Saturday, October 26, 2013

Bloggers Quilt Festival - Fall 2013


 I am so excited to be participating in Bloggers Quilt Festival again, I didn't enter in the previous one as I was away on holiday and  it just so happens that I finished this quilt called Dream Big by Camille Roskelly just in time.


I made this quilt for my brother, Marty, in the Northern Territory, I did ask him are you sure you need one as it is so so hot up there but he assured me that sometimes Kristy has the air conditioner up so high he gets cold.....precious!!



As we have just returned from spending a week with them I was determined to get this finished so I could give it to them in person. The fabric is called Whimsy by Figtree, I  chose these fabric as it incorporates
all the colours of the Great Australian Outback, red the colour of the soil, orange for the sunsets, greens of
the bush, browns of the rocks, yellow of the golden sun. I machine quilted it with a pantograph called
Royal Plumes and backed it with a beautiful rich terracotta colour again incorporating the outbacks rich reds and oranges.


So with the outback in mind we took a walk on their property and found these beautiful termite mounds, these termite mounds can reach heights of  three metres high and up to100 years old and are structures unique to the Northern parts of Australia. It was a little difficult to drape these over the mounds, so in the end we held them up,

I was a little concerned walking into the bush and coming across one of those long slithery things, but
luckily the dogs were with us and must of scared them away. The things you do for a photo!!

 Here I have hung the quilt on their washing line.......its safer!!

I was really happy with how it turned out and Marty and Kristy loved it and it
now takes pride and place on their new lounge suite.

I have decided to enter this into the Photography Category, thanks again Amy
for all the work you do in organizing this amazing festival. I cant wait to go and
see all the gorgeous quilts.

Happy Quilting!!

Mandy



Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Licorice Allsorts and Juvenile Diabeties



Today I had the pleasure of quilting a quilt for Leeanne, this was Leeannes,
first quilt she has ever made and it was a joy to quilt
no wavey borders just perfect.  Good job Leeanne!!.
 

The pattern is Licorice Allsorts, Leeanne has made this with beautiful
pinks, oranges, greens and browns and added a couple of little owls ...what a hoot!!
I have done and edge to edge panto called Daisies Galore in a variegated thread.



Leeanne has made this quilt for Juvenile Diabeties, which will be 
raffled in Queensland.

Hope it raises alot of money for your charity Leeanne.

Great Work

Happy Quilting


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Percy


It's a finish, I have so many UFO's
on the go at the moment, its great to cross one of the list.

So here he is Percy the plane a pattern by Melly and Me.
When I saw this little guy and his friend Herb (the helicopter), I knew I had
to make these guys for my GS, except that Herb
will have to wait till later.
I just do not know where time goes these days.


 Here he is with Percy, I've been told that his wings taste pretty
good at the moment.


What a cutie!!!

So now back to the sewing room to cross another
off the list, wish me luck!!

Till next time
Keep Smiling!!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Snug as a Bug




It's been so long since I last blogged, but
I have been busy doing lots of bits and pieces with
no particular finishes.

But I did get to machine quilt this 
pretty little quilt that Kym made.

She wanted Minky on the back and I was
hesitant at first because of the stretch and I wasn't
 sure how it would go on the long arm but gave it a try and
it turned out fabulous!!



I quilted it with and edge to edge pattern
called Square Spiral, I love the texture that
it gives the quilt.


The minky has made this a 
really snugly quilt.

Enjoy your quilt Kym!!



Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Lucky Me

So while I was away I couldn't resist finding
a quilting shop or two and managed to
slip a few presents for me in the suitcase.

A trip to the Christmas Goose in Las Vegas !!
Score  !!!........... some Kaffe Fasset, Comma by Zen Chic and
Avalon by Fig Tree, lucky me!!!!


A pattern by Camille

 some of her fabric

 Camille's latest book and two books by
Angela Walters, I love her style of quilting.

 and some happy go lucky charm sqaures.
It did weigh the suitcase down a bit, lucky we brouight
two extra suitcases, but worth it I think.

Happy Quilting!!


Thursday, July 4, 2013

Home Again


Well my holiday is over, I have been home one week today and finally caught
up on my sleep, its very tiring holidaying, you know!!.

We had a fabulous time and enjoyed every minute

Bethesda Fountain Central park

New York was very humid and we struggled with the heat, very different
to over here in OZ, we had gorgeous sunshine and blue skies though.

View from Top of the Rockefeller Building

 Niagara Falls
(the evening we arrived)

 Niagara Falls the next day

We copped the wettest day and coldest day in a while , so our tour guide
told us.
Here we are after our Maid of the Mist Trip
all wet and cold ready to head to the airport.....yeah!!
 
Next stop Vegas.

The Grand Canyon was so beautiful with all the different colours, so amazing
definitley worth the trip in the hot helicopter.
Here we had the hottest day on record in Vegas for 12 years, 112 Farenheit
and that's just the beginning of Summer.


You've got to have your photo taken under the Vegas Sign!!!


We went to see a Baseball Game, so much fun, loved it

The Golden Gate Bridge and Niagara Falls were the two things I was most
excited to Photograph and both days were yuck! every other day
in the month were blue skies, can't win'em all I guess!!

We rode over the Golden Gate Bridge with Electric Bikes a must do
if  you ever visit San Francisco, thoroughly enjoyed this day.


We then drove from San Fran to LA down the coast, OMG!!!
the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. We stayed the night in a
little town called Cambria, such a cute and quaint little town.


Of course we had to go to Disneyland and meet Mickey

Last stop Hawaii for Rest and Relaxtion right??.......NOT
we were so bust trying to fit everything in that we only 
had half and hour to go for a swim......crazy I know!!!!
I loved Hawaii and definitely intend to go back there one day.
Aloha!!


 We did have the best time and I know hubby throughly enjoyed his time away
from the business his first four week holiday in 15 years.

PS.. I did manage to find two quilt shops and do some damage, which I will show in my
next post

Happy Quilting!!

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Bon Voyage!

I am so excited, we are about to go on our big holiday.
We have been planning a trip to the USA, with our good friends,
for quite some time now.

Now the time is here whoo hoo! After lots of endless nights on the computer, co-ordinating flights and hotels etc, the time has finally come. Sometimes I think the best part is the countdown!!

My bags are packed, just adding the last little bits and pieces, then 4 more sleeps and we are off.


New York, Buffalo, Las Vegas, San Francisco, LA and Hawaii.....................can't wait

Therefore not much will be going on here for a while, unless I get some time to post 
some photos................ (WiFi permitted).

So I guess it's Bon Voyage for now.

Mandy