Fabricologist Anonymous

Goodbye... my sweet friend....

2010-11-29T13:56:00.000-08:00

*sigh*.....

don't you just hate saying goodbye to your favourite fabric???? *sniff* *sob*..

I have just a 6" square of this fabric left. I bought um, maybe 5 years ago? maybe longer?? I have searched a few places online to see if I can buy more (I have the other colourway but I want the blue one) Its a Judie Rothermel for Marcus Brothers Textile and has nothing noted on the selvedge which range it is from (there is a similar one in the Civil War tribute range but alas its another colourway)... Do you have any lurking in your stash ? I'd be happy to swap for fabric, currency, firstborn child???

its been in a lot of my quilts and gifts and today, I decided to cut all my scraps (CW ones) into strips to start a new leader /ender project.. not sure which leader / ender project I want to do (I am over 4 patch blocks at the moment but they are so quick to make) maybe a courthouse steps??

I have also decided today to kill my kids.. I am home sick from work... I have a cough that sounds like a seal, and as I basically work in a call centre, thought I'd better keep my germs at home! So why throttle the kids?? they have used all the bloody internet..... AGAIN!!!!!! ARGH!!!!

Nothing much quilty happening here at the moment.. trying to sort out the house for christmas.. The house looks like a warzone at the moment, and being sick will put a dent in my 'spring cleaning time'... I have a bazillion sequins to sew on too.. I am getting to the point where I'd pay someone to sew on sequins.. a few mums from another dance school get stuff sequinned overseas.. I am thinking I might have to look into that one!

I have been buying fabric (again) I love the Black Friday sales in the US! 30-35-40% off vouchers have been landing in my inbox... I got some CW's for $3.75 a YARD that's bloody crazy! here?? CW repros are $22.00 a metre (we have parity with the US $$$ at the moment) so basically 1/6th of the price! No pics yet, but will share when the fabric arrives!

Thought I'd leave you with a pic of 'el diablo' or Cosmopolitan Bernard the Cat of Questionable Parentage (aka the Bastard cat)... This is where he sits of a morning when I leave for work.. I dont think its cause he is going to miss me, I think its more of 'drats I was too slow to sneak out of the house' pose..

This is a pic of Miss Bailey the Wonderdoggie... she isn't well at the moment and a trip to the vet yesterday, well lets just say she'd better get better! She has PLANTAR WARTS.. Whose doggie gets PLANTAR warts??? she has had one off already (thanks for Coming that'll be $498.00 for one foot).. she has them on her front two paws so if the drugs dont ease the pain / itchiness she has to have them off.. she is 9 years old, with a heart condition, so any operation we have to consider seriously... Pets! argh! We do have pet insurance which is fortunate!!

well that's enough from me..

Lissa

Pussycat Pussycat where have you been?

2010-11-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

Not sure where the pussycats been.....

but I've been to Bathurst! Last weekend I headed off to the Bathurst Bun Fight, a lunch for quilters in the area..

Of course on the way to Bathurst there are quite a few Quilt Shops (its a four hour drive from my home)...

I stopped off at one Quilt shop and asked if I could use the bathroom.. Now I have been to this quilt shop, its a very LARGE one in Sydney which I wont name, but the cashier said no they didn't have a loo (LIAR I have used it before) but I could use the one across the carpark at the PUB.. now I am sure the PUB really would get pi$$ed off with peeps using their facilities but not spending $'s there.. But after a 2hr drive that should have taken 1hr, I had no choice!

So what did I do? I used the loo, then got in my car and continued... I wont say never ever again, but I wont be visiting that store anytime soon. This is the same store I visited last year to buy a machine and no one could help or serve me so I bought my machine back in Newcastle... I was cashed up last Friday (got my tax refund last week) and would have spent a lot there.. People get annoyed with me when I tell them I shop a LOT overseas, but I think a store of this size that has regular classes and a LOT of custom should allow their customers to use a toilet.. its not a big ask is it??

Anyhoo, I travelled another hour and visited Post Office Patchwork at Glenbrook.. They had a class happening at the time, but couldn't have been more helpful. I bought a few CW repros.. can't have too many of those!

Next stop was about an hour away, (darn roadworks) at The Stitching post Katoomba. I did manage to find some more fabric, fancy that, and a cute button.

Ok by this time it was well after 1pm, and I thought at this rate, I'll be broke so I drove onto Bathurst.. But before I could go and see my friend I had to (yeppers HAD to) visit Hatched & Patched at Bathurst. Now I did resist fabric (not much in the way of CW repros) but I did find some much wanted Felted Wool, a book and a pattern or two..

I stayed with my friend Christine, who has the cutest house, quilts everywhere and things to look at (had to try not to touch everything, was like a kid in a lollyshop)... Headed off on Saturday for a Crepe lunch with some other quilters in the area.. Now I have to tell you about the Crepe I had for dessert.. it was SOOOO sickly but yummy... Mars Bar & Marshmallow Crepe.. that says it all I think...

Now I have to tell you, I was SUFFERING BIG TIME on my trip last weekend.. I had a very bad fall on the Wednesday.. I fell down stairs, not sure what happened one minute I was at the top the next half way down.. I fell down 7 stairs.. they were aggregate concrete ones.. I had a scratch from my ankle on one leg all the way to my 'askyamother' on the other, and a bruise that cannot be described.. it only hurt when I sat, walked, laid down or breathed... not much really at all! have two haematoma's on my thigh and ten days later still very much bruised and sore!

Now it wouldn't be a Fabricologist anonymous blog without some pics of my latest 'spoils'

I bought Annie's new book, its so lovely I might even make something out of it! LOL a Lynette Anderson Pattern (for a needle book cant have too many of those), some cute salthouse buttons, one was VERY eccy for a button (can't beleive I paid what I did for a button) but I got a similar one for a third of the price and its nearly as cute.. of course you can see I got some FABRIC repro's of course.. I had told myself, only cheddar and purple cause I dont have a great deal of either in my stash.. alas, couldn't find too many more and had to come home with some fab!

This pic the hexagons is a pattern / kit I bought at Hatched & Patched, its for a pincushion, you can't have too many of those either.. its quite large and have finished the top part even quilted it, so now just have to put the sucker together, its about 6" round and about 4" high when done... the blocks are 3 more for my Farmers Wife Sampler, 20 down only 91 to go! LOL

OK petals, thats it from me, off to make a Lasagne for dinner and hope Cosmo the devil cat isn't like Garfield wanting Lasagne!

Lissa

Lesson for Lissa!

2010-10-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

Hello possums...

a Lesson I have learned...

When Bailey the Wonderdoggie does her 'I've-caught-something-and-I-am-playing-with-it-to-the-death' bark DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CALL HER!!!!

why you ask dear reader??

Um she could have a SNAKE... yes, a #_)($*#)(#&%# snake!!! OK, it was only a Red Belly Black Snake, poisonous, yes... deadly, well not so much to humans but fatal to puppy dogs and devil cats...

Cosmo (devil cat) had to have a squiz, he come charging back to the house... Bailey the wonderdoggie, I called her and she trotted around from the back of the shed with it still alive (in the death throes) in her mouth!!! She is so darn lucky it didn't bite her, the anti-venom is VERY expensive... Dags (aka the Super DH) was at work and the first question he asked me was 'how big?' I said 'I dont )_(#*)(*&&^% care how big, if it is bigger than a worm and its hisses, its a _)(*#&$#)@*(& snake!' I was hanging washing on the line at the time with no SHOES on...

that dear reader, is the peril of living in Australia, most of the worlds most poisonous snakes live here, and I am darn lucky it was only a redbelly black snake and not the BROWN snake (second most venomous in the world) that was Road pizza out the front of our HOUSE... last weekend..

In Australia, we have VERY imaginative names for our snakes, black snakes- they are black, brown snakes - um they are brown, red belly black snakes - you guessed it, red bellies on a black snake.... SUCH imagination!

Its spring in Australia and this means the snakes are waking up..

Anyhoo, enough about snakes..

Where have I been? well I haven't been a complete slacker.. I've been busy... busy working, reading, studying, and I have managed to fit in some sewing... The darlings have killed their computer so they are hogging mine, actually I've lost mine to the boogers, so I have to find me a new laptop... My laptop I have now isn't compatible with my printer so I dont have a printer either, something about Windows 7 and no bloomin' patch (grrrrr) keep getting errors, talk about frustrating!!!!

I am off to retreat next year and we are going to Kiama, its about 4-5 hrs south from here

So what have I finished... well I've finished a dance costume (yeah one down two to go), and whacked the binding on not one, or two but FIVE quilts since May...

OK apologies as well I am the worlds worst photographer... I took these early this morning out the back on the clothesline, i was fighting the wind and the devil cat (I think he may have snuck into a pic)

First up... This is the Perth 2008 Signature Quilt.. the theme was ' Batik'.. I tried to put the oranges in the middle and radiating like a sun.. going to green for the bottom and blue/purples for the top.. I love the border fabric took, its a purple/blue pink colour.. of course I didn't have enough, so its heavily pieced and I had to put something in the corner, but it is OK..

Second up...

Adelaide 2009 Signature Quilt.. the Theme was 'Wine and Roses'.. we could use any fabric as long as it was 'wine' coloured or Rose coloured.. I did this pattern like a spinning pinwheel, the centre is the four of us that shared a room.. I really LOVE this border fabric, when I bought it it was on sale.. and I thought it would be fine for a backing, but it seems to work really well with the fabrics of the quilt... I got the binding on these two quilts over the weekend.. put a the back of the needle through the tips of two fingers.. painful, but glad to have these suckers done!

Third quilt...

This year our Quilting Retreat was in Bathurst... The Theme was 'Recycled Flannelette shirts' (Flannelette - flannel for NON aussies)... it had to be a certain size or bigger, I went bigger of course.. Did I enjoy making this quilt? um no, I have learnt that Flannelette MOVES a LOT.. I ended up having to put interfacing on the back of the fabric to stabilise it, it moves a LOT.. and of course I left it to the last minute and the local longarmer would NOT quilt it even after I had booked it in, and told them what I was doing.. I left pockets on and stitched them down by hand (tacking).. I found a lady at the last minute and she did it for me THAT DAY.. and had no problems at all.. I restitched buttons on and I think its great!.. the kids / cat loves this quilt as it is so snuggly warm! I just wish I had more variety of colours.. I bought the shirts at opshops and only wanted cotton so I was very limited by what I could find and the opshops wanted $7-8 for each shirt.. I think I used about 10 shirts plus one for the float border..

Fourth quilt This quilt was supposed to have a pie border.. I bought the 'pies' to do it, but man they were fiddly! So I just made it a bit bigger.. ok, a LOT bigger.. I might learn how to make small quilts one day.. This quilt started as a 'leader / ender' project, I mean you can't waste thread now can you when you are finished sewing a block.. Doesn't matter that I have a 'SABLE' (Stash Above Beyond Life Expectancy), but cannot waste 10cm of thread! this is living on our lounge at the moment to keep the cat fur off it! (The shed on the left of the pic is Baileys Kennel - soon to be relocated refurbished for my quilt room - we wont talk about that though its a VERY sore point)

Quilt Number Five!!

This is a nine patch quilt.. it was from a swap organised through a blog last year.. I love it, its CW repro's.. the only thing I would change is to dye all the shirtings, they just look too white in this pic, I am not brave enough to over dye it.. yep, a cat in a pic.. his fur looks a tad funny at the moment he doesn't have spots but is losing his winter coat and getting his summer coat, which makes the house look like it has a layer of mohair! grr@ hairy Cats!

Lastly.. I thought I'd better drag out the Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt.. I am doing it as a BOM from Homestead Hearth in the US.. I had only done 7 blocks, and got bored / annoyed with it.. I printed off the templates, and my darn printer had 'scaled' them so the first few I made were too small, so I remade them.. there were over 100 pages of templates, with one template per page... ARRRGHHH!.. the book had no measurements in it just a reference to the template.. the pic aren't to size, so you have to draft some.. but lucky some wonderful person has got Paper Piecing Templates for each block and one page per block, still 111 pages, but all the templates for each block there and I have not done any PP'ing before and it certain makes it a tad easier when some of the pieces are 1 15/16" measurements.. so the total is now 18 (one is missing from this pic, I think the cat stole it)... I am not 100% happy with my blocks, some of the fabrics need a little more contrast but I'll keep going and may redo some when I am done, I'll wait and see how it looks first..

Well thats enough from me, I am sure if you have got this far you are bored poopless!

'til next time petals!

Lissa

Remember Mois???

2010-08-04T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hello possums...

Yes I am still alive and kicking... what has the ol' Lissa been up to since April???

Um well, May seen me visit a retreat! It was Mothers day weekend... and a whole lotta fun.. I drove and picked up a few peeps along the way.. Bathurst is 4.5hrs from here, but it took us 10.. there were a couple of quilt shops along the way that we just had to visit!

Then the 17.05 I had a birthday, well I dont remember my FORTIETH.. so it doesn't count does it???? I was soo darn sick, I would of gladly curled up and died that week, I had a monster of a flu.. hung on for 4 _)(#_)(#*$@# weeks..

June come along.. yep I was still sick, but I did manage to finish two quilts in May, so I did have something to snuggle under.. not much happened in June...

July pooped its head and I have had FOUR yes FOUR root canal treatments, so far this tooth has cost nearly $2000... so guess where all my $'s have gone??? thank god for health insurance, but I am still out of pocket a LOT...
Oh speaking of pooped.. we all had Gastro.. the week the kids went back to school, of course kids can't get sick in the school hol's now can they??? so we had the 'out of body experience' (was a chucky gastro btw) for a bloody week.. LOVELY..

august is here, and I thought I'd better do a quick post to let peeps know I am still in the land of the living, nothing really to show of what I've been up to, cause I haven't been up to much to be honest!

No pics to share, I can't remember where I put my camera.. silly Lissa.. I could use my iPhone but I'd have to dig out the instructions (I think I put them with my camera, both have been MIA for about the same time)

BUT I have been laughing myself silly at this site..

People of Walmart! I swear I have never laughed so much ... do people not own a mirror? and what makes it OK to go shopping in a bikini??? dont understand that one..

anyhoo, next post will have pics...

Lissa
VERY itinerant blogger
sometimes quilter!

Do you EQ???

2010-04-30T02:51:00.000-07:00

Did you know there is a New EQ out very soon?? EQ7???

Now I have a hankering to win a copy of this, and you can too!

just go here and you can win one of ten copies and also win a copy to give away on your blog!

How freaking cool is that????

petals, I will give you all an update of whats doing in the "Land of Lissa'' have been crazy busy instead of just plain ol' crazy lately.. EOM sucks, work sucks and I am running away to retreat next week (YEAHHHH)

Lissa
who knows she has not enough warm clothes where the retreat is, might have to drink lots of alcomohol to keep warm!

I'm Not Crazy.... My mother had me tested...

2010-04-20T04:15:00.000-07:00

Anyone else out there LOVE the Big Bang Theory??? It's essential viewing in Casa de Lissa...

I just love that show and Sheldon on it, he is too darn funny.. My favourite line he says is "I am not crazy, my mother had me tested!'... and Bazinga! is a word that has entered Casa de Lissa's dictionary! We have bought Seasons 1&2 on DVD and the kids have watched it sooo many times..

Just had to share with you petals I got LOTS of happy mail today...

Happy Mail = SQUISHY MAIL!!!
I got four, yes FOUR parcels....

Two from the US - apple core stamp & Klojses (bad spellink there) and two ink pads.. I am going to hand piece these two quilts and cannot be bothered tracing around templates blah blah blah, too boring and life is too darn short.. so I got the Cindy Blackenberg templates from Pappy's Quilting...

The fabric on the left come from Quilt Fabric Closeouts, I am embaressed to say how much this fabric cost, there is 11 x .5 yards and one yard of another 6.5 yards for under $30 US I beleive (Plus postage very much a bargain for australia)

the stuffs at the front, well let me say.. I am bloomin confused.. I am in a Retreat Angel / Mortal Swap.. the angel sends to the mortal and at retreat all is revealed.. today I got a parcel from Victoria and one from New Zealand.. am I confused? Um yes! first parcel I got come from South Australia! either my angel is a get about or is super sneaky, I am going with super sneaky... I got Breast Cancer Scissors, they are Fiskars which are fantastic scissors.. I got two FQ's of red, I am trying to get reds/pinks for a project and the other parcel I got a 'Muffin' which 40 x charm squares, a fridge magnet and a very cute notepad! Am I spoiled or what??? Of course I deserve to be spoiled...

its four flippin weeks to my birthday, I could just be having a birthday with a ZERO in it... hmmm lets just say its before 5 but after 3...

Knee is sore as all get out, but I am sure I'll survive.. beast of a GP didn't give me a cortisone needle yesterday but some more pain killers! I dislocated my knee again on Saturday, but I am sure I'll survive to whinge another day!

Well now that you possums have got over the shock of me posting twice in the same week, let alone same month/trimester I am going to head off and play with fabric!!!!

Lissa

Friday Night Stitch In - April

2010-04-18T01:41:00.001-07:00

Hello possums...

first off, I thought I'd show you all a pic of my baby.. Now like most babies this one is more like a toddler than a baby.. it doesn't behave itself all the time and needs a stern talking too occassionally (although I dont think I ever swore at my 2 yo's) I have had it for yikes, six months now and it cost me a couple of weeks pay.. the automatic scissors are brilliant (when they work and dont unthread the whole $%#*& machine) and the automatic presser foot lowering is lovely (cept when the machine is feeling bullimic) but it SEWS beautifully and behaves itself more than the Janome piece of crap I owned.. that machine wasn't A lemon more like an ORCHARD of them...

OK now to friday night sew in.. I am sorry I can't show you the front this is my retreat challenge quilt and a few of the retreatees visit my blog so I cannot show it, but this is the back! LOL
I had this quilt booked at in a local quilt store months ago, I dropped it in when I said I would and they informed me 'that they couldn't quilt it'.. now was I upset? um you betcha! Because of my knee injury crawling around on the floor is not an option I cannot baste a quilt even if my life depended on it, I just can't do it.. I dont quilt tops very often as I dont have the time or the inclination.. I was very disappointed, and then remembered a lady who gave me a magnet for her quilting business three years before, and even better, it was still stuck on the fridge! Rang her Monday, dropped it in Monday and picked it up Friday.. the ironic thing is, she owns the EXACT machine the shop does and had no problems quilting it... if you are in Newcastle NSW you can go HERE for more information.. If you aren't in Newcastle, she is happy to do mail orders for her quilting service in Australia...

OK onto my next project... my Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt blocks.. I have had a little frustration with these blocks, the first set of templates were printed incorrectly, my printer had scaled them..... so i had to reprint the whole 103 pages again.. frustrating?yes.. I think this problem could be alleviated by having a one inch square on the .pdf page and you could see and measure the first printed one was correct... Pics are a bit dark, cause I take crap pics... LOL

I have a few more cut out ready to go.. My gripe with this quilt is there is no pattern.. not one of the templates has a measurement on it.. very frustrating but I think the frustration is worth it.. I'll put more pics up when I get more done.. I am machine piecing this, and I am becoming an expert at unsewing real fast!

Yesterday I went to see "Wicked" in Sydney, I liked it (can't say I LOVED it but I thought it was good) but Missymoo aged 12 3/4's didnt' like it at all, too much singing apparently.. um I explained it was a musical and thats what happens.. she enjoyed shopping at Paddy's Markets and the factory outlets before hand much more! kids eh???

well thats enough from me, I have probably bored you shiteless if you have got this far!

Lissa

PS that pic of my sewing machine, thats my sewing 'area'.. I dont have a sewing room, my machine sits on top of an old singer treadle.. thats it... one day when one of the kids move out or when Dags (aka super DH) finishes my shed I might get more space than treadle machine top!

Gotta LURVE a Four Day Week End

2010-04-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

g'day possums...

we've had a four day weekend this weekend, something about chocolate / easter ??? I LOVE four day weekends!

So what did I do?? I SEWED!!!

What did I do? Um, well I may of worked on this...

The top was finished (apart from borders) wasn't happy with how some of it was laying so did some rapid unsewing and then fixed it (sort of).. I have been auditioning borders for it, I am thinking of going with a chocolate float and perhaps using the background fabric as a solid border but maybe scallop it? I've not done a scalloped border before so I would like to try this! Oh crap, after studying this post, I HAVE SEWN SOME (a lot) in the wrong way.. bugger bugger poop.. looks like I have some un-sewing ahead of me.. oh pooop.. I hate UNSEWING!

what else did I do? well I got busy finishing off

I made four of these bags, I just had to sew arms on, I do have to sew buttons on the arms, but the buttons I have here (only a few 000's of them) none of them looked right so I'll be off to the quilt store sometime this week to find some suitable ones.. These dolls are called "Sewing Sue" its a pattern in the Kindred Spirits "Needleworks" book.. I changed it a little, it had a lot of embroidery on the legs / arms and button hair.. I like red headed dolly's so I gave my dolls red hair and freckles.. I just need to add the buttons and a wee bit of rouge and they are done...

I have also finished off my 'Challenge Quilt" for the quilt retreat next month, I wish I could share a pic but alas is a SECRET challenge.. its off to the quilters this week.. the challenge was 'recycled flannelette shirts' the whole front of the quilt had to be shirts except the binding... to say it was a challenge was an understatement... they stretch and play silly buggers...

I went to lunch in Sydney on Saturday with this mob . I don't get to go as often as I'd like, its a 2-3 hr round trip for me, but I try to go a couple of times a year!

I have been busy working on an old lost project, miniature dresden plates I started these um, a long long time ago.. I used to stitch them whilst waiting for Missymoo at dancing...

Now for a gripe.. today, I wanted to start a BOM that I had bought from the US.. I'll not name it, as I don't want to be SUED BUT.... there is a CD that you can print templates off, there is a site you can go to to print templates off, but no where does it mention what size they should be... grrrrrr... I made one block and it measures 6x6 I thought OK.. but they are supposed to be 6x6 FINISHED not unfinished... talk about frustrating.. the book doesn't mention this either, it just says 6x6 nothing about finished or unfinished...

Now is it just me or am I being unreasonable, that a pattern that has cost me $'s, should have the measurements for at least the squares that are involved in the quilt??? apparently my printer settings are out, so I'll have to wait to get ink / adifferent printer to reprint them, BUT the clincher is, the pages that print off there is nothing to check if your print settings are correct... I have printed patterns off the net before that have a 'test square' on the page so you can check this...
OK, I have vented now, so I am happy! LOL

I am off to start dinner, my dad is coming up for a baked dinner, and of course I get to cook it.. we also ran out of vegies so have sent the dags out to get some more.. I am into "Meatless Month #4".. not sure how long I'll go on, cause I think about meat constantly! LOL not good for a vegetarian I am thinking..

Oh and the MRI.. *sigh* not good news... I am needing an operation, but I have to wait until I get less of me to have it.. I have given myself to September to shift some lard... apparently the problem is if you are a fat blonde tart that you can get stress fractures where they take a 'shingle' of bone from one bone to fix the knee cap.. my knee cap is moving 2-4 cm's... it was happening a few times a day, but now it is nearly every time I get up from sitting... and its also 'locking' so I have to sit down again to hopefully get up again before it unlocks.. fun and games!

take care possums...

Lissa
PS pics um, 'borrowed' from Pennie/scquilters blog my camera is flat - again!

Friday Night Stitch In :O)

2010-03-20T03:47:00.004-07:00

Hello Possums....

I did it.. I got some sewing done!!! yeah!!!

If you have a weak stomach, avert your eyes....... NOW!!!!

this poor tangle is not a dismemberment... its four dolls I am making, I mean, why make one when you can make four???

The pattern is a Kindred Spirits pattern from "Needleworks Book" there are quite a few projects in there I'd like to make...

I also traced this pattern off and got some small amount of embroidery done... Its a Rosalie Quinlan pattern (which for the life of me I can't remember what it is called)... I have actually traced this pattern before, but someone (pointing at 'self) might of thought it was new fabric and chopped it up in error.. silly lissa... so it was retraced and the whisperweft straight on the back so I dont make that mistake again (well not for a long time)...

I did also do some 'secret sewing' I wish I could show you, but its a secret... I am off to retreat in May and we are having a recycled flannelette shirt challenge, the top has to be 100% recycled flannelette shirts... flannelette is a _)#(*$@#(%*& to work with.. I HATE it.. To be honest, if I hadn't paid $6-8/shirt and bought 11 of them, I would of abandoned this challenge, but soldier on! I got some interfacing at spotty the other day ($2/m or $7 for 10m's?? no brainer there)and it has made a huge difference... :O)))

well thats all thats happening in the land of Lissa.. Having my MRI on my poor old fat knee on Monday (well both knees are old and fat, but one is sorer than the other)... wish me luck!

Lissapoo

Where did February Go???

2010-03-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

No pics with this post possums.. secret squirrel/sewing happening here...

so I wanna know... who stole February??? I am sure I blinked and it disappeared...

I have had a crook knee all year, seen the surgeon last week and not so good news.... I need an operation... my kneecap keeps dislocating and popping out of its home.. painful? um yes... I am having an MRI in a weeks time, so wish me luck.. The surgeon gave me the worst case scenario and its not lookin' good.. being a fat blonde tart hasn't helped the issue either, so please wish me luck... the other downside is that my right knee is so sore I have been favouring my left leg, so of course now thats playing up too... I knew this was coming, something about seeing the same surgeon 12 years ago perhaps??? you just can't rush into these things..

Not much happening here.. usual mum / family stuffs.. I am hanging for the school holidays so I can get some serious sewing time in (after work of course)

I am really hanging for the annual quilt retreat I go to.. Missymoo 'gocco-d' my signature squares last weekend, so that was a huge time saver... just have the fabric to add to them and I am done.. I am working on the challenge quilt too for the retreat (its the secret squirrel sewing)

I have a new 'puter, the old one, well lets just say I got sick of fighting the kids for it! LOL I needed a computer for my courses..

Oh the only other news I have.. I have been reading blogs about "Meatless Mondays".. so I turned a Meatless Monday into a Meatless Month, now its been a Meatess 'trimester'.. three months.. am I missing meat?? not too much (although I could kill a honey king prawns from the local chinese takeaway).. I'll go back to eating meat a couple of nights a week.. do I feel healthier? maybe but I am so tired.. I am anaemic anyways so I guess this hasn't helped... havent' lost any weight either, which is poopy, but I guess if you substitute meat for chocolate well... teehee.. Actually I tell a lie.. I have more or less got my lactose intolerance under control.. gave up tea last year (never drank coffee) been about 7 months since I had a cuppa... gave up soft cheese and milk so I think I have it under control.. if I could give up choccy........

anyhoo enough blathering from me..

Lissa

One PLUS ONE does not equal TWO

2010-01-23T15:37:00.000-08:00

I am dumb.. I mean COME ON!!!

I had a stack of 4 patches left over from my 4 patch variation quilt, so I thought I'll make the onpoint 4 patch quilt.. well lets just say I can't add up.. I was 90 short, not one or two or twenty but NINETY!!! Oh my god.. I hate to admit it, but I have signed up to do a distance learning course this year in ACCOUNTING?? is that funny or what??

I have a four day weekend this weekend.. I managed to snaggle a day off work on Monday before the public holiday..... so I am thinking to myself... FOUR DAYS OF SEWING.... I'll get a head start Friday night after work!

Friday - it was 43C coming home (43c = 109F apparently).. so no sewing too freaky hot..

Saturday - well it was hotter, they said it was 42C in Newcastle but I am out in the sticks and no chance of an 'ocean breeze' out here.. how hot was it?? damn hot! so I did manage to do a bit of sewing on the said four patch (pic is in previous post) I have about 9 rows to go and about 90 bloody 4 patches to make.. Oh and of course I can't just use any old fabric so now I am searching the stash for my scrappy quilt 'til still look scrappy but not like 'the stupid cow ran out of fabric and just used any old thing to finish this sucker' look.. you all know that look? I got mighty cheesed off with myself so I just fiddled with my hexagon quilt (only one row to go peeps)

Sunday - well its not hot, its overcast and I have a few things on the go already.. I really want to finish my four patch top but I keep getting distracted by kids / cat / fabric fondling

I have a confession of sorts to make.. Well I dont really think I need to confess as this blog IS called 'Fabricologist Anonymous".. I um, needed some fabric to finish off this quilt.... (some have seen it before)....

... and its friend the backing...

Yes, dear readers, its the "Bendigonia Behemouth"... another 'additional factoring error' in ALL its glory....
Now when I half made this top (the nine patch / cobble stones) I had realised I had grossly under estimated the fabric I needed so I swiftly went and bought another 8 meters (um 9 yards for you non metrics amongst us).. well of course do you think I can FIND what was left over??? approx 4 yards of fabric disappeared.. Now I am thinking I may, just MAY of used it for something else (signature squares for last years retreat???) anyhoo, so whats a girl to do??? (this is the confession bit here petals)

GO SHOPPING!!!!!

OK of course the quilt shop I bought the original fabric at, doesn't have any left and hasn't dealt with that mob for awhile... so I did buy some other stuffs... so the next shop I went to, well that had something so close that I am going to use it and stuff what anyone says... and of course, the little wool shop nearby had a heap of stuffs on sale, so I mean, COME ON... whats a girlie to do???

You likey??? See the fabric on top, you know the Bella solid??? well thats all I went out to buy... LOL I did get some lovely burgundy batik (if batiks can be lovely - eek they still feel like shower curtains) for a wee floaty thing on the Adelaide Signature squares.. and I did get a red oriental to put with the Bendigonia Behemouth.. I am still mathing out how to sort that one out.. (I want the 9 patches to be centred the siggy's? not so fussed).. the rest is stash.. isn't the French fabric lovely???? most stores in here have sold out of that sucker so I was lucky to 'find' that much.. no charm squares to speak of anywhere down here!

OK I am going back to the ironing board, back to the sewing machine as I want to have a few things accomplished on my days off...

Wish me luck petals and pray there is no adding up for me to do!

Lissa

Friday Night Stitch In

2010-01-15T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hello petals...
I signed up for the Friday Night Sew in (button on the side there).... what did I get up to??? well considering I nearly forgot about it ROFL not a lot! I had a crap day at work (I am a debt collector for the state government) so one of the girlies at work and myself took ourselves off to the bar after work.. of course I was driving so I could only have a couple of drinks (two large vodka's) so of course, I couldn't run the gauntlet home so I had to wait a wee while for my drinks to 'absorb'.. do you know what? vodka makes me sleep (I am an insomniac btw)... anyhoo, what did I get up to??? wellllllll

the centre of my Adelaide Signature Squares is done.. I am going to put a border around this and as I had two more signature squares I am putting them into the border.. the backing is washed, I have the rest of my batiks out so I have audtioned a few and will do a pieced border..

This top should (and I use that word very loosely) measure about 60 x 72 " when done.. a large lap size...

I am not a fan of batiks, I like the palette I just dont like the 'feel' of the fabric.. it reminds me of the shower curtains that would stick to me when I was a kid trying to have a shower! I loved it when my parents reno'd the bathroom and we got a slidy door no more sticky shower curtains!

of course, I had started the signature squares, so wasn't a HUGE amount of sewing involved (two hours mebbee???).. so I dragged this out..

I am a 'leader/ender' sewer.. I made these four patches as leader enders last year, I made the four patch variation out of them and have enough for this sucker.. (well I might have to make some more but not too many).. I ran out of the double pink fabric so I ordered some from the US.. I bought it in backing width as it was a lot cheaper than buying it by the usual 44".. crazy... anyhoo, I am half done with this one.. I did have to do a bit of unsewing with this top, cause I kept sewing the flippin' triangles on the wrong way! doh! This top is made out of 19th Century / Civil War reproduction and a couple of 'would be if they could be's'... its more pink in real life that in the pic, I just suck big time at takin' pics.

This top should measure around 80" square when done.. not sure about adding a border to this quilt, but if I do, it'll probably be about 90" square

Now I would of liked a finish last night, I am trying to get all my UFO's up to top stage so I can start some new stuffs LOL

My hubby asked the question last night... 'where are we going to put all these quilts?'

My reply was 'bend over and I'll show you!'... hahaha.. we have a quilt 'chair' I have quilts piled up so high that they are toppling over :O) its a VERY unusual decorating item, one I've not seen one those home reno shows..

anyhoo, thats it from me.. I am off to do some sewing and off to do some washing while the sun is out.. its a beautiful day here in Newcastle Australia and NOT HOT.. woohoo.. last Saturday was 15C (30F) hotter than our temp we are expecting today..wooohoo..

take care petals :O)

Lissa

Tempting the Fates (or the evil pussy cat, whichever!)

2010-01-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

Now now, dont be surprised, tis a post from me, again in the same month even... what is going on with the world, has it gone crazy??? I intend *cough*cough* to blog about my finishes or even flimsies, so at the end of the year, I can actually say 'Holy crap I did finish some stuffs'.. so without further ado...

I have been playing with blocks this week.. Once a year I go to quilty retreat with about 150 of my closest friends.. now this is always fraught with a little apprehension, as I dont like crowds.. thinking about it even now, I get that heart in the throat feeling, but I go each year and have fun each year and get a wee bit tipsy (sometimes drunk even).. and I sign up again for the following year! This year we are off to Bathurst, which is about a 5 hr drive from here :O)

Anyhoo in thinking of the retreat, I thought I'd better work on my signature squares from the LAST retreat (of course the year before and the year before that aren't finished but we wont go there)... Last year was half square triangles the theme was 'wine and roses'.. the colours had to be wine or rose coloured and batik (or rose)...

This is my first layout.. I thought hmm its so-so.. went to get a drink and a snack.. and come back to this....I know I was very very stupid.. I mean, he was EYEING off the blocks in the pic above, but sheesh from quilt layout to destruction in seconds... I swear he must be speedy gonzales! :O)

well seeing tho the booger cat didn't like this layout.. I tried this...

what do you think??? I think I like it.. the four that make up the pinwheel's are my roomies and I at the retreat.. I have a bit of fiddling with colour placement, but I am happy with this..

I also finished these two tops this week, and they have been posted off for a quilty holiday already... The first top is the blocks from the 9 patch swap I did with Christine last year..I am very happy with this.. I did try blue and also red as the alternating block but the brown sets it off nicely.. this will be a lap quilt for the lounge (we have big laps here)

This quilt top is from an AP&Q magazine from early last year.. it was supposed to have a 'pie border' (english paper pieced circles) now I just knew I'd never get it finished so I added more blocks to make this quilt humungous.. its a very very large twin size, I just added a very small float of 1" and then another border which I'll trim back to 3".. I think it looks good... my eldest boy likes it so I might have to share!

Speaking of booger cats (he is no longer a ba$tard cat by the way, he has been very loving this week, he is not a friendly cat at all, but he has been wanting to sit near me, and follow me around and snuggle next to me when I am watching TV.. I know, he must be on some chill pills or something!) The kids think this pic is funny, cause you can't see his legs or tail, its all there peeps.. the kids call it 'octocat' but alas, a cat doesn't have eight legs silly kids, but its still funny.. this is cosmo's fave sleeping position...

This is his other fave spot to sleep.. I chopped my sons head off, as he'd KILL me if I put his ugly mug on my blog.... he has just had most of his hair chopped off.. he has one of those 'rock band' hair do's now.. oh the joys of almost 16 year olds.. I shouldn't complain as 3 years ago, he wouldn't brush his hair or wash it without us nagging him, now I am always looking for my hair straightener! The beast's hair 4 months ago, was longer than mine and was heading to his waist.. he had 8" off last hair cut! its lovely hair though.. If only his 14 yo brother would look after his hair.. boys eh??? anyhoo... here is a pic of Cosmo the no-so-bastard-cat in his fave spot in the world... awoken by the beast for the photo opportunity! (yes it is a shoebox a smallish shoebox for a very large fluffy-bastard-cat)

well off to do some sewing and some washing.. we have sunshine today after 3 weeks of very iffy weather.. of course sunshine after 3 weeks of raining makes 1. the grass grow VERY long and 2. makes the weather very muggy :O( muggy = poopy weather.. Dags mowed the lawn on Thursday and I swear it needs doing again.. Miss Smelly is off to her friends for a swim in the pool so I'd better get some clothes on.. apparently going out in the car in your pj's isn't acceptable it embaresses 12 yo's.. who would of thunk that???

take care and quilty huggers.. 'til next time

Lissa

When Bad things happen to not-so-bad (nor good) peoples!

2009-12-30T22:55:00.001-08:00

Hello Possums....

want to see a pic of what I am working on????

These lovely blocks were artistically arranged, placed after much to-ing and fro-ing last night... I also squinted at them from afar, took the SPECS off to even have a blurrier pic.. and was very happy with the layout.. well of course I came back to EEK... CHAOSS!!! all 5.1kgs of the furry booger...

Now to look at him..
I know... he is cute, and has that sort of 'butter wouldn't melt in his mouth' look about him.. but let me remind you all, he is a BASTARD CAT... pardon the french, but he is of very questionable parentage as well... a REAL bastard of a cat....... as I was telling him off for 'skidding' or 'quilt rearranging' as I am sure he calls it, he did a big 'dump' in his box, so I cleaned that up... when I come back inside, oh of course, he left me a present on the carpet, a lovely FURBALL... cats?? they are as bad as kids, but at least there is the RSPCA for naughty bastard pussy cats.. I can't threaten the kids with the POUND...

Of course we'd never send Bailey the Wonderdog to the pound.. she is a very good watchdog (sometimes she even gets off her bed to bark at peeps rattling the gate)
she likes to think she is an inside doggie, but she isn't.. she does do a mad dash through the house from time to time as she has taken a liking to bastard cat food :O) he is too fussy, but ol' Bazzie, well she adores tuna with wild rice and lordy knows what else we try to tempt the furry devil with..

here is a pic of Bazzie we took very recently, she is starting to look a wee bit grey around the gills (a bit like myself)

Okay, back to the quilt... I fiddled and have squinted (and took the specs off) and very quickly got a pic of it reassembled again.. I'll be stitching this tonight, I am not into parties or big gatherings, I am a bit 'shy'.. now I know people who have met me in the flesh might think this is HILARIOUS but I truly am a shy wall flower.. I have been known to have panic attacks thinking about having to go to big functions... Anyhoo.. this is the quilt... so far... I have about 20 seams or so to sew and its done!

These blocks partially were from the block swap that Christine had organised on her blog.. I had a few extra's that worked as well, its civil war / 19th century repros.. I think there could be a few 'would be if they could be's' but hey, I am not the quilt police so it works for me! I want to get this one finished to send with a few others off to my friend to get quilted sometime in 2010!

speaking of 2010.. Happy New Year to you all... I am hoping for a safe year for all my family and friends, an easier year for my dad.. much happiness for my dear brother and cooler weather! how long until Winter????? 6 months?? crikey!!!

take care possums...

Lissa
the itinerant blogger

Only 364 days to go...

2009-12-25T18:58:00.000-08:00

Hello possums...

yes just a heads up... christmas IS COMING!!! its only 364 days to go.. Now please consider yourself warned.. there will be no excuses now for last minute shopping or sitting up on christmas eve waiting for the 'darlings' to go to _#()$*_)( bed so you can play santa...

I made this heart some years ago.. I think it looks cute.. I had to remember where I put it so I could drag it out this year...

I didn't do a lot of decorating this year... we have two tree's but since we have had a certain furry booger living with us, I only put one up.... he wasn't bothered at all by the tree this year, no ornaments committed 'ornamenticide' while we were at work/school... last year we'd come home and find more ornaments on the floor than on the tree...
So in thinking that we'd have 'ornamental carnage' I put a whole heap of red decorations into this tall glass vase I have had for at least 20 years, I bought it before I'd left home! Its a simple idea, it was on the table (didn't get a pic) with the forest of miniature trees..

So what did santa bring Lissapoo? well I got a new pandora bracelet (um no. 4 bracelet), a pandora necklace, 7 charms and two quilting books (the Elm Creek series).. I also got some lovely perfume (Giorgio which is my fave) and a few bits and pieces... So I was thoroughly spoiled (which I deserve to be)..

Sewing wise? um still not much happening here.. I have been buying fabric ten times quicker than I sew.....

So I thought I'd leave you a pic of Bailey the Wonderdog, busy doing what she does best.. see the blue pool in the background?? well its hers, its her favourite place to be in summer.. she even SLEEPS in it when its darn hot (it is summer here and we've had some scorchers already)

And this is Cosmo's favourite spot too.. the kids aren't allowed to bother him when he is in his play tunnel, it didn't take Cosmo very long to work out the kids don't annoy him here so he has some lovely sleeps in here!

Deeeaaar Santa... - Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber

2009-12-16T00:03:00.000-08:00

Deeeaaar Santa... - Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber

A letter to Santa.....

2009-12-15T23:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa....

well I did promise I'd be good this year... the lumps of coal I got in my stocking last chrissy were a bit of a reminder / nudge to remind me to behave myself this year..... to honest, the coal was a bit of a crap thing to do... I mean, you can't always be good can you???

I did promise I'd not drink copious amounts of alcohol and be oobnoxious... well, I only drank copious amounts once or twice this year (*fingers crossed*)...

I did promise that I'd finish everything I started, those chocolate bars were very tasty, the bottle of schmirnoff also VERY good... a few quilty things did get finished this year (*fingers crossed*legs crossed*)....

I did also promise that I'd retire from nagging my husband... I like to call it 'repetitive-persuasion-done-at-volume' this year, so yes, the nagging has stopped.. (*fingers crossed*legs crossed*eyes crossed*)

I also learned that the anklet I've been wearing was actually my HALO (Ooopsie) so its all shined up and glowing somewhere closer to my head....(I think they call it a choker???)

so ok, I fess up... I wasn't such a good possum this year, but but BUT... if you were to deliver something from your Elves at the Fat Quarter Shop like

or even

I'd be so occupied I'd not have time to run amok...

Now if I was to be considered on the 'NICE' list and erased from the top of the naughty list, I am sure either one of these lovelies would point me in the right direction... Of course I'd be too darn busy sewing up a storm to even think about creating chaos and havoc in my wake...

So please dear Santa.. I am reformed 'Naughty List Leader' and now shining my halo daily please send me some lovelies to play with....

Lissa

PS no I have not gone nuts... the Fat Quarter Shop is having a super giveaway, check out this post for information!

Ahem.. I lied again

2009-11-20T12:40:00.000-08:00

Hello Petals..

yes 'tis I.. the itinerant blogger...

What have I been up to for five months? Um not a great deal! This working full time is certainly over rated.. between work and family I dont get a load of time to do any fun sewing.. I did get myself a new machine in September and alas, I've used it um for about 2 hours!

I did lose my quilting mojo for awhile.. and this horrid heat has put the kybosh on sewing no a/c in the sewing area...

I have also discovered Norwegian Blogs.. This blog "LeKaQuilt" caught my eye awhile ago Thanks to google translater I can now read the blogs as well as enjoy the eye candy.. I am not quite sure about what I like about what Norwegian quilters are doing, but they seem to do clean lines and the colour pallette they use interests me.. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I do enjoy reading the blogs! And I keep seeing SNOW on their blogs, which is hard to imagine after 43C yesterday at work.. and I was on the coast.. EEK.. and of course, yesterday was the day they decided to 'fix' our a/c at work.. we've been freezing all month and yesterday finally they got it right throughout the building...

Helen Stubbings Is doing a giveaway on the above quilt pattern.. its a QAYG job and I just love this.. I've not done a QAYG but I think this one would be fun to tackle! Lots of redwork and its just my 'colours'..

so what I have been exactly doing?? um not a great deal.. the bastard cat is mellowing.. he is sitting at my feet as I type, wondering what the heck I am doing on the darn computer and why I am not in the kitchen opening a tin or two for him.. he let me shave his tummy through the week, so he isn't feeling the heat so bad.. I feel for him when its summer.. Bailey the Wonderdog is in her pool already, we bought her last year another kiddies wading pool and she is having a snooze in it at 8am! its quite funny, I'll have to charge the camera up and take a pic..

Have I had any finishes lately? um no.. LOL I am awaiting some 9 patch blogs to come home from Christine's 9 Patch swap. I know EXACTLY what I am going to do with these.. I have a pile of 9 patch repro's from another swap, so I am planning on doing one quilt on point and one not like a scrappy irish chain and maybe make the quilt reversible? Idont know whether to do two quilts or or a double sided quilt.. hmmm

Anyhoo..enough rambling, please go and check out the blogs..

Oh a link.. this is a favourite of mine : QuiltShops if I am looking for anything in particular, I can usually find it here and on sale.. with our $ so good against the US I've been buying up fabric ten times faster than I am sewing.. ok, another lie there, not much sewing, but I have added about 50 meters of fabric to the stash in the past 4 months! I signed up for TWO BOM's as well.. The one & this one

what was I thinking?? um I wasn't thinking, thats the problem! Did I mention I loathe triangles????????? I guess I'll have them mastered after doing these two quilts...

take care

Lissa
the itinerant blogger
the sometimes patchworker

Ahem.... so I tell FIBS...

2009-06-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

Okay okay okay...

yep my last post I promised not so long between posts and wow, nearly 4 months.. CRIKEY FOUR FREAKING months have passed by...

after numerous emails and reading this blogpost I thought of a NIKE ad and thought 'JUST DO IT'...

What have I been up to since February???

Um I could have finished a quilt or three (putting binding on the last one)

I did finish a couple of tops

2007 Scquilters Retreat - Bendigonia Behemouth BACK (all signatures)

Bendigonia Behemouth FRONT (not sure about borders so have put this into the 'too hard' basket at the moment)

Perth 2008 Siggy squares, I thought of sunshine, so I have sort of kinda did a colour wash with the sun radiating from the left hand side.. its a signature quilt as well.. not sure about borders probably do a simple thing (I am a simple person)

I might of even gone on another retreat.. and come home with some more fabric.. UH OH.. this is only SOME of it.. Um I didn't take any pics but there are some Pics on Bernadette's blog, as we were roomies!!!

I might have even remebered how to crochet.. my friend Bernadette found this pattern so I had to make it (I think I finished it in two nights??) a certain furry person loves it for some reason, have to keep it in the car otherwise I go to work with a scarf that looks like it is ANGORA instead of plain ol' wool... this is for a book mark of course, but I used bigger hook and wool rather than perle thread.. it was a bit wavy, but I am sure thats the person driving the crochet hook rather than the pattern.. I am only 39, but I hadn't crochet anything other than granny rugs for um, 25 years at least!

Now on my last post I did promise a giveaway.. I asked my son (aka the beast) to pick a number and he picked "ONE" so if you posted on my PREVIOUS POST you could of won... so VICKIE from NT if my guess is correct, please email me your snail mail and I'll pop a wee surprise in the mail to you!!!

her comment was....
Vickie said...
HOLY snappin duck poop, good to read you is alive and kicking girl..hmmm been spendin again eh?some nice goodies there-and whats with all this winning eh..new name fr you "queen of winnings"
cheers Vickie

1:15 AM

I have had a poopy week.. the shingles are back - yes again... no spots, just the pain, I am sure I'll survive.. what brought on this dose? last Saturday, I drove past my g/fs street, had planned on calling in then thought 'nah I'll go home' then something told me to go back, so I backtracked and I had a lovely afternoon chatting to my g/f and her hubby.. four hours after I got home, my g/fs hubby passed away.. he was only 41.. so I have had the shock of that and the funeral this week.. so no wonder I have shingles..

Also check out Mid-Ohio-Knitters Blog she is having a giveaway!!!

Well I think thats enough for you all to take in.. next post, I'll put up some of the redwork I've been working on!

take care

Lissa

Yep 'tis I...

2009-02-16T23:26:00.000-08:00

Hello possums...

well I did promise that it wouldn't be so long between 'drinks' or posts..

This is about all I have done lately... not much, its Gail Pans 'freebie' stitchery of the month... I am lazy (as you might already know) so I am doing mine in redwork.. so far so good.. block 2 is ready to be stitched..

But I have been a tad busy (same o same o) and I am sure you are all aware of what has been happening to this poor country of ours.. 189 dead in the bushfires, I think they are up to 1834 homes gone, 7000++ people homeless and the number of dead is expected to hit more than 300 in the coming months... we have the fires in the south and and flooding up north, over 1000 homes flooded up there.... a lot of aussies are rallying together, donating quilts, orphan blocks, tops... if you want to help, please check out
Australian Red Cross - need $'s.. with so many people homeless, they need funds.. if you are overseas, $1 AUD - 64c US..
OzComfortQuilts - Jan is an amazing woman.. the amount of quilts she makes for charity each year is mind boggling.. she is happy to take off your hands, those orphan blocks, quilt tops, and of course, finished tops.. I have a few orphans to send to her.. I know this woman 'in the flesh' and she is a generous woman, so please, why not whip up a block or two or more and send to Jan.. she also has a tutorial on her other blog on how to make her QAYG blocks.. she has been calling for 10.5" finished 'heart string' style blocks..

There are so many people doing some wonderful things... I'll post a few more links in my next post..

we have a lovely country, a country of extremes in so many ways... we are on day 6 of rain here in downtown Newcastle, and we have been blessed not to have flooding in our area, although there are flood warnings further 'up the valley' please keep your fingers crossed for the farmers!

well not much sewing getting done here, to say I have had a poopy fortnight is an understatement and I know dragging a sewing machine out and doing 'something' or anything would cheer me up, but yesterday, well a quick trip to the quilt shop always cheers me up.. and to be honest, this is a FABRICOLOGIST blog so I have to keep the masses happy with a pic of the newest members of my 'family' (thats the stash family)...

for the aussies, the fabs on the left, the repro's are from, that place that we all say we dont shop at, but often visit... spotlight.. they were $9.95/m (a bargain for non aussies)..

the Aviary charm squares, they are sweet, I got two lots but somehow have misplaced one lot! doh! the rest of the 'loot' come from Onpoint Patchwork which is on my way home from work, and I never ever seem to get there, they have a little bit of everything and a lot of thimbleberries..

KA requested pics of my other 'fetish'.....

Yes I am embaressed/chuffed to say I am the owner of not one, not two but THREE pandora's.. and yes, I wear them together all the time.. I feel a bit odd now when I take them off, my arm feels like it is floating away.. I am thinking I am going to end up with like a tennis player arm one lovely muscly one, and one with the saggy 'fadoobeeders' (fadoobeeders = tuck shop lady arms / batwings).. oh well, I love them and to be honest, I haven't bought a lot of them, my darling daddles (aka the father) bought me my name for christmas he nearly fainted when they told him how much.. I thought it was kinda funny, as he bought my REAL name and not my nick name... so there, my secret is out, my REAL name isn't Lissa.. its MELISSA..

I did also get some 'cheer up' mail the other week, I won a giveaway on Bozzy's blog... I was having a poopy day, and come home to this 'stash' of habby items.. the pins are wonderful, I love clover applique pins and these are perfect like the clover ones.. the silicon bobbin holder is also something I have coveted and the yoyo's in hearts were perfect for valentines day (oops forgot to take a pic of what we made)..

Thanks so much Lynda!!!

I was also very lucky (might have to rush out and buy me some lotto tickets)
before christmas I won a giveaway on a few blogs.. firstly a wonderful pattern from Kerry from My Favourite Things.. Miss Lara has eyed this pattern off.. I also won a lovely pattern from Annie from Hatched and Patched I also won a lovely Lynette Anderson designs pin from Kim @ Honeysuckle Cottage, it was wrapped in a lovely piece of fabric too.. Thank you sooo darn much ladies! I love

Which leads me to thinking.. I have been sooo darn lucky with 'winnings' (some days I feel like I am a blog whore, I LOVE blogs, I could spend all darn day on the net checking out what peoples are up to) online, that stay tuned possums, I am going to have a giveaway.. not sure of what yet.. (a teenager or two could be on the cards!).. but I am not saying my next post, could be the one after, but there is a giveaway.. might be some stash (if I dont get my finger out) or something fun.. I haven't thought about it too much as you can tell, but stay tuned possums..

Cat 67, Tree 2

2008-12-05T23:35:00.001-08:00

Hmmm

this is an 'after' pic of the poor ol' tree..

A certain critter, who shall remain nameless (but who is often referred to as 'the bastard cat') has been having a WOW of a time with our tree... well until the unfortunate incident of him in the tree and the tree toppling over.. I have never seen a furry critter run so fast.. he plays it 'safe...r' now by just 'tinkering' with the baubles that are on the lowest branch.. of course now, there are no deco's on the bottom of the tree, they are all on the floor UNDER the tree.. I took great pains in 'decorating' the tree this year, had everything BALANCED, and it looked perfect.. of course I should took a BEFORE pic, aka, before Cosmo attacked it..

this pic, well pretend your glasses need updating, stupid darn camera.. I have no idea how long the new 'freebie' will take to get here, but I am sure you guys are thinking 'not bloomin' soon enough'.. I like homemade deco's but I am lazy, so I got the felted ones from a cheapie shop a couple of years ago, they were like $1 each at the sales, felted reindeers, reindeer faces & santa faces.. the crochet snowflakes come from Target, I did plan on getting mum to teach me how to make them, we got these on sale too, they were 50c each I think.. I bought every single one, planning on making a few dozen more to just do the tree in snowflakes.. which is ironic when you think about it, as snow doesn't fall here in Winter, let alone in the hottest part of summer.. Oh the red baubles are covered in red buttons.. I just hot glued them on.. going to do some white ones when I get a chance, have to find some plain ol' white baubles first, and some white buttons *W* I am sure I got a tonne of them about!!!

Oh, by the way.. the HOT returned.. its so blucky today.. had the a/c going and the kids..

No fabric arrived in my house this week.. which is probably fortunate for me, cause dags would have a cow at me.. I am already in the poop, as he bought some Pandora charms for a certain person (Miss Lara) and found out how much they are.. hmmmmm.. when you have TWO pandora bracelets almost full, well he now knows how much I been gifting myself.. ooopsie.. so lucky no fabric turned up, dont know what is in store for next week though, as I do know there is something on its way from Hancocks!

dont you just love gifting yourself?? I mean you ALWAYS get something you like, and you just know you'll appreciate it????

Nothing sewing happening this week.. I do have a few things I have to make and get into the post this week, so I am going to be busy..

Well I am gonna go and get myself out of the heat..

Oh... a link.. instead of a blog to go visit, I have a vintage embroidery freebie link to share.. click here .... masses of vintage patterns for you to redwork or embroider.. I remember doing that once.. LOL

Lissa
the itinerant blogger
& definately the itinerant patchworker!

Cool Giveaway Daisy Quilts!

2008-12-01T01:13:00.000-08:00

Daisy Quilts is having the coolest giveaway...

Why not go and help celebrate her blogiversary!!!!

Lissa

PS another cool site to check out is my friend B's. I met Bernadette at the quilting retreat this year, but I used to chat to her on ICQ a zillion years ago.. is it still around??? ICQ??? I found ICQ group chats nearly as frustrating as a toddler and up there with a bastard cat! LOL
Bundy does the bestest ever machine quilting, a few of my tops are off on a quilty holiday at the moment with her! I can only DREAM to be as good as her... apparently practice plays part of it??? LOL

Ooops I did it again!!!

2008-11-28T23:56:00.000-08:00

Blurry photo's that is..

found out 'WHY' I suck at taking pics.. my DARLING Monster (aka DS Morgan aka Morgy the Monster) has been JUGGLING my camera.. yes ##%#%#@&*()&#@ juggling my camera.. I was talking to him the other night and FOUR times he dropped it while talking to him.. I bought a new camera using some 'flyby's' I get from using my credit card a LOT.. LOL it should be here by the end of the year, but until then.. just pretend you forgot your glasses..

OK whats a week without fabric?? I mean I dont have time to SEW it lately, so why not keep the US economy going by buying fabric from there?? I got the fabric pictured from ebay, autumn rose quilting or something like that, for $46 US posted for SIX YARDS yes, SIX.. six of any fabric in australia would cost me at least $120 + postage, so I am a happy camper with this lot.. backgrounds are impossible to find in Newcastle too..

a post or two ago, I asked if someone wanted to swap magazines with me, and someone came to the RESCUE!!! My new bloggy friend Caroline sent me this lot, some yummy lindt chocolate (who doesn't love lindt chocolate, my second fave after Cadburys Rocky Road - a new to me favourite), a cute needle book and a gutterman tin of thread! and of course the Quilters Newsletter Magazine I HAD to have.. I want to make the Civil War Crossings quilt, lovely pinks and double pinks and a bit of chocolate thrown in for good measure! Thank you so much Caroline..

Um you might notice something else.. I finished another two pin cushions, not convinced I like working with felt much, but I sat up and finished both of these on Saturday night last weekend.. 2am I put the last stitch in, and looking at them you'd guess that too! the slip stitching is dead dodgy, but hey, only rude people wouldn't comment, and fortunately for me, the felt police are yet to visit..

I have had a crap week at work..

We had mums 'anniversary' this week, I still am numb about her passing away last year.. I thought I'd be OK for work, but stupid here *pointing at oneself* forgot the work she had.. I am a debt collector, and I also help create revenue for the Public Hospitals in our state.. I had to create invoices for 'cremation certificates' all morning... But I managed to get through the day with minimal tears..

Ok thought I'd leave you with these two cute pics... they are taken a wee while ago (why they aren't blurry)

I love this one of the bastard, I mean, evil one.. I just love how the fabric and the cat sorta kinda blend together.. he has been behaving himself *touch wood*, and I am most anxious about the safety of our christmas tree which will go up on Monday!

and this pic of Bailey the Wonderdog, who really isn't an inside dog (we did try for two VERY LONG YEARS to housetrain her) but she is allowed in for visits after baths and a dash of 'psycho spray' (doggie cologne that makes her go pscho).. she isn't, um, allowed on the LOUNGE.. the one she is sitting on is one I found in a junk shop for $50.. I think its one of the copperart ones, but its great to keep pet hair off the lounge, the one scrunched up behind her, is my version of 'Ruths Quilt' by Leanne Beasley.. I called mine "Lissa's Quilt", cause well, I dont know anyone called Ruth, and my name is Lissa! LOL

Where did the HOT go???

2008-11-22T15:17:00.001-08:00

Hello petals...

this week has been a week of extreme's weather wise.. Friday, it was so freaking HOT, today...... I am sitting here in my flannel PJ's shivering.. whats doin' mother nature?? Although I am not so much complaining about the wintery day, more like the freakin' hot Friday! Summer starts 1 December here in Aussieland.. its blowin' a gale here today, and its FREEZING!!!

I might of mentioned it before, not sure, but I am a fabricologist.. a collector of fabrics.. so this week? well I had to add to the stash now didn't I..

sorry about the fuzzy pic, I had a pussy cat attacking my leggies and a low battery!
OK, stuffs on the left I got from Ebay... Middle stuffs, I got from my angel, some lovely smelly stuffs for my weary old tootie toes, some gorgeous fabric, um you might notice that there is an empty green tub at the back? well it MAY of contained some ferrero rochers.. but then again, I may not want to incriminate myself by admitting to eating all of them when the kids were snoozing (it was only EIGHT and it was over three nights, thats not too naughty is it??).. so thank you to my lovely angel for gifting me with lovelies! The third row, is a swap I did with Cathi, she mentioned on her blog about a triangle quilt and we emailed back and forth, and she offered to send me the triangles on a roll.... I never seen them here, I have seen thangles ONCE at our local quilt shop, but she doesn't keep them anymore, cause no one buys them??? they dont have any in stock, so someone musta bought them.. anyhoo, Cathi sent me some lovely scraps of her civil wars and the triangles on a roll, I put something in the mail to her, so hopefully Australia Post wont let me down and deliver it REAL soon..

This is what I've been a working on.. it is the second instalment of 'Pincushion of the Month' ran through Quilted Fabric Delights . I bet you're scratching your heads thinking 'but Lissa, where is month 1??' well ol' Lissa doesn't do FELT real well, so she had to glue it down and had to wait for the old glue to dry.. sorry about the fuzzy pics, beginning to think it must be my eye balls this morning? I am not 100% happy with this, I tweaked the pattern and I think thats the reason for not liking it.. plus they had the thing upside down in my thinking.. all that embroidery and you were supposed to put it on the bottom? nah, I spent 4.5 hours last night making this sucker and finished at about 2am this morning.. there is a wee rosebud pin in it as well, it comes with the kit.. Kit no. 3 arrived this week and its a Melly & Me pattern.. can't wait to get my teeth into that one!

I just wanted to share this pic with you guys.. this is my SON.. yes, my eldest beast aka Darcy-monster.. Darcy has never liked getting his hair cut, and yesterday he let me plait it, wouldn't let me put elastic bands in, and he bribed me to let me take this pic of him.. his hair is about 18" long now.. he is hoping one day he might find someone who might like to buy it for a wig? dunno if they still do that, but he is keen! He looks a bit like Willie Nelson from the back dont you think?? the Bandanna, well we dont know what thats all about, but he likes wearing it, and he thinks he is COOL.. I got news for him, it aint! LOL yeah I know its sideways but i am too freakin' lazy and tired to change it..

Well thats it from me...

Link of the week to a bloggy is Jodie @ Ric-Rac.. Jodie is so productive and so clever, you gotta go and check out her SELVEDGE DRESS.. I kid you not, a freakin' dress made from those bits most of us chop up and throw away (well I dont, I cut them off and send them to selvedge-a-holics and keep the civil war ones for myself) she has a new puss puss too, very very cute.. if you haven't checked out Jodie's blog you gotta and let her know Lissa sent you, cause I keep telling her I have no friends..

Lissa

FREE BOM link

2008-11-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share this link with you guys...

Esther Aliu is having a free BOM on her blog, click here to find out more.. its called 'Red Delicious' and I did have a wee bit of trouble downloading it (more because I didn't read the instructions properly) but it is lovely!!! and the name sorta kinda gives away what colour the BOM is in..

so go and check out Esther's freebie, the patterns are only available for a month...

Lissa
who is tidying up after a wee storm yesterday of hail and torrential rain and wet carpet.. lovely!

Quick Post and a link to a Giveaway...

2008-11-14T14:28:00.000-08:00

hello petals...

well I am getting there sickness wise.. I am nearly back to 'full strength' Lissa... I ended up missing 2.5 days of work (come home sick) has been interesting ringing chasing debtors with a darth vader voice this week (I am a debt collector for the government but a NICE one, I only ring companies!!!) and my boss and co-workers have been so lovely..

I did manage to get some more redwork finished I have 4.5 blocks to go.. yeah! No pics yet, BUT I thought I'd share this link with you guys...

This is probably one of the coolest giveaways I have seen for a wee while..

Click HERE to find out more...

I thought in each post I do for a wee while, I'll share a blog I love to visit.. I have a lot in my bloglines reader, but its always fun to check out new blogs dont you think???

I love Ms Shazza's blog also known as the "Red Geranium Cottage".. she is slightly mad methinks (in a good way of course) and I always get a laugh from her blog.. If you visit say 'hi shazza' and dont forget to tell her I sent you there..

whats your favourite blog to visit???

And thank you for all those who emailed me about my plight of trying to find a Quilters Newsletter Magazine, I have found someone to swap with, and I am still wading through my emails.. I dunno, a week off sick and the emails still keep on coming!

'til next time..

Lissa

When good girls go bad (or something like that)

2008-11-10T19:44:00.001-08:00

Oh I have been so very very naughty...

I dont think I need to say too much other than this is what come home with me in OCTOBER this year.. I been so bad.. :O( but its fun!!! and not too bad for the waist either! I sorta kinda quickly counted them and there are about 80 different bits there.. from FQs to 7 m's (it was on sale, I couldn't leave it there now could I?)

If Dags ever read this blog, I'd be in strife.. BIG TIME..

I been home sick from work for two days.. got a shocking cough, can hardly see *eyes are runny* who bloomin gets colds when its nearly summer?? bloomin' me!

the B@$tard cat says hello, he is clawing my feet at the moment.. poor baby was put on a diet this week, he was getting a TAD too demanding for his din dins, so now he has to suffer in his jocks (if he wore them) and wait.. he aint too happy about it either..

I did finish another top, its the hearts quilt that my scquilter and Quilting Down Under yahoogroup friends (and a few ring in's) sent me when mum died last year (I can't beleive its a year this month since she died). The 9 patches were from a swap and also, a leader ender project I had on the go... I try to have a leader/ender always next to my machine (still doing 4 patch units to make worlds fair blocks)

its my favourite 30s and some solid homespun as well, I think it turned out lovely (and freaking humungous) I still have some more hearts am putting together a quilt for my dad.. just trying to work out how to tie them together as the fabrics are a little more 'eclectic' but loved regardless..

the other thing I dragged out of UFO'dom is my redwork.. now I am trying to remember when I started this, and I am thinking it was in 2003??? 2004???? dunno, a lifetime ago it feels like.. I look at my first block and cringe.. its an Australiana Set of redwork that was in the Australian Patchwork & Quilting um Vol 9?? around then.. its the state flora, fauna and bird emblem, a couple of ring ins and the coat of arms to make 25 blocks.. I have 5 blocks to go.. did have a grandiose plan to set them into a flag type of setting but the maths involved did my head in, so I think something simple to not detract from the blocks (thats my story and I am sticking to it)

Well thats enough from me.. anyone know in Australia where you can get Quilters Newsletter??? I am after the November 2008 issue, it has a quilt pattern in there I want to make (Civil War Crossings), or is there someone in the US who cruises this blog who wants to swap with me for an aussie quilty mag?? email me privately (there is a link at the top of this blog to mois!)

Anyways, I am going back for a lay down before the ferals, I mean, darling children are in from school.. I promised them take away for dinner, cause the thought of standing over a stove is making me feel nauseous!

*cough* *sniffle* *wheeze*

Lissa
*aaaaahhhhchoooo*
PS yep this is a post without a pussy cat.. he is too quick at the moment!

Dont Faint.. another post in the SAME weekend

2008-10-06T03:47:00.000-07:00

Yes petals.. I've been one busy possum this weekend.. first finish was the 'tumbler quilt' (see previous post) I am happy with how it turned out, still debating about borders on it.. a good press made it about two inches wider, so hmmm dunno..

BUT I have been working on my "Worlds Fair" quilt.. this sucker has used up so much fabric, I am even surprised.. I have done about 132 blocks so far and I keep putting the 4 patches in around the wrong way.. which isn't a biggie, I can make them the right way, but sheesh, too much brain power being used.. And yes, I know one blocks is around the wrong way (doh @ Lissa) but its not joined, I just laid it out wrong and am way too lazy to take another pic to show off..

Of course, once the blocks were on the floor, the quilt inspector had to come and put his furry butt right in the middle.. and you'll agree with me, he does look super evil in this photo with his eyes shining.. yikes, scares me! Cosmo aka the bastard cat will be 2 on the 10/10 the kids have been wondering what we are going to buy him..

Thought I'd leave you with a pic of the birthday girl wearing her new collar.. doesn't she just look soooo happy?? might have something to do with a tough dog (in a polka dot collar no less) sitting on a cat scratching post??? Bailey the Wonderdog prolly wonders why she is outside and the bastard cat is inside... please ignore the long grass in the pic, poor ol' Dags every time he goes to mow it rains, he needs to go somewhere where they NEED rain, cause we sure dont here..

well on that happy note, off to do some ironing otherwise I'll be off to work all wrinkly...

bye possums..

Lissa

am I done yet???

2008-10-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

g'day petals

well as promised here is an updated pic of the Tumbler/Thimble swap that my dear friend Bernadette and I are doing.. just an update if you are passing through... Bernadette and I have um, quite the civil war / 19th repro stash and we decided to do a swap.. and thought a charm square style of quilt would be sweet..

I have had my rows together for a few weeks, but the other week after I threatened to toss my sewing machine in the bin, I thought it could be a very good idea to put the project away.

Now I now you are thinking to yourself 'but Lissa, you said you were getting a new machine???'.. well yes this IS true, but I thought I'd better finish some of the stuffs I had started on the old machine first.. so the first cab off the ranks is the tumblers.. I should of made it another tumbler longer (bugger) so I think I might need to just add a wee float or a wee border on it.. what do you reckon?? with a fat person sleeping under it, well lets just say I might need a big bastard of a float! LOL

I am enjoying this long weekend... I did want to get to Sydney yesterday for lunch, but Missymoo had a sleepover and I had to pick her up, and I'd been to Sydney the two previous weekends for Missymoo's dancing (she got 2 trophies and 4 ribbons, not bad for only 8 dances) and I am plain wore out from working and being a mum at the moment..

thought I'd leave you with a pic of Bailey the Wonderdog, it was her birthday yesterday, we got her a snazzy new collar and a new mattress for her kennel and a few treats.. this isn't the best pic of Bailey the Wonderdog, her face is smooshed up, but she is by far the laziest doggie I have ever met.. she hates going for walks.. she hates going for drives in the car IF she has to get out at the other end (only likes going home??) and she loves cat food...

speaking of cats, heres a cutie pic of the evil one who lets us live in his house..

take care petals..

Lissa

All's well in the Land of Lissa

2008-09-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie.. update that is...

I am still in the land of the living.. I got a job! a full time job at that!

When I went to Perth in May, I convinced myself I needed to go back to work. Sitting around at home, mooching off the Dags and being a half arsed housekeeper just wasn't cutting it for me anymore, so I got a job.. First full time one I applied for even. I started in July and I love it... I am a debt collector for a NSW Government Department and so far so good. My boss loves me (well I am still there so that has to be a good sign) I have been behaving myself, they think I am quiet (well I am still on 3 months probation so I gotta behave)..

I have had so many emails from bloggy friends and bloggy readers asking how I am doing, hows the mob? the bastard cat? the ferals?

We are all doing great. Dad got good news about a fortnight ago, his PSA was negative, so he now only has to have blood tests once a year, so the cancer is GONE.. *doing happy dance*

the ferals, well they are kids and genetically linked to me, so what can you expect???

the dagster is intent on paving the whole back yard, and driving me nuts, so same-o there...

my brother is VERY poorly at the moment, they (specialists) think he has some form of arthritis (reactive??) anyhoo, he is in a great deal of pain and barely able to get about, so hopefully the new specialist will sort that out.. he isn't getting any worse, or any better at the moment so keep your fingers crossed for him.

Sewing? hmm well funnily enough, I am still a half arsed house keeper, if the kids are fed and the washing is done, and the dags cooks dinner, I try to get in some sewing... no pics at the moment, but I have just got one top back from the quilters waiting for binding, two tops ready for quilting, another quilt in rows (the tumbler swap, its freaking humungous) and about 400 x 4 patch units for the postage stamp project/worlds fair block quilts.. so I have been busy..

I have also nearly finished sequinning a dance costume, and I have been reading every day...

NOt much net time.. I think spending 40hours a week on the computer at work has cured my of my computer addiction..

I'll try not to make it 3 months to my next post and hopefully I'll get that camera charged up in time for some pics..

take care and thanks for thinking of me...

Lissa
the itinerant blogger

Design Wall Carpet???

2008-06-19T02:51:00.000-07:00

Was reading a post on 'Sew Me Something Good' blog about the lack of a design wall..

I dont have a design wall, and to be honest, a creative space.. At the moment I have taken over the sunroom, which is a very large 9x4m room (or about 33x15 ft for you non metric non 21st century peeps *W*) we have an eight seater table in there that we can't sit at, as it is covered, hmm maybe covered isn't strong enough a word, stacked-to-the-roof full of my 'craft crap' as dags calls it or my 'treasures I am still using sometime this millennium stuffs' as I prefer it to be known as..

I dont have a design wall.. or a wall I'd like to even put one on.. I have a design 'carpet'.. Now I can see you guys thinking, design wall carpet does have its drawbacks, but hey, the blocks dont fall off.. they might get walked on by a bastard cat from time to time, but I thought I could live with that until....

My usual trick is when I have laid something out, I like to take a pic or three and I can remember 'how' I did it.. of course with something as scrappy as this, you wouldn't do that, but I did want to take a pic to share with a net friend.. I went to get my camera, and when I come back.. well... hmmm if he wasn't so cute I would of strangled him.. I shoo'd him away.. and bits of my quilt were stuck to his fur.. so I was chasing him (which isn't easy to do when you are a fat blonde tart) and trying to rescue pieces of a quilt :O)) all the time the 'Beast' (aka eldest boy child) was laughing at me.. I am a constant amusement for my children! The funny thing was, Cosmo (aka the bastard cat) had bits stuck to his botty, and he kept sitting down trying to get the block off his botty whilst sitting on it.. he truly is a dumb blonde cat, lucky he is soooo cute or he'd be outta here!

Anyways.. the quilt I am working on.. Well I had what I thought was a great idea, why not make TWO quilts at once, if you are going to cut 2" strips for a 'worlds fair quilt with a pie border' why not cut heaps of strips of lots of fabric and make a postage stamp quilt too?? I mean, its only a little more work isn't it?? these are the ones I made yesterday, all 208 of the 4 patch units.. they go together pretty easy and this is about 1/4 of one quilt..

I am also at the same time cutting out tumbler blocks to swap with a dear friend of mine (who is lucky that she lives 1000kms away otherwise I'd annoy the poop out of her).. She has been a slacker and not even got the template yet but I have done the first swap already *W* I think she has been to busy surfing the net trying to tempt me with cheap fabric from the states!

Anyways, thats enough crap from me..

'til next time..

Lissa
PS Quilters aren't greedy, we're just materialistic! :O))

Busy Week, doing, um Nothing???

2008-06-15T23:52:00.000-07:00

g'day possums...

well its been a week but I thought I'd update you guys!

Last Monday was a long weekend in Australia and I celebrated it with getting shingles (4th time in 7 months, yeah me!) I am doing ok though, never fear!

But it was a public holiday so no mail man.. well so you would think!!! But the the 'beast' (eldest DS) come in and said 'mum there's a parcel for someone'.. so we had a squiz and sure enough, a brown paper baggie filled to the brim with parcels for ME!!!! My angel from the scquilters swap I am in, was in Newcastle for the weekend and snuck by my house and dropped off these lovelies.. am I spoiled or what?? She told me later she was here at 10am! I got out of bed about 10am! LOL (had been reading for HOURS, thats my story and I am sticking to it!) how lucky am I???

I also got in the mail last week my PIF gift from Vickie ... Its a Chantelaine (bad spelling here) and each pocket had a giftie in it, a needle threader, an unpicker, scissors and a gizmo that threads needles lickity split! It was wrapped in the blue fabric and gold braided cord (which will be recycled) so thank you Vickie! I also loved the fact you adressed the parcel to 'Lissa Poo' gave the parcel deliverer a chuckle! I love it, and have used it while I am sitting at the machine sewing, so thanks you so much Vickie!

The 'Biggie' of quilt shows was on last week in Australia, in Sydney. Now I did feel poorly on Thursday but thought, I'll be OK tomorrow, I'll catch the train, have a wee rest on the way down and on the way home and a wander around to have a lookie at the quilts.. was I ever wrong?? um YES!!! As soon as I got to the train station, I knew I should of come home.. but I pressed on... And then when I was on the train, I heard the dreaded words every train commuter hates.. 'Trackwork - Delays'.. ARGH!!!! my 2 hour trip, took 3 hours, two train trips and a bus ride in the middle.. I wandered around the quilt show, was a little disappointed with the stalls, a few I had thought would be there weren't this year (dunno why??) but I did manage to spend some $'s.. The trip home took 4 hours.. *sigh* I was absolutely stuffed when I got home :O(

Heres a pic of the 'stash'

Just some Civil War Repros I didn't have or have much left of, cheddar prints are very hard to find.. one was sold to me as a Civil War, but it isn't, but 'tis OK, I like the fabric so it still will have a home! I also got Anni Downs new book, its so cute, I think there is a dozen 2" stitcheries inside very very cute.. and very do-able..

So I was at the quilt show for only about 2.5 hours, managed to quickly see all the quilts seen all the stalls, the only thing I wanted to do was 'test drive' a few sewing machines, I am getting a new machine before the end of the year, and I want a machine with a deep throat and a stitch regulator, I am leaning towards the Bernina Aurora, but not sure, have plenty of time to make up my mind.. my Janome I own now is a piece of shit to be honest, I spend more time reloading the bobbin, it jumps out of the hook all the time, I have spent $500 at least on this )(#*$%(#*$& machine in the past 4 years getting it looked at, and the needle threader doodad dont work now.. last night I ended up crying at the thing cause I just wanted to sew some strips and I had to keep rethreading the bobbin and unsewing where it had jumped out... To say its frustrating is an understatement. I have to save up a little while to get the machine so I'll have to make do with the bulimic thing until then (it chews fabric up and then spits it out later, very very annoying).. I have bought a single hole plate for it and it has stopped the bulimia to some extent but still does it with triangles...

Had a job interview last week, well I THINK I had a job interview.. was with an agency, and they advertised 'positions vacant' was up my alley and with a government dept (so lots of $'s) and did well at the interview and then they said 'well there isn't any positions available at the moment, but we'll be sure to send your resume off when there is'.. I said 'what?? it said current positions, current contracts?' To say I was disappointed was an understatement..

'til next time

Lissa

PS There is a giveaway here. It is for some lovely Long Arm quilting to be done on yoru quilt!!! So go and check out Canton Village Quilting!!!

More Mail & an epic post (with a linky to a giveaway)

2008-06-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

g'day petals...

well this week the postman has delivered some lovelies...

My mini swap quilts from the Lucy Locket swap!!! woohoo...

the 30's lovely on the left of screen is from Miss Lucypoo herself... Lucy also sent me a local rag about the area (my dad is from Geordieland where Lucy lives) so dad has had a squiz at that, a lovely card and a postcard as well.. so thank you Lucy!

The lovely 'home sweet home' is from SewToBed how cute is this?? and the fabrics and the gorgeous hand made card are fantastic! Thank you so much!!!

What else have I been up to? hmmm I have just organised a swap with a girliefriend to swap 'tumbler' blocks, the plan is to cut two from each of our civil war stashes and make a tumbler quilt, we do know we'll get some double ups but hey, thats half the fun isn't it??? will get busy doing this on the weekend! I also plan on getting a tumbler cut from every 30's in my stash (that'll be ONE humungous quilt, I have over 500 30's now I would think eeek)

speaking of 30's and being a slackarse blogger... a few weeks ago, Catherine had made a 30's quilt and asked if anyone wanted the novelty fabric she didn't use in the project? well being a 30's WHORE how could I not put my hand up and say 'pick me'.. I was first in and definately best dressed here.. there is only ONE fabric in this pack of goodies that I had in the stash.. yes I know I have a lot of 30's, but the Grandma's flower garden project I wanted only ONE of each fabric in each flower, so finding ones I dont have is a miracle! Catherine also sent me some embelishments AND a lovely pattern!! It is in the pile of 'to-do's', thank you so much Catherine! Catherine also has lots of giveaways lately, so pop over and check out what she is up to!

Speaking of Catherine, we had discussed in an email about 'old & quirky' things.. now I am only 38, but I am feeling everyone one of those years at the moment, and some would say I am definately quirky.. BUT I had a couple of kitchenalia things I thought I'd share a pic of. The long tube thing has a biscuit cutter doodad in the end of the metal piece, so I am thinking its exactly that, a vintage biscuit maker, the other? hmm no idea, it has serrated edges so I am thinking it was used to slice things up.. couldn't be anything too hard cause it is a bit wobbly, but I am thinking apples or cheese maybe with those serrated FANGS it has..

I also did a 'Biggest Morning Tea' swap with an internet group I am in.. You had to send something from a eclectic list of things but most importantly, a mug! Biggest morning tea is a fundraiser for Cancer Research in Australia.. I haven't been to one in the 'flesh' but I always support charities, but now I am only supporting one or two, the Heart Foundation as mum died from a Heart Attack and a local kids charity.
Anyways, here is my swap I received from Suzy.. There was also a pair of bedsocks but I wore them and forgot about taking a pic of them! LOL the kids keep stealing them too.. they are very toasty!!!

and to finish off this blog.. a pic of the bastard cat.. well I shouldn't say that.. Cosmopolitan Bernard (aka Cosmo the bastard cat) has been VERY poorly of late.. when I got home from Perth, I noticed Dags the EXsuper DH but NOW evil DH 'forgot' to clear out Cosmo's tray.. now he took out lumps (tryin' not to be gross here) but didn't put in new crystals.. now this cat of ours, is very clean.. VERY clean.. if he is outside and wants to go to the loo, he comes to the backdoor to be let in to use his tray.. I cleaned his tray out for him on the Friday when I got home, and he spent all day going back and forth to it.. which was a little odd I thought.. the next day I had a look in his tray and it looked 'odd'.. I flipped him over (he was cleaning himself yet again) and there was blood on him.. the poor cat had held on for so long, he gave himself a very bad urinary tract infection.. I was so cranky at Dags I didn't talk to him all day.. I mean, cleaning a cats tray out isn't a HUGE deal.. the cat has two, so he could of even used the clean one and left the dirty one outside.. Lucky our vet isn't into making $'s I am sure of it, it was $80 and tablets for the cat for the past fortnight and the cat seems ok now.. but giving a cat a tablet twice a day, is not for the fainthearted... he seemed to get used to taking the tablet (or looking forward to the treat at the end, until the LAST one, he bit me so hard it hurt... blooming cat!

'til next time...

Lissa
PS my dear friend Bundy is having a very very generous giveaway on her blog, now I wasn't going to share the link, cause I am greedy but I thought I should, so go and check out her blog and leave her a comment, (ps let her know I sent you she doesn't think I have friends)...

PPS have put a few links on this blog so why not go and check out these blogs and tell them Lissa (the not so old but quirky one) sent you???

Birthday Saturday Part 2 PLUS my SYD SCQ challenge dooverlacky!

2008-05-31T19:06:00.000-07:00

First things first.. this quilt is for a Challenge that the Syd-Scquilters had for me.. they had a competition thingy on their blog, and you had to match the projects with the sewers.. I do know some of these ladies in the flesh, and I do try to go the meetings a couple of times a year (planets have to be in alignment, dags off work etc) but I had only seen one of their projects previously.. so I guessed and won.. what did I win?? the opportunity to do a challenge!!! thanks a bunch Pennie G! Now the challenge was we had to 'make something'.. well I made a UFO.. It turned out OK, but I have decided my wallhanging idea had too many triangles, and of course leaving it until 5pm yesterday to actually START the challenge limited my options.. I like how it turned out and will make it into a larger quilt for the beast, he has expressed an interest in a black quilt, so I'll make it double bed size.. so of course, I have to go and buy some black and white fabrics I don't own a one in my stash!.. I dunno what to call this quilt, some fellow retreatee's might get a giggle if I call it 'I'm not Margaret' (long story) but I think "the newspaper quilt' is better, as it is black/white and re(a)d all over.. what do you think??

well the birthday did continue (seems weird talking about it two weeks after it happened).. after I had to get up and do the microphone thing talking about my challenge quilts (see previous post) whilst on my way, I got Happy Birthday sung to me, how embarrassment.. now people laugh when I say I am shy, dunno if shy is the right word, maybe reserved?? specially in crowds.. I was hiding behind my quilts the whole time I was talking or should I say 'mumbling'... I was dying of embarrassment!

When the committee were thanking all the helpers, they said 'we have one more person to thank... for stressing us out, and counting 'how many sleeps to go to the retreat'..

I am sitting there $hitting bricks thinking I know EXACTLY who they be talking about and was wondering how I could hide the fat carcass of mine very quickly without anyone dobbing me in... no luck.. so I had to get up again and was presented with a giftie!

a bloody chocolate CLOCK! I couldn't eat it of course, its NOT real chocolate silly!!! how funny is that! so of course, whilst on my way, they sang happy birthday again, my dinner bud's were laughing themselves silly, cause they know how embarrassed I was getting up once! I nearly died of embarrassment, yet again! so it is hanging in my kitchen now!!! I have officially retired from my unofficial self titled position on each committee of 'unofficial sleep counter' a few peoples didn't appreciate me counting down (not the committee) got a couple of emails about it, so I am RETIRED!

Also on Saturday night is the BIG unveiling of who your angel was.. now I guessed mine, something about the writing gave her away *W* its tough when its a friend having to scam ya! LOL so thanks Julie for the gifties and telling fibs when required!

These are the gifties I got from Julie and the pink block keeper was a thank you gift from my lady who I was the angel to.. so thank you Sue.. both my angel and mortal were from WA!

I also won a Bundle of FQ's at the retreat... we have a FQ lotto.. now I will admit, I use the FQ lotto to cull some of the ones I don't like anymore.. I only buy fabric from the quilt shops, so its not poor quality, just your taste changes.. so these are some of the FQ's I won.. I won about 14 I think, but I liked these ones and a few expressed an interest in others I had, so I handed them over.. generous petal aren't I??? well not really, cause I knew I'd take them home and donate them for next years raffle! I think I have put about 100 fq's in over the years at retreats, and this is the first time I won! so woohoo @ me.. and they are civil wars or would be if they could be...\

While I was away, I got a WHOLE lotta mail... Patti from the US was after three back issues of Patchwork & Quilting which I just happened to have, so I sent them to her and some lovely toile fabric.. and lookit what I got back?? how lucky am I?? So thanks Patti!!!

I immediately chopped most of it in half and sent some to Bundy, as she is always looking for civil wars, and we swapped recently and I am thinking I got the better part of the deal, so I sent her some more!

sorry about the dark pics.. can you tell which ones I took with the crap camera and with the new?? bloomin' thing, too lazy to take them again!

ok that's another epic from me...

take care

Lissa

Birthday Saturday!!!!!!!

2008-05-31T01:36:00.000-07:00

OK.. how freaking cool is this?? the Perth retreat committee organised a retreat for my birthday???? well thats what I like to think is what happened!!!

I got some lovely / cheeky cards from my roomies, and some gifts (MA gave me a bazillion packets of licorice bullets - chocolate coated licorice for non aussies) and then we headed offski to the 'stitch'n'bitch' room.. Bundy and I didn't make it in the door without spending $$$'s (see earlier post)

I won a gorgeous book on Embroidered quilts, but I handed it over to MA as I have so many books on Embroidered quilts I thought she might like it.. it had 'how to' for different stitches.. I tend to use 'Mrs Thomas' book of Embroidery stitches'.. it was my mums, whose mums' name ironically is Mrs Thomas!

anyways, I digress..

Our Saturday night dinner, was brilliant if you weren't allergic to nuts (poor Bubbles was allergic to nuts so her choice of dinner wasn't extensive)..

After dinner we had the 'challenge quilt' section. The challenge was you had to do show and tell of blocks, row by rows, quilts anything that was a challenge for our online scquilters group!!! Being the over acheiver and thinking it would be funner to whinge about not having enough clothes all weekend, I took THREE things for the challenge...

This is my 'Healing Hearts' Quilt.. it is only a top, but the hearts were sent to me when my mum suddenly died on holiday last year. I can't believe its been six months since she died. The hearts were sent by two internet groups I am in, Scquilters & Quilting Down Under, as well as a couple of friends from other groups I am in. The quilt top is nearly finished, but I received a few more hearts, so I have unpicked a top and bottom border and just have a few more 9 patches to add. My dear friend Bundy is going to quilt it for me. You should check out her work, she does lovely edge to edge work AND fantabulous custom quilting.. so check out her blog!!! (shameless advertising there)..

This quilt was my second show and tell item for the challenge. It is a 'Cobblestone block' I think cobblestones are the easiest quickest block to make 1 x 2.5" square 4 - 4.5x2.5" rectangle and just sew them around.. how easy is that, I am actually making a few tonight (having a wee break) this swap was organised through Stephaniepoo, and I hope she organises another cobblestone swap this year, or if she doesn't, I think I might organise it!!! The Now Famous Bundy quilted this for me, edge to edge daisies in a lovely shade of lavander, so I added lavander binding!

My last show and tell for the challenge was the 'Vibrator Quilt' Challenge, organised by the SYD-Scquilters group that meets monthly. We have those vibrating pagers at the pub we frequent and after the first meeting of them bouncing around, a challenge was set to make a vibrator quilt! this is mine, utilising all those selvedges.. I'd always wanted to make a selvedge quilt so doing a mini weeny one was a good start! I got the tutorial from RicRac Jodiepoo's blog..

Now you would think, having dragged 3 quilts (ok one quilt, a quilt top and a coaster sized quilt) across the country some 3000 kilometers I should of won, just for A For Effort.. but alas no.. Bettine come in with a stupendous gobsmacked quilt (no pic sorry) everyone ooh'd and aaah'd over it.. It was a deserving winner though! *kicking dirt here* Oh well, there is always next year!!!!

I have also to apologise to my friend Khris...we did a 'mothers day swap' and I didn't thank her publically for the gifties she had sent me.. Thank you Khris.. heres my 'loot'...

There is a tutorial on Khris' blog on how to make the needlecase that is hidden under all the 'bounty'.. the scissor keep is a fantastic idea, has a wee pocket in the front to put needle threaders in, the chocolates were inhaled, especially the caramello koalas (gee Khris, how did you know??).. I loved everything, so thank you Khris!!!

Well part 2 will follow, I think thats enough to read for one post!!!

quilty huggers

Lissapoo

Fabulous Friday, Freo, Friends!!!

2008-05-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

well ok, thought I'd left you lot in suspense too long..

Friday was registration for the retreat!!!

This is what it looked like, had we actually been there!!! We were very busy shopping in Freo (well I wasn't, fat blonde tart clothes were thin on the ground, excuse my very bad pun).. then we headed back to Perth so we could do more shopping.. MA got a couple of very fetching jackets, which she didn't have to mortgage the house for.. Bubbles got a couple of skirts that were a BARGAIN (gotta love a bargain) and Bundy found a very gorgeous necklace that was a Bargain too..

The committee actually rang me (phone carked it, flat blattery) to see where I was! We eventually got there, about 20mins late..

Of course, we got back to the motel late, so we didn't have time to have a shower, so we all had 'spray on showers' (aka deodorant and perfume for any other pongs) and then we went downstairs, registered for the retreat, had a gossip with everyone, then had a lovely dinner, then gossipped a bit more back in the main room for the weekend! While doing this we got to ogle the prize wall.. fantabulous prizes I might add!!

Anyways, we were pooped, buggered, knackered and all that.. So we contined back to our room with a couple of the usual suspects, had a few drinks and my friend JAP says to me, "Lissa what happened to your arm" I had a lookiepoo, and bugger! my arm looked like it had a massive bruise.. LOOKED is a keyword here petals...

Blue Fadooberders (those batwing, tuckshop lady arm bits)!!!! WHAT THE F????? My brand new, no time to wash it shirt had STAINED MY CARCASS..... I had blue arms, a blue belly and white boobies but a VERY VERY BLUE bra, who that morning was whiter than snow...

Now, I must tell you, MY B-YOTCH roomies didn't say anything, the 100+ peoples I seen didn't mention it (too polite maybe)???? I looked like a stripey SMURF!!!! I had a wash and I had rivers of blue running down my fat bod.. I still had blue bits on MONDAY!!!! Aren't friends lovely???? Did cause a few giggles and of course 'only you Lissapoo'.. hmmmmmm No pictures of this (thank the lord for small mercies)

OK, heres what you come for.. what did Lissa buy while she was away??? Um I'd like to say Bundy made me do it, but I must admit I am easily led astray.. Saturday morning we didn't even get into the sewing / gossip room and we spied some civil war fabrics.. so of course we had to buy some.. a lot of them were sample swatches, perfect for the DJ quilt Bundy is doing and the Civil War Love Letters I am doing.. so we bought a lot, (actually a HUGE amount).. then on our shop hop on the Monday, we got some more! we bought them, then cut them in halves so most of these fabrics are FE's, but I think there are over 140 of them (dont want to count them, too darn scary).. the other thing I got at retreat (at the quilt show) was a side winder.. I had wanted one for awhile... oh and I got a sterling silver thimble as well, from Luixin the Thimblelady.. a little birdie told me she isn't doing silver anymore, but stainless steel instead, so I grabbed this sucker, its for piecing (just realised its not in the pic)

Anyways, thats enough from me.. next post will be about Saturday which was MY BIRTHDAY.. a birthday at a retreat?? how freaking cool is that!!!!

'til next time...

yours in stitches

Lissa

Well I survived... JUST!!!

2008-05-27T04:35:00.000-07:00

g'day petals

remember me? the itinerant blogger??? I can't believe its been a WHOLE two weeks since I let you all know whats happening in the 'land of the lissa'..

I also can't believe I went to retreat and did not take ONE picture, what a slacker am I???

I was a little subdued at the retreat, I have had a crap 6 months and I really needed to run away from home for a week and forget about everything happening on my patch of the planet! and it worked, I can thoroughly recommend running away from home!

So, what did I get up to? um, well...

well I decided to prank my roomies.. I have kept this tape for a wee while (since I worked at the timber yard actually).. it was a good idea at the time, but the next day, well I had second thoughts.. house keeping took it, well literally and didn't go and make my roomies beds or tidy their bathroom.. I was kinda worried they didn't replace the towels either, but they did leave fresh towels.. would of loved to be a fly on the wall when housekeeping turned up.. the tape was left for FOUR days, so my roomies either humoured me or liked the joke too! You gotta have a laugh dont you??? I would love to say my dear friend Bundy made me do it, but alas, it was all my work, bundy just held tape for me to tie into place..

the problem now is, my roomies MAY just get me back next year..

hmmm so what did I do when I ran away from home?

Well Thursday I had to be at the _)#(*%)(*&$ airport at no later than 5am.. no biggie, super dags (who is now stupid dags but more on that later) drove me to the airport, a 50km round trip in his PJ's, boy was I hoping he had a problem on the way home in his Magilla Gorilla Pj's! LOL.. got to the airport, and checked in and they inform me the 'airport is closed'.. I am thinking hang on a sec, I am here, you are here, whats doing? the fog was rolling in THICK...

Now call me stupid, BUT if I was building an airport, specially one that shares with the R.A.A.F. I'd NOT build it on a swamp, I know, stupid.. but heaven help us here if we get invaded by baddies we'll have to say 'oh sorry, can you come back at 8am when air traffic control clocks on???'

I boarded the plane at 7.15am, an hour late, then we sat on the tarmac waiting for the fog to break or air traffic control to clock on.. 8am, we were the first plane off the tarmac when the air traffic control arrived for work! I might add, this is australia's fastest growing regional airport??? I was a little worried when we were taxi-ing to take off, the bloke next to me was PRAYING.. eeek!!!!

anyways, lucky for me, I was forward planning and my plane in Melbourne took off at 11.15.. well it SHOULD of.. but took off at 12.45pm it was late, cause of fog in Sydney... caught up with a few scquilters in Melbourne, also waiting for the same plane and two of my roomies were also there! so we had a mini catch up waiting for planes!

The lovely Jill organised a shuttle for us when we landed to get to the motel, it was funny being greeted by a sign that said 'Scquilter Chickies'.. there were about 10 of us waiting, and some I hadn't met before, but we had loads of hugs and a goss before we got to the motel!

Was lovely catching up with my roomies, they are all from Victoria, MaryAnne, Wendy aka Bubbles and Bernadette aka Bundy.. I only see these people once a year, and I think they are thankful for it!

On Thursday night, we had a lovely dinner at a local Italian place, and we were all pooped.. I'd had 30mins sleep the night before cause I was "SO DARN EXCITED"...

Our room got to be a bit of a hang out, so we had a few people pop in, and caught up with other itinerants...

Then we crashed..

Well thats enough from this post.. will post more about the retreat, and I might find some pics of the stuffs that HAD to come home with me!

take care

Lissapoo

Leaving on a Jet Plane....

2008-05-14T01:01:00.000-07:00

well not quite, but leaving on a twin prop plane, then a jet plane!!!

Tomorrow morning at, EEEEKKKK, 4.30am I am heading offski to the airport!!!!

the retreat I am going to, I MAY of mentioned it once or twice, is on FRIDAY this week.. woohoo!!!!! There is a pre-retreat dinner, a lot of people travel from afar, Singapore and New Zealand even, to come to see ME! LOL Well me, and another 130 ladies from all over Aussieland!!! We are off to Perth!! I have never ever been to Perth, its about as far away as I can get from my house, its on the opposite side of the country!!

Actually I'll be having a belated 21st birthday while I am away (belated, as I should of had it a few years ago now! LOL) I have never had a birthday away from home before, so I am sure I'll manage to have fun!!!!

Well I am having a stress attack at the moment, so much to do, so little time.. that'll learn me for kicking back, watching Dr Phil, Oprah and eating chocolate bullets!!! I have to make a couple of kits up for stuff to work on while I am away... not that much sewing will happen!!!

I'd love to hear what you are all up to this weekend, and I hope you dont miss me too much!!!! And I'll be sure to give you all a 'Retreat Report'!!

Lissa
Stress Queen

I am still alive and kickin'!!!

2008-05-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

Phew... have had a couple of busy weeks.. and the darn ferals (aka my darling children) used up 8gigs of my broadband in the holidays, so I got s.l.o.w.e.d. down BIG TIME.. the bastards (the kids and the net mob)..

I have been doing a wee bit of sewing, no where near enough! This mini quilt was made for the Lucy Locket Mini Quilt swap.. it was to be bigger than 5x7" (not sure how big it ended up about 11x11 at a quick glance).. My swap partner was SewToBed and judging by her post, I think she likes it!

I did make a second quilt for Lucy Locket I thought I took a pic of it before it went to live in the UK (so did the other quilt so maybe they can visit each other??) I think Lucy Liked it too! This pic is 'borrowed' (and I am using the term very loosely) from Lucy's blog.. it is a little wrinkled from its 000's km's trip across the planet..

I started my Civil War Love Letters quilt last week, have 6 blocks done, the plan is to do 5 a week and I'll be finished by Christmas.. not sure which Christmas, but hey, the quilt police are not frequent visitors in the Land of Lissa.. I know I have to remake block 6, its too small (POO) but, it was a bit tricky.. will learn to not sew late at night when my maths brain has gone to sleep! LOL
and yes, I know I need a new camera, but I am such a slacker, everything keeps coming out fuzzy.. could be my eyes perhaps??

Just had to share a pic of the naughty cat who lives here... he isn't really allowed in bedrooms, this part of the house is off limits to evil cats (leather lounges and cats aren't a good combo) couldn't find him the other night and when I went to put on the PJ's here he was! ready for bed!!!! little bugger!!

I got some other stuffs to share with you, but I didn't plan on writing a book here..

Dad is doing OK still very feeble and driving me crazy (same-o same-o)
Grandma (my late mums mum) is in hospital now, waiting to have stents put in her heart.. she is a very healthy 85 yo, (can't kill her) so I am sure she'll be OK..
Lissa - well I am still suffering with shingles pain, but I am getting there! shingles are the PITS..

take care

Lissa who is getting very excited about running away from home next week!

Giveaway on Four Wise Monkeys Blog

2008-04-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

Four Wise Monkeys is having a giveaway....Click HERE

*Image 'borrowed' from Four Wise Monkeys Blog*

Leave a comment and please let Rachel know who sent ya!

Please comment by April 27th....

Lissa
blog whore...

I love my postman!

2008-04-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

I love my postman... I should say, SOMETIMES... yesterday and today has been two days of quilty business...

Yesterday my winnings from Sue Daley Designs its in the packet you can see at the back, with the circle applique.. it is a set Pie Paper Piecing templates and papers to make these gorgeous blocks. I had planned on making the quilt that was on the front of the Australian Patchwork & Quilting last month (if you haven't seen it, it was worlds square blocks, done 'trip around the world' style with a pie pieced border.. AND in civil war fabrics.. lovely) so these paper pieces will come in handy big time!!!! Thank you Sue!!!!

The postie also bought me ANGEL mail from my SCQuilters year long angel, a gorgeous Cinderberry stitchery and threads, and the cutest cloud postcard! A fitting postcard from an angel dont you think???

Today, the postman delivered angel mail from my RETREAT angel, Quilt Rose is her nick name.. a lovely angel colouring book (quickly snafoo'd by miss Lara), a gorgeous gold bookmark with a wee tape measure attached (will save the corners of the pages of my books) and a wee pouch which I just think is so sweet... and I just LOVING the fabric.. I am envious of anyone who can do zippers, mine always come out skewiff, I know there is a trick to zippers, but patience isn't one of my strongest points! I had a giggle when I read the return address on this parcel, it said HEAVEN...

Am I spoiled or what???

Had another trip to the solicitors with dad today, and had to go and pay some bills for him. He did overdo it a little by going out, but he is getting cabin fever sitting at home all day! Please, if you haven't got a will, do your family a favour and get one.. its been 5 months since mum passed away and we are still fighting with the superannuation mob, we have called in the big guns, our local federal government member (the lovely Greg Combet) and after we get our $'s from the Superannuation mob, we are to have a meeting with him and see if we can't get legislation or rules changed, its ridiculous the amount of hoops you have to go through to get a deceased persons funds.. ARGH!!! SO GET A WILL!!!!!

OK I am off to my sewing machine, if you dont hear from me for a couple of days, send a search party, I'll be the one passed out at the machine and chained to it!! LOL

Quilty huggers to you all

Lissa

I've got Mail and a project???

2008-04-16T03:35:00.000-07:00

I often share pics of what I've been working on, and this is the latest project / disaster to come out of my sewing house.. I had seen something online, and this inspired this tragedy... I had planned on the long handle you can see, being sort of a wristley doodaddy thingomajig, but the bag turned out too big! oops.. I wanted to make a bag to take on retreat with me next month, and to put siggy squares in for swapping! its too darn big, and the wristley doodaddy thingaomajiggy isn't sufficient, so I am stumped.. I'll probably add some wooden handles or some fabric handles if I save this item from the scrap tub! It is special to me, as the fabric comes from friends from all over the world who have sent me fabric lately to cheer me up or to swap!

Speaking of fabric, I had been meaning to put a pic on my blog of some fabric I got from www.quiltbook.com (for some reason the hyperlink thingyamajig aint working but just type that addy in... bugger @ Blogger) I get a lot of emails from people (especially here in australia) on where I buy my fabric.. I just discovered this site, and to say I am a happy camper is an understatement. The shop owner Carol, is so lovely and I placed an order Saturday and had it within 10 days, which to me, is amazing, as she is in the US and I am in Australia! The pricing for all these civil war lovelies was $7.50USD/yard.. so very reasonable.. so please, check out her site, her range of civil wars and repro's are AMAZING and she'll cut skinny quarters too! If you order from her, let her know Lissa sent you! I told her I'd let all my bloggy buds know about her website!

Aren't these fabrics just yummy????

Today, well I was having a pity party again (forgot to send out invites again, silly me) and the postman delivered this parcel of yummy civil war fabrics!!! My friend Bundy shared them with me, and some lovely hearts to add to my healing hearts quilts.. am I a lucky girl or what???

Go and check out Bundy's blog, she is a long arm quilter and does the most amazing quilting!!!!

Well my dad is home, he isn't 100% but he is much happier being at home, in his own home eating REAL food and not the stuffs they serve at hospital.. and annoying the poop out of me! But hey, it sure makes life interesting!!

Until next time

Quilty Huggers to you!!!

Lissa

Dad Update & Quilty Mail & School Hols...

2008-04-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

g'day petals

well my dad is doing much better, thank you for all your kind emails and comments! He has had several blood transfusions and this has helped with his blood pressure, its still very low, but not 78/45 like it was the other night! My brother is doing OK, he still has chest pain but its not his heart, I dont think I could deal with another patient this week/month/year!

On Friday, I was feeling a bit sooky and had a pity party by myself (forgot to send out invites) and I checked the mail box and lookit what come!!!!

I swapped a friend in NZ some flannel she NEEDED and she asked 'what do you want in return' so I of course said 'repros if you got any'.. and this come from her stash!

Now I have to admit, when I was cutting out the 5" charm squares of flannel I was moaning the WHOLE time, thinking why o why do I do swaps???? so much work, blah blah blah.. and then this lot arrives! I suddenly remember why I LOVE swapping fabric.. its like getting fabric for free! (well almost)

How FREAKING cool is this fabric??? 101 (yep I counted them) pieces of reproductions, some William Morris, Shellbourne Museum and civil wars! I loved them so much I was rubbing them on my face (am I the only person who does this??) talking to the fabric.. *sigh* I particularly love the fabric thats on top, I never seen it before, actually tehre were a lot of fabrics in there I never seen before! *sigh*

And you know what?? that pity party I had come to a screaming HALT and turned into the 'Fat Tart I got Mail Happy Dance'...

I am wondering what the postman brings me today...

I just had to share this pic of my middle one, Morgan... School Holidays started Thursday afternoon.. I was up at the hospital quickly come home, grabbed the washing in (not folded, excuse that) and chucked it on the back lounge waiting for the folding fairy to visit...

I asked Dags where Morgy was and he said out the back somewhere, had a squiz couldn't find him, had a closer look and here he was, snoring his head off sleeping on the clean washing pile.. Thursday was the last day of term here in Newcastle, the kids got an extra day 'cause of the Newcastle Show.. It looks like he needs holidays, this is where he was from 4.30pm.. he gets home from school at 3.30pm.. he doesn't look comfortable.. he'll die of embaressment if he knew I put this pic on the net, but hey, thats what mums are for... You know you have lived long enough as a parent if you are an embaressment to your children!

take care and have a wonderful week!

Dad Update

2008-04-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

I made a quilt to stitch while waiting at the hospital with dad yesterday and didn't stitch an inch...

Dads op well, it went OK.. but dad isn't doing so good.. blood pressure is extremely low and his oxygen levels (he is on oxygen btw) was under 85% they think he might have to go up to ICU, so I'll ring them today before I go up... they were talking about giving him another blood transfusion..

My DH dropped me at the hospital as my brother was visiting thought we'd save petrol (dags was on his way to work).. sat with dad and said 'wheres christopher?'

Dad said 'he either went for dinner or he is in emergency'...

my brother had chest pains, he is 35... so visiting time was nearly finished with dad, and he was very out of it, so the I told the nurse I was off to find my brother in emergency... they were supposed to ring me last night to let me know how dad was but they didn't have time..

toddled off to emergency and here is my brother hooked up to machines.. I had to come home, I'd left the kids home alone for my quick visit to dad, but when I left Christopher they didn't think it was his heart.. but wouldn't let him home so I had to get a taxi home (glad I saved on petrol, I needed it to pay for the taxi!!)

I swear the men in my family are trying to kill me through stress.. if I wasn't already so grey, I'd be white! I guess in a small way they are considerate, as they were in the same hospital!

School holidays in Newcastle start today, kids are home & no before/after school running around, so this morning, I am not doing housework, I am not answering the phone.. I am going to sew.. that always cheers me up!

I think I'll drag out the Bendigo Behemouth Siggy quilt to work on.. either that or go and rock in the corner!

have a wonderful weekend petals!

Lissa

Free Block of the Week

2008-04-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

The Golden Thimble is having a free block of the week.. Now I need a new project like I need more fabric (oh my gosh, did I just say that out aloud???) BUT this one is gorgeous! I can see this in 30's or civil war fabrics, but anyways, they are great! So please check them out!

What has Lissa been working on?

Well I did put together this quilt top.. all the white is for the redwork I am planning on doing on it.. It is a "Red Brolly-Bronwyn Hayes" pattern called "Seed Packet Quilt"... I had sorta kinda traced all the patterns about 4 years ago when I got the quilt pattern! I have since added a float and a couple more borders, and it looks fabbo.

Dad has the big 'op' this week, on Thursday, so I thougth I'd need a project to do when I am sitting at the hospital with him. He thought he was going to be in hospital overnight, turns out he didn't listen, its more like 7-10 days! so I have a top to embroider. Of course I have no pellon, so I'll have to put myself out and go to the quilt shop tomorrow to get me some pellon (I like pellon behind stitcheries)...

Well thats it for me!!

Lissa

Check this blog out!

2008-04-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

the Country Cellar is celebrating the opening of a new etsy business and is having a giveaway!

Thought I'd share the LURVE and let other people check out her wares!

Lissa

Lucky Lissa!

2008-04-02T04:02:00.000-07:00

Hello petals...

I have had a busy week this week... My postman will think I am stalking him, I wait for his bike in the street (its a step through scooter, can hear it coming from the next suburb)

Monday he made me sign for this:

Homespun has a 'Hope Chest' giveaway competition in each issue.. I won a Lynette Anderson Designs Mini Mouse Mat, it features Lynette's BOM Pond House.. Its so cute, but then I realised 'bugger I was a runner up and missed out on the pattern pack!'.. can't win them all I guess!!! But i do love this, and its gone straight to the 'pool room' (pool room in the land of Lissa is the sewing treasure basket)

On Tuesday the mail man delivered....

I helped out a dear net friend Lorraine had set up a blog and needed some help! So Lissa to the rescue! Lorraine sent me this as a thank you gift, which she didn't need to do, but I was surprised none the less AND it was a 30's I didn't have.. a miracle! the pattern is an english paper pieced one, and I do like EPP!!!
Why not check out Lorraine's blog?? she has just started so drop in and say g'day and that Lissa sent you here!

On Wednesday the postman delivered this cutie!!!

Thanks to all of you guys who visited Sew Me Something Good, Katherine recently had a giveaway and also a secondary giveaway to the person who created the most traffic! And thanks to you guys, that was me! the bluebird purse is soo cute, perfect size for a take along project in the ol' handbag, the needlecase is something else! I have never seen anything like it, its so cute and such a great idea! I want to know where do you find cards like this one??? Quilting themed cards are as rare are rocking horse poo here in aussieland, and when I find any, I pounce on them like they were chocolate!

I have had a poopy week this week, have had some drama's with my mums 'estate' and the superannuation company.. put it this way, if I dont get some answers or some $'s from them this week, we are contact the Superannuation Ombudsman, I have contacted my local Federal Member of parliament about this, and ours is Greg Combet who was the ACTU president, so hopefully they'll be able to help us out! Dad has the big OP next week, and having cancer and greiving for my mum, well this isn't helping his health! I had to put my cranky pants on today! and they are getting tight! LOL

Well I am wondering what will the postman bring me tomorrow? probably bills.. haven't had any of those for a few days!

Take care petals..

Lissa

Cool Giveaway...

2008-04-02T03:17:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to win a iPod Touch.. how cool is that giveaway???

Lissa

what is Gocco???

2008-04-01T20:20:00.001-07:00

Hmmm a few of you petals have emailed me and said "Lissa we know you are smarter than us, so please explain gocco to us???"

Your wish is my command....

Hmmm maybe I not too smart, BUT if you click here:

Gocco Tutorial

there is a 'you beaut' or 'ripper rita' tutorial on how to use your gocco..

If you are in aussieland you can buy goccos from Nehoc.

I got my darling from ebay... from a lady who lives just over the mountain from me, so I saved on postage too!

I have also bought a handstamper for it, so in theory, if I wasn't lazy, I could hand stamp my own fabric.. Now that WOULD be cool...

Hope this helps petals!

Lissa

Free Stitchery Giveaway

2008-04-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

If you go to this blog Bee Sew Whimsical and sign up for their newsletter, you get the most darling stichery pattern, its this one..

Its a Wildcraft Farm Pattern... Janet makes lovely things, so check out her shop while you are there!

I think its cute, and might have to make one or three, like I have been doing lately, (stocking up on quilty gifts)

so what are you still here for??? of you go, and if you visit Wildcraft Farm, tell her Lissa sent you! :O) if you put this info on your blog, you may also win another free stitchery! how cool is that???

Lissa

Ta-Da!!!

2008-03-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

I finally made up my mind, with a LOT of help from my bloggy friends.. thank you everyone for visiting my blog and leave a comment, it helped BIG TIME...

Now readers of this blog will know I am a 1930's fabricologist.. and may, just maybe surprised to hear what I am about to say...

I am going with the civil wars.. I know.. I just hope you were sitting down when you read that.. I ditched the blue solids, and put a whole heap of them out on my dining room table and stood on the other side of the room (hey its a bit room) and thought yep I'll take that one and that one and that one..

I am off to a retreat in 6.5 weeks time.. so now its panic time for the ol' Lissa.. 76 signature squares to be made.. Now at last years retreat a lot of ladies had used a GOCCO home screen printing system and I thought I could do that... of course I hadn't used a gocco since 1985 and I didn't own one, so off to ebay I went.. Found one and was raving to Ric Rac Jodie about it so she had to get one too (hers was a freebie one lucky bugger).. anyways, I got it in MAY or JUNE last year and finally used it last night.. now I dont want to show a close up of what I have done, cause I want it to be a surprise for the ladies that go to the retreat but this is what they look like drying on my airing rack.. please excuse baskets and boxes of fabrics, I was auditioning fabric yesterday!

This used to take me HOURS to do, I am not exaggerating.. I'd sign my name on each one of those suckers and stamp them and do whatever to them, I printed all of these in 30mins.. so it was definately worth the investment...

that was the easy bit, now I have to sew the fabrics onto the corners (its indian hatchet block or a lazy snowball, only two diagaonal corners have fabric)

Well thats enough from me, thanks again for leaving comments on how to sort out my colour choices..

'til next time..

Lissa

I need HELP!

2008-03-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

You know when you just can't make up your mind???

Civil War Repros???

Or 1930's???

whats this for you ask??? Bonnie is having a new mystery quilt on the Quiltville.com site, and its called "Orange Crush".. now you need some fabric that reads solid, and unfortunately for me, you also need yardage..

I have been diggin' around in the stash looking looking looking... and this is the best that I can come up with.. I just dont think the solids work that well with what I have picked.. the actual stash fabrics are to be scrappy, now I dont have a lot of scraps, I usually cut what I need off a piece and have a weird looking piece when I am done..

so what do you think? 30's or civil wars? and are my solids just plain wrong.. Oh with the 30's, I specifically didn't pick red/yellow/pink as the last quilt was mostly pink/yellow and I am kinda over that combo, but maybe this isn't why the group of fabs isn't sparkling...

or do I just chuck it and start again?? hahaha

Lissapoo

busy busy busy busy

2008-03-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well as my favourite show (the Bill - british cop shop been on forever, ok, maybe 20 years) isn't on a Tuesday night anymore, whats a girl to do? well DUH.. SEW!!!

I had these kits from last year.. now I think I got them just before our 'excitment last year' and promptly forgot I bought them.. I had to fudge them a little, as I couldn't find a transfer pencil, but I am happy with how they turned out. I got the kit from Kate from That Raggedy One. I hope the people I made them for love them...

I thought I'd have a tidy up yesterday of my sewing crap, I mean sewing treasures.. I finally managed to get all my needlebooks and pin cushions together, and sewing tins, I have a few of those too.. I have managed to keep this spot tidy for a WHOLE day, even with having the sewing frenzy last night! The card box you can see, I won on ebay a while ago for a whole 99c.. cute eh?? Its vintage something or other, has lovely pansies on the cards, and I use it for my threads!

Oh I got Mail!!!

I am in two Angel Mortal swaps at the moment (think secret santa) This is the parcel I got from my long term Angel (finishes christmas).. I just love the floss organiser (a horses head, considering I am married to a horses A$$ I think its fitting), a very needed organiser box, some solids (I always need solids to go with the 30's), some gorgeous sticky notes, a cute cloud card - hey, angel, I always behave myself *W* oh and a magnetic photoframe.. maybe to put a pic of my angel in at some stage??*W*

This it he parcel I got from my Perth Retreat angel, it come yesterday but only got a chance to blog today about it.. a beautiful angel shelf sitter, an angel door hanger (which Miss Lara has claimed), a cute pattern, a panel of fabric that is so me (Have you been to my house angel??), a photoframe - which I know exactly what I am going to do with it, and a lovely card with angel dust in it.. I have angel dust everywhere, but we all need angel sprinkles in our life (angel dust - glitter), and the most handiest thing for me, a bookmark! will save folding corners of the pages over, which my mum used to go off her brain about!

Thank you to my angels, I have no idea who either are, too sneaky for me!

Dont you Just LOVE Long Weekends???

2008-03-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Due to Easter

its a long weekend in Australia, a WHOLE four days off... But I guess you are thinking 'hey, Lissa doesn't work, isn't every weekend a long weekend?'...

Well this is true, I only work about 6 hours a week.. BUT public holidays mean
1. no school
2. no dancing
3. no mums taxi service
4. fanging out in my PJ's all day if I want!

So I have been a tad productive this weekend, apart from the gifts I made to myself the other day I have made...

Yesterday I thought I'd better get working on some gifties... Not quite finished, but I am happy with it so far.. the fabrics are civil war repros and william morris wallpaper reproductions, which are a similar time frame.. but if they arent? well I dont really care, the quilt police do not visit here, so I call them 'would be if they could be's'..

The pin cushion I embroidered that Saturday night, and I just have to sew the opening closed, I am pretty happy with how that turned out.. I have been thinking, it would be nice to make a little collection of stitcheries this size in a bowl... but it is tricking gifting someone that, cause what I'd like decorating wise is not necessarily what someone else would like..

I went to a local chain store (Big W Aussie's) and was surprised to find the following fabrics in those Leuttenegger rolls they have at the back for $3.40.. some 30's and a cheddar reproduction print.. The 30's are mostly from the Storybook range that was available early last year..

So of course they had to come home with me.. They aren't the brightest, shiniest or newest ranges out, but as they are reproductions it dont matter! I love them! I did have a couple already in the stash, but I am always on the look out for more!

I have been suffering from headaches for months now, since mum died, but I have found out it is something to do with the shingles I had twice in the past four months! I am off to the optomestrist and hopefully the eye specialist real soon.. its been a bit debilitating, painful and making sewing a um, little wonky! LOL when my eye is good I look at what I sewed earlier and I think hmmmmm... I have been using the 'galloping past on horseback theory' a LOT!!!

Well I am off to do some tidying up, have my dad and brother coming for dinner.. they are cooking (well the local chinese restaurant is)

take care

'til next time...

Lissa
PS Not sure what the pattern is called.. it was a pre printed stitchery I got at a show a LONG time ago, I made it no pattern included with the stitchery (which I wont buy now unless it has a pattern, a big IRK for me) but it is a Busy Bee's Project! no contact details though...

Gifting oneself! & Gifts with a 'catch'..

2008-03-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

g'day petals

well I have been busy today sewing up a storm.. I started sewing the above as a gift, but in the end, I gifted myself!

You know, gifting oneself, you ALWAYS get what you want... the redwork rabbits are Lynette's Noahs Ark BOM I made two, and thought hmmm.. its easter.. easter has bunnies.. so I gathered up my 1930's rabbits and chicken fabrics and made this sewing set... It turned out pretty cute I think (hence the reason I am keeping it)...

A couple of weeks ago, a blog I visit, had a 'guessing competition' well I guessed the most answers first, so I won a gift.. hmmm or so I thought.. the gift turned up this week and this is it..

A lovely Scquilters mug, and a bundle of black and white fabrics.. the catch? hmm the fabrics if I accept the challenge, must be made into a quilt by June 1st! AND you can add the SAME fabrics sent, but can only add ONE other colour!

I do not own one black and white fabric anyways, so this will be definately a challenge for me!

Wish me luck possums! I do have my thinking cap on already for this, so on June 1st, I have to post a pic, so stay tuned petals!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe easter! and DRIVE safely...

Lissa

I've been kissed!!!

2008-03-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

g'day possums

a couple of weeks ago, I got a very mysterious comment.. that I'd been kissed by the craft fairy....

I sort of forgot about it, until Friday! A mysterious envelope arrived with no return addy in my letterbox (but it was posted)..

Look what he/she sent me! (I am guessing craft fairy is a chickybabe though).. I have always wanted to try this thread, and also the blocks will come in handy for my dads healing hearts quilt I am making.. I'll put all of them in the quilt, and a lovely note from the craft fairy!

Thank you craft fairy, whoever you are!!!!

Lissa
who only has ONE clue as to who the craft fairy is, he/she posted the parcel at postcode 2610.. any aussies know where that might be? or will that spoil the fun???

I am a blog whore...

2008-03-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

Yep there it is... out in the open...

I like reading blogs, and lots of them, my little heart goes all a flutter when I turn on the puter and bloglines is beeping at me!!!

I have so many favourite blogs in bloglines, over 200 actually.. so I am outing myself, "My name is Lissa, and I am a blog whore!!!"

Why do I love blogs? hmmm well I have made so many blog buddies, I like cruising and checking out what everyone is up to.. I wouldn't of found out about the Civil War Diary/Love Letters books..

or about free patterns...

or winning stuffs (I like getting surprises in the mail that dont later show up on my credit card bill)..

I also like sharing my stash, I have swapped bits of my stash and magazines with people who were desperate for both, so I'll love getting squishies in the mail when they arrive!

I liked doing the pay it forward (I might do it again later this year)...

and if I wasn't a blog whore, I wouldn't know about Homestead Hearth. I bought some fabric from them the other day, this was their scrap bag of civil war repros.. they say there is about 5 yards of fabric in the bag, and I counted 17 pieces and for $22.50 US.. how cool is that?? the other thing, is all but one of those fabrics is new to me, and I have not seen them in australia! I'll be sure to be shopping back there! fast shipping too, order posted 3/3 received 13/3 bloody cool I reckon!

I'd love to know what your favourite blogs are, and I'll be sure to check them out! I also like leaving comments, and I hope peoples dont think I am stalking them! LOL but I do try to leave comments on at least 10 blogs I visit each day!

so if you have seen a blog I must check out, leave me the link in comments! I'd like to check it out and I'll be sure to tell them you sent me there!

Lissapoo
blog whore..

QUILT GIVEAWAY!!!

2008-03-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

Yes thats right! A free QUILT at Old Red Barn!!!!

Old Red Barn Is giving away a gorgeous quilt!

Click on the link to find out about it, and please tell her Lissajane sent you!

Lissa

NB: possums, the quilt has been won.. alas not by me, but please do check out the Old Red Barns Blog and shop!!!

Another Fairytale...

2008-03-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share this pic of the cat I took yesterday.. isn't he just handsome??? and naughty.. this quilt was folded on a chair and somehow?? it ended up on the floor with a cat enclosed.. this is the kids favourite quilt and the cat also loves it..

Anyways.. the fairytale......

Once Upon a Time... a beautiful princess (again think Princess Fiona from shrek but bottle blonde) went for TWO job interviews in two days.. she reorganised her life without any drama's to ensure she was ready for these interviews... her babysitters arrived on time, her hair looked PERFECT, she even scrubbed up not too shabby... interviews went down well, felt very confident... and the interviewer rang back at the said time to let the Princess out of her misery..

yep bloody fairytale...

I am so cranky at the moment, thinking about it.. I went for two interviews last week, had to organise someone to pick up a child from school and take said child to dance class.. raced around getting references updated / resume updated.. had the interview (they weren't too bad) BUT they said they'd let me know by the END OF THE WEEK.. I should of asked the end of WHICH week???

I dont care really if I dont get either job, but I am always let down at the rudeness of people..

If you say you are going to do something, bloody well do it!

Lissa
off for the miracle Drs appointment..
the miracle is I got one, after trying for months to get one!

Link for a give away!

2008-03-09T22:54:00.001-07:00

Phyl is having a birthday today, so pop on over to her blog and wish her happy birthday.. SHE is giving a gift of a bag away to celebrate her birthday

Act quickly! This Give-A-Way ends at 9:00 a.m. EST on Tuesday, March 11, 2007. For more information, click the image.

Let her know that Lissa sent you!

take care possums...

Lissa

WIP Update!

2008-03-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

I just had to share with you all a pic of my Grandmothers Garden Quilt I have been working on *mumble mumble mumble* years (OK its four, but who's counting???)

I have about two rows sideways to go and I am busy squaring the whole sucker up.. it just fits on my kitchen floor. It looks heaps longer than wider, but I wanted a decent pillow tuck for it, as I tend not to do that, I get bored so I finish quilts off too short! LOL

The sides I thought I'd do something a wee bit different, I used yellow for all the centres as there isn't many yellow hexagon flowers in the middle... and I used the half green ones as flowers.. now I haven't seen anyone else do anything like this, so I like that is a little different..

I will hand quilt it, so that'll probably take me another 4 years!

Lissa
who doesn't do things by halves..

Just had to share!

2008-03-08T20:26:00.000-08:00

I mean, I got things to do today, like that horrid swear word (housework), but thought I'd do some more sewing, did a couple more star blocks and another 10 9 patch blocks, but I thought I'd do some embroidery.. I started this not an hour ago, and I am so loving it!

I put my glasses there so you could see how tiny it is, its 3.5" finished, the sashing was cut at 3/4".. of course I used the 30's scrap stash for this and I embroidered white on white fabric.. the pattern? well its FREE..

Hop on over to Lynette's blog and tell her 'Lissa sent you'.. Its a FREE Noah's ark stitchery download, just scroll down and its right at the bottom on the left pane...

Lissa
now off to sort out something for dinner, the kids are STARVING (as per usual) and its only 3.30pm.. so I'd better go and start getting my crap together, then I am going to do some sewing after dinner :O)))

Where can I get one?

2008-03-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

In my blogging visiting, I seen a thread stand, that holds your thread horizontal.. its like on wooden base, two wood ends and a thing that goes through the middle and holds your thread on.. now I know I seen it in the last two days, but do you think I can find it, to ask "where did you get it?"

well I got busy last night, something about starting sewing at midnight tells me it is not such a hot idea, but I thought I'd better sew something so I could say 'yep I sewed last week'.. 2 large stars and 20 9 patch blocks later, well I feel like I have accomplished something! These 9 patch blocks are for a swap in May, but I thought I'd get organised for a change.. they are civil war repro's I have another set cut out ready to go.. I like to have 9 patch blocks as my leader/ender project to save thread.. which as I have said earlier, is ironic.. I save thread so I can buy more fabric than I'll ever use in this lifetime??

But dont you just hate, when you are happily sewing along, and you have one block to go and run out of #$(*#%#%( bobbin thread?? I was 2.5" short of finishing! argh.. so maybe if I had SAVED thread I could of got it done??? LOL

The whole time I sewed, a certain cat kept his eye on me, he is like my very own 'quilt police'.. if he likes something he lays on it, if not, well he is a cat, he just shows you his (_*_) and off he goes..

The star blocks are 12" finished, they are for the Claudia's Quilt Shoppe free BOM (link on the side if you are interested).. I have a few more to make today... I am doing my blocks in civil war reds and creams, its for the eldest beast who resides here.. I look at him now, and think 'I gave birth to THAT'.. its taller than me, its hair is longer than mine (and I have longish hair) and it has huge feet and hairy legs.. the guys I used to work with called him 'Ginger Jesus' cause of his long red hair! he told me his hair is 40cm long..

On that note, I am off to start my day.. its supposed to rain (again) today, we have had 10 WHOLE days of sunshine this year.. I might need to build me an ark.. we had a horrid thunderstorm on Friday night, lost power for 3 hours and something very close got hit by lightning.. having no power did cause a kerfuffle in our household, 3 kids + smelly dog + bastard cat = recipe for disaster.. Dags slept??? but the kids asked me at least 1000 times when will it end? how far away is it??? will we flood???

Hmmm didn't realise Weather Forecaster was on my list of mummy occupations, must have to add that to chef, personal shopper, chauffeur, costume designer, sewer, cleaner... well you guys get the drift...

My name is Lissa
and there will be rain... sometime..

Check this out!

2008-03-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

Sew Me Something Good is having a Blogiversary give away... why not go and check it out, and let her know who sent you in your comments! she is having a competition for this as well.. so dont forget 'ol Lissa sent you!

take care!

Lissa

What sort of Pincushion do you use???

2008-03-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

Bluberry Lane Designs is having a giveaway, you post a comment and show a pic on your blog of you pincushion, well the one you use that is!

The big one is my favourite one, it sits in a basket next to where I sit.. I have things hanging off it, like scissors a strawberry to sharpen my needles with etc.. it is a pincushion NOT for the faint hearted, as it is HUMUNGOUS.. it is a Christine Book Designs pattern, I did it at a 'stitch in' she runs each year in Sydney (didn't go last year) and it has wee pockets around the outside! I can't beleive how DUSTY it is though, I might have to give it a bath! and it may surprise you all that it is made in 30's and redwork! LOL

The smaller one is in my Yazzi sewing bag I drag everywhere.. it was part of a gift my friend Ramona in Victoria made for me.. I just love it as well.. she made me the now Lissa famous drawstring dilly bag (I have made so many of these it isn't funny), a cotton reel keeper and this gorgeous pincushion..

Lissa
still waking up, we had a bad storm here last night, no power and it went for HOURS.. scary stuffs.. kids freaking out... dog freaking out.... cat freaking out... Dags sleeping through it...

More Mail...

2008-03-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

I have had some more mail this week...

I can share a pic with you.... many readers of this blog will know that I have had a few hiccups in my life lately.. starting with my mum dying of a heart attack while in Phuket, that was 3 months ago, the grief is still with me each day, but this week has been a particularly hard week. My dad is doing ok, he has prostate cancer, and we just found out this past fortnight, that Super Dags' dad has prostate cancer as well, his is more advanced than dads, so we'll have to see what happens there. We aren't close to Dags dad but I wish him well.. I have had tonnes of sooks (which I am allowed to).. Yesterday I worked a day for a friend sorting out his 'books' and when I come home there was a parcel awaiting me..

One of my online craft croups called 'C-R-A-F-T' had made me this quilt. There are blocks from the Netherlands, England, USA and Australia. The wonderful Kate put it together. It passed inspection from Cosmopolitan the LOVELY cat..

To say I was overwhelmed when I opened this is an understatement, lots of tears, of sadness for mum and also thinking how wonderful people are. I had not been a member of this group for a long time (maybe 3 months?) when mum died and for them to make me a quilt, well I am still lost for words.. Mums favourite colour was red, she used to mostly wear red clothing for years, I remember at one stage, half her wardrobe was red!

I also had to share a pic of the back of the quilt! now readers also of this blog will know I love 30's fabrics and the backing is pieced with 30's (a few I dont have in the stash as well)..

Well I am getting a bit emotional now, so I'll leave it there, and happy weekend to you all...

Lissa
PS I had another interview Wednesday so fingers crossed for me possums..

Free Stitchery BOM

2008-03-03T14:35:00.001-08:00

You must check out this blog...

Lynette is doing a free stitchery BOM on her blog, its a "Noahs Ark" theme and the first one is up already! You have to scroll way down on the left hand side to click on the link for the freebie, but Lynette does gorgeous stuffs so its worth having a squiz out... If you do go there, tell her "Lissa" sent you!

And thanks to my friend Khris for telling me how to do the click on a link thing.. sometimes I am so stupid I even amaze myself!

Lissa

A story...

2008-03-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

Once Upon a time.. there was a beautiful princess (think Princess Fiona from Shrek) who met a lovely Prince Dags, and they were married and had three beautiful children, who did as they were told... who tidied their rooms without asking, who behaved themselves at school.. who cleaned up the cat tray as soon as puss in boots was done and fed and watered all pets without a murmur... who did their homework without being asked, and who went to bed without a whisper...

yep its a fairytale all bloody right!

my kids, I could strangle them.. Miss Lara's room is a pig pen.. I am sure she has the electrician that called in last week in there still, he didn't give me a bill, maybe its cause he is MIA in her bedroom???

The kids told me on the way out of the house to school this morning 'Mum, Cosmo has left you some mud muffins' (mud muffins - cat poop apparently!!)

They all whined this morning cause I had to ask them a agazillion times to 'get ready for school'.. Lara was running so late, her friends at the bus stop come to see if she was going to school!

Argh! Being a domestic goddess is the pits some days.. and today is that day!

Interview yesterday, well I didn't embaress myself by peein' my pants, I was kinda worried cause I was stressing out BIG TIME! But the buggers lied.. if you want someone to work 1000 hours a week for a pittance, put that in your bloody ad! ARGH!
Ad said 8-12 hours / week.. interview said 12-20, and up to FIFTY at tax time.. bugger that.. I dont want to work 8 hours a week, let alone MOVE IN!

Ok thats my whine for the day done!

Lissa
cranky possum...

Woohoo!!! More Mail!

2008-03-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

Am I a Lucky Girlie or what???

This is what the postie delivered to me last Thursday & Friday (I am a bad blogger, just posting pics now, but have thanked the senders)..

The gorgeous pincushion is from a lucky drawing on MidOhioKnitters blog (http://midohioknitter.blogspot.com/ ) - one day I'll remember how to put links in, brain can't remember today.. and the fabrics are from my secret retreat angel.. am I spoilt or what? I have no idea who my secret angel is, first parcel was posted in Perth second in QLD, so she is a sneaky bugger thats for sure, two different handwriting too.. I dont usually try to guess, but did notice different writing..

I have an interview today! I am scared/nervous/peeing my pants stressing about it.. I haven't for a job interview in so long, most jobs I get when I dont want a job and get phoned up by someone who knows someone who is looking for a lazy fat blonde tart to do something for them.. this is with an accounting firm doing tax stuffs.. now I hate PAYING tax, but tax rules have always interested me, its just a data entry style job, but not stressful dealing with the public.. so keep your fingers crossed for me possums.. I am not overly optomistic but at least if I dont get it, that first interview worrying is over and done with.. I worked yesterday for a friend of a friend (fancy that) he wants me to sort out his life, spent the afternoon going through masses of archive boxes and about a dozen shopping bags of invoices for their business.. they were stressing and I said 'I like this sort of thing' so its all sorted, ready for data entry when I go back.. he wants me to work for him for good, so I'll get 4-5 hours a week doing his data entry etc for his two businesses and his rental properties.. So I have $'s for my addiction.. you know, the FABRIC one..

Is anyone out there 'into' Pandora bracelets or is it just me? My brother bought me a bracelet and six things for it for christmas (he must love me, as I worked out that was over our limit we spend on each other by 4 times), my dad got me 2 charms with bling, and I have bought um, a few more since then!

The fat one is the 200+ charms on it, and the pandora is the skinny one!
I have addiction to charm bracelets, I have 5 now.. I think its five.. LOL yep, 5.. my favourite is my pandora, then my bracelet that has over 200 charms on it all from holidays and people buying them for me, and then my 'sewing theme' one.. hate to think how much I have spent on silver charms over the years.... *sigh*...

then again, I'd hate to think how much I have spent on fabric over the years too..

Lissa
fabricologist
charm addict...

I got Mail...

2008-02-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

I have to share a couple of pics with you guys...

With the SCQuilters retreat each year, we have an angel/mortal swap.. you send 3 gifts before the retreat, and three gifts are secretly handed out during the retreat.. the last gift is the revealing who you are gift..

Well this past week, we got our details of who we send to, I am very happy with who I got, someone I know.. *W* Anyways, in the mail last week, I got my first gift from my angel...

A beautiful card, and the most gorgeous cross stitched Santa.. He is cross stitched on the plastic punched background (not sure what the technical name for it is), I know exactly what I am going to do with him, sew him to a background and frame him, and hopefully when I meet my angel, I'll get her to sign the background.. I have always wanted to try this type of cross stitch but never got around to it (I was a cross stitcher in my previous life btw)

I was so excited when the Australia Post Parcelman visited today.. he had a lovely parcel under my arm and I all but crash tackled him.. it was my Valentines Day Swap that Lucy Locketpoo organised, is she a petal or what?? My swap partner was Laura from Italy!! G'day Laura!

There was a wee holdup with this, as Australia Post had Quarantined inspected it.. aka they opened it and made sure it didn't have contraband in it. Australia has some of the strictest Quarantine laws in the world.. and if you notice, they put a sticker on it, Cosmo the lovely cat could work for Aussie Post, as he likes inspecting parcels too.. no sooner did I get ready to take this pic, and voila! cat woke up and had to check out what was going on!

And Lookie what I got! Oh my first thing I opened was the heart, its so cute and will look just perfect in my hallway.. I also got the cutest mouse, Cosmo pounced on it when he seen that, so its put somewhere Cosmo proof (he has a fetish for mice, not real ones, toy ones), the buttons, oh my, they are just gorgeous.. they reminded me of lollies and I have never seen anything like them, some beautiful sunny ric rac, some gorgeous fabrics and Italian chocolate.. Now I have seen these chocolates before but never tried them, I think I might start having to give the Ferroro's a miss and buy these Bachetto's a go more often! I feel ill, cause I ate all 6 of them, so I didn't have to share.. aint kids at school great!

Thank you so much to Laura.. I stupidly let someone post my parcel to her for me, and they sent it SEA MAIL.. so someone has lost their 'super dh' status.. but I did post another 'I'm sorry my DH is an idiot' parcel to Laura on Valentines day, so I hope she receives it real soon..
This is Laura's blog
http://fantasiecountry-lalla.blogspot.com so be sure to visit her and see what else she is up to! It is in Italian, but you can see her beautiful work! you'll have to copy paste the link in, do you think I can remember how to insert a link? the 'insert link' button on my tool bar aint working.. grrrr...

Well thats it from me...

Lissa
yours in stitches....

How Old are YOU???

2008-02-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

You Act Like You Are 20 Years Old

You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life.

You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up.

The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.

What Age Do You Act?

this explains a LOT.. including why I am a lactose intolerant chocaholic.. it just isn't fair! LOL

Just made 16 quilt blocks for a surprise, sorry can't show the pics... if you were in a secret santa doodad, would you like blocks as a gift? I am battling with this idea, we have a $ limit and thought I'd be sneaky and do the $ limit + blocks???

Anyways, off to do something constructive.. like napping and checking out current chocolate situation!

take care

Lissa

I've been Tagged....Again! :O)

2008-02-16T01:16:00.001-08:00

Oh crap.. I've been tagged, not once, not twice, not three times, but FOUR times.. so I guess I'd better let you know seven random things about me!

1. I hide chocolate.. yes, there it is! out in the open! I hide it from the kids, so I can do a midnight raid and eat it.. I am not too fussy about WHAT sort of chocolate, as long as it is Cadburys.. Caramello Koala's are the standby at the moment.. I dont sneak HEAPS but just a square or two or a caramello koala.. I have a figure to attest to my midnight snacking habit.. is it just me or is the meal between dinner and breakfast just as important as the other meals?? the worst part about being a chocaholic is I am also severely lactose intolerant! If I have to have chocolate, I have to have lact-eze tablets, otherwise I get a whole lotta pain!

2. I am an insomniac.. I get by on about 4 hours sleep most nights.. It drives everyone in my family mad, as I have be known to stay awake all night, cause I can't sleep.. I am not as bad as I used to be, I am having about 5-6 hours on average now..

3. I like staying at home, not answering the phone and vegging out. I can quite easily see how people become hermits, I am happy with my own company and love having the house to myself, well almost to myself, I have my faithful companion the lovely cat :O) Some days I wonder where the day gets to, I like just faffing about the house, pottering some people would call it..

4. I haven't had my picture taken since, hmmm Miss Lara was 1 or 2 and she is 11 this year.. I hate getting my pic taken, sometimes I'll see a pic of myself on the net or on a blog at a gathering and I just hate it.. i am no Elle McPherson thats for sure!

5. I was a brainiac at school, yes I know that might surprise some of you that know me well, but I was more than a Straight 'a' student, I was in the extension classes for the nerds.. fat lot of good it did me! LOL bein' unemployed and all (cept for 2hrs a week now) I was in extension class for Maths and Science and come in the top 8 for all my other classes..

6. I like ironing, I know, I am weird, but I prefer ironing to washing and all other housework.. probably cause I can sit on my patootie and watch Dr Phil or Oprah or Soprano's on DVD uninterrupted.. is it just me, or does everyones kids need to tell you something important RIGHT WHEN THE PLOT IS BEING LAID OUT IN A MOVIE??? my kids do this all the &^%$#% time and they are supposed to be in bed! grrr @ kids..

7. When I was 10, I decided that when I grew up, I wanted to be a Landscape Architect... I still haven't grown up but have no idea what I want to be other than happy!

I wont tag anyone, cause I have no friends, but feel free to jump in and let us know 7 random things about you...

Holy Moly! where is the year gettin' too??

2008-02-13T00:34:00.001-08:00

yes I know, I been slack, and thank you all for the emails making sure I hadn't fallen off the perch.. been a bit 'down' lately, and thought it wouldn't make for good reading! But I am on the UP now, so thank sfor the emails!

Readers of the blog might remember I have had a horrid couple of months, well the cherry on the top is that I lost my &^%$#% job, finished up yesterday.. I am now down to working 2 hours a week for a friend 'doing' her books.. have a days work lined up for later in the month doing the books for a newsagency on a regular basis.. so not all is crappy..

what have I been up to ? well as quilting is therapy, I thought I'd share some very dodgy pics of what the ol' Lissapoo has been up to the past three , crap, 4 weeks since my last post! The 'darlings' and I use the term very loosely, have been a-fiddling with my camera and for some reason the flash wont work.. grrrr @ kids..
These are the hearts that a couple of my internet quilting groups have been sending me they are called 'healing hearts' and I never knew how much they meant to a person, until I started receiving them.. I have been making 9 patch blocks as leader/enders for a while now, so they work with the hearts, the quilt will be a great size when finished.These are all the 1930's blocks I have received. I am making dad a quilt as well..

I also have been working on my 'crazy mom' quiltalong blocks, I am actually finished those, and not sure how to lay them out, but it sure is fun 'auditioning' layouts..

I thought I'd also post a pic of my Carolina Crossroads Quilt top.. I am saving up to get the darn thing quilted, having no job sucks, but I'll get there! :O)

I also finished, well sorta kinda finished (just have the centre doo dad to sort out) my christmas tree skirt.. Now I'll admit, that maybe 4 or 5 chrissy's have passed since I started this, it was a Round Robin called "Lissa's Chrissy Tree Skirt RR" and I am probably right in saying it, that Lissa was the last to finish it.. I cut one petal thingy too short, so I gotta sort that out, but it looks great.. the cat loves it too.. grr @ Cat.. I'll finish it in the next couple of weeks and hopefully I'll put it somewhere safe until christmas.. haha.. I'll probably 'file it' and bloody loose the thing, knowing my luck at the moment!

And now for the last update on the 'nonbabynowlissa quilt'.. I added a couple of extra blocks, have a scrappy border planned, the kids have asked I make this one snuggly, so I am going to put flannel on the back, the kids love flannel quilts and so does Cosmo, aka the cat of questionable parentage (the bastard cat)..

I think thats all I been up to lately??? enough anyways! Oh I added about 200 hexagons to my Grandma's flower garden quilt, its getting there very s.l.o.w.l.y...

Quilty Huggers

Lissa

BLINK!!! where did the week go??

2008-01-15T00:30:00.000-08:00

I cannot beleive its been a WHOLE week since I was here.. well ok, 6 days, but hey, where did last week go? I did plan on doing the scatterdays thingy but sheesh, Saturday kinda crept up on me! (dont you hate that??)

I just delivered a Pay it Forward gift and one is off to the letterbox later.. I am off to Sydney in the morning dancing.. well not ME dancing, but the scruffy ballerina is off to do what she does best, tap dancing!

I did have a wee drawing last week, and Blessed Di won the miniature amish quilt.. it really is miniature Di, so thats in the mail on its way to you.. and there were two button sets also to give away, Lucy Locket won one and Dotty Cookie the other, so if they could email me their snail mail I'll post them through the week.. I didn't know how to do the drawing, so I whacked the names on a spreadsheet and got the kids to call out random numbers, and hey presto three winners! :O) I could of printed stuffs off and got the fruit bowl emptied and did it that way, had the kids NOT USED ALL THE $#$@#$%@# ink! ARGH!

so what does a week of quiet Lissa bring? what have I been up to?? well I stuffed up and made a block wrong, so a bit of unsewing.. *sigh* I hate unsewing, but I have been busy with step 6 of the Carolina Crossroads mystery! I am LOVING LOVING this quilt and the last 'step' is this week.. woohoo! This pic includes the mistake (the small triangle I put the hourglass block in around the wrong way, so please do not call the quilt police, my error has been rectified)

I made the pay it forward gifts, I thought I am such a slacker so I'll do it sooner rather that 'LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE' so if you signed up for pay it forward and you left the pay it forward grab on your blog, well your giftie is in the mail! I also made a block for a swap, its a 9" finished nine patch, I think it come together ok.. I made a dozen or more 9 patch blocks, they are my leader/enders so I have about 40 now, they are looking mighty fine (even though I am biased)..

I did also make the week 8 quilt a long blocks and I put them all together to see what they looked like.. I think they are looking lovely (again the biased thing happening)

Well if you have read this far without falling asleep I salute you! ha ha..

till next time...

Lissa

Pay It Forward

2008-01-09T14:40:00.001-08:00

This is the season for giving and the pay it forward thing is so much fun, I just had to join the fun.. "I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is 'Pay it Forward' by making the same promise on your blog."

Please leave an email address so I can contact you about your snail mail addy..

Lissa

Wow! that was quick, I already have three players! this is going to be fun!!!

Hmmm more blocks

2008-01-09T00:08:00.001-08:00

Well possums, I have been a busy little beaver.. I got my week 8 of the 'quilt-a-long' block of the week done last night, well blocks done... I am happy with how they turned out and I only had to do a small amount of reverse sewing and swearing.. amazing! we are 2/3's of the way there, this block of the week has been so much fun, and blocks (like jacobs ladder this week) I always thought were 'too hard' so I never even bothered making one, well I will now! And my triangles? hmm they aren't PERFECT, but I am getting better..

I also decided my round robin miniature I got back, was a little too stark, I LOVE it, dont get me wrong, but I thought it needed something else, so I added a wee 1/2" finished scrappy border and then a 1" finished float.. I'll put polka dot binding on it after its quilted.. what do you think?? I love it! Here is a close up of the final border / round.. its strip pieced and I am pleased to say, it all come out of the scrap bin!

Well had a hard day at work today, I actually worked hard, I know 'shock! horror! gasp!' but that'll learn me to have 3 weeks off work.. I work for a small take away shop doing their 'books' and paying the staff, its easy work and my boss is a good friend, so its not much of an effort for work.. And also the fact she only lives up the road, 2 minutes away!!!

Well back to the salt mine, aka sewing machine! I have so many UFO's I want to finish, and I also need to finish step 5 of the quiltville mystery quilt, and the next step is emailed tomorrow! YIKES.. I have 100 3" finished hourglass blocks to make and I did start, but my machine is way out, so they turned out 3" unfinished.. argh!

take care

Lissa

Very Late Scatterdays..

2008-01-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

OK, its late I know I know... but hey, at least its done!

This weeks Scatterdays was : VVVVVVVVVV (bloody hell I thought)... subject was, in the kitchen, car part and the office.. argh!! One day I will work out the mosaic flicker thing, but its too much for my brain to work out.. so bear with me possums!

OK, car part = visor... In the Office = visitab files AND the rentonkil VERMIN killer...
Kitchen thing = well I couldn't let a week go by without a pet pic.. so here I have the 'VARMIT eating his VIDDLES'...

I have also included pics of the Quilt a long, block of the week I have been working on.. I am doing two at once, so this week I chose a blue and a lovely green.. I found these FQ's I didn't even know I owned them, they were 'hidden with some other fabric'..

I have also been cutting up scraps into 2.5" squares for a mindless leader/ender project. Is it just me, or a quilters odd? I mean, we make leader/ender blocks to save on thread..hmmmmm when I think of how much fabric I haven't used and probably will never use, I am sure glad I have saved on thread! LOL Actually, it is amazing, as I have made all these blocks from enders in the past week, 18 blocks in a week.. not too shabby.. I'll put them with the hearts I have been receiving..

I also made a pencil roll for a party that Missymoo is off to tomorrow (I thought it was today).. *sigh* kids parties? I am always struggling to find something to find something for the kid for a pressie.. The girl who is receiving this LOVES blue, green and pink (outside is pink) and she does art classes, so I grabbed a sketch book to go with it.. I had seen a few tutorials on the web, but in true Lissa style, I changed it a little!

Well I think thats enough from me!

'til next time..

Lissa

Nothing for days, and then three in one day??

2008-01-03T03:03:00.001-08:00

I know, I know.. but I am finally on the mend, and thought I'd share a pic of some blocks I am working on.. It is a free BOM through "Claudia's Quilt Shop" (link to it on the left there.. I am doing it in the civil war repros, and I have always wanted to do a red quilt, dunno how it will turn out, but so far so good..

Of course, whilst I was laying it out the ~~bastard~~ darling puss puss had to come and roll in the middle of it, but all was saved and I had Miss Lara quickly take a pic..

Now me being me, I stuffed up.. DOH DOH DOUBLE DOH!! I made TOO many of a couple of the blocks, I mean, I have so much time to spare, I make 5 extra blocks.. so I thought I'll keep making an extra one here and there, and hopefully I'll have enough for a couple of cushions to match.. If the Beast (aka the Monster who lives here who is also known as 'ginger jesus' cause of his long red hair) likes it, he can have it.. somehow I think I'll be getting a new quilt! LOL he asked me to make him a black quilt.. just black, maybe with some skating stuff on it??? I said um no..

Lissapoo

What is your Fairy Name???

2008-01-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

Now visitors to the Lissa Blog, will know I love crap like this.. and my fairy name? Bramble Icefly... hmmm interesting... LOL

Your fairy is called Bramble Icefly

She is a bone chilling bringer of justice for the vulnerable.

She lives in leafy dells and bluebell glades.

She is only seen at midday under a quiet, cloudless sky.

She wears bluebell-blue dresses. She has icy blue butterfly wings.

Get your free fairy name here!

Lissa
two posts in 10 minutes? a miracle for me!

Happy New Year and all that Crap (make sure you read the WHOLE thing)

2008-01-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

g'day possums

wishing you all a very happy new year.. I am *fingers / eyes / legs crossed* am hoping 2008 is going to be a lot better than 2007..

I have already finished something this year.. well TECHNICALLY its a this year finish, as the label went on it on New Years Day.. it is a baby quilt about 34" finished for a friends new grandson. .he is teeny weeny tiny, only 4.5 lbs when he come home from hospital.. thats 1/2 of one of my babies when they were born!

It is made from some vintage chenille that the lovely Ric Rac Jodie gifted me (well she hasn't sent me an invoice yet, so I am thinking it was a gift! LOL), the alternating block is a cobblestone.. the white is white on white and I used some of the 30's stash for the centres and binding, it has lovely snuggly flannel on the back.. This size is great for floor quilts or pram quilts.. the mother was very very happy with it.. I just meandered quilting in the white bits, the quilting looks good from a distance! LOL oh well it wasn't meant to be an heirloom quality, just a 'use me 'til I die' quality!

Also I thought I'd share a pic of a Round Robin I got back last year, it come home around the time mum died, so I had sorta put it to the side and then found it when I was going through some things.. OOps.. it was done through an online group, not only has this quilt travelled australia but it also had a quick trip to the US and to NZ.. nearly as travelled as I! It is about 13" finished (didn't measure it, eyeballed that size).. I think it needs a little extra border, so I am thinking a super duper scrappy border to tie it all together and I'll just stipple the white on it with some teeny weeny stitches..

Now why did I want you to read to the end here? Cause this is my 50th Post.... Now I had all intentions of making something to give away, but to be honest,I am not sure what to make and I am lazy *W*.. OK, economical with my time sounds so much better! I have this cute Amish style wall hanging, its tiny.. I have enjoyed looking at it, and thought I'd send it to someone else to enjoy.. so leave me a comment before the 10/01/08 (thats 10th January possums) and I'll do a random drawing thing and post it to you.. Of course, I have a few of these buttons sets here as well (I was going to make heaps of them) so I'll send a set or three to other people drawn on the same day.. the Amish hanging does have a wire hanger and some cute buttons as well.. the furry thing on the corner of this mini quilt is My ~~bastard~~ lovely cat. He is the worlds biggest sticky beak, he checks out EVERYTHING that comes into this house. I'll even defur the mini quilt before I send it to you... It has been hanging above my sewing machine for a wee while, then put away when I washed the curtains..

Well off to do something constructive..

Lissa

Y oh Y Y???

2007-12-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

Talk about hard! argh!

I am sure Y was about the toughest one so far, until I had an 'aha' moment (helped along by the dagster (aka super dh)..

so here are this weeks YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY's...

Something green, something animal, something school.. so here goes!

I took a pic of our yard for GREEN.. I have to tell you, we laid this turf in January this year, and have not watered it once.. we aren't on water restrictions here in Newcastle as it rains nearly every week! So our yard is GREEN all the time..

Y for BaileY the Wonderdog??? well Dags calls her our YARD ornament, or our YARD EGG maker (yard eggs - dog poops).. I know, its a stretch, but last time I checked we do not have any Yaks wandering around my town, did wait

yesterday to see if one of those Yellow honeyeaters come for a visit, then remembered they dont come anymore as Dags removed the tree..

speaking of Yellow.. Y is YELLOW school things.. can you guess which are the new supplies and which are the old ones?? what is the black crap that gets on pencils etc?? I had to brave Miss Lara's bedroom to find these, so you are lucky I am here and not at casualty with a broken ankle, her room is a disaster area.. last time I got her to tidy up was when I threatened to put a pic of it on my blog!

so stay tuned...

Oh thought I'd share a pic of the 6 quilt-a-long blocks I made last night.. I haven't really been interested in TV since mum died, missed a lot of episodes of my shows so I haven't really been watching much (except the bill, I'd have to be in a coma to miss that show) so I did some sewing.. it took me about 2.5hours to make these six blocks.. I specifically didn't go for purple, as the first set have plenty of purple in them.. but now I think I have over done the green.. oh well, such is life!

take care possums,

Lissa
who isn't even going to look at next weeks scatterdays letter, probably be X or Z just to make life interesting!

What a Month!

2007-12-27T22:11:00.000-08:00

g'day possums

well I thought I'd better let you all know I haven't fallen off the perch.. I have been battling shingles (woohoo its nearly all gone) and of course, did the christmas thing.. it was a bit sombre this year without my mum, but we managed to enjoy ourselves.. It was a month to the day on Christmas day since mum had passed away, and we did have a few tears, but also a few laughs about the adventures of mum and the adventures of my dad when I was a kid..
I thought I'd better put some pics up of what I've been working on..

This is the six blocks I have made for the quilt a long from Crazy Mom quilts blog.. she is having a well deserved rest, so I'll have to wait for week 7 'til next week.. I am loving how they are going together, just wish I didn't use so much purple DOH!!!

There are the blocks for Step 2 of the Mystery quilt from quiltville, nine patches with a green corner as the accent.. I have been busy cutting into the holy stash of 30's fabrics and I have been loving it!

These are the step 3 suckers, 80 nine patches with the lights in a different spot.. boy I hope I haven't stuffed these up, cause I dont fancy making them again in a hurry! LOL

These are heart blocks that two of the online groups I am in have been sending me since my mum died.. they mean a huge amount to me, and as each one turns up I am always amazed at the generousity of quilters, not only with their stash, but their time.. I have been a bit lax in the past making hearts, but I have done about 4 this past week, and I hope they are appreciated half as much as they are when they arrive here.. I have asked for 30's ones or homespun, but all are appreciated when they turn up. I plan on making myself and my dad a quilt from them.. Dad is always asking about them, and checks them out when he visits, so I'll make his first.. As you can see, Cosmo likes them too.. he thinks anything you put on the floor is fair game, so if you are laying a quilt out, you have to put him in another room.. ba$tard cat..

Well I think thats about it, didn't mean to write such an epic, but thought I'd share what I have been up to.. and I promise not to be so quiet again...

Lissa

what to get up to on a poxy day....

2007-12-09T00:29:00.003-08:00

Well, being housebound and crook is NOT my idea of fun... so if a girlie cannot go out and spread her poxy germs, well, what is a girl to do?
so I got up to date with my Block of the Week from Crazy Mom Quilts blog.. I am happy with how they turned out, the centre seam matches! woohoo.. Triangles are NOT my favourite thing whilst quilting so for me to be happy first time around is 'happy dance time'.. (imagine a fat blonde tart doing a irish jig and thats about what my happy dance looks like).. I will have to add some more colours to the next block, as it is looking a tad purple.. and I must admit, purple is NOT my favourite colour..

I also signed up for a mystery quilt through Quiltville, and also the quiltville chat group, and here are my 100 rail fence blocks.. I am up to step 2 now, I have cut it out, but not sure what to use for a light.. you are supposed to use a light colour for it, and only 3 colours in total.. but I want this to be super duper scrappy, so I might use a white on white fabric (adding an extra colour) and the accent colour is supposed to be dark, but seeing though 30's are my favourite 99.9% seem to have similar colour value.. so my quilt wont have a 'zinger' in it, but my accent colour will be the green you can see in the 100 rail fence blocks I whipped up this afternoon during nanna naps and lay downs cause I felt woozy..

Now onto step 2, and I'll post a pic of those when they are done, will take me a couple of days to get them done, and also, the Crazy Mom Quilts block of the week will be up by Tuesday (our time in Australia) so that will keep me and my pox germs busy...

Till next time...

Lissa
aka Typhoid Mary

Typhoid Mary

2007-12-07T13:38:00.001-08:00

I am beginning to think I am Typhoid Mary...

to say I have had a stressful fortnight is an understatement...

we have had;

My mum dying overseas, which has created a whole barrel of problems legally (no death certificate has arrived yet, so we cant sort out her estate)

My dad coming home without mum, she was on a later flight..

Dad having his birthday, then ending up in hospital with what we thought was a heart attack (thankfully it wasn't, it was gall attack and anxiety)

The funeral

so I was beginning to get my 'groove' back, after the funeral, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders... and I could now deal with everything that has happened in the past fortnight... but what happens next you ask???

I get bloody SHINGLES! apparently they are brought on by stress??? gee??? Me Stressed????

so now, I am on a mega dose of something to try and alleviate the symptoms.. I have two dance concert rehearsals for missy moo this week, work, my middle childs birthday on wednesday and lordy knows what else is happening this week, and I am going to be STUCK at home...

Of course I haven't started/finished christmas shopping, let alone birthday shopping, so I am going to be super busy next week before kids break up from school..

am I stressed???

you bloody betcha!!!!!

Lissa aka Typhoid Mary
stressing out big time!

Scatterdays.... K ?????

2007-12-07T13:13:00.001-08:00

This weeks scatterdays is brought to you by the Letter K... Dangerous, Blue and My Neighbourhood.. Pictures, aren't necessarily in that order..

Dangerous = Kids annoying Kitty.. Now I put a pic of my kitty, cause someone said how much they hate seeing peoples pets on their blogs, so I try to use a pet each week.. this person KNOWS who they are *W* Our Kitty HATES being held, and definately hates wearing a wig, can you tell by the expression on his face how much he is enjoying wig wearing???? Our Kitty probably thinks the kids are living very DANGEROUSLY because as soon as my son put the kitty down, he attacked son.. you'd think son would learn now wouldn't you???

Blue = now this was a tough one.. then I remembered Kraft Cheese (and I use the term loosely).. now I am not a cheese snob, heck, I am lactose intolerant.. but I did think I should go out of my way and get some King Island Brie which is a definately NONO for someone who is lactose intolerant (could of used this one for dangerous LOL).. alas, the local quickie mart (aka the IGA) doesn't sell King Island Brie, in my town, I think I was lucky to find KRAFT pretend cheese.. so here you go, Kraft Pretend cheese in a blue box.. I had a slice and it tastes exactly how I remember it, digusting! (Kids love it though???)

My Neighbourhood = well its kinda in my neighbourhood, its in the next suburb, but I am claiming it as my neighbourhood, as next suburb has same postcode! The oval is named after KEVIN Evans, who was a local man who did a lot on council and other community stuffs.. he had the oval named after him before he died, he was my friends father in law..

Bring on next weeks challenge!

What is your ELF name??

2007-12-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

Know readers to this blog will now I love these crap things.. did I say crap? I mean these all important things!

Your Elf Name Is...

Flakey Eggnog Breath

What's Your Elf Name?

Whats your elf name???

Lissa

PS My dad is doing OK.. turned out he has had a heart attack, but not on Friday his trip to hospital was for massive gall attack and anxiety attack, thank you everyone for your kind posts, and emails, I really appreciate them.. My mums funeral is tomorrow and I am hoping my dad will be on the mend once tomorrow is over.. thanks again, Lissa...

MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

2007-11-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

This weeks Scatterdays is brought to you by the Letter M.. textures, weapon, hobby are the themes in this weeks 'play'..

This is my faux 'MOTTLED MARBLE' benchtops..

These two photos are of weapons of MASS DESTRUCTION.. My Moggie, who has discovered Christmas tree's.. apparently baubles are too much of a temptation for moggies.. I come home the other day, and there were about 50 christmas decorations on the floor, I know, to look at him, you'd think he was an angel!

The other pic is of my MASTERCARD.. my DH would agree that my MASTERCARD is also a weapon of MASS DESTRUCTION...

The hobby one had me stumped... thinking thinking... then 'aha moment'.. MATERIAL! I definately think acquiring material is a hobby, the amount of time put into purchasing some fabrics, well lets face it, it should be considered an olympic sport..

On a sad note, M is also for mum.. My mum passed away last weekend of a heart attack, in Phuket on holidays.. to say this week has been awful is an understatement... Mum and dad are both home now, and my dad is now in hospital, suffering a mild heart attack...

Thank you to everyone who has emailed me about my mum, I have tried to email everyone personally, but it has been a bit overwhelming this week..

Take care,

Lissa

Shock! Horror! GASP!!!

2007-11-24T18:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, another post, three in two days..

Well I thought I'd join the fun from Crazy Mom Quilts blog (link is on the left) she is doing a 'block of the week'.. so far, so good.. here is a pic of my two blocks.. I know you'll be surprised I am using 1930's fabrics, and I can't beleive I didn't have to actually go hunting through my stash to find fabric, as these were SCRAPS, yes SCRAPS from another project, so even better.. Pictures not perfect, but you get the 'gist' of it I am sure..

We have a new government in Australia.. woohoo.. I wasn't too fussed with the old one (they liked spending too much $$'s on bloody advertising, and dont get me started about education etc).. not sure if the NEW government are going to be much better, a lot of new first timers, so I guess they'll be out to prove something.. it was a bit of a swing against the sitting government, but I guess the electorate was after a new approach, so good luck to the new government..

Plan for the afternoon is to get some more sewing done, finish the washing (we have had rain for 5 days) and get the ironing done the same day it comes off the line, which nowadays is a minor miracle..

Wish me luck, cause I am sure gonna need it..

Lissa

What's been happening at Chez Lissa???

2007-11-23T15:24:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm
two posts in ONE day? well I thought (after a gentle prod of an email) I'd let you all know what I have been up to this past month (apart from being sick that is)...

Well I have been busy with Sequins and Dance Costumes.. just finished doing a boob tube for the tap dancing tart, and I think the only boob is ME for spending nearly 8 hours sewing on sequins to cover a segment of boob tube.. I keep telling myself, it'll look good on concert night..

I have been busy spending $'s on fabric and the like.. a shop near here, is closing due to illness, and she was having a sale..
I bought myself....
I cannot beleive I bought this book.. LOL.. I mean, I have trouble finishing easy peasy quilts, let alone an epic like Dear Jane.. but I got it for $22, so it was a bargain, how could I leave that in the shop for that price?? I had bought this book early in my quilting life but sold it on ebay (with all the bloody templates/rules too) cause I thought it was too hard.. if, and its a big IF I make this quilt, I'll do it in 30's fabrics (I know shock horror gasp)... the civil war repro's were ones I didn't have, and the purple fabric, well my friend that was with me, said 'you dont like purple'.. but I liked this one, so home it came with me.. I also found some soluable thread I had been looking for and some more basting pins (roflmao who bastes?? the quilter does this but thought I might need some more for something..

and yes possums, I did win a fabric pack from Leanne Beasleys blog site (I am surprised, well not so much surprised, but how many peopled emailed me to see if was me.. I guess Lissa isn't a super common name for a common person such as my self) .. she had advertised the giveaway as a scrap bag... boy was I surprised when it turned up, there are huge pieces of fabric in there, and I love every single one, and I bought the purple fabric as mentioned earlier, to go with these fabrics and it does..

The ruffled fabric that is under all this fabric was one I found at Hobbysew, oops, I mean Patchwork & Coffee on Main.. Hobbysew @ Glendale is no more, they have moved to Boolaroo and have changed names and just about doubled the size of their store.. if you ever get to Newcastle, you have to check out this new store, its the biggest patchwork store I have ever been in.. would rival Craft Depot in Sydney in size and stock.. its HUMUNGOUS!

I have been still working on the Bendigonia Behemouth Quilt, and slowly getting there with the 'what was I thinking grandmothers flower garden quilt'.. I did sort of plan to have both finished by christmas, but hey, I didn't say WHICH christmas now did I???

well off to do some housework... and wrestle with curtains (I am making them to save money.. have worked out, saving money does not equal saving sanity)..

Lissa

Yep I am back in the game...

2007-11-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

I know I know, I been slack.. been sick, been down, you know.. all that LIFE stuff kinda got in the way, but I am back in the saddle and thought, gee, a post on my blog might be a good idea, and a good idea to let people know I haven't fallen off the perch (although with the cold then the gastro tummy thing I had, I thought I was a goner for a wee while)..

anyways, back to Scatterdays... Yes Michelle, dont faint... I am here, and I am playing again!! so you can put yourself back on your chair...

This weeks was T... something HOT, something purple and clothing... sheesh.. talk about difficult... I suddenly remembered the TACO's we had through the week and thought 'bugger, why didn't I photograph them?'.. could be cause I just looked up this weeks theme, um last night! LOL

Anyways, here goes...

Well for hot, it was a no brainer (other than the Tabasco laden tomato/meat taco's we had the other night for tea) a cup of TEA and TOAST... now I dont normally have 3 pieces of toast for breakfast, ok, I do, but after you feed two bits to the dog, and a few bits to the cat (he loves toast, weird cat, prefers raspberry jam to vegemite) there aint much left...

clothing, well I thought about putting a pic of ME in trousers and a top, but hey, you know the sky is falling if you see me in trousers, I have ONE pair of tracky dacks and thats about it.. so I have a pic of the scruffy ballerina in her TUTU.. this is the day I picked it up after I won it (DH has a probably with WINNING stuffs on ebay, can't work out how you 'won' something when you have to part with hard earned cash) on EBAY! my favourite supermarket!!! LOL

purple stumped me, thought about those Tipouchina? plants you see all the time, but of course, not one in my garden, and I am not venturing out too far in my PJ's to find them, probably wrong time of the year for Tipouchina's anyways.. so I found a pic of the TAP dancing TART in her purple bollywood costume.. hmm she'll kill me if she see's this pic, cause she looks like she is catching flies..

Now possums, you may think, that the tap dancing tart and the scruffy ballerina are the same people.. *W* well they are, but Miss Lara answers to both names!!!

till next time... (if I am still in the land of the living)

Lissapoo

Perilous Plot of Professor Poopy Pants?

2007-10-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

Shame I couldn't use that in todays Scatterdays challenge! The Perilous Plot of Professor Poopy Pants is a title of a book in the Captain Underpants series my 11 year old (aka Morgy monster) loves..
But here is todays challenge..

Well contrary to me thinking I could get the mosaic thingy to work, i can't, I am having a blonde Monday (yes I know its NOT monday, but thats what a blonde monday is).. I dont have the patience to fiddle with it today, but I am sure I'll work it out one day when I am not soo busy..

This weeks challenge was P; something RED, sweet things and metal.. hmmm
and yes, I know its not Saturday YET here in Australia, but I am pretending I am NZ where it is Saturday already! :O) Saturday mornings are like hell on earth, this weekend have a bazillion things to do (as per) so I thought I'd get this sorted before I crashed for the night!!!

so here goes!!!

something RED : hmmm this one stumped me... was sitting sewing and trying to think of something RED that started with P... hmmmmm imagine me sitting here with a pincushion on the arm chair of the lounge, thinking about this.. then, an epiphany hit me! I'll find a red POSTAGE stamp.. pincushion FELL off chair, and I had one of those slapped forehead moments.. PINCUSHION.. its RED and its HUMUNGOUS, and its even got REDWORK ON IT!!! doh double doh! It is a Christine Book Pattern and it is well loved, bit dusty tho.. *W*

something sweet... *sigh*.. this one was a real tragedy... I had to go and BUY some P things.. I mean, I could of visited the fruit shop and got a pic of a pineapple, but hey, I'd rather be BAD (again, ok, STILL).. so I just had to go and get me some naughtiness from the supermarket....POLKADOTS, PYTHONS, PICNIC & POLLYWAFFLE.. funny, I remember polkadots being called Freckles when I was a kid??
I also thought this is an opportune time to put a pic of the pets! they are sweet... and I just know how much some of you love seeing pics of peoples pets on patchwork! so here they are ~~bastard~~ sweet Precious Pampered Puss Puss aka Cosmo, and our Pampered Pain in the pattootie POOCH, Bailey the wonderdog.. now Bailey isn't allowed in my house, so I was a little p(*&)#_ off with the darlings when I come home to see her procrastinating on patchwork.. she is partial to posing and posturing on patchwork..

something METAL: well this was a no brainer, PINS.. I did have some pop rivets hanging about, but Super Dags forgot where he put them so made do with pins..

OK, not sure what the ladies will come up with for next week, but one things for sure, I know it wont be P or F! and hopefully it'll involve chocolate, again..

Lissa

Windy Wednesday

2007-10-16T17:27:00.000-07:00

On my patch of the planet it is always WINDY.. can visit my mum in the next suburb and yep, no wind! Today is Windy and cool, as apposed to yesterdays 33C temp.. I hate summer, but more and more here in Australia I am beginning to hate spring too.. bring back autumn I say..

Well today I usually work, but I am so up to date, my boss let me have the day off.. hmm that'll learn me for being efficient!

So I thought I have put the humungous what was I thinking project on the bed for awhile so I'll see how I am going.. what do you think?? I was thinking "Yipeeeeeee!! nearly done.. second pic shows how much I have to go... (please ignore artistically arranged pillows on the floor)

I am pretty happy with how its turning out, and I don't have that much to go (probably 50 flowers TOPS).. of course I have to work out what I am doing for the top border... half flowers maybe, not sure, but hey, I am not thinking that far in advance...

I never plan my quilts.. and believe me, it shows! LOL I am a 'just see what happens' type of person, so this quilt has been a problem from the start.. I didn't want to repeat fabrics in the top, they are all 1930's and maybe a couple of ring ins that worked but my aim was to only use 30's fabrics.. and I guesstimated I'd need about 400.. well it turns out I didn't need that many.. *sigh* but hey, I have never met a 1930's fabric I didn't like! :O)

Of course, if you have met one you didn't like, I am always happy to adopt! LOL

till next time

Lissa

Lazy Ol' Sunday

2007-10-14T03:04:00.001-07:00

What else to do on a Sunday other than chain oneself to thy sewing machine and make busy!

I dragged out some scrap blocks I have been working on.. Just auditioning some fabric to put as the alternating blocks.. not sure, toile is a personal favourite of mine, but I might need something more pink?? I dunno.. Jury is still out on that one.. I didn't cut a fabric to make this, even the sashing around the scrap blocks come out of the scrap tub..

I also added some more blocks to the signature quilt, affectionately known as the Bendigo Behemouth.. Now readers to this blog, may remember that ol' Lissa can't add up.. I had cut all the signature charms and if I had continued on the quilt in this vain, it would of ended up 158" square and thats without borders or sashing! Unfortunately for me, our local quilt shop can't even quilt a quilt that huge and there is no way I'd attempt that on the ol' Janome.. I think it would die of fright!
but here is an updated pic, I have a few more to add to make the centre finished, and start stitching the blocks together.. It'll end up about 78" square, which is a decent size (even though I'll have a LOT of fabric leftover, I dont think the Signature Quilt Police will arrest me for this one...

I thought I'd also share of my fabric win! I never win anything EVER.. so to win a quilt KIT was almost like winning the lottery! and the best part was I got to PICK the quilt I wanted to win.. I designed it, and won it from my design! all up there are 9.5 yards of my favourite Blackbird Designs fabric.. dont you just love Moda Fabric?? I am beginning to think I am a moda fabric addict..

OK just between you and me, My name is Lissa, and I am a fabric addict!

til' next time...

Yours in stitches

Lissa

F is for FAR OUT I am STUPID

2007-10-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

well a little late, forgot MissyMoo had a tap private lesson this morning and groceries had to be got!
So here goes, my first attempt at this Scatterdaisies lark..
Items were : something f, a sign, and the elements... and maybe by next week, I'll learn how to do the tile mosaic thingo! Any clues? and my darn batteries in my camera are going flat, so the pics are a bit dark, but hey, I got it done!!!

This is a sign that I need to spend less time on the net and more time FOLDING clothes!!!

frozen food.. well that one was a bit obvious, but its frozen food and other fings! :O) (darn flash on camera)

this is an element of patchwork... FABRIC.. I did plan on using this pic as a the sign one, as it is a sign of FABRIC FRENZIED SHOPPING SPREES.. its also a sign I need to spend less time on the net and more time sewing! dont they look lovely stacked up in their colourways??? LOL

Haven't read what next weeks challenge is, but I'll be sure to put new batteries in the camera AND be more organised!

Lissa

Quilty Update!

2007-10-10T16:20:00.001-07:00

well possums I have been a busy beaver and finished the centre for the 'nonbabynowlissa' quilt.. I am just going to add a very simple float around the centre, probably using White on White fabric, and a simple final border of rectangles.. simple is my middle name I am sure of it! LOL I had all this fabric in my stash, fancy that?? I used all novelties from my 1930's stash and a couple of ring in florals for the corner stones.. the quilt police if they visited would arrest me for 'crimes against quilting' but I dont give a rats.. I'll spend some time working on it today and hopefully get the top completely finished!

Also you may of remembered me mentioning in a previous post a 'score' I got on ebay.. Dags (aka DH) can't understand 'winning' stuff on ebay when you gotta BUY it, but he is odd (he married me without a gun to his head, so this confirms my thought that he is mad)...

Here is a pic of the scruffy ballerina in her new tutu.. I thought it was a bit droopy at the front so I had a visit with the seamstress up the road who has made tutu's and we both agreed the lycra was too heavy for the tutu skirt (it is afterall only being held up by tulle).. so off it came, it sits heaps better, will fiddle with the lycra and lace I unpicked, make it smaller and restitch it on.. oh BTW scruffy ballerina does have TWO legs, in this pic she looks like she has one! weird, reminds me of a doll I seen on Lucy Lockets blog! LOL

Well off to start the day, super dags is home through the day, and he is doing the washing.. he'll have a whine about that later, so I'd better get busy doing something other than 'faffing about on the net' (his words)..

Oh almost forgot, the quilt kit I WON arrived yesterday, haven't had a chance to take a pic but when I do I'll post a pic, I am ONE HAPPY CAMPER.. I won 9.5 yards of fabric.. how freakin' cool is that???

Dags thinks its kind of ironic.. I am making quilts to cull the stash, and then I win some to top up the stash! LOL Kinda like two steps foreward and one step back.. but its free fabric and I am happy to adopt it! LOL

take care possums..

Lissa

I just can't say NO..

2007-10-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

Went to Sydney on Saturday for my SCQuilters lunch thing I try to go to when
1. Dags is off work or between shifts
2. MissyMoo isn't at an eisteddfod
3. Boys are happy
4. Planets are in alignment.

Well this past Saturday all of the above worked out, so I drove 110kms to go for lunch! Manged to pick up something I'd won on ebay (Dags doesn't think you have 'won' something when you have paid for it) so I should say I BOUGHT something on ebay.. a tutu for Missy Moo.. and it was a bargain.. too much material on the flat part of the tutu so a friend is going to adjust that, as Lissa does NOT sew LYCRA *shuddering*.. anyways, as usual, I digress!

one of the Scquilters there, lets call her, um Sargeant Major.. wondered why I didn't join her 'Scatterday Saturday'.. the idea is, each week a letter is drawn from a list AND then three things.. by the following saturday you MUST take a picture of the three things and post it to your blog.. now another SCQuilter had asked me to join in the fun when it first started, but readers to this blog will know I am super economical with my time (aka Lazy).. well anyways the short version is, I joined in the fun..

This week the challenge is the letter F - Cold things, Sign, The elements..

Now I am pretty sure one can be VERY liberal with these meanings, as you give a description to go with your pic.. The only downside is you gotta do this on SATURDAY, not Friday, or SUNDAY, you have to put the pics up on the blog on SATURDAY.. I dont think the 'Scatterday Police' will come and arrest me if I do this at 11.59 on a Friday night! LOL

have had a stitching frenzy this weekend.. dragged out the hexagons and managed to get about 60 more sewn into the quilt.. I have actually a STRAIGHT side now.. cool.. I feel like I am accomplishing with it now.. have about 30 flowers to add, so that'll keep me off the streets for a wee while longer... as well as taking pics for the Scatterday Saturday..

I have been also busy making blocks for the baby quilt.. the baby isn't getting it, I have since found out bubs already has a quilt, and I wont finish it in time either so I'll just keep adding scraps to it when I can.. the top is about 60% done now, will post a pic later!

take care

Lissa

More Crap, I mean, COOL STUFF FROM THE NET

2007-10-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

you know, when they invented the internet, I bet they (whoever those nerds were) thought this will be cool to play dungeons and dragons on, muhahahaha..

BUT did they think you could get a virtual fortune cooking?? I truly rooly love this kinda of stuff.. makes me smile.. I still am loving my peculiar aristocratic title (see August blogs) and the best thing with the title, if you dont like it, hey you can change it!

I just found this also at the same site

My Fortune Cookie told me:
People are beginning to notice you. Try dressing before you leave the house.
Get a cookie from Miss Fortune

How cool is this???

Well I am off to attack the Mt Everest of washing that needs folding.. if you dont hear from me for a couple of days, send a sherpa to find me!

Lissa

Stash Quilt

2007-10-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

well it has been a long time between drinks, I mean blog postings!

What has the ol' Lissa been up to? well I got invited to a baby shower in a couple of weeks time, and I thought 'oh my what to buy???' and had an epiphany.. I'll make a quilt! of course this could involve some shopping, but I was smart for a change and thought I'd make a quilt 'OUT OF FABRIC I ALREADY HAVE'.. a miracle of miracles! I dont know why I didn't think of this the other 1000 times I been shopping for fabric, USE THE STASH!!! I decided as it is a baby quilt, to use some of the 1930's stash, the novelties rather than the florals.. now this baby is a BOY apparently.. I am not 100% convinced but nevertheless I'll make a boyish quilt, if Oscar (he has been named already) turns into an Oscaretta, well I'll have to make another quilt! LOL

I have other colour blocks to make, purples, orange and some green... I plan on adding some white on white sashing around each block and the quilt should be around 100x100cm, but knowing me, and my maths well anything is possible!

I have also been busy doing some of the redwork for my QAYG quilt I have been fiddling with this past week.. I have been so time poor of late, I haven't been able to do even half as much as I'd like to! But I plan on getting serious with the sewing this month!

I have been busy putting more things on ebay, it is kinda liberating clearing out things I know I'll never use again, and hopefully my 'eye candy' will go to a new home and be loved as much as I loved it when I bought it! so many quilt patterns, I just know I'd never get the time to make, so out they go!

Well I hope everyone has a safe weekend and gets some sewing done, I know I will (try)..

Lissa

How Cool is this???

2007-09-25T02:41:00.000-07:00

I love crap like this.. I mean, what else do I search the net for?? and doing stuffs like this keeps me away from ebay.. I been a bad girl at ebay lately.. lucky I sold so much stuff there recently.. have a new heap of stuff to add to it, so if you like patterns and the like, I'll be adding some this next week.. If you'd like to add this to your block, go to http://metaatem.net/words/

I am so pooped at the moment, have no energy.. think I been burning the candles at both ends.. Dags, in his wisdom, decided to move the spare TV.. now I wasn't overly worried when he did it, but he has moved it away from the sewing room (he calls it a sun room, I call it the sewing room).. now this usually wouldn't cause grief, but I just realised I can't sew and listen to the TV tonight.. and "The Bill" is on too.. bugger bugger and double bugger... oh well, will drag out some hand sewing and get busy!

toodleloo

Lissa

Yep! I am a flasher!!

2007-09-24T02:20:00.000-07:00

Some cheeky person, egged me on and asked me to 'flash my stash'.. so I decided to get some more (not all of it mind you) of my 30's stash out and take a pic.. you know when I was piling them up, I felt just a tad bit guilty, cause I didn't remember buying some of these fabrics ONCE, let alone twice and in some cases three times! uh oh! Pretty impressive eh? and thats probably half of it... double uh oh..

what have I been up to? well working bloody double than I usually do.. I think work is overrated, truly is.. been busy at the ol' timber yard where I work, and the girly who is usually full time is on holidays.. now I never thought I'd say this but I MISS HER.. HURRY BACK! the boys have not been behaving themselves and have done every conceivable mistake you can possibly do with the tills, so to say its been interesting is an understatement!

What else have I been doing.... well I decided to make my new fangled phone a wee little baggie to sit in my handbag.. it has one of those ginormous screens so you can actually read the thing.. its got a navigation system in it which I love.. so muggins here thought I'll make it a little purse with some templastic in the front so the screen doesn't get dinged in the bag.... well something went wrong.. and the bag ended up as... a needlebook!!!!still have the felt to add, but I love using every scrap of fabric up.. I mean who knows, I might actually run out of the stuff (aka fabric) one day!!! LMAO

I also managed to finish 'the' waltz costume and corsage.. was going to make a headband for it, but went to my favourite supermarket (ebay) and found one on there for $5.. bargain, and princess missy moo has always wanted to wear a bit of bling so she is a happy camper! Please ignore the mess, was in a mending / ironing frenzy at the time and hadn't packed up the pants on the floor.. they are clean I promise!

Also dragged out one of the BOM's I am working on last night, figured if I hadn't been so lazy I might of actually finished it by now.. doh! I enjoy doing redwork immensely but the eyesight at night is failing fast.. need new goggles methinks.. I did manage to finish the following amount of hexagons and flowers while we have been away dancing (OK I am an expert at watching, Missy Moo is the dancer) I didn't think I had done many till I laid them out and was happy I had been busy! I hate just sitting, gotta do something with my hands..

well thats more than enough from me! thanks for stopping by!!!

Lissa