I snapped a photo of this quilt at a fabric market last year.
I like quilts with a lot of white in them. It was the combination of oranges, blues and greys that appealed to me too.
Then catching up on blog reads this morning I was led to this site, where I found another version of it:
You can download the pattern from the Free Spirit website. A post holiday project for me perhaps?
It's been a hectic couple of weeks around here. As is always the case when a holiday looms, there is much to be done before departure.
I have been patternmaking and sewing samples like a mad woman. On Tuesday we photographed the winter range on the sweetest little girl.
Miss M was an absolute trooper, allowing us to photograph her in 7 different outfits. At outfit number 5 the bag of snakes came out, and a sugar high kept her happy until the end.
Since then I've been grading and preparing my specifications for the manufacturer. I think it will be a case of briefing them on the way to the airport. It's been done before.
I can't wait to board the plane. I have a few issues of my favourite magazine already packed and am planning on catching a few new release movies I've missed. I love a plane trip without children.
After dropping and smashing a hand-me-down glass bottle of Adelaide's the other day, I bought another of these that I love.
This is more like it, and certainly beats those tacky bottles with cartoon bears and buzzing bees or whatever. When it comes to baby paraphernalia, the simpler the better.
Adelaide has a small one for water and a large one for milk.
She routinely drops them from the highchair to the wooden floorboards. The cover keeps the glass protected and is easy for her to hold in her chubby little baby hands.
I haven't seen them in shops. I read about them on a blog somewhere. I bought mine from The Hip Infant. They are made by Lifefactory.
It seems that Will has been away almost every week since the school year started in Feb. If we do get away together in May it will be a case of, "Who's that cute guy I just passed in the hotel lobby? Oh, that's right, he's my husband."
Will left for Asia last night and is back on Friday. The family is struggling along without him. Since Henri brought the dreaded gastro into our house, Tom and Adelaide have been stricken. I thought Adelaide was better, only to be woken this morning at 5.30 with her screams. More bedding to wash.
Our trip is looking better by the day. There's just a small matter of that pesky volcano that needs to stop erupting. If things go my way I'll be sitting in this hotel garden dipping croissants in my chocolat chaud on Saturday fortnight.
The pretty village of Montsoreau in the Loire Valley is where we will spend 3 nights.
I've just discovered that there is a flea market in the town on the second Sunday of each month. Suddenly my day is looking up.
Corgi update: Menna seems to have made a full recovery - so far. She is under close watch though, and has to keep quiet and calm to avoid further injury.
Yesterday was a crappy day. I had high expectations. First day back at school and Mum had Adelaide for the day so I was planning on putting five hours to good use in the studio. As I was making school lunches I noticed our aging female corgi, Menna, couldn't use her backlegs. Corgis are not ergonomically designed so back and leg issues are common for the breed.
Then, when I got Adelaide up I noticed that Menna had left me a surprise on our very expensive zebra print rug. After dropping children off and scrubbing poo off flooring I took Menna to the vet. She had slipped a disc and was in pain. We could spend several thousand and give her back surgery, try pain killers and see if she improved with a fair chance it could get a lot worse, or put her to sleep.
This was not a decision I could make without Will who was in South Africa where it was 3am. After a few tears at the vet I left Menna there to try the pain medication and bed rest option. Later it was back to the vet after school and after speaking to Will. We both felt surgery wasn't an option at her age and if she was in pain it wasn't fair to keep her alive so Will could say goodbye to her on Friday.
So I arrived back at the vet already in tears, to find that Menna had made an improvement. Well that, at least, was happy news.
I traipsed home with my invalid dog, four children and food for dinner. Dinner, put Adelaide to bed, help Tom with an assignment, and then the water tank man turns up an hour late to measure our side alcove for a tank - the last thing I needed, particularly given he was chatty.
Fell in a heap and then went to bed, only to be woken 5 times during the night. Henri has gastro and threw up over his bed and carpet (the carpetcleaners are getting a call from me today). Then to top it off I dropped Adelaide's glass bottle in the garage and smashed it, only to drop a glass cookie jar 30 minutes later in the kitchen, smashing it too. What is it with me?
And before all this erupted I was standing at my ironing board packing orders and finally admitting to myself that I feel a little stretched at the moment. Is the universe trying to tell me something? If I didn't get it then, I get it now.
The bright spot on the horizon is that Will and I are taking a break together in 3 weeks. Nine nights in Europe - Paris, Copenhagen and somewhere else as yet undecided - should get me back to rights.
(Image from here. Not a corgi, just a cute softie that looks how I feel - a bit patchy.)
While I was away, news hit the blogs of a new book in print.
This lovely book has been put together by Kathreen Ricketson, who is the creative woman behind Whip Up.
I was very excited to be asked to contribute to the book - a first for me. I readily said yes, and am now in print with exalted company - famous bloggers and talented quilters. Kathreen is doing a series of posts on her book at Whip Up to introduce the contributors. Pop on over and visit their blogs.
1. squishyquilt, 2. A Pincushion..., 3. Denyse Schmidt KJR quilt, 4. Josiah's Quilt is Taller Than Paul, 5. bedside, 6. My first quilt, 7. Zig Zag quilt, 8. houses quilt top, 9. Red berry in polka dot quilt, 10. cecilia's quilt, 11. weekend work :)), 12. for a tree quilt
Mmm, I think I'm inspired to start a new winter quilting project with all this talk about quilts. Maybe a mini quilt is a more achievable goal for me. These days I do more talking about quilting than quilting. Perhaps a doll quilt for Adelaide? I'll be eagerly awaiting my copy of the book.
The images above are a collection from my flickr faves.
We have reluctantly returned from a glorious week with friends on Three Hummock Island.
The weather was mild and changeable. Some days the children were swimming and playing in the water, other days were occupied with fishing, abalone diving and seeking the elusive crayfish.
We were lucky on two counts - enjoying abalone entree with a few meals, and fish dinners. However, no crayfish this time.
Henri was happy, because the Easter bunny made his way across the wild sea to leave treats at his door. A successful holiday all round.