BLESSED SPEEDY

 Right Im a quilter (or patchworker as some like to call it) I dont make garments (well I have in the past but not for a very long time Hence, I dont like mending things or taking up hems on things etc When my girls were little they got all excited when I started to attack the mending/hemming pile and found stuff from everywhere in the hope that I would repair or take up the hems (yes my girls were ones who sometimes stapled up the hems of their pants!) So for me its actually a big deal to do these things - and I only do them for those that are worthy of my work and time - and hubby Gaz is one of them. So I applied myself and have hemmed four pairs of work pants for him - and to his credit he was grateful as he knows full well who knows when I will do it again!

 Ive always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with gardening - I like doing it but in the past Ive been spasmodic at keeping up with whats needed to be done But not this year (or a lot of last year).  We've had great rainfall here and that has helped out as well.  Ive now got to the point when I would much rather be outside gardening than doing other things. So here's my progress so far - and I have several other ideas brewing away but I need Garys help to move some big logs and things - so stay tuned And enjoy my garden - I know I do - and Im creating a lovely place to live as well! #lovewhereIlive 

 Im a member of a book club in the next town over from me and its organised by the owner of the bookshop there - The Little Blue Bookshop in Kerang.  Great place to visit if you are in the area. My friend and I joined and started in January, however I was intrigued about how the members talked about the December book and how it was quite divisive.  So I bought it! Well......I cant say I enjoyed it as such, but Im glad I read it.  In fact the best way to describe it, is as the author does in the acknowledgements at the back of the book " This book has been one of the hardest and yet also, in a strange an inexplicable way, one of the most fulfilling I have yet written.  Being based on a true story, dealing with actual people and the shocking events that unfolded, the cruelty meted out and the impact this had on the lives of those in and around Pittenweem at the time became all-consuming - in a fraught but also good way. The book is set in the early 1700s in Scotla...

 One of the things Gary wanted to know before we got married was whether or not I could make tomato relish and if I did, did I make it better than his mum. I think I can and do! Everyone in the family seems to like it to - so today was the day.  Unfortunately it always seems to be a very hot day when you make it (OK 33 degrees isn't not - but it is hot when you are stirring a pot over a hot stove!!!!) Well actually it started last night - as I chop up the tomatoes and onions and sprinkle salt over them and leave overnight - like this!  Then today was about cooking and stirring and cooking and stirring.  And the result as you can see from the pic above - 11 and a half jars of relish (yes there is a half one which is in the fridge for Gary to eat first) And yes this is a create - Ive created relish from tomatoes and onions (and a few other secret ingredients)

 Ive just finished this cute little quilted wallhanging Ive made many similar type things in the past but not for a long time so it was so nice to make it.  The centre is a preprinted panel that you embroider and then I added the cute buttons I had in my stash instead of embroidering them.  The borders around and the binding are from my scrap basket - that Im on a mission to downsize but it doesn't seem to be happening. However as I was working on it I got to thinking - yes this looks cute and finished and all put together well but if you could only see what it looks like on the inside/back you might well be horrified Heres what THAT looks like  All messy and Ive jumped from one spot to the next in each colour Arent we all a bit like that - on the outside we look cute neat and tidy but on the inside we are all a bit messed up! So my message today my friends is be kind to each other you never know what someone else is going through on the inside but that mess helps us...