Almost Forgot!

Well blogger friends I thought I had another 2 weeks before Easter (another senior moment I am afraid) and so that doesn't allow me much time to have my "Chocolate" giveaway for April and get it posted to you.
So I am posting the "April" giveaway now on the last day of "March" (confused yet) and I will draw it on Monday and attempt to get it to you before Easter. If this does not occur I apologise ahead of time.
Now for the giveaway...

We have 2 pieces of chocolate themed fabric, card, magnet, thread and a block of real chocolate (fair trade) A bunny cookie cutter and I have a wee drawing of a cute bunny you may like to use for NEXT Easter due to the slackness & senior moment of the drawer. If you would like to be in the hat for this giveaway you know what to do.....leave me a comment. Like I said I know it isn't much time but I will draw it Monday morning Aussie time.
Have yourself a nice relaxing weekend, I'm off to applique. Yay!
Blessings Michelle xx

Favourite things Friday

Good morning all to this glorious Friday which means I get to share a favourite with you and link up to SHAY over at Quilting in my Pyjamas. Hopefully this week I will remember to actually link up (senior moment).
Last night I went to dinner with my Son & Daughter-in-law and my youngest little Grandboy. The purpose of our meal out was to meet up with my Son's childhood friend who now lives interstate.

My son is on the left. They have been mates since they were 9 years old. They played for many years in the same footy team, held fierce backyard cricket matches, had sleepovers, ate each other's mother's pantry down to the linings, went to High School together and even though they lived in different States were in each others Wedding party. They still keep in touch and we quite often get invited along which I think is wonderful.
I have loved being able to see the two of them grow into such wonderful young men and become loving husbands and fathers. I also have to admit to wondering where the time has gone as it feels like it was just yesterday that they were tearing through my house tormenting and teasing my daughter at every possible opportunity and recreating every major football event in our front yard. Great rivalry still exists between them as they follow different teams. Because his friends family came from NSW his friend has always barracked for the Blues so you can imagine the banter around State of Origin time. Their friendship is a credit to both of them.
The other lovely part of the evening was spending it with this little cutie pie. The photo is a tad blurry as Nanna is a bit slow on the uptake in catching a fast moving youngman in an action shot.

So that is my favourite this week.... Family and Friends who just feel like Family.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. We are housebound this weekend (on call). Our country trips are curtailed for a bit.
"A true friend sings the words for you when you have forgotten your song"
Blessings Michelle xx

Still hexie-ing!

Still in the "Hexie" state of mind. Why is it even when you think you have enough fabric for a project after you have begun...turns out you don't. I had to try and match the middle of my hexies as I wanted to applique them on to backgrounds but of course NOT enough. A visit to the "Quilters Store" was such a hardship I can tell you but I was VERY restrained and for once in my life (sounds like that song) I only bought what I needed. So I am all set and have already started to applique the hexies in place.

I have felt the need to do some needleturn applique for ages now so I am busy designing something to go in the tacked on vase above which will in turn go with the hexies somehow.....having a very nice time.

You may have noticed this little cupcake on my sidebar. My daughter has started a little blog Here about her love of cupcakes and baking, her other interests and family life and when I posted about it earlier in the week some very lovely blogging friends popped over to her blog and made her feel very welcome. So thank you! You are all very sweet (excuse the pun).
I am off to fulfil the last of my Domestic Goddess duties for the day and then make myself presentable because I am going out to the local club for dinner.....Yay! No cooking!
Blessings Michelle xx

Tuesday's Treasure with Melody

Time to share something we treasure with MELODY  for 'Tuesday's Treasure's'. My treasure today is from the days when I used to cross stitch a lot. I loved the "Told In A Garden" series of cross stitches. I loved their simplicity and depiction of Amish life and they nearly always had a quilt or many quilts in their designs.
I fell in love with the "Country Store" as soon as I saw it all framed up in the embroidery shop and just had to stitch it. Well I have to say it nearly bought me undone and sent me crazy.

Now I can hear you saying "why is it a treasure if it nearly drove her crazy"? First look at all the tiny little jars and items in the store that were only one or two stitches in one colour......

Now can you see why I nearly went crazy. But the reason I treasure it is because it always reminds me you can achieve almost anything you set your mind to and I still think it is gorgeous. Reminds me that perhaps there was a simpler time.
What's something or someone you treasure today?

"Hexie Fever" Well thanks to all you 'hexie' infected stitching girls out there I too have become infected it seems and found myself doing this.

I have a little something up my sleeve regarding these and the several still left to stitch. I have had these fabrics for so long. They were are collection of gifts from some friends and were all fat 1/8 ths and I never knew what to do with them as I didn't really want to seperate them. So thanks girls! Now I also have to admit that the "old fossil" that resides within this hip and happened (not a typo either) woman presented herself and told me she didn't really enjoy glueing the hexie's down so to keep the peace I am back to tacking them individually which I find quite relaxing even if it does take a lot longer.
Have a wonderful day everyone. Don't forget to embrace the beautiful uniqueness that is you and you alone.
I am off to the movies with some lovely Yoga sisters and a spot of lunch.
Blessings,
Namaste,
Michelle xx

Sweet Saturday

As I alluded to in my previous post my Daughter had heard from a friend about a sweet little cafe called
Couture Cupcakes situated in Bardon one of my favourite places being just around the corner where Grandpa of Jacaranda tree fame lived. His house is lived in and loved by others now (we know 'cos we did a sentimental drive by). We had such a delicious time from the moment we saw their gorgeous signage. Pink being my Daughters favourite colour.

We were greeted by a lovely gentleman who showed great patience as I ummed & ahhed over my selection. It was so hard as they all looked so gorgeously delish.We then made our way out to some beautiful wrought iron tables and chairs to wait for our 'cupcakes' and coffee.

Dear Daughters choice was easy as she is a lover of Fererro Roche's she chose the choclate cupcake atopped by one of her favs as soon as she set eyes upon it.

Having always been a fan of "Butterfly" cakes I finally settled on this yummy choice and it was devine.         

A gorgeous surprise of raspberry jam awaited inside the cake just under the frosting. Is your mouth watering.

Being "Cupcake Lovers" my daughter and I were in raptures over these sweet treats and the coffee was beautiful too. If you click on their name at the top of my post it will take you to their web site where you can view their amazing selection and get all their details. We had a lovely experience and we even bought a couple home for the blokes 

I got a lot of brownie points I can tell you for bringing home this sweet little box. Inside the same variety my daughter chose. We had planned to hit the shops at Paddington but we could not get a park anywhere within miles of the Antique Centre as there were hordes of people out for voting. It was so nice to spend time with my daughter in such a lovely little spot. We have already decided on a return visit......but what will I have????
Now as Hubby and I are about to have our freedom curtailed as he is back on call this weekend we ventured out for one more little drive down to Brunswick Heads to the Co-op for some Fish and chips for lunch and a walk along the river. It was a bit blowy but we enjoyed it. Only two pics this time....
Yours truly by the river....

and lunch.....Flat head in beer batter, calamari, whiting fillets and chippies...YUM!

Now after all that goodness a bit of exercise is in order but no Yoga today for me as I must wait in for the electrician.....oh well I guess I shall have to do a spot of stitching instead.
Enjoy your Monday,
Blessings Michelle xx
P.S. on the subject of cupcakes my Daughter has decide to start a little blog about her love of cupcakes, baking and family Here

Favourite things Friday

I still have a little of Friday left to join with SHAY for "Favoruite Things Friday" and if I am perfectly honest, so disgruntled have I been the last two days with my technical savvy regarding the management of this here blog I was very tempted to delete the lot and slink back into my 'old lady' cupboard. But then the thought of not communicating with all my lovely friends in blogland bought me to my senses which brings me to my 'favourite' this week. "Friends". Once you make great friends the joy they bring is immeasureable. Last week was my regular catch up with my work colleagues for coffee. In one of my very early posts I spoke about a gorgeous lady I had worked under and how she had knitted a very charming cardigan for my bear "Pickles". Jenny left us and went travelling with her husband and did all sorts of other interesting things and we hadn't  seen her for a number of years. One of the girls ran into Jenny recently and relayed how we catch up for coffee and she said "Count me in I'll be there" but our very sneaky friend Deb didn't tell us she has seen her or was coming so when she appeared there was much squealing hugging and kissing and we gas bagged just like we had all been together yesterday. It was wonderful.

Jenny is in the middle in the front. It always amazes me how the heart instantly recognises a friend. Deb is missing as she was the photographer. So here's to "Friends" whether far away or close by.
Just a little note.....want to know how much I really love red. I had to wear it everyday for 18 and a half years and I still love it.

I have also been doing a lot of this in the last couple of days as I have stitched my little heart out and I have finished "felt pile project" which a friend in Sydney requested and garnered from the  sneaky pics that I had kept my word. So yes Pat and Vivian I have indeed worked my fingers to the bone but you will have to wait unitl October to see the finished project. I also have finished the binding on the "secret Christmas business quilt".

I really should have shares in the "Tim Tam" factory at least it would make my sugar addiction and my 'real woman shape' worth while. I have been trying so hard lately to cut back (can't go cold turkey) but I just enjoy my lovely cup of coffee with sugar so much. It is also one of my favourite things......My dear Uncle Bill used to tell me "all this deprivation doesn't make you live longer it just feels long and drawn out." and my dear Nana used to tell me "a little bit of what you fancy does you good". These are the things I resort to when I don't really want to give up my bad habits.
So that's me done for this Friday and I wish you all a great weekend. I am going to try and forget that a lot of this techno stuff is beyond me and enjoy a nice day out with DD at a cute little "cupcake" cafe she has tracked down in one of my favourite parts of town **Paddington** You see what hope do I have. Of course I could go and not have a devine cupcake......yeah right!
Blessings to you all,
Namaste,
Michelle xx

Little Pile of Felt.

You will remember my little happy pile of felt I posted about earlier.

Well I have been busy stitching these out of all that while listening to the beautiful voice of Eva Cassidy.........ahh Bliss!

I also have been stitching something like this.....

to go right along with them. When I get through with these lovely Christmas projects I am going to draw me up something real pretty to stitch. I feel like I have been stitching Christmas forever at the moment and I feel the need for flowers, butterflies or tea cups......something away from the festive season. Of course it won't last long as gingies, plum puddings, snowmen and reindeers will come to call and I shall have to follow where they lead me.
I heard today that if you are a creative type and if you get a good nights sleep regularly it increases your creativity by 40%. Wonder if that includes sleeping in?

This little fairy is for my dear friend Helen (she loves fairies) who is unwell at the moment. Get better real soon my lovely friend and you just know I am going to say "Look after Yourself"!
Blessings to all,
Namaste,
Michelle xxx