The "I Haven't Been Quilting My Butt Off" Post

There hasn't been a lot of sewing of current projects going on here this weekend. I spent Friday with Miss and Little P at my sister's and then was back there yesterday for Grand Final. Collingwood got pasted. I just want to say that out loud because I was going for Geelong. 

Apparently it's rude to take your sewing machine to other people's houses when you're supposed to be socialising so I had to take some hand stitching. That meant starting another new project (that would be number 8 in my current queue)  I'll do a round up of current projects later this week because even I'm starting to lose track of what I have on the go and what needs to be done.

The eventual plan for these blocks is for them to be a part of a much bigger quilt with flowers and butterflies and 9 patches in 30's repro fabric. I am still at the concept stage because I had to bang together something to do 10 minutes before I went out to my sisters yesterday, so this hasn't had a lot of thought yet.

I got the urge this weekend to use some of my other creative talents and wandered out shopping and bought about 100 bucks worth of scrap booking supplies. We'll see what eventuates from this lot.

The wonky block top is half together. I'm really liking how this is turning out. Let's hope nephew No 2 does too. I don't think I've uttered one profane word yet while making this. Spooky- and most unlike me.  

And a bit of retail therapy today with a Spotlight gift car yielded the perfect binding for the brown and Blue quilt . Of course I got it home and realised I already have some of that blue and white dot in my stash but that doesn't mean I love it any less. 

And the perfect backing for the Merry Go Round Quilt. I love it when I get things on HUGE sale. Half price! They'll be able to see this quilt from deep space without the aid of the Hubble telescope. 

I'm hoping tomorrow which is a public holiday (yay a free day off !) provides an opportunity for some actual sewing to get done although it's been relaxing being a bit slack for a change.

The Calm After the Storm

I give up. There is no way I can catch up on all the blog posts that have been written in my absence this week. I did try but gave up after commenting on 30 and responding to about 60 emails from my inbox. I know if I haven't commented on one of your posts from this week you'll forgive me. Next time if you could all stop posting when I go AWOL that would be great. Thanks.


Relative peace has descended on Casa Pyjamas again with the exodus of Miss P and Little P. My parents arrive tomorrow. I need one of those revolving hotel doors round here. I could dress Mr. P as a bell hop.

There was a fair bit of sitting in my pyjamas this weekend catching up with what has been going on in the world and stuffing my face with mini Wagon Wheels. And like Pavlov's Dog as soon as I wrote Wagon Wheels I had to go and eat another one. OK, four. I'm safe- I've finished the packet now. But there are 5 packets of Tim Tams in the pantry calling my name. Miss P brought me home a Tim Tam show bag from work last week and I have thus far studiously ignored it. 

I was inspired by Kris's Miss 14 who made these cupcakes a couple of weeks ago. They went on my "I must do that when Little P is here " list. They were a big hit and I'm dreaming of a career in Sesame Street cupcakes as my next alternative job.  Having done them ,  I think I could quite easily pull off Elmo cupcakes too. Oscar the grouch would be do-able too if you could get you icing to look khaki. Sometimes that happens to me when I'm not even trying.  I have no photos of the process since I was supervising Little P who was "helping " me as I made these. If you can kid wrangle, deal with blue icing and manage to put together cupcakes while taking pictures then you are a better woman than I am . 

In fabulous news,  we are a two car household again (yay!)having finally found a new car this week. The price was right and it has wheels so it's all good. Mr. P can stop catching two buses to work.  

I managed to spend time in the sewing room this weekend and worked on multiple projects. A couple of finishes are in the wind over the next couple of weeks.   More on that tomorrow.

Deep Thoughts and The Usual Weekend Round Up

I've been a bit off my game the last few weeks. There have been lots of changes and pressures at home and work and it's been hard to keep up. I've been spending some time reflecting on life's big questions, as we all do from time to time.  Where am I ? Who am I?  Where do I really want to be? What isn't working in my life and how do I change it?  Wow -I'm deep. I'm an untapped well of deep. I don't have the answers, but I'll let you know when I do. I think this deep thought has been spurred on by constant change over the last month or so , with more unfamiliar territory to be charted this week and more stressful events than usual to be faced.

So this post was going to be all about that but when I read back what I'd written it was too much. I'd rather mostly keep this blog about the fun and bizarre and mundane stuff in my life not for diatribes or too much introspection.

That being said...onto my weekend.

After the grocery shopping, washing, trip to the library for more books , the jaunt to the hardware store, cleaning out my  wardrobe and my jewellery drawer, (OMG I have too many clothes and jewellery to go with every conceivable outfit -who knew ?)  and lots of furniture re-shuffling this weekend in preparation for our annual carpet cleaning I still managed to do a few other things that were actually enjoyable. 

I baked lemon coconut cupcakes. Delicious. And some coffee kisses which were not delicious so I'm not wasting bandwidth showing them here. Blerk. 

I spray painted the wicker chair one last time. Next stop-  conquering my fear of zips so I can re-do the cushion.

The desk got it's first top coat after two coats of primer.  One or two top coats to go folks. Then a few layers of poly. I'm going to throw a party when we finally put away all those paint cans that have been cluttering up our patio since July and you're all invited.

I did some Christmas crafting/sewing/creating . More about that on Tuesday.

Since I managed to  kill all the agapanthas I planted in the filing cabinet planter in February- how many times must I confess I'm a plant murderess?- I decided to plant some new green things to kill. Including herbs. So for all of you that suggested I grow my own vegies, here is my compromise.  I've already had to re-pot the mint since Moo the cat decided it was a good place to take a dump 10 minutes after I'd finished.   The neighbours learned new swear words, and Moo spoke angrily at me in cat speak when I yelled at her.  I'm assuming she knew what "*^!# you, you *!%#*. I'm going to kill you" meant.

My hydrangeas look like they're going to have a crazy amount of blooms  this year. (See..I talk the lingo) They got fertilised and mulched. And admired. I've managed to keep these alive now for over two years and grew them from brown sticks of nothing to this.

I re-fashioned a bag I found while op shopping with Miss P...

Before

After...Yep I bought it because it matches this shirt. The bag makeover took about 60 seconds.

Mr. P and I got up early and hit the Growers Market for some fruit, herbs  and vegies. It all looks pretty but I wish it tasted like donuts or salt and vinegar chips.

Miss P cooked tea Saturday (I had to check to make sure the sky wasn't falling). Sorry I didn't take pictures but it was too awesomely wonderful to wait to eat while pictures got taken. 

So a pretty quiet weekend. I sat on my patootie at the computer a lot surfing blogs and the internet in general ooohing and ahhhing over people's projects and general craftiness. I hope your weekend was exactly what you were hoping for.

P.S.  This is Little P's dismantled cot , in the computer room. Nothing is where it should be at the moment which is giving me flashbacks about the all too recent kitchen renovation. Ugh...