London Part 2

That was a quick but delicious pasta meal. There was a Jan Power's Farmer's Market today at the Powerhouse. So we had fresh pasta, yummy heritage tomatoes, olives, hot sausage and baby octopus.
Several years ago, we went to the old Sydney Observatory. We found it fascinating, so a visit to the Greenwich Observatory became a must. Here's hubbie with one foot in the East and one in the West.
St James' Park was an oasis in the middle of London - peaceful, green.

Went shopping at Harrods, of course. It turned out my perfume was cheaper at Harrods, than duty free!
The one breakfast we didn't eat at the bed-sit was spent at 'Fifteen' - Jamie Oliver's restaurant. It's the restaurant he set up to train homeless/disadvantaged youth. Our waitress told us the 10th group had just gone through.

We had nearly a week in London. We will have to go back as there is still so much to see.
This is the little car we hired for the remaining 2 weeks of our holiday, but that's for another post.
The dishes are calling for their wash.
Take care,
Kayly

London

Well, we have been home a week after having enjoyed a 3 week holiday to England. The flight over was way better than the one home. I was able sleep and arrive in London ready to hit the sights. We flew over Tibet and Europe in daylight which was an extra treat. Yes, it was my first trip to England, so I was a tad excited.
We were typical tourists trying see as much as we could -tick all the boxes, as my husband said.



This is where we stayed. Cartwright Gardens in Bloomsbury contains hotels, guest houses and B&Bs. We stayed in Studios2Let. I can recommend it. The only problem was the 58 steps up to our bed sit, no lift. See the windows at the very top. Two of them were ours. We had a kitchen, and ate breakfast there, but the area around us had heaps of cafes and pubs so we ate out every night. Transport was a breeze with 2 Underground stations nearby.

The hop-on hop-off bus was an excellent way to get our bearings.



A highlight was a visit to Buckingham Palace - the Palace, the Queen's Gallery and The Mews. It was a good day. The organisers have it all down pat. We were even able to get lunch, sitting on the back terrace looking over the garden. Check out the coffee art.



There were so many 'old' places. We were a bit awe stuck. Here's some contrast with the new architecture.



I had fun looking for all the typical British icons - these phone boxes and the red double decker buses for example.



Blogger won't let me put up any more photos, so I'll do another post after I cook dinner.

Back soon,
Kayly

OPAM Win and Thank You.

We're back from our trip to England. It was great!

I'll be blogging about it as soon as I can edit my photos. I've just realised we (read - my personal IT specialist) have not transferred over the photo editing programme, I use, to my new laptop.

Still I can show you these.
I was lucky enough to win the August OPAM draw. This prettily wrapped parcel arrived at start of the week. Notebooks are always needed here and the cute little sharpie has already been put to use. The book from Art to Heart contains great projects.

BIG THANK YOU TO KRIS AND PEG FOR RUNNING THIS FUN AND MOTIVATING GROUP!

The only downside to my holiday was a 3 week craft drought - no stitching and I only saw 2 wool shops and no quilt shops! So I was glad to get back Sisters of Stitch this week for a good dose of craft talk and to do some work on my woolly needle book.

Take care everyone,
Kayly

Waiting, waitng.......

For QF 97 to start boarding. Then my darling hubbie and I are off on our holiday to England. I've been wanting to do this trip for ages.
Sorry he's side ways, but here he is enjoying Qantas Club . Our son took us to the airport early. I think he wanted to be rid of us.


Next stop Hong Kong then a quick plane change and onto London. Now I'm starting to think we really are going. I'm excited!!!
More later,
Kayly

New Bag

I have surprised myself. Last week, I went with friends to a sale day at The Patchwork Tree. First surprise - I only bought one piece of fabric (and it was not on sale, unfortunately). Second surprise - I used it to make a bag for my upcoming holiday. Started yesterday and finished tonight. That has got to be a record for me!!!!!!
The pattern is 'Romantic Rose Bag' by QH Textiles (Studio Mio). It nearly looks like the photo on the pattern. To anyone making it, I would recommend a jeans needle. It helped when the going got thick.
Catch you later,
Kayly

Catch Up!

Well, it has been awhile since I last blogged!

I have a new laptop. While I have been transferring files and programmes from the old one to my new baby, I have been cleaning up and deleting a lot of accumulated rubbish. It is a baby compared to the old one in both size and weight.


This last month saw my father turn 80. We gathered up in Gympie so the brand new baby was not travelling on the highway. Dad didn't want a big family gathering, just his immediate lot. This photo show our mob plus a couple of ring-ins. We had a pleasant day and a delicious lunch at Gunabul Homestead.
The trip north meant I could deliver the little quilt I made for Miss S.
Another finish is this little bag - 'Precious Things' by Leanne Beasley. It has been a WISP, for along time. In 2009, Heavens to Bettsy and I went to Melbourne for a Girls Day Out at Glenharrow with Leanne Beasley and Rosalie Quinlan. It was a wonderful day- lovely company, fabulous and very 'atmospheric' location, good projects and scrumptious food. I finished the project I started on the day shortly after coming home. This one lingered, part done, ever since.

I have a new system now. Six projects of varying types, written up on cards and stuck on to my craft cupboard. I can work on any one of them. A new project or a WISP can only be added if one gets finished and its card taken off the cupboard. So far so good.

Now for the exception to the rule. Yes, it didn't take long before I broke my own rules. LOL.
Knitting and I don't get along - bung arm and too slow. But I can crochet. I have always wanted to make a cardigan or similar. Crochet patterns for garments are not common. The lovely ladies at Yarn Over put me on to some American magazines.


I made this! I'm rather proud of myself as it didn't end up a UFO and was done in fairly quick time. The pattern is from 'Crochet Today'.

I have replaced the small bag's card with GDITC Nundle's wall hanging. I have told myself I cannot go on another Girls Day Out or similar until I have completed all the projects I have accumulated from the 3 I have been on. Let's see how long that resolution last!

Catch you all later,
Kayly

What's been happening....?

I've been absent from blogland for a little while, but I have been busy.
I had a birthday - one of those that puts you up into the next demographic survey group. Yuck!
My DH made it all better though by taking me to Restaurant II in the city. We had a very delicious meal in lovely surroundings, even if it was a bit expensive for the meal size we were served.
Mum and I drove to Gympie to deliver Miss A's quilt, just in time for her third birthday.


I started work on a baby quilt for her little sister who arrived about a week later - the beautiful Miss S. Miss A has been performing her big sister duties very diligently.


I got to go to Canberra (our National Capital) with DH. While he worked, I played tourist. Our Federal Parliament House really is an impressive building in both its lay-out and symbolism.

This is what a Queenslander looks like when she is out and about in a decidedly cold Canberra. There's a bulky pullover under there as well.


I went to and loved Addicted to Fabric, Hobbysew and the Woolshed. I went to some other craft shops, but their description in the phone book did not match reality.
I had fun getting around on the Canberra buses. They were frequent and driven by very helpful drivers.
On the home front, our elderly Grevillea has put on a spectacular flowering. Several birds including a family of Blue-eyed Honeyeaters have been visiting. They are very skittish and I have not been able to get a really good photo.


Our 'kitchen table' patchwork group had a sewing day doing the Jelly Roll Race. I didn't join in, preferring to start quilting the baby quilt instead.


This is a composite of the three quilts sewn. They only need their borders. The other ladies had fun doing this quick top.


Well that enough catching up. I have to get my computer off the table. DH is cooking dinner for my parents who are nearly here. It smells yummo - slow cooked beef cheeks and roasted vegies.
See you later,
Kayly