Berry Red Stitches

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to everyone. I hope you find some time to stitch over the long weekend.

Liane

Meeting up in Sydney

I’ve just returned from a couple of days in Sydney. It was a quick visit this time - but I made sure to go and visit Material Obsession in Drummoyne. It was a quick and easy 10 minute bus ride from the city. The shop is just lovely and filled with so many gorgeous fabrics.

I was really pleased to meet Kathy when I arrived and with a bit of luck and great timing, Cathy from Cabbage Quilts was also visiting. It’s always a thrill to meet the people that you’ve been reading about. I think this is one of the positives of blogging – when you do meet in person, you don’t feel like a total stranger - you have an instant common interest to chat about and the conversation flows easily.

(Not a great iphone photo unfortunately!)

There was also a class going on downstairs and I popped in to say hello to Marj Sampson George (who I first met in Toowoomba last year). The room was abuzz with activity and camaraderie and they were busy sewing, cutting out and chatting. I reflected once again about the distance between my home and great quilt shops.

Oh well, I’ll just have to see how many UFOs I can finish before my next trip.

Liane

The most important things in life

The photos over at Kathryn's blog maggieandsparrow.blogspot.com.au reminded me of a verse that I saw when my eldest son was born. I have kept it and reread it many times over the years since and thought I would share it with you here. I am not sure who wrote it.

 

I TOOK HIS HAND AND FOLLOWED

My dishes went unwashed today

I didn't make the bed

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

 

Oh yes, we went adventuring

My little son and I ......

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky.

 

We waded in a crystal stream

We wandered through a wood ---

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

 

We found a cool, sundappled glade

And now my small son knows

Where Mother Bunny hides her nest

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

 

We watched a robin feed her young

We climbed a sunlit hill ......

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky

We plucked a daffodil.

 

That my house was neglected

That I didn't brush the stairs

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

 

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.

 

Liane

Busy times

I’ve been trying to go for a couple of walks each week – in between the torrential rain or hot and humid days we’ve been having - and thought I’d show you a few of the quiet spots in some of the parks around our area.

 

The past few weeks have been too hectic and the amount of time spent on stitching has been zero! What have I been up to that’s so consuming you may ask? Well I guess it started the week before we waved off daughter and her partner for their six month overseas trip – they moved in for a week, bringing a load of boxes and furniture to store here. This coincided with the start of three weeks full time work for me, study at college, a return to yoga classes and organising bank accounts, insurance and documentation in preparation for youngest son to leave home for the first time, for his overseas trip! Throw in a couple of birthdays, farewell dinners, mum’s day surgery, a broken dishwasher, garage sale etc and I’m wondering why I feel totally stressed out and emotional! It’s already nearly March and I’m wondering what happened to all my plans for this year.

I’m going to make sure I sit down and do some stitching today.

Liane

A few bits and pieces

These are the books I bought while I was in Toowoomba. It’s always good when you get some money for Christmas! I was hoping to join the Some Kind of Wonderful stitch-a-long but at the moment they are full – maybe I’ll just follow along myself for now. I always seem to find these groups too late!

I also caught up with some of the green ric rack that I was looking for to finish off my Patchwork Posies quilt and the bells and buttons for my stitcheries.

Precious Time was having their annual birthday sale and the top three fabrics are for backings and the bottom three, just because….

So now that I have a few things organized again – I have full time work for the next three weeks.

Good thing it’s summer and I can get up earlier!

 Liane

A few days away

I’ve just returned from a few days away in Toowoomba. With all the rain and local flooding we have been having here in South East Queensland, I almost wasn’t sure whether to go or not. Luckily we had a respite from the torrential rain here and it was not raining when I arrived in Toowoomba. I'm so glad I went for a walk through the parks the first day, as the rain and fog closed in after that.

I saw these huge sunflowers in the park. Some of them were standing over 2 metres tall and the leaves were the size of dinner plates.

Even though the weather meant I couldn’t visit a few of my favourite “outdoor” spots, I could still pay a couple of visits to Lisa at Precious Time. I meant to take some photos of the shop this time but I forgot. Luckily they have just rearranged and Lisa has posted some photos here on her blog.

I had taken a shopping list with me and as soon as I take some photos, I will show you my purchases.

Liane

Wandering around blogland

When I have some spare time, I love to check out some of the links on other blogs. I have noticed that a lot of people seem to take a break from blogging at this time of year. I can fully understand the need to get your thoughts organised for the year ahead - but I really do appreciate the bloggers with regular posts and lots of interesting things going on.

One such blogger is Fiona who is currently having a give away. If you haven't already visited her blog, I urge you to have a look.

Liane

Happy Christmas

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Christmas and New Year.

I hope you find some quiet stitching time over the holidays.

Liane

Only a few days to go

The house is decorated, most of the Christmas parties have been and gone, the presents are ready to wrap and the food and drinks are being organised - and somehow I managed a few hours at home alone (when does that ever happen?) How nice it was to just stop and think about what still needs to be done, organise my thoughts and really look around the house. It's a shame that we all spend so much time rushing from one deadline to the next these days without much time to enjoy the moments. This seems to be especially true of working mothers, particularly those with children still at home. I've spoken with many lately, who are completely stressed out, emotional and exhausted by the demands of trying to create a magical Christmas for their families, while working fulltime. Fortunately I am not one of them this year as I have had some time off. This is the earliest and most organised I've been for many, many years.

I attended a Christmas party last week and took one of these along. I was remembering Christmas parties many years ago when these were popular and the kids were younger. They always look good and are well received.

Keep breathing and try and enjoy the preparations,

Liane

Busy mind - not so busy patchwork hands!

How stunning are these lillies? I am not usually a fan of lillies but these ones may have changed my mind! The florist where I have been doing work experience gave them to me as a thank you for working all afternoon for the "Day for Daniel" (Morecombe charity).

It's been a busy couple of weeks. Youngest son's year 12 exams are over and there is only two weeks of "activities" and schoolies week left! We're both exhausted and finding it hard to believe it's nearly over! I've been at college, work experience, work and generally just trying to keep up. I can't resist showing you this photo of something I found at work last week - most people here don't even know what they are. We live in a tropical climate and usually don't see the cold weather flowers......

These colourful buds become these gorgeous peonies.....

With the lillies and the peonies, the house is full of flowers - a definite advantage of my floristry course. I've never had peonies here in Queensland before and am so excited that I went and got an extra bunch for my bedroom too. Can't wait until these are all open.

Hoping to get back to my quilting again soon,

Liane