OPAM...One Project A Month...Paris Eiffel Tower!!!

This year I have participated in OPAM (One Project A Month)...

hosted by Peg...
a sure-fire way I think to motivate me to finish...One Project A Month...

The project for February....

This is the little quilt I just had to have when I first spotted it in my local Patchwork Shop, Steph's...
A fabric panel depicting my favourite at the moment...The Eiffel Tower...

how cool is that I thought...

This is how it came all rolled up and tied with a cute little pink ribbon...

A big decision at home...on 2 sides was this pink stripey fabric...
okay I thought hang on to it...it could look good...

After much deliberating I ended up taking it off as it didn't look quite right...

This is only the 2nd little quilt I have quilted...
here it is all ready to sandwich (I think that's the term used)
meaning putting it on top of a layer of cotton/wool filling
and then backing it...and finally quilting it!!!

I just finished stitching the label on today...

My first mitred corner!!!

And here 'tis...my version of Paris Eiffel Tower!!!
I machine quilted in a variable blue thread by machine...
I had intended to hand quilt it in Perle thread like the sample at the top but not having a frame I found it a bit difficult...nevertheless I think it's okay!!!

A Surprise Gift...and Cooking with JoJo!!!

Last week after a busy time DH came in with a surprise package for me from my Blogging Friend...Simone!!! Just the cheer me up I needed after the last couple of weeks...

This little card by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) the Dutch Post-Impressionist Painter...

Sprig of Flowering Almond in a Glass...

and look at this wonderful pattern...Ooh La La...Tres Chic!!!
My Apartment in Paris Quilt by Faeries in My Garden!!!
Just Perfect dear Simone...just what I needed to put a smile on my face...

Simone and I are doing a little stitchery together and she has sent me also these cup cake fabrics with gold on them!!! How cool is that!!!
Thank you so very very dear Simone for thinking of me...I just love these gifts!!!

Meanwhile...there were quite a few storms with flooding in our area last week...
one of JoJo's programmes was cancelled as some of the Carers couldn't leave their homes to the floodwater...the building her programme had water around it...plus a host of other reasons to do with all the water!!!
She was so disappointed she wasn't able to get there...she had been standing in the rain with her new umbrella for 15 minutes waiting for her lift...

So what to do!!!

JoJo loves food...just like her Mum ha ha!!!

I said go and get us an apron and we'll make a slice for morning tea (not knowing whether this would work or not)...it sure did (thank goodness!!!)...
We decided to make a Mixed Spice Slice...

Here she is sifting the flour into the bowl...

Mixing it in...

Checking progress...

Coming along nicely!!!

Cooling down...

Spreading the icing...

All done now!!!

Cutting the slice...

And here we are...Mixed Spice Slice with Lemon Icing!!!
Good job JoJo...let's not wait until the next flood to do some baking together!!!

Friday Night Sew-In!!!

Wow...this must be a record...2 Posts in 1 day!!!

Underneath this one I have posted the winners to my 10,000 hit giveaway!!!

Last night was the Friday Night Sew-In hosted by Heidi and Bobbi...

I thought maybe I wouldn't be able to make it as we had other things to attend to...

plus not being here...for a variety of family reasons...

but luckily I made it home in time to do some stitching and get in a movie!!!

I'm really starting to look forward to these Sew-Ins as it is turning into a fun evening...

of planning...stitching...and enjoying the process of it all!!!

I had planned to do something else but had been called away...


luckily I still have my trusty ol' Table Runner still on the go!!!


Here I have finished another little block of flowers on stems with French Knots...



Two more sections to go and then finishing off the blocks...


then onto the outside border with more flowers and knots...then binding...


I'm so looking forward to getting this completed...


but lately have been taken with starting new projects!!!

Thank you Heidi and Bobbi for hosting this Fun evening!!!


During the evening we watched The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett...


talk about Brad being a distraction during the evening ha ha!!!


And so begins "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button',


adapted from the 1920's story be F. Scott Fitzgerald
about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards...
...a grand tale of a not so ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way...


the loves he finds...the joys of life...and what lasts beyond time...



Screen Story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord...based on the Short Story by F. Scott Fitzgerald...
Images and words from the brochure...



Truly a thought provoking magical movie...
with Brad at his best (sigh)!!!



And here's what we are doing for the rest of the weekend...and then some LOL!!!

We are re-organizing JoJo from this very overcrowded space next to the dining area into another part of the house...
it's going to take ages...
it's been a beautiful high summer's day and the beach keeps calling...
if we work really hard maybe we'll get down there tomorrow...
perhaps even for a swim...if not one of the last swims for this particularly warm Summer...
but I have loved every minute of it!!!
Enjoy these last days of warmth as we are slipping gently into Autumn!!!
Off now to start on the re-organization...


Lookout JoJo...here we come!!!

My 10,000 Hit Giveaway Winners!!!

This morning JoJo drew the winners to my 10,000 Hit Giveaway...

Out of her hat selection she chose this one...a cowprint cowboy hat...Yahoo!!!

All the names in the hat...

Oh no I've just realized I didn't show a pic of the winners tickets, but I did take them!!!
The winner of the pattern for the cushion above is...

KATH in England
and the little Flowers Sampler goes to...

RitaGri in Latvia!!!
Congratulations Kath

and/un novelet laimi RitaGri!!!
Thank You to everyone for entering my little giveaway!!!

Cook Up With Vicki...No 5

I recently participated in a Cook Up with Vicki , this latest one being from the December/January issue of Donna Hay magazine...

Anyone is welcome to join us if they like...just make something from the mag and blog it!!!

First of all...pick some Thyme from our pot out the back...this one being a mix of lemon thyme and orange thyme...

Veggies all ready...

for roasting...

I had just prepared the vegetables and Hubby arrives home...sees it's a Cook Up and straightaway gets the wine and some glasses...
He's keen to get into it but I say hold on...pics have to be taken for the blog!!!

Entree is Prawns with Lime Mayonnaise...

Broccolini and Green Beans gently on the heat...

Sage and Prosciutto Corn Cakes...

Here's what they looked like out of the pan...that's a Kaffir Lime Leaf on the bottom as I couldn't get any Sage leaves...

Greens with Crispy Sage Butter

Tray Roasted Vegetables
Sage and Prosciutto Corn Cakes...

If you'd like to see the recipes for the Greens, and the Tray Roasted Vegetables go over to My Dolce Vita, my food blog...

Those tray roasted vegies were oh-so delicious, I can see them becoming a firm favourite here...especially in Winter time!!!

And to surprise me Hubby bought home this little book for me by Elizabeth Bard ,

Lunch in Paris...

If you follow the link it will take you to Elizabeth's Blog which I actually commented on and she got back to me!!!
I believe she is in Melbourne at the moment and coming up to Sydney...but I don't think I'll get there...

Happy Cooking...Dzintra

Vale...Olive

I'll be a little quiet over the next few days or so...there has been a sudden death in the family...My Darling Son-In -Law's Mother passed away suddenly...My Heart goes out to all the Family...Remembering you Olive, a True-Blue Aussie...the Cakemaker for Family Occassions...Rest In Peace Dear One...

A Giveaway Win...Next Sew-In...and I Can't Keep Away From The Beach!!!

A little while ago Vicki held a 100th post Giveaway...

the prize being something from the Monterey Bay area where she lives...

The box arrived...and amongst all this pink tissue

was this ruffled paper heart...complete with Eiffel Tower...a little card...

Oh be still my beating heart...

these beautiful heartful words...

turn it over...

the sweetest little vial complete with sea glass...sea shells and sand from Pebble Beach, California!!!

all hanging up...I just love it Vicki !!!

Happy 100 Posts...and I hope there are many, many more...

I love coming over for a visit...strolling through your garden...walking along the beach...and participating in your Cook-Ups!!!

Thank you so much Blogging Mate!!!

I have again signed up for the Friday Night Sew-In to be held on 19th February...
this time I will do some border stitching for a quilt...

and watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett!!!
This is a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published back in 1922 and tells the story of Benjamin Button being born as an old man and getting younger as he grows up...
a beautiful story and a very thought provoking movie...

Meanwhile...I can't keep away from the beach lately...

having lots of swims and walks...

Here is a pic of our beach looking north...

and looking south at Twilight!!!

I'm loving Summer...and am enjoying the last weeks before we all start to cool down!!!

Which brings me to that wonderful poem by John Masefield...

SEA FEVER

I MUST down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

This wonderful poem comes back to me every Summer...

over and over in my head...
Enjoy these beautiful days everyone...Dzintra