Still no sewing…..

But the last week has been a busy one. My Baby has gone off to University, so we have an empty nest, and some adjusting to do!

Hubby took Brad down to Hamilton last week (there was no room in the car with all of Brad’s stuff for me to go too).

From the hall looking in. 

Empty shelves and desk, in the new room

Brad is lucky to be in one of the buildings that has just been totally gutted, and remodelled with all new flooring, furniture, bigger beds, more power points, better internet connections etc etc.
It will be interesting to see his room once he has unpacked all his stuff

Will all his clothes fit in the wardrobe? 

from outside, Brad is on the 4th floor.

                                                               
I spent the rest of the week here in Whangarei, sorting out Brads old room into a guest room. The fold out bed/couch & two extra mattresses that were crammed into the room for extra teenage guests, have been donated to the Hospice Shop.
What was the hurry for all this sorting, cleaning & tidying? Well my Brother came up from New Plymouth  to pick up a beach buggy he had bought, and stayed the weekend with us.
I thought it would be nicer if the room was more adult than teenager party room.

Me, my Brother & his Girlfriend, with the Buggy 

It was lovely spending time with my Brother and meeting his Girlfriend. Hopefully they will come back soon and spend some more time with us.

Here’s the Boys after they took the buggy for a drive around the Rally Car Track on Pohe Island. Apparently the buggy goes quite well when skidding sideways!
 

Visit to Material Obession

While I was in Sydney I made a 'pilgrimage' to  Material Obsession quilt shop. I have read Kathy's blog and been a fan since her first book a few years ago.

I had looked up how to get there months before our trip and had worked out there was a ferry wharf a couple of blocks down the road. I didn't re-check that info before we set out on an extremely hot day to find the shop. Long story short the ferry wharf down  the road was now only visited by private ferries not the public one we got on :-(

So we went to the next stop and then had to walk quite a way, up hill to a bus stop. (Did I tell you it was really really hot!) When we got on the bus the air conditioning was working so hard it was dripping. So we sat in the bus and were rained on, sooo funny after walking in the heat. Lucky the shop has a bus stop right outside, so there wasn't another long walk.


Finally here, quilts outside to welcome us!


One of the rooms full of colourful fabrics, I wish I had bought more fabric but I was worried about our luggage being overweight on the way home.

Fabric I bought, I loved this zigzag print and bought it in two colours, I thinking of  using them as borders

Close up of the quilting on one of the quilts on display. I love how it is hand quilted with variegated embroidery  thread. I especially like how the thread is knotted on the outside.

Kathy Doughty

I had a lovely talk with Kathy, she was very friendly, but I have to admit I was a bit 'Starstuck' and forgot to ask if I could get a photo with her. So I've nicked her photo from her blog to add here.

If you are a follower of the Material Obsession blog you will have read that Kathy has just had surgery for breast cancer, so please send positive thoughts her way.

After reading Kathy's post I stopped procrastinating, and had my first mammogram this morning. I'm glad to say to didn't hurt at all.

The "Harlem Shake' is the lastest viral video dance, going crazy on Youtube. There are groups from high school kids to soldiers making  Harlem Shake video's for Youtube.

Here's some of the staff of Google Sydney doing their version on the Pyrmont Bay wharf.
If you scroll down to my next post you should be able to workout who is dancing with a red bag on his head.

That poor lady waiting for her ferry to come, just thinks he's nuts!
Watch this and have a laugh it's only 31 seconds, but should add a smile to your face.

 

Google Visit

Our Eldest Son Mark is a Software Engineer at Google in Sydney, so he invited us to tour the office, and have lunch with him.

Here’s Hubby and I under the Google sign on the ground floor. Mark nicknamed his Dad the ‘Mexican Bandit’ during this trip because of his tourist look of crossing bag straps.


Here’s us all in front of the reception desk on the fifth floor. The wall behind the desk is covered with real ferns etc. When we first arrived two gardeners were tending to it. 


This is the building from the outside. It’s on the Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Bay, so it has a lovely view. Where the building steps in at the top is a large deck, we had our lunch up there and enjoyed the view of the CBD, and the Ferries coming and going.


After the tour, Mark took us down to the basement to see the electric cars. Mark said they are fun to drive,and can go into really small spaces easily.
He went to the Sydney University to talk about Google recently and parked inside their reception area. He could because, being electric they have no fumes, and don’t drop oil etc.


When leaving Google we noticed across the road at the Star Casino they where laying red carpet for the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, awards. I thought it would probably be my only chance to ever be on a red carpet, so got Hubby to take my photo. Note the guy in the background photo bombing me. Hilarious!

We forgot to go back later and get some photos of ‘real’ stars, only remembered when we put the TV on when we returned to the apartment late that night and saw some of the awards being given out. ‘The Sapphires’ movie won a lot of awards. If you haven’t seen it  you should as it’s a really funny movie.


Here’s me with one ‘Star’ anyway. Leo was a little bit stand offish, but I think that’s what wax does to you

Show n Tell February 2013

Last Saturday was the first Quilt Club meeting for the year, it was nice to chat with friends I haven't seen for a while and enjoy the company. Visitors are welcome so if you are in Whangarei when a meeting is on, do pop in and join us. Next meeting will be on Saturday the 9th of March 12.30pm onwards, Maunu School Gym, Austin Rd, Whangarei.


Helen Barron made this 'Crumb Quilt' after being inspired by the blog Jo's Country Junction, check out the link to Jo's Crumb Along if you would like to make one too.


Close up of all the little leftovers and crumbs that make up Helen's quilt.


'Scrappy Memories' by Tess Harris. Tess said the quilt is made entirely from her stash. She did not buy a thing! Some of the fabrics date back to 1978.


Close up of Tess's quilt.
She showed us the backing fabric, a Laura Ashley print.
I remember my mother making me sun dresses from Laura Ashley prints in the seventies, they were the best dresses ever (at the time!) I even think Mum may have made matching dresses for herself too :-)


"Sometimes simple is best, a teenagers snuggle rug, made under their supervision!" made by Sandy Robinson.
For a teenager who knows what they want (quilt wise anyway!) The fabrics are a textured minky, very nice to touch.


Disappearing Nine Patch made by Hazel Phillips.


Sue Gillard has been busy making these blocks. A friend who knew she would never get round do doing it, gifted the pattern and fabrics to Sue. She is making good progress 7 down, 6 more to go!


Made by Dorothy Terpstra. The centre of the blocks are fussy cut from a Dutch souvenir tea towel. The other fabrics were sent to Dorothy by her Sister-in-law in Holland.


Wall hanging made by Gaylyn Barclay. Machine embroidered photo on fabric, permafill frame decorated with dried grasses and seed pods. Inspired by a class taken with Robyn at Itch to Stitch Bernina, Whangarei.


The green fabric was given to Lynne Wilson by the 'house girl' who works for her Son in Vanuatu. It was part of a traditional thank you gift. Lynne made placemats and a table cloth from the fabric.


Sue Gillard made these baby shoes and toys. They will be on sale at 'The Bach' in the town basin.


Jenny Gough designed and stitched her Mothers sayings while she was travelling around the USA last year.


Did your Mother say this too?

Mmmm.. my Dad went to see a man about a dog lots too.

What was the saying your Mother said that you remember most?
I remember mine saying "A blind man would be pleased to see it" which was no help at all!
But she did make me Laura Ashley dresses, so I'll forgive her! Did you have dresses made of Laura Ashley fabrics or maybe curtains? I thought I was Laura Ingalls when I wore my dresses, I so loved watching 'Little House on the Prairie'.
Bye

Ikea

I didn’t do much shopping in Sydney, it was more about sight seeing and visiting Mark, but we did go to Ikea. Both Hubby & I wanted to check it out as we don’t have Ikea stores in New Zealand.


They have a fabric department! Here’s me just after I have cut the fabric I’m buying.It felt a bit naughty cutting the fabric yourself, but this is how they do it at Ikea. You take your cut fabric to an assistant who weighs it, and a sticker is printed out with price and barcode on it for the checkout.
PS: I haven't cut off my hair, it's in a ponytail.


I’m planning to maybe make a bag with this fabric. I then noticed their sample tote bags on the wall and it was like yes that what I’m thinking


Also in the fabric department I spotted this little machine. It’s full size not a toy, I wonder how well it sews? The price is a bargain if it sews well.


There were several floors (I can’t remember how many, maybe 4)


Here’s the boys in a display room.


Ha-ha I love the sign!
You could pick up small items as you went around but with the bigger items you just noted down the item number.


Of course we had lunch at their restaurant, I had their swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam, yum.


Near the checkout now, this is were you use a computer to look up the item numbers of the bigger items you want to buy, to work out which aisle the flat pack boxes are in.

There were heaps of aisles, it reminded me of the warehouse in ‘Indiana Jones’.

It was a fun way to spend a rainy day, I just wish I could have bought some big items home with me, but I'll just have to hope they open an Ikea in New Zealand one day.