Jenny is here on holiday

It is lovely to have some time with Jennifer as she is such a busy Lady. She is here to have 2 weeks with us. Needless to say we have been lots of places that I have been saving up to take and show.
We went to Noosa for a day shopping and the beach for a swim.
Another day was spent at Eumundi markets. It is a shoppers dream and we certainly raised a storm while there. It was a hot day as all the days have been since Jenny arrived.
Jenny is a beach girl at heart so several days have been spent at Mooloolaba beach with Christine, Andrew and the three little nippers who are getting very good at riding the little shore waves. Logan loves to splash everyone and get sand all over us as well.

On a Quilty Note

I was busy before Christmas hand piecing some blocks. Thought you may like to see them.

Christmas Day

Christmas Razzz is all over. Roll on 2009

Greetings all,

I do hope you all had a woderful Christmas, not tooo busy as was ours. We had a wonderful day with all our family at Chrtistines home.

Its nearly Christmas part 2

Try again.
Mattie is the 2nd on the left.
more photos
Sienna is the middle Next after the concert.
While in Buderim shopping on Friday I had to take these photos.
The Poinsianna (spello ?) trees are magnificant such a vivid red.

It is nearly Christmas

Greetings all,
Wow! where has the year gone.....I guess it happens when you are having fun.
Wendy and Colin came to visit on Wednesday. It was soooo good to see them and see Colin looking well and Wendy too. We had a lovely day even if we did get a shower or two. Gee good friends are so important as time goes by. Nothing can replace them. I am so lucky to have many good friends. I think there is a big difference between friends and aquaintances.
On Tuesday evening Sienna and Matahra had their Christmas concert on at school.
I did enjoy their items. They were so proud to be a part of it.

Both girls bought home their reports and as I expected both had beautiful work and great subject scores.
They have had a great year and have done their best. A bit like Kirrawee P.S motto "Our best always" shame they are not KPS as they always try to do their best at all times.
Yesterday we started the big job of decorating our home for Christmas. It is always a very big but very pleasant job to do. It is certainlt different to our Bangor home. Bob will not have to climb up on a second story to add the lights. I am looking forward to seeing it in all its glory. Oh the Christmas spirit. Bob bought me a lovely DVD Called the Celtic Women Sing Christmas. They have the voices of larks.
I have planted lots more things for my garden, petunias, a pink Frangapanni, An Australian Christmas bush (For his adorning) and a very bright orange hibiscus.
We had good rain last night so that will give them a good start.

Patchwork Party 2008

Gretings again,
Just thought you may like to have a look at the blocks I am making, you can go to Shabby Fabrics in my web links.
Enter into the site and you can click onto the Patchwork Party icon and have a look at the patterns. I love them with the Maywood fabrics.

BFN Lorraine H

A beautiful day here

Greetings all,
The days here are just lovely, warm and sunny.
We did have lots and lots of rain last week. On Sunday night we were on the very last edge of the Brisbane storms. The rain was very heavy and we had 4 inches overnight followed by 2 more iches on Monday morning. In a way it was good to see how our home would fare.. No worries at all apart from the humidity.
I had another good day at Matahra's class last Tuesday. They are making lots of Christmas goodies and are so excited at the thought of Christmas coming. Tonight Siena College have their Christmas concert on and both Sienna and Mattie are walking around singing Christmas songs. I love it.
Last week Andrew was admitted to hospital with a reaaly bad elbow. He is on strong intravenious drip of antibiotics. He will know if he has to have surgery today.
I am busy doing the Winter 2008 blocks using the Maywood studio, Cottage Romance range.
12 quilt shops have produced a block using these fabrics and Marti Mitchell has made a set of templates for use making the blocks. I have even drafted each block as I make it in 6inch. The blocks are 12 inch blocks and have about 50 pieces to each block. I am really loving it heaps.
I am also making place mats and a table runner in Christmas fabrics. They are looking good too.
Tomorrow my very dear friends Wendy and Colin are coming to visit from Bowral in the Highlands of NSW. Wendy was my Mentor at Kirrawee Public school. I learned so much from her as a professional collegue and special friend. I look forward to seeing them.
Jennifer and friends are the only thing I miss about moving north. Jennifer and friends are all so very dear to me.
Jenny is coming here for Christmas on the 18th December and we have so much to show her here. I know she will love being here if only for 10 days. Hope the weather will be sunny and we can spend lots of time at the beach with all our family.
I will close now and wish you all my friends and family a happy week.
BFN Lorraine H

This and That about my week.

Greetings all,
Well I have been a busy little butterfly the past week.
On Tuesday I spent a whole day at Matahra's class. I am amazed I could last the whole day. It was so godd and I really did enjoy being with the children.
They had a Prep Liturgy in the morning followed by a morning tea for children and parents.
Wednesday was pick up from school and the girls stayed here the night. Drop off Thursday morning and pick up. Friday was just pick up from after school care.
Just as well because I had a wonderful lunch at Banbu Cafe at Sippy Downs with some SCQ'ers and Cathy Miller the singing quilter from Canada. We did a show and tell. Cathy has made atiny wall quilt using 1/4" hexagons. It is great.
Then for dinner Sharron and Lee Bob and I had a great meal at the Lazy Gecko at Kaluin. Needless to say I just sat and hand pieced a block on Saturday.
Bob has set up our rather large water feature in the front garden and I love it. The water sounds waft into the Lounge room nicely.
Will post photos when I download them.
Andre Reiu was on pay T.V last night and all day today. I have enough songs in my mind to keep me singing for a week.

Wishing you all a happy week.
BFN Lorraine H

Gran,Chris and Logan Melb Cup Day

Christine on Melbourne Cup Day

Greetings all,

On Tuesday Chris Logan and I went to a great Luncheon at Bambu Resturant at Sippy Downs.

The food was good,as was the wine, company excellent, the fashion parade was from Meg's Boutique at Buderim, there were a few things I would love to own, the shoes from Shoe, Shoes at Mountain Creek, most of those I would love along with the handbags to match.

There were lots of raffle prizes. Chris won 2 I won 1 and no sweep wins, however I back the second place horse so not all was in vain.

Lots of ladies wore hats but sadly I could not find my hat that is still in a box. Obviously one that I have not opened since we moved.
We did enjoy the day.
Til next time
BFN Lorraine H

Pictures of our Home

Our new fences we had put in a few weeks ago.

The front of the house. Notice the sunny blue sky.

Looking up to the house from Bob's office
Back again,
Wow I can't stay away.
I thought I would add some photos of our new home....
BFN Lorraine H

Hey Again Hope you like the new blog

Hi again,

I do hope you all like my new look Blog. A really great girl in Canada did it all for me. I love it.

My new photo Bob took while we were at Mapleton just west of here last Sunday.

Last week we had the pleasure of having Meryl and Stan come for a visit. Meryl is a very special quilting friend.

Bob's boss Peter and his wife Hellen came to visit on the Thursday. It was great to be able to show them our new abode. All were very impressed. It was so good to see them too.

I really love being here in sunny,warm Queensland. It is the best thing we could have done. I am so happy and the climate is delightfullly warm and oh so sunny.

Many things have happened in the last few weeks. Matahra had her 6th Birthday and had a lovely party with her little friends from her school class. They did plaster fun, had their faces painted, made bead bracelets and ate very well with lots of fruits and apple juice, some sweets, and of course some little frankfurts. They were so busy that the time went really fast and it all ended without a worry.

Christine Andrew and Logan went to Sydney for a wedding so we were lucky and had the 2 girls. Mattie was very pleased when we told her we would take her to Mooloolabah to Hogs Breath (Her favoutite) for her B'day dinner. It was a great dinner.

The day after it was Logan's 3rd birthday and because Christine was starting a new job on his birthday we celebrated his day on the Sunday. He was so proud to be the special Birthday boy.

The Monday was a pupil free day and as Christine had her first day we had the 3 children. It was lovely. Monday night Bob went to Sydney for the week.

I was the chief Taxi person for the week. It was all good fun (although busy) swimming lessons X 3, cheer leading X1, Kindy orientation on Friday for Logan.

I must admit I did sleep for 3 hours in the afternoon before picking up Bob from the Airport.

On the quilting front I have decided it was about time to finish some UFO'S so when they are completed I will post photo's. I would like to finish 1 each month. That is a big ask but I will try.

I promise I will mot leave my posting so long from now on.

Til next time,

BFN Lorraine H

Boxes, Boxes Boxes!

Greetings all,

Yes!!! we are packing, packing and more packing. I do not think I will ever get it all done in 2 weeks.
We move out on 1st August. Joe the removalist is coming tomorrow to take all our boxes, about 200 that we have packed. He has an empty truck to go back up so it will make his big pick up on the 1st much easier.

Our settlement was to take place on the 4th August but it is a Bank holiday in NSW on that day so it will have to be the Tuesday 5th now. Things work out fine as we can settle on Loch Lomond that day too.
Where did we get so much I do not know. We hope to leave on the Saturday and take an easy drive up, arriving at Christine's on Monday afternoon.

It is both a happy time yet sad to be leaving my many lovely friends but I am sure I will be back down for special occasions like Jenny's birth of her baby in February. Jenny is keeping really well and she is so happy I do love to see her smile so much. She is 11 weeks now.

We have a painting friend of Andrew's going to have a look at our new house to see how much it will cost to have the walls inside painted with our colour plan. He has just rang and will see if he can do it before we move in which would be really great...

I will have to see and get some sort of organising done. He is so lucky as he has the keys to go inside I wish I was there too. Bob and I can barely remember all the things in the house. I know I am going to be there for a long time and once we are in nothing else will matter then.
Must get back to some more boxes so until next time....
BFN Lorraine H

Lots have happened

Greetings all,
Many changes have taken place since my last post.
We had a lovely time in Qld with Sienna and co! for her 7th birthday birthday.
First photo is her day with her 3 friends on Sunday, where they went to McDonald's for lunch then to the movies to see Narnia's Prince Caspian. Christine told me there were so many giggles and much laughter. Just like 7 year olds. Isn't it wonderful. Sienna is enjoying the Narnia books.

A couple of years ago we watched many times Lion, witch and the wardrobe and Sienna has developed the love for this story so I bought her the book to read. Of course she has almost finished it. Gee I would have loved to have had the opportunity to read these at age 7.

To her delight she also got from her mum and dad in line roller skates. During the morning on the Monday, her birthday, she received many phone calls from family in Sydney. So what is a girl to do......take the calls while on her skates. How do they do this. I have trouble just standing on 2 feet let alone on skates and talk at the same time.... I love her so much.

In the evening we all went to Hogs Breath at Mooloolabah. We had a great meal as you do there.
Sienna was thrilled when the Ice Cream came out with a sparkler on it and the staff came over to her and sang Happy birthday to her..... What a delight for a little girl.

Once we came home we had to deal with Open House times and after just 3 weeks our house has sold. Amazing in this time of interest rate rises etc......
We are really pleased and so now we have purchased a house in Buderim. It is just so nice and Bob will have his own office doown the back so he will still feel like he is going to work without the 45 - 60 minute drive. (also save heaps in petrol costs) We are very excited to be moving north to the warmer weather, not having the constant Arthritis issues, a single story home and the bonus of being with Christine Andrew and the 3 grandchildren that we love so much. It will be very hard to leave Jennifer at this time.
Once she has her baby she is going to come up to Qld too and so we will be a complete family.
I will be coming down to help Jenny whenever needed and to be with her when she has the baby.
I am thrilled to be having a new grandchild in February 2009.

All the legals etc are in place and now the big saga of packing and culling begins. At this stage we will settle both homes on or about the 4th August.

Needles to say I have not done any sewing but enjoying lots of baby knitting.

BFN Lorraine H

A wet week

Greeting all,

Boy what a wet week it has been. My garden is singing as we have not had much rain for ages.
We had our first Open house last weekend . The "For Sale" sign went up Friday night so not many people knew about the for sale, came.
It has been in the Domain magazine this week and the agent has told me there has been lots of inquiries so maybe tomorrow will be better. Lets hope for the best.

It is my granddaughter, Sienna's 7th birthday on Monday and we will celebrate it with her. Gosh she is growing up so quickly. Of course I will post photos after the day.

On a quilty not I have spent time this week sewing because I have not been out in the rain.
I have completed my 1st block for my "Nice things, nice people" block designed by Helen Stubbings of Hugs and Kisses. It will be a long time project but oh so easy to take along.

Another project I am making is the Sue Daley paper piecing Bed Runner. It is so nice but I have changed my bedding colour from pale green to red-plum colour so it will have to be a summer quilt bed runner.

Until next time, have a happy safe Queen's Birthday long weekend.

BFN Lorraine H

My Angel pressie

Thank you to my Angel Quilt for my new pressie that arrived today. Gee I wonder who she is????

Photos.
#1 My new bedroom suite
#2 one of my many camellia's that are now in bloom
#3 the 2nd bedroom

Greetings all,
Here are some photos I said I would post

Big news

Big news from 57 Akuna Ave.

We have our house on the market to sell and move north to Queensland.

Boy is it big!!!!! so much to do and so little time. We have done all the gardens (huge) and they look so nice now. How I always used to have them look.
Inside has been spruced up too and looks great.

Today I have a new bedroom suite coming, again something I have been going to do for ages as well.
It will look great in our new home (wherever that will be.) around Buderim, Sippy Downs area close to Christine, Andrew and my precious 3 grandchildren. Gee I do miss them so much.

On a quilty note I am almost finished an embroidery/ quilt as you go, 12 block wall quilt. I must say I am pleased with its completion.

I finished my row for Sue Egan's Monet quilt, then finished the teapot block for Meryl.

I am in the midst of making a bed runner that is Sue Daley's pattern www.busyfingers.patchworkcom http://www.busyfingerspatchwork.com/I love using her patterns. They are always well presented, prepared and just nice.

I will take photos and add them later today.

Until then BFN Lorraine

Dance with the fairies

The fairy beam upon you,

The stars glisten on you,

A moon of light in noon of night,

And the luckier lot betide you,

Let them brighten your heart this happy day.

Turning off the lights

Hello all,
I am sure I will not post twice in a day very often.
It was great to see on the news tonight that most of Sydney CBD and other parts of Australia and around the world turned off their lights at 8pm for at least one hour.

Here at 57 we did too. From 7pm we only had the radio on and some candles to light the way a little for dinner and post dinner wines. It was great to get extra hours sleep too as we have been busy doing things around the house and garden.
When I went outside at 10pm the stars were shining brightly and we were given a lovely lightening show as well.
Now for some sewing time at last.
BFN Lorraine

A sunny Sunday

I would like to say thank you to Lissa who has helped me find my way in the new skill of blogging. Ta Lissa.

Today is a great sunny day here.
I have spent some time in my garden playing.

Now I am off to sew some more flower hexagons for my Roosting Robin.
Round 4 will be upon me next week and I do not want to get left behind. This is not the best photo I have taken ......

I did receive a lovely parcel in the mail from my angel. What an Angel.


This a photo of my DD1 at Icebergs for her birthday last Tuesday. She is sooooo young too.

Greetings to all my friends,
Well as a good procrastinator here I am at last.
Easter found Bob and I busy in the garden and painting the pool deck and pool fence.
It has been my first chance to garden since I had my total knee replacement. A friend came and cleaned up the main parts which certainly made it easier for me. The back garden now looks like my garden of old times.
On Tuesday it was my No.1 daughter's birthday. Wow what a day. We were taken to lunch at Icebergs Restaurant at Bondi. We rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. Bill Grainger and his cute family 3 dds, Peter O'Brien (who had a b'day too) and his wife, the beautiful Miranda Otto (she has the most beautiful red hair and milk like skin) and James Packer and his friends.
Our meal was amazing and of course the champagne was refreshing, the service was impeccable. My no. 2 dd and my darling Logan came down for the day from Noosa.
Bob took Logan to play in the quote him "The big sand pit". They had a lovely time too.
I have been really busy sewing my current row for my quilt group Row by Row. This rxr theme was the circus. I am happy with the end product.
I am also doing the Roosting Robin, my theme is paper piecing. the centre is a mix of pentagons and hexagons in pinks.
The second row is rectangles which I did 2 sides then 2 plain sides with 1/2" hexagon flowers.
The 3rd row is applique. Of course more paper piecing this time using jewel shapes.
I am a big fan of Sue Daley's papers Patchwork with Busy Fingers.
Recently I had the pleasure of staying at Kindred Spirits B&B for 3 days with Sue and James.
Sue is the best chef and makes amazing little cakes etc.
On the Monday evening Helen Stubbings of Hugs and kisses gave us a Trunk Show of her award winning quilt from Padukah last year together with all her lovely colour que technique.
Tuesday saw us have a big brekkie of pancakes with banana and caramel sauce, very yummy and what a great way to start the day.
At 10am saw us start on our class with Helen. It was good fun colouring in our urn and flowers and then stitching. Mine is not completed yet.
Now I have the threads for my Helen's Urn I am going to complete the stitching on my lesson piece. Yesterday I started on another pattern called Boys Toys in the same technique and will give it to Logan for his birthday in October. That gives me time to complete it.