Spring Butterflies and Shopping

 I have not been in my sewing room for so long. Life has been getting in the way, in a good way of course. I have been to see my granddaughter and I have been  on a trip with Mr Bird  west to Quilpie, Cunnamulla and Charleville,  so many  miles have been travelled this past school break.

On our western trip we stopped in a little place  west of Cunnamulla called Eeulo there was a cute shop there called   "Paroo Patch".  The lady there runs  a little patchwork group  and her husband does amazing leatherwork. 

I bought a lovely soft red hand made kangaroo leather bag, it was lined with floral patchwork fabric and I couldn't resist the red leather plaited belt. I thought the work was quality and the prices reasonable for such lovely hand made items.  Of course a couple of fat quarters went into the basket as well.

Some other little things collected along the way.

 Butterflies and Spring go together so I was tempted today to get in and finish this little project tin.   This project was one from GDITC  a couple of years ago when Sue Daley was the tutor.

I thought the inside of the tin needed decoration also. So its all done and ready to go do some English Paper Piecing.  

A Special Birthday

A very special little one in our life is one today. I cannot believe I have been a grandmother for a year. What a wonderful privilege. 

From this amazing moment

To loving to play outside 

To going out with my mum

To being ONE

Happy Birthday little one.

August Retreat

Sorry to be a bit late with this post.  I had the best time on that weekend with some lovely ladies. Getting away,shopping, chatting, lunching and sewing at the lovely Cottage On the Hill . We stayed in the  new cabins at the Fossikers Tourist Park......very nice.

Good fun group of ladies 

"janimary" doing her stretches after a day of quilting .. LOL

 "shiraleestitches" working with Grey and pink.

Guess who sewing 

Some funny Jokes.....

and finished her bag on the comfy couch 

Chooky getting organised 

Started with this." little black Dress" by Moda 

Lots of diagonal strips and no the Union Jack is not mine ....lovely though!

Building a graduated quilt- more black to go yet....

Wonderful Big Weekend at home

My niece had a baby shower, the kids were home and we just loved it. All the family come to visit ......Oh and it poured raining.

Nappy cakes 

Real cakes/ white chocolate mud cakes with raffaelos and musk.    

What else do you do early morning when it's raining but have cuddles with your granddaughter


Poppy's turn then they both slept again....nice

Poppy's girl

Retreat

Testing my new blog app . Thanks Googy Girl.....Had the best time with some special friends on the weekend . Thanks everyone I just loved it. Hope everyone arrived home safe. I got home about 8.15 to a lovely cooked dinner.....do love my hubby. My fabric and ready to start . More photos of progress later

Butterflies

Last weekend we had a workshop for our quilt group. 

Kathy from KOOL KATS  quilting in Toowoomba came to our  quilting group. We had a two day retreat at home making a Bali Butterfly. Fist day Kathy tutored us , second day we continued to sew.  Mr Bird cooked all our meals and the lovely ladies gave us these tulips for preparing the food..  Tulips are my favourites. 

Just beautiful inside. Hmm. I wonder if they knew orange is my favourite.

Picking a background

I think mine looks more like a moth than a butterfly but we will see when its finished...

My friend Margie S's quilt

My friend Jo's lovely quilt

A Return from Sweden

 This weekend we have been very lucky to have one of our past Rotary exchange students return to visit us.

 Elsa is a part of our family now after living with us for 3 months in 2002. She bought her boyfriend Per with her. What a nice time we have had.  

The  exchange was a wonderful educational experience for our family and we have made friends forever.  Over time we have had 2 girls from Denmark and one from Germany and one from Sweden( Elsa).  All but one has returned for a visit and the last says she is coming soon. 

 We have had fun eating, drinking, talking and  looking for kangaroos and emus. We have been to a farm and to a trail ride. 

When  you look for everything your town has to offer to show overseas visitors you really take a second look and  appreciate it more.

Family Gathering

A lovely gift from Elsa and Per... Radish girls.

Funny the brand.... by Elsa From Elsa  not the same Elsa  of course.

I made her favourite cookies. Cornflake choc chip cookies.  

They made us a very nice entree - Pear and Haloumi (Paron and Haloumi) So simple  yet so nice.

Breakfast for the tourists at my favourite coffee shop.. Lauren'z .
 I  taught Lauren ( in black) at school, a few years ago now.
The best eggs benedict you will get anywhere....

Elsa and Per at the farm

Looking for Emus ...we did find some