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.

Mother's Little Helper

I'm getting ready for my guild's quilting retreat this weekend.  I'm hoping to finish my chicken flower quilt there, so today I'm piecing a backing for it.  But I have a little helper and when she whipped out my big shears and almost cut straight through the largest backing piece, I knew it was time to occupy her with something else!

My scrap bin and bags are favorite toys.  Today it was collage (I've been inspired by all the art quilts I've been looking at lately!).  She enjoys using scissors and as far as I can remember, she's never cut herself.

Like any true artist, she knows the most important part is making a mess!  But my plastic painting sheet kept the glue off the floor at least.

Finished product!  

And I don't mind helping to clean up the mess if it gives me a chance to get something done.  Now I just have to finish machine button-holing some leaves and a teeny bit of embroidery before I can baste it and quilt it.  Here's hoping for a productive weekend for you too!

Farm TV

These are for my sister, who requested pictures of the animals.  I've called it Farm TV, because that is what my hubby and I say to each other when we are going to sit out on the deck and have a cuppa.  "Come and watch Farm TV with me."  The animals never cease to amuse. 

Plus, this post fits in rather nicely with Kit Lang's - What do you see on your way to work?  This is what I see, they are my work (besides the kids of course).

 First up are the ducks.  They are the loudest and so get fed first.  A handful of grain on the grass and for the rest of the day they free roam and keep the slugs down in the orchard.

 Mama bunny is right next to the feed shed so she gets fed quickly too.  Plus she has eight babies with her and they go through a bit of food.  Here she is having a drink.

 And here are her babies munching their breakfast.  Cute huh?

 These two are out in a run on the grass - which is rather lush at the moment being spring and all.  They are part of a group of five boys destined for the pot.  They had five sisters who went to the pet shop. 

 Rooster chicks.  Destined for the pot too.  Their seven sisters went to a new home the other day.  There are big bonuses to being a girl if you're a chook.

 Big Red, the rooster.  He originally came from Laura at Our Wee Farm.  He was destined for the pot too, but he got a reprieve and because he is never aggressive, he might stay out of the pot for a good long while.

 Big White, on the other hand, is permanently locked up or he'll attack the children.  He's on the shortlist for the pot.

And here's what the girls give me.  Omelette's anyone?

School Holidays

Not much gets done on the quilting front round here during school holidays.  The kids see me sewing and find a million things they need help with urgently, or they decide they are hungry, or - and this is the worst insult of all - they decide THEY want to sew ;)

But I've managed to fit in a few other things.  We've had the nieces visiting for a few days and they joined in the birthday afternoon tea that my boy had for his seventh birthday.  Lots of running around was had after the treats and then we had the cake.

For those of you who can't decipher what it is - it's meant to be a chocolate pinata cake.  You make a cake, ice it and top it with goodies, then make a chocolate shell in another bowl and drop it over the top.  Birthday boy gets to smash it with a toy hammer to get to the goodies underneath.  Well.  Let's just say it was a learning experience!  And he wasn't too disappointed that it was already broken when he got to it.  If you ever want to make one of these - practice first.

But tomorrow morning I'm hosting my Friday Group of quilters here so I might get a bit of sewing done then.  And very soon I'm off on Retreat.  A three day quilt-till-you-drop experience that we hold a few times a year through our guild.  I haven't decided what projects I will take, but rest assured I will have something completed by the end of it!

Happy school hols everyone - only a few more days and it's all over.