Fun in the Apple Isle!

Headed off bright and early to Tasmania....we have never been here before and were really excited about our visit. A short flight from Sydney and there we were....no jet lag, not enough time to get wriggly in our seats, but enough time for me to read a small book ( I am a fast reader at the best of times!). Picked up the hire car and made it straight to our hotel...more out of good luck than clever navigating!


Lunch at Salamanca Place, then an afternoon wandering around the city and docks area...such a pretty city! Dinner at The Drunken Admiral and then another wander around the docks. SB thought I could sit in the cauldron ( a fitting place for me???), but I declined! All that fresh air....might have an early night I think!


Looking forward to exploring tomorrow,


Cardygirl xx
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Leaving the heat....

It remains hot and horrible here, so many are affected by fires.

The beautiful Blue Mountains are ablaze, hopefully there will be respite soon.

Not a lot of sewing here as we prepare to head off on a little trip.

A towel for a sweet baby girl called Ivy.

Here I am, packing the essentials of any trip away from home.

Where am I going?

There were terrible fires there last summer, but now it is cool and quite wet even though the flight is only a couple of hours...had to pack my warm clothes on this very hot day! 

Where could it be?

 A quilt made by a friend...isn't it great...clever Cathy!

Here was where we stitched last weekend..Two Rivers Vineyard...

 with some of the girls I miss stitching with...they are the best!

Cardygirl xx

Fires..

Hot, windy weather...and fire is the result.

Today I was supposed to be on the road with work, heading straight into an area where there were fires over the past few days. With the weather forecast I decided my trip was non-essential, so did the planned reviews by phone instead. A good choice as the area has been badly affected and emergency services didn't need me tootling around in their way! Work colleagues had to leave to collect much loved pets and move them to safety.

Hopefully a forecast change may help.

Here is my lunchtime view.

Cardygirl xx

Away with dear sewing friends, at a cottage in a vineyard!
Some fruit in its many incarnations to nourish and relax one of our crew so she can free motion appliqué...and she is doing well.

Me, I have been cutting pieces for my DWR....lots of chatter with much missed friends!

Cardygirl xx
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Location:In a location far far away....

Hmmm?

One of those days.

Heading off to do some work education...can't find the work car...windscreen wipers need refilling...finally on my way...where to park...that far away? 

Education session over...the most amazing thunderstorm...naturally no umbrella...

 looked like a drowned rat (most unattractive!)...finally back to the car to find another car parked ON my front bumper! Huh? No damage, but when is that sort of parking EVER  right?

SO...

after work I headed home...so cold...talked to the animals and then had a hot shower...PJ time!

Time for this...

and my second hmmm moment for the day!

Just had to smile!

Cardygirl XX

What's cooking?

Slow but steady progress is happening with my DWR top.

Spare moments are spent playing with my pieces, assembling arcs until I have time to stitch them together. 

There is no rush, just enjoying the journey with these pretty fabrics!

Yesterday was spent with dear friends at a Mexican Cooking Class...the aprons say it all!

I seemed to be on play-doh duty...I am quite good at making tortillas now...some were quite optimistically called "rustic", but I was getting pretty good at it in the end. Then I was beer-battering fish for fish tacos...more yum! A bit of background now....in Australia tacos seem to be those mince and lettuce numbers inspired by the contents of a yellow box...not very tasty...I have never been much of a fan! When I was in Houston last year we went to the most amazing Mexican restaurant recommended by some local ladies Loz and I met at the Quilt Show. I then tried fish tacos...so delicious, I am definitely a fan! Now I can cook my own!

We then had chocolate Mexican icecream (flavoured with cinnamon...mmmm) topped with spun sugar...it was a fabulous class because then we ate it all! Needless to say we were very full! Salad for dinner.

It really was a fun thing to do with friends.

And lastly, something to make you smile...

On Friday night I was sewing with friends. Cristie pulled out this pretty finished hexie and linen beauty...we laughed at the contrast in the two projects. And to think mine is an attempt at "pretty"!

Cardygirl xx

Looking forward to....

 I am counting the sleeps at present because this weekend I am doing a Mexican cooking class with two very special friends.  Ole!
Recently I had a super fun day with two of my favourite people...

with DD and my very dear friend, we attended a class, " A Passion for Pastry"...

the apron says it all!

We made profiteroles with vanilla bean patisserie...super yum!

We had a choice of sweet or savoury shortcrust pastry. The others made super delish quiches while I made a Poached Pear and Frangipane tart...divine!!!

It was so much fun and Jace, our teacher was fabulous and very patient.

It was so much fun that we booked in for the Mexican class!
Sadly DD isn't coming this time, but her stand in will be lots of fun!

So, what did I do with that container full of profiteroles? 

Fed the neighbours! Hopefully I haven't raised their expectations of the new neighbour!
Not sure if I will be cooking Mexican for them?

Cardygirl xx

What a difference a year makes!

Or, the year that made my hair go grey!

This year marks the one year anniversary of our move to the Big Smoke.

It has been a challenging period of our lives...both rewarding and exhausting, but life is settling and, although I miss my friends I am glad we have relocated. 

Put simply, I like it here.

There is still some work needing to be done outside, but it will happen, no rush.

Looking clinically at the last eighteen months, we have sold our home, relocated, renovated another, been homeless, found new jobs, finished a university degree...major stress life events...all on top of each other. And that doesn't include the myriad of family things that have happened. 

Aaaah...don't you just love a challenge!

So from here on in, Cardygirl returns to being a sewing blog with a pinch of family and a dash of house stuff.

Thank you for your patience in sharing our journey.

Now, here we go!

Last night I began this Blackbird Designs cross stitch...Midnight Ride.

It is just the right time to do a spooky cross stitch as the bats and possums are making so much noise in the trees behind our house. I went outside spotlighting and saw the brushy tailed possums sitting on the branches, then the bats started flying around....creepy! I came inside!

I have always been intrigued by Halloween and loved being in the US for it last year.

Here are some little trinkets I purchased there, I am looking forward to making a little display as I believe that some children Trick or Treat around here...fun! Might look for some pumpkins and encourage the spiders!

Here is the obligatory cat photo...why oh why in a whole house is this the best place to sit?

Work this morning, then mowing ( I am obsessed by a neat lawn) and walking the dog this afternoon...so I think tomorrow might have to have some sewing time...good idea?

Cardygirl xx

Now, back to the sewing room...

Determination...that was the theme of this weekend.

With visitors gone, a hush has fallen over Chez Cardy. Some extra week and a difficult client week has left me a little flat. So to fix that, I made a list, and have been checking things off it.

The garden (or the dirt aspiring to one day become a garden) has seen the addition of a pear tree on the footpath, with some flowers at its base...the sweet little girl next door loves it! I have also recently planted a weeping cherry in my front yard and a crabapple out the back. Give them a couple of years and they will be lovely. No photos as small sticks aren't overly interesting!

Sorry to be boring, but here is a tidy room...

with a new fabric covered notice board and a mini quilt from a friend...

and another mini quilt from Lancaster, Pennsylvania (and a spot for my sewing buddy).

But the sewing room has been a hive of activity...sorting, storing, labelling...and the odd gasp when I find something long forgotten! Funny, it is a year this week since we left our old home and many of our belongings have spent most of this time in storage whilst renovations were finished. Each box unpacked has been like seeing old friends again!

I even tidied next to my sewing chair!

The positive to all this sorting has been a desire to really get in there and do some serious stitching.

After an arduous eighteen months, it is nice to feel my stitchy spark coming back!

 Cardygirl xx

September, sewing and blooms...

September is here, when did that sneak up on me?

I see that people are posting about sewing for Christmas and I smile knowing that I will admire their work but that is all I will be doing. That's okay, as other things are happening here.

SB has had a couple of weeks at home, so I am caught up with spending time with him and doing jobs around the house, all mixed in with my work. Fun!

There has been a little bit of progress on this...

some organisation for my sewing room (at last!!!!)...

a quilt finally hung...

lunch with a view...

and some gorgeous blooms.

I am loving the beautiful spring weather.

Wearing my new scarf.

Hoping that wherever you are, there is some loveliness in your day.

 Cardygirl xx