A New Year …

/ manicmumdays / 2 Comments

… Means a chance to start over, yeah?

I know so many people have been looking forward to end of 2016. I guess it was pretty rough for us too. But then again, 2015 was a shit one no walk in the park either *sigh.

I have seen some great sayings online today. Here’s a mash-up I made for myself 🙂
2017Brad Paisley is credited for a similar quote. I mashed his and another couple for this. It just makes sense to me. We make our own story … MAKE IT AMAZING!

Do you choose a Word of the Year for yourself? #onelittleword
I have done it the last 2 years.
2015 was “BALANCE”2016 was “POSITIVE”
2017’s word was easy to choose. It was the first word that sprung to mind when I first pondered and it stuck! It is :
moderationAs in … everything in MODERATION.
I think I have a somewhat obsessive or addictive personality. I’ve always been a bit ‘all or nothing’. In some ways it’s a blessing, but in others a curse.
My weight and health (MOST importantly my HEALTH!)  is one aspect of my life where I need to exercise moderation. “Moderation” covers that like a vow to eat better, exercise more, etc. without making a ‘resolution’.
I need to stop over-thinking everything!
I need to do a few of the un-fun things like chores (and exercise) every day instead of a huge day or two and then nothing for a few days and wonder why the place is a mess! Same with the fun stuff … a little each day instead of 3 days sewing, and then have to catch up on everything else.
I also have to start doing a little study EVERY day.
Even blogging seems to feel a little all or nothing – I will often post 4 times in 6 days and then not again for a month … Hopefully I’ll have a little more to say in 2017! 🙂
Anyhow … I will be back soon for another chat.
Happy New Year!
I wish only fantastic, amazing, joyful things for you in 2017 ❤

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Advertisement

Sleep is Overrated

/ manicmumdays / 2 Comments

Today is my first weekend day off in nearly a month.
And my first opportunity for a sleep-in in almost 2 months.
So, to say I was looking forward to today would be an understatement!
My body however, is clearly used to rising at sparrow-fart and I woke only slightly later than usual but with a headache from hell and hay fever.
So a slight sleep in, but D’oh! I really paid for it!

Anyhow … A catch up since my last post?
I’ve been working (at work) a lot and not working (at home) as much. Except for the dreaded housework *sigh*
I do have one finish tho! The front :
triangle-frontThe Back :
triangle-backI love the Star of David pattern that occured with the SLQ :
triangle-star-1Tagged! : triangles-taggedThis was a custom order and is already tucked in on a handsome little man’s bed!
triangle-on-bedGorgeous hey!

If you follow me on Instagram you’d have seen me share a couple of square cutting sessions yesterday – I am working on a Granny Square quilt with them! It has been on my bucket list since I made some for my last Quilting Bee. I thought it might be a quick, mindless project to fit a little sewing in here and there. Stay tuned for a finish tho, because I want it done quick!

I also found a couple of cute bundles to enlarge my Tula quilt with. So I hope to do a bit more work on her soon as well …

Have a great weekend!
KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Time to Bite the Bullet

/ manicmumdays / 5 Comments

Well, she’s been sitting round for most of the year now … waiting.
And taunting … and waiting some more …
IMG_8088 (2)
Waiting to be finished …
Waiting for me to take action …
Waiting for a decision …
The reason she’s been waiting is because I want to keep her for myself. But she’s too small for what I now want her for. I was originally going to make a couch throw out of her. But I fell in love! ❤ Now I want her for my bedroom.

*sigh* But what to do without any more charm squares???
You see, this gorgeous baby was the product of my “Ms Midge’s Aussie Tula Pink Charm Swap” charms! And I only got the one bundle this time round! *kicks myself*

Basically I want to bump her up from a single size to a generous queen size.
So I’ve been keeping half an eye out for some charm squares to use but we have been broke as hell this year eeeekkk! Anyhow, I just got a little tax back and decided to treat myself to some pretties! And what better pretties are there than some Tula???
(I thought and thought what I was going to do with my tax return this year and I have wrung just about all I can from that little baby! haha)

Enter : this gorgeous bundle of Slow and Steady that just landed on my doorstep!!!
slow-and-steady

So … now comes the “Bite the Bullet” part!

I need to bite the bullet and take her apart to add some of these beauties!! I might have a quick look for a Chipper Charm pack to add in if the prices arent too ludicrous. I’ve also stashed away a small bundle of True Colours which I will use too.

Anyhow, it’s school holidays at the moment so who knows how much time I’ll have to sew lol! Plus, I have another project on the boil that must be finished first!

Catch you all later! xx

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Save

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Yes?

/ manicmumdays / 6 Comments

So then you guys must be VERY fond of me then, hey? haha

How are you?
I am still plodding along.
It’s been an extremely busy and tiring few months here … We have 2 weeks of school holidays coming up and I have some time off work booked and we are just going to do NOTHING! I am working the weekends, but otherwise PJ days is the plan 🙂 Oh, and we might go to the movies one day and see Finding Dory {I wouldn’t be able to wait for the DVD. Yes, me not the kids haha}

I love Dory! Crush and Squirt are firm favourites 🙂

This is probably going to be my last ever raggy quilt. It’s just getting too hard to find quality flannel here these days. Oh well … I enjoy regular quilting more anyway these days I guess 🙂 This one is for my little niece! It’s a large single bed size and I am a little bit in love with it!IMG_8320Front.IMG_8317Back.
I have a brand new nephew! He was born last month on Star Wars Day {Mother of boys info I never knew I needed to know! haha}
May the 4th be with youHe is the most precious little bundle! I have started nearly finished a quilt for him. Then I need to get cracking on one each for my elder two nephews.
They have been waiting long enough so patient!
A sneak peek :IMG_8522It’s a simple square patchwork with meandering quilting. But it’s very cute 🙂

I also have another top-secret project on the burner. As well as trying to get a bit of furniture painting in somewhere. I did do some painting a couple of weeks ago –
IMG_9257This is chalk board paint around my pantry entrance {… and this is the tidiest it’s been since we started using it haha The boys LOVE it!} There’s usually a small canvas covering the yellow phone point because we don’t use it and it annoys me to see it there. But I need to sand the spot for the hook …
Anyhow, I am about to crash!
Cya next time ❤

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon #5

/ manicmumdays / 4 Comments

Hmmm … Been a while!
Been a while since I posted.
Been a while since I did a 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
Things are going on, but that’s a story for another time. I was just listening to my latest song obsession and thought I’d share this post 🙂

This is my jumping off point … I am in LOVE with this song at the moment!
#1. Disturbed – Sound of Silence.


“Hello Darkness my old friend …” Did any song ever start off with a better line??
It’s a cover of course, but I find it simply beautiful!

#2. Seether – Broken ft Amy Lee

If you have followed me for a while you might know how much I love Amy Lee. She makes this song for me 🙂

#3. Sam Smith – Lay Me Down


There were a lot of songs to jump to from Broken and some favourites that I’ve shared before … So I went with another relatively new {for me} favourite. Sam Smith has such a beautiful voice ❤

#4. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud


Who doesn’t love this talented young man??

#5. Maroon 5 – Sugar


Adam Levine. Nuff said.

#6. A first for me – I couldnt find a SINGLE thing I felt like listening to/watching after Sugar … So I improvised and went back to the home page and there under recommended was my very favourite ABBA song!!! so …
#6. ABBA – The Winner Takes It All

There you go. Sorry for the radio silence, I do have a couple of shares to show you and I will come back in the next few days and do so 🙂 Take it easy,

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Perfect!

/ manicmumdays / 2 Comments

I haven’t been round much of late cos I have a heap on my plate atm … Not doing much sewing or quilting either *sigh.
But, I just wanted to share some good news with you all –
Tonight I got my latest assignment marked and …

10100 percentWoooop!!!! Happy Dance!
xTgMELxTAheehee
Hope you’ve had a great start to the week too!
KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Tula Pink Charm Swap ~ Quilt Along

/ manicmumdays / 14 Comments

Towards the end of last year I participated in the Tula Pink Charm Swap run by the fabulous Ms Midge.
OMG!!! They are so pretty!
After each Charm Swap there is a Charm Along!
And here is my contribution :IMG_8088 (2)It’s only the top right now, but I have a backing in the works and will keep going til it’s done – I’m determined not to add it to my UFO pile 😉
It is 49″ x 74″ { 125cm x 188cm}
It would make a gorgeous single bed quilt but since I don’t have a single bed to use it on, {except the boys and they won’t part with their Batman quilts for a girly one! haha} I think it’ll make a nice sized throw or couch quilt for meeeee!.

I am also pledging to get cracking on the aforementioned UFO pile! There are a couple of half {or more} done pieces, so I am going to keep plodding along and get some finished soon 🙂

I’ll endeavour to get my holiday pics up soon – we had a fantastic time staying at Manly Beach, Sydney!! And hubby was very surprised 🙂
Hope you have a fantabulous day!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays{P.S. It’s my birthday today! Yaaay! 😀 haha }

three65positive – 17th Jan

/ manicmumdays / 1 Comment

Oh dear 😔 My computer has a few problems and I can’t use it – I am doing this on my phone and hope to God it works out … I will take it into my computer guru to work his magic tomorrow and fingers X’d it’s back by the time we are home *sigh*

 

When I build a home I want THIS reading nook!

Hope you are all happy and well!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

three65positive – 17

 

three65positive – 16th Jan

/ manicmumdays / Leave a comment

I had a lovely evening out with one of my favourite friends tonight!
I am so thankful for some of the people in my life!
This was Suzie and I on Christmas Day 🙂
Kate n SuzeIt feels like we’ve been friends forever! And she is the kind of friend that we can talk daily or not for weeks or even months and things flow and are comfortable and we pick up exactly where we left off. I am lucky enough to have a couple of these kind of special friends in my life ❤
Hope you had a wonderful Saturday, and an even better Sunday!
KATE Sig for Manic Mumdaysthree65positive – 16

three65positive – 15th Jan

/ manicmumdays / 4 Comments

Well … It’s official!! I’m on holidays!
2 weeks off and soooo looking forward to it, my positivity cup runneth over haha

We fly out in a couple of days and I am already in laid back, holiday mode … better get into packing mode soon or we’ll be taking nothing haha
Hope you are having a great day, and that you have a fantastic weekend!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdaysthree65positive – 15