Not long now...

and home will be another place.

Cushion: www.veldtdesign.co.za


The boys are counting sleeps, remembering friends and toys back home...
and I am wondering if I will remember how to sew, how to wear socks and how to open mail...


3 months of being in South Africa is almost over. 3 months of seeing the sun

and the lagoon

and the sea...



This week we will drive to Cape Town for the last time for a while and spend the last few days of our time in South Africa preparing for the onward journey to the UK...

bags will need to be packed (fabric secreted between clothes), goodbyes said and life will change again.



Sadly, it has taken almost the entire 3 months to release Sonnja's bears first from Customs and now the Post Office... I am hoping in my last few days here that I will able to deliver them to the children at the Red Cross Hospital with Ruth. But TIA (this is Africa)...


I feel sad to be going, but I have not properly unpacked my suitcase in 3 months.., I have lived the moment, but not the life.., I am ready for routine, but not complacency..., I feel nervous for the journey, but not the destination... Perhaps I am just ready to sew...More likely though I am ready for our new kitchen (!!)

I have missed friends, but will miss others that live here... I will miss my family, but have family there too. This is the life of one who has African soil in their soul and an Englishman in their heart...

I guess that's why I'm always covered in threads... Threads of these 2 lives. Fabric that sews me together and keeps me from falling apart. (And if I'm away from my friend Angie's cakes I'll not fear bursting at the seams either LOL)

And what will you read on this blog when I return? Perhaps a return to creativity? A finished project or two? Perhaps. But then that would be telling ;-D

Bag L O V E

I coveted this 'Mielie' bag soooo much.



I went into the shop at Noordhoek Farm Village so many times to look at it there was almost a path tread by my fitflops! Then one day I went in and it was gone. Gone! Oh well, I thought, it was a great bag, of course someone would buy it. I just never realised that someone special had bought it for me!!


Thank you so much A. I love it (serious bag love here!!!)

Perhaps I should have looked it up

I have never been very good with the facts :-) Even when I was given a book on succulents, I still thought I knew better... this could also be said for any of my crafting ventures LOL



Turns out it's not a Desert rose ahem, but the above succulent is indeed a white Mexican Rose or Mexican Snowball, Hens and Chicks or in fact: Echeveria Elegans

Many fine examples in gorgeous pots can be found at Pret-a-pot (http://www.pret-a-pot.com/) in Plettenberg Bay...

This shop is situated at Old Nick's which has the most amazing flowers in the gardens.
Roses... (I know this for a fact LOL)

And something gorgeous and purple (I declare I know not what it is...)

On the crafting front I have been drawing quite a bit and love it. Mother was going to teach me to crochet. We bought a hook and some red wool. I don't think I love it. It looks such fun and Mom says it's really easy, but it makes me feel all fingers and thumbs :-(
I shall admire from a distance I think...

The colours of Cape Town

When I'm in Cape Town, I am pretty much cut off from the internet.

But the colours of Cape Town...

The fabrics...

the flowers...

...

fill my days (and my new eyes!)....

Normal blogging will resume soon (I hope!)

I can see clearly now...

...the glasses are gone!

On the 16th of April, I decided to undergo LAZIK laser eye surgery. Wow!

The worst part was walking from the waiting room into the surgery, but 25 years of glasses and contact lenses are now a thing of the past so it was worth managing those few steps.

It was an 'interesting' operation and one that took a while to get my head around, but my surgeon made me feel very comfortable and had it not been for his soothing voice and quiet confidence I may still be wearing those dratted spectacles! So thank you Dr M!

(ps these South African succulents are called Desert Roses and they look better without glasses LOL)

You know I love roses...

So if you're ever in the Karoo in South Africa, stop in for a cuppa out of the rosiest teacups I've ever seen...

Wish you were here

Sandybanks

Well, a month of our 3 month holiday is already up, but we have been having a great time. The no sewing thing is getting me down a bit, but at least my body feels warm and my mind feels blank LOL

I have neglected this blog a bit, but then I am not always able to connect to the www... and when we're back to reality and I'm sewing again, I'll be blogging again I'm sure.

In the meantime, Ruth & I have been organising the release of Sonnja's bears and we hope to have some good news soon!

Treadles no more...

We met a friend for coffee at the Barnyard (a great place for kids...). While sitting chatting I noticed that some of the tables had had a previous (more interesting) life.

I felt a little sad, but they were very pretty...

My Mother's Hexagons

My mother made this hexagon quilt many years ago from scraps a friend gave her. Not one fabric is used twice. I love it. Whenever I stay at my Mom's house I sleep under it...


Here's the back, perhaps you can see the quilting (handquilted fairly sparsely. - Please ignore the grumpy quilthanger LOL)



And in one of my Mother's drawers I found this old game. I don't remember ever playing it, but it looks quite cute.

Picture problems...

Trying again...

St James Beach

Ethnic dancers


My friend Angie's Cake shop: Vanilla House

Gone swimming

Apologies for no posts, but we are in an internet void here. I'm just trying to figure out how to do a post direct from an email so the next few posts may be different...

Just to say, I miss reading everyone's blogs. I also miss sewing because by the time we have entertained the boys for the day in the heat, I'm too tired to sew... but hey, I'm on holiday and the sun is shining and the boys are growing so we're doing as much with them as we can. This involves copius trips to the Aquarium, the beach, play areas etc etc. All in over 30 degrees centigrade heat.

Keep well and look after yourselves!!
xka
ps Sharon, I think I'll need to join 'loser Monday' when I get back because I'm eating far too much of all the yummy food here!

Are you a night before or a morning after kind of person?

I like to pack and be ready the night before. I want to sleep as late as possible and not need to do anything on the day. Memories of rushing and the reality of running out of time, make me jittery. DH does not like to do things the night before!

So why did I decide to wash a quilt that I have been frightened of washing for 5 years, a few days before when I was running out of 'before' time? I have no idea, but I did. 5 years ago, I knocked over a cup of tea onto this quilt.



I emailed Birgit for help. Loads of advice was given, but I was petrified. Clearly there was a problem with one of the reds in the quilt. On Tuesday, I bought some Oxi-action colour catcher sheets and put 4 in the wash with the quilt. The sheets turned bright pink and the quilt was clean. BUT as the quilt started to dry, another of the reds used in the backing was bleeding through the cream fabrics on the front. Horrors!!! I shoved the quilt back in the washing machine before it had completely dried with more colour catcher doodas. Out came the red again. Then I ran a short wash cycle with the Synthrapol Birgit had sent me all those years ago. The quilt is almost dry and it appears to have worked. PHEW! I can enjoy my favourite quilt on my bed again (when we get back) Thanks Birgit (and Bonnie who blogged a similar success with cleaning an antique quilt!!)

In the mail, a surprise from Anne.



My bedroom is already a shrine to Anne's talent. I love hearts and this crazy one is no exception.

(All the quilts barring the centre one have been made by Anne. I made the middle one...)

I think I may have to hang it in another room though LOL. Thanks Anne.

Of course, we are still building here.... new stud walls...



I shall be glad to be away from it all for a while...

Beertje Zonn: Bears in the air

Please, please think positive thoughts... that all the little bears lovingly made, by Sonnja of Beertje Zonn, for the young rape and burn victims, and those affected by AIDS who are being treated at a South African hospital make it safely to South Africa.


Once they arrive Ruth & I will make arrangements with the lady from the hospital for the bears to be handed out to those special little babies and children. (My husband commented that I cry during Grey's Anatomy (a hospital programme on TV), so I'll try and be strong!)

None of my own work

I am not sure why I found Toni's UFO so fascinating!! But once I opened up her Orange Crush and worked out what bits were needed where, how much was left to do and what was missing etc etc. I just had to do it. It was like a puzzle that just had to be solved, an itch that needed to be scratched... I sewed and sewed until I could go no further. I emailed Toni about a few missing bits and in our emails I could tell Toni still really liked her Orange Crush... so I did what I could and yesterday I mailed it 'home'. Toni will have the last few missing bits to do and then hopefully it will no longer be one of her UFO's!!


At times while sewing on Toni's quilt, I remembered the companionship of sharing a craft, of working together, of being able to call a friend and say "come help me here please". When I lived in Germany, my good friend Birgit was a great sewing buddy. She would gladly be teaching me new things, cutting pieces while I sewed, working out patterns... I miss that.


My closest (in distance) sewing buddy needed some fish fabric. As neither of us could find any I painted her a trout instead.


I look forward to seeing what Vicky makes with it :-)

So, not much of my own to show... DH bought me roses for Valentines...


And I'm packing so I've not been up to too much else. Just a few more sleeps until we see the sun for more than a few hours a week!! I plan to soak up as many rays as possible! This is our last long holiday before we are governed by the school holidays so there may not be much sewing on this blog while I walk on the beach etc.

(ps I have made arrangements to deliver some Beertje Zonn for Sonnja to some special little children while I'm in South Africa and I hope that all goes well with that visit)

Delightful to be done

Not done, done, but until I think about borders, my Double Delight is done. At least now I can go away and not worry that when I come back, I'll need to work out which bit goes where etc etc...

I've had another great post week. Joyce (no blog) who won my giveaway sent me a gorgeous scarf that she had knitted to say thank you to me! Amazing! Amazing!



I wore it straight away and even got a compliment on it! I shall have to do more giveaways LOL. Joyce also made a superb ATC with some of the extra bits I threw in to her parcel.


Thanks Joyce. (No blog!)

And Vicki W sent me some 6"rose squares for my rose hexagon quilt.


I only need 4" squares, but I would never complain about those extra 2" :-)
Thanks Vicki!

I am preparing for my blog break and actually quite looking forward to it. I actually sew more when I blog less (funny that!) So although I will still check my email while we're away, I won't be blogging much. We still have some time before we're off and if I get myself organised, I may manage another post or two, if not I'll 'see' you all in a few months. I hope to bring a few African fabrics back with me, so if you fancy swapping, let me know.

In the meantime, my thoughts go out to those affected by the devastating Australian Bush fires.

Where to begin?

I have been quite busy since my last post...


I have put together a charity quilt which just needs borders. I used orphans from the 'Heart Blockswap' that I used to do with the Blockbuddy's. These heart blocks were mostly made by Rochelle, Maureen and I. The postage stamp blocks were from Kate and were swapped for fabric. Thanks again Kate.

I have also made some more cosmetic bags... Forgot to take a photo!

I tried to make a camera case for our trip. The first was too big, the second was too small....
I'll keep trying and when I have perfection, I'll show them all LOL.
When I showed DH my various attempts he said: "why don't you just buy one?'
I said: "Because you told me to 'just make one'"
"I was just kidding" he said!!!!!!!!

My "Berry Crush" is ready to go to Chris, the Longarmer on Friday. (It's been ready for a while, but I have only just started driving again.) I decided not to piece a backing as Chris had a particularily lovely backing fabric last time I was there, and I decided if it was still there, it was meant to be for me :-) Also the top is very heavily pieced and therefore very heavy in weight so I decided a pieced backing would just be a bit much (well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! LOL)
And just as I'm ready to close the Orange Crush chapter, Toni sent me a fabulous parcel this week and inside was her Orange Crush UFO!! :-D

Here's what else Toni sent me:

DS1 loved all the Halloween bits and some things have already been feretted away in his room.

And I do love getting US mags, they are so different to ours! Thanks so much Toni. (your return parcel will be on the ship shortly LOL)

I have also finally made all the blocks for my Double Delight and am now ready to assemble them!!! Yippeee!

So it's been a busy few days, but I always get a bit frenetic before I travel, so no change there then LOL

Dinosaurs & Roses

I have been making gifts.

For little birthday boys...

And boys who now live far away...

And for kind people who look after children until the early hours of the morning.

Kind people even get embroidery...


And then after I had rested (LOL), I remembered how much I enjoyed fabric painting, so I painted some more shirts...

For little boys who like dinosaurs...





And for little boys who like sharks...




Time for another little rest ;-)