This is the Toffee Apple

A few posts ago, I called my laptop "The Toffee Apple". I think I promised a photo, and here it is, finally. Can you see why I call it so? It is really a white Macbook, but I have added a nifty acrylic shell in red, so it is white on the inside, and red on the outside. I don't think I need to explain the play on words to you, I really am not that smart so I doubt if I have baffled anyone. I also have, as you may see, a little stable table so it sits nicely on my lap. I have to be very careful that I don't spend too much time with it on my lap, it is very easy to waste hours. But I have lots of friends in here, and I like to visit with them!! LOL (I know I'm mad)

It's been a while hey??

Been a bit busy this past week. Trying to stay off the computer truthfully. Cause, while I am on the puter, I eat and I am trying NOT to do too much of that. I have been eating less and moving more, and am getting results. Lets see how long my resolve lasts.

On the upside, less time on the computer has meant more time on the machine. I have made a couple of bags and am enthused to get some more done!! Got visitors for a couple of days, so the table has become an eating place for a few days instead of a sewing place. That is a little frustrating ( the packing the sewing away, not the visitors) and it is why I WANT MY OWN WORKSPACE. Who knows when that will happen!!!

I think I will head to bed now, I need an early night!  Will post some pics of the finished bags SOON!

BFN

Lynda

It has been a few days since my bed bound whiney post!! I didn't completely solve my dilemma, and I doubt if I ever will. But on that day I managed to get a decent amount of housework done and some sewing. The bag (reproduction fabrics) is almost finished, like 10 min from finished and that makes me happy. Have only been near the machine in the last few days to repair school uniforms, (uugh). Yesterday and today have been spent helping my parents move house. And I have tried very very hard to also stay on top of things here at home too, so tomorrow there shouldn't be too much to do before I can hit the machine.

Today's quilt is the 2nd wedding quilt I made. This was for my cousin Jeremy and his wife Raquel. As we had give Jeremy's sister, Minda, a quilt the year before, Raquel seemed very prepared when we asked what colours she would like!! The answer, mustard, burgundy and navy!!! I was really happy with the end result!

 I have discovered something cool. I was worried about how tiny the pictures came out on my blog, disappointed that it was hard to see the detail (especially on the lithograph). But if you click on the pic, IT GETS BIGGER!!!! Am I the last one to work this out?? LOL

Night night

Lynda

PS Lindi thanks for all the lovely comments!! Actually blogging on my blog is an sort of new years resolution for 2008!!

What should I do on Saturday...........

It is about 8.30 on Saturday morning, and I am still in bed, obviously with the Toffee Apple (my laptop, I should take a pic of it so you understand why I call it so). But I digress.........I am confuddled, and don't want to actually get up till I solve this conundrum.  How does a wife and mother of 4 prioritize her day?? Being Saturday there is a basketball game to attend, there are school uniforms to wash, there are always dishes to do and beds to make. I vacuumed yesterday so I feel no need to do it again just yet. It is at least 10 days since I dusted. The pantry is a MESS and I just keep buying more food as I can't find the food in it and that off course compounds the problem. Lets not even mention the garden or the ironing or the state of the bathrooms!!! Now I am NO neat freak, I am comfortable with a "certain level" of chaos. But I find it extremely hard to concentrate on "fun" stuff ( ie anything fabric related) with all those other expectations running around my head. Especially as my work space is right smack bang in the middle of it. I have FSF (Fire Sale Fabric) calling me, there is a quilt to bind, a bag to finish and the seemingly impossible task of patterns to write. (Just a little aside on that subject for anyone out there who writes patterns: Is it just the first one that is hard to do?? Does it get easier as you then have a sort of template?? Or am I just a procrastinator?)

Am I mad to think I can actually find an answer to this riddle of balancing "my" needs and "family" responsibilities? Will I solve it in time to actually do ANYTHING creative today, or maybe I should just stay in bed and avoid all disappointment?? I know Melly has been having a similar dilemma this week, so I know I am not alone. Does anyone have ANY suggestions??

Well one decision has been made, I am getting up for breakfast the tummy growls are too hard to ignore and a nice bowl of hot porridge with HEAPS of brown sugar will also comfort the soul!

BFN

Lynda

PS Should tell you about the quilt. Twas a gift for my cousin Minda and her husband Dean on the occasion of their marriage. It was the first "BIG" quilt I made. It is called "Music in the Stars" and was a pattern from House and Garden Magazine would you believe. It is made of the most delicious Robyn Pandolf fabrics.

Its been a long day.

What a day!! My Dad is retiring this week, after 8 years in this particular job but 37 years total with the organisation. We (the extended family) had been invited to attend an event this morning at his work. Boy was it tough! It was so lovely to hear the speeches, but Dad really hates being the centre of attention and was also very emotional about leaving His staff. He looked dreadful as we sat there listening I wasn't sure if he was going to be able to make His speech. But He did, and He and he did it well, had as laughing and crying. Tomorrow is His last day, then Monday Mum & Dad move! 

The picture I have included with my post today is of a lithograph. I was lucky enough to purchase this at a Craft Exhibition we held at Church late last year. I jumped on it as soon as I saw it, for several reasons. 1. Red is my favorite colour!! 2. It was soooo cheap! LOL. and 3. it was an opportunity to own a piece of art by a dear friend, Julia. This is her first attempt at the process, hard to believe isn't it!!! I was so excited to have bought it and SHE was so excited that I had bought it. LOL The next job is to find the perfect frame for it! I want to hang it in my studio, one day!

BFN

Lynda

Guess what happened to me today!

I am so excited!! I got a call from the lovely Sandra at Foothills Fabric & Threads today. Now I am already playing with Sandra, in a challenge called Pay it Forward (Watch this space for news about that in the next couple of months) and I thought she may be calling about that, but she wasn't .......I have WON a prize in the Fabric Frolic prize draw. Here is a picture of my little pack. It contains...

• Sweet Bed of Roses 5" Charm Square Pack (32 charms)
• Jennifer Knol Pattern for "Mrs Martin's Quilt"
• Willow Valley Store Pattern for "Annie Mae's Porch" Stitchery
• Hatched & Patched Pattern for "Making Tea" wallhanging
• 2  Rosalie Quinlan Designs Patterns for "Starlight" & "Starbright" Stitcheries

I have NO idea when I will get to any of them, LOL. I think the "Making Tea" will be the first one I try!! LOVE anything Tea related. And the fabric could be used for that project too!! 

And my mate Nic won something also.. you going show us what you got Nic??

Now I am going to SEW!!

Cheers

Someone IS reading!!!

I don't quite believe it! Gail thank you for bothering to stop by and for your comment!  It is such a detached process, I write and then wonder if someone will read, and even then having read once, will they come back. LOL

My fire sale fabric (FSF) is sitting there calling me but I must clean the fridge first ( part of my new years resolution, to do one yucky job around the house each day). Then I must also finish the bag in the picture. I am finding it very hard to stay focused with my FSF fabric just sitting there. I have promised myself I am not going back to Lily Patches until there is NO FSF fabric left. We will see how that goes. 

June is so amazing and so are her friends/customers. What she has given us over the years is coming back to her 100 fold. She is surrounded up there by sooo many people willing to share the practical burden of restoring her shop, and that has to make the emotional burden lighter too. Lily Patches will be back, bigger and better!!

Can you tell I am stalling..........dont want to clean the fridge. But all this stalling is doing is keeping me from my machine. SO better get too it!!

BFN

Lynda

Would you believe that today........

I went back and bought more fabric. AND I might go back again. LOL I have not had so much fun washing and ironing in ages!!!! Got to get stuck into it.

What happened a week after the fire..........

Funny how the day rarely turns out how you plan it!! After taking JJ to school I decided to do some gardening, then some housework, then some parcel packing. It was while I was preparing parcels I got a call from June at Lily Patches. She had been given permission by the Insurance Assessors to old a fire sale!! I was there in around 20 min flat. LOL. And here is the pile of lovelies I bought home. All washed, dried and ironed ready to turn into something yummy. I don't normally wash fabric, but this was a little smokey. But that is all gone now!! Will show you some pics of what the piles turn into soon.

Night night

Lynda

Going to Sew....

I am writing this post and then I am going to sew! It is a bit late to be starting I know but if I do a little bit tonight, I will be inspired and organised for tomorrow! 

It has been a day of contrasting emotions today. Mum rang this morning to tell me my Cousins  12 month old baby has been experiencing mild seizures. Fortunately my cousin thought to video what was happening so when she went to the Dr she could take it as evidence. He sent them straight to a Paediatrician who has ordered testing on Monday! The hard thing is they are in Adelaide, and the rest of us are here in Melbourne. I am sure my Aunt will be heading over to offer her support.

Then my father dropped around the book his staff have put together to celebrate his retirement. I know he is lovely but it is overwhelming to read how respected he is in his work place. He finishes up at the end of next week, then he and mum move. I think he will be busier in retirement than he is now, as if often the way.

So Waking the Dead has started, and it is my main source of distraction, I will work during the ads. (Well try to!!) Thankfully I had a little snooze this afternoon, so I will not feel the need to go to bed soon.

BFN

Lynda

Butterfly Bag

Here is one of my designs! Made it up a few months ago, with the best of intentions to write a pattern. And I will, soon! But for now I am trying to get some made to sell on Etsy. (If I can ever get on top of the washing etc.) But mostly I have to stop making excuses.

I also dropped by the Lily Patches shop today. They had a fire next door. The restaurant  where the fire started is completely guttered, no fire damage at Junes, just lots and lots of wet, smokey fabric. It was very sad to see and is likely to take a month at least, I suspect longer. I will keep the blog updated with news about a possible reopening date etc.

cheers

Lynda