Churn Dash and kiddie proof caps

You can really feel the power of these waves - one of the reasons I keep thinking twice about crossing the strait in a ferry - makes for a great picture though!  Thanks Phil.....

Now for a little rant - twice this week I've done battle with kiddie proof lids - the first was for the small bottle containing Basil's new pills.  The prescription has been changed so he now has one a day, instead of three and I'm pleased with that - but the bottle defied all my attempts to open it - it's small so there's not a lot of bottle to hang onto in order to push down and twist.......  but I came up with a solution.  Some while ago while at the red painted chain store with one of my granddaughters, aged about ten I think, they were promoting cutlery - sets of kitchen knives actually - get one free!!  Yeah right - anyway I was no match for my grandie who pounced on the chance to get a present for her mother.......but I've now found a use for it!

There's the lid to the right of the sieve - you can see the bottle and lid were very well constructed, but were no match for the 'cut anything' knife.

Blow me down, I went to open a new container of bathroom cleaner and had the same problem.  I'm obviously not holding my mouth right - couldn't possibly be that I no longer have the same strength in my hands......

I remember making a sort of promise to myself that I wouldn't start piecing more quilts until a few had been finished - i.e. sandwiched and quilted.  I've completed two and given them both away, I'm still hand quilting another so I have permission to do some sewing - and I've chosen these small churn dash blocks -

I want to use more of my vintage scraps, 

and some pale plains - mixing them up a bit.  It's a small block which can be cut from a strip about twelve inches by three and a half -

I look forward to having some fun piecing - it's been a while!

Do you collect 'things'?  At least mine hasn't got to the level of the hoarders on the recent TV programmes -  but it would be easy to let it get out of hand, I think.  I've shown you some of my pincushions - I also have rocking horses, the very small variety and hat pins and this small basket of dolls -

Plus my seventies sunglasses! at the back is a wooden doll made from a bobbin from a mill in the UK, and a well worn teddy, the china doll to the left was from the time it was all the rage to make these - mine never actually got any clothes made, the little ones with lots of hair were given to me by my granddaughters one birthday - looks as though the brunette at the back has had a haircut! and the troll was a present from my sons many years ago - I think the Maori doll came from a visit also many years ago, to Rotorua........

I was leafing through some books recently, one I love "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple"  edited by Sandra Halderman Martz.  

Maybe at Eighty?

They say wisdom comes as you age

Now I'm in a real jam

at sixty I should be a sage

Look what a fool I am!        by S. Minanel

Here's another of Phil's photos showing the sea in a much calmer mood in the inner harbour at sunset, thanks for stopping by.

June

Surviving the storm

This was the storm as it made its way towards the coast of the North Island - and boy! it certainly packed a punch when it hit us.

In Petone we had hail, rain, lightening and strong winds  -  but no actual damage to persons or property here, the pansies looked a trifle sad -

but I'm happy to say they weathered the storm remarkably well - such a cheerful splash of colour the next day -

I started to knit a beanie, a friend is doing so as a group project - she's also knitting banana slippers and has given that pattern to me as well; I like to have some simple knitting to do to keep my hands busy...  I decided to use my circular needle with the changeable ends.  Must confess although I give an extra twist with the little spike firmly in the hole, they still work themselves undone...... Anyway, I read through the instructions, several times - yes, yes I know......... oops

Doing the twist!  I'd knitted a few inches before I realised what I was doing......  I re-started but have done three inches of double rib - much more difficult to let that get twisted!

I have done a little stitching, friend PJ came round with instructions for us to make iPad stands, as shown on her blog.  Here are the two she and Jann made - with mine in the middle -

That's the rear end, complete with decoration....... my excuse was I was preparing our lunch.....so instead of a flower like these two, I used a beautiful brooch given to me by a fellow quilter.  It works a treat -

You know what they say about "quilter's eyes" well, I looked out of the front window when I heard the sound of heavy machinery, new owners over the road doing some renovations prior to selling - and look what met my eyes!

Gives new meaning to the phrase that 'hexies are big this year'!

And the other side?

"Who says concrete has to be grey?"
I do hope we get some more nice neighbours ......

Last weekend I met with a group of like minded quilters for a work day, half a day actually and thoroughly enjoyed myself.......even picked up a sewing needle a couple of times, but then I'm fortunate in that I can sew whenever I want to, it's the company I go for and that was first class!!

Good friend Tricia with the pile of neonate blankets she was binding and on the other end of the table - Sharon is showing her amazing hexagons-stitched-by-hand-and-without-papers to an admiring audience.

I was sitting at the end of the table nearest the camera, you can see the tumbling blocks brought out for another airing.....











I look forward to more stitching and meeting with good friends and remember that, "A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest (wo)men." Roald Dahl

And here's another of Phil's photographs, taken after the storm has passed by -

Nice chatting with you, my apologies for missing a week, thanks for reading my blog.

June

Cows and camellias

Phil was happily taking photographs at Lake Wairarapa recently when he realised he had an audience!  Well it makes a change from beautiful scenery!

Thank goodness it's a bit milder, which has brought out more camellias - shades of the dreaded pink, but not altogether unwelcome in these grey winter days -

I particularly like the shape of this blossom

Then this is the largest bush of all, and it's in flower most of the year -

After teaching at the prison yesterday, three of us went for lunch at the Pataka complex where there is a great cafe, Kaizen, and the Porirua Library which is huge and very well stocked; thanks to my SmartCard I can borrow from there as well as from my local library.

There was an exhibition of work from spinners and weavers, well worth visiting - some of the items took my eye -  now you see her -

now you don't - unless you squint....... I've no idea how this happens, nor sadly who did it.....must remember to take notes! I'll check next week and give due credit  - lots of beautiful rugs and scarves; plus felted garments and the most delicate of knitting.

Still to do with fibre, but a trifle tenuous connection - I was tidying in my sewing room this afternoon, looking for a bi-rangle which is a gadget tool for making half square rectangles - I think!  I read the instructions through a couple of times without being any the wiser, so I'll leave it for another day -unless anyone can tell me in words of one syllable and preferably not depending on cutting long strips on the bias and then joining them.......

Anyway, I came across one of my Op shop finds -

It's backed with hessian and I think is meant to be a somewhat impractical oven cloth - but just look at that patterned fabric, silky too - a real oldie.

My granddaughter Amy came round one day last week, heavens where have the years gone! she now gets the train from the city and is such a big help around the house - she also wrote the label for the baby quilt I've finally finished.

Didn't she write it beautifully?  I've firmly sewed it on and the quilt will be on its way to Tilly in the morning.

I'll close today with a timely reminder from Benjamin Franklin, that "The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness.  You have to catch it yourself."

Thanks for stopping by, here's a recent photo taken by Phil in Auckland one sunset -

A different kind of beauty.......

June