Ready for winter

I have been itching to crochet another scarf. A large one this time. Perfect for chilly winter mornings. Pattern is by b.hooked crochet. I used 480g of Bendigo Woollen Mills cotton yarn in parchment (pale cream). A neutral colour to go with anything

Getting bigger and bigger

I washed my scarf and then pinned it in place for blocking

My completed scarf drapes beautifully. It is so soft and warm! 

Do you have any fun projects on the go? Crochet, knit, sewing, embroidery, weaving, painting, etc. I would love to hear what you're creating

Have a beautiful Sabbath day, Julia xx

Happy quilt

I almost forgot to post a blog about my Happy Quilt. The name of this patchwork quilt came about via sweet comments from friends on Instagram. I posted a photo of the quilt top a month ago

Inspiration for the design of the quilt came from Karen at Pieces of Contentment and Rita at Red Pepper Quilts. My quilt is lightweight with a flannelette fabric backing. Perfect for Autumn or Spring. 

I used 81 different prints of quilting fabric including some organic cottons. White cotton fabric in between. I quilted wavy lines to hold the quilt top and back together. My first time trying free motion quilting. It's far from perfect. I have a lot to learn. 

Enjoy the photos. . .

Happy Thursday!

It's almost the weekend

Hope you have a great weekend, Julia xx

Blessed

I can't believe it's been a few weeks since Mother's Day and my last blog post. Where has the time gone? 

Hubby was in Cairns for 3 days for a work conference he organised (flights, accommodation and organising the conference). He sent us some beautiful photos while away, and purchased some handmade soap for me at a local market. Very thoughtful and appreciated. We plan on taking the kids to Cairns for a holiday, possibly next year. I look forward to creating more memories with our family

Above 3 photos were taken on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Our eldest son Mr J turned 12 on Monday May 16. It doesn't seem that long ago we were holding our 6mth old for the first time. On Sunday May 22 he was ordained a Deacon and received the Priesthood. We're so proud of the young man he is becoming

There have been school events, craft morning, trying to keep up with everyday life and sickness in the family. Mr D's Birthday will be here before we know it; on June 1

Four days ago I saw an exquisite embroidery on Sarah Jane Studios instagram page. I had to buy the pattern as it spoke to my heart and is another reminder of how truly blessed hubby and I are to have 3 Korean angels

{ Christmas 2015 }

Myself, Hubby, Miss Y, Mr D and Mr J

Here's my version of 'blessed'. Our children's dark brown hair, my light brown hair and our children love snuggling up with a cuddling toy. How sweet is the bunny in Sarah Jane's embroidery! I loved stitching this beautiful design

I wound vintage fabric around the wooden hoop 

and hung the embroidery on an heirloom cupboard

from my great grandmother

Thank you Sarah Jane for creating such a sweet design. I love it!

Last week, Sarah Jane posted about her childhood best friend of 28 years who passed away from a sudden case of meningitis 12 days ago, two weeks shy of her 37th birthday. This week in Sarah Jane's shop, 100% of proceeds will go to a fund for Rebecca's kids. You can purchase from her shop at sarahjanestudios.com or you can click on this link to donate directly to the family fund. Sending my condolences to Rebecca's family and friends

Hug your children. Enjoy every precious moment you have with them. Remember how blessed our lives are to have each other. Families are forever!

Much love, Julia xx

P.S. I've added some tabs across the top of my blog home page. I would love for you to have a look 

Mother's Day gift

I wanted to make something special for my Mum for Mother's Day to show her how much I love her. There were lots of ideas, however, I decided to make a practical gift. In recent months my Mum has been colouring for relaxation. I made an elegant pencil case in Paperie (by Amy Sinibaldi)

The lace was a trim I had sewn on one of my dresses I no longer have 

I added some hand stitching to the front of the pouch

I love the sweet mushrooms!

I crocheted mint green perle cotton for a zipper pull

Ready for gifting to my Mum tomorrow

I hope you all have a wonderful, memorable Mother's Day

Julia xx

Autumn is here!

Two weeks ago we had a change in the weather. Autumn had finally arrived 🌿🍂🌾. Our Summer didn't seem to want to leave. I am not a fan of our humid Summers. I am enjoying the cooler weather. I started crocheting to use up my stash of yarn - watermelon, white and lemon. A simple granny square baby blanket

As I was almost out of yarn, I had to redo the border 3 times. Not enough to do a pretty edge. I went with a simple finish

Yesterday was a gorgeous start to the day. I love misty mornings!

This morning the kids were in bed and hubby home, so I decided to take some time out for me. I went for an early morning walk. Nature is beautiful

I've been waiting for the perfect morning to enjoy a warm breakfast. Today was the day. Porridge with mashed banana, dates, apricot, pumpkin and sunflower seeds with a sprinkle of cinnamon. The right amount of sweetness

For over a week I've had a touch of a sore throat

I am thankful it hasn't become worse

Sipping on lemon and ginger herbal tea is soothing

Are you enjoying the change of season in your part of the world?

Have a beautiful day, Julia xx