Quiet Times

I have had little chance to sew lately so I thought I would share this with you. I was in Bundaberg Spotlight recently and a lady was doing a demonstration of this technique. She was machine stitching and collaging many fabric pieces using fancy stitches on her sewing machine onto some thick vylene. then she was making them into bags. Quite clever I thought.... I hope you are all finding time to do what you love. Hopefully some progress next week.

Cooking and Sewing

Life is so good when your son cooks for you.  I am sure Mr bird jnr. is getting to be as keen on cooking as his Dad. It makes me so proud.

Pre dinner starters

Very Yummy 

 Scones from the master chef himself........lol.  Good scones take some perfecting, I think he has done it. The unusual shape top was achieved with a little tuppawear scone cutter.

Morning Tea ..... Scrumptious Scones.  We eaten most of them ...

Had lots of rain here Friday and Saturday.... good for sewing!

The afternoon before the rain 

Another view

I thought a rainy day was a good time to get some dinosaurs out of the cupboard. I started this a couple of years ago. I trying some trupunto (not sure how to spell it.) and hand quilting. Only a little hand quilting to go before I can bind it.

I am also trying my hand at some book covers. I love using bright colourful novelty prints for these sorts of projects.

Thanks for dropping by !

State of Origin

" Queenslander" That was the chant that rung through Suncorp Stadium at my very first ever State of Origin rugby league game.   What a fantastic experience. I have always enjoyed a good game of rugby league, it's in my blood I suppose.

 My great great uncle was Herb Steinohrt. He was a great league player in his time I guess a bit like the Johnathon Thurston of today.  He was entered into the Rugby League's top 100 players.  We loved to visit with him as kids. I have always enjoyed the game and never really thought I would get to an origin game. Oh so lucky......... 

In action 

Top 100 players

As I knew him- Uncle Herb..

Brisbane on Origin Day is like a big carnival. They had lots of stalls at the top end of Queen Street. So many people walking around in blue and maroon colours and jerseys but all in good fun which was wonderful.  We sat next to 3 guys who were supporting NSW , they were surrounded by Queenslander's but the interaction was all in good fun and there was a lot of friendly banter and rivalry. It was great to see that in a sporting arena. 

BEST OF ALL WE WON ......  SORRY ALL OF YOU LOVELY NSW SUPPORTERS . It was a close and well fought game. Both sides should be proud I thought, not that I am an expert. 

 Ready for  State of Origin 2012

Mr Bird enjoying a pre game drink

Guess who enjoying a pre dinner drink

Bus decorations

More bus decorations

  

Artie Beetson in Bronze

Darren Lockyer in Bronze

Wally Lewis in Bronze

Can you believe they paint the grass green?????

"The Voice" winner Carrise Eden ??

The Blues

The Maroons

The Fan fare 

Good Food and Family

It has been a very interesting couple of weeks since I blogged last.    We visited my brother and his wife for a weekend of story telling , reminissing , wining and dining. 

They had recently travelled to Tasmania and bought back this beautiful book for us .  

Then my very clever sister in-law cooked up a storm from the sea.....Not too bad since they live in western Queensland. We were so full and so spoilt.....yummmm........

My brother does a little crabbing when he goes to the coast so we had the rewards of that also. LOVE fresh mud crab! 

While we were there I delivered a little quilt for their daughter and son in law who are about to have their first baby next month. ( I started it at our Warwick retreat)

Such an inspirational book...especially when you can get the oysters...

With watermelon, onion, white wine vinegar and lime juice.....delish

Freshly caught muddies........mmmm.......

Trio of seafood

 Some nice days to enjoy a little drink in the garden......  "Tess" loves to go driving in the golf buggy .... perhaps her name should be "Daisy"   

A cot size quilt for my niece's  baby...  Just love the tractors!

Rainbow Magic

Mr Bird and I went to visit the kids ( well they're grown up, but they will always be our kids) in Bundaberg on the long weekend.  We had a lot of fun.

Hubby and Son trying their hand at fishing 

Rainbow  Magic just outside of Moonie  QLD on our way home.

Piecing Magic  - I have finally finished this little project.

This wedding photo just arrived so I thought I would share it. with you.  It hardly seems 6 months since the wedding. How time flies.

Hope you are all enjoying some sewing. I am now on holidays ... Yeh! I am planning on getting some done..

Food Glorious Food

A Beautiful Table

Cheesecake anyone ?

On the 7th June my year 10 Hospitality class cooked a 3 course meal for 45 people. There war 25 of them on the job.  I was so proud of them. They did a fantastic job. Sometimes there is so much bad press about teens that we forget there are many more truly lovely young people out there.  This group of young people were truly dedicated and hard working as well as considerate and cooperative. we began our day at 8.30 am and worked until 10.30pm.  I think they did a good job for 15 year olds....

They prepared 

Tomato and Mascarpone Tarts

Spinach and Fetta Ravioli

Beef and Sweet Potato Targine

Caramelised Sweet Potato with Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Sticky Date Puddings 

Tripple Chocolate Cheesecake

Weekend at Stacey's at the Gap

It is so wonderful to sit and sew all weekend. Our quilt group went on retreat at Stacey's at the Gap which was an old school camp at the top of Cunningham's Gap between Ipswich and Warwick in South East Queensland. Now it is a retreat. 

 Inside there was a beautiful warm fire and lots of places to sit and  sew and relax while chatting with friends.  Outside was beautiful by day but freezing by night. 

 We sewed all day and night until 10.00pm.  The lovely Leonie and Mal looked after us cooking for us all weekend, talk about spoilt, Mal even carried all our things to the car for us..extra spoilt I would say. 

We all worked on our own projects and their was a lot of productivity. many quilts finished and many started and we have all booked in for next year.

Safari Quilt- my own design

 Another view of Africa

I went to Nundle with a friend early in May. This is the quilt I made its by Abbey Lane "Match Box" I put the last border on over the weekend. 

Comfortable accommodation

The best place to be it was so cold Sunday Morning

In the Garden

I am making this for my niece's  baby