A fresh New Year 2016, 365 block Challenge.

New Year's Eve was spent with my children, after I finished work, we had woodfired pizzas, a game of cards and an early night, to return to work on New Years Day, Happy new year people. 2016 is proving to be a busy year.

Wood fired homemade pizza's from Alex's oven

Yummy

My contribution, NYE pav.

Where has the time gone?, I have started the year off by accepting a challenge sent to me by a FB friend, the challenge is to do a 3inch block every day for a year. What an amazing idea and I could not wait to commence making the blocks. I might add, the blocks started off being easy, but as we progress into the challenge, the blocks are becoming a little more challenging, hence the name of the challenge.

First of many, just love the birthday cake block.

My first completed week.

After 3 weeks all my blocks completed.

4th week

Tiny capital "T"s this little block, lots of pieces and the first real challenge.

More blocks completed. 

In between blocking, I have this gorgeous little bundle to look after. Logan.

My new year diary cover, completed.

My quilting cabin, all painted and ready to move in.

The floor laid, by my gorgeous son Alex, and wonderful daughter in law, Cara and DH.

Shelving by DH, a wonderful idea, so Lucky.

Work is progressing on my version of Lorena Uriate "opal essence" quilt, I will be calling it "Tumbles", so will refer to this quilt asTumbles 

All coming together nicely, just love the 3D effect.

Finish of with week 7 completed, 365 challenge.

Very busy, getting ready for our three day comedy cruise with the family and only 5 weeks before holidays, yippee!

Gourmet Wednesday and family night.

Wednesday the 18th March was a celebration of family and friends. A long acquaintance and friend  of mine since the early 1980's has left work at NETS to go into semi retirement. NETS has lost a great consultant, who not only took the time to triage emergency cases as well as being a very important member of our NETs family. So.. a great way to celebrate Tom leaving, was to have  a get together  with many  NETS friends from past and present, and join my family on gourmet Wednesday. There was 15 in total.  Two was sorely missed, one my wonderful daughter in law Cara who flew out that morning to philadelphia to present, at a conference, her thesis (as part of her PHD),on preschool bullying and Arieta our NETS CMO, who has been at NETS as long as me. Girls you were with us in spirit.

A great evening was had by all.

 Two days of planning and prep work went into a very successful evening.

Entree :Zuppa Di Pesce 

I made my own fish stock for this dish, well worth the effort, an amazing dish.

A very successful entree, enjoyed by most, minus one allergic to shellfish... Tom!

Main consisted of an assortment of salads, exotic mango salad, roasted vegetable salad, coleslaw and Greek salad, baked barramundi, snags, rissoles and eye fillet steak and marinated chicken wings.

Dessert

Iced Vo Vo slice, white chocolate rose water mousse, Portuguese tarts, hazelnut chocolate cup cakes, chocolate and coffee syrup  pancotta, made by my dear friend Sandy, most ended up on the floor, accidentally  dropped out of a very packed fridge, but what was left was delicious.

 

Hazelnut flourless chocolate cakes, delicious, well done Nicola.

I also made Sangria, I am not sure who enjoyed it the most, me.....or Janet.

Our outdoor dining area and table, set ready for guests.

All set.

Enjoying the food and company.

Our intimate gathering

Farewell Tom you will be missed at NETs.

Thank you also to my two wonderful sons, Alex for cooking the BBQ and Nigel for putting his butcher skills into practice and also my long suffering DH who did a wonderful job of entertaining and all the washing up.

What have I been up to lately in quilting land...

Attempting to get my last 12 months worth of quilts completed.

This is my version of MSG! Anne Levens quilt, 1640 hexagons, now for the borders,

Borders nearly completed, measures 113 inches, this is a big one, only one side to go. When did I say that I was going to make normal sized quilts, must have been after this quilt.!

Love this fabric so made a skirt, just love the flamingos.

My skirt.

My noodle box, http://chrisquilts.blogspot.com/borders to be added, then off to the quilter. 

Now for the scalloped border.

That's it for now, less than a month till we fly off to France for Pour L'Amour Du Fil in Nantes.

You say More......Quilts at Tokyo Quilt show.

I decieded to give you photos of the quilts in separate posts, so we could all enjoy and appreciate some of the stunning quilts that were on display. Chris and I Decieded to go only one day as there was so much more we wanted to do in Tokyo. The other reason, fighting the crowds were exhausting. The quilts were not too difficult to get to, but the vendor stands were fight to the death.

Below are the grand prize winners. This quilt was extraordinary in it's complexity.

A lot of colour.

I think this was the Grand Prix, a lot of work with indigo drunkard paths, I'm not so sure.

Gorgeous appliqué.

As mentioned in previous post, this years theme was dedicated to "Little house on the Pairie, a number of quilts were made in dedication to Laura Ingalls and the show being on TV in Japan for eight years.

The quilt below was the featured quilt on all the advertising pamphlets, it was cot size and had intricate hand quilting.

Other stunning quilts below.

Hexagon madness

A dedication to Paris.

Until next time.

Christmas and Family

 What a frantic year 2014 has been, Xmas has appeared to creep up on me without me knowing, I have hardly had time to think, prepare or make any gifts for Xmas. My quick recap of my Year from

2013 to the end of 2014. Xmas   2013, I worked at NETS and in the evening celebrated with my family and 2 days later jetted off to Chaing Mai and Hong Kong with the family to celebrate NEW Years eve. 

At the time I thought bring on 2014 and now we are nearly at the end.

Hong Kong Disneyland.

On reflection 2014 has been a very productive year with lots of completed quilts, travel and events.

Febuary saw me complete Lucy Boston, "Patchwork of the Crosses" after 19 months and enter for the first time into a quilt show at Springwood. Quickly followed by completion of Polka Dot girls.

Competed Polka Dot Girls!

"Birds in a basket"

My version of the Anne Levens quilt

1,640 hexagons later, now for the borders.

Our trip to Egypt, Greece, Turkey and Dubai, to celebrate DH 60th, in April and May and June.

June and July was busy with organising our inaugural quilt show.

August, my DH turned 60, we celebrated in style at "Osso's".

September, "Quilts on the Downs had a successful weekend, we raised $1,500 for staffy rescue.

October and November,  DH and I travelled to Texas to have 2 great weeks and again visit the Houston quilt show.

November 29th, my eldest son Nigel got engaged.

December, getting ready for Xmas, and our time away in Toowoomba with family.

What Have I been working on with the lead up to Xmas, a few journal covers for friends and family.

This one was made for DH, his choice of photos.

I also made an appliqued sampler, hand quilted and framed for a dear friend for Xmas.

Have a very Merry Xmas and a safe and happy New Year.

Why not leave a comment for the end  of 2014.