February's follies

Over the past few days I've been busy spending quality time at school with my two girls, assisting in their classrooms and helping them adjust back into their school routine. The day was destined to be pretty warm but started out very overcast and gloomy. I didn't plan to stay at school and had full intentions of going home to spend quality time on me, relaxing, posting blogs and surfing for quilt ideas. But I hung around to help settle them in and before I knew it, it was 3:30pm.

While I sat with the kids over lunch one of the boys who had gobbled up his vegemite sandwich and was eyeing off my daughters 2 minute noodles. The kids like to eat them raw as a snack, with or without the flavouring sprinkled over them. I had to go down the street to get my own lunch so I offered to buy him some. The order quickly became more packets for other mates. Whilst in the supermarket icy poles were on special and since the temp has risen decided a packet of 20 was a nice treat for their hard work and good behaviour. Come hand out time and it was like having hot chips at the beach and being surrounded by screaching seagulls, all swabbling for some scraps. Kids are so funny with some trying their best to trick me into giving them one. I had a great day helping them out and have put this on my must do more of list for 2008.


January Jobs update...
I did get the BBQ finished and although she's not the newest and flashest model, we were so pleased to have her back in action. And like all good friends, having her back was almost like she'd never left us. It felt really good. The BBQ was a wedding present given to us by my side of the family and was pretty flash back then (10 years ago) with it's wok burner. Considering I've only used that part once or twice, who needs a big fancy BBQ with all the bells and whistles.


As you can see hubby was extremely pleased and grateful for it's return. The timber's been sanded and oiled, the gas hoses replaced and everything painted and rust proofed. To complete this little job and to protect my hard work I even bought it a rain coat. Here's to many more good aussie BBQ's in the future!

Hmmm... finish painting the tin fence should be on Februarys list! But I won't be too over ambitious with feb's list as I'II be returning to work next week. That should put a slow to the job completions around here.

January's Jobs

• BBQ - Almost There!
• Quilt Frame - Just waiting for the paint to dry
• Baste Quilts - Haven't started yet. Just waiting for the paint to dry
• Plastering - got side tracked and plastered the kitchen instead. I consider this an exchange. Will tackle the Laundry in February instead.

We've had such nice weather the past three days just ideal for painting. So that promise I made to the whole wide world that I would acheive a few things by the end of January is well underway. I'm just so pleased with myself. Let me show you a few pics...

Here we have a rather elegant quartet of solid maple quilting legs, lightly coated in a rather disgraceful cocktail of dust, cobwebs, bird poo and fly droppings. The master craftsman responsible for their lovely appearance would be horrified that I let them sit for so long. I wanted to create a simple adjustable quilting frame, but wasn't happy with their very plain appearance so I decided they needed a touch of decorative moulding around the base? Good idea Josephine, but in my haste I bought the wrong size moulding and it was too big for my saw. Crap! Time to pull out a favour. My woodworking friend... let's call him Mr Perfectionist, happily abilged and returned to me four beautiful legs with just the right nip and tuck here and there. The detail is lovely. Thank you D.

I have two quilt tops waiting for this project to be finished and I refuse to start any more until they're done. Unfortunately my stash just keeps growing with potential projects and must have purchases and it'll be grounds for divorce if it continues much longer... never mind the fact that at the rate I've been going, my two girls will be lucky to receive their baby quilts by thier 21st birthdays! As a quilter, I'm a complete disgrace when it comes to finishing things. Recap... That last line may as well apply to most things in my life. Oh but that's right... I'm attemping to fix that. See...

Four beautifully oiled, three coats (8 hours dry time between coats) each coat lovingly sanded with 400 grit wet and dry paper and wiped smooth just as the instructions detailed. They must rest for a week to fully harden, so unfortunately I can't finish the rails until then. I just need to staple calico to each four rails so that my quilts can be pinned and pulled square (or not) to finish. It looks like I may not achieve basting my quilts by end Jan after all.

But I will have the BBQ finished. Tomorrow in fact! (which will actually be today now that I've looked at the clock) Just after I make a quick dash to Bunnings for two spacers and some leather washers that I lost in the grass today, I mean yesterday. That's the only thing stopping me from putting it back together. So tomorrow, i mean today, let me show you how I turned this pile of crap (destined for the tip on the trailer) back into our once loved BBQ!