HICCUP

On Friday I was in a local quilt shop, The Quilters Corner, owned by lovely Llisa, and was so lucky to meet Christine from Once Upon a Quilt while we were both at the counter. Llisa has just had her shop website updated and I had seen some patterns I wanted. If you haven't checked it out it is worth visiting.
Unfortunately we did not have long to chat as my phone went and it was the solicitor to say my house sale had fallen through due to lack of finance. 10 days until settlement and in my mind it was all sealed and I was on a roll with organising things.
It was a quick trip to the Real Estate Agent and the house was back on the market and I was so,so lucky to get another offer on it on Saturday-not quite as good as the first but acceptable. So the moving company has been put off for two weeks, the cat has a reprieve and can stay home a week longer and we wait with fingers crossed that this contract does not fall through. It felt like the plans had halted and I wasn't going anywhere but the head is back into it all again and the cleaning has begun!!!
I was so excited when I arrived home after the news to find a parcel waiting for me at the front door-I just love the service the Book Depository gives.  I'm sure you're all glimpsed this in blogland if not in person but I have to share it as I loooove it. My favourite has to be the diamond quilt that you can see in the top right hand corner.

Happy stitching everyone.
I am off to clean-I did have a round of golf this morning after weeks of not playing so I really enjoyed it and could still manage to hit the ball reasonably well. Hopefully I will get one more game in before the clubs and cart have to be scrubbed clean for shipping to New Zealand. Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries are really tough on anything going into NZ being free of all grass and soil so don't want to upset them!!

Update

Firstly thank you to everyone who left comments on my last post-your best wishes were greatly appreciated. I am sorry I have not had time to answer you all but as you can imagine life is a little hectic here.
The good news is I have a contract on my house and providing all is well with the building inspection tomorrow the sale settles on the 24th March. I am so glad that it only took two Open Homes as keeping the place like a show home was a little tedious. No sewing as yet but maybe this week.
I have a friend from NZ staying the weekend so we are off to the markets today if it doesn't rain. She arrived yesterday and it rained the whole day, so so much for the Sunshine State. She nearly missed her plane, as when she went to check in she had her South African passport(which would've required a visa) rather than her NZ passport. It was a very unlawful speed back home to get the right passport and by the time she returned the plane was ready for take off, so she was escorted onto the plane. I know I nearly missed my plane in NZ but at least I wasn't escorted on as 'that person everyone is waiting for'. Her flight was via Sydney and half the plane had their luggage left in Sydney as 'the carousel broke'. It was supposed to be delivered here between 6.30-9.30pm last night but by 10pm there was no word so it was off to bed. At quarter to 1 this morning the bell goes and it's the suitcase -the van delivering the cases had broken down hence the delay!! Lets hope today is a better one.

At least these beautiful creatures graced the garden last evening for us.
Have a good day.

Still Here

Yesterday was the first day I have turned the sewing machine on in weeks and it still purrs beautifully. Although the machine is still on the table the rest of the sewing room is packed away and with the house now on the market the room has to stay spotless. I am not a tidy person in the sewing room so it is better not to enter!!
However the postie delivered Block 5 of Sue Ross BOM and I thought well that won't make alot of mess so I couldn't resist,even though I haven't finished Block 3 or 4 yet.

 

The Prickly Pear Block with these great fabrics. So I set to and cut the fabrics before going to work yesterday afternoon and this morning it is finished and I love it. It has been the easiest block so far in this BOM and can together so quickly. There are not even any threads on the floor which has to be a first!!

The photo is a bit crooked and the colours in reality are a bit brighter but I do love it.

 

 The sewing room is back to it's tidy state so I have to stay out- at least til after open home on Saturday.

I am over tidying,cleaning,sorting, making trips to the tip and keeping everything like a showhome at all times. The house has been on the market for the sum total of 10 days and I am over it already so I hope it sells quickly-got to be realistic I know.

The moving company are coming this morning to do a pre move survey-I am getting them to do the majority of the packing so at least I don't have to stress about that. Then once they have been it's out to do the lawns which decided with all the rain this week that they would grow tenfold.

Am enjoying reading all the blogs and getting my buzz from seeing all the wondeerful projects that are going on.

Have a great sewing day.

Addit:

OOps just noticed that I have sewn the top row on the wrong way -so Chris it's not perfect unfortunately!!

Off now to fix it.

Lurking

Thought it was long past time to write a post. So what have I been doing- well I have to admit it has not been sewing.The mailman did deliver something quilty for me though so my nose has been in this book-I do love the service the Book Depository gives.

When I have not been working it has been tidying and packing. I am putting my house on the market as I am moving back to New Zealand in a couple of months. My sewing room has been packed up,although the sewing machine is still sitting there. I now need to get some handwork sorted-my Josephs Coat is very slow in progress so I need to get a few blocks prepared ready to sew.

A very good job came up for the midwifery manager of the Southland Maternity Unit and I was encouraged to apply,which I did and have been offered the job. On my trip back for mothers birthday I actually spent more time in the air than on the ground as I flew down to Invercargill for my interview,then back to the middle of the North Island to my mothers party. I am just waiting for the contract to arrive but it should all be ok and if so I will start in the middle of April. The second position I started here in Brisbane is a short term contract that finishes at the end of March and I wanted to honour that which they have been aware of the whole process.

Invercargill is right at the southern end of New Zealand and so will be fairly cold and windy but is a lovely small city which will offer a new way of life,and I am looking forward to it. There are two quiltiing shops and four golf courses so I should be fine!! It's a  part of the country that is close to skiing, lots of bush walks and coastal areas. I do have friends and a brother and sister in law who live there as well so that is good. It is all a bit of a whirlwind and what makes it worse was that I had started to paint inside my house before this all happened so the paint brush has been working overtime.
The great thing about blogging is it doesn't matter where in the world you are as long as there is access to a computer then the friends are there. So if I don't post alot over the next few weeks I will still be here but busy sorting out the transfer.

Returning at Last

It is awhile since I have posted,or replied to any comments so please forgive me. This is the reason why-

 I have shown a few of the blocks for this quilt in previous posts. When I said I would make it, and take it back to NZ with me last week, I forgot just how much work this quilt took and so I was really over committed in my time frame. I worked on it every moment I could and I wouldn't like to think how many hours it took to do but it was worth it and I really loved how it turned out(almost wanted to keep it). I even stayed away from the golf course for a month as that would've taken away too many quilting hours. The border and the applique blocks are all stippled after outline quilting the applique shapes.This photo is not really the best but this is it laid on the floor ready for pinning. I haven't got a photo of it finished as I left it with my sister to finish sewing the binding down-she is the recipients grandmother so didn't mind doing the last bit for me.
But this shows just how worth it it was -

Brooklyn loved her quilt.

I have just been back to NZ for a flying visit to celebrate mothers 80th birthday so th quilt was given then.

And before you all ask -No I didn't make my mother a quilt. She has one I made her on her bed and also a lap quilt I made some time ago. My sister and I bought her a sewing machine as hers had stopped working and she loves sewing- she is not a quilter but has sewn for as long as I can remember. We had a great family reunion and everyone had a great time-have now come back to recover.

So now I think it may be time to look through the unfinished projects and finish some of them before I tackle the next big project.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

To all my blogging friends out there HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I trust that 2010 brings you all what you wish for. It's exciting to think we are starting another year and what that may bring we as yet do not know.
My thoughts go out to those who are beginning the year having just lost their homes in bushfires and I trust that love and friendship is surrounding them a this time.
I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me as I started my blog in 2009 and for the many friendships I have made in such a short time. I look forward to continuing these in 2010.
I am now off to work for the day. I worked last evening as well so there were no big celebrations going on here. Have a lovely New Years Day everyone.

Advent Swap Parcel Opened

Merry Christmas Morning to you all.
It is very quiet here at the moment, the only noise is the birds, which is lovely. There are very few children who live close by so the older ones are obviously still in bed.
I couldn't wait to open my Advent Swap parcel and here is what I got-

A lovely little hand quilted mat,a cellphone bag, some fabric and a chocolate angel-how long will she last???

Thank you Sigrid and thank you to Jo and Fiona for orgaising this swap. It has been alot of fun.

This is what is sitting outside my door at the moment

 

Rainbow lorikeets. Very pretty little parrots.

Have a great day everyone.