up the Emma Gorge. It is a 1.6km one way, so 3.2kms return. They say to allow 2 hours to do it in, that's without a swim once you get up there, with kids and a swim, 3 hours. We didn't have a watch, but we think it took us about 3 to 4 hours. Not bad going. I expected the kids to whinge and moan but the blue arrows leading the way kept them amused, seeing who could find the next one and which was the right way to go.

We walked along the creek bed at the start.

And then amongst ferns.

Nearly there, this pool was just a few meters, it was referred to as Turquoise Pool on our little A4 map we had.

Yes, nearly there. Can you see the pool of water in the distance? We were so surprised and pleased to find that we were the only ones there! On the walk up about a dozen people passed us going back. We thought there would be someone up there but we were so lucky to have the place to our selves while we were there.

We made it! We put the camera on a rock and used the auto timer for this shot.

Beautiful.

The girls being mountain goats again. They like to float leaves down the stream and hunt for tadpoles.

Walking back. This was just before Grace's shoe broke and Milly got a prickle in her toe and screamed blue murder at us as we tried to get it out. Grace is tickling me on my back here, so I was trying to distract her by making bunny ears.

No television or internet here, so we played a few games of Connect Four, a favourite in our house. Milly always beats me. Then at 6 on the dot, we were off to dinner. Was starving!

Matilda about to tackle her fish and chip dinner. The poor child was so tired she couldn't eat all her ice cream after this.

Checking out the next morning I snapped this shot of reception. I loved how the veranda was built to include the magnificent boab tree. We loved staying here. The staff where so friendly, nothing was too much trouble, the food was great, the grounds immaculately kept, we'd love to come back. I think we will too. You have to buy a pass to get into the park, we got one for the rest of the season.

And so by 8 we were back on the Gibb River Road heading for Zebedee Springs. Zebedee Springs is a bit further into El Questro. They are a natural thermal springs. Only open from 6am till noon, as the guests staying in the fancy Homestead get exclusive access then. So we had to beat the crowds!

Over the bridge.

Across the stepping stones...

Just a 10 minute walk up a track and here we are! Once again we were pleasantly suprised to find we were the only ones there! We passed a couple coming out as we were walking in and that was it! How lucky were we?

Swimming....

Our little poser Matilda.

Isn't this a great shot? It was like a giant spa jet coming down on our head, felt great!

Matilda not impressed with having to leave.

Daz crossing the Pentecost River. We went up to the Station Township Resort for an icey pole and then back in the car.

And then it was time for the trip back home. A great 48 hours had by all.

Sneek Peak for Lynne.

The lovely Lynne and I are doing a private mini quilt swap. Just for fun. She is teasing me dreadfully and posting sneek peaks, look at this one here, it is me!! So the above photo is for her. Noice peach tones! (said in my best Kath and Kim Aussie twang!)

We went to Molly Springs yesterday, photos are here if you would like to check out Daz in his new 4WD!