Variety Club Youth Choir Flash Mob 'I am Australian'

Retreat featured in Homespun

Well I am back after a 4 day work conference of fun and frivolity, and some work, kinda sorta. I was very well behaved thanks to the liver cleansing diet and only cheated will a few wines................ oh well back to it now. When I got home yesterday a copy of Homespun was waiting for me and here it is 

Very exciting to see your dream in print.

I am loving the little kimono dolly on the front may have to make her as a door stop I think.

So if you love to read Homespun please look out for the
Circle Retreat 

  feature on page 88 of this months Homepun and tell your friends

we have weekends free and every retreat weekend is a long weekend.

 Sunrise at the Gold Coast this week when i went out for a morning walk

It is so busy at 6.30am on the beach with so many walkers, boxing classes and of course swimmers.

Oh well back to life now thanks for dropping byand  have a great weekend

quilt retreat Buderim

Well we had a lovely weekend up at the Retreat  We had some friends come up so we had a few drinks up at the local tavern looking out to the ocean. A  wonderful meal with Tim n Jo, and in the morning we had a spa, it was such a lovely start to the day. We have guests this weekend, so we were busy cleaning windows and changing linen. i hope they have a great weekend of sewing and laughs. here are some of the new delights to be found at the retreat.

 My sista sue made this fab table runner for Circle Retreat she said she found the pattern of the net and it is made with Circle's so very ccol for the retreat. I hope all the ladies love it.

 And how could I resist this Circle of friends? it stands about 30cm tall so its a bit different to others of this nature and all girls. I am thinking I may need to tart them up a bit and glue some flowers to there hair or something , anyway still dwelling on this one. Any suggestions please comment below.

 The Bromeliades are all in bloom in the walk up to the front steps and looking so green and lush.

Well I am off on Conference for my real job for a few days, so see you then and happy stitching x

Mini Boutique Reopens after floods

The very lovely Libby is re-opening her cute store in St Lucia "Mini Boutique" after the brisbane floods went clear through her delighful store. So today I stopped by to ask her how she was going etc and tomorrow she is re-opeming and having a sale. So lets support our local girl who has been closed for close to a month and support this most gorgeous store. Mini Boutique sells lovely childrens clothing 40% off in the sale,  ladies brand Metalicus 20% in sale  and a wide range of lovely toys, games and  jewellery etc also on sale. So please stop by if you can.

Mini Boutique
88Gailey Rd
St Lucia
Libby Scott, will be delighted to help you, so tell your friends and go for a drive.

happy friday to you all and thaks for stopping by

light , button, recycle

I just love it when you can use stuff about the house and create a little something, that make's you smile and happy and today I did just that. I used floristy wire which I have had stuck in a box since 1989 when I did a floristry course. I knew I kept it for a reason, some odd buttons, and a good old tomato paste jar.
This little lantern, may need a few friends to keep her company, and she now hangs out side my sewing room.

Now with all this girly stuff done I must share a secret, I love Top Gear its the best laugh all week so I am off to watch tonights episode, and do some more hexagons. I hope you hangs some little lights at your place.

busy week @ circle retreat quilter

Well its been a busy week this week plus - lots of energy has gone into not thinking about food and its paid off for me at least. Hubby and I started the liver cleansing diet on monday. We thought it was a good opportunity seeing our friends do this every Jan-Feb  . So no red meat, no dairy. beer or white wine- maybe 2 red wines a week?..... and keep away from packages sugary yummys that I Louuuve

Anyway I have lost a kilo and hubby has found it so he not so happy with me and I have had only 2 yes 2 coffee's all week. unheard of for me. and they were soy which i have really enjoyed. I have had a few green teas and also found green tea with vanilla. so have made some yummIced tea with a little apple juice thrown in- not so good from the sugar content i think?
So to keep myself not thinking about food I have hit the sewing machine, and this is what i have made for a friends birthday- I hope she likes it.

 Calico library bag from Lincraft  $1.50 bargan

 Little scrap pocket - lined after photo

 Measured  4 inches from the corners and sewed across to make a square base.

 and ta da....... cute little bag for a book, waterbottle and lunch with pocket for keys and phone. took no time at all and i am very happy with the result- happy I bought more than 1 of this little calico numbers.

My little purse shape is made up from more small scraps in crazy patch design. I have made this purse easily 30 times and never with crazy patch so note to self next time make in two sections. i have had to get creative to hide the over sewing - note flower fabric rough edged sewn? its worked so will improve it next time . Hope Jo wont mind?

 complete................

now off for a swim before dinner with friends. Happy Saturday.

Circle Retreat Quilter: Hexagons and Moet

Circle Retreat Quilter: Hexagons and Moet

yasi yasi yasi

Well how much can this state of ours take? tonight I pray for my fellow queenslanders as they prepare for the worst cyclone to hit the north of our country in its short history. Tomorrow is another day.


The promised photo of Alphie a little ray of funniness asleep in the car on the wayback from the retreat last weekend. Can you get any more relaxed amongst the thongs bags and m & m's?

Some of my favourite things and places.

 How could i resist this is a store in country nsw Inverell and he is a favourite of mine my Mr Jones

 My favourite store in Bulimba  run by the lovely Simone

 My favourite place  is Paris and I took my Mummy with me in Oct 2009 it was such a wonderful time we had together, if ever you get the opportinity to spend 2 quaility weeks with your mother just on your own do it. We had some very funny moments and saw amazing places together. Below is another favourite Mum and I went looking For Jane Austin who we both love, we were so dissapointed as the quilt that is always at her house had gone to an exhibition. but we had the best Cream tea at the tea house across the road (Cassandras tea house named for Jane Austins Sister.) in Chawton.
The English do the best cream tea. In Oz we call them devonshire tea? who knows why. But Seriously good. We tested them out alot so we became experts..... lol

 My fav photo from our trip we are in a garden nursery some where near Stoke on Trent and we had just been to the Portmerion Factory outlet. Do you know Portmerion?  We were in shock at the prices- so cheap and we couldnt get much home.

 And heres Alphie my favourite photo, he has grown so much since Christmas will post a pic of him tomorrow.

 This pic was taken 4 days before the flooding in Qld and the fog was so heavy with all the rain and steam but I just love the mist and the old place www.frogshollow.com.au this where we stayed just outside of Killarny. if you are a photographer or artist, this is a must to stay at Frogs hollow. tell your friends i think it must be Qld best kept secret

 Quilting and hexagons, this is my friends hexagone quilt that is finshed after over 4000 hexagons has been hand pieced together. mine is still years away from completion and mine is the flower garden design. Dot well done i do love it.

 Moreton Island sunsets

A few favourites could'nt be complete without my two special babies testing out the new underwater camera in the pool last week- crazy kids. xx

have a super day. Stacey