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Remembering Melinda

Life is difficult. On the 15th of July 2006 Melinda died suddenly, she was only 35. Our lives were instantly changed. Jeff's world was shattered, he was left devastated and feeling destroyed. Slowly we have come to terms with our loss. Jeff can smile but the tears are still close at any time. Melinda had such a big impact on our lives that she will never be forgotten. We celebrated her life on Saturday afternoon at the Garden of Rest in Maryborough. Her ashes are now in the Wall of Memories. Words were said, music was played and more tears were shed. We drank champagne and toasted Melinda.

Melinda was a good friend, loyal and true ~ she loved Jeff and her family and friends. She had so many plans, and dreams and so sadly didn't get to fulfill many of them. She and Jeff never married, she never had the babies she so excitedly talked about and wanted. She was so excited about life, working out hard with her personal trainer and enjoying her job and life. She was happy where she was going. We will miss Melinda in so many ways ~ the huge smile always on her face. Melinda could organise a party like no one else, she loved to give, her gifts and presentation made them very special. Her cards and beautiful handwriting live on as keepsakes. Words don't describe the surreal disbelief that she isn't still here and part of our lives. We have all been touched by Melinda, good and bad ~ she could spin a story that wasn't real but would have you believing it !

We partied on Saturday night at the Federal Hotel, drinking her favourite cocktails ~ some of them not quite the right recipe, but we drank them anyway, we didn't send them back like she would have and we laughed about it. Melinda was one of a kind and we were all blessed to have been her friend. We miss you Melinda! My prayer is that through God's grace and love I will see you again one day.

Its Raining.....

No its pouring ~ again !!!



Did you need proof ??

I think we're about extremes here in Brisbane, its either water restrictions and you just about aren't allowed to clean you teeth using water ~ or we're UNDER water, as per present conditions.

Not quite cyclonic like Nov 16 thankfully. This was the same photo that fateful day.



This is another ~ our church is the grey building hiding behind the trees



This is what the roads of The Gap looked like for days/weeks after



Hopefully we won't have to go thru something like that again. Some of my friends are still not able to live in their homes. Ours isn't repaired yet, but at least we can live in it.

Sunday Stash on Monday ~ #1

I have just joined Sunday Stash. I love fabric, I always have. I am fast turning into a quilter with a problem. I'm addicted but its ok, coz I admit it. I have also found out theres a name for me ~ I'm a fussy cutter. Well most of the time. I have surprised myself too with stepping way outside my usual comfort zone of shabby pink roses and venturing into other colours and combinations. I hope that one day my quilting will look like a quilt is meant to, with matching corners and I will learn how to stipple quilt ~ I just LOVE it....This is my first stash photo, its going to take me a month of Sundays (or is that really a year) to get thru my stash.



I'm loving the chocolate brown and the greens/blues in the paisley. I need to add to this before I can start cutting it up.

I think thats it for my first post. Suggestions, ideas and comments very welcome !

Two Days...

Have you ever decided to do something and then realised you've opened a can of worms, and the worms won't go back in ?? Or the popcorn is popping and its overflowing out of the pot and the lid is lifted and no amount of holding it on will help keep it in.

Oh boy.

I decided my sewing area needed a makeover. What a crazy idea that was.

Two days later, I am still tidying it up, moving things, finding things and cleaning things.

My overlocker will probably cease now its not covered in dust.

My desk is actually a bankers green vinyl and I can see it now.

I even found my long lost Gingher scissors !

I've also found that by having this space in order, has led to me having a cleaner more ordered kitchen !

Scary ~ and its only been two days !

I am looking forward to finishing, so I can make it a mess again. I'm sure that won't take two days or more to achieve ;)

Thanks for Friends

Many thanks to Holly for my new blog banner !!! Isn't it lovely ! One day soon mine will look as pretty as everyone elses LOL.....

On my travels today the latest addition to our house came across my path.....I need to find a name for her ! Suggestions welcome.

She is patiently awaiting Easter now and looks happy I adopted her. She really didn't belong among the pile of junk at the op shop where I found her.



Lucky shes not chocolate and I don't have to eat her !

Forever Faded...

Here is my faded quilt cover, I didn't realise cotton would fade merely "sitting" in a room with no sunlight hitting it......I know better now :(



Onward and upward.....

They say "don't judge a book by its cover" ~ here is why :



Now that looks tidy and under control (doesn't it.......?)



Well....maybe not !!

Its only 3 months since Christmas, and definately time to put Santa away!



or maybe not.......



We made it to the supermarket. Gotta love the way a trip to buy a mop turns into $106!!! Its one expensive mop! Anyway, get it home and I had two kids fighting over who was going to use it first. I find it rather incredible that my youngest two fight over who is going to do it because it would BE a fight to get my eldest two to use it. I don't know when life was simple, but it sure isn't atm.

Guilted into cleaning....

I have decided I need a cleaner. Why would anyone want to clean when you can sew? Beyond me ~ but the dust and dirt hit me between the eyes this morning at 8.15 am and I decided I HAD to clean. Only trouble was, I still had to get one child off to school which meant, pack a lunch box, do her hair (for school photo), make sure she remembered to pack her swimming, get myself and 4 year old son also ready for playgroup, while in the middle of "having" to clean, so if you can imagine it, there were all sorts of things going on, including emptying the dishwasher, so I could fill it with all my china (breaking ALL the rules), and wiping hutches and deciding on what would go where and what I could be ruthless with and get rid of......Oh boy. You certainly didn't want to see the mess I made. I'm almost able to see some results, but this is going to take more than one messed up day to fullfil my vision. I might even have to drop into Coles after dropping my eldest at soccer and buy a new mop. The tiles will probably craze like one of my china plates did after being subjected to the dishwasher ! Oops!

I have lots I have decided I want to blog about. I was going to be a quilt blogger, but now I have been blogging around and found more to blog about. I want to know what to do with all the things I want to have, and have, but have no where to put. I will take photos later, and hope that someone might look at my blob (intentional typo) and tell me what to do with them.

Oh and my sad cry for the moment, in amongst all this cleaning frenzy was discovering that even though my dining area gets NO direct sun, the Queensland ~ Beautiful One Day, Perfect the Next Sun/Light....whatever it is has faded my Charlie Brown Pimlico Princess Doona cover, that was folded on top of two of my very favourite chenille bedspreads.......It is faded soooooo badly that it has even faded the back of the quilt cover!! I will take and load photos later. Right now I have to get 3 kids in the car and head for soccer and the supermarket. Yes, 6.30pm I must be insane.

Monday Monday

Yes its Monday again, we had a very threatening and dark, gloomy storm come over late this afternoon. Its no fun on our frazzled emotions I might add. There were 4 families in our street outside looking at the impending clouds. It rained and was windy, and a little thunder and lightning but for us, that was all. Phew. My four year old told me when he was going to bed that he was scared of big storms. A sentiment I think most of us can share. I wonder when we will look at those clouds and not have silent panic attacks and be fearful.

Maybe tomorrow.

Scrap Quilt......

Yayyyyy, I have finished my first "proper" quilt....this one is a scrap quilt in that I have used pieces I already had for the blocks, I only bought fabric for the backing and sashes, and wadding, so I don't know if it really is a "scrap" quilt. The pattern/instructions came from crazymomquilts ~ flea market fancy quilt. It was my first attempt at a real quilt, and apart from one "crazy" moment and two rows not lining up, I'm really happy with how it has turned out. I didn't get the courage to stipple quilt it, I REALLY want to, but I can't/haven't got the hang of it yet.....I just ditch stitched around each square including the inside square. I made the binding from bits all joined together.

My next challenge will be a coin quilt of some description.





I haven't figured out how to take a decent photo yet.....that too will have to come !

Thank you crazymomquilts ~ you're great inspiration !!

Ava Rose Quilt

I set myself a challenge of "being productive" this week. Its so easy to be stuck in "mummy" mode and only doing the housework and the running around after kids routine ~ and I know how important allllll that is, its just a little depressing at the end of a week when you haven't challenged yourself or produced anything and theres a new pile of washing to put away and another floor to vacuum. Its nice to be able to post a photo and say "look what I made" amongst all the washing, car drop offs/pick ups etc.



This quilt is made from Ava Rose by Tanya Whelan, there are two pieces of fabric in the quilt that don't belong to the range, but I needed to pad it out a little and am really happy with how they fitted in.

Thanks for Crazy Mom Quilts, I am now planning my next quilt ~ after I've made a couple more wonky (extra wonky) stars.

I really want to gather the courage and try stippling but I don't think I'm good enough just yet....

Heres my first ever attempt at a star (or a "pieced" piece of quilting.....so please be nice). I bought myself a 1/4 inch seam foot and a darning foot today. I'm excited about learning to quilt (properly).




Practise might help....my apologies to the Bushfire Project ladies for practising on them !

Bushfire Quilt Project

I have started my first star to send to join the many other stars that will be made into fabulous quilts thanks to the wonderful girls who have initiated this project.

I am a little intimidated by the expertise shown in the blocks that have already been received, but my heart says it doesn't have to be perfect ! Hmmmmm.....

If I get brave I might add a photo.......

I am sure the recipients will be touched to have a special quilt with many fingerprints from across the world all coming together to share their heartfelt sorrow experienced in this tragedy and offer love, prayers and hope for their futures as they rebuild their lives.

One stitch at a time.

If I can add to someones quilt I will be very happy.

Lynette

Happy Day turned Sad

We were having a great day, got up early (ok, not early) but we left home early, went to the park and did a 200m bush walk about 3-4 times, then played in the playground until we were hot and tired and ready to leave. We stopped and got groceries on the way home so the cupboards stocked, everyone fed, I set about catching up on a bit of sewing. That was going well until Finn decided to help and he cut his finger ~ so a quick trip to the doctor and some glue and hes ok again.....just a couple of puddles of blood remain on the floor still. Then the phone rings and its a friend who had organised a picnic with us on Friday, cancelling as her cousin's daughter's baby died during birth and she is now going to a funeral Friday instead of a picnic.

I wish I could think of something to say.

Watch this space, and be patient as I have no idea what I am doing ~ yet !!!