Sydney the Platypus Tutorial

 

Japanese Cameo Blue

This is a new colourway for the Japanese Cameo collection. I was really happy with how the swatches printed and looking forward to ordering some fabric to make a few bags and maybe a quilt.

The mini chevrons from the Egyptian Puzzle collection will be for sale soon.

Some of the other swatches turned out well like this Snakes and Lanterns design. I really want to work on some coordinating designs for this one and for the Flight of the Honey Bee design below.

The small Hakea designs that coordinate with the Wildflower collection as well as the Christmas Bird Napkin design will be available for sale in my Spoonflower shop as well.

Fabulous Finds

Mum actually found these for me on the weekend at a garage sale. The basket is just like my Grandma would have made in the CWA (Country Women's Association) and looks very 1950's.

She also picked up this Knitting Daisy Wheel and Knitting Nancy in the original German packaging which look like they are from the 1980's.

Thanks Mum!

Australia Day & Eucalyptus flowers

We had a quiet Australia day on the 26th but celebrated on the public holiday Monday as my brother was visiting from Sydney. After lunch the kids enjoyed these cup cakes with Australian flags and I made some coffee kisses just like Grandma used to make. They are one of my brother's favourite home made sweets.

Many of the Eucalyptus trees are flowering at the moment. Here is a selection of blossoms from a few in our area. The colours also range from range from vivid yellows to deep reds.

Making progress on the Aussie animals table runner. I was hoping to finish before Australia day but maybe in another week or two. The hexagons have been joined into three long rows and have been tacked onto the background fabric. I really enjoy sewing the hexagons together but the final sewing is not quite so easy.

From the Garden

The weather is much cooler at the moment which is wonderful, however no rain. Time to go out and water the garden.

The Canna lilies have started flowering.

Honey-eaters enjoying the Agapanthus.

The Pyramid tree has almost finished flowering.

We have had a family of sparrows nesting in the wall of our house. When the chicks leave the nest we will have to block up the gap however I have really enjoyed watching the parent birds feeding the little chicks. They are so funny looking with such big beaks.

Australian Animal Cut and Sew Patterns

Just finished sewing up these Australian animals from some cut and sew patterns that are available in my Spoonflower shop. The Echidna and Platypus were very easy to make, the Kangaroo was a little more difficult due to the head gussets. Hopefully I will finish the tutorials to post soon and then I would love to work on a Koala and Emu.

Banjo the Echidna

Sydney the Platypus

Wattle the Kangaroo

Tour Down Under

This week the Tour Down Under winds its way through the Adelaide Hills. We always try to see a section of at least one stage. Most years it runs through our town and this year the local community group put on an event with penny farthing bicycle display, entertainment for the kids and free balloons and sausage sizzle amongst other things.

Most children are quite excited by all the police motor cycles and helicopters. First come the support vehicles followed closely by the bikes and before you know it they are gone. 

Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens

Today we visited the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens. The best time to visit is usually Autumn however it was still very pleasant now in the middle of Summer. There are many little gullies with winding mossy paths filled with tree ferns and plants from different areas around the world. At the moment there are not so many plants flowering but it is magnificent when the magnolias, azaleas and rhododendrons are in bloom. The boys had a great time exploring.

From the Garden

The Black Cockatoo family have been visiting the garden again. I heard a strange popping and cracking noise coming from the trees in the front yard, they were having a lovely time feasting on some seed pods in the native trees. They appear to chew of a branch and then hold it in their claw and chew on the seed pods to get to the seeds inside. There are many small branches under the trees where they have dropped to the ground.