My Home Town -circa 1988

An old friend of mine from high school just added this video about the Dargaville Races to Facebook. When I watched it I had to do the same! 

A taste of  life in small town New Zealand. I had a lovely childhood growing up on a farm. Mum and Dad still live in Dargy as does my brother and niece. 

Lots of people I knew, lots of memories.

Lazy Sundays

My Man got up at a most inhospitable time to hit a little white ball around on the grass so the boys and I thought we'd make a bit of a thing of our Sunday Breakfast.

Pancakes are my specialty - I say this unashamedly - I have been making them since I was about 7 as they are my Dad's favourite and I've pretty much perfected them, according to my family! I used to be a strict Lemon and Sugar girl but have been swayed by the gorgeousness that is Golden Syrup. Dom's taste see-saws between GS and Honey. Charlie and the Man favour Maple Syrup. They are not the most healthy breakfast I've ever eaten but, good lord, they taste sensational!!

We are coffee drinkers. I try to like tea but I just don't get it. I like the dainty little cups I see in T2 and I just adore teapots but they would be purely ornamental. 

We bought this glorious ensemble a couple of years ago and it was well worth every dollar as I get a skinny latte every morning without having to fork out $3.00 or more for Boiled Essence of Saddled Leather. And the littlies do love a baby-cino with compulsory marshmallows on the side (it's quite embarrassing in the cafes when there are none forthcoming...!)

CBeebies is on the box, we're all still in our jamies, so I've been getting on with the next block in the Around the World Quilting Bee series. I love it so much I want to keep it all to myself!

Finished the birthday Coin Quilt on friday night. She loved it, and the Elmo cake (Elmo at 18, I ask you?!!)

Birthday party on Monday for out friend Charlie B. Robots are the flavour de jour so I whipped up a Charlie Bot for him.

Busy weeks are all the better with a lazy Sunday attached!

Staying at home - love it or hate it...?

I am home today with little Charlie who is running high temps - possibly an ear infection, but am getting that checked this afternoon. Poor little blighter is rugged up on the couch under his Lightning McQueen blanket, with his "dody and snugs" watching Toy Story for the gazillionth time! And although I don't wish him to be feeling bad, I LOVE sick days at home! I get to catch up with all the housework and do loads of quilting and the blog as well.

Just completed my addition to the first starter block I received for the Around the World Quilting bee. Had a inspiring moment when I saw the block and decided to pay homage to Kellie's flower garden pillow and used the Moda Layer Cake Soiree fabrics leftover from the Coin quilt I've almost completed, which matched perfectly as fate would have it! Here it is with Anita's starter block.

I've suddenly got my embroidery mojo back! I haven't done any since 2001 when we lived on Borneo. Of course, it's all guns blazing when I get into a craft, so had loads of embroidery threads at my disposal.
I'm doing Kellie's course (hopefully) at Patchwork House in August and am so looking forward to it!
I think I'll make the beak smaller and higher next time. 
But I'm really pleased with it overall and love how it looks with the starter.

Have also been working on Charlie's Town and Country quilt. Think I may be overdoing the white stitching so will finish it this weekend while we are at the cottage for Jason's golf weekend in Ocean grove, and unpick if necessary. 

Around the World....and other flights of fancy!

Finished my Around the World Quilting Bee block and sent it off on Monday to Glaucia in Brazil - very exciting! Can't wait to for the postman to come with the block from Anita so I can agonize on how to complement the gorgeousness that is her block!

Have got two little numbers on the go and the mo...the Town and Country quilt for mi Partito which  have started to hand quilt with some candlewicking yarn that I from my embroidery days in Malaysia (the expat ladies all partook in a spot of crafting to pass the time!)

Also have started a Coin Quilt for an 18th birthday present out of a Moda Layer Cake in Soiree.

And to top it all off, the Kinder is having a cake stall so whipped up these little numbers for them last night before my quilting class at Patchwork House (which was fabulous, as always!) Hope they sell!

The boys have been marvellous this morning, letting me get on and do this so we are off to the indoor playground for a bit of kiddie fun with some mates.

I LOVE Mothers Day....

...because I have 3 beautiful boys who love me!

In support of the new Australian sewing site SEWN, I have decided to join the Launch Party Blog Giveaway.

"SEWN is new and innovative online quilting and sewing community for all lovers of fabric crafts. We have Tips and Innovative Tools to help with your projects, an Advice Centre for all your sewing questions, online forums and chats, and information on your local shops, sewing groups, quilt groups and classes.SEWN will feature designers and shops from Australia and New Zealand, as well as the latest from the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan."

I am giving away two pieces of Prints Charming fabric from the quilt I made for Monito's kinder sleep (they wish!).

To win these lovely pieces just leave a comment on my blog and I will draw a name on Monday 8th June (the launch of the SEWN website).

Good Luck!

Closed now! Thanks for entering!

A photo of my latest quilting project, for my little Partito's big boy's bed. 

I used the Town and Country pattern by Judy Newman and tried to get similar fabrics. Ended up getting the little yellow elephants and the houses from Superbuzzy 

in the US, the Echino animals from Amitie at the Stitches and Craft fair in Melbourne and the rest from Patchwork House in Hawthorn who taught me pretty much everything I know! 

I am backing it with a gorgeous orange spotty fabric called Elanor's picnic by Piece of Cake designs by P&B textiles. Will do a combo of machine and hand quilting, hopefully. I really love it!

Hi! My name is Tanya  and I'm new at this blogging lark so patience is essential. I overuse exclamation marks so please bear that in mind and don't hold it against me!

I have been quilting for a year or so and feltmaking for a month. Will post some photos of my work as soon as I work out how.