Iowa Family

I've blogged considerably about my family in Oz, but haven't said much about my Iowa family.

This is six year-old Hogan. He technically belongs to our daughter, Jill, but for reasons you might guess, when she moved to Australia more than two years ago, we inherited him. Jill rescued Hogan from a shelter in Kansas City. He's a beagle/chow mix, and is blind in his left eye (right, as you look at him). He's very cuddly, and also fairly well-mannered. He doesn't jump on people, doesn't get on furniture or beds, and doesn't have accidents.

Here's my other guy, Dan. While I was in Oz for five weeks he worked, and took care of Hogan pretty much just like this.

Starting Quilt Along

Don't you know how it goes? You see something new, get excited about it, and then feel like you have to jump into the foray and make it too? Well that's what happened when I saw Kellie Wulfsohn's latest project, a Quilt Along. It's a portable, hand-applique project to make Joseph's Coat blocks.

Though many quilters have already begun, since I've been home from Oz (Australia) for only a week, I'm just getting started. And luckily, it hasn't been too difficult to convince a few friends to Quilt Along with me. Doris, a blogger here in Des Moines who I first "met" through her blog, plans to make the Joseph's Coat quilt too!

So off we went, Kim, Michelle and me, to Quilter's Cupboard. It happens to be where Doris works, so it was quite marvelous to see Doris and rush over for hugs, just like we are old friends! She's a dear, and patiently spent nearly two hours helping each of us make our Joseph's Coat fabric selections.

Here we are (L-R): Kim, Michelle, me, and Doris. Doris is holding the Floriani "Stitch 'n Wash" we'll need to make our blocks. We're itching to get started, but the best part - by far and away - will be sharing this with friends. We hope to get-together soon.
Thanks, Kellie, for the inspiration!

Friday Flaunt - Boy Toys and Coloring

Since returning home last Friday evening, unpacking, meeting with friends, reading mail, making phone calls, sending packages, keeping appointments, and keeping up with day-to-day activities, I finally made it to my sewing machine by Wednesday. Whew!

Boy Toys

Once there, it didn't take long to make these "Take-Me-Along Tabbies." I found the tutorial on Lettie's blog, Polka Dot Pineapple. Thank you, Lettie!

I made these Tabbies smaller than Lettie suggests, finishing mine to 10" X 10". But they'll suit the purpose, and that's as a touch-y carry-around that keeps a baby's attention with its bright colors and textures. Both of these Tabbies are for boys.

The top one is made with a sport cotton print and backed with Minkee.

The bottom Tabbie is a monster print cotton fabric backed with blue flannel.

Both of them have colorful fabric tabs, a satin ribbon tab, and one that's chunky rick-rack. I would have added more variety in the way of ribbons and rick-rack, but that's all I had in my stash.

Coloring Stitchery

In addition to making Tabbies, I've had great play time with stitcheries. I began by watching Helen Stubbings' DVD included with the current issue of Australian Quilters Companion magazine. The 45 minute DVD clearly explains the process for coloring stitchery designs - a faux-applique technique. Helen covers everything from transferring the design, pencil-coloring, setting with textile medium, and backstitching. Helen has dubbed the technique Colourque(R) - pronounced Color-kay.

The only question Helen didn't answer in the DVD was, "Is it okay to color a piece after having already completed the stitchery?" If you've been following my blog, you know I've been embroidering Noah's Arks blocks. Thus far I've stitched ten small pairs of animals,

and recently began to stitch the larger ark design.

You can imagine I was extremely pleased when Helen took the time to answer my question via email. She said:

Yes you can still colour. Depending on what you have used behind your stitcheries you may get a texture to your colouring. For example if you used iron on pellon with the little glue dots on the back you will get dots on your colouring but it will still work. Sometimes it is actually easier to seal after stitching as you have an outline to put the sealer in between.

So with Helen's blessing, and a new 24-color set of Derwent Coloursoft Pencils, I began coloring. Boy did I have fun! I love coloring and shading, just like when I was in school. I have finished all ten of the small embroideries, including sealing them with Folk Art textile medium. I'm so please with how they're looking now, compared to the plain stitchery outlines before.

Now I'm on the right track! Since I haven't completed stitching the large, ark design, I will stop where I am and color! When the coloring is finished and set with textile medium, I'll complete the stitchery. Then I'll have tried Colourque both ways and can decide for myself which works best. In any case, I'm tickled with the vastly improved appearance of the critters. I expect I'll be Colourque-ing other stitchery designs too. I hope you'll give it a go. It's quite fun!

Each Friday, bloggers who belong to Quilting Down Under chat group post a flaunt of their productivity. Visit Cinzia's blog to find links to all 19 Friday Flaunt-ers.

Aussie Signage

This is a real sign found on Lyons Road in Concord (Sydney), Australia. "Reduce speed" is commonplace. But "deformed road"?

Deformed means:

• malformed
• contorted
• gnarled
• warped
• buckled
• mutilated

Gosh, if it's that bad, fix it!

I hope you chuckled over this one as much as I did.

Home Again

After 26-1/2 hours of travel, I am safely home in Iowa again. I left Sydney at 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday, November 27. I arrived at home in Des Moines, Iowa at 6:05 p.m. the same day. I know it's all about the international date line and 16 hours time difference, but it's still tough to get one's mind around it.

This is my last photo of Sydney, taken at the airport.

I desperately miss Sydney, my family (Jill, Maher, Celina, and baby Tay), my friends (Di and Di, in particular), and the climate!

When I arrived at the Des Moines International Airport, I was met by these...

...being offered to me by my handsome husband. He'd dressed up and had a big smile on his face. How much warmer of a welcome can a wife of 37 years expect than that!? He was looking very fine and trim, having lost 12 pounds (5.5 kg) while I was away. I too lost 5 pounds (nearly 3 kg). It seems we were pining away for one another!

Since returning to Iowa, I've made these observations:

1. A person can cry off and on for 26-1/2 hours.
2. I prefer Sydney's 85 degrees (29C) to Des Moines' 45 degrees (7C)
3. It's dark in Des Moines at 6:00 p.m!
4. Sydney has lush greenery and palm trees; Des Moines' trees are bare.
5. Americans are really into glitz when it comes to decorating for Christmas. From the air, Des Moines fairly glows with holiday lights.
6. Washing and drying a load of laundry in Des Moines takes half the time it did in Sydney.
7. I miss my Sydney family. I miss my Sydney friends.
8. I'm glad to be back in Des Moines with husband Dan, and dog Hogan. I'm looking forward to seeing my Des Moines friends.

I thank God for the blessing of getting to visit Australia once again, and for a safe journey back home. God is so good! Praise Him!

Friday Flaunt - Tay's Bambino

A couple months ago I made something similar to a "Bambino" for Tay. It has a koala head and arms, and a Minkee body. Here's three-week old Tay with it, when I first arrived in Australia.Tay's mum purchased a "Bambino" kit and asked me to make it. I did so this week. Bambino has been named "Blue."Eight week old Tay had a chance to play with Blue. He said, "Thank you, Nana! I like it!"

Each Friday, bloggers who belong to Quilting Down Under chat group post a flaunt of their productivity. Visit Cinzia's blog to find links to all 19 Friday Flaunt-ers.