Updating you with crappy photos

So I survived the half-marathon (on the 17th November, that's how long it's been since I updated this blog!).  I walked it in 3 hours and 43 minutes (and 59 seconds if you want to be precise).  Not too bad for a first go.  The average time was 3 hours and 16 minutes so next year I'm planning to get closer to that.

Later that same night I hobbled went off to our friend's annual "Wild Food Cook Off".  Basically a party where we all bring a dish of food made from things we have hunted, caught, foraged etc.  There was Bombay Horse's Arse (horse curry - yes, we have wild horses up here if you know where to look) and Roast Peacock, Oysters and Banana Flower Burger.  Mine was tame in comparison - Duck Egg and Wild Rose Cheesecake - but it was pretty good if I do say so myself.

A picture of a snail dish from last year's cook off.

The only problem is that I left my camera there!  Hence you haven't had any updates for a while.  I haven't been up to too much, but it's been frustrating being without a camera.  But today I've had a brainwave - I can take pics with my webcam.  Terrible pics and the cord doesn't reach far, but hey, they are still pictures!

My sample on the left, my four-year-old daughter's on the right.

For the last two Friday's, I've been running a class at one of the local primary schools.  Myself and my team of fab volunteers have been doing fabric stenciling with six-year-old children.  I'm counting this as one of my small, experimental quilts as I've had lots of playing with fabric paint and freezer paper stencils to come up with samples.  One more class this Friday and it's all done.  In exchange for the classes, we get to use their school hall for our guild exhibition - a pretty good deal if you ask me!

Next, I've been going a little mad on making these cute little purses.  They are small and just darling and as soon as my girl spotted the one I made as a sample, she snaffled it and hasn't let me have it back.  So I've been making a stack of them for Christmas presents.  Some of them will hold vouchers, or a nail kit or trinkets and some will be part of a set (I enlarged the pattern for a bigger one).

Here's the stack I have made ready to hand stitch up into their proper shape.  They come from this tutorial here.  Thanks Rashida!!  You've sorted so many of my Christmas gifts!  Even my boy has picked out fabrics for me to make one for his 'treasures'.

I've also been working on the vege garden (sorry - webcam won't stretch that far) and this morning planted some tomato and basil seedlings and some carrot seeds.  It's been dry for the last 3 weeks so I've been spending a bit of time watering too.

So that's it for now.  As soon as I get my camera back I'll give you a more thorough round up of the Wild Food party and show you my daughter's funky new haircut!

The Chicken Flower Quilt

So I haven't been in the blogosphere for a wee while.  I'll blame it on the friend who talked me into doing the Kerikeri half marathon.  I'll be walking it next Saturday and the training is cutting into my blogging time (it's probably better for me!)  But this Saturday was the Bay of Islands P and I show and my Chicken Flower quilt won first prize in the "Patchwork Article over 40cm" section!  Woot!

I don't think I've showed it to you since it's been finished and I know the photo above is not the best but every time I try and shoot it, it's windy or dull or too sunny.....I know, excuses, excuses!

Or I have a little annoying cute helper who just has to be in the shot!

Here's a close up of the machine free-motion quilting I did.  Basically just loop de loops and curlicues.  But I added a few things in for fun.

Like this feather.  And the recipient's name is quilted into it a couple of times, plus a butterfly and the odd flower and leaf.  She can have fun searching for them.

So think of me next Saturday - I'll consider myself a success if I finish, I'm not aiming for a particular time!  And after that, maybe I'll be able to spend a little more time here updating you on what's happening in my world.