Helen's Blog: December 2007

Monday, 31 December 2007

New Year resolutions

Today it is the 31st of December and the last day of this year and I’m looking forward to 2008. I’m not good with endings, goodbyes and looking back. My focus is on the future. I like having goals and trying to aim for something. Still I have to admit reflecting is one of my better gifts. Although I use this insight to improve myself and helping others, thus my focus remains on the future and on personal growth.
I think it is quite silly that I always feel a little down, melancholy, on the days preceding the 31st. I think I would prefer skipping the end of the year. But the good thing is tomorrow it will be the 1st of January.

Kim from Kim’s Big Quilting Adventure has tempted me in voicing my New Year resolutions. Well here I go, some are quilt related and some aren’t.
- Complete my Star quilt
- Complete Zoë’s quilt
- Finish the top of my Compass quilt
- Completing the top of my 365 challenge quilt
- Finishing the top of the Kaleidoscope quilt
- Not starting any new quilt projects before finishing the above!
- Learning to work with EQ (by maybe doing a course)
- Lose the weight that I gained the last two years by exercising a little more. In my busy schedule I want to incorporate a fitness program of at least walking twice a week and rowing twice a week on the remaining days
- Do a course on process management
- Keep on blogging
- Doing only those things I really, really like doing

Well this was quite a list. I’ll let you know how I’m going at the end of March, June, September and December.

Last year I only had a short holiday to Wales. As I really missed my two weeks of doing nothing, just reading and soaking up the sun, my resolutions at the end of last September was to plan some holidays in 2008. Coming April I’ll be going to Andalusia, Spain and in June going to the north of Wales. Both holidays will be for two whole weeks and renting a little house/apartment for at least a week just to relax and do some sight seeing. Nothing is going to deter me from my plans

Sunday, 30 December 2007

Not enough fabric for the 365 challenge quilt!!

This is the second time this has happened to me. After cutting lots of strips of 11,5 cm I’ve come up short of about 80 cm of fabric. Lucky me I’m going to Deventer coming Thursday for a high tea with an colleague from my previous job, I can then pop in at Petra Prins in Zutphen. These two cities aren’t too far apart.
As you can see I’ve cut all the strips into little pieces. I have now cut
- 138 pieces of 4 ½ inch by 3 ½ inch
- 66 pieces of 4 ½ inch by 4 ½ inch
- 68 pieces of 4 ½ inch by 5 ½ inch
- 48 pieces of 4 ½ inch by 6 ½ inch

Still need
- 22 pieces of 4 ½ inch by 3 ½ inch
- 14 pieces of 4 ½ inch by 4 ½ inch
- 12 pieces of 4 ½ inch by 5 ½ inch

Notice the cup of coffee (can't start my day without one) and the tutorial from Leanne's House?

I’ve also cut the sashing (2cm) and borders (11,5 cm). Yes, between the columns I will put strips of sashing (I’ve cut 15 strips of 3,5 cm). The reason for changing the pattern of Leanne’s House a little is that I want a quilt 2 meters by 2 meters. The double beds in the Netherlands are a little bigger then the normal Aussie ones.

Well I think I might start sewing some columns tomorrow.

Poffertjes

For Christmas I got a poffertjespan to make Dutch pancakes. These are really little pancakes and are delicious with some butter and sugar. I thought they would be really easy to make. Well I was wrong. Making the batter isn’t that hard but turning the little pancakes just at the right time is hard to determine. This might be due to the cast-iron poffertjespan. I haven’t figured out yet when it has the right temperature. Some were a little well done; others should have been left in the pan a little longer. I’ve gotten a deep respect for all those poffertjes cooks out there.

In the last photo you can see I made lots! I made enough for two servings.

Saturday, 29 December 2007

Kaleidoscope

Yesterday I bought the fabric for my Kaleidoscope workshop. I first made a design in EQ6. It is a simple design but I think I will really like this quilt once it is finished.

Some how in the process of transforming the pdf to a jpg-document it changed colours.

The quilt will be red and white. Yesterday I washed the fabric and today I ironed them.

The nice thing when designing in EQ6 is that you can print the templates in the size you want and get the instructions as well.

Turkey and Pavlova

Here are some photos of Christmas 2007

Zoë wanted me to be a Christmas tree

Julian got a Mac Book. Here we are looking at the family photos.

Julian and Tess, both a little sick on Christmas day.

My sister and Tess

Who is missing?

The Pavlova! I made one for Christmas and one for Boxing day. It looks pretty good and tasted as it looks. Making Pavlova has become my speciality.

Cutting a Pavlova is not :)

The turkey is another Christmas favorite, of myself.

Carving the turkey that I can do.

Here we are at home on Boxing day.

I hope you enjoyed seeing how I spent my Christmas.

Friday, 28 December 2007

Missed the moment!

It is nearly the end of the year and it is time to reflect. I missed my 100th blog. Without noticing I’m now writing my 104th post. I’m really happy that I decided to blog. I have met a lot of nice people in blogland, it is such an international community. I hope I will meet you all in person one day. I also love reading all your blogs. I now have 106 feeds on BlogLines. Yes, I try to read your posts every day. I’m sorry that I don’t always leave a comment, as I know how much I love receiving yours.

My 365 challenge quilt is coming along nicely. I have made my 60th notation. Will wash the fabric today and I think I might start cutting the squares. The top of my Star quilt is coming along nicely as well. In 2008 I do hope I will be able to start quilting this quilt. Sadly, the quilt for Zoë (my niece), is taking forever. My aim was to finish it for this Christmas, but Christmas has passed. I do have some new goals for 2008!!

Yesterday I received my invitation for the Kaleidoscope workshop. I think I will make this quilt with my sewing machine. Still have to find the fabric for this quilt. I don’t know yet which colour scheme I will choose. Better hurry up and make a decision as there is a sale on in our local quilt shop, 25% discount on all fabrics.

I had an enjoyable Christmas, after reading all your posts I think I might conclude that you did too. Monday night we attended the evening service and had a late night super. Christmas day we went up north to my mum. We all received lots of presents; I however didn’t receive any quilt related presents, maybe next year! Boxing day was spent at home. I will post the pictures of the turkey and Pavlova soon.

Going shopping today for a sideboard for our hallway, jippie

Monday, 24 December 2007

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

It took some effort but it is finished! It is now framed as you can see. Sadly, I got a splinter in my finger in the last phase of this project. Luckily it didn’t go into deep; with a tweezer I was able to remove it. I’m ok now :)

Doesn’t it look great? Thank you Angels in Disguise for designing this wonderful pattern.