If you want to know how to waste 2 hours on a Saturday morning just look below.



The annual ritual of putting up the Christmas tree always seems to involve the lights that were taken down last year and put away oh so carefully somehow becoming a tangled mess. One of lifes mysteries - up there with lost socks, keys and faxes!!

Anyway this job of putting the lights on the Christmas tree always falls to the male of the house (and the putting away of them - may account for the tangles!!!!) and after much sweat, a few expletives during a 2 hour period and getting into an even bigger mess - which now lives in the garbage bin - we are now the proud owners of 150coloured flashing lights.

Stay tuned for next year's Christmas tree light report!!!!!

Santa came early to my house as you can see by the photo below.



I just mentioned to dh a couple of weeks ago that my current sewing machine is not performing as well as it should be and I will just start having a "look see" what is around. I do not need to buy one just yet but will have a look to see what is available and how much they are.

Whilst driving between A and B we happened to pass the local sewing centre and I asked dh to stop the car while I just had a quick look. It must have been my lucky day as Janome were having a Christmas special apparently usually $1,200 down to $599 complete with sewing table, walking and 1/4" foot and $20 cashback.

Well want could I do but order one. The whole process took 10 minutes from walking in the door, having a demo and departing with my deposit.

Well I have had a steep learning curve over the last week. Everything is completely different from my old Elna but I love it even though I am still reaching around the back to lift the lever and going to the side to reverse. Old habits die hard!!

Must go and have a play with my new toy.

I am not long home from a lovely day meeting up with two ladies from the Craft forum of which I have been a member of for the last few years.

Ronnie has been travelling around in her caravan with her "girls" - two lovely poodles. She left Victoria several months ago and hopes to be back home just before Christmas and has been calling in to catch up with as many of the forum members as her travels have permitted and today was one the days she was in Sydney.

Jo the other member of the forum kindly offered Ronnie a bed at her house for the last two nights and we all meet up in the City today.

As you can see by the photo below we found our way into the Botanical gardens for morning tea.



On our way back to the Rocks we wandered through the Gardens via Government House where a kind person offered to take a photo of the 3 of us together. Little did he know that he would have 3 cameras thrust at him! Poor man he did not complain.



Jo on the left, me in the middle and Ronnie on the right.

Ronnie leaves Sydney tomorrow on her way South to meet up Gail and hopefully other members of the forum.

Safe travelling Ronnie and enjoy the rest of your journey.

I found my way to the Spotty sale last week and feel in love with the fabrics above. I especially love the can can dancers but then again the domestic goddess print is cute as well. They were all marked down and with 20% off on top of that what could a girl do - make a choice - I do not think so!!!

I was told there is another co-ordinating fabric that goes with the can can dancers so I will keep a look out for it.

I also grabbed machine needles, threads and a new blade for my rotary cutter and having a gift voucher to spend I was in 7th heaven even though it took 50 minutes to be served!

I finished off the "sea theme" quilt today and quite pleased with the result. I hope the quilt police do not look too closely at it as I machined the binding down instead of hand sewing. Naughty naughty!!!



Next project to finish off is my Christmas placemats. So far I have 6 blocks finished and I am aiming to have them quilted and bound by the middle of next month. I need a total of 9 altogether - I should have them all finished by Christmas. I also have a cushion cover to make but I will use the fabric as the feature so that will go together quickly.

There I was getting ready for work on Friday morning and happened to look out the bedroom window and the two below were happily making their way around the back of the house. I saw them wandering around the park the day before however they obviously needed to explore further afield. After a couple of pecks in the garden they about turned and marched off again. They must reside in the wetlands across the road.




Yesterday was back to winter again, cold wet and miserable so what better than to catch up on the September BOM which I had fallen behind with. I had run out of the green fabric that I was using but found a similar fabric which is a close match.



Now onto the October BOM. I will need to do a little adjusting on this one as I am using 3 colours as my theme.

I have been at it again - making another bag. A friend saw my tote bag and asked if I could make one for her with the "specs" of blue and green and pretty fabric. Here is the end result. She loved it and I was pleased - so we were both happy.



I just love this mug that I was given as part of my birthday present from DS and DIL. Most appropriate as I sit and knit squares for Wrap with Love and sip my coffee. It even works well when I am sewing and sipping!

DH and I have just returned from a weekend away at Blackheath with 15 others. We all knew each other over 30 years ago and for some over 40 years ago. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the weather - well what can I say - it was typical winter weather. Funny thing this weekend was chosen as we thought the weather would be "spring like". Anyway what can you do and really it did not stop us doing a great deal. Everyone had waterproof coats and brollies. So off we set. A couple of the photos below show just how foggy it was.

I hope this cable knows where it is going!!!




Getting closer to the valley floor.




At the other end of that cable is a boardwalk which passes by the old Katoomba coal mine. Real rainforest vegetation and the rain to go with it. However vision was good at this level.



This lovely old tree was in the grounds of the resort where we stayed and the second photo is taken from the dining room of the birdlife being fed at breakfast time.





One of the guys insisted that we go and see the view from his favourite lookout



By this time the wind was whipping the rain up and blowing it everywhere however it did not stop him and his partner from undertaking one of the mountain walks around the cliff edge with a duration of approx 1 hour. They may never been seen again!!

The rest of us piled into our cars and headed off to Leura for some retail therapy and a meal to finish off the day with.