We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary this year.

Just a good sense of humour and realistic expectations.

And of course, love.

Playing with Toys

Children are never too old to visit childhood toys.

My beautiful daughter will be 23 in two weeks.

International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day.

More importantly, it is my lovely daughter Hannah's 19th birthday.

Hannah is third from the left in the above photo.

She is sharing 'High Tea' with friends.

Hannah at work.

Hannah and her friend Liana.
Hannah in the mirror.

Hannah at a concert.

Happy Anniversary of the Wedding Kind

Here I am at Christmas 1980. Almost 17.

I didn't know it then but I had just met the love of my life.

We eventually sorted ourselves out and we married on this day in 1989.

Here we are Mother's Day last year.

Happy Anniversary Max.

I know you peek at my blog.

Loving you still and always will.

A Young Visitor

The young woman is my lovely daughter #3. The young joey is the visitor. My sister-in-law is fostering this baby, as she does from time to time. In the early days, the joey has to go every where with her as they need constant care and feeding etc. Her 'pouch' is a pillowslip-lined handbag. Several handbags are used as they are washed etc. as needed. The joey drinks from a bottle. (No pictures of that, sorry.)

Who could resist this little face?
One day she will be old enough to go and play with the other kangaroos.
My sister-in-law lives on a remote farm and she will eventually return to the herds in the area. That's a year or more down the track. In the meantime - they named her "Gemma".

Friend's Baby Shower

We had a baby shower at my house for my daughters' friend.

My daughter Hannah did all of the decorating and most of the cooking.

This is my daughter Corbie helping with the red velvet cupcakes.

Topped with blue icing and fairy floss of course.

Have you figured out yet it's a Dr Seuss theme?

The amazing cake was made by the mum-to-be's father's ex-partner.

Yummy jelly deserts with cream.

Hannah finally got to give Caz the nappy bag I made at the retreat which I blogged about here.

I think she liked it.

It was a really good day.

Hannah, Caz (a.k.a. Caroline) and me.

Yes, she's wearing a Grinch apron (found online).

Baby is due early January.

Misc

I made this little dragon ages and ages ago. It belongs to daughter #2. My first softie. Cheap felt and over-stuffed but well loved. The eyes have yellowed over the years. I got the pattern from a book or magazine - can't remember - although I probably still have it here somewhere.

Back view.

My number 2 daughter made this as a school project way back when. She is now 22.

Detail.

Recent family photo just before we went to see "The John Denver Story" with Rick Price.

Left to right Daughter #2, Daughter #1, Daughter #3 (crouching), Mumsyblossom and Mr Fixit.

Lots of painting and fixing plumbing and fighting winter colds going on at the moment. No sewing - alas!

My Grandmother's Doll Quilt

My grandmother made this little doll quilt later in her life. It was occupational therapy while recovering from something or other (living in Oz the details were sketchy as they didn't want to worry me or something like that. Very frustrating.) These fabrics are not cotton. Think polyester.

These prints scream sixties and seventies to me.

The herringbone stitch is a nice touch.

A rogue woven fabric - a coat? skirt? vest?

My grandmother loved her polyester suits. But I'm sure she didn't have this many. I believe the fabrics were shared amongst the group in recovery.

Nothing like a good op-shop to find this stuff.

Incredibly, my family sent me a bag of polyester scraps and a huge polyester flimsy... which I've blogged about before but haven't done anything with yet... it's mind boggling and will probably be cut into small quilts. That one didn't have any hand stitching like this little beauty.

I'm sure my grandmother had a green poly suit...

What's hiding in your cupboard?

A Second Quilt

Do you remember by niece-in-law Louise? I blogged about her first quilt here, a small Double Wedding Ring. She's back with a baby quilt for a friend, and of course it's a Drunkard's Path. It's still rough around the edges as she's struggling with that quarter inch. But I so admire her willingness to just dive in. To her, one pattern is like another and you just follow the directions. There's a lesson here for all of us, I think. Especially me...

I've shown Louise some of my quilt tops and she wants to know why they aren't finished... good question. Did I have a coherent answer? Not really. No excuse. Too lazy to quilt? Scared of ruining the top by trying to quilt it? Hit a design wall regarding borders? We've all been there and done that.

2011 is a finishing year for me. I'm determined and mentally ready. There will be finished quilts flowing from my sewing room. I will work only on projects that are started already. This is my promise to myself. I am resolved.

Sneak Peek

The imp in me says I must show a tiny sneak peek of my

Chookyblue's Secret Santa Christmas Swap.

Hopefully Santa won't put me on the naughty list.
.

Sadly no sewing getting done.

Been shifting my elderly in-laws out of their home and in to a retirement village. Only those who have done this know what I've been through. I was in charge somehow. I'm a little traumatised, but we are still on speaking terms... and they are comfortable and happy in their new home. Just don't know what they are going to do with all the stuff they refused to let go of. Lots and lots of boxes in their garage. Lots of boxes in the spare room. Lots of stuff in the cupboards. Had a fight with Dad about throwing out aspirin that expired in 1991. You get the idea.

.

I can hardly wait until I'm 82 and can drive my kids crazy.

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Edit: Sounds like I'm whinging a bit. You have to know that I was glad to be able to help these wonderful substitute parents (a.k.a. the in-laws) - even if it was overwhelming...

Something Amazing

So I had a visitor tonight. My niece-in-law Louise. Mother of the great, great-nephews mentioned here. She came by to pick up the little quilts for her boys. And she brought something to show me. And I just had to show you. Look what she has tackled for her first-ever quilting project, using a pattern and instructions from a very old craft book (circa 1970's). The instructions are incredibly limited. She used a bit of plastic from a binder divider to make her templates. It's sewn by machine. It's a little rough around the edges, and she's planning on adding something to it but not more arcs. She bought the fabric at either Spotlight or Textile Traders (can't remember which). I am just so proud of her. She was so inspired by the work we did together throwing the little Wiggle quilts together that she felt like she just had to do some quilty thing. I told her that double wedding ring was a pattern that many quilters put in the too-hard basket or plan on getting to it 'one day'. She said it was a good thing she didn't know it was hard... lol - here is a close-up of one of the arcs. I had to use flash as it's evening and she was off again and that was the photo op.

We had a great couple of hours together talking all things quilty. She is a beginner and trying to wing it. I gave her a beginner's quilting magazine which highlights different methods and easy patterns. And it came with a dvd so gave her that as well. And I gave her a few other little bits of supplies and wadding etc. And some fabric. I told her she needed to shop at "Auntie Shari's" before spending any more money. How's that for stash busting?

Well, the enthusiasm was a little tiring and it is time for bed. Hope you all had a very nice day!

Potholders - The Kind You Use

I've seen some pretty fabulous potholders out there in blogland, but almost always they are decorative and not used...

My mother-in-law has made me numerous potholders over the years. She stuffs them with old tea towels. She says you need to use three layers of toweling because two will allow you to burn your fingers. These are the real workhorses of my kitchen. The top pair is the oldest. Well-used and needing a wash by the looks of it...

So this wonderful woman turned 80 last Saturday and we got a lot of the family and numerous friends together to celebrate. She asked for no gifts, but I thought I would make her a couple of potholders - it seemed the right thing to do..

They're not fancy, and not made with tea towels... I used two layers of cotton wadding. I know she will actually use these, and that's the whole point. And they match her kitchen...

So family gatherings are photo ops. Here I am with my two oldest daughters. This is in the grounds of a private high school where my brother-in-law teaches.

"Mum and Dad" with their four children. Mr Fixit is on the far right.

The 'immediate' family, less a few who had to work or couldn't get there.

And my gorgeous youngest daughter who couldn't be there. She said I had to use this picture because she looks cute in it...

Well, off to the day job. Thursday I do the late shift. Hope you are all surviving this very weird weather!