My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Friday, April 10, 2015

My Easter -

I hope you all had a lovely Easter and were able to spend the weekend doing things that make you happy.
I spent Easter with my son and his wife, who live in Queensland, Australia. It was great - I cant say we did lots of touristy things but I really loved spending time with them and enjoyed the outings that we did do.
Me and my boy ♥
As our dil is halfway through her first pregnancy there was plenty of baby talk and baby related purchases... I spent some time sewing up fitted cot sheets after we found some wide flannelette on sale and have some lovely bamboo towelling (also on sale) to play with; maybe bibs and burb cloths - and whatever else we think of :-)

I had a special time on the first day I was visiting - I got to meet and spend the day with Michelle Ridgeway.... I have followed her blog and loved her stitchery designs FOREVER so I was tickled pink to actually meet her!
She is such a lovely person - after swapping gifts —
A lovely bundle of Aussie goodness from Michelle, including some of her
designs :-)
we shopped a little —
and visited Ipswich's Queen's Park where we drank coffee and talked for ages and found their small nature reserve where quite a few happy Australian animals lived —
If you look closely you will see the croc in the stream... and the only barrier there
was a rope fence!
If you look even more closely you'll see it's just a floating head! hehe!
I've borrowed this photo from Michelle; the Wombats' burrow was up against
the glass so we got an awesome look at them.
There was also some mosaic work, Aboriginal style, gorgeous!
and sheltered from the pouring rain —

The lovely Michelle
...... and all too soon it was time for me to to be dropped off and both of us were off on our merry ways. Thank you again Michelle for a lovely day :-) I hope we can do it another time!

My son and dil are still unpacking after moving house but they did make sure the wall hanging I made them was unpacked and up for my visit! This is the very first project I made when I first discovered The Country Yard and started attending Stitch and Chat Thursdays. I made it for their first Christmas in Australia. I think the design was in The NZ Quilter. I smile when I see it, I'm sure it would look a little different if I made this up now but it is still fairly cool!
The label says something like
"a bit of New Zealand to remind you where you come from" :-)
Pretty certain this was made about 7 years ago.
I had some special mail waiting for me when I arrived back home .... I'd taken part in another postcard swap recently, hosted by the lovely Sheila of Sheila's Quilt World. This time I swapped with Annette of in stitches and seams and this is the card she sent me —
Isn't he sweet? He is beautifully embellished!
Annette enclosed the postcard in a clear envelope and also sent this special card
commemorating the 50th anniversary of their flag.
Here is the card I made and sent to her —
Thank you Annette for the lovely swap and also of course to Sheila for organising us all!

I haven't had a chance to do any sewing since I've been home - roll on the weekend! - but did sew up these booties last night... I knitted them while at my son's but we kept forgetting to buy a darning needle when we went out. I had to bring them back home to complete!
This is the same pattern I knitted up *here* and found on Ravelry *here*.
That's me about done for the night I think...sorry, I do seem to have rambled on a little :-)
Thank you for visiting and taking the time to read (or look at the photos!),
Happy creating and have a lovely weekend,

30 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a lovely time in Aus, Raewyn. Hugs.....

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  2. Hi Raewyn ,I had heard that you and MIchelle had such a wonderful day,she is such a sweetie,so glad you both had the chance to get together. Congrats on your wonderful news ,you will make an awesome nana xx

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  3. Sounds like a lovely trip! I bet you are having fun making baby things looking forward to seeing the little projects. Love the booties just off to look.

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  4. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Your day with Michelle sounds delightful!.
    Love the postcards the two of you swapped!
    I think your "bit of New Zealand" is very striking--love the positioning of the leaf fronds and the pattern it creates.
    Sweet booties. Aren't baby things fun?: )

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  5. Oh what a nice visit you tell about--and anew baby on the way--how delightful!!
    I did order and got several of Michelle's patterns the first of the year--
    but the fairies have not gotten any of them traced so I can stitch them!!!
    Smiles

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  6. It looks like you had a lovely visit all around! Congratulations on your new granddaughter! ( I am guessing from the pink booties)

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  7. What a wonderful time you had in Australia! Your day with Michelle was gorgeous, and of course the time spent with your son and dil also, of course!Love the postcards and the "old" quilt.
    And the booties are so sweet!
    Have a nice weekend, Cisca

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  8. How fun that you got to spend a day with your friend Michelle. It looks like you had a great time Raewyn! And the visit with your son and daughter-in-law sounds perfect. Love that photo of you and your son!
    Very sweet little pink booties! And great postcards too!

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  9. How awesome that you spent the day with Michelle (know you love her stitchery!) and I really like the wall hanging you made way back when to remind them of home. Exciting that you get to make baby items you will have fun over the next few months. And of course the postcards are lovely xxxxxx

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  10. How awesome that you spent the day with Michelle (know you love her stitchery!) and I really like the wall hanging you made way back when to remind them of home. Exciting that you get to make baby items you will have fun over the next few months. And of course the postcards are lovely xxxxxx

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  11. Sounds like a really lovely visit with your son, and a bonus to spend the day with Michelle. You will have to go again when the new baby arrives! Those little booties are so cute.

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  12. sounds like a wonderful easter to me...........

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  13. Sounds like you had a great time and I guess you'll be back for a visit in few months;) if you are free between baby cuddles let's go for a coffee or so some time? Love the wall hanging, I might have to make us something like this, too:)
    Monika from Himmelgarten Quilts

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  14. Hi Raewyn, looks like you had a lovely easter and how nice to have been able to spend time with your 'boy' ~ Rae

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  15. Such a lovely visit with family. A bit of quilt related time too awesome !

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  16. Sounds like a lovely visit Raewyn - had been thinking of you after reading Michelles post about your catch up. Isnt it lovely to meet fellow bloggers. Those pink booties .... is there a girl on the horizon???

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  17. Thanks again for swapping with me Raewyn. I just love my little birdie.....
    It sure is great that Sheila keeps us having play time making post cards. Cute little booties
    When is the due date?
    institchesandseams@hotmail.ca

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  18. It sounds like you had a wonderful Easter Raewyn. Time spent with family is precious and to meet Michele and be able to spend time with her would have been very special.

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  19. It sounds like a wonderful visit. Your postcards are so cute and I love those sweet little booties.

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  20. I am so pleased you had a wonderful time with your family. So special to be there and be part of the baby preparations. And catching up with Michelle is a special bonus.
    All the postcard are lovely, sent and received.
    Have fun making all the baby goodies!

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  21. It was a delight to meet you in person and we definitely have a date next time you come. I love the photo with your boy and those little booties are so sweet. What nice mail to come home to xx

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  22. Nice time away with your growing family! Fabulous you met and had time with Michelle, I know you are a big fan of her designs. Lovely knitting....pretty pink!

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  23. Sew nice to have spent time with your family and making things for the new arrival... PINK booties ? Is it a girl??
    Lucky you to have met Michelle and have a great day with her..
    Both postcards are just fabulous.. Love those swaps.

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  24. HI Raewyn - I loved all your 'rambling'!
    So glad you had such a great time with your son & DIL... do those booties give the hint they're having a daughter?
    How wonderful to meet & spend the day with Michelle...

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  25. Aww Raewyn, congrats you soon to be grandma - it's such an exciting time for everyone.
    Why do our kids do this to us?!
    Both of mine live elsewhere now - daughter in France and first born son to Oz.....
    Beautiful booties and I'm sure we're going to have the pleasure of seeing many more "baby" gifts on your blog!
    I loved your birdie postcard!
    Hugs
    Shane x

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  26. Great photo of you and your son....good to hear you had a lovely visit....how nice to meet Michelle and get to spend some time together...great wombat photo too! The NZ wall hanging is beautiful....great reminder of home....the booties are so cute! Very nice postcard swap too.

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  27. such fun... see you next time...
    Hugz

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  28. Wow jam packed! looks like a wonderful visit and all those exciting life events on the horizon! looks special :)

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  29. So sorry that I am just now getting to read this!!! Wow, what a wonderful time with Michele!! Bravo for you!!! I am so, so very glad that you got to spend time with son and dil!!! Will you go back when the babies are born? Is her family in Australia or NZ?

    Are you still milking? I know is about time for the dry off. Are you still busy at the shop? I have some quilting to do for Mandie, but won't get to it until next week. I'm helping Mikkie this week with cleaning out stuff and we're having a garage sale at her SIL on Saturday. Kidding and lambing is at the slow down time - now just waiting for them to grow a bit and take care of the late ones.

    Blessings and hugs from Texas - I especially think of you this time of year!! Such great memories!

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  30. Oh my I'm just loving the picture with you and your son Raewyn... between that, the bird card and the booties you've got a smile on my face from ear to ear!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful creations... You're going to love the Nana, Gramma gig... so fun! Hugs, Karen

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