Another Finish!

Yes! You read that right! I have finished another UFO quilt! 🙂

This one is the baby quilt for my little nephew who is about to turn 2! At last, oops!

Here is the front :The back :The awesome striped binding and it is tagged! :

I did a FMQ meandering stitch all over (yay me!) and it finished about 54″ x 48 “.

Going to see if I can squeeze a new start (and finish) into the next couple of weeks 🙂 Hope life is treating you well, thanks for stopping by! ❤

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2018 – Friend or Foe?

Well, most people I know think the last couple of years have been, to quote the Queen …  “Annus horribilus”. And I tend to agree. It’s been a rough couple for our family too.

I wish for us all that 2018 is a better one. A “Friend” if you will …

If you’ve been round here for a while you’ll know I don’t make NY resolutions. But I do choose a word for the year. For 2018 I have chosen :

Finish is something I aspire to do more of in 2018. And I started off the year by living my new word. Wrapped around my 2018 word above, is a pic of my very first Quilt top finish for the year. Granted, it’s not a totally finished quilt yet, but it will be quilted soon and I will bind it and prepare for it’s new home … How pretty is that Bonnie & Camille “Hello Darling”? 🙂

Besides being horrible, the last couple of years I have found it challenging to actually make a plan and finish things. I make lists that don’t get completed, start projects that turn into UFO’s, extended my Interior Design course (again!!), and basically, constantly feel disorganised and chaotic.
I did not finish one single quilt last year.
NOT.ONE. ==> This one has been sitting for a year!!
I made blocks. I did a little sewing. I didn’t finish anything. Sad.

Anyhow. Here’s cheers to a fantastic, safe, creative and productive 2018.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Yes?

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

three65positive – 14th Jan

oh dear … I didn’t get round to posting the lucky 13th post! oops!!

Oh well … I assure you I remained positive and had a fantastic day! 😀

I had an early start this morning {and again tomorrow} and finished at lunch time. Then I had a relaxing afternoon catching up on my favourite magazine!
365P 14Tomorrow is my last shift before our holiday and all up I will be having two whole weeks off!!!! squeeeeee!!365P 14 2CAN.NOT.WAIT!!

Hope you’re all having a wonderful, positive day!
KATE Sig for Manic Mumdaysthree65positive – 14

Late Night Colour

Wow … never dreamed I would be so absent lately.

My hubby is still job searching so I am working more. That’s about the only excuse I have. Lucky I love my job hey! 😀 I am hoping to keep the extra hours going after he finds a job. The extra money will help us build our savings up again …

I have finished a couple of projects that have been waiting for quilting and binding tho, so I feel like I have accomplished something at least.

This one is a baby sized quilt which I intend giving as a gift 🙂Baby boys QuiltThe fabric is “On The Go” by Riley Blake and it is 38″ x 42″ {97cm x 107cm} I FMQ’d it and made it during a QAL with Nanny Margie. I just adore the way it turned out!

This one I SLQ’d. I just love the purple/green tones together :
Log Cabin QuiltI made it with a random Jelly Roll I picked up cheap at Spotlight a couple of years ago. It’s 42″ x 52″ {107cm x 132cm} I am undecided whether to give this one away or list it in my Etsy store …? hmmmmmm

I tested a pattern for the fabulous Molli Sparkles a little while ago and now that its been shared, I can share the blocks I made :
IMG_7250I love this pattern! It comes together so quickly too 🙂 I have a small stash of Tula Pink’s Colours FQ so I am going to use it to finish this baby off. It’ll definitely be a 2016 finish tho, no chance on earth it will get restarted this year ;)<3
Oh well … I better go crash, I am working all day tomorrow so I need to get some sleep!
G’nite y’all!
KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

A Finished Top!

Hey y’all 🙂

As you might remember, I participated in Ms Midge‘s Heather Bailey Charm Swap and subsequent Charm Along recently?
{While you check out Ms Midge’s page, why not join in the Aussie Aurifil Club?? Those threads are simply gorgeous! ❤ }

HB CA Ms MidgeLook at all of the pretties we swapped!!

Well, I was sewing like a demon to finish in time for the deadline {linked at 11.45 for the 12.00 deadline! haha} And this is the result :

HB Charm Along finishedWonky Stars!! Can you see the secondary white wonky pinwheels?
I am working tomorrow, but planning on whipping up a quick backing on Sunday and quilt it next week some time.

I love it, but kinda wish the stars and pinwheels both stood out more … So I think I might try this one again down the track but use deeper colours and stars all in one colour and see how that turns out 🙂

I still haven’t used my precious Amy Butler Charm Along squares yet!!! I MUST get onto using them soon …

Anyhow, this one was meant to be a shorty – see you with a finish next week hopefully!

KATE Sig for Manic MumdaysP.S. I haven’t said it for a while – but why not check out my Facebook page, Pintrest or Instagram? 🙂

It’s been a whole year …

… since our little Quilting Bee, QCA#3, kicked off!

It’s really flown, but at the same time, it seems like we’ve been in it for ages!
Here are the last 2 blocks ~ August :

Bee Block ~ August

And September :

Bee Block ~ September

I’ve really enjoyed this experience but most of the ladies are too busy so have opted out on a second round.
One even has a baby about to arrive! 🙂 Excitement!
I was on the fence and thought I would have been happy either way but I am feeling a little wistful now …
Oh well, all good things must come to an end 🙂

Here are all of my contributions :

Collage QCA BEE #3

All the ladies made gorgeous choices for their blocks! Most All were a complete pleasure to make 😉 Mine is the top middle, I was November last year! I haven’t pieced the quilt as I have a couple of alterations to make … I have also made a further 8 blocks to make it bigger!
But here are the 12 blocks of the worker bees + the one I did for that month {It’s in the top left corner} :

Bee Nov - MINE collage

Pretty, hey!
I’m sad we’re disbanding the Bee … But so very happy to have been a part of it!
Thank you ladies!

Rightio, that all from me for tonight – short and sweet! Catchya next time.

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Random Musings

Hi everyone!

I don’t really have much in the way of sewing to share today, so I am going to share some random thoughts.
Don’t be too scared, most of the time not alot goes on in my head, so it won’t be too deep 😉

~*~

Am I the only one over Facebook?
Saw this today and it pretty much sums it up for me :

I have to admit, it really is shitting me lately! It’s so tedious getting thru all the crap in my newsfeed.
And don’t get me started on just how freaking hard it is to get any traffic on little sell pages! They are trying to get everyone to pay the ridiculous fees to advertise. Not sure they’ve done their research properly. All that will happen is the little guys trying to eek out a living or make a little extra for their families are going to be the ones who pay the price and close down. {cue shameless plug} My own little page – Two Little Rascals has just over 700 likers and I have to say, things are slow. I have seen market nights not doing well either *sigh*

~*~

Speaking of Two Little Rascals, I proudly donated this Raggy Quilt :

Farmers Auction

to The Oz Material Girls Farmer’s Relief Fundraising Action last week!
The poor little fella sold 3 times and was cancelled on 3 times :-/
So I was extremely happy to see him go to a loving new home the other day! 😀

~*~

It’s still pretty hot here. I am fearful we won’t get much of a winter this year.
Does global warming scare you? I know Mother Nature goes thru ebbs and flows … but when she is going thru them,
do the Earth’s inhabitants realise it? Maybe I am more sensitive than I thought! haha

~*~

I witnessed a lovely dose of Karma the other day!
I was watering plants, feeding pets, etc at my petminding gig and one of the 2 little girls next door got up on a chair at the fence and started taunting the dogs I was looking after. The dogs, to their credit ignored her. If I had been in my own home I would have just squirted the little shit with the hose I was watering with … but I wasn’t *sigh* … so I was just about to say “Don’t tease the dogs” when she fell off the chair and started screaming bloody murder! haha
Broken chair = $10
Doctors visit for concussion = $90
Petsitter laughing at karma’s sense of justice = Priceless 😀

~*~

I’ve noticed something lately. It’s irritating me … why do people say “My son is almost 6 and my daughter is nearly 4”

Why not just say “My son is 5 and my daughter is 3” ?? They are that age for only a year. Why round up?
Some adults do it sometimes too.
“How old are you?”
“I’ll be 40 in February”
ummmm so short answer is “39”?? o.O

~*~

Anyhow … enough of my thoughts. I hope to have some progress shots for you next time!

Catchya on the flip side! 🙂

Kate x

Down in the Dumps

Yep. I’m down. If you don’t feel like reading this one I don’t blame you. Skim past, leave me a smile in comments and I will come back in a few days and be happy again. For now, I am in such a funk! And I just don’t know what to do with myself!

I internalise a lot of my environment. And I am desperately unhappy at my ‘real’ job right now. It’s spilling into my personal life and I dont know where to go from here. I would give almost anything to not have to go to work on Saturday 😦 I have, this week moved to my 3rd store {in the same chain} in the last 5mths and I feel so disjointed it’s not even close to amusing. I am considering begging my original boss for my original job back. Just until I decide what I want to be when I grow the hell up. I’m sick of treading water in a dead end job. Dead end for me anyway. Others seem able to make a career of the place. I can see why. It is quite stable and not always a bad place to be. I just guess I’ve never seen it as a long term place … Tho I have been in the company for 3.5 years now. So it’s not like I move from job to job.

Ugh! Whinge over. If you got this far you must be my sister {haha Hi Boo, love you long time! xoxox}

~*~

I feel like kicking my own ass! I am struggling to find motivation to do anything! I have been participating in the most lovely Quilting Bee I could have ever imagined for myself. My block was November and I had just found the mojo to get cracking on the 8 extra blocks I need to turn it into a quilt when I lost steam again.

Kate's Bee Block!

Remember this? Yes? It still looks exactly the same!!!! I have completed all the extra scrap strings and am half way thru putting the white strips round them. So not too far to go 🙂

I tried my very first paper pieced block – a star! – in the last couple of weeks and decided since it was scrap/white trim/black background too that I would use that on a plain black back for this quilt … so that is even half done! This is the Star block :

IMG_3031
{Dont look too closely, it’s far from perfect. But I think for my first time it’d pretty cool!}

Anyhow … I am very much enjoying the sewing I manage to get done right now. I am being a good girl and have reined in my spending on fabric lol I am determined to put a dint in my stash in 2014. A friend wants me to go to Spotlight with her tomorrow.
I plan on coming out with only some plain white quilters cotton and a 1/2m I need to purchase for one of my swapping Bees. And!!! I have my birthday voucher from Spotty to spend so hopefully those won’t even cost me anything! 😀

How much fabric do you have in your stash?

~*~

My spectacular babies went off to school last week. My big boy is in grade 3 and my baby has just started Kindy. He goes 5 days a fortnight and I miss him dreadfully!!!! We both had tears {2 days of them!} But I managed to not let him see them and he really does seem to be enjoying himself! Which is a relief.

IMG_3054
Here are my Two Little Rascals! How handsome they are!!!!!

It’s so scary sending your heart off every day. I feel empty and count down the hours til I get to collect them.
I know I am probably silly, but I really worry when they aren’t with me!! Do other Mums feel this way?? I’m sure I will grow out of it. And I am starting to enjoy being able to do something by myself for a couple of hours a week now tho 🙂

How are you guys doing? I’d love if you left me a comment and tell me what’s new in your world!

Catch ya next time! ❤