Willowberry Designs ~ Alpaca Softies

What happened to my weekend?

Well, I actually know what happened to my weekend.  I worked at The Quilters Angel, it was nice to catch up with the regulars and be surrounded by all those beautiful fabrics for three days...mmmmm, so many new things to make.  So I'm having my weekend tomorrow. I'll sit and flick through some mags, drink coffee in the sun, play with some zoo babies (still not finished!) and maybe visit my mum.  We'll see how the day pans out.  But today I need to finish a couple of client quilts so just a short message for now.

Chookyblue asked for the lemon tart recipe.  I had to tie Bloss to the front verandah and threaten to take away her cooking utensils but she finally surrendered and parted with the recipe for us...

Use your favourite sweet pastry recipe for the tart shell

Filling Ing.

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

1/2 cup lemon juice (mixed lemon/lime is yum too)

5 eggs

3/4 cup castor sugar

1 cup cream

Whisk ingredients all together in a bowl then let stand for 5 mins.  Strain into the cool baked pastry case, bake in a 180deg (160deg fan forced) oven for 30 mins or until filling is set slightly and then allow to cool.  Refrigerate until cold.

Serve with whipped cream then guts into it with a shovel. (This step is optional but I like it...)

Bloss and Moo played with photoshop yesterday.  There are more on her blog and even more to come...so much fun!

Bloss is creating Cookies and Cream Slice today, stay tuned for the photo.

Have a look at this....

Chookyblue has been a busy girl again, how good do these look!!!  Her musings always make me smile....it's a nice place to start the day.

Bloss made this last night, just in time for the half time break in the football.  Perfect, I love bloss and I love citrus tart.

cya

cheryl xxx

My other job.....

Thanks for the emails about my quilting work, that's my other 'real' job.  Although I've been machine quilting for over 20 years, my Longarm machine was purchased in January 2007.  Lots of practice on my own unfinished quilt tops (I think there were more than a dozen folded in the cupboard), lots of learning by my own mistakes and lots of checking back with the delightful Kaye from The Finishing Touch in Sydney and a few phone calls and emails to Dawn at Mt Tamborine and I was ready to quilt for my friends and clients.  Every day is a fun day and I can go to work in my pyjamas if I want to..... Rather embarrassing when a client turns up unexpectedly at 10.30am though!  If you'd like to see some more, have a look here

This is me with my very first practice run on a needle turn quilt I finished about five years ago.  I had quilted it on my little janome but unpicked the binding and all of the quilting to re do it on the Gammill.  I was a a little bit excited that day.  My work room has evolved a lot over the last year and a bit and doesn't look quite so bare now!

till next time

happy stitching and quilting

cheryl xxx

Gifts from the goslings for Mothers Day

My beautiful moo and bloss gave me these delightful reminders of how special they are...

from Moo

from Bloss

also from Bloss, I love aubergine (the colour, not the vegetable!)

and from Waterboy in Sydney.... well, a phone call on the day and a big hug the next time I see him will be more than enough!  Hopefully we'll have a visit sometime soon.  cya soon

cheryl xx

My news....

These yum fabrics are from the 12 Days of Christmas by Nancy Halvorsen.  I couldn't resist!  And I know exactly what they're destined to become.

My news that I talked about two days ago (where did yesterday go?) is that I've been talking to Mary at Fresh Hope and I've designed a new pattern to add to their growing collection.  You can tell by the chosen fabrics that it will have a christmas theme.  I hope to have it ready for them by the end of June, I just need to find a few days with 28 hours in them..... I'll post some photos as it progresses

Today's job - quilt Chris' lovely 'Simply Cottage' quilt and then finish the little zoo babies

til next time, happy stitching

cheryl xx

Pumpkin soup for the soul

My friend Rosalie arrived on Friday morning with two home grown pumpkins, courtesy of Trev, her dearly beloved. YAY, pumpkin soup for lunch and dinner.....  Bloss makes the best roast pumpkin soup. 

Step 1. Bake pumpkin, onions and a bit of garlic, mix it with some other magic ingredients and then blitz it. It only tastes good if it's made by Bloss.

Step 2. Ladle a generous amount into a deeeep bowl, swirl on some sour cream, dust with cracked pepper, plonk yourself down on a comfy chair with the latest homespun mag and tuck in....

Definitely one of my faves on cold days but it's hard to stop at one bowl.

I finished quilting Anne's gorgeous little boy's quilt this afternoon  so here's a photo.  Lots of piecing in this one!  It's destined for a young man who lives in Singapore and is such a fun little quilt with lots of bright happy colours.  Can you see the dolpins playing across the bottom (inset photo)?

And I just found this photo of Bloss' sugar stars - how cute!  No, they aren't that huge, it's a weeny little miniature cup and saucer.

Harry Houdini Cat is inside and about to be banished to his room.  He's trying to be real cute, purring loudly and snuggling in to bloss but it won't work.

I'll see you again tomorrow because I'll have some news........

Harry Houdini - the escapologist cat...

Ratty likes to prowl at night.  That's why we put him to bed in the laundry as soon as the sun goes down.  He has nothing to complain about, really, it's a very comfortable room.  Even by people standards, let alone cat standards.  He has an ensuite (Ok, it's the litter tray), room service (he cries, we bring biccies), a very comfy bed (white wicker basket complete with a ratty sized patchwork quilt) and a million dollar view (Ok, it's the 'Hillingdon Hen House' chook pen and paddocks beyond but still, it's a view).  On Tuesday night I gave him a cuddle, filled his biccie bowl and water glass - yes, glass - and put him to bed.  At about 2.30am I awoke to find a little furry bundle curled up beside me in bed.  LSH was still on his side so I knew it wasn't him....  I looked down and thought 'Oh how cute' and rolled over to return to my dreams.  Then it registered......hang on a minute......didn't I put you to bed at 7.00pm???  We both sighed and went back to sleep - my sigh was 'I couldn't be bothered', his sigh was 'hhmmm, I knew she wouldn't bother'.  Last night it happened again so tonight I sneaked around to the back window to watch.  Ratty left his bed, had a little drink and a couple of biccies (for added strength I guess) then stood at the door.  He stretched up, pulled on the handle, squeezed his little paw into the gap and flicked the door open.  He looked around to make sure the coast was clear then headed down the hallway to our bedroom.  Why sleep in cattle class when you can share the penthouse?  I'm off to the hardware store tomorrow to buy a lock.

I've added a couple more photos to the furby album

Noah & Friends

I've had a few enquiries about the Noah & Friends quilt I mentioned the other day.  I forgot to take a photo of the finished quilt but here it is before the quilting was done.  Marion used scrumptious fabrics, a bit brighter than the original.  I custom quilted it with a little trailing loopy background, echo quilted each animal, added a few whimsical hearts, swirls and lollipops on the sashing and finished it with a scrolly border.  Looks gorgeous and I'm sure Marion will have it bound and hanging in the store by now.  I know she's in the process of building a new website so may not have added it yet but keep looking.

I've also been busy with 'My Little Zoo'.  The babies are slowly making their way out of quarantine with Steve the snake, Olivia the elephant, Polly the Penguin, Harley the lion, Morris the monkey, Zoe the zebra and Arthur the rhino almost finished.  The others - Harriet hippo, Tommy tortoise and Josephine giraffe - are a little flat and need fattening up a bit.  Here's a pic of the doings so far....

I'm off to find a wayward cat and put him to bed for the night.....

happy stitching

Cheryl

   

Sneak peeks pt 2...

This is part two of my doings....remember Time for Tea?  I'll be working on them again tonight and hopefully have another progress photo for you by the end of the week.

Bloss has been busy today.  She went into town this morning and came home with a myriad of shopping bags full of all manner of fun bits and pieces.  'what are you up to, bloss?'  I asked.  'Oh mum, I've got this great idea for cupcakes'.........  I should have guessed.  Her world revolves around everything cupcake.

I hope all the mums had a lovely day on Sunday, that includes all of the oldies and youngies as well.  There are lots of women I know who don't yet have their own children but still have the 'mum' responsibilities to someone or something.  Moo (mother of Willis) came home and we took my mum out for lunch.  Just a picnic in the park but it was a gorgeous day and we had a nice time.  Bloss had to work and they were booked out so she had a huge day.

till next time, happy stitching

cheryl 

Today's jobs

It's Saturday, YAY, and LSH has gone away for the weekend to a country picnic race day with a few of his mates.  Why am I not going?  Because they'll drink and swear, laugh lots, burp, f..rt and snore in the tent all night long and be freezing cold by 10pm tonight.  They'll curl up in their sleeping bags in the tent and all lie there secretly wishing they were home in bed.  But they'll have the BEST time and do it all again next year, it's their annual thing.

And I will be......all warm and cosy with a cat or two where LSH usually lies.  I'll play quilting all day then I'll make some dinner for one - Bloss works tonight - and do a bit of stitching in 'the cave' in front of the TV where I'll be in charge of the remote control.  (I don't think I know what buttons to press but I'll work it out).  Moo is coming home this afternoon and she's Gen Y, she knows stuff about things with lots of buttons. 

Today I'm quilting Noah & Friends for Marion.  I'm pretty sure she'll be offering it soon as block of the month so check out her online shop for the details.  It's the latest pattern from Kookaburra Kottage and soooo cute.  I'll post a photo when the quilting is finished.

Look at this rainbow from 7th April.  No pot of gold but the image is priceless!

And remember these........ well Bloss has her own site now so have a look at her doings.  And if you're in the area on the last Sunday of June, visit the Cabarlah country markets for some samples.