Fresh from the Garden.....

The vege patch has been quite productive over the last few months.

We didn't even plant very much as we knew that we were going to be away during the hot weather of January.

This is the last of the crops we have had in, so now we are home we will get back into our little patch and hopefully grow some more delicious food.

We have picked beautiful beans, peas, snow peas, corn, capsicum, chilli, parsley, orgegano and thyme. Our Henny Pennies are still laying beautifully too.

I am so pleased that the two youngest of our family are enjoying the vege patch - even though we had some beans that were about to produce again suddenly disappear!! I guess it's all part of learning about gardening!

And sew I did......

Well, I just about feel "normal" again - I guess until Tuesday at least when we are back into the school routine.

I had a lovely afternoon yesterday - I was in the sewing room for awhile, then in the garden and then last night back in the sewing room.

It doesn't take much - but just that time to do those things that I so enjoy makes all the difference to my state of mind. Although - my legs are so sore today from the digging!! The pain is worth it though to see all the edges of the garden beds nicely dug!

I have had the pattern to make a peg bag for quite awhile and just really wanted to make one - so I made three!! It is a Mum's Moment pattern and I always find there instructions just a little hard to follow - maybe it's just me. This one was no different. It came together nicely, but the finish on the inside shows all the seams - I would prefer it turned through, but couldn't work it out at all!!

I will give the linen one to Mum as part of her birthday gift, the pink and green one is for my laundry and I'll save the blue and pink and someone will receive it through the year sometime.

I am still trying to get my boy ready to go back to school - so will leave it there today and get back to organising his books!

Changes........

What a week the past one has been. It seems like forever since we came home from our beach holiday - so much has happened.

Of course Monday saw the sale of our business that we have had for 12 out of the last 14 years. It's a strange feeling indeed not to have to think or worry about anything to do with that anymore. We still have our smaller shop and BJ has been busy getting everything on track and organised for it. I on the other hand have been chained to my desk for what seems an eternity tidying up all the last work that needed to be done for that side of our shop.

So, here we are, with the year stretching our before us with all the possibilities that may be ahead. I am finally feeling just slightly excited! (But don't tell BJ) about the one little shop, so we will give it a go and see where we end up. I'm fairly sure that I will have time to stitch and garden, and have some time with my friends, so I am happy if my routine works around those things.

This is a new little addition to my sewing room ( which I am still to share in this space). BJ gave me the "inspire" for Christmas. My room certainly does that - as long as I can get in there! The little dress was one that I wore as a baby.

This week also saw another change in our family, with our eldest passing his driving test. I didn't think that seeing two boys drive off down the street together with grins from ear to ear could make a Mother feel so sick! I am also quite relieved that he does finally have his licence as it will alleviate much running around for me. Much extra praying to be done this year too!

I am off to my sewing room now, post haste, for some very long awaited fiddling time!

Still Here......

What a time the first three weeks of January have been. The emotions of losing my dear Grandma was enough but throw in the last three weeks of a very long drawn out business contract and it was almost too much.

We headed away to the beach the morning of Grandma's death and came home just for the day to say goodbye.

It was lovely to be away and quite nice to be on the beach most days, but I wouldn't recommend the constant mobile phone interuption that I endured!!

I did stitch a little and caught up on some lovely magazine reading, so that was quite nice.
But, today was the day and I can say now, that an era in our life has certainly ended. Even though we still have out smaller shop to run, I am sure that life will settle hopefully, into a routine that is a much easier one for our family.

This year sees lots of changes with the two youngest in different schools and our big boy accepted into university. Good changes I'm sure - just a little getting used to. Now I just hope he gets his drivers licence on Wednesday - or is that thought just too scary to throw in at this stage.

Well I am definately still here, and hopefully when I get my office sorted out and the children organised for school to start next week, then I will have some time to myself!!

Looking forward to sewing and reading and baking and blogging too! I hope there is someone still out there who might pop in for a quick read.

Hoping I have something more exciting to show and tell next time.

Mavis Ruby

Home briefly today - my dear Grandma passed away on Saturday morning and today we say goodbye.

Where do you possibily begin to put into words the reflection of more than forty years of loving your Grandma.
I was brought home from hospital to Grandma and Grandad’s house and for all of the time until their moving into Beauaraba Lodge I spent many days and hours in their home, Meldon Park, Pine View and Donovan Street. Each home different but always the same love and care shown there.
Sundays after church for lunch and then the afternoon with Dad helping in the dairy so that, at least one afternoon a week Grandma didn’t have to. I loved holidays with Grandma too, with little competitions that lasted for the time of the visit with of course me always being the winner in the final total. Wogs and quoits always on the list of things to do. Chips for the wood stove, eggs to gather, the dairy to visit, cows to feed, always things to do that were different from the farm where I lived.
Grandma singing, yodelling and of course whistling - so very Grandma. Her love of music always shining through and her interest and enjoyment of my music was always so evident.
I think Grandma must have been the Queen of fiddling with little bits and pieces and the creations that we were given, forever to be treasured. Golliwogs, little baby dolls dressed beautifully lying in little cradles carefully painted and decorated with lace and little satin bed clothes. Even a couple of outfits for “Barbie”. I have only recently remembered too, the beautiful little scrap pictures Grandma had and the books that they were pasted into. Of course in later years, the beautiful crochet rugs for her Great Grandchildren are more treasures for another generation to hold dear forever.
Through all her illness, her years of hard work and making do she was the loving, kind and generous Grandma any person could wish for. Never complaining, always kind and patient, these qualities have continued to be my Grandma even in these final years of her life.
The journey of grief in the gradual loss of my Grandma has been a long one. With the many stages of her dementia, I have felt the loss for so many years. But, just one smile in the past few weeks reassures me that deep inside our beautiful Mavis Ruby remained even just a small part of the Grandma I have known and loved for more than forty years.
Always there, forever in my heart and my memory, my Grandma – Mavis Ruby.

Moo... & A Little Project

I know I am a little behind the times here at Eleanor and Ruby, but I have just received my Moo cards in the mailbox today. It seems like ages since they were being talked about around the place in all those beautiful blogs!

They are really just very cute. I have my address and blog details on the back and I have a plan ticking away with what I will do with them!

But first this business deal has to be sealed and then I hope a little more freedom will be mine. I just need to be able to express myself in more of a creative way than what has been possible during the last eight years, so hoping that 2008 will be so different for me.

I have been meaning to share this "Stitching Pail" with you now for what seems ages. I just keep forgetting to take the pics.

It is a Crabapple Hill pattern and was fun to make. I think I bought the metal bucket at a hardware store and it was a perfect measurement for the pattern. It's always a worry whether you can find the right sized containers for these type of liner patterns without making too many alterations.

It has two layers of pockets inside and I have made these to fit my sewing items like the ruler, rotary cutter, tin of pins, pencils, measuring tape, pattern etc. and of course a nice big area in the centre for the project to be carried in.

Sadly, with my lack of social interaction during the last year particularly, my little sewing pail has only been out once. I hope this all changes dramatically soon!

Well off to the sewing room - yea! I am about to start getting some stitching together to take with me to the beach - along of course with the dreaded business details too!! But hopefully the stitching and reading time will prevail!!

Happy New Year

Well, 2008 is here! Hard to believe really. It's always interesting to think about the year ahead and what it has in store. This time last year I wouldn't have believed all that would happen if someway I would have known ahead. So, here's to a year full of many changes and happenings.

New Year was a quiet affair for us. No parties, no going out, just the usual - closing up shops, kids at work. It was lovely to be at home though and knowing we didn't have to be anywhere the next day.

I have really enjoyed being in my sewing room and getting some projects finished. We are off to the beach this weekend and so after a couple of years of thinking I should make a beach bag - I finally did.

I used basically the measurements from Leanne's book Living the Dream. I also made a little bag for inside to hold glasses, sunblock etc.

All set - I just wonder if there is any beach left at the Sunshine Coast after all this wild weather they've been having?

Next I finished the two pillowcases that go with my Carnival Star quilt. All that gathering! But so lovely in the end. Another project down - now I can start another quilt. I have my lovely Barefoot Roses fabric stashed away just ready to go!!

Then last night while BJ my baker husband had gone to bed before the sun went down and while I waited to pick up No. 1 son from work and an after work visit to a mates place - I finally made my kitchen curtains. I am quite pleased how they turned out, I think the kitchen looks quite cosy now.

I had better get on with the day now, washing etc. and do some more towards getting on this holiday.

Thank you for visiting my blog in 2007, I am looking forward to 2008 and hopefully much more stitching, blogging and coffee with friends this year.