BLESSED SPEEDY

It was with great sadness that today we had to allow Rusty, Megan's horse and best friend, to go to heaven. She is no longer in pain and is hopefully giving joy to a child in heaven. Rusty was a fabulous horse - kind, gentle and loving and taught Megan so much about horses and riding and caring about animals. She will be sadly missed and not easily replaced - there was only one Rusty and we are proud to have known and loved her.

Our church had a Christmas Eve service - and guess who was the cutest angel there - Mia of course! The playgroup kids sang a few carols - Mia really liked doing Away in a Manger - complete with actions.

Goodness me I must have been good this year - look what I got for Christmas

Christmas 2008 2008 – What a year it has been – our “motto” at church this year has been 2008 is great, God is great. At times this has been a challenge – but looking back we have done a lot and once again got through a lot. Once again we have struggled with little or no rainfall or water allocation – at the moment our allocation of water is 28% - nowhere near enough for our needs. BUT as I write this we have had 33mls of rain in the past 24 hours! We still have had to buy in huge amounts of hay to feeds the cows and although the milk price that we are paid each much is very good – our expenses are even better!!! Our milking herd numbers have increased to 155, which is the most cows Gary has ever milked. Our production is up, our cell count is the lowest it has ever been, and according to our test results our fat and protein is equivalent to that of a jersey herd. All due to the good hay and grain we have been feeding them. Now to our family goings on – • Adam and Alison have lived

For those of you who have asked to see more of my dear jane - here is a picture of this weeks bow (block of the week) D1 Alisons Guiding Light and the TOW (triangle of the week) LS10 Megan's Cathedral - both foundation pieced

Look what the post man (well actually lady) brought me today - my prizes I won from the contest on http://onceuponaquilt.blogspot.com - thanks Christine just lovely!!!!!

Yes its true- Ive actually finished off a few quilts lately - firstly Im a member of Cohuna quilters and this is the block of the month we have been doing - quite cute I reckon. Next is a quilt I made up from nine patch blocks swapped (I hate to say it) several years ago. I joined them together and they looked quite ordinary but putting the whole top on point made heaps of difference. Lastly, the quilt I wanted to finish cos it was draggin along - girls day out - which was a block of the month - lovely quilt but I am glad to see the end of it - its hanging in our hallway

Thankyou to all who have tried to find my dear jane fabric for me - here is a better photo - it is navy (well actually indigo) with cream flowers - on the reverse the flowers are white. Hope this helps!!!

Hooray!!!!!!! Finished row I on my dear jane quilt today and thankfully I was working backwards so got to finish up with I1, I2 and I3 which were easy peasy. I am so happy with just using the two colours in this my second dear jane - no hunting or worrying about fabrics - much quicker, and Ive also found my skills are improving - Im not even that scared of the advanced blocks (well so far at least)as its quite easy to post to the Dear Jane list or look on the cd for help and tips. If you havent been mad enough to start a dear jane yet, do, its addictive and fun - and yes people will think you are mad!!!!!!! BTW if anyone knows where I can get more of the fabric I am using as the focus fabric please let me know as I dont think I am going to have enough to finish the quilt

Thanks to everyone who emailed me to see where I was - I was here just too busy to post, or when I went to post blogger wouldnt let me etc etc - Im sure you all know how it is!!!!!!! Lots been happening - will update later today (fingers crossed)

Yes Im still alive- just no time to blog (does that sound familiar to lots of you). Each new month I have good intention of posting heaps but I always manage to not do it. Anyways we have been really busy here on the farm - it is calving season so cows and calves everywhere but still no rain (well the odd shower or two but nothing exciting). Please keep praying for it for us and the others on the land. What have I been doing quilt wise? Well I took an online class at quiltuniversity www.quiltuniversity.com on handpiecing as it is something Ive been avoiding - and it has been excellent so far. Here is the table runner I hand pieced (and hand quited I might add!) The only part done by machine is the binding. Looks pretty good I reckon - what do you think?

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Hooray!!!!!!!!! Ive finally finished my oldest ufo - yes I dont really have ufo's (or so my Mum says or thinks)but this one was one I started in 2005 when I was teaching in Barham as a class "sample" on folded blocks. I had made up all the quilt, bound etc but still hadnt folded over and handstitched down all the sides of the blocks to get the curved feel - hope you understand what I mean. Anyways its finally ALL DONE

Is Mia cute or feral??? Not sure but she sure enjoys vegemite - especially in her eyebrows!!!!!!

Look what I have made for Mia - Mrs Perkins (its a Melly and me pattern). I did modify it - it had these minute horns on it that didnt work so I left them off plus its sposed to have a mane and a tail but I left them off too - not bad for a few hours work. Im sure Mia will love it - she's asleep at the moment as I took her to playgroup this morning and all that socialising and playing can be so tiring ( yes I DID have a Nanna nap too)

I took this photo last week (after a downpour of rain!!!) as I was doing the childrens talk at church - btw I talked about cows...lol...anyways Gary thinks that this photo showing the milk tanker driving in makes our place look very nice and inviting - even greenish. What do you think?

Hooray Ive finished a quilt...ok its not a quilt YET but it is a top - I havent $$$ for wadding and backing fabric at the moment so it will have to sit and "rest" on the shelf for a while but it feels great to have it finished. Its made from patterns posted on http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com

OK...OK I'll confess I havent blogged for ages....why you ask???? The puter is too slow to load photos (I am on hay band as opposed to broadband) PLUS I havent been well and ..........oh well to be honest I havent been bothered....BUT....here finally (are you looking dear sister Cheryl?????????????) here are the lovely photos of Sarah's and Tim's deb - fabulous time was had by all and Sarah was gorgeous - and Timmy didnt look too shabby either!!!

AND further to my last post....what Ive been doing whilst I am sposed to be doing nothing....I "prepared earlier" a few tops that I had which I managed to finish and quilt...so now all I have to do is the handsewing of the binding and putting the label on This first one (which Megan has claimed) is Carolina Crossroads - made from a mystery quilt pattern from Bonnie Instead of doing it scrappy like most did I only used three fabrics...but I do like how it turned out. The next one here... is called Bento Box and is a kit I got from Ballarat Patchwork and is a Judy Turner pattern. Quick easy and turned out great too!!! So as you can see I havent been just sitting around waiting for the rain to come!!!

Sorry I havent posted for a while but I have been away (well actually Ive been in and out of hospital!!!) So....Im on the mend now - just need to be patient (dont you hate that word!!!) and not lift etc for a while...but... this is what I came home to - a lovely sign made by Sarah and Megan AND a pot of tulips....just lovely

Guess who is now one???? If you guessed Mia then you are right!!!!!!!! Saturday my gorgeous granddaughter turned one - and Aimee (her mummy) kindly sent me this photo of her - this is the doll I gave her, and she is sitting on the quilt I made her. In the background is a basket I got when I was her age that my Mum resurrected and gave to her. Am I proud - of course!!! And its amazing how quick this year has gone - and to see Mia grow and shine as she develops into a gorgeous young girl/toddler

Today my lovely husband Gary is 51 Doesnt look it does he? Well must admit that I AM a bit biased (and do keep in mind that we havent been married two years yet....lol) AND God sent Gary a fabulous birthday present - we got rain!!!!!! Not much but it was wet stuff from the sky

Lynette Anderson is having a free BOM on her blog - http://www.lynetteandersondesigns.typepad.com/ (sorry still dont know how to do a spiffy link). Its called Noahs Ark and here is my first block "Rabbits" - pretty cute I reckon

I am truly blessed with the friends I have - look what my lovely friend Kerry had delivered to me at work today - "just cos" she cares

OK Sarah is cranky cos she isnt on my blog - so here you are Sarah - a lovely photo of you and your darling Tim

This is this weeks babysitting effort - isnt she cute????? And just loved me spinning her around on the puter chair

This is what Nannas do when they are babysitting - Aimee is doing an aged care course in Cohuna so I get to babysit each Wednesday So.....last week Mia slept for 3 1/2 hours - yes you read that right - so I did the "right thing" and whipped up Aimee a tablecloth for her table - and called it "Sshhh you'll wake the baby"

Hooray My quilt made from http://crazymom.blogspot.com is finished!!! Looks pretty good too I reckon

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For those regular readers of my blog you will know that I am slowly working on a dear jane quilt - we I DID have three rows joined together but I wasnt happy with them. BUT I looked at Bonnie Hunters website www.quiltville.com and saw her storm at sea setting - and fell in love with it sooooooooooo lots of unpicking and rejigging and I have two rows back together - not as wide as last time - I am going to make a "smaller" jane - 8 x 8

My best girlie friend Jasmine (MBGF) brought her new bloke Andrew up to meet us all last weekend and for us to "Check Him Out" - here is the report on him....LOL Gary - "he is quite nice....easy to talk to....and fitted in easily....likes a bloke that can carry his own conversation and not have to be "looked after" all the time. Thought you two looked very happy together and comfortable in each others company. Dont think he understand about the "can I keep him" tho.... Oh!!! and he said "why did Jasmine bring you MORE scraps - arent you getting rid of yours" - my answer " of course Im getting rid of mine to make room for Jasmines!!!!!!" Megan - they were very lovely dovey and Jasmine is fun she REALLY looked at my scrapbooking stuff and I dont know why she didnt like the colours I picked for you Mum Sarah - hes very nice!!!!! Me (lastly and most importantly!!!!) - he is lovely - yes you do spark together and have that "look

Hooray!!! This is really a "free" quilt - made from the scraps left over from my "Magnifique" quilt - all lovely yuwa prints etc and too nice to just toss out

Hooray!!!!!! I won something....the lovely Lissa aka Typhoid Mary http://lissajane.blogspot.com/ had a little competition on her blog for her 100th post and I won!!!!!!! She sent me this cute Amish wallhanging that I have hung next to my cutting area to inspire me. Thanks again Lissa

Here is a photo of two postcards I made for the Stashbusters group Winter wonderland postcard swap - they both went to America. My first attempt at this so crossing fingers that they are ok and "acceptable".

Another one finished!!!! This is a disappearing nine patch made from a pack of fabrics from the climbing jacobs ladder fabric range - lovely and bright and funky. I gave it to our next door neighbours Ron and Myra who are heading up to Central Australia next Tuesday to relieve a couple that are pastoring there. They will be away for at least two months - hopefully this quilt might keep them warm on a cold night.

Another UFO finished - this one is called pinwheel pirouette and was made from a jelly roll(for those who dont know what a jelly roll is it is 2 1/2 inch strips of a whole fabric range all rolled up like a swiss roll) Im going to give it to a dear friend Kerry who is having a special birthday - 45 - hope she enjoys it

Well I did the unthinkable and cleaned my sewing area up!!! And I have sorted out my scraps into a much better system - got a heap of plastic containers (label said meat containers - about manilla folder size and about 4 inches deep) and have sorted my scraps into colours, Ive a garbage bag of scraps "left over" that I am giving to a girl starting out quilting - took ages to do but I think this system works - I needed a scrap of green the other day and went to the tub and found one. The trick will be to keep on putting them in it as I go..........sigh...... BUT while I was cleaning/sorting etc found a bag of scraps leftover from a flannel quilt I made Mia that I had promised Megan I would make something for her from (as you do) and made up this cushion for her - didnt take long and she was very happy with it

Hooray!!!!!! Finally finished my beading "sampler" from the Southern Cross Quilters retreat in Bendigo last year. The class was taught by Lisa Walton - I called it "Just one more bead please" - thought it was appropriate Ive just added a "second " photo of the beading - and hopefully a clearer one

I thought the colours I used for my sudoko quilt went so well together that I made a table runner from the leftovers - and it also helped with my stash reduction exercise that I am trying to do

Here's my two "babies" enjoying a bath together - my "baby" Megan and my granddaughter Mia

Who else is doing the quilt along blocks on http://crazymom.blogspot.com ?? here are my first eight

Finished my sudoko quilt today (courtesy of the stashbuster list) Doesnt it look good - based on a sudoko puzzle - no fabrics the same are in the same "line'

Sorry all - very remiss of me. Forgot to post the obligatory photo of Mia on Santas knee at Myers...enjoy!!!