The Simple Woman's Day Book (6)

Outside My Window...
A dark autumn evening, cool but not too cold

I am thinking...
I'm pretty happy with what I managed to achieve in the garden today

I am thankful for...
My Mum and Dad, I am really lucky to have them and I count my blessings daily

From the kitchen...
Toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwich, mmmm the perfect meal to end today!

I am wearing...
My nighty

I am creating...
A memory quilt for my friend (I will get it finished one of these days lol)

I am going...
To enjoy the evening - surfing the web, watching a bit of tv and maybe do a little quilting

I am reading...
"White witch, black curse" by Kim Harrison

I am hoping...
To finish quilting a quilt this weekend

I am hearing...
Some annoying ad on tv and the central heating humming away

Around the house...
Things are quiet, the lights are dimmed and I am enjoying a restful evening in my craft room

One of my favorite things...
Putting the final stitches in the binding on a quilt (by machine of course!)

I remember...
playing bobs-and-statues with a close friend of mine when we were children, this memory popped recently up as I watched her oldest child play the bobs-and-statues at a recent birthday party

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
finish quilting a quilt

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...
Last gasp of autumn from one of my favorite roses

The Simple Woman's Day Book (5)

Outside My Window...
It is a pleasant Autumn evening. Dusk has settled in and it will soon be night.

I am thinking...
Where does time go? It's such a strange thing - here one minute, gone the next and never to return

I am thankful for...
The wonderful weather we have had this Easter weekend.

From the kitchen...
Leftover sweet and sour chicken with rice.

I am wearing...
Grey skirt and a black/white checked t-shirt

I am creating...
A new quilt. A bit of an experiment "convergence quilting"

I am going...
Back to work tomorrow, another weekend is almost over

I am reading...
"High Noon" by Nora Roberts (and it's a pretty good book so far)

I am hoping...
To get to bed early tonight, I have had a lot of late nights recently and I need to reset my body clock, especially with the end of daylight savings this weekend

I am hearing...
The sounds of "Grey's Anatomy" on TV, and the crickets have started their evening chorus

Around the house...
the windows are open and I am enjoying the cool autumn evening (AGAIN!)

One of my favorite things...
Relaxing and chatting with my parents while sipping a cuppa

I remember...
the friends I have made over the years and how happy I am that most of them are still in my life

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
A sleep-in tomorrow morning (maybe) and finish the quilt top that I started today

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

The Simple Woman's Day Book (4)

Ok, so I missed a couple of weeks... but I am trying to get back on track!


Outside My Window...
a dark, still night with a soft breeze blowing. Not cold (18degC at 11pm) . I can hear the neighborhood possum scampering on the fence

I am thinking...
how long is is going to be before the dog hears the possum and insists on going to explore?

I am thankful for...
being here, healthy and whole

From the kitchen...
sorry, no cooking tonight! It's my birthday so I got take-away noodles/veggies/beef and a slice of banana cake

I am wearing...
brown t-shirt and a green/brown patterned skirt

I am creating...
a gift from an "ugly" fat quarter that I was sent. And a couple of postcards for a swap

I am going...
to bed as soon as I post this!

I am reading...
"Living with the Dead" by Kelley Armstrong

I am hoping...
to get some creating done this weekend, I have several commitments at need to be sent in the next couple of weeks

I am hearing...
crickets outside my window, the possum and my dog snooring

Around the house...
the windows are open and I am enjoying the cool autumn evening

One of my favorite things...
cool evenings, (just like this one) the heat of summer is almost over and the chill of winter hasn't arrived

I remember...
the friends I have made over the years and how happy I am that most of them are still in my life

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
sew and create (no painting this week!!)

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

The Simple Woman's Day Book (3)

Outside My Window...
A dark, cold, windy night

I am thinking...
About what I need to get done at work this week and how I really want to do some stitching this week (oh, and maybe finish the book I am STILL reading!)

I am thankful for...
A warm, dry house

From the kitchen...
Some yummy chocolate cupcakes and a roast lunch

I am wearing...
Grey skirt, pink t-shirt, slippers and a cozy warm shawl

I am creating...
A memory quilt for my friend (at the stitchery stage - this could take me a while!)

I am going...
To sit into the lounge room and do some hand stitching on my current project (see above)

I am reading...
"Queen of Swords" by Sara Donati - still! I am nearing the end and I cant decide if I am excited or sad that I will be finished reading it soon

I am hoping...
To spend more time "living in the moment" this week, to take some deep breaths and be fully present where I am this week

I am hearing...
A silly infomercial on TV while I wait for "The Good Wife" to come back on and my dog snoring softly

Around the house...
The lights are dimmed and my new curtains are closed to keep the cold night out

One of my favorite things...
Yellow roses that smell like Summer

I remember...
Listening to my Dad tell the story of how his mother painted the inside of their house with a paintbrush (OMG - I am thoroughly impressed!), while her kids watched on. How she worked as an assistant manager at a retail store because she was bored with only being at home. How she saved for months so that she could buy some venetian blinds for their home. How independent she was after her husband passed. I come from a family of strong women

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
Sew, read and relax a bit before next weekend

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Someone forgot to tell my cat that this bed was made for dolls not for him! lol

The Simple Woman's Day Book (2)

Outside My Window...
A dark night sky - with not a star in sight

I am thinking...
About my list of things to get done before we can finish painting the outside of my house - STILL!!

I am thankful for...
Where I am in my life at this point, my life isn't perfect but it is pretty darn good!

From the kitchen...
A plate of biscuits, cheese and dried fruit for dinner with a hot chocolate for supper

I am wearing...
Blue t-shirt/nighty

I am creating...
Quilt blocks for 2 very generous quilters who inspire me

I am going...
To bed VERY soon, my eyes are drooping as I write this BUT I really need to see the end of "House"

I am reading...
"Queen of Swords" by Sara Donati - still! I only read one or 2 chapters at night so it may take me a while to finish this book lol

I am hoping...
To get more sleep this week than I did last week

I am hearing...
"House" on TV

Around the house...
All is quiet (again) the dogs are sleeping, my bedside light is on and my bed is waiting for me

One of my favorite things...
The smell of rain on hot ground

I remember...
Helping my Grandmother to get hexagons ready to be sewn together. I would trim the fabric that Grandma chose and tack it to the cardboard hexagons, while she sewed them together. I still have the quilt that I helped her to make

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
Paint, sew, SLEEP

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

The Simple Woman's Day Book (1)

I read about this idea at CinderberryStitches, but the original idea is from TheSimpleWoman. It is a simple way to focus on the moments in life and slow down a bit. I am planning to post weekly on Sunday.

Outside My Window...
It is a beautiful sunny day with a few whispy white clouds floating by (at 17degC its still a bit chilly, but it will warm up nicely this afternoon to around 27degC)

I am thinking...
About my list of things to get done before we can finish painting the outside of my house

I am thankful for...
Family who is willing to come and help me paint the outside of my house (a large and not so fun job!)

From the kitchen...
Cereal and yogurt for breakfast and plans to make some country pies up for dinner (and some for the freezer)

I am wearing...
Short sleeved brown t-shirt, a green patterned skirt and my comfy pink slippers

I am creating...
Memories

I am going...
To visit a friend and her family this morning. And then work on my "to do" list this afternoon

I am reading...
"Queen of Swords" by Sara Donati
"Australian Quilters Companion, edition #41" (magazine)

I am hoping...
To have a relaxing (but busy) day

I am hearing...
Silence, the wind whistling around my house and my little dog breathing heavily in her sleep

Around the house...
All is quiet

One of my favorite things...
Silence (hmmm, sense a bit of a theme today?)

I remember...
Not much from my childhood, although I remember being happy

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...

Fill some nail holes, do some undercoating, get some painting supplies
Organise a folder from work (contains monthly breifings)
Update my planning folder (from my childcare job)
Work on the quilt for Christine

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
I got this picture from the SelvageBlog (but I cant remember who made it... sorry!), I love this idea and hope to make some selvedge pictures to hang on the wall of my sewing room