Daybook entry #15

Outside my window ... it is cold and dreary, but inside I have a beautiful pot of hyacinths to brighten my day. Their delicious fragrance fills the room and makes me very happy!

At the farm ... our lupin crop is looking really good. But we have learned not to count our chickens before they're hatched! The last lupin crop was as good a crop as our agronomist had ever seen, and heavy late season rain and wind blew them all over. 

At my machine ... I am playing with charm packs. I am working on a new pattern, designed to bust your charm pack stash! I can't bring myself to count how many charm packs I have ;)

I am inspired by ... Nicole Mallalieu's book, The Better Bag Maker. I have always loved Nicole's patterns. She has a wonderful sense of style, but also has pattern making and design credentials that make her projects stand out from the rest. I have grand plans of working my way through her book, and making each of the bags in succession, from easiest to most difficult. 

I am thinking about ... books. Beautiful, old books ...

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... with letter pressed bindings and covered in dust. 

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I have a book-themed commission for Australian Homespun that is proving to be quite a challenge, and has me a bit stumped at this point. I would ask for your help if I was allowed to! Perhaps this will spark some inspiration:

Have a good week. Bloom x

Daybook entry #14

Today, I am ... a bit slow, recovering from a day trip to Sydney yesterday with daughter for college interviews. 

In the garden ... not today, but not long ago, Prunus 'Elvins', entirely laden with blossoms.

I am thinking about ... my Mum, who is soon to return from her very first overseas trip. Some friends took her to Tahiti.

I am trying not to think about ... the prospect of impending rain on our ripening crop.

At the machine ... there has been some progress on this quilt.

I am reading ... 'At Home' by Bill Bryson.

I am looking forward to ... a blog meet of likeminded souls, organised by Chookyblue on Saturday. A great chance to catch up with old friends, and to make some new ones :)

Daybook entry #13

Outside my window ... it is freezing cold, windy and most significantly - cloudy! No sighting of the transit of Venus for us today. 

From my picture journal ... the lovely Delbard rose, Paris 2000. 

 

I am thankful for ... my daughter's first full day back at school in five weeks. She has been suffering significant pain from a bowel complaint, and is still not out of the woods, but I think we have turned a corner.

I am feeling ... somehow melancholy, perhaps not helped by the weather, or the following:

I keep watching ... this film clip by Goyte - visually engaging and haunting at once.

I am listening to ... Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here'. Not really a fix for melancholia :) 

My ironing DVD this week was ... 'Romulus, My Father'. Oh my! A beautifully shot Australian film about the unconditional love between a young boy and his father. One of those films I feel privileged to have seen for its beauty, but not sure I could watch again for the anguish! 

Hopefully my next post will be a little more cheery. If you'd like to share how you lift a bad mood, all suggestions will be grudgingly thankfully received!

P.S. Guy Sebastian's 'Like it Like That' just played automatically on my iTunes. Things are already on the up :)

Daybook entry #12

Outside my window ... the lavender is flowering, the day is clear, but in the manner of late summer in Australia, the clouds will build during the day and threaten storms in the evening.

From the kitchen ... nothing much is brewing other than strong, strong coffee today. But Saturday saw Miss 16 whip up a storm. Her Jamie-30-minute-meal this week was green curry, crispy chicken, kimchee slaw, and rice noodles. Definitely not a 30-minute meal, but very much worth the wait.

At my machine ... a new design for Homespun, with a Friday deadline!

I am listening to ... my brain whir and clunk as I write the pattern for aforesaid design.


I am reading ... The Bag Making Bible by Lisa Lam of U-Handbag, an excellent resource for construction methods, and crucial to aforesaid pattern writing ;)

In the mail today ... after sifting through the volumes of Valentines (!), there was this little gift from my ever thoughtful friend Wendy. Knowing my partiality to vintage trims and packaging, she spotted these bells for me recently. They are the sweetest, and their tinkle is a sparkle in my day. Who needs valentines with friends like these?! 

But to be sure, a vintage valentine, just for you :) ♥ Bloom x

Daybook entry #11

Outside my window ... not today exactly, but recently, the first blossoms of our new crabapple, Malus 'Mattom' (Tom Matthews).

I am thankful for ... the many positive comments about my Strawberry Fields quilt of my last post. Your encouragement keeps me motivated! Yes, it is my own pattern which I am writing up at the moment. Can't wait to see what Belinda does with the quilting. Itching to get this quilt bound and finished :)


From the kitchen ... I am eating leftover rhubarb & apple pudding with my morning coffee. Ooooh yeah!

I am stitching ... repairs to Miss 16's Year 10 formal dress. It is brand new, unworn, and needs fixing - hate that! Whether detachable straps of said dress will be worn on the big night is a matter still under negotiation! 

I am reading ... 'One Day' by David Nicholls. A very readable book, about the exasperating relationship between two friends who just can't seem to get it together. I suspect it will end annoyingly unfulfilled. I am enjoying this book, but I just want to slap the characters around the head at the same time!

I am hoping ... to spend some time reading 'A Field Guide to Fabric Design' which arrived today. I have no intentions of designing fabric, I just love to learn :)

I am listening to ... the new Coldplay album, Mylo Xyloto. Youtube link enthusiastically provided by Miss 16 who is studying graffiti art at school right now, and thinks this is very cool.

I am learning ... about Banksy from Miss 16. Banksy is a controversial and anonymous British street artist whose works split the world into those who think his work is 'art' and those who dismiss it as graffiti. 

'Sweeping it under the carpet' in London (source)

The Melbourne City Council caused outrage when they inadvertently removed one of his works from its streets in 2010 - this video link is an excellent summary of what Banksy is all about. 

'Flower' (source)

His works are thoughtful, political, cynical and often funny. They are always painted in a location which will provoke reaction. You can see more of his works here.

'Flowerchucker' in Palestine (source)

Does Banksy's work constitute art? Does a woman giving birth in a public gallery constitute art? The day we can define 'art', we will perhaps be able to answer these questions! 

Here endeth the art lesson for today! Have a creative weekend. Bloom x

Daybook entry #10

On my mind ... Headache, headache, go away ... I really have too much to do today.

In my hoop ... some monogram action!

In my garden ... hardy arctotis waiting patiently for their springtime friends to pop their heads up and blossom.

I am inspired by ... Sam Stosur's win in the US Open. Inspired not only by her powerful forehand, but also by her poise, grace and understated manner. 

I am miffed ... by my apparent inability to stitch a straight line today. I am blaming it on a useless 1/4" marking on my walking foot! More reverse sewing for me.

I am reading ... 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks', on Lily's excellent recommendation. It is a warm but poignant account of Henrietta, who died of cancer in the 1950s. Cells were taken from her cancer tumour without her knowledge or permission, a common occurrence at the time. These cells have since been cultured to create an immortal cell line for medical research. These so-called HeLa cells have generated billions of dollars for the medical industry; they have helped uncover secrets of cancers, viruses, fertilisation, cloning, and gene mapping and yet compensation or acknowledgement for her surviving family were minimal. A thought provoking true story of medical ethics versus scientific progress and at what human cost?

In contrast, I am listening to ... four-hand boogie wooogie on Youtube - part of a music assignment for my littlest bloss. Cool!

Making me laugh today ...

... my Sweetness walked past and asked, "Who gets to pick the two"?!!

Daybook entry #9

Outside my window ... not today, but recently. 

Today is equally cold, but regretfully no snow.

From the kitchen ... a birthday cake for my now 10-year-old blossie. She requested a Beanie Kid cake. Thankfully daughter #1 rose to the challenge and produced this masterpiece for her sister!

 For those uneducated in BK mania, Beanie Kids are little teddy bears, unique to the Australian market I think. New designs are released each month, in every theme you can imagine. They are inexpensive, addictive and very collectible. 

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I am stitching ... blocks for a new quilt using the lovely Figtree Quilts 'Strawberry Fields'.

I am reading ... the last couple of chapters of 'The Help'. I have been searching for some time for 'that book you just can't put down'. I found it in this book. It is the story of black maids working for white housewives in 1960's America. It is at once heartwarming and infuriating! A wonderful read.

I am inspired by ... a creative website that I came across during the week, Dear Photograph. The site invites you to take a photograph of a picture from the past matching it to the same place in the present. A very cool concept! 

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I am listening to ... a beautiful song by a young Aussie songwriter, Jamie MacDowell, written for his sister and played at her wedding. I bet there wasn't a dry eye in the house!

Have a great weekend. Bloom x

Daybook entry #8

Outside my window ... man, who's got time to gaze out the window?! Just as well this week has been short, because it's been way too busy. When last I had time to look, I saw this:

I am thankful for ... my time across Easter with my husband's family. He is from a large family, and it is increasingly difficult for everyone to make it to family gatherings. They are easy, fun company.

I am thinking ... about my brother who is being ordained into the Presbyterian Church tomorrow. He is 5 hours away, and I am really sorry to be missing his ordination. 

I am impressed by ... this amazing quilt, stitched by my 'relatively-new-to-quilting' sister-in-law for her daughter. I took lots of photos of this quilt on the weekend, so I will be back soon with more details!

Tonight, I will be ... enjoying my Friday night champagne, and curling up to read this gorgeous tome, delivered late this afternoon. Sarah is visiting town in a couple of weeks, and I would give my eye teeth to be in her class. For one reason and another, I can't be - grrrrr!

From my picture journal ... two of many fun sunset shots I took of my kids over Easter. 

These were taken within a five-minute light window, with me awkwardly prostrate in the paddock. I have the green ant bites on my belly to prove it!

Enjoy your weekend. Bloom x

Daybook entry #7

Outside my window ... are my beloved roses. The day is refreshingly cool after a hot spell.

I am thinking ... how much I hate housework. Over the years, I have come up with all sorts of strategies to motivate me to get through the household tasks. Today is one of those days where there is so much to do, I don't know where to start. I have taken myself aside and we have decided to 'just do SOMETHING'! I dug out this little stash of squares, and have put them next to my sewing machine. 

I am stitching ... therefore, between menial household tasks,  little 9-patch blocks as a reward for my impressive domesticity!

I am thankful for ... healthy, energetic children, even though they fight with each other and wear me out!

From the kitchen ... I need to make up a batch of Thimbelina's Easy Scrolls. These have been a hit for school lunches. I make them at my leisure, wrap them, freeze them and thereby avoid the dreaded sandwich making in the mornings.

I am thinking ... of whipping up one of these little cuties for a new niece: a fluffy*stuffy bunny. Jenny over at Allsorts has very generously posted a free pattern for her bunny and a dress to match. 

From my picture journal ... a favourite photo of my waterlily, flowering right now. I have added it to my wallpaper page if you'd like to share it!

Happy house-working to those of you enjoying that pleasure today! Bloom x

Daybook entry #6

Outside my window ... the first roses of spring are budding, almost ready to burst into bloom.

I am loving ... eating the first juicy mangoes of the season

Today, I am going ... to a birthday lunch for a friend.

I am wearing ... bare legs for the first time in six months - scary!

I am wondering ... how I can lose some weight before Christmas. Unfortunately it involves eating less! 

I am reading ... exciting new purchases that arrived this week: 'The Practical Guide to Patchwork' by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh, Fransson!

And the first edition of Leanne Beasley's 'Vignette', purchased from Gum Valley Patchwork. 

The lovely Linda surprised me by including some Cosmo thread and a piece of Rosie Quinlan's new fabric range 'Sweet Broderie' with my copy of Vignette. Thank you Linda! Can't wait to get stitching with them.

And just for good measure, I am also reading the latest edition of Fat Quarterly, dedicated to fussy cutting. So no shortage of inspiration this week!

I am thankful for ... kind friends who have purchased my first pattern! And for the many who have sent encouraging messages through my blog or on Flickr. Thank you!

On my machine ... a frilly dilly for a very patient friend! Hi Nellie, not long to wait now. You might have it before Christmas!

From my picture journal ... blossoms from a crabapple (Malus lemoinei) in our farm garden in the spring (I have added this to my 'wallpaper' page).

Happy weekend everyone. Bloom x