Just life!!!!

Went for a walk on the East Beach yesterday (6th Dec) morning.

The dunes are always moving! we had some strong wind last night and here you

can see how the wind blew sharp edges. Lovely patterns running along the beach. Lucky is always having a race against Coco to get to me! 

I have now tried to do paper piecing on my sewing machine and it is much faster than doing it by hand. I finished the next 8 blocks very quick and now need to get the pieces cut for the next 28 blocks.

Making Jam slowly!!!!

I just love to do things in my own time, so making jam the old way cooking it on the stove.

 I am not a fan of the microwave to cook. 

Homemade apricot jam is just so tasty, I dont eat shop jams, not tasty at all.

 Anyway this is 5kg apricots that has been bottled now and ready to eat. 

Neils Quilt'!!!!!!!

This is the first block of the next row in Neil's quilt. All done by paper piecing and hand stitching. 

I have another 20 of these to make. Well this is the last huge quilt I am making for a while.

I found this lovely block on the Quilters Cache website and it is for free!!!!

Just life!!!

Had this very special visitor yesterday and it is so small I had to hold it very carefully. Just love all the beautiful colors on this tiny bird.                                                               

Lucky and Coco went for their yearly haircuts and are not very happy with me for putting them thru the ordeal. 

So pretty and thankful!

These are such pretty nasturtiums  flowers and they have come through from the neighbors and now I can see them everyday!!!!!

Morning walk on the beach

Lucky and Coco just love playing in the waves now. They had been scared of the noisy waters 

but now enjoy going into the puddles and try to swim.

When there are no people around we let them loose and they can run and play.

As always!!!!

I dont have anything to show for now but am working on Neils quilt and have completed 2 blocks of 14. Well have just had a busy time as its school holiday and Neil keeps me busy.
Just love him and this week our mulberry tree has got some nice red fruit and it had to be picked.
Well after having a few to eat and loved it, he started messing around trampling on the ones that were lying on the grass. Well he now has purple feet. It took my memories back many years when we were kids. My Mom was always annoyed when we had mulberries because our clothes would be full of marks. Hehehehe

Neils purple feet

Just having fun!!!

I have joined this facebook group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/906834113017980/?ref=nf_target&fref=nf     I am going to share some fun flowers to brighten someones day.

Another finish!!!

Made these hand towels for my bathroom.

Another finish!!!!!

This is the guest toilet cover and all done by hand. Hated using the DMC metallic threads but had some lying around and needed to use it. Well here is the result and just love it.

Some dressing up!!!

My pillows started feeling a bit nude, so I decided to dress them up a bit. I have not put anything fancy on it because we use these pillows daily. 

Now back onto Neils quilt!!!

Something I wanted to do for so long happened yesterday!!!

I have always wanted to have a lunch on the beach and eat by hand, well it happened yesterday. We had a lovely fish and chips as we always did on a friday, just eating it at the beach. Then we each had a coke float. hehehe haven't had that for many years. This is the Kowie river mouth and the local Guido's. 

Went for a walk this morning and here is a photo of the east beach side and the blue is Guido's.

Neil Quilt started!!!

First full 2  blocks done and now need to get some more done!!!!!

World Embroidery Day!

Just had to do something small for embroidery day!

A new quilt for Neil!

I have now started on a double bed quilt for Neil. This is the first block using paper piecing technique and by hand. Its easier to get the points perfect. Name of block is New York Beauty. I will be using blue Shweshwe fabrics for the whole quilt.

I will be using a few different blocks mainly with stars! 

A finish at last!!!

I have now completed a project that has been around for far too long!

It took lots of beads and time but done and think it looks great!!

Busy as always, happily stitching away!!!

We have had a busy week and just love having the kids around and looking after Neil is great fun. He is growing up so quickly and luckily we have had the honour of being part of his life. We have not been able to live near either of our kids and grandkids and now we are, thankful to our daughter for wanting us nearer to her. 

I have been busy this past week and got a few things done. 

I crocheted these tops a year ago and just had to put them to use now that I have my red and white quilt on our bed.

I need a new apron to match my kitchen and scratch this fabric out of my stash. I really needed one as I seem to get flour all over the front of my clothes. 

I have these tiny frames just hanging around in my sewing room. I felt like having some nice embroidery pieces in them using my House of embroidery threads. . Just love the colors of their threads.

I also want to get another three of these done.

Daily life and fun stuff in the making

Morning all
I have been following this blog for some time now and really enjoy having some thoughts on what home is really like and this is it for me too. So if you are interested here is the link: (Hope it works)

http://www.elefantz.com/2019/05/practical-domesticity.html

My feeling today about this post is that I enjoy seeing our washed clothes on the washing line and then when dry the clean smell of sunshine and then bring it into the house and the whole house smells so sunny. Also love to see a nice bright colored washed completed quilt hanging on the line. Last not least a nice fresh slice of bread that Hubby baked with the smell drifting through the whole house and then share half with the kids, whom live near us and just love the homemade bread to as they say shop bread.

Now onto my sewing, I am trying to finish some older projects that I started some time ago. Getting this beading done is taking forever as each one is stitched seperately, but I love having something other than stitching to work on.

 Still working on this project and hope to finish it this week and add it to my already embroidered sunflowers.

Having embroidery fun!

Had this piece of calico just had to use it to embroider something. Am still busy with butterfly and will be adding lots of beads. Having fun!

Some stitching done!!!

I have added all the beads and stuff and now to complete the cushion!!!

Need to finish next!!!!!

So special!!!

Some flowers still closed

I recieved these beautiful flowers from our daughter and her family for my birthday. Wow they have spread a wonderful smell throughout the house this morning. Just love the colors too. Red roses and some pink.

Here they are open this morning. So beautiful!!!!

Daily Life

Its Autumn here in South Africa and I have decided I need some more Autumn things around the lounge and added there three cushions and table cloth.

Made these bags for my new embroidery friends, I just could not see them bringing all their stuff in plastic shopping bags

Went for a lovely walk this morning. This is the East beach in Port Alfred and the dogs enjoyed every minute.

Finished and complete!!!

I have now completed new quilts for all 3 bedrooms because I noticed when we moved here that all my old loving quilts were very faded. Some was made many years ago and used daily. This is for the double bunks.

Another finish!!!!

I have now completed this pillow cover for my sewing room. It was a fun project that was done with 2 other friends just starting to learn free style embroidery. They are really having fun and also is an inspiration to me. I have sharing all my embroidery knowledge with them. They seem to enjoy it!!!

Using an old Doily!!!

I made this yesterday and remembered that I have a few old doilies from my grandmother. My mother used them often and it was all hard starched and ironed. I think it caused a lot of damage using the hot iron. Anyway I was able to save this doily and now added it to my toilet (which is only my bathroom) cover of lovely fabric that I made the curtain from. Added some beads and now busy with the roses and leaves. It is just really pretty to me.

A Finish!!!!!!!!!

I have now finished the first single bed quilt for our bunk beds. Now onto the next one!!! Quilted using big stitch quilting technique and also using crochet cotton nr 5. Just love this way of quilting my quilts. Its now my special very own way. 

Having a nice gathering today with the embroidery  group and have done all my prep work to show them how to do English paper piecing by making a small mug rug. Its just so much fun sharing all my knowledge with these wonderful persons. I am not much of a teacher but with lots of fun we get the projects done. The main thing is that I am a lefty and they are all right handed. 

I am following a blog of Jenny of Elefantz, Gentle Domesticity  and its such a wonderful inspiration to me. 

Today is about the use of color. I love bright colors and have always used them much to the horror of family and friends who seem to think that my home is too busy. hehehehe I just don't care as its nice to wake up to all this wonderful bright positive vibes. Being in our new place and a much cooler climate and also having a very nice light and sunny place, does change my color scheme a bit. Our old home was a dark place because of the heat we had there, houses were placed so that there is not much sun flow into the house to keep it cool. Which is necessary because the temps go over 40 degree C during the long summer months. Whereas now we do welcome sunlight and heat here. 

Well now to get working on my 2nd single bed quilt. Have a great day.

A finish!

I needed to test a pattern. Its an english paper piecing block. It came out great.

This is so nice and bright when the sun shines and its at the front door!

On a roll!!!!!

Finished these two single quilt tops for our spare bunk beds!

The old ones are so faded. 

Just love Da Gama Textile fabrics and the colors are so vibrant.

The cotton quality is very good and strong.

Just fun!!!!

Saving butterflies. Getting Neil to hold softly and move slowly!

We released this butterfly safely onto the lavender plant.

Made some thread catcher bags for our embroidery group!

Done done!!!!!!!

I have now completed Matthews quilt and now onto my next one.

I am going to do some small projects and also work on getting the turquiose single bed quilts done. 

Well need to get working!!!!

Interesting start to the year!

Its a lovely day here all nice and cool. I am working here at my daughters office. She needed some holiday and as its not busy at this time of the year, l don't have to worry about doing her work, just have to answer the phone and handle inquiries.

Its a bit boring as I am itching to get Matthews quilt done as there is not much more quilting to do.
Also have to get back into a nice routine with my stitching that I have not been able to do with the move and also fixing up the house. I still have a few projects to do but will start that when the finances allow me to get the materials I need.

I love to do cross stitching early morning when my eyes are fresh and need to keep quiet while hubby still sleeps late. Then move onto my morning of tidying the house and then settle in to do some quilting while listening to a nice audio book. I have just recently discovered audio books and just love it. I can stitch and listen to nice stories. Quilting and books are my favourite hobbies. So l get to listen to some oldies like the Jane Austin books and then the quilting stories are a favourite too. Then early evening l love to crochet or knit so that way I get to do lots of different projects.
Sometimes I work outside too as we have lovely patio now and  one does work better in daylight.

I started a embroidery group last year and will start next month. I hope to share lots of my embroidery knowledge to them, I am not a teacher but luckily for me they understand it We have lots of fun because I am left handed and when demonstrating its always my way and then them helping me to show them how to their way. lots and lots of laughs along the way. Which is great as its the way l want the group to be, not just sitting around and chatting about every day things.

Well l don't have any pics today as I am typing this on office computer.
Take care and happy stitching!

Starting 2019!

May you all have a blessed creative 2019.
Started with early morning walk with the dogs.
My bunk beds quilts are very old and need new ones. Love the turquiose fabric from Da Gama, 1st top completed.
Big stitch quilting continues on Matthews quilt.
My Kitty Heaven cross stitch got a few stitches added today!