A Bit of Sewing

Well the excitment of the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup are over but the excitement of the Finals on Sunday are building.  The All Blacks are playing France which will be exciting.

Anyway at the start of last week I was frantically sewing as I had to drop of my entries for the Home Industries section at the local A&P show.  Didn't help that I was on night shift to so was not 100% in the right frame of mind, but I got there .... just.

I entered six items.  First up were some pickled onions and tomato relish which I got 3rd placings for and also when I took them into be entered Master 13 panicked as he thought that I was not getting them back.  Guess who really like eating them??

Also I entered a Premmie Baby Quilt which I got 2nd placed for

A table runner

A teatowel topper

and a Small Wall Hanging which I adapted from the first pattern in the Christmas Stitch-along. I got 3rd placing for this.

A very good weekend was had and a bit of sunburn to go with it.

Onto other things.

For the September Austalian Block Swap 2 I received this block from Sue V.

Then over at Our Craft Forum I was in a mini-swap for a mug rug and received this one from Samelia's Mum

and to her I sent this one



Also at The Craft Forum I have participated in a Down on The Farm Swap where we swapped something with the farming theme.

I received this from Mumof6

and sent her this along with a farm themed fat 1/4

I also have participated in the F-R-I-E-N-D-S swap and my partner was Tone all the way from Norway.  You can have a look at her blog here We had to send a gift starting with the letters from the word FRIEND

I was very lucky and received all these



 

and to Tone I sent these

Tone also collects thimbles and one of the items was this thimble

And finally for the 6 1/2" swap this month I received these blocks from Sharyn

and sent these to PennyB

The Excitement Is Building

Tomorrow night is the 2nd semi-final of the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Who is going to met France in the Final next week??

Kick-off is 9pm NZ time!!

Of course I want the All Blacks to win.

NRL Grand Final Tonight!!!!

GO NZ VODAFONE WARRIORS!!!

I AM SURE YOU WILL BEAT THE MANLY SEA EAGLES

SORRY MY AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS

Some sewing

Have been doing a little bit of sewing this month amongst working, but will have to step up the sewing in the next few weeks as need to do my projects for the Home Industires section at the local A&P Show on next month. I am doing a premmie baby quilt, small wall hanging, a patchwork item and a sewing project.  Have I started???...........no!! Though I have done the tomato relish and the pickled onions previously.

Anyhow here are some pictures of sewing sent and received in swaps.

Over at Our Craft Forum we had a Sewing Compendium swap and this is what I received from Nomes.  I was so lucky.

Then for the 6 1/2" swap I am also participating in I received these lovely blocks from PennyB

and sent these to Sharyn.  I hope she likes them.

Then over at the Australian Block Swap 2 I am in as well I received these two lovely blocks.  I have requested Civil War/Reproduction prints and the Pinwheel pattern

This one I received from Lynette for the August swap

and from Alex I received this block for the July swap.  Absolutely love them both.

I sent these two off.  This one was sent to Lynette for the August swap

And to Sue V for the September swap I sent this one

I have sent a couple more swaps over to Australia, but will post pictures when my partners have received them.

Now off the swaps, and onto a couple of sewing projects.

This months Mystery Charm Squares BOM was an easy one and I finished it within a couple of hours of the email being sent out.  Getting close to the finishing stages now.

Then Miss 15 decided she wants a bag made and has been pestering me to make one.  So from Pink Chalk Fabrics I bought the Mail Sack pattern to make. Then yesterday while waiting for her exams to finish I was looking at patterns at our local material shop and found another pattern which was half price and much easier and faster to make for her (she was driving me nuts) and made it up today.  I will leave the Mail Sack one for a rainy day now.

And finally tonight is a big night for the rugby. All Blacks v's France.  Go AB's, we all know you will win easily.



Bits and Pieces

So what have I been up to for the past month??...bits and pieces. Working, gardening, cursing my new oven cause it's to hot and a little wee bit of sewing.

Mainly things have been swap items.

  First up was my Xmas in July swap from Pauline for TOMG's Christmas In July Swap

I sent Pauline these for her gift



Then our for our Craft Forum 6 1/2" block swap I received these from Sharyn

and to Penny I sent these

Then to Alex over at the  Quilting Block Swap Australia 2 I sent this Baby Bunting block. 

And these are the last two blocks I have made for Our Craft Forums Mystery Charm Squares Block of the Month.

And finally can not forget Snowy.  He is a year old now.

Oh....one last thing.  We have the Namibian Rugby World Cup Team here in Gisborne training at the moment and yesterday had a session at the Trampoline Club for a couple of hours.  They are a fantastic team and there would have been no way the All Blacks would have been as much fun and friendly as these guys.

Xmas In July Mug Rug Sent

Thanks to Sue, I have a photo what I sent to her for the Christmas in July Mug Rug Swap for the Christmas Quilting Block Swaps Australia Blog

A New Zealand National Age Group Champion

What an exciting weekend Kristen has just had.  We were away up in Auckland for the 2011 Gymsport NZ National Championships which she competed Trampoline in for the Hawkes Bay/Poverty Bay region.  Going into them she was a strong contender for a placing, however there were some South Islander girls quite good as well, including one who has been competing in the International group this year.

First day Kristen had to compete both Double-mini Trampoline and Syncronised Trampoline so a long day.

First up was the 15-16yr Double-mini.  Kristen pulled of two great passes and managed to be going into finals 2nd placed.  Unfortunately in the finals some off the top girls crashed in their passes and couldn't catch up to the top girls and then the girl coming first also did not do her passes right, so even with Kristen landing in the yellow square (long explanation) and instantly losing 0.9 of her mark she still won confincingly.

So a happy girl.

1st Double-Mini Trampoline

Then onto 17yr+ Syncro Trampolining that evening.  Even though the girls had been there all day waiting for this they done well.  Only 2 pairs were competing so a medal definately, but which one?  Kristen was freaking out as the other pair were doing such higher skills than her and her partner and was settling for 2nd place.  But when they competed you could definately see who was the better...big skills or not.  Again another title won easily and way ahead of the other girls.  So again a happy girl with two NZ titles to her name.

1st Syncronised Trampoline

Then roll on Sunday and 15-16yr Individual Tramp.  Kristen knew it was going to be sheer luck getting a medal in this one, though she was aiming for one.  Other years she hadn't even made the finals, but we knew this year she would.  After her set routine, she was coming 7th so knew she would have to do a good voluntary rountine to even get into the top 3.  Well she done it and was coming 3rd going into finals.  A very excited girl she was.  Her Vol routine was not as good in finals, but as the top 3 girls were miles ahead of the rest she was a definate medal prospect, but again which one?  The girl coming 2nd (who competed in the international group all year) pulled off a fantastic routine and though Kirsten was 0.1 behind her going into finals there was no way she was going to beat her, so we were settling on 3rd when the girl coming 1st hit the end of the mat.  2nd place was Kristen's and the girl who hit the end still managed to come third, as  previously said the girls were a long way ahead of the rest.

So yet again another happy girl.



2nd Individual Trampoline



So in the end Kristen came home with two NZ titles and a second place.

1st Double-Mini Trampoline

So Much Excitement.....

Just back last night from an exciting weekend, which I will post about later on when photo's are off my camera.  But on the way home waiting at the airport to come back to Gisborne, the All Blacks arrived.  When we were told, my friend and I took off and I got my taken with Sonny Bill Williams...he is so better looking in real life.  And me so hot and flustered and a bit ragged after a long day....