Sunday night plans.

It is Sunday here at Poppleton Place and we are taking it EASY. Like hang around and watch Disney movies easy. Homemade pizza and icecream with butterscotch easy. Let the baby play with the CDs she knows she's not supposed to play with easy. Because we are beat. Gah!

I finished two quilt tops this week and I should get on to dedicatedly sewing the Os so I can get that one underway, but I have been so busy writing that I want to take a break from sewing. Or maybe I don't: I pulled out several solids and my Kona Color Card and pulled together a loose plan for the half-yard bundle of Across the Pond I bought, like, a year ago. Since that was the first bundle I ever bought, it is super precious and I feel ultra guilty for not cutting into it yet. (What is wrong with me. UGH.)

Anyway, an idea...

I also have to show off my borders for my Mendocino quilt. In truth, it should have just been a solids quilt - the solids themselves really shine and the Mendocino fabric, while amazing, is quite minimal. It's a bit like a treasure hunt! I loved making this stripey inner border and the charcoal really ties it together.

I can't wait to get this one quilted! I've been stalking Quilting is my Therapy and daydreaming about her methods...the problem is, stippling is so quick and I'm pretty good at it, so I am loathe to change to another method, especially one that requires practice. Haha. I'm so lazy!

I also finished my Garden Fence quilt by adding all the sashing and white borders, and you guys, it is WAY off. I squared the blocks faithfully, I tried to center them, I even took extra care with my sashing seams...and it is so off. It's a gift, but I feel kind of "meh" about it, so I really hope the recipients don't notice my really wonky seamwork. I feel devastated by how off it is and I am now really reluctant to incorporate sashing into future quilt tops. :(

This week is going to be busy! Not only is it Spiders' Group (yay) but it's the annual Craft and Quilt Fair! Nanna is coming early to play with Piper so I can sneak off for a few hours of gazing cow-eyed at all the beautiful booths. I'm planning on going on Wednesday and possibly Saturday, too, if I don't think I've seen enough and I feel like braving the crowds! I'm really looking forward to eyeballing some straight-stitch machines, talking to a few longarm quilters, browsing a few key booths (please see Amy from Badskirt's excellent breakdown of booths) and getting to talk to like minded quilters. I'm really looking forward to just spending time by myself, too.

Speaking of time to myself...or ourselves...tomorrow is the Queen's birthday which means it's a public holiday here in Australia, so Mr Poppleton and I are sneaking off to see the Avengers! I'm really excited - it'll be the first date we've had since Piper was born (over 10 months)! We had had sneaky dinners but they are always guilty and hurried and fervent, nothing like a real date! We are even going to walk to the movies and get a coffee beforehand. I am such a happy mama but I'm looking forward to being just a wife again for a few hours! Best.

Busy continued: I have to get the car booked in for a service, get quotes for the gutters to be repaired, the fences to be repaired, and I have to go investigate some shelving options for the sewing room. I mean, "the study." (Teehee!) I also have to measure the gaps under the house to get our lattice sorted out, and make a decision about the railing along the laundry porch, and install the hooks, and repair the flyscreens, and wash the windows, and take out about six ugly bushes in the back garden, and build raised beds, and start composting, and order seeds for spring...I am exhausted just thinking about it all! Though I am happy to be busy! :)

Busy or not, though, I am really looking forward to tomorrow!

Time for that pizza, and then some writing!

Cheers,
Penny xx