My Bella...

Bella after my knitting needles  :)

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Buddies...

The web is still being spun...

I have a great helper, Bella, when I'm sewing who loves to curl up to sleep as close as she can possibly get to my sewing machine - thank goodness I was only joining the selvege triangles together...
Then it was time to join the larger triangles together, and it was starting to get a little too snuggly with Bella so close... She was so not impressed when I woke her to then shift her off her warm spot...

Good news for the day is... Becky had her specialist appointment today, and he has said her tonsils are a Grade 3 out of a scale of 4 (4 being worst) and without too much bribing has agreed to remove them. So now on the list waiting for a surgery spot - he thinks it will be within 2 - 4 months time. Becky is very pleased, even though it will be very sore afterwards and 10 days off school (she's really sad about that ! not...), she is looking forward to less snoring, being able to eat without choking and best of all no more tonsillitus :)

And even better news - I've got the afternoon at home... so heading back to the sewing machine (winds are way to gusty to be out on the bike), and I've already made a pot of soup for tea from the chicken carcass from last nights roast - gosh I love being at home...

Hugs

Mr FuzzyMan...

Have you met Mr FuzzyMan? He is the cute large blue toy on the Purina Beneful tv ad's... check out the video clip below to get an idea...


Well in the groceries last night I had to get Diesel more bikkies and it so happens he eats Beneful and they had a mini Mr Fuzzyman as a promo gift - couldn't wait to get home to see what Diesel thought...

I think he likes him...

Not the best pic of DH, however Diesel just wanted to share the 'love'...

Then Bella had to climb over the towels to check out what on earth was going on...

Diesel just loves "Mr FuzzyMan"...

Have a happy week
Hugs

Not much quilting going on...

The posts are very few and far between at the moment... Have not been very productive of late, working a little more on the secret project and working on the Butterfly Garden BOM blocks, and working on another quilt top though nothing of note to show.

I did knit some fingerless gloves a few weeks back - these are excellent for those frosty mornings on the train - can still read my book and turn the pages LOL though the hands are kept warm and toastie. I haven't used those double ended needles before - you use 4 at a time - was a bit of a confusion to get started though after knitting three gloves I got a perfect pair!

Today DH helped his Dad split more wood (they had 6 huge gum trees felled a few weeks ago that were leaning over the road) - so while they did that I went for a bike ride - 39km on rolling Masterton backroads - was gorgeous as the Tararua ranges where snow covered - though was freezing, by the time I got back to their house my feet were like blocks of ice. Yummy hot shower and delicious lunch got the blood circulating again in no time.

You would think after a day of Diesel playing with my Mum-in-law's dog he'd be tuckered out - he still has enough energy to have a round or two with Bella!

And to finish of today's post... my darling, gorgeous girls, photo taken a few weeks ago when DD2 (on the left) turned 13. DD1 (on the right) turns 16 next Sunday... my how time seems to fly by.

Hope you've had a lovely weekend.

Hugs

A day in the life of Bella...

Hanging out the washing...

I wonder if they can see me behind this blade of grass?

Have a happy day

Hugs

Catchup on WIPs

Hello...

Finally I've got the "Swirling Leaves/Autumn Quilt" off the chair and re-united with the sewing machine... have finally started quilting... I've traced the leaf design onto the golden paper - which is so good to stitch over, then rips away (though remember to rip gently!)...

And then at Quilt club meeting today, I finished another of the Gail Pan BOM blocks, am really enjoying stitching these, and everyone comments on how good they look (the design that is!).

One of our club members who is an OT gave a great talk on exercises to relief the aches and pains from long periods of sewing at the machine, hand quilting etc, along with showing correct height for your ironing board, sitting at your sewing machine etc. Was a great talk. Got home from Club just after 4pm and quickly chucked on the bike gear, and headed out for a quick 20km ride (took just over an hour) to make the most of finally a fine day!

Hmm, Miss Bella is not looking too impressed with all the cuddles she's been getting lately !

Tomorrow Mum, Dad and Sis in law are coming over for the day, after they've had a reviving cuppa, Mum and Sis in Law, along with DD1 and myself are hitting the recycle clothing shops, we haven't done the rummage through the racks for a few months so we're looking forward to finding some bargains. I got a head start on them and went to one on Friday in Cuba Mall and picked up a MAX long sleeved blouse, perfect condition for $10 !

Hugs

La Bella ... all snuggly

Hmm... wondered why the indoor airer was looking a little buckled... Miss Bella has decided it is the perfect spot to create a hammock of sorts - while there are bedsheets airing !!


She's just too cute to get mad at, so I left her there all snuggly...

Look who's surfing the internet...

Bella !! Checking out Kait's conversations on Bebo :)

I went with my girlfriend Les, to a Simply Silver one day jewellery class on Saturday at Inverlochy Art School - isn't this the coolest house for an Art School...

Check out the tiles in the entrance foyer, doesn't this look like a quilt - gorgeous...

Here we are being shown a few of the key components for making a ring... once you've measured the length of silver needed to make your ring/bracelet - you need to cut - the hacksaw has the finest of blades that snaps very easily...

after cutting your silver, you then begin the hammering, letter punching or whatever to create the design in your piece, the more you 'hit' the harder the silver becomes, so you need to anneal the silver to make it soften.

The anneal process can occur a number of times, before you get to the next stage of shaping your ring/bracelet...

Here is the ring I made - three images to show the writing I stamped - please visualise the words as 'level'...

Here is the gorgeous bracelet and ring that Les made - very cool !

And three images of the bracelet I made, to match the ring - though in a thinner silver band... again imagine the lettering is 'level' - though I reckon it adds to the quirkiness and originality :)

Was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday, catching up with a favourite girlfriend, learning a new craft - could be addictive ... certainly can get some fast results.

Sunday was spent doing the 2nd stage of the Rangitikei Active Duathlon series, after last months adventure of entering the Long section, Sis-in-Law (Leigh) and I decided we would enter the medium course 2k run, 10k bike, 1.5k run - the course layout was way better, the hills were still undulating however manageable, the weather was warmer, though we got heavy rain on the bike section.

Our aim was to ensure we bettered our times from when we did the same distances in our first duathlon (April 09, in Wellington) - at that event we both did 1hr 12 min - today Leigh did 54.39 and I staggered in 3 minutes later at 57.07 - we were stoked. Leigh's a machine, she jogged both run sections, I managed to jog 3/4 of the first run section - I was coming last at the end of the first run section, at transition I crawled to my bike and peddled like crazy to try and catch up to Leigh (and the others), I managed to pass two people (yeah, I wasn't last anymore!!) but couldn't catch her - she was in my sights the last kilometre before transition to the 2nd run section - by then my legs were not happy, I was wet from heavy rain in the bike section - so I decided to power walk the 1.5km - I tried a couple of times to get the shuffle jog into action - though the shins were screaming NOOOOOO. So I walked. And I still came in 3rd to last for our section - I was stoked...

Here's Leigh coming back at the end of the 2nd run to egg me on to the finish line :) the runners behind me are from the Long section run!

The training focus for this month is going to be more gentle jogs with Kait a few times a week (she's keen to be my jogging buddy) and get some good quality shoes to help with the damn shin splints. (I used to get them wickedly when did aerobics, and you'd think after been a couch potato for nearly 2 years that would have rested them enough - but NOOO).

Next event is July - round 3 for the Rangitikei Active series.

Hope you too had a great weekend.

What's a post without Bella :)

These lavender & stuffing filled hearts I made last night, for Kait to give to her boyfriend's mum (for her birthday) - the hearts are a version of some gorgeous hearts Deb gave to me for Valentines - just loved the idea and they make such wonderful quick gifts...

Here's darling Bella, curled up and content, fast asleep on my computer chair... isn't she getting fluffy...


Hope you too are having a restful weekend...

Hugs

La Bella ...

Bella, who is beginning to live up to the 'tortie' personality type. Just love that 'poof' tail of hers... and the pads of her paws are so soft and squishy...