Wined & dined

Hi everyone
Thanks Clare for the good wishes, we had a fantastic weekend. My "babies" (one is in the photo below) are 28 and 27, but you are right, they will always be "my babies" :-)

In the end we were a party of 16 plus one absolute gorgeous, delightful, happy baby boy and we stayed at the Grand Mercure Vintage in great accommodation, which were perfect for our big group - 4 separate apartments which had 2 bedrooms with ensuites and a great big lounge, dining area with BBQ. Which was great for our large group gatherings

Here we are tasting wines at the beautiful Irongate Wineries - beautiful and the staff were the best!!!!

Another wonderful winery - Ballabourneen Wine Co. - had this saying near the entrance - very apt and the wines again were lovely as were their staff!

Picked these absolutely delicious chocolates up at Irongate - Sweet Shiraz Chocolates - mmmmm - no where near enough in the box, need more!!!

Another wonderful view from a winery of Brokeback Range A wonderful weekend of laughing, wining, eating (so much food - a huge, huge groan), talking, shopping, sightseeing

Hope you all had a great weekend too

Me

Hi everyone
Thought I would let you know a bit about me - colourwise I like deep reds, greens & turquoise. This is my bag which I love, love, love - would like it a tiny bit wider as I need to fit reading glasses into it now :-(. My DH bought it for me for my birthday last year at St Kilda Markets I even found a purse that matches the red leather when I got home, might show that another time.

And I wear either black or dark brown shoes, always have, except for wedding shoes, which I chose cream. And now in my old age (48 OMG) I am craving colour and getting a tiny bit adventourous. I bought 'Orange" shoes. Well I think it is orange, my DD3 calls it tan.



And I have been working on my Hex Blanket and have decided it is time to start the border. Wow it is heavy and very warm!!! Not a good time of year to be working on it.

Their is a big group of family plus others who are going to the Hunter Valley for the weekend to post-celebrate DD2's birthday which she shares with DD1.

So lots of wine-tasting, laughing, talking and food. Photos next week. Let's hope another dust storm does not come through on the weekend.

Bye for now

wild weather

Hi everyone

Just had to show you what our weather has been up to over the last few days. The above photo is a normal, wonderful, sunny, clear skies day

and now for .............

Saturday views - backburning smoke

Sunday afternoon views - a 15 minute hail/rain storm

This morning's view - orange skies, this photo must have picked up the dust particles

Another view of this morning. The orange is the dust from the Centre of Australia out west.
We did have beautiful clear, sunny skies in between, so lots of contrast.

Hope those out west are fine and everyone else has a clear skies day

Bye for now

Genealogy

Hi everyone


I did mention in my description that I am interested in genealogy/family history. I have worn myself out with research lately and have not done much. But I did think I should mention some of the family surnames I am connected to -


for me they are:-


WHITE, MCDONNELL, BRIMSTONE, CARRAHER, ROSKELL, JONES, CONNORS, CONNOLLY, COLLINS, COHEN, VICTORSEN, CHEW, DRISCOLL, GAY, LLOYD, BROOKS & RADLEY





My connections are with Ireland, Wales, England, Russia/Latvia, Germany



This is a photo of my grandparents, Thomas & Evangeline WHITE nee ROSKELL. Both grandparents were deceased long before I was born.

for DH:-

THOMAS, CRAWFORD, OLIVE, DRURY, BRADLEY, CAIN, BULLOCK, SKELTON, GURNEY, VIENT, FORD, BOWERMAN, WINEFIELD, WOOD, AMBLER & FITZSIMMONS



Connections are with Wales, England, Ireland & Scotland



for DD's:-

CROWE, HANRATTY, BURKE, BROWN, MORPHY, SUGRUE, EVERETT, MANDER, BRAGG, PITTMAN, BIRRELL, OLIVER, MCVEIGH, MCGUIRE, MAY & BAKER



Connections are with Ireland, England



If anyone has connections to these surnames please contact me, especially the more unusual ones as I have collected them and tried to find connections



Bye for now

Blogging Community

I have been keeping an eye on the happenings over at Kootoyoo.

We have been on a little trip, everyday there has been a new clue to solve with links to new blogs to read. It has been so much fun checking out new blogs (to me) and discovering some very, very crafty and enterprising ladies. Over the last week I have collected answers, made notes of the relevant letters and had to solve the following to find the answer: YMINOTUMC

And my guess is - COMMUNITY

Crochet Fashion & Slippers

Hi everyone
Have you all seen the wonderful Cate Blanchett and the most amazing dress that she wore to open Screen Worlds in Melbourne (Check here). Not only is she a great actress but a wonderful supporter of hand-made!!! Go Cate!!!


Here are a pair of dolls handbags, kids bags ???? .......
no not really they are ........

Slippers With Soul !!! Are they not the mostest cutie and nifty. No wonder my girls are putting in orders :-). See here for more details. Have a wonderful day

More Stitching Giveaway's

Seems like today I have been finding lots of stitching giveaways, here is another at Retro Mummy so pop on over and have a look.

New Australian Craft Blog & Giveaways

Just discovered the following blog Among The Gum Trees and it has some amazing give-aways going on. So kangaroo-hop over and have a bo-peep :-)

Today's Treats

Hi everyone
I decided to give myself a little treat today :-). I don't usually buy magazines as I find I usually don't find much to read and have gone through them (any of them) in about 10 minutes. I also prefer to buy Australian magazines as that way I am doing a little bit for our economy.
I bumped into this magazine about 6 weeks ago (Jul/Aug edition) It is not an Aussie publication, but I found a large number of patterns and info in that edition. While I have not as yet made anything from the patterns, I find them appealing as they are not "designer" patterns, but more everyday ones that I know I can make and use.
I don't find the "designer" magazines inspiration, I am more an everyday sort of gal and like things that are practical and functional and pretty.
Which is why I bought this .......

I have been looking for a small pencil case sized bag to put the bits & pieces that I need with my projects. I was more interested in a handmade one but have not seen one yet. But for $2 how can I say no to this. Yahoo!!!!

At the moment I am in love with that blue, especially with yellow or a dark, dark, brown. I would love a dress or maybe even the shawl to wear to my DD3's wedding in May. Haven't found either the dress or the yarn yet, so whichever comes first will dictate what colour the other item will be. Which I am thinking will be silvery gray or .......

Bye for now

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie

I did forget to mention that we clean swept England in the ODI - YAHOO!!!!!

Don't you love the look of the scoreboard on OUR site :-)

Well done to ALL the team members of the Australian Cricket Team - thank you for flying our flag proudly

Hex Blanket

Hi everyone
Well although we have been at home all week with DH, I could not get to the computer to "talk" :-). But I did put the time to good use by joining my Hex's. Here is a small glimpse of what is to come. Although I originally did want 'in your face loud' colours, I am loving the slightly muted shadings in the colours I chose. After seeing the elderly patients in the hospital I really felt the need to assist in some small way and I am NOT a hospital or nursing type of person. Then I remembered "Slippers with Soul" via K4C- KAL (knit-along) Yahoo group (which is connected to K4C). Exactly what I wanted to assist with (DH's feet were also cold in the hospital). Mind you the family LOVE them and I am getting requests to make them some too!!!! They will have to wait a little while though and get in the queue :-)

And yes DH is dealing with the 'C' word and we have just found out that 'C' therapy will be starting in 2 weeks. So my blogging will be more erratic than it already is.

One good thing is that doctor's surgeries are great places to create little projects

Bye for now

Not wasted time

Hi there

Well I did put the hospital time to good use. Made some crocheted beanies for charity.

Then worked some more hex's. I am finally starting to join them together. Photos will follow.

I am a self-taught knitter and crocheter. My Mum would not teach me as she learnt to knit left-handed and I am a right-hander. Don't know why or when I learned to crochet, but it was definitely when I was a kid. Can't remember making anything out of crochet, but I suppose I must have made granny squares as I am comfortable with them.

What's funny is that for 20 or more years I have not touched crochet, but now ...........

I am besotted with it. I am making beanies, I plan to make cardigans for my DD3 flower girls and the granny-styled blankets that are lining up is ridiculous.

I am now very rarely picking up the knitting needles, although I do have projects in my mind to complete - one being the shawl for wedding. I have decided on Ishbel - not only because of the one comment, but I was leaning that way, almost falling over it actually. :-)

But what is funny now is how I am seeing crocheted items everywhere - on tv, on other people, in magazines ....... blankets, vests, beanies ..... seems the world has gone crochet mad too

Have a wonderful weekend. Hope we survive as there is another doctor's appointment on Monday. But with temperatures suppose to be in 30 celsius and clear skys, it will be great

Bye for now

Yahoo

Well, we (DH and me) finally made it home yesterday. 8 days in hospital is just wayyyy tooooo looong. Unfortunately I think there is more to come in the future. Hopefully it will only be for the day.

It does get you to thinking though.

Need to make slippers for the "Slippers with Soul Charity". It's part of the Knit 4 Charities challenges. Feet get very cold in hospital.

Any little thing I can do anoymously to help fills my needs and theirs.

Bye for now

Shawl query

Hi everyone
If anyone is reading this blog I would love some help from you. I am notoriuously bad at making up my mind for gifts and this one is for me!! So that makes it worse.

My DD3 is getting married next May. I do have to make crocheted bolero's for her flower girls, but ..... I was thinking (and yes that is dangerous :-)

What about a shawl for me????? I am able to knit patterns and use to make lacy garments for babies, but I would like something very simple, but very simple for me to wear. I am thinking triangular and in a silvery colour. Tossing up about whether to use fingering yarn as I think I would prefer something a little thicker to knit/crochet with. Ishbel I find beautiful but not to sure I have the patience and the time to make it.

So please .... please ..... any hints, ideas etc
Thanks and bye for now

Sunrises

Hi everyone
This is the beautiful sunrise that greeted me for my day yesterday. The day spent waiting for over 12 hours to see DH after surgery. Certainly made me feel hopefull (that was before the wait)

And this morning's sunrise was swamped in fog - it is going to be a wonderful day even in a hospital :-) Hope you all have a wonderful day too

Bye for now

Beauty in the morning

Good morning
I have managed to squeeze another blog in - just could not resist with such beauty. DH is going in for a major op. today so we were enjoying the sunshine on our balcony before hitting the hospital when we received some visitors - can you see them ..... here is a close up of our beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets

Now there is some colour inspiration and gave us a great start to the day - thank you

Bye for a while