'Studying' the inner city

I had forgotten just how long the summer break is for University students! After three months of being at home, our eldest blossie has been champing at the bit to get back to Sydney. 

She is studying at the University of Sydney, which means I get to re-visit familiar places from my time there 25 years ago.

I also get to hang out with the girl in Newtown and Glebe - 'hang out' is probably wishful thinking; 'stand out' is more accurate. These days, I loiter around the windows of florist shops - actually I did that 25 years ago too! But oh, how amazing inner city florists are now.

We were waiting one evening at a bus stop in Newtown, conveniently located outside an amazing florist called The Flower Room. The photos are confusing because of reflections from King St, but can you see the fabulous aloes growing suspended from sea urchin shells? So imaginative, and very spectacular.

I will definitely be returning in opening hours for a closer look.

The coffee shops were good in my day, with many an hour wiled away at Cafe Latte in Newtown, or Badde Manors in Glebe. Today, they are mind-blowing (and waist-thickening)! The girl took me to La Banette, a French pattisserie on Glebe Point Road. Oh my! Where to start?

We started with mille-feuille and coffee eclairs, and finished by walking out with a sample box for 'ron!

The benefits of having a daughter in Sydney ;) I haven't even made it to the fabric shops yet!

Scrap-busting

And so we are well into February, the kids are back at school and my time is a little more my own again. I am keen to get back into some sewing. I was looking for something easy and quick to get me back in the groove.

My scrap basket was overflowing, with lots of surplus jelly roll strips from previous projects (like this one and this one).

 

I decided to make 'Candy Coated' by Amanda Jean @ Crazy Mum Quilts. The pattern is in her book 'Sunday Morning Quilts' (co-written with Cheryl Arkison).

Source

It is a really easy project, not requiring too much thought in terms of fabric placement or colour - the things that usually slow me down! 

I can spend 10 minutes on it here or there and it is coming together nicely. It feels good to be using up fabric scraps and to be dusting off the machine!