MY NEW GRANDSON

I have not blogged for a little while as I have been busy sewing secret assignments and helping to care for my grandchildren. I was down at the farm helping my SIL care for the children while mum was in hospital recovering from the difficult birth of her latest child. It is a boy, Henry Samuel at 9pound 2 ounces and very cute as well. Above is the before photo of my daughter. She is not a big girl but tends to have large babies. Henry was the heaviest followed by Charlie at 9 pound and then Emma at 81/2 pound if I remember correctly.

Emma having a cuddle with Henry and not yet realising that he is comning home to stay.

Proud big brother Charlie with his new brother and wants to know when they can play tractors together.

Me, the proud Nanny with little Henry. He is so cute. It was lovely to care for my grandkids but I am glad that I am home now and can get back into doing the normal things in my life, like sewing and stitching and cleaning(who put that word in) and just doing nothing if I so desire. I found that being a mum even for a short time is very tiring for an old girl like me.

Cheers for now Jude

GIFTS AND SOFTIES

Recently DH and I went to an auction and picked up this Tonka truck for just $4.00. Our GS Charlie, loves all trucks , tractors etc so he will be recieving this when he visits. Apart from the stickers peeling off the truck is in very good condition. Charlie will be here on Thursday along with his Mum and sister. We get time to play together while Mum goes to the obstertrition ( hope this is spelt right) and when they go to bed my daughter and I can settle down for a good old chinwag. The truck will join his ever growing collection. A little boy can never have too many trucks now can he.

Now being a kind Nan I couldnt give to one child with out the other so this afternoon I made Emma a hand bag that she can take shopping when they go to town. It is a pattern from Melly and Me and one I enjoy sewing. Emma is going to like this I`m sure.

I have also been sewing lots of soft toys. I made chickens, dogs, pigs, horses,elephants, whales, Platypus, giraffes and others. Some are going to my friend Lucky as she sews and collects them from other sewers to give to blood clinics to give to the children who have to have blood tests etc. The others are going to Bordertown hospital to give out to the sick kids who have to spend time away from their families. A new friend can be a great comfort to a child in hospital. Well better go now as the dishes wont wash themselves and DH is asleep in his chair watching TV so he wont do them either.

Cheers for now Jude

EARLY XMAS

I went to a local craft shop to learn quilt as you go and I was disappointed as I knew more than the teacher. She did not know how to do a more advanced way of doing the quilt as you go method. I was given a magazine and told that is what you will make. It was a nice table runner but the pattern was not what I wanted, as it was the sandwich method to put together. I was told to sew 1 section to the pellon and backing, sew the next stip onto this and flip the second piece back and keep doing this till the strips were gone. I know this is this the simplest form of quilt as you go but again not what I wanted. My friend Dawn will now help me to achieve my goal. The finished table runner is pretty and I added stars and raw edged them and then shadow quilted around them to fill the space, I also added shadow stars to the bigger areas so the runner would sit right on the table. I wont be going there again for lessons.

I have finished 1 of the March stitch-a- longs in the new colours to replace the red ones i made into a wall hanging and have 2 more to go.

Cheers for now jude

A LITTLE BIT OF SEWING

Sorry for not blogging sooner but I have been busy with family visiting and also going away to mind grandkids while mum and dad were at a wedding. I have managed to do a little sewing as well. I had made Brooke a cushion for her going away gift and when my DD saw it she said it was lovely but Brooke really loved purple. So being a nan I thought it was only right and proper to make another in her favourite colour. Luckily I have a neighbour with a DD also named Brooke so she will be the recipient of the first pillow.

I am also doing a stitch along on the net and decided to do it in reds, but then I saw another done in a lovely two coloured thread of red and green and thought I would do mine in that. My good friend Dawn ordered the thread for me (I still dont feel confident to order things on line)and I have made my original blocks into a wall hanging that will become a xmas gift for one of my DDs. I like how it has turned out and will now have to make a couple more. Now I will have to redo the first three blocks in the green/red cotton as well as this months blocks. As I love stitching this will be a labour of love and not a chore.

Cheers Jude

GRAND DAUGHTERS AND SOME BLOCKS

My two eldest GDs came over for a visit and they looked so cute I just had to take a photo to share. Jade the eldest brought her reading book and we had a reading session followed by writing out the new words in her book. I enjoyed doing this and it brought back memories of doing the same for her mum and aunties when they were little girls. Then I had to sign her diary to let the the teacher know that she had done her homework.
Jade always looks out for her sister Brooke and I hope this continues throughout life.

Here is block one from the chookyblue stitch-a-long and you can check it out from the button on my side bar.

Block two and I think the little birds are so cute. Now waiting for March to do the next blocks.

SOME BLOCKS AND A UFO FINISHED

I am doing a couple of sew alongs on the net and I find them quick and easy to do. I sew the blocks during the day and sit at night and do the embroidery as I find it very relaxing.

This is block 2 from Dawns free block of the month and I can hardly wait till next month to see what i will be sewing for block 3.

These two blocks are from a BOM from a forum that I have joined and were very easy and fast to do. I did the cutting and sewing in a couple of hours and the hand stitching that night while watching TV.

This is a UFO I found in the cupboard and decided to finish so it could go on display. The frame is a little small but I will swap it over when I find a bigger one.

GIRLS DAY OUT

DH and I have just spent 3 lovely days at Victor Harbor visiting our DD and her family. The weather was much cooler than in Adelaide and we even had some rain but it did not spoil the fun and games we all enjoyed together. We went for walks along the foreshore and paddled our feet in the water and looked at lots of shells and seaweed as well as visiting the tram horses, which they must do every time the go for a walk to the beach. We also went to Busy Bugs and had a fun morning doing lots of activities. There is a gym trail and that was very popular especially jumping into the ballpit at the end, Dancing and singing, colouring in, kitchen play, trampolining and outdoor activities. The girls did it all with Nan following right behind. Then to the toy library to get 3 new toys for a couple of weeks then home for lunch and a sleep.

This is Hayley having fun in one of the many ride ons in the out door area.

This is Chloe on the slippery dip and she really enjoys it.

Here is Hayley on the trampoline and she is a little daredevil and jumps and bounces as high as she can with a big grin on her face.

Here1s Chloe having a little rest while doing the gym trail.

After lunch we went for a drive to Port Elliot and a a lovely afternoon tea at a local cafe. We shared some muffins and they were the lightest, tastiest muffins I have ever had, the coffee and milkshakes were yummy as well. Then it was back to Victor to get daddy and papa some dinner. We were tired but had a lovely girls day out.
I am now worn out from writing so off to watch some TV if I can find anything to watch and hopefully an early night.

Cheers Judy