PhD's (Projects Half Done)

Well, I have decided to join in with the PhD fun over at GoNe StiTchiN'. You can learn more about my PhD's HERE

What Now?

Well, now that I'm not working, and it's not looking like I will be re-entering the workforce anytime soon, I have been trying to work out what on earth I am going to do with myself.

I have thought of going back to TAFE, but what would I do? and then there are the fees, how on earth would I pay for those? Time to scrap that idea for now. Then I searched WEA, there are a couple of courses in there that interest me, but the cost is still there and then the outlay for the tools and materials and it's just not a viable option for me right now. Besides, the courses I am interest in only go over one day! Now that's not going to fill in much time is it?

I participated in the #scrappytripalong, which has so far kept me busy for just three evenings.

Here is my #scrappytripalong quilt so far. I used a Balipop and this is as far as I could stretch the 2 1/2" squares, as far as blocks go. I have quite a few odd squares left and I am thinking of adding a strip of three or four squares across the top and the bottom of the quilt to make it longer. I still have plenty of that purple batik that I can add another, wider border to it.

I've come to a bit of a standstill with this, trying to figure out how to make it a little larger and then trying to work out how to quilt it, can I quilt it myself? I certainly don't have the funds to have it quilted this time.

Then I stumbled upon this blog, Red Pepper Quilts where Rita has quilted her quilt herself. I am inspired and I think I may be able to do mine as well :-)

Then I stumbled upon Cheryll at GoNe StItChIn' who is doing a PhD (Projects Half Done) and I thought I might join in with this.

I don't even know where to start with this one, I have so many PhD's. I will have to start sorting through my boxes and bags and create a list.

I think that should keep me busy for a while. What do you think?

Check back soon to see my list of PhD's.

A Scrappy Trip

Well, I've finally worked out to to be able to upload images again. I had to switch over to Google Chrome. I have no idea why but it worked so I'm not complaining.

I have stumbled upon a #scrappytripalong on IG so decided that I just had to join in. I thought it would be a great way to use up one of those Balipop's I had laying around. You can find a tutorial HERE over at Quiltville

I used a Hoffman Balipop in a colourway called Rum Raisin. It looked a bit like this;

so here is a picture of my first block

then here is my second

 Here are my first four blocks together

Here are the same four in black and white to check the values. I am pretty pleased with them so I continued with another 12 blocks.

 and here is my final 16 blocks which is the most I could squeeze out of my balipop.

I have so far placed a 2 1/2" border in a purple batik all around the quilt. I have some more 2 1/2" squares left that I might piece together and add a double row of blocks to the top and bottom of the quilt. If I have enough to do a strip of four 2 1/2" blocks at the top and bottom, I will do that and then add about a 5 - 10" border of the purple batik all the way around the quilt to make it a little bigger.

Have you joined in as well or do you plan to? 

Go on, you should, it's fun!

No Fun!

Well, I was going to blog about all sorts of things this evening like the scrappy trip along, the photo a day challenge and just life in general but blogger won't let me post any pictures. I don't know what is going on. Anyone else had any issues with posting pictures?
Looks like I will have to try again tomorrow.
Until then, have a fabulous day/night/weekend :-)

HaPpY NeW YeAr!!!!

Well, I guess you have already noticed that I have been a little absent from my blogging duties. I am such a bad blogger.
It has been an absolute whirlwind here the last few weeks. I resigned from the job I loved for so many reasons but the only reason I can mention here is because of my poor health. It was quite devastating. But thank goodness, that is all over now.

As a result of the stress I was feeling at work and the coinciding phone call from my husband, I managed to swiftly go back into shock and found myself back to square one. That combined with the little "procedure" I had in hospital a couple of weeks ago, I have really been hit for a six!

The little "procedure" was to have a curette, some biopsies done and an IUD inserted to stop the menacing hemoraghing that has been plaguing me the last two years. It was crucial I have something done ASAP as I almost bled out and didn't even realise just how incredibly close to death I really was. Then the night my husband called with some bad news for me, I had my very first appointment with my ObGyn, where she very quickly told me she thought I had uterine cancer and that she needed me in hospital within the next three days. This is what led to the biopsies, curette and IUD and as you can well imagine, left my head spinning. (For those of you who don't know, my husband and I are no longer together).

I have since developed an infection and I do believe an allergy to the IUD but I can't be sure as nothing is open over the Christmas/New Year break so I can be checked out. I have been prescribed antibiotics but I have since developed a chest infection and a sinus infection and goodness knows what else. I'm sure I that was a lung I just coughed up :-(

So I am sitting here on New Years Eve, all alone, as sick as a dog, as crook as Rookwood and not a soul to comfort me or keep me company. My head is pounding, my chest is tightening and I feel like death warmed up. It is an awful 38 degrees celsius (100.4F), it's humid, muggy, sticky and gross. I dream of a land covered in snow and ice that will cool my aching body.

So, for me, I am quite happy to see the end of 2012, although I must admit, there were some really GREAT times to be had. I became so much stronger than I ever imagined I could possibly be and I moved forward with my head held high. I have overcome so many hurdles, obstacles and challenges, OK, so maybe not always with a smile on my face, but I have overcome, I have triumphed and I have survived.

As I sit here on the precipice of 2013, I find myself very proud of what I have overcome but I can also see so many areas of my life in which I can make improvements. I am not perfect, so very far from it but I can see some parts of me that I can certainly work on in 2013.

What about you? Have you overcome any challenges, obstacles or hurdles in this last year? Can you see anything in or of yourself that you would like to improve in 2013?

I'd like to share with you with this beautiful image of Newcastle that I captured. That is Fort Scratchley there on the hill. I love this photo, because it is not a part of Newcastle that is often seen - well not from this angle anyway ;-)

I am so looking forward to what 2013 has in store for my family and I. I hope you are too <3

With that, I am planning on participating in Chantelle's (of Fat Mum Slim) Photo A Day Challenge
for January;

How about you? Would you like to join in too? It could be fun, promise :-)
Just go HERE to learn about how to join in. It's not too late.

And I will leave you with this;
Now is the time to meditate on this past year, on memories had, friends and family we have loved, lost and also missed, the work we did, and time we spent. Now is the time to plan, think of the future, and start again.
Whether you put down a vice, pick up a good habit, or continue as you were, may your year be pleasant and spirited. Happy New Year, may it be a good one, and just as Sydney Smith said;

“Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.” -Sydney Smith
English writer, Anglican cleric, wrote a poem about salad dressing

HaPpY NeW YeAr....

Oh, and I do not have thise biopsy results as yet.

On Hiatus

Hi there lovely people. I guess by now, you've noticed that I've been a bit absent from Gladys and Maude. I haven't forgotten about you or about Gladys and Maude but I have an urgent health issue that I need to concentrate on and focus all of my energies over the next week or two.
I will be back as soon as I am able and until then, please be patient with me.
I look forward to meeting you back here very soon.
In the meantime, have a fabulous week :-)

Bespoke Satchel and a HUGE Hello!

Have you ever tried to post a blogpost from tour iPhone? Well in theory, it should work but I have found that I was unable to place my images into any order and I was unable to add any description to my images. It was quite frustrating. I thought that once I posted it, I may have been able to edit - no, not from this phone. I am currently editing on my iPad now >_<  
Ok, so I thought I'd be able to edit from my iPad but it seems that is an impossibility too. I can only get so far then I am unable to shift the page down to continue. Please bare with me until I can get my hands on a pc to edit this post and publish another. 

Miss 17 asked me on Sunday to design and make her a satchel. She had purchased some fabric from Spotlight and wanted the whole satchel out of the one fabric. It took me quite a while to convince her that it really needed some more colours added to break it all up a bit.
She had quite specific requests, including that it could be no larger than an A4 piece of paper. I cut a satchel out of paper, the size of an A4 sheet and then I cut one out of an A3 sized piece of paper to show her how big they would actually be. She chose the A3 size.

This is the finished satchel

The front of the satchel with various strips of fabric across the front.