Bodiam Castle

Yesterday was a bank holiday and the weather was lovely so we went to Bodiam Castle It was just lovely. They had people in clothing of the day giving us a history lesson on the place as well as a fabulous play inside the castle walls. You could even try on a suit of armor if you wished, or try your hand at archery. We also went to a pub for lunch in the garden and my little nephew had a play on the lovely climbing equipment. This was a beer festival happening, and over 40 to choose from! I started with a local cider, then had a light beer to follow. Wonderful baked potato and salad for lunch. A lovely slow relaxing day.
Today we are planning on going to some second hand shops, what i call op shops! Now that is my kind of shopping to do!

Meggie

Meggie has finally got the collar off, I am sure she will be feeling better for it.

Birthday Party.

I arrived safely in the U.K. on Friday and on Saturday it was my Step mums 70th birthday. One thing i was asked to do was help decorate the marque they hired in the back garden. Well i know she loves butterlies, and the day was proven to be correct cos butterflies were either part of the gift or at least the wrapping! I has bought along a couple of cardboard butterfly templates and some fabric from Australia as well as iron on interfacing and made a bunting of butterflies as well as this Garden Disco Ball. Close to my little sisters house where we went to pick up some flowers and cards and some special number balloons was a hard ware store. I bought 2 wire hanging baskets and a roll plastic wrapped wire, and my sister provided me with the lights, the wooden perches for her decorated birds and i just assembles it together, wrapping the lights around the two holders leaving a section un wrapped so that when it is stored it will not be leaning on wire or lights. This gap had white and silver feather butterflies around it instead. Using both sets of hanging chains it was put into the middle of the marque and as the evening wore on, the lights that flashed quite randomly looked better and better. I was very happy and honored to have been asked to help at such short notice, and i was also glad it looked ok too!
I hope to get out and about tomorrow and take some pictures of my young nephews now i know how to up load pictures.

New Spotlight Store

New Spotlight Store opening up in Preston Victoria tomorrow. They will be having specials and giveaways to celebrate. http://www.spotlight.com.au/catalogues/ If you can, then go there and check it out.

Meggie

Poor Nutmeg (Meggie) she had a cat scratch on her cheek that turned nasty 4 weeks ago, She went to the vets and had it cleaned and stitched and a drainage tube put in. Unfortunately it healed over too quickly and flared up again, so last night she was back at the vets for a second time. This time they are leaving it more open and she has to wear this Elizabethan collar for the duration of this time. Not a very happy kitty! Thank goodness for the bean bag chair, one of her favourite places to sit, it mushes to her shape beautifully and i hope she can rest a bit today. I have been up all night with her. Tilli does not like the way she looks and keeps her distance, hissing at her when she gets too close. We will have to keep them separated when we are not there to keep an eye on them. The boys have their care instructions drummed into them by me! Get better soon Meggie!

Just a Couple of Days to Go!

Just a couple of days to go before i go to England! Finally gotten around to packing on Monday, I leave on Thursday. Wish i could take the kitties with me! I will miss them heaps cos they are my constant companions and play mates! I have yet to weigh the suitcase, hope it is not over weight. Half of the case is hand made gifts. I have decided that if some things have to go it will be clothes. Today i will be finishing off the things i have made, eg. sewing buttons on jumpers. I am hoping i will be able to write and continue blogging while i am away.

Wheat Bags

This is the basic Wheat bags i will be doing in the next couple of days, embellishing them for each person and adding a piece of velcro to the bottom as a closure. I will be adding heating instructions as a print out too for each one. I have used contrasting threads for the tutorial, I will however use matching threads for the finished items.

Wheat Bags

First sew the lining to the outer neck top. Pin both sides together right sides facing, using the pattern as a template sew around the outsides Leaving an opening in both the top and the bottom.Cut out. Clip curves and turn the right sides out. Tuck in the neck.
Turned out the right way.
Now measure the stopper insert, make it out of heavy cardboard and gather a piece of fabric around it.
Do the same thing with the tabs. This is done twice so make sure that you turn it over to make it symmetrical. Fold the tab at the bottom
Pin it onto the base. Ladder stitch it all together.
ladder stitch it into the neck.

Wheat Bags

These are the fabrics i have chosen to use for the wheat bags. a soft camel brown for the males and a hot pink for the girls. It is wide strip cotton corduroy and the inner upper lip is going to match the cotton wheat pouch to go inside. I will also applique individual designs on each one.

Wheat Bags

This is the start of the process of the wheat bags i am making. I have the main body with the upper part lining piece, Where the opening in the bottom is will have velcro closures, the top will have a fabric stopper just for effect. On each of the bags i will have individual applique of their own Likes/hobbies. Now i am going to hunt out some fabrics, eg, Denim for my brother. The outer fabric because it will not be in the microwave does not have to be a natural fabric, but the wheat bag insert does.

Koala Hand Puppets

I have just finished making these hand puppets for my two 3 year old nephews. I wanted to make them something they could use their imagination with and have an Australian flavour. I am pleased with the way they have turned out. I just need to stuff the heads. I will be making a separate lining and filling that with fibre fill.
Already i am thinking of the gifts to make for the adults. I think i will make microwave wheat bags. These will be microwave inserts, I will make the outsides for each one in the style of whoever i think will suit, and the inserts in cotton rectangles unfilled until i get there because i do not want them to have problems with natural products in my suitcase. For example, my mum loves tea pots, i will make the outside in the shape of a tea pot and the microwave insert separately. Mike her husband is into wood work, so i will make his in the shape of a drill or a tube of wood glue but thinking on those lines. One sister is a high flyer, so i am thinking of a mobile phone, and the other sister is more into music, My brother loves motor bikes so getting my thinking cap on i have a few more relatives to think about to get things started. I do not have much time left but i am having fun!

Going to England

Not long now, before i go to England. Doing a count down now! I am going to England to see my niece get married! I will be going for 1 month and leaving on the 19th of this month. I will be staying in several places, my mums, my brothers, my dads place. to name but a few, and Shopping! fabric or stores i need to know about, all in Kent or London, any ideas? I will be away for a month. Borough Green, Orpington, Dartford, 5 Oaks. One place i do know that i will visit, Just cos i love it is a place called Dungeness I love the rugged wildness of the place. I would also like to see some castles or old buildings, any ideas?