In the middle of the muddle the smallest things become treasures. My crafting space is a mess and my garden is even more so. However, I never thought I would get so much pleasure out of some failed cabbages and a few stolen hours.


The garden has become an collection of when the sun shines..when the baby is asleep..when I have time. It is nearing summer and I have only the midwinter vegetables planted. The strawberry patch is a neglected space waiting for me to replace the hose that broke last summer. The cabbages were bitter after a long winter, so I let them go to seed and the smallest cabbage turned out to not be a cabbage after all.


The shape of the leaves gave it away and so I just left it there in the hopes that is wasn’t a cabbage. It is slowly being joined by some other stowaways from the same punnet of seedlings. I think I will leave them there.

For someone who claims to be a quilter, there doesn’t appear to be much of that going on either. The last quilt I finished was months ago. I’m certainly not one of those people who can churn out a new project every week, pour over the newest fabrics while buying up large or even stop still for long enough to write about it. I used to dream of having days on end to myself to simply sew, but now I’m happy for just two hours. They have become very precious to me.

Every Tuesday night I sneak out of the house and join the local quilting classes. With my machine and bag in the car I am off. Two hours of not worrying about who is a sleep and who isn’t. Two hours of just me, my machine and some great friends. With such small bites, it has taken me a while to get even one top finished, but would you believe that there are two? I think I will have to call these my Tuesday Sanity quilts.

The baby is awake again. I must dash back to the muddle, and the little treasure in my life, who is getting bigger all the time. I will save the quilts for another time but for now here is a peek.

Little E is into Sesame Street in big way at the moment. Elmo is referred to as LaLaLa and tearing all the toilet paper from the roll is "being dookie monster".


When I read about these I just had to give it a go. It is so hard to eat them without singing that song.. C is for cookie and it's good enough for me ...

The Anzac Bee is progressing well, but we need some help. I am looking for one more member to join our bee. If you are interested, please let me know as I'd love to hear from you.

This month, we are all making red and black Essendon stars for Corrie. It had me reaching for the dictionary thinking Essendon was colour I hadn't heard of. Turquiose maybe? It turns out it is a sports team. I guess it is like making a Canterbury Rugby quilt really.

The blocks are looking awesome and, as usual, you can check us out on Flickr.

I have a new found appreciation for scones*. When I was growing up they were the staple. Mum would whip them up at a moment’s notice when visitors were imminent or the shearing gang needed feeding at the woolsheds. They were part of the fabric of our home. Mum made it look easy. I didn’t appreciate this until I had a hankering for Devonshire teas and tried making them myself.


Little E and I have been experimenting but this weekend she had a lesson from the master.


Mum says that it is the method, not the recipe so here is what you need to know:
Cold – keep the butter cold, rub in by food processer where possible
Baking Powder – more than usual, 2 teaspoons to each cup of flour
Fast – Mix the milk in with a knife, make it quick and stir as little as possible
Hot – Have the oven set to 200-220 C


So now you know. Hopefully my next batch of scones will measure up.


*Scone is a British term, in the US you might know of them as biscuits.
**Yes, that is my Dad doing a cameo appearance in the first photo.

I caught sight of this while sorting out our bedroom. From underneath a pile of forgotten, important things, too important to put away, was a piece of paper on how to tidy a house. I love that the only headline you can read in the pile of stuff is “Don’t Gather Junk”.

Amy, of A Common Place Life, is gathering together a collection of moments that step out of the orchestrated Martha Stewart Perfections into real life. You can find them here.

The random number generator has chosen - #6 Anna Fogg. Anna is a quilting Mom to 7 and you can find her blog here - www.bohemiancotton.blogspot.com. I can't outdo the computer that came through her mailbox but I will be hunting down some treasures.

Anna I will get in touch with you to get your postal details.

Dear God
Thank-you coming my house.
Amen

Grace, as offered at dinner earlier this week by Little E.

Luminous Clouds hanging above our house yesterday afternoon. I adore the wavey fringes and just wish I knew more about clouds so that I could give this one a name.

Last May I started on the Start Quilt Along. Now, well over a year later it’s on my bed.

I’m really happy with it but it has taken some time. I had it long are quilted and picked it up in January this year. It has taken a while for the quilting to grow on me. At first I doubted the pattern, then the threads, then I contemplated having it over quilted. None of which happened. After finally binding it in August, I love it.

The photo has been along time coming. I meant to tidy the room to get a shot of the bassinet next to it but missed that entirely. However, now I can get a shop of Miss H modelling one of the dresses that started my passion for these colours.


Please note: I do not usually dress my children to match the furniture so please somebody stop me before I turn the ends of the curtain fabric into a pant suit for myself.