Word for 2014 is REDUCE.

Time to reflect on the year almost gone and make plans for the one about to begin.

 

I would have to say overall I am happy with 2013. The man I love turned 80 and his birthday celebration was exactly what he wanted. A day surrounded with family and friends. I consider myself lucky to have some wonderful friends who are there for me for whenever I need. Most often a laugh but occasionally a cry. I still love my job and the people I work with. It's not everyone who can say that and I hope I never take it for granted.

 

The low point of the year was most definitely when Laurie injured his hand. He is not a good patient and my patience was tested on many occasions. Still we got through it and my cooking skills did improve.

 

So what I am looking forward to in 2014. I want to reduce my weight, reduce my smoking, reduce clutter. Can you see a trend? I feel overwhelmed by everything sometimes and believe that by living a simpler life with less things life can only get better. Time will be the judge.

 

I also want to make some time everyday for me. Sewing each day will resume. I am also going time do a whole year of Fat Mum Slim's photo a day challenge. My rule for this is that I must take the photo on the day of the prompt. I know that won't always be possible but that's ok.

 

So happy new year and bring on 2014.

Design wall Monday and some baking.

Like most of blog land it seems I have succumbed and I have started Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt Celtic Solstice. My work and social commitments are busy so at the moment I get a bit done and move on to the next clue as it is released. My goal is to have the top finished before the next one begins. A year should be enough time I hope.

Anyhow this week Bonnie has us making pinwheels and half square triangles. I completed four pinwheel blocks on the weekend.

When I look at them I am a bit concerned that there may not be quite enough contrast but that is something to worry about much later.

I also did some baking the weekend. My friend Pennie gave me a treasured peanut butter cookie recipe. After mixing all the ingredients I had this lovely sticky mixture.

I couldn't resist the suggestion to add some chocolate chips so I added some to half the mixture.

Here is the finished product. A moment of panic when they came out of the oven as they were soft but five minutes cooling on the tray left me with a delicious crunchy cookie. I will definitely be making these again.

 

Celtic Solstice

A busy weekend and work week did not leave much time for sewing. I did manage to complete six chevron blocks. I found them time consuming to piece but I'm certain by the time I have made the gazillion required I will be churning them out like an old pro.

 

 

 

It's been a while....

Well it seems I haven't posted here in almost six months. Laurie had an incident with a propellor on one of his model planes and I played nurse maid for almost two months. Work has been busy but still really just excuses.

So I'm back and ready to go. I have mostly been hand sewing of late so thought it was time to get reacquainted with this:-

I have started two of Bonnie's mysterys in the past but made little progress. This year I am determined to finish. It won't be done as per her schedule but I will get there in the end.

The first order of business was the purchase of a tri recs ruler set.

These units have always frightened me in the past but I am determined to get better on the machine. My stash is exploding and I will be able to make a larger dent if I am machine piecing. So last Saturday was time for the first clue and of course it was tri recs units. I bit the bullet and just went for it and lo and behold the first unit finished to size.

Over the course of the week I managed a little more sewing and as of this morning I had 21 completed units.

Clue 2 is now up so these will how on the back burner while I make some of this weeks chevron units.

I posted this from my IPad for the first time and it seems to have done something weird to the photos. They come up ok in draft but are not right when published. Something to learn about I guess.

Design Wall Monday

The wether has turned decidedly chilly here. You would think that equate to more sewing but alas no.

I did manage to sew the album block I completed last week into in to place.

I also made the first block for a quilt for my great niece Ivy. There are only 20 blocks so it should come together reasonably quickly. My aim is to have another nine completed by this time next week.

 

 

Head on over to Judy's to see what others have been up to this week.

Design Wall Monday

This last two weeks have been spent on lots of preparation so not much actual sewing progress to show.

First up I added some triangles to the centre of Cream Tea.

I also finished another Album block.

Also added a frame to the dahlia block. Fingers crossed it will sit flat once pressed.

Not massive but progress on three projects I am enjoying immensely.

Design Wall Monday

I was not going to start another project but seems I have. I loved the cover quilt on the new Kaffe book from the moment I saw it. Then my LQS received a shipment of the new Jason Yenter shot cottons and I was lost. A public holiday on Thursday and a start was made.

I finished piecing the outer ring for my dahlia block.

I surprised myself by attaching it to the inner rings.

I also finished a frame for this quilt. I have several options for the feature floral so watch this space.

 

A hexagon flower was made for this quilt.

All in all a good week. Pop over to Judy's to see what others have been up to.

Design wall Monday

To start this week we have the very traditional me. I added another triangle section to Cream tea.

Well there you have it - the start is also the finish of my progress this week. There has been lot more activity, mainly cutting but nothing else worth showing. Hopefully I will have done better next week.

Design Wall Monday

A busy week but progress made on a number of projects.

The second ring of the dahlia block has been added.

The flannel hexagon quilt continues to grow. It is already big and there are only 6 flowers joined. The beauty of 10 inch hexagons.

I also finished another octagon block bringing my total to five,

In much more exciting news my second finish for the year. My trip around the world is done.

Nothing subdued about the back.

Michelle did an amazing job with the cross hatching.

Design Wall Monday

This week my dancing nines top has grown a little.

I started a baby quilt. How cute are these elephants?

I also finished another flannel hexagon flower.

Pop over to Judy's to see what others have been doing.

Design Wall Monday

I have been feeling poorly this week A cold and fever that will just not go away.

I did manage to add the last pieces to this frame. A glorious fabric will eventually fill the hole.

The fourth album block is half done.

Not a lot but something is always better than nothing. Pop on over to Judy's to see what others have been working on this week.

Design Wall Monday

A busy week and while I have sewn every day very little progress to show.

The flannel hexagon from last week has been added to the top.

The dahlias in my garden have been beautiful this year.

It seems right to have started a dahlia quilt.

All in all not a lot to show but progress nonetheless. Pop over to Judy's to see what others have been working on this week.

Design Wall Monday

Finished another octagon flower block. This brings my total to four.

I have some very talented friends. Lisa's first book has just been published. Lucky me I have a copy. I also happened to have a Kona stack.

I started one of the quilts from her book.

I also finished piecing another flannel hexagon. The sides are ten inches, In other words this one unit is big.

My bits and pieces of the week. Head on over to Judy's to see what others have been up to.

Design Wall Monday

Some little accomplishments this week. First up the third of sixteen album blocks completed.

Here are two of the blocks joined.

I also completed another segment for Cream Tea.

My Trip Around the World quilt came back from the quilter. I'm currently working on the binding.

I also finished my third Grandmothers Star block. Not exactly sure what I have in mind for them but something will come to me.

Design Wall Monday

Living up to my blog header this week was all about working on bits and pieces.

I added some bow-ties.

Some hexagons were added to this project at lunch.

A UFO that I can't remember why I stopped was resurrected. This is block 13 of 16.

The second album block was finished.

Flitting from project to project doesn't work for everyone I know but it seems to be the only way I can achieve things.

Head on over to Judy's to see what others have been doing this week.

Last day of first round of 12WBT

Today is the last day of Round 4 2012. So how did I do?

Not bad. Weight loss on the official last weigh in day on Wednesday was 7.1 kilos. On this the last day it is 8.5 kilos. My goal was 10 kilos, close but no bananas. I'm not unhappy with my results. I ate out a lot during the 12 weeks. One week we had dinner out 5 nights. Exercise was intermittent but I'm starting to get that on track now.

In other measurements I lost 3 cm from my chest, 8.5 from my waist, 9 from the hips. 2 from my arms and 5 from the thighs. Adding that up and apparently you count the loss from both arms and thighs and my total is 34cm. The surprise for me has been the hip loss. Usually I loose from the top down.

I have some really bad photos of then and now. Will get Laurie to take them in the future.

Where to from here. Straight into the next round. The program is a good reminder of what I need to be doing, even if I ignore it from time to time.

My goal is an 8 kilo loss this round. My body will start to resist the weight loss when I ramp up the exercise. Always does. I also will conquer my water drinking. Success last round was intermittent at best.

This time around I have completed the fitness test so will be interesting to track my improvement that way. My score for the plank was zero so it can only get better.

Design Wall Monday

Nothing of note on my design wall this week but finally have a finished quilt to share.

This quilt was started in 2008 so a long while coming. My one and only quilt from a jelly  roll. Not enough variety for me.

Will post it off later in the week to Chookyblue for it to be distributed to someone who lost their home in the recent bush fires.