Riley Blake

I'm part of the modern quilt guild. I'm in the Canberra group. There's a world-wide challenge going on at the moment. Riley Blake offered a giveaway of fabric. 

All we have to do is make a quilted item from the fabric and post up photos by February. 

From what I hear, it's bigger than Ben Hur. What quilter wouldn't say yes to free fabric!! 

This is what I'mmaking. It'll be a big cushion and will be a great opportunity to practice my cushion-construction skills. 

Christmas present

All I wanted for Christmas from my boys was for them to fix this ceramic ball that Ben brought home.

It was such a shame, he brought it home wrapped in newspaper but it didn't survive the trip on the bus.

Ben sat down yesterday and patiently glued for an hour or so. Once it's dry he'll put these two halves together. 

Roses

This is a hedged-in garden I've just found minutes from my new job. Lovely!!

Fiji

The last day of our trip we spent just staying around the resort. Mark and his mum went parasailing and we enjoyed just relaxing by the pool. The blue is amazing. 

Doors

I found some wonderful quirky doors walking around Newcastle today. Canberra is such a new city and finding anything with an aged patina makes me want to take photos!!

Mamanuca Islands

We took a day trip to the Mamanuca Islands because we wanted to check it out for the next trip to Fiji.

We took a sail boat to the islands. Soooo relaxing. 

En route to the island. 

We went snorkelling off the side of the boat half way there. And then stopped for lunch and more snorkelling. 

One of the crew shimmied up a coconut palm to get four coconuts. He also broke off a leaf and the crew spent the return trip making things for all the kids on board. 

They made a paddle boat for Ben. The paddles worked. 

One of the guys also made a bracelet for me. He tried it on me several times to make sure it fit. I took a video too. The crewman was so sure of himself - probably makes these bracelets every other day!

We sailed back for much of the return trip. Loved the sound of the wind and the feeling that the power of the wind was very ably propelling us along. 

Village

We took a day trip, visiting a remote island, Tonga Island. It was so interesting, it's near a village which had the last recorded cases of cannibalism in Fiji. The victim was an English pastor and his crime was to touch, or try to remove a chief's head dress. 

We spent about an hour on a bus then took a trip by speed boat including lots of high speed 360 degree turns. 

Mark and the kids on the boat. 

Mark was chief for the day. He had the task of giving the village chief a gift of kava root. 

These are the kind of bites that the villagers live in. They got electricity two years ago. 

They put out an amazing spread of good for us. I felt terrible because visitors eat first and I had to check this. It was so odd having the kids, the men and women from the village watching us eat first. 

I had to wear a sarong in the village and we were all given a garland to wear. 

Street art

We're visiting Newcastle this weekend. There's dome great street art near our apartment. 

South Sea Island

Lots of shady spots for relaxing. 

Turtle nesting site!

We loved our trip to South Sea Island. The idea was to go there for the day - it's only about half an hour from Nadi's port.

They then have opportunities to snorkel from shore, go out to sea and snorkel in the deep ocean, scuba diving trips and also - for my mother-in-law, a submersible boat. Maureen could go out to sea and then just walk below deck to see the tropical fish and coral.

All three boys (husband and kids) scuba dived. It was the first time for Andrew and Ben and they loved it. I went out snorkelling off a boat and saw some amazing sights. Unfortunately, the wind picked up so it was too choppy to snorkel or scuba dive in the afternoon.

Instead, we just swam and snorkelled off shore and sat in deck chairs and lolled in the hammocks until 5. There was also a salt water pool and lots of noodles that we mucked around with, Fijian women selling some great necklaces and a barbecue lunch and singing and dancing performances. Loved it all!

On the way to the island.

The double hammock we tried out.

Activity board at the island

Coffee

We really enjoyed going to the Sofitel's coffee shop. They came up with all sorts of wonderful designs. One day a frangipani and jasmine.  Another day a fern. 

Cocktails

The rooms took so long to be ready that they firstly brought us little glasses of juice (paw paw, passion fruit, pineapple). Then progressed to vouchers for cocktails. We chose piña coladas and they had the freshest ingredients!!

Sofitel pool

We arrived in Fiji on 1 October. I'll add some posts - I couldn't post while I was overseas because it would cost a bomb... 

We sat overlooking the pool for hours while our rooms were being made ready. 

Had to get used to the concept of Fiji time right from the outset!

Hairdresser

My hairdresser has new teeny tea cups 

and matching tea pots. Heaven!

Ice hockey

Both of my boys are playing ice hockey now and loving it!

Today's block

Got up early this morning and made this block. Podcasts playing to keep me engaged, all my boys sleeping!

Octagonal orb

Here's the beginnings of my octagonal orb quilt. 

I'm loving this block so much. 

I've been collecting orange and turquoise fabrics for years and I'm so glad I've found the right block for my five-years-in-the-making collection!

Mum's vintage fabric

When I was back home in July, mum gave me a little scrap of fabric. 

I took home my orange and turquoise blocks that I'm working on so it was just right. 

It's a scrap from the first dress mum ever made when she was 14 or 15, so about 60 years ago. 

I've added it to my quilt - you'll see the soft turquoise colour with the horses and carriage. 

This quilt is destined for our bed, so it's very special. 

Scrap pack

I bought a scrap pack of fabric today and turned it into some  hexies. I do love productive days. 

Monkey

While I was sitting binding my latest quilt this cheeky monkey came into view! It's one of those scrappy quilts I just love where you keep finding new things to look at. 

Magnolia

For years I've worked in various buildings right near this lookout in the city. Years ago I heard that there are Magnolia trees that put on a great show in spring. 

This year I finally ventured the 5 minutes (!) to the lookout. It was so worth it. 

Finished!

I've finished my xplusalong quilt. Finished the binding, the label is quilted into the backing and it all started with a little pack of fabric scraps from Danielle at our first Canberra Modern Quilt Guild meeting. So in love with this one. 

Asparagus

So exciting. My asparagus is coming through. I've been meaning to order some for years and this year was the year. I think we'll have to wait a couple of years now and then well have our own snap-fresh spears!!

Coconut ice

The latest blocks I've been doing are gorgeous fresh pink and white. I'm following a stern that my quilt group has sent around. The block designer calls them her 'whatever' block. I think they look like coconut ice, a favourite at school fetes when I was a kid. 

Paleo

We've been following a new way of eating for two weeks now - paleo. It's basically meat, lots of veg, some fruit and nuts. Breakfast today is a smoothie. Almond milk, spinach, linseeds, blueberries, cardamom, cinnamon. Turns out brown, but tastes good!

Shopping

I went to the quilt shop last weekend and bought two kinds of navy dragonfly material. 

I had a first attempt with my oranges but it was too scrappy even for me. 

Then I put a call out on Instagram and @katequilts came back with the octagonal orb block which I was trying to recreate. 

I loved the block so much that I've made two blocks this long weekend. 

Here's a close up of the second block.