I'm Here & Stitching!

Hi all, I disappeared for awhile but now I am back. At this time of year I think I get computer overload getting ready for audit time at work so my blogging tends to suffer. I have certainly been missing my bloggy friends and reading what you have all been up to & creating. I have been stitching but most were for swaps or birthdays so it was sneaky sewing. 

Here's a look at some of the crafting I have done recently....

I have made a short scarf with some NZ merino wool my cousin sent me for my birthday in July. The pattern is a nice easy lace. Next I want to do a matching slouch hat. The wool is so soft, pity there isn't enough to make myself a big fluffy onesie! Now there is an image to leave you with....

We have had so much rain in Perth it's surprising I haven't floated away. Instead I have lost one fence with about 10 sheets of super six fencing blow down and my kitchen ceiling started leaking again. It ended up the ceiling fixer who replaced the ceiling in 2010 used indoor filler around the skylight instead of waterproof sealer so it started breaking down again pretty much straight away. Now the ceiling has been replaced again, skylight sealed properly & all the ceiling painted again. My biggest worry was how much of my sewing corner I needed to pack up so they could get into the corners. It's not the most accessible place in the house, I have very important supplies in boxes & piles & boxes & piles..... you know what I mean. The job is done now so all good & no more worries that the sky is falling in on us.

I did the third & fourth blocks in the Girls Own Stitching Club quilt BOM freeby by Red Brolly. These are so cute and number five is now available to start. The background fabrics are the same, but I took the first pic at night, not the best.

Anthea of Hibiscus Stitches and I had a lovely day out together at the beginning of August at one of the local craft fairs. It was all sorts of crafts & a Wood Show as well so we had plenty to look at and a few bargains to pick up. My beautiful teddy bear bag that Sheryl gave me for my birthday a few weeks earlier had a great outing and the ladies from the local teddy & quilt shop The Teddy Tree tried to confiscate it and take it away from me as they thought it was just the best. Here it is again with a few of my purchases.... I love the hand made wooden spoons & used one this morning to mix up some red velvet cupcakes to take for a Fathers Day get together.

I have to admit my favourite thing at the show (beside the wooden surfboards which I would have no use for but they were so pretty) was a very expensive & very powerful fire wood splitter. I didn't know these existed but wow, I want one now, maybe the baby model compared to this big daddy. I was mesmerised by all that power & it was nothing to do with the big boys operating it!

 I was also lucky enough to win a layer cake of Kate Spain's Serenade from QuiltJane's Want It, Need It, Quilt blog. How lucky, it's gorgeous!

Next I will be able to show you my latest swap present for Glenys in the Mrs Martin's Swap, my birthday present for Leanne from Lizzie the Quilter (which is today) and then my present for Shez from Enjoying Life who is celebrating her birthday on Thursday.

HB helped with some of the present sewing too, supervising my late night machine sewing escapades and checking the results were up to standard. He is very paws on & likes a close up view of each and every stitch.

Till next time, Happy Stitching!

Tracee xxx HB (purr purr purr)