Update 101 Things in 1001 Days

19.Changed to : take part in sports competition. DONE!
Yesterday 2 friends and I took part in a mini triathlon relay for the first time. I swam 500 meters, Astrid cycled 32km and Ali ran 7km. Over 500 athletes took part - it was a day full of challenges and new experiences and as you can see, we finished smiling.

IT`S FINISHED!

I have really enjoyed making this quilt...I had it spread out over my coffee table and every time I sat down to watch TV or had a few moments to myself, I stitched away. It was very meditative work and it´s a joy to look at. Look back here and here to see my progress along the way.

MARVELOUS MEME

I saw this great meme over at Jamie´s blog and couldn´t wait to try it...
(Click here to see who all the wonderful photos are from.)

Here´s how you do it...
type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr search, using only the first page, choose an image, copy and paste each of the URL’s into the mosaic maker (3 columns, 4 rows).The questions:
1.What is your first name?
2.What is your favorite food?
3.What high school did you attend?
4.What is your favorite color?
5.Who is your celebrity crush?
6.Favorite drink?
7.Dream vacation?
8.Favorite dessert?
9.What do you want to be when you grow up?
10.What do you love most in life?
11.One word to describe you.
12.Your Flickr name.

HAVE FUN! And please leave me a link in the comments so I can see yours too!

It´s about time...

...to make some real career changes. I have resigned my teaching job and will be finishing up at the end of the month. I am giving myself the summer to design a concept and the autumn for education to improve my skills and then start fresh in the new year.
Stay tuned for collages, visual journaling and inspirational articles helping me on my way. Read this, it will get you moving too.

My first tutorial!

A quilted washing machine cover...

This was my washing machine before – boring and white. Here´s a tutorial for a quilted cover to brighten up your wash days. First choose fabrics that
look good together, florals, stripes, plains, whatever you like. Choose also a piece for the backing and cut it to fit the top of your machine, with about 2cm (3/4inch) seam
allowance on all sides. Take a strip of one of your plain fabrics and cut out some small pieces of clothing with a small pair of scissors (they don´t have to be perfect – I cut out half a piece, then fold over and cut the other half along the same lines). Pin the clothing pieces to your plain fabric.


Lay out a mix and match of fabrics to your liking, overlapping the pieces a little (seam allowance). When your happy with the look of your quilt you can start sewing. Sew the little clothing pieces to the plain fabric using the smallest zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine and the same colour thread as the background fabric. Then sew a washing line connecting the pieces along the top and some little pegs in a contrasting colour. Take your fabric pieces and start pinning and sewing together same length seams, (ironing the seams to one side on the back as you go). This gives you swatches with same length seams which you then sew together until you have one big piece. (You may have to sew extra pieces of fabric to some swatches to get the right size). Take the finished front side and turn it face down onto the right side of your backing fabric making sure the outer sides correspond. Start pinning from the middle outwards and when everything is nice and flat, sew a 2cm (3/4inch) around the outside (sewing forwards and backwards a few times at each end) leaving a gap of 10 cm on one side for turning. Cut straight across each corner for a nice finish and then carefully turn your fabric the right way out, iron the seam allowance at the opening inwards and secure with pins. Pin the top and backing fabrics together from the middle outwards until everything is nice and flat. Using a large zig-zag stitch and a contrasting

thread, sew over the seams and then zig-zag around the outside including the opening. Give your little cover a quick iron and let it brighten up your bathroom, laundry or wash room!

I could do anything.....

...if I only knew what it was. (the german version is pictured on the left, above the tulips from a friend´s garden- here´s the english version) That´s the book I reached for after I read Jamie´s tarot reading. I have had issues with my job/carrier choice in the past but recently there´s been so much going on in other areas of my life and I have pushed those issues aside and gone with the flow. Let´s just say that Jamie´s reading woke me from hibernation and I immediately knew something had to be done. I can recommend Barbara Sher´s books if you feel unsatisfied or need help finding a direction.
I had a lot of issues that I was unsatisfied with when I started this blog back in December 2005- family life, organisation, household, body issues, love-life, job. I have worked on these areas one by one and I feel like I´ve come such a long way towards living the life I really want. My children are happy, healthy, growing and learning, I recently married a wonderful man, I have managed to reduce our possesions and time thieves, I take care of my body and feel good in my skin.
I have a job teaching business english and although it´s rewarding to see people learning and the job is quite flexible and well paid - it doesn´t satisfy me. I need to make things and be admired for it. That is satisfying for me...not just to teach but also to awaken a positive feeling in others that wasn´t there before. I have worked with the above book for a week now and I know a lot more than before. And last Friday(hey presto!) the owner of my favourite book store asked me to make some book bags for her shop. I feel like I´m on my way!!!

Dreamboard

I am well on my way, but not quite there yet, so this is my dreamboard.
More dreamboards here.

Love...

...is a wonderful thing!

Getting ready...

1. Our wedding invitation. 2.Little treat baskets. 3. Love heart name cards.

SWAP!

Amazing but true, I have recieved 2 copies of this lovely spring edition of Marie Claire Idées. I´d love to swap one for an art/craft or home decorating magazine from a different country...anyone interested?

A Wedding!

Friends and family have been told and invitations sent so it´s time to fill you all in. Erich and I are getting married on the 5th of April here in a simple evening ceremony followed by dinner and dancing. I´ll be decorating the entrance, courtyard and dining room at the castle myself with lots of flowers, candles, fabric hearts and my glass bottle collection- all pictured above. I have also made a lot of these paper balls to hang from lights and ceilings and I´ll be making signs similar to these and these little paper baskets filled with chocolates with name tags attatched for the 20 guests. I´ll be wearing a green crushed silk skirt and jacket with a fine knit vintage top underneath (in the middle above). I can´t wait!!!

It´s Here!

In my mail box this week...the wonderful book Vintage Crochet. I bought this book mainly for the Chevron Blanket pattern ( better known as ripple afghan) but after looking through the book I see so many things that I´d like to make. I´m so grateful that I learned to crochet from my mother and in home economics at school. Although I lost touch with this hobby for many years because it seemed too fancy and frilly, I´ve come to love it again and I can´t wait to get started on the projects in the book. A while ago I made a small rug with all my left-over wools and garns and I look forward to buying some new cotton yarns in interesting colours. What will I make first...maybe the "Ava Wrap, or the "Joni Flower Tunic", or the "Picot Star Tablecloth"???...well, I still have some time to think about it while I finish hand stitching my quilt.

Quilting...

I really want to crochet a ripple afghan like this one BUT I have promised myself to finish the patchwork quilt I started sometime in 2007 first. So I took the quilt top out from it´s hiding place, pieced together some batting (wool fleece I had in my fabric cupboard) and cut up some old bed-linen to use as backing. I read Amy Karol´s instructions again from the book The Crafter´s Companion , which is still one of my all time favourite books. I sandwiched together the finished top, batting and back, pinned it all together starting from the center - this took ages as the quilt is 150cm x 210cm (that´s 60inches x 85inches). There is no way I could get all this fabric under my sewing machine so I am hand quilting it. This article Amanda linked to came at just the right time - hand sewing makes you slow down and take time to think while stitching. I am sure that slowing down is essential when trying to live by my motto for 2008.

Giveaway!

One World, One Heart is a blog-wide giveaway event. The original idea behind this was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way. You can find more information here plus a list of giveaway participants. To be in the draw to win the above book tote, money purse or mini-quilt just leave a comment on this post between now and the 14th of Feb. GOOD LUCK!!!

It´s the 14th of Febuary...Happy Valentines Day!!! Comments are closed on this post now and I´m off to draw the winners so check back later today.

I used the random number generator to choose the winners and

here they are..... book tote : Diana from Adventuring Through Life

mini quilt : Ninnie from Ninnie´s Place

money purse : Farm Chick from Fresh From The Farm

Congratulations to all three! I´ll be in touch tommorrow for your postal details.

Day 7: Saturday

Horse radish spread, ham and capsicum on toasted white bread, lárge latté.
8.30am.
Thanks for sharing my breakfasts, it´s been fun.

Day 6: Friday

Gorgonzola cheese and butter on wholewheat bread-roll, large coffee with milk and honey.
8.30am.

Day 5: Thursday

Salami, cheese and red capsicum on white bread, latté.
6.30am.

Day 4: Wednesday

Salami and gouda on home made white bread, latté.
5.30am.

Day 3: Tuesday

Poppy seed strudel from our local bakery, with butter and honey and a double latté.
6.15am.

Day 2: Monday

Porridge (oatmeal) with sultanas and honey, fresh orange and carrot juice, latté.
6am.