It's Christmas!

Oh dear..

...it can't be December already! Who stole November? I want them to return it as soon as possible because there aren't enough days left before Christmas to do the stuff I planned.

Ok.. I would need more time than November, maybe October too! These are the perils of procrastination, my chief talent these days. I need to take this advice..

One event I do remember from November was the craft fair held at Wolston House, and I'm pleased to say that the quilt featured in my last post was won by our newest (and youngest) volunteer who purchased her ticket before even viewing the quilt. She was very thrilled!

The weather held (it was very overcast on the day) and a lovely time was had by all. I spent some time demonstrating on our treadle sewing machine, but most of the time I swanned around in my 1912 outfit, twirling my parasol to great effect.

Don't you love the 1880s tricycle for two. We were lucky to have a whole lot of bicycles, tricycles and Penny Farthings on display, and their owners love to dress up too!

Here's hoping I manage one or two Christmas projects in the countdown, but let me tell you a little secret... I'm not holding my breath!

Sharing...

...finally! This is the quilt I have been working on to raffle this year for Wolston House.

In actual fact, it would be nowhere near finished if not for my sister, who pushed really hard and worked with me to get it done. It was a fun project because we did it together.

The block we used is a four-patch square in a square, and we sort of made up the rest as we went along! It was made from fabrics we already had, which is always satisfying. Here's hoping it raises a nice sum.

A bit of history and an amazing gift

A few weeks ago I was involved in an event which highlights the heritage of the lovely city I call home. Twice a year three generous owners open their heritage homes to the public. The latest were...

..the Victorian era Rhossili..

Federation period Ballachulish...

...and 1850s Claremont.

The best part of the day however, came later that evening, when  the call came telling me my beautiful daughter was about to receive an amazing gift.. She had been waiting for many months now for a lung transplant and thanks to a wonderful family's generosity, she has a chance for a longer life to enjoy all the things most of us take for granted. She is recovering well and is determined to honour her donor's gift by living well.

I am so very grateful.

Quilts at Rosewood

A little while back I went with my sister to a quilt show at Rosewood, a small town about twenty minutes away from where I live. They hold a quilt and craft show every two years and it is always lovely to visit, the ladies are so friendly and welcoming. While all the work was lovely, one or two quilts appealed more than the others.

I have always liked house quilts, and this one appears to have been made from recycled shirts. This definitely appeals to my thrifty soul!

Photos are not the best I'm afraid, because of difficult lighting and angles.

I love the use of colour in this one, not something I would choose, but very effective.

And who doesn't love chevrons!

There was also some exquisite tatting and crochet, but I somehow neglected to take pictures.

Next post...raffle quilt! I have to report the top is finished and it is now at the quilters. 

More baking.

I was asked recently by fellow blogger Penny from Violet White, if I had made any progress on the recipe book I had mentioned previously. The answer is yes, a bit, but not a lot.

These are Cockles, they are a bit a bit like Melting Moments, but with jam instead of icing in between.

And this is Marble Cake, or it could be a Marble (Bar) Cake. (A bit of a play on words for us Aussies; Marble Bar is a place in the Northern Territory).

I have been publishing the recipes on the Wolston Historic House Facebook page and they are always well received. 

Next post will show progress on the raffle quilt, my sister is a hard taskmaster!

Too boring to blog about...

that is how I have felt during the time I have been gone (but not forgotten I hope) from this blog. It's not true really, but some things in my life recently have been difficult for me to deal with (mostly because they are out of my control), so I have withdrawn into my little shell (my star sign is Cancer). There has been a lot of this happening..

And quite a bit of this...

A fair bit of heritage stuff... (yes, that's me! In Edwardian costume no less!)

A certain amount of socialising... but, very little crafting. The sewing on the treadle is the beginnings of another quilt for raffling. I am being ably assisted by my sister (she is shaming me into it) so hopefully I will have something to share soon.

Baking ... And taking

photos! I had a lovely time with my daughter yesterday, working on a special project. A while ago, at the historic house where I volunteer, an exercise book was discovered in a cupboard. It contains hand- written recipes, dating from WW 1 to the 1920s, along with some interesting 'household hints'.
I hope to put together a collection of recipes from the book and also photos of the finished products! My daughter is a great photographer, as well as an excellent baker, and we trialed two recipes.
First is a Victoria Sandwich...

...and next is coconut macaroons

These are my photos by the way, my daughter set up for the food photo-shoot and I piggybacked on her expertise. If we get to publishing, hers will be the ones we use.

And of course, after the photos... there was tasting! Yum!!