Look to the right.......

 

And then to the left

Would you believe that I was standing in the middle of the same road in the botanical gardens of Sydney.   Spring is such a lovely time of year in Sydney.....everything is coming out in flower with warmer weather, brighter mornings and nights.   A walk through the gardens is always a pleasant experience.

After all that  walking it is nice to be able to sit down and enjoy a coffee and cake before setting off on the rest of the journey.  

Which was to climb these stairs back up to street level

And then make my way  up to see the annual flower display at David Jones.

My latest read is. 

 

However I am finding this book a bit confusing as there are quite a lot of characters with multiple relationships.  

I did manage to tick another item off the to do list during the week.

I have a knitting friend who needs a gift so with that in mind a rummage through my stash revealed these fabrics that I will turn into a lined drawstring bag with a boxed bottom which can be used to put her knitting in when going on a cruise at the end of the month.   

I could say that I am very clever and knitted this beanie using fair isle stitch

 

But the truth is that the ball of yarn next to it is called "magic stripes" and it is certainly is magic.    It does not matter what pattern you knit it always comes out with the stripes in place.   Very clever.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

September OMG and FNwF

First up I did achieve my August OMG which was to finish off the second batch of 50 library bags and compile my "to do list" for the Christmas market.  

My OMG for September is to get at least 3 more items on the list ticked off.

So with that in mind during the week interfacing, metal tape and fabrics were gathered together to make a start on the next item on my to do list.    Over the course of a few days and with the opportunity to make an early start today for FNwF  all 6 of them are now finished off and ready to go into my Christmas market stall box.

While hubs and I were sitting outside enjoying the sunshine and having our lunch we had a visitor.

By this time it was getting a bit too close and up personal for my liking so I grabbed the phone and started to head inside but fortunately it kept going in the opposite direction and ended up dropping over the edge of the balcony and into the garden below.  

This month's book club book is 

Some of the members of the club have already read the book but look forward to re-reading it again.  I am not really an historial book fan so it maybe a bit of a struggle for me....time will tell.  

Time to change my mini quilts that sit on my sewing table from birthday celebrations

To Spring now that it is the 1st of September.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

100 party for CWA Manly Branch

Myself and two other friends took ourselves off to Manly to see an amazing exhibition of aprons, tea cosies and edible cakes all of which were for sale to raise money for the CWA.

There were 100 cakes - each representing a significant event that occurred in every year since 1923 to up 2022.    Some very talented cake makers and ideas to represent those events.   The photos are in chronological order starting with 1923 when the Manly Branch was established.  

Next we have 100 aprons and 100 tea cosies.  A selection of them is below.

I felt very chuffed as the blue tea cosy that I donated was sold very quickly.   A photo of it is below.  

The way the items - especially the cakes and tea cosies - were selling the Branch would have certainly raised a lot of money for such a worthwhile cause.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Sleepless in Sydney.......

We were notified by the local Council that re-surfacing of the road outside our property would be taking place from 20th August to 31st August  between the hours of 7 pm to 5 am.     This photo was taken at 11 pm and as you can see the lights are very bright and the large machinery that is operating is very noisy.   The lights have been going out at 4 am.    Not conducive to getting a decent night's sleep.  

                                       

In my zombie like state during the day I did manage to get the second item on my "to do list" ticked off.

When going for a walk  I came across a garden bed full of Spring.

Finished reading this book

And started listening to this book audiobook.   I enjoy reading/listening to Di Morrissey books and this one is set in our area - even though the names of the surrounding areas have been slightly changed  it is easy to recognise where she is describing.  

Three more toddler beanies were finished off when at knitting group yesterday.

Hubs and I have a birthday within 3 weeks of each other so we pick a day in the middle and go out to lunch at our favourite restaurant to celebrate.   Some birthday bubbles

Hub's favourite meal would be fish 'n chips and I went for the salmon with chat potatoes and greens.

And seeing that we never eat dessert at home we treated ourselves.   Hubs had the pavlova and I ordered lemon tart.

Dinner was not on the menu last night.  

Today was the 100 party for the Manly Branch of the CWA.    The theme was edible, tea cosies and aprons.  I will do a separate post as there are a lot of photos to share.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

FNSI

During the week a start was made on cutting out and sewing up 7 children's aprons with just the velcro to be sewn onto the straps and sides of the aprons which was finished off last night when joining in with FNSI.

                                        

First item to be ticked off the "to do list".   Bibs will be the next item on the list to be tackled.

This audio book was playing along in the background.

Thanks Wendy for hosting us again.   

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Out and About

Hubs and I joined in with our "lunch" friends on Friday and this time we headed on over the Harbour Bridge, under the airport tunnel

And ended up at St George Sailing Club  at San Souci on the edge of Botany Bay.   

Earlier in the week I took advantage of another super sunny sparkling Sydney day and headed off into the city to be a tourist.   I made my way from the ferry terminal along through the streets and alley ways of the Rocks

And ended up at the top of Observatory Hill where you can see in all directions around Sydney although as you can see many tall buildings block out the view behind them.  

Not much happened in the sewing room this week but I did manage to thread through the draw strings on the second batch of 50 library bags.    They are now in the boot of the car waiting to be delivered back to the co-ordinator.

Now it is time to concentrate on my "to do list" for the up and coming Christmas market. 

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all 

FNwF

Did not entail doing any actual sewing but a list of what was in the  stall/giftie box was compiled and a list of what needs to be made was added to the end. 

Looking at what is on the list and having a quick "mental" run through of my stash me thinks that there will be enough fabric on hand in order not to have to buy anymore.   Time will tell...........

I did have to stop off at Spotty today (the first time that I have been near a fabric store in over 3 months) as my elastic stock needed replenishing and outside the shop was a gorgeous display of orchids organised  by the local orchid society.  As you can see there are quite a few prize winning specimens in the front of the photo.  

I was very good and only bought the said elastic and left.    

This month's book club book looks like it will be a good one.

Once I finish reading my current book it will be next on the read list.   

Three more toddler beanies were finished of during the week.

Don't forget to check out what others achieved last night when joining in FNwF.

Time to get myself moving as I am on set up duty for the hospital stall this morning at the local shopping centre.   

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all