A Little Back Surgery

Well I'm sure you all know what these socks and beautiful stockings mean. I have been dealing with 6 months of crazy painful sciatic pain. Finally they found a little bone growth was protruding into the nerve. So Tuesday I had it removed. I am up and about slowly and it will be a while before I can do anything strenuous but to have the pain gone is worth it. The op pain will pass quickly I hope. So now to find some stitching to do. I wonder if I have any???? 

Little gifts.

I spent some time making some small  zipper pouches. I find these useful to carry bits and bobs in your hand bag and they make good gifts. 

Christmas 2019

We started our Christmas by spending the week before Christmas at the Gold Coast with our kids. A week at Treasure Island caravan park and lots of shopping and playing. We have also made it a tradition to go to the Movie World White Christmas.  It's great for families with little ones. We have done it for 3 years now and love it. 

The next day it was Sea World which the kids totally enjoyed, especially Ev, when she was asked to feed the dolphin. That was an absolute highlight for her, they even splashed each other, so cute.  

We had our family Christmas the Thursday before because it is Emma's turn to have Christmas with her family this year. 
Bernie decided to spoil me for Christmas and take me to the Brisbane Hilton for 3 nights and we had Christmas lunch at the Stamford Plaza Hotel.  Very flash and I was totally spoiled. No cooking, washing up or anything. Then right in the city for the boxing day sale. It was all together a great time. 

We made a Lego Christmas tree.

I would totally recommend lunch at the Stamford Plaza Hotel . The seafood was amazing and all the  traditional Christmas fare was on offer. The desserts were so creative and really made it feel like a "Christmas" dinner.

 

 

Pre Christmas Projects

Do you ever start a Christmas project and then not get it finished in time for Christmas? It seems to happen to me often. So this year I was determined to make them the first projects finished in the new year, ready for next Christmas 2020.

I finished a little curve ruler project. Our sewing group all  did this at our last meeting for the year. we had an all day sew in and our Christmas party as well.

 I started this wreath at our November meeting . I found it on Pinterest and really liked it. Now I am finished and its ready for a nice centre piece for 2020. I finished it today.

Foxley Village Finished

  I have finally finished putting the bind on this beautiful quilt. I just  love Natalie Bird's work and Tilda fabrics. I changed the pattern slightly and didn't use the same outside border as in the pattern because I preferred the white however I did use a multi- coloured bind.

Christmas Sewing

When I was in Hobart recently I went to Helen Stubbings '  Hugs and Kisses shop. She has such a cute little shop with a coffee shop section as well .  I chose this little Christmas wall hanging. I  did it in lime green and red.  It's on the wall and ready fro Christmas 2019. 

This is not true to colour really as you can see below.

A Very Special Weekend

Ev had her first dance concert and it was the day before Boo Poppy's 60th birthday so we had a multi celebration weekend. First my "jeanie" and all her  preparations.  I am biased of course but I thought she looked beautiful even when she had been having several dates with the tooth fairy.

After the concert we all went to dinner , and yes, there was cake and some kids keen to help blow out the candles and Boo didn't mind at all.

 He didn't mind getting help opening his presents either

 Boo didn't mind turning 40 years younger and being the Avenger Colt chose for him 

 According to Colton both Poppy's and dad had to wear the party masks he helped me buy.  Ha !Ha!  so funny at breakfast. Grandfathers will do anything for their little man.

Back to the Sewing Room

This week I have got back into my sewing room after so many weekends away. I'm quilting , stitching and trying out my new little light weight machine  I bought for lugging around to retreats and sewing days .

I'm quilting this fairy quilt for Ev.

This is my new light weight have fabric and sewing friends will travel machine. I'm making a Christmas table centre.

This is a wall hanging that will have some red and green hexagons attached, however the fabric  is actually lime green.

A visit to Quarter Inch the home of Hugs& Kisses

This tiny shop has so many treasures. And great coffee.

Today we arrived in Hobart around about lunch time. Booked into the Salamanca Inn and  went to Salamanca markets. Lots of beautiful timber goods. As we  approached each stall selling timber products you could just smell the scent of the Tassie wood. We bought a bottle of wine, some black garlic , cheese and Tassie salmon . No prizes for guessing what we will be doing this afternoon. I just love the tulips they were selling too hot and dry for those ast home. Bernie took a few minutes to do emails and rest his legs. The little tassie devil welcomed us at the airport..

 

Gourmet in Gundy Barbecue Cook Off

Today I was the other half in a cooking competition which is a part of the Gourmet in Gundy celebration, a bit of a foodie festival. This year the four schools in our town went head to head in a barbecue competition. Each school had to use a different meat, the choices were pork, chicken, beef and pork.  The principal of our school, Brett, and I  got to cook steak.  We chose sirloin steaks.  The challenge was to cook a barbecue meal for ten people in one hour. Celebrity chef Mat Golinski was the judge.  
We didn't win but I thought we did  pretty well anyway.

Finished

In the cooking zone 

5 4 3 2 1  finished 

The judges

Matt Golenski the judge tasting our food.  Grilled vegetable stack , truss tomatoes and porterhouse steak with Blue cheese sauce. 

Lamb by the opposition

The  opposition's meals

Two chefs tasting