absence makes the heart grow fonder?

well it has bee quite a while since my last post...

lots of stuff going on!

first some lovely flowers from my garden...

then a almost lost my finger in a chair collapsing mishap...

so no sewing for about 3 weeks...

needed a few of these over the past few weeks!

some more flowers, 

the roses were quite early this year, but unfortunately the rain came also,

so they didn't last

Christmas cactus is out...

this one I repotted last year after a large piece broke off the original plant,

it has gone bonkers on the front verandah..

some early morning walks...

need to really get back to doing these EVERY day!

the back yard has been too wet every time we wanted to get down there, 

a small window of opportunity saw it slashed on Monday afternoon

while that was happening and another reason I have been quiet on here, 

we were preparing for new carpet, 

all the doors had been painted, next up were the architraves, 

so we thought we would do these before the carpet went down to make it easier..

before and afters for the carpet...

so very happy with our choice

the dark colour is the new, the light is the old..

we did it over 2 days as there was a LOT of furniture to move

amazing what you manage to collect over the years!

and I celebrated another year, presents from the fambam!

and finally ... 

we made a quick trip up here,

 after the last lockdown we so needed it

(7 day lockdown turned into 6 weeks!)

 so that's me all caught up!

back to putting the house back together

Huge craft room destash!

 

4 Four seasons angels...can't remember where or who this pattern belongs to...each stitchery depicts the season, framed in seasonal colours (keep or change) add some sashing you have a lovely seasonal wall hanging, or frame individually for each season, cushions etc lots of ideas, no time to finish...$10 set

unfinished project...

Feathered Christmas trees

left side one, feathery plastic leaves with green pip berries on ends adjustable branches one only $15

right side one, dark green with red pip berries on ends, adjustable branches 4x $10 each or all 4 $30

just add precious or special ornaments or leave out all year

Leftovers from making 21st invites

metallic pens, velcro dots, tacky glue pen, sticky labels, glitter vials, stick on silver dots, craft tags

$20 the lot (RRP $40+)

framed stitcheries:

top row 6" x 8" $15 set

middle row 8"x 8" basket $10 , black frame 9" x9" tea dyed roses circle (original design of mine) $10

side stitchery: legal document frame, slightly larger than A4 $10 (another original by me)

bottom row: 15 1/2" x 12 1/2" Home stitchery...USA designer sorry can't remember who $20

Santa sack (samples from markets0 $20each or all 3 for $50 (largest one is 60x60cm app)

one has name on it EMMA

others without names so you can add your own special persons name

Santa sack pattern (Willow Valley Store) and 3 fronts (started), no other fabric, just the fronts, finish them off to your liking, add embellishments etc $20

unfinished project

4 teddies 2x roughly 4" and the bigger ones are around 10" ...bought these to do baby and wedding bears, and some raffia ribbon leftover from some far distance project... $20 the lot

large tub of craft stuff...rusty hearts, stars and wires, amethyst pendants and the black rubber necklaces to make them, pip berry sprays in red and white (just found a few more, now 5 red and 2 white I think), garland strands, a couple with red pips on them, dark red pip berry candle surrounds, 2 cream pip berry candle surrounds with rusty stars, pumpkin bells, cookie cutters (new) and a couple of rusty ones, 4 glass jars, a couple of tiny terracotta pots, 3 mason jars, grapevine wreaths (2"-3" round), grapevine lengths (bundles), small wooden cotton spools, wooden pegs, 2 pkts of small pegs with ladybugs on, wooly hair for Santa dolls, large packet of glitter (old fashioned type for on dolls and ornaments from USA), pkt of holly leaves, green wire, lace and flower lace (red and blue) and a few other things that I have found after the photos were taken... $75 for the lot OR if you see something you like ask and I will do a price (cheap) because I want this stuff GONE!
Obviously if you buy the whole thing I can box it up minus the tub. 

  

close up photos of the contents in the below photos....

So if you see something above you want more photos of, 

something you would like to purchase (but not all of the other stuff) let me know, I'll work out a price,

I need to get rid of stuff I'm never going to use!

Julz

Spring is Springing!

love spending a little me time at my favourite spot over looking our local water storage 

Maroondah Dam...

this is the spillway of the dam when its full, which is and its running on its own...

it's a 2 tier waterfall down into the Watts River...

my one and only tulip has made an appearance again1

another visit to the dam the day after the photos above...

totally different weather!

we got caught in a shower of rain and hail...

as quickly as it cames across it was gone...maybe 5 minutes,

we were soaked!

 the hail coming down!

so it was back home, 

get changed and crank up the toasty fire!

 

busy busy!

this beauty landed right on us as we were walking in the garden on the weekend

 

some pretty bluebells in 3 different colours came inside ...

cute little duckling family on the lake 

and this is the next section done...

those angles almost did me in!

week 5 of lockdown #6

 hmmm....

7 days has turned into 5 weeks and counting!

not looking like we will be out of lockdown anytime soon...

so I started a new project with this...

production line block making

scrap trimmings..so satisfying!

all the blue blocks so far...

a bit of baking...trying out ideas for using up my kaffir limes, 

lime and pistachio muffins with lime drizzle icing and extra pistachios!

pretty delicious!

my orchids are blooming again, 

all the green are finished, 

now the cream are out, 

white are coming along nicely, 

another couple of weeks before they are fully out

some daffs to remind us that Spring is here

bought this beauty inside for a few days

Fathers Day dinner done right...

fabulous take away from one of the local cafes,

got to support local in these crappy times whenever we can

hope you have managed to get some stitching done too!

Julz

enjoy!

 not a whole lot happening here as we are starting to paint all the doors and architraves before we put in new carpet later in the year...

so enjoy some beauties from my garden!

Julz

currawongs and other stuff

 Decided that this will be my new camping quilt instead of the one I made earlier in the year,

only because I think the other one would get very dirty as it is quite light colours,

the centre blocks were given to me a few years ago by a friend, 

they have been hidden in a box all this time, 

I had just enough of the blue and red for the extra borders, 

added the 2 outer ones from my stash and will have just enough of the green left for binding,

just need to find a backing.

my one and only rhondendron is out, such a pretty colour, so I bought a couple inside to enjoy

I have these 2 regular visitors to my magnolia tree, they love the seed pods that form from the flowers,

each year they come and break them open for the seeds, 

I think they are still looking for them even though they are all finished...

they are quite entertaining to watch. 

hope you are coping with or without lockdown depending on where you are in the country!

Melbourne has just begun lockdown #6!

We have been told it will be 7 days, but nobody believes that, 

the last one was supposed to be 7 days and it turned into 14, 

so who knows!

Doesn't affect anyone in this house, 

we all still have to go to work as we are all essential services, 

feel so much for small business that are hanging on by a thread!

where and when will it end?