The sewing and craft room....what's been happening.

The last few months have been a blur what with the wedding, Christmas and New Year celebrations but I do know I have completed a few projects during 2015 and even at the start of 2016.
Most of these projects were gifts and so I had a deadline to work to which I find is the best way to finish what I begin.
During winter last year I posted that I had purchased wool to make DH Farmer a new work jumper. It is completed (minus the buttons) ready for the 2016 winter. It is a Bendigo Woollen Mills pattern and knitted with their 8 ply classic wool. The photo does not do it justice as far as the colour goes. It is a lovely brown colour great for a work jumper. It is quite thick and long so will be ideal for those frosty mornings whilst milking the cows.

Last May I attended a 60 degree triangle quilting workshop with Lessa Siegele. This quilt was always going to be a Christmas gift for my DIL and son and it  was fully completed by the end of July last year. I even managed the quilting on my Bernina B710 machine and was very pleased with the finished result. Below is a photo of the quilt on the bed and I made the doxie stuffed toy as well for my dachshund loving DIL just for a bit of fun!

Other gifts completed were a Santa Sack for Wyatt ( no photo sorry to say), rope market bags ( which I seem to be addicted to making at the moment) for each daughter, a Star Wars Quillow for the new SIL (a Star Wars tragic) and a few smaller gifts for Christmas. Since Christmas, Wyatt's eye spy quilt for daycare has also been completed - a gift for his first birthday which is only a little over two weeks away. 

The aim for this year is to complete my "Rotherfields Greys" quilt which has been on the go now for well over 2 years. Sometimes you cannot rush these things but there is a deadline to finish this quilt as well. Maitland Patchwork Quilters are celebrating their 30th exhibition in September this year and this is the quilt I would love to display in the group's exhibition. 

Today is going to be a hot one here at home with the temperature meant to reach 38 Celsius so I hope all of you can stay out of the heat. DH Farmer is repairing the cattle yards with our eldest son , Matt , but will be back in for lunch and a rest by the time the real heat of the day hits.

So until next time.....

Carol

Okay - I am officially the worst blogger ever!!

As you can see from the name of my blog that I am very much aware of how poor a blogger I am. I did not intentionally stop blogging. Somehow everyday life got in the way . I have no other excuses. It wasn't until I commented on Michele Hill's blog and she replied that I needed to get blogging again that I have given it any thought.

So what has been happening??? LOTS!!!

The farm is absolutely beautiful - lush, green pastures everywhere; healthy and full cattle; great milk production; plenty of silage made and stored on farm; amazing cattle prices; and probably the best thing is a very happy farmer husband. We have had the most amazing season!!

On the family front we celebrated  our youngest daughter's wedding on the 10th December to a beautiful young man who we all love and adore. We know our daughter is going to have an amazing and happy life with this person. They have been together for over 9 years and they are only 25 and 24 years of age. I now understand what it is like to be the mother of the bride. The wedding was smallish by today's standards and we self catered which I now understand was a huge challenge and lots of pressure to try and make the food as good as possible. Those that were married wanted a meal like a family banquet at home. "Of course we can do it" I said and of course we did - only with lots of help and assistance by some amazing family and friends. The meal was highly regarded  but I am officially out of the wedding catering business!!!
 The day was very eventful! The wedding ceremony must be one of the fastest in living history. Within 12 minutes the wedding procession happened, vows were spoken, rings exchanged and the happy couple became man and wife. The celebrant actually said " I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss your bride and then I suggest we all run for it"!! An enormous storm was gradually making it's way towards us and lightning and thunder was errupting even as the happy couple said their beautiful vows. The wedding was one of the happiest and friendliest we have ever attended. Just as the couple wanted.  Below are a few of the lovely pictures of the day.

I love the look on Claire's face ( the flower girl and dear grand daughter) as the storm was approaching!!

My two gorgeous grandies!!!

There were moments of lovely sunshine and blue sky.

Our grandies have been growing as well as you can see from the pictures above. The February baby is now almost one - crawling; talking; walking around furniture and loving life.  New mum and dad have taken to their roles like ducks to water. Dear grand daughter is now 4 1/2 but more like someone going on forty. Much time is spent being entertained by this little girl. It is one of the highlights of our life to have such beautiful family.

Christmas has come and gone and a new year begun. Maybe this year may be quieter - no weddings or new babies planned for the year at this stage BUT it is early days!!! Our excitement for the year is a planned trip to France for 5 weeks mid year.

On the quilting and craft front I have been very busy but this I will leave for another day to tell you all about.

Until next time....
Carol