Happy Birthday

Today was the celebration of my good friend Sugi's 60th Birthday

Along with another 50 people I enjoyed a wonderful Indian meal.

Sugi looked fabulous in a green/ gold Sari

Friday group girls made her a quilt to mark the occasion .......

but the photo I took did not come out, I think mainly because it was

of candlewick blocks embroidered cream on cream

picturing Crinoline Ladies...shame but I will try again another day.

Sugi has been talking about her party for weeks now.

Saying what a shame her son who was in Canada would not make it....

But guess what he turned up at home and no one knew he was coming

what a great birthday surprise.

Happy Birthday Sugi, with many more to come.

Wisteria and Foxgloves

One of my dreams for the garden was to have a Wisteria

A few years back I finally planted one...It was destined never to grow.

The young lad who mowed our lawns regularly mowed it down.

So we moved it ...it did not like where it was moved to, so it did not flourish.

When I returned from Dubai I was determined that it would grow

and moved it to a corner where it was protected from mowers

and anything else that may threaten it,

finally this spring it is doing something.
I at least have leaves.

Now this next wisteria picture you will see was planted at the same time as mine,

but it belongs to my neighbour and it is what mine should be like by now ....

but the picture above is what I have...

now I think my patience has paid off at last

so fingers crossed for next spring I may get a flower

.

Foxgloves

I just love Pinkie purple foxgloves

I have water colour painted them, stitched them

and many years ago made them from pottery.

When we came to New Zealand I planted a packet of seeds

with a beautiful picture on the front of just such foxgloves...

But when they grew and flowered there was all the white

and peach coloured flowers you could ever want...

what happened to the pinkie ones?

Goodness knows!!

I have not planted any more since but this year

instead of the white and peach...low and behold I have pinkie purple...Why??

Pink Walk Rotorua

The Pink Walk is a fun family event which takes place annually.
This years walk took place today, with entertainment and food available .
It was a 3.5 km walk around the scenic Rotorua Lakefront, it was great to see 4000 people of the Rotorua community decked out in amazing "hot pink" dress-up in support of breast cancer.
The walk concluded with spot prizes and continued entertainment on the Village Green. The event was run by the Rotorua Breast Cancer Trust as an event to promote breast cancer awareness.

I managed the walk in 40 mins it was difficult to go any faster as the tracks were jam packed with people, many who do not normally walk, parents with children in strollers, the amazing thing was to see the great many men walking all dressed in pink

I am a survivor of breast cancer of 24 yrs, thank you everyone for supporting today, all proceeds went directly to the Breast Cancer Awareness in Rotorua.

Glasses the kind you see through

I have been wearing glasses since I was in my twenties, so have had to many pairs to remember.
I have had square ones, oval ones, Black, red and blue ones

Gold and silver ones, Rimless and with rims, I have had bifocals since I was may be in my 30's.

I have tried trifocals, and all the different lens they produce at one time or other.

While in Dubai there was a very good shop and they were really good, they tweaked the prescription until I could read okay, they made me ones for using with the computer ( which I still use)

This year here in NZ I had to have a new prescription again, I decided that now I can't see without my glasses I really need two pairs the same, not depending on my old ones as back ups.

Easy you may say.... yeah! it was, had a eye test and chose a new spare frame and would use the rimless that I already have, what is difficult about that ?

New frames were perfect could see and read okay.... the rimless with replacement lens... uhmm! have had problems with the reading area it has not been good...now on the 3rd set of lens in this frame in 6 months.

Finally returned to the optician today and we have started at the beginning again...eye test.... Which has turned out to be slightly different than last test but not enough to cause the problem.

After a lot of giggling about with the test he has finally worked out that the centre of the bifocal in the rimless are in the wrong position. so test was really for nothing , and problem was at the work shop.

So next week when I collect them with new lens in again...keep your fingers tightly crossed please.

Buying on the spur of the moment

Something that I do not do very often...is see something I really have to have
Normally I am quite calculated about what I buy, may be this is a hang over from when we didn't have money to spare.

Oh my! Yesterday I went to town to work at the museum, then to buy some bread, well I was fairly close to the Footloose shoe shop and saw they had a sales table outside...like anyone I was drawn towards it, there was a pair of red shoes there and good price so tried them on

but no good to tight...shame.

But, they had their new seasons Reiker brand shoes being put out on display

and these shoes just caught my interest, I tried them on and after a few minutes

I just knew I wanted them...now I have just paid more for these shoes than

I can ever remember paying for shoes...

I just wanted them and handed over the credit card

Never mind will eat from the freezer for a couple of weeks.

Origami fabric folding

This evening at Patchwork group I have been demonstrating a folded fabric origami.

It was one I learnt in Dubai, one of the ladies in the Dubai Guild had a table runner she had made, while at her house some of us saw it, and asked to learn the technique

So today I have passed on the method to my group. It looks very complicated but actually it is just the same as paper folding.

It is great to share the things we learn so these techniques stay alive.

Update Green fingers

I don't normally advertise for products, but this worked on my green fingers.

After a washing my hands in all sorts of soaps, washing the dishes

and generally working around it was still there as green as ever.

I had a shower in the evening and decided the shower doors needed a clean

so out came the Chemico, low and behold there was no green

on my hands when I had finished..

So thank you Chemico.

But have had to use buckets of hand cream today.

What am I doing now

This pattern was purchased at the Hamilton Quilt and Craft Fair...

Like I really needed to do another stitchery quilt ??

I seem to be very drawn to stitchery quilts lately may be it is the love of both the Embroidery and the Quilting all rolled into one.

So today I cut the fabric for the stitching above and managed to draw up 4 of the panels ready to sew.

I must have one of the largest collection of threads there is and would you believe I needed to purchase 5 of the 25 colours required.. so I am all set to start.

The good thing about stitchery is that you can sit anywhere and do some, if the weather continues to hold for longer than an hour may be I will get some sunshine in the garden for an hour or two in the not to distant future.

The meaning of Green Fingers

Today being Saturday every one is in their garden especially as it is may be one of the best days we have had this spring so far. All the windows are open and the sun is shining it makes you want to get out into the garden.

So I decided I would do a small area that is looking decidedly neglected, armed with some plants and tools I started to make a rockery from the rocks that are all over the garden, to help me do a professional job I thought I would have a new pair of garden gloves, really nice ones Green and orange so they don't get lost when you take them off among the weeds and plants or end up on the compost.

So I worked for an hour or two, and decided it was time for coffee so on removing the gloves.....low and behold !!!

The true meaning of green fingers...the dye had come out of the new gloves.

All I need now is a remedy to remove the green so far washing in all sorts of soap and other household stuff has not worked. My next move is a weak solution of bleach

Oh my Gosh!!

A few weeks ago I had to send my machine to the repairer.When it came back it was better than when it went but no quite perfect.

Last week at Quilting it decided to stop again and computer would not work, although I could stitch straight stitching okay but could not change any settings or stitches...

So back to the repairer it went last week....

They were surprised and asked if it had been dropped...

I could not remember dropping it for the life of me, surely that is something I would have remembered.
On Monday this week I remembered it fell off the front seat of the car when I braked at some traffic lights

so I had to ring the shop and tell them, I can tell you I felt really stupid making the call, but the people at the shop said they quite understood, senior moments happen to us all, seems he is the same age as me.... What a nice man...

BUT

Seems it could have been fatal for my machine they are looking at it for me.

but it seems the computers main board may be damaged.

He also gave me some rather good news that I did not think of myself....it will be covered by insurance as it was an accident, so here's hoping with all fingers crossed as it was the top of the range machine..

A bit of a laugh

My daughter Kathryn had a joke on her blog today and I have just remembered a good one on the same subject...Death

The Will....

Albert left a clause in his will that all his money be buried with him in the foot of his coffin, in case he should need it on the other side.

His wife dutifully told the lawyer she would honour his wishes.

On the day of his funeral after the viewing of the body she placed a small carved casket in the foot of Albert's coffin, returning to her seat she began to giggle, her good friend and companion Vera asked her why she was so amused at such a solemn occasion, quietly she told Vera she would tell her later after the cremation was over.

Vera could not contain herself any longer and immediately the coffin was in the hands of the crematorium, she turned to her friend and said " Okay tell me now why you are laughing"

Angelina could hardly speak for the giggles but finally managed to tell her friend about the clause in the will. Vera was devastated and asked her what was so funny for she had carried out his wishes.

"Oh yes " said Angelina " I carried out his wishes, I wrote him a cheque for the total amount in the bank account".

Past projects

I was looking in my sewing room at all the various projects I have there.

Remembering when and where they were made, looking at the way things have changed especially the fashions in needlecraft, When I came across this item:

A Clown in a Box

I made this when we were residing in Spain some 6 years ago, the lady who made it originally bought it along to a sewing group we had formed, every one fell in love with it and " Bingo" she ran a pattern off for us all. We did not do it as a class we just made it up at home.

Now before I could suggest to members of Guild here in Rotorua that may be it would be fun to see old projects that they / we have done in the years gone by,

Someone said that is so neat and would make a good class project.

The upshot being it now seems I am running a class in November to make the Clown in a Box, I do hope I can find the pattern or I will have to start from scratch and draw one up.

Another one that should be read.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step...
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch...
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.


21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25 No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27 Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30.. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33... Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time... You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43... No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Russian Balllet

Yesterday evening my friend Prue and I travelled to Hamilton to see the Russian Ballet Company dance Swan Lake

It was wonderful the costumes were amazing and the dancers and music were fantastic.

It is just such a shame that more of these type of performances don't make it down to New Zealand, I guess if there is one thing that is lacking here it is culture of the arts in all sorts of forms.

Of course we get smattering of shows and performers of all arts...but just not enough... but with only 4 million people in the whole country it is difficult for these companies to come here, as they do not make the big money that they would in a larger populated country.

So I am thankful to get the chance, and took it with no questions asked.

Spring Weather Yea!!!

I have this view each time I drive to town but this week has been a little different there is snow on Mt. Tarewera here in Rotorua

On Monday a freak snow storm left hundreds of people stranded and unable to return to their homes in New Zealand's central North Island.
A state of emergency was declared after heavy snow trapped around 700 people in their vehicles on two of the country's major roads.
The bad weather, which is highly irregular at this time of year, had people trapped for hours in there cars some all night, many were rescued by snow vehicles and taken to near by towns to take refuge in community centres.

This is so unheard of and lots of Farmers have lost 1000's of their new lambs as there was no warning of this storm, vegetable growers have lost their crops, they had just planted with in the last week or two some quoted as saying that the replanting will cost them tens of thousands of dollars
Along with the snow came torrential rain in other parts.
The snow was just an hour away from us...now that is getting just to close for comfort. By this time of year we should be getting really pleasant weather by day if still a little cool by night.

WIP,UFO,PHD

At Quilting group this week we were talking about Ufo's and all the different names given to unfinished objects, one or two I thought were quite good

Wip was Work in Progress,

Phd was Project half done

So I have decided that I will in future sign myself as

Laurie Breadmore Wip. Ufo. Phd
sounds quite good I think and looks impressive..

Music on the Blog

Well! it looks like music is not to be any more on blogs via the widget people I got it from, due to the licensing and copyright laws about playing music in public places.....etc etc.

So if you have a way or know of a way I can upload music to my blog I would love to hear from you

It has been a whole week

Life seems to have been at gallop this week, no time for blogging, what with consultant appointments for my arm, shopping for fabric, and food ( seems it is essential ) Kathryn and Steve coming for dinner one evening and staying over night as the weather was so bad that they decided that heading to their caravan was best put off for a day.

Baby sitting for the other grand kids,

A day sewing silky pillows for Breast Cancer Patients with Inner Wheel ladies.

Going to Embroidery Guild for the day

A day along with a friend doing another friends quilt top who has a special birthday at the end of the month, the week has just flown by.

I also took tours at the museum
So today I have to catch up on the house work, before I start on organising a requirement list for tomorrow evenings meeting of Rainbow Quilters, for a tutorial I am doing at the following meeting, mind you it is more of a demonstration really so that makes life a tad easier.