Gala Booty

 I'mgoing back to Saturday now when my friends Janet and Rosemary and I went to a local school Gala. Janet is a garage sale queen and I tag along sometimes but there was none this morning and the Gala was advertising a white elephant stall which turned out to be their whole school hall filled with wonders that others no longer wanted. Now here is my haul. 2 pictures of maps, one of Europe and the other an olde world one. 2 chintz feather comforters and lets take a closer look

 An old picnic basket which I intend to line and use for my stitching, doilies to add to my collection, a couple of lampshades which I intend to do marvelous things to ( as in granny chic), A little vase, I think Chinese, but I just loved its 3 chubby legs and curly handles.

 Here's a closeup of the chintz comforter fabric. Isn't it sooo pretty. Somehow I will have to unpick them very carefully and I think outside as the feathers are already escaping through the holes.I only want the fabric.

 Did you notice this lovely item on the floor. A very charming  pincushion and thread holder. I'm thrilled with my booty.

 Now as I said I have a collection of doilies and especially lately I have combed many op shops and added to the hoard so I thought I would do a soak in nappy wash to hopefully remove any stains and cleanthem.

 A good idea to do it while DH away. My heart bleeds for the drought stricken lawn and indeed the whole country especially the farmers and their animals.

 One last look at my crooked clothesline full of loveliness. A tree fell on it some yearsago when hundreds of pine trees grew close to the house, but thats another story.

 More delicate ones I didn't want to put pegs on , I draped over the railing on a piece of toweling.

 And still more on a sheet over the clothes horse in the spare room.

 Such beautiful delicate things that someone sometime ago put a lot of time and talent into. I hope to put them to some wonderful purposes.

 Some are comercially made but they are all trasured by this maybe crazy gatherer. I have many plans and ideas. I just have to live several lifetimes.

Now after several hours of coping with my tempermental computer my lovely moggies and I with say goodbye for today. Till next time , blessings to all who drop by, Trills x

Blessings

 Following my last post as I reclined on my swing seat. I finished my coffee, looked at my watch and saw that it was nearly 3.30. Time to get going down to our local beach for a church gathering, and there they all were. A happy expectant crowd gathered for a baptism event. It was high tide but this beach is very shallow being on the inner Manukau Harbour. The safe beach for families. I'll take you to our other more dramatic beach another day.

 Nine young people were baptised in turn by Pastors Lloyd and Guy. Then It was Lillians turn.

 Dearest Lillian is in her 80s and a joy and blessing to our church family. She joined her Son and Daughter-in-law some years ago, from Wales and quickly became a member of our church family. As she was helped down the rough stone steps, I was reminded of a moment 45yrs ago when I sat there with my first Son Greg and dangled his 3mnth old feet in the water. In those days My Aunt and Uncle owned the motor camp just behind the park. The camp is still there but their quaint cottage has been replaced by a modern house. My Aunt is now 97yrs old and living in the neighbouring town in a retirement village. She only gave up driving a few years ago, bless her.

 Anyway, back to Lillian. With her mop cap on to preserve her hairdo she braved the water and received her baptism like a trouper, then raised her fist in triumph.

 Then they all gathered to share and celebrate with prayer

 and praise, and worship

Then a special word and gift from Pastor Amanda.
Now we may look a very casual group for a church and the Pastors young, but the Love and Spirit and fellowship are RICH. We are Cornerstone  Assembly of God church Waiuku, and we worship in a school hall, and join in activities in our own smaller building daily. I am so blessed to belong to this family. PLT
Blessings to you all, Trills

Hello again

 I have finally got myself into gear again after months of busyness and stresses with getting the house ready to sell . No, it hasn't sold yet so we are still up in the main house and have rented out the cottage in the meantime. And now you see the last photo taken of my lovely Buffy. Little did I know that a few days later he was to make his last visit to the vet. He now lies beneath a seedling cherry tree in the cottage garden.


We are now left with our two tabbies, Emmy and Casper and they are great mates.

 

 We now find ourselves is the midst of a very sunny summer and have managed a few days away in our bus, Emmylou. This was at Orua bay camp on the Awhitu peninsular not far from home but such a lovely place we were quite content to be not too far from home with all thats going on at the moment.

 Of course I took a hooky project and just loved my time under the tree in my lounger draped in one completed rug while working on number 2.

 We did swim and walked and at the far end of the beach found this jandel tree. Evidently a local artist started it and the novelty caught on and more and more were added. I love it.

 Yep! I love the quirky and quintessentially Kiwiana aspect of this work of art.

 Another angle looking back along the beach.

 Now this is my darling hubby on his favourite toy, just taking off on another tractor trek. Heading southward with some mates on their toys, each towing their sleeping accomadation with them.

 This is DHs  home away from home. All a man needs . Hes happy as Larry, whoever Larry is or was.

 A closer look. front left are a sack of spuds and a sack of onions from a local grower. They will hopefully be enough to feed the 20 or so guys who will be together with their toys making their way to Marakopa on the west coast.

 A kiss goodbye and hes on his way. See you next week honey. Have fun and stay safe.

 Meanwhile I do have a project or two on the go. This is another ripple rug. A very large one for our new bedroom when we finally move into the cottage.

 I have experimented with some fluffy yarn that was just the right colour but it is tricky to crochet with.

 Its very hard to see the loops to hook into . But slowly does it and it helps to have something white behind it .

 I also found this lovely soft goldy lemon to go with it too at a local garage sale. More about them in anothe post.

 The aim is that the rug will lie over the end of the bed which will be adorned with a new patchwork quilt with this as the main fabric. Don't you think they go well together.

Now I have exhausted myself. My aging computer is so slow and also needs a rest, so I will make one of my special coffees and retire to my favourite swing seat on the terrace where the nearby tree is now shading it and pat myself on the back for finally getting back to my blog.
Cheers everyone and thankyou for your encouragement. Blessings, Trills.

The truth of it

Hi there from a sunny day down under. Thankyou all for your encouragement . Now I have a confession to make. I have browsed blogs showing lovely pretty workspaces and I went and looked in my studio that is taking shape and I thought I could take a few photos to show you. So here we go.

This is a pretty corner awith an old sewing machine that I havent used ever but it looks good 

And now this is my usual machine is the same pretty setting. I did decoupage the torso with Kaffe Fasset fabrics some years ago as a prop for our shop where we sold patchwork fabrics and notions in this same room.

Now there is a nice little pile of fabrics ready to be played with . 

And this is a comfy chair where I do indeed sit to dream of my french courtyard outside the window.but the reality and the truth of it all is.........

I am afraid this !  Yes a state of chaos exist in my lovely studio and I dont think it will ever get much better

Though having something to show for it would be good and I do have ideas for quilts that I want to get on with when we get properly shifted into the adjoining cottage.

Yes I tent to be an untidy Kiwi and I have way too much stuff. I have passed on a lot in various directions and will have to continue to do this for as DH loves to proclaim I have enough stuff to last me 3 lifetimes and he is probably right.

Now this is not a set up. I draped my newly finished ripple over the back of the sofa and put goosey and owl back is their usual place and Buffy was quick to take advantage of it. That is his back as he sleeps away the day is the sun. And the basket with my new ripple sits ready for me to carry on at days end when I sit down to watch tv and hooky time.

And around the garden I am enjoying my favourite daffodills with their orange cups.

And here are my pink bluebells. Yes I know. Well I dont know what happened but it has happened to quite a few and the real blue ones will be later to flower. I'll show you them then.
Bye for now and thanks for visiting me, Blessings, Trills

I think Ive got it

Yes I do I think I have got it now, even a profile photo of goosey loosey and some of my patchwork. Now lets enjoy a touch of spring. This is one of our fabulous Taiwan Cherries. The first to flower and the favourite nectar of our native Tui bird. You may be able to see them in the tree. I counted 8. They can actually get drunk and do indeed get very raucaous.

The lovely shed is my prayer retreat and Im sad to say I will be leaving It behind when we move down to the cottage and sell this house. I wonder what will become of it. Will children play in it. Will someone craft in it. I hope it doesnt just become someones dumping place. But now where will we be and what will I be doing.

Now this is where we have been living for 17yrs. Large 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms. We started with a bare paddock and as you can see its hard to see the house for the trees, my passion.

We are moving into this little 2bed 1 bath cottage built by my folks when we came here. It does have a large garage which became the shop my daughter and I had and now will become my studio. Everything is looking rather bare at present as we had a big clearout of the garden but I have plans.

We are looking back  at the huge garden and lots of work

taking the path through the woodland 

And tadaah. Wisteria Cottage as we will continue to call her. Imagine if you will, a large conservatory across the front of cottage. A rosey cottage garden and I rather fancy a little french courtyard in front of my studio that you can just see on the left.

Ill leave it at that today and hope to blog weekly and keep you up to date with our progress and my projects. I think that blogging will help keep me on my toes as I tend to procrastinate and drift from project to project. So I will leave you with this lovely image of one of our moggies. My boy Buffy.

Blessings to you all, and thanks for your encouragement. Trills

Lets try again

I just love hitting the road and finding places to stop and just be.

and here she is on a recent outing to the hot springs ona lovely sunny winters day.

My first tadaaaah moment . This is my ripple as on attic 24. It was such fun Ive started another. They are for our housebus Emmylou.

another try. im not sure what im doing. working from my smart phone as computer in a bad mood. hi again from a sunny winters day in nz. i wish i could show pics but that attempt didnt work. i need a buddy for a day to teach me. shortly i will be off to the liquour shop for empty boxes to pack my tons of books in to transport down to cottage. this move is a slow process. most of quilting and craft stuff is now in crammed studio and i console myself in the evenings with my ripple crochet blanket which is growing fast. ive taken photos but just cant figure out how to get them to here. bear with, bear with! blessings, trills