Anything Goes Wednesday: My Environment

My work environment is not too bad to spend 5 days a week at. It is not just a place to work, but it is a place where I can meet my really good friends either for morning coffee or for lunch.

Once a week I meet with my book group to create our beautiful handmade art books. On most day we take a walk around the campus and enjoy the environment around us. There are many nice gardens that we can visit with lot of seasonal flowers and plants. There is also a weekly market where we can get cut flowers, handmade gifts and unique items from around the world .

On my walk around the campus I have taken some photos of interesting artworks and natures things to share with you in between crafts and quilting posts.

This is an wall mural on the outside of a 3-storied building at the centre of the campus. I was told by my colleague that, this is a sundial, but I don't know how it works. At first I thought it was something to do with sewing (I have sewing in my brain!), but when I saw all the numbers above each of the loops I thought maybe it is some kind of scientific drawing. A sundial, yes that makes sense.

A giant leadlight window on the wall of the campus auditorium. This is what thousands of students use for the backdrop to take photos on their graduation day. The patterns on the window replicate patchwork blocks in someways.

These are typical Aussie gum trees. They look good growing in groups. These ones are right in the middle of Performing Arts Faculty and I walk past them each days. I appreciate them more now that I look at photos of them. The red colored building makes it a dramatic backdrop.

These love notes created by art students were formed as a wall plaque on the outside wall of the Art faculty building. I walk past it everyday and noticed that the ivy is starting to take over it slowly. I wander if I will still be working here when the whole plaque gets swallow up by the ivy!

Last I cannot pass this opportunity to share these cute little ducklings that seem to be coming to play in Spring (Australian Spring) by the pond outside the library where I work. Each year there would be emails going around the place to let everyone knows that the little ducklings are here again and the conversation would be around the ducklings topic for days! This year there were nine of them, but unfortunately I only captured six of them on the photo.

Anything Goes Wednesday: Spring is here

It might seems strange to most of you who live in North American and Europe when you read that spring is here! It is still strange to me too after returned to Australia for the second time. I do miss having Christmas in the Winter still! Well I am here now and I will make the most of spring. I have some lovely spring flowers to share with you here so, enjoy...!

I took this photo about a month ago when the apricot tree was flowering. It was late afternoon and the sky was beautiful right behind the tree. The tree is now full of young fruit. I can see that it is going to be a good year for apricots. I would better go out and hang CDs on the branches to stop the dear possums getting at the fruit before us.

Here is my gorgeous wisteria in full broom. We only planted the vine two years ago and this is the first time that it flowered fully. I think it could have been the rain we have been getting lately.

I can't take credit for this rose. We do have rose bushes in our garden, but for some reason they are very late flowering. This one belongs in my hairdresser's garden. I walked past it last Saturday and I had to snap it with my camera. I know all you bloggers out there would do the same. It was beautifully scented too.

I am a good neighbor by helping out admiring our next door neighbor's camellias. The shrub you see is the view from our kitchen window. Each year in the Winter that shrub is full of beautiful red camellias. Thanks neighbor for sharing your beautiful flowers with us.

The evergreen rock rose. The best kind of flowers you can have in the dry climate. We don't need to give them water all the year round. They do look like roses don't they?

Okay I have to share with you the great movie that all bloggers should see. It's Julie & Julia.

It was recommended to me by my friend Dzintra. DH loves going to the cinema and I thought he wouldn't like this movie, but to my surprise he thoroughly enjoyed it too. Like you Dzintra, I went to her blog and left a comment, but somehow I don't think she would read my comment after five hundred or more comments she has on each posts....!

Anything Goes Wednesday: Americana

I have always been very fond of Americana fabric. When I first started quilting I was given a piece of Americana fabric by a friend to thank me for helping her prepare a teacher showcase quilt for Houston Quilt International. She made a quilt representing an Australian Aboriginal painting and I was helping her to make the dots that went in the quilt. We made hundreds of those dots! Needless to say that the dots taught me how to make perfect circles.

Ever since that time I have been collecting Americana fabric. Over at Micki's blog she was making a Stars and Stripes wall quilt and I just remembered that one of my many UFOs is a quilt that I started using Americana fabric. I think I will call this quilt "I Love America".

This is a single heart block made of a center square. I then added four triangle corners and then applique with a heart on the center block. The finished block size is 5 1/2" and center block is 4 1/2".

The fabric used in the quilt is mainly Americana fabric plus some stripes, checks and a few solids that I have thrown in. The piece of red fabric with the white heart I found separately and it goes well with the rest of the blocks that I will use for the border.

My truly Stars and Stripes quilt has to be the One for All and All for One quilt I made as part of America from the Heart exhibition for 9-11. I have posted this quilt previously, so if you want to read the complete history of this quilt please click on the above link. It's the middle of the week I hope everybody is having a nice week so far.

My Purchases

I only bought a little bit from the Craft and Quilt Fair this year. The reason is that I have far too much fabric to deal with. Another reason is that I have got into other art and craft apart from just quilting. I am happy with what I bought and some can be used in basket weaving and book binding as well. The pattern I got is a very special Civil War Bride quilt pattern that I might one day make for my DGD (now is 6 months old). I am known to take years to finish a quilt...!

You can have a look for yourself how beautiful this quilt is. It is a Civil War Bride quilt. I was standing at the Threadbear stall when I overheard the story of this quilt being told. Someone said it was supposed to be a bridal quilt, but something must have gone wrong because there was no groom in there to be seen. I heard the story before I actually saw the quilt. When I turned around and saw the quilt, I thought I had to get the pattern even though I would not be able to start it for a long time. You know patterns do not go bad over time...!

Okay I lie, I did get some fabric. I don't know about you, but I can never find plaid fabrics so easily. I love them and when I found them I have to get some. I also bought the book "When the Cold Win Blows" by Blackbird Designs which I am big fan of. I love all their designs and everything Barb and Alma do. If you have a chance please visit their blog at the link above. I also bought some Sari silk yarns and hand spun twine from Prudence Mapstone's stall. No I am not going to do scrumplings. I got them to use in my next project of basket weaving. What about those cute scissors? A girl will never have enough scissors. They do come in handy as gifts.

Anything Goes Wednesday: Blog Angels

Is it my imagination or are all bloggers Angels? Not a day goes by that I don't come across blog giveaways...! Swaps, prizes, blog-a-versary, to name just a few. I don't go into many of them because I am not usually lucky in all these things. I preferred to give than to receive. Anyway, I can't say never for ever. Last month I came across a giveaway from Quiltmaker Magazine and I liked what I saw so I went for it. When I received an email telling me that I had won, I could not believe it! My number was 13 on the comments list. Thirteen could be my lucky number? I have to remember that next time! On exactly the same day I received my prize winning parcel I also received a parcel from my dearest blog Angel Serena . I knew she was sending it, but I didn't expect both parcels to arrive at the same time. How lucky was I?

Here are the boxes. The yellow parcel was from one of the boxes. I bet you want to know what was inside them.

Okay, let me tell you. In Serena 's parcel packed to the brim in the box was a whole collection of fabrics ranging from 1920s - 1970s. They are the most beautiful and have very unusual prints and colors on them. Serena knows I like random kind of fabrics so these are perfect for my scrap quilts that I will be making. You are so kind to give me your treasured and collectible fabric. I really appreciate your generosity. They have come to the right home. I love them and can't wait to use them. If you have not been to Serena's Blog please do so, Serena is a complete hand quilter. She cuts by hand, she pieces by hand, and quilts by hand. I really admired how she accomplishes her creations without using any fancy gadgets. Thanks my dear blog Angel. I will think of you every time I use any of these fabrics.

The prize I won was a book by Karen Griska Quilts from Selvage Edge. It's a book I always wanted. Ever since I visited Karen Griska's blog and saw some of the work using selvage edges I have collected my selvages to make something and now that I have the book, I will definitely make something from it. With the book was a complete Flying Geese block made up of selvages. You can see a bit of it underneath the book. Thanks Karen and Quiltmaker Magazine for your generous giveaway.

Anything Goes Wednesday: Happy Anniversary

Today is our 32th Wedding Anniversary. I have been thinking all through the day what to post for Anything Goes Wednesday. When I arrived home from work I found this beautiful bouquet of irises and liliums that DH got for me. Such a sweetheart my DH is. I am so very touched. Thank you for putting up with me for the last 32 years and I promise you that the next 32 years will be better. Happy Anniversary

My beautiful flowers amongst family photos. You can have a little peek at my DGD there as well.

I just like to carry-on the purple theme on this post, let me show you my Amish quilt Sunshine and Shadow. When we visited Entercourse in Lancaster, PA I bought a bundle of Amish fabric to make this very traditional Amish design quilt. The little block is 1" square. You might not see it very clearly, but the border fabric has bonnets printed on it. I hand quilted this quilt using block thread.

And this is the label of it. The center block has a pocket on the inside and inside the pocket is a story of this quilt and who and when it was made. I am very pleased I made it. I love Amish colours.

Anything Goes Wednesday: Picnic by the Beach

I love the sea and I originally came from a seaside town. We are not that far away from the sea here, but with our busy living life style we cannot always get to it. Last Sunday we had a little time so I baked some scones and packed the picnic basket and set off to the beach about 45 minutes drive from our home. DH and I both prefer winter by the beach than summer. It was a nice afternoon to have a cup of tea by the beach.

Mentone beach is the closest beach for us to get to and is one of many along the edge of Port Phillip Bay. This beach is popular with local residents who use it for walking their dogs, jogging or picnics. There weren't many people that afternoon maybe because it was overcast.

I was all rugged up with scarf and jacket for win protection.

Here is DH enjoying freshly baked scones and a cup of tea. recipe here .

Notice the picnics basket? It is one of my own creations. A reproduction of a tradional scallop basket. It is strong and sturdy to take on car trips.

Anything Goes Wednesday: Polka Dot Swap

Put on your shades! It is a very bright post, it is a polka dot swap! About a month ago I signed up for the polka dot swap organized by Stacey @ Polka Dot Daze in Auckland, New Zealand. This is my first swap since I started blogging. I used to take part in a lot of swaps with the Crazy Quilt mailing list. I liked the sound of this swap when I read that I could choose my swapper from the same country. My swapper is: Lyn @ Bluebird Quilts . We have been in touch since we got introduced to each other. I am so excited to be in this swap because it has given me a chance to go and get some polka dot fabrics that I did not have before this swap. I was looking for some bright colour fabrics to use in my Happy Quilt and now I have a few more of the polka dot fabrics to add on my stash.

No I did not sent this jar of gob smackers in the swap, but when I saw this jar I thought it would be cool to use in a card. Hope you like it Lyn.

Here are my swap goodies. We have to have at least 3 pieces of fabric in a certain size and at least one of the fabrics must be polka dot. The requirement is that there should be one handmade item and an extra item consisting of polka dots. It can be something one buys, but in my case I made everything myself. I made a handmade book, a pouch and a needle case.

Just hot out of the box here are the Polka dot swaps I received yesterday. I only opened it after I got home from work at the arranged time I made with Lyn @ Bluebird Quilts . What fabulous goodies I received from Lyn! She made me this adorable Pepper Doll, the fabric basket, needle/pin roll, mini quilt "Bears Paw" and three pieces of polka dot fabric. All of the items are made using polka dot fabrics and coordinate fabrics. I love them all Lyn. Thank you so much for your generosity. I really enjoyed this swap. The gifts are just the icing on the cake.

Anything Goes Wednesday

I enjoy reading blogs with themes on a certain days of the week. For example Ivory Spring- Blue Monday and Gypsylulu-Pink Saturday and Spirit Cloth-Doodle Wednesday . I am sure there are more that I have not come across still! The above links are very interesting blogs in their own individual way. Do hop over and have a peek for yourself. Because of my work commitment, I cannot always work on my crafts. No, I am not complaining, I love my job and enjoy coming to work each morning. So I need to come up with something to mention in my blog that does not involve making anything and this is my first posting. I will call it Anything Goes Wednesday and I will try my very best to find something interesting to brag about. Since I came up with this idea, I already saw a few things around the library I can brag about. So, watch this space...!


Okay, my first photo for Anything Goes Wednesday is a collection of books I rescued from a discarded trolley. I was mainly looking for books that I can re-purpose into handmade books, but sometimes I come across fantastic old and interesting looking books. For example one of these books in the picture, Swan River Saga, tells about the life of an early Australian pioneer Eliza Shaw. The other book, Ghost of Many Christmas, was one of only 100 copies printed in 1958. I am looking forward to reading some of these books. The little red book is a Russian poem which I only saved to use for its cover. Oh, the little heart is a piece of stitching I brought in to match with the book cover I have saved.

And here is the heart and soul of my work, my computer. A big part of my job is working with the library information system and we communicate online. Every computer is connected to the Internet and we have a chat system where we can chat with our colleagues and friends from other areas in the library.

Lastly, this is my little kitchenette where I store all my tea, coffee, hand cream, hand sanitiser, plant, note pad and some souvenirs that colleagues brought back from their travels. I even have a stress ball for de-stress. The books that you can see are the ones I rescued from the discarded trolley and are waiting there for me to decide what to do with them.