It is official ... chocolate is good for you !!!

This was an article on the BBC news in Uk this week.......

Easter eggs and other chocolate can be good for you, as long as you eat only small amounts, latest research suggests.
The study of over 19,000 people, published in the European Heart Journal, found those who ate half a bar a week had lower blood pressure.
They also had a 39% lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Heart campaigners warned that too much chocolate is damaging because is has a lot of calories and saturated fat.
The study looked at the chocolate consumption of middle-aged men and women over eight years.
It compared the health of those who ate the most and least chocolate.
Small amounts of chocolate may help to prevent heart disease, but only if it replaces other energy-dense food
Dr Brian Buijsse, study author

The difference between these two groups was just 6 grams a day, equivalent to one small square of chocolate a day.
The lead author, Dr Brian Buijsse, from the German Institute of Human Nutrition, Nuthetal said: "Our hypothesis was that because chocolate appears to have a pronounced effect on blood pressure, therefore chocolate consumption would lower the risk of strokes and heart attacks, with a stronger effect being seen for stroke."
This is, in fact, what the study found. Those who ate more chocolate cut their risk of heart attacks by around a quarter, and of stroke by nearly half, compared with those who ate the least.
Chocolate lovers dream
But Dr Buijsse warned that it was important people ensured that eating chocolate did not increase their overall intake of calories or reduce their consumption of healthy foods.
"Small amounts of chocolate may help to prevent heart disease, but only if it replaces other energy-dense food, such as snacks, in order to keep body weight stable," he said.

The researchers believe that flavanols in cocoa may be the reason why chocolate seems to be good for people's blood pressure and heart health. and since there is more cocoa in dark chocolate, dark chocolate may have a greater effect.
Heart campaigners warned that chocolate is still bad for you if you eat too much.

Victoria Taylor, Senior Heart Health Dietician, at the British Heart Foundation said: "This sounds like a dream for chocolate lovers and just in time for Easter too, but it's important to read the small print with this study.
"The amounts consumed on average by even the highest consumers was about one square of chocolate a day or half a small chocolate Easter egg in a week, so the benefits were associated with a fairly small amount of chocolate.
"Some people will be tempted to eat more than one square, however, chocolate has high amounts of calories and saturated fat which are linked to weight gain and raised cholesterol levels. Two of the key risk factors for heart disease."

OH!!   SOME PEOPLE~ARE JUST SPOIL SPORTS

A tour into Quilt history

A group of 14 ladies from Rainbow Quilters have formed "A History of Quilts " group

we are getting together every 3 months  so just 4 times a year.......when we will each have had a topic to research, and we will tell the group of our findings, we had our first  meeting tonight and we had talks on many subjects  to name a few:  The History of Needles, The Log Cabin Block, The Sewing machine, The Dresden Plate Block and The  History of NZ Quilts,  They were all amazingly  interesting and I for one learnt so much.

We are also going to make a quilt each in older type fabric of the blocks we talk about...could be an interesting Quilt  there is no hurry to finish it so in a year or so we will each be able to show and tell.

We hope to document our meetings so we can leave it in our library for future quilters to see what we did in 2010.

What a full on Weekend

This weekend was the Punto Antico Class given by Marjorie Irwin

This was my work station

16 of us took the class and what a full on 2 days we had ..pictures do not show you what we actually did as a lot of the work was from the back and is now covered up with stitching...but my brain knows it has worked besides my fingers for 2 days.
Here are just a few of the ladies all heads down

Linda, Nicola and Mhairi

A lot of intense work went on and it was a quiet weekend as not a lot of talking  ... everyone was engrossed in their work

Beth, Ina and Hetty

Hetty saw the camera so looked up, Beth then said "Bet that will be on your blog tomorrow"...guess what she was dead right.

My practice piece, more work is under the fold that is not visible, but so much work went into this practice piece that I will actually make it into something shame to waste it.

Work so far on the actual piece, it may be a little while before I post the finished item... but I am determined to finish it while my brain is still in gear.

Hopefully one day mine will look like this section of the finished artical.

On top of the 2 full on days, I baby sat  Ellis and Harvey over night Saturday while Mum and Dad went to the Fireman's Honors Dinner, so you can imagine the morning on Sunday with boys needing breakfast and me trying to make sure I had forgotten nothing all by  just after 8am.  So they were dropped of at home on my way to the class.. but hey it all worked out well and they were very good they knew Grandma had to be out half past early so helped by packing their bags ready to go.

My ABC's

I came across this on a blog that I follow and thought this is neat I will do mine.

The ABC's of ME................


A. Age: 66......I guess that means I am getting on.
B. Bed size: King 2 seperate beds in one frame.
C. Chore you hate: Ironing will do anyones cleaning if they do my ironing
D. Dogs' Names: Nope, Cat "Chivers" a rescue cat
E. Essential food item: marmalade for my toast at breakfast
F. Favorite color: pink, no wait - blue, no...green....or yellow.....
G. Gold or Silver: GOLD
H. Height: 5'1"
I. I am: thinking about why have I gone off quilting .. hopefully urge will come back soon
J. Job: retired from Health Service many years ago
K. Kids: one daughter, age 39, and one son  37 and 4 grandsons
L. Living Arrangements: A lockwood cabin style house Rotorua NZ
M. Mom's Name: Pat.... God rest her soul....
N. Nickname: To my husband was Mrs B
O. Overnight hospital stay(s): A few Gynae surgeries many years ago. Mastectomy 25 yrs ago.
P. Pet peeve: Table manners........another pet hate lateness
Q. Quilt Block: log cabin
R. Right or Left handed: Right.....
S. Siblings: 3 ... one Brother 2 sisters all younger than me...
T. Time you wake up: 6:15 ish
U. Unique thing about your car: It's new  ... it's paid for!!
V. Vegetable you hate: any thing like spinach or from that family
W. Ways you run late: almost never..
X. X-rays you've had: shoulders  and hands for arthritis, lungs , cancer xrays and scans.
Y. Yummy food you make:  sushi
Z. Zoo animal favorite: elephants.

And now - will YOU share your ABC's?

Fat Quarter swap

I belong to a Fat Quarter Birthday Swap

You are teamed up with a group of about 6 or 7 of you

and on each of the respective birthdays you send 2 Fat Quarters of Quilting fabric to that person... Well I have a birthday soon and I have begun to receive my packages.

I am being very good and although I have been tempted to peek,

I am being  strong and keeping  them for the day

In the post

A couple of weeks ago it must be ( time has a habit of leaving me behind lately)

Michele from By Hoki Quilts put a post on her blog with pictures  of some lovely little cushions she had made  ( pin size that is) and saying she was not sure what she would do with them.

  I made a comment on how sweet they were and that one could live at my house anytime it wanted.

I really did say it just in passing .

BUT...........

Today in the post one of her cushions has arrived it is so lovely and the fabric has been interpreted so well in the stitches. So I need to say a big THANK YOU to Michele, what a lovely surprise it will live in the baskets with my other pincushions

The clear up...and things

Today so far has been a busy day, as part of my helping in the village I clean the church well I vacuum, does not take me more than an hour and I love to go very early  in fact 7am normally gives me a great feeling after I have done it.
From there it was a quick walk around the corner to get my Flu jab at the Doctors....

Back home for a shower, then out to meet with the people I trained with as guides for the museum, so over coffee we chatted and found out how we were all getting along... was great to catch up as our paths do not cross in the norm of things at the museum.

Back home and sorted my fabric and threads for tomorrow I am attending a 2 day class, for Punto Antico ( for the non sewers it is a type of embroidery.)

That done, then the clean up from the painters who have left a thin or even thick  film of white dust everywhere, I really can not blame them as they were working on the door of every room in the house almost, the hall way looks good no more chipped paint and looks so so clean no finger marks on the paintwork.

Washing was put in machine between all these excursions and is blowing in the wind as we speak, and I am begining to feel really rightous and it is still only 1.30pm.

I think I deserve some lunch.

A smile for a wet Thursday

Say no more........

Update on Applique

While the painters have been working I have managed to trace the applique on to a plastic overlay which is then used to place pieces on your fabric in the correct place,  especially as there is so many pieces and a large area, not like doing a small block, this is the complete centre of the wall hanging which is approx 48 x 48. In the picture of which you are seeing just a small part the plastic is still over the paper pattern so you can see it.
I bet I could have explained that better...!!!

So what is going on today

The friendly painters are back this time doing the hall way and 11 doors back and front

it has been a job to keep the cat off the paint,   he just wants to see what is going on from a very close proximity like on the paint brush or your feet and as we have to have some doors open for air to flow through and it is getting increasingly difficult to keep him outside.

Gee what with the kitchen and the hall looking clean and new and the deck outside all done I am not going to know the place myself.

But it is a great feeling to get it done.

So what can I do while this is all going on, well stitching keeps me out of the way

and of course making tea.

Bias Strips

Just a little something to make you smile at my expense.

I wrote a blog on preparation for my applique class and doing 64 bias strips.

Well !! Can you believe there was a miss print on the instructions and I only needed to do 32

so I have 32 very nice shaded green 1/4 inch x 8 inch bias strips going cheap.

Hand Applique

Today was our "Sew In Day" at quilting

Where I caught up with Alison and did my first piece of hand applique

I found it very easy to sew...

I think it's  because I do embroidery so I am used to stitching very fine stitches.

I think I am going to enjoy this experience.

Last post on the Train Trip

On the train trip we spent a couple of nights in Christchurch and one each way in Wellington...
Wellington first.
We had a great room in a Back Packers by the station as we had to be up at some unearthly hour to get the ferry and on the return journey the train.

We managed an evening walk around ....We saw all the sights one has to see  Parliament, courts etc etc. we walked the shops lucky all closed as was 7pm in evening, but we did ride the cable car up the hill to see Wellington from the top where it was very windy and quite chilly so out came the trusty nylon jackets.

While in Christchurch we were to early for the Flower show and also we left before the Chinese New Year evening in fact on the morning of the day..shame .....but here are some pictures of the models that would be illuminated that evening I bet it would have been lovely. They were all made of silk covering wire frames.

This really was a great journey and can recommend it to anyone, especially if you have trouble travelling in a car...on the train you can get up and walk around etc. and $50 from Auckland to Wellington where else can you travel so cheaply.

Lunch Time Concerts

One of the local churches in town puts on concerts on a Friday Lunchtime from time to time.... I have been to a few...... pianists, singers, choirs, orchestras and chamber groups...they are very good and last just 1 hour starting at 12 noon so people working in town can come along in their lunch hour... a great idea beats a coffee shop.
For $6 you get a sandwich lunch with lovely baked goods and as much tea and coffee as you like.
Today's concert was a group of singers all from Rotorua, none of them are youngsters and some of them I believe teach music etc. in local schools.

from left to right we have Marlene, Evelyn, Sue and Tania

Today's concert was " Blue's and Swing," 

 a most enjoyable hour...  there was a lot of foot tapping and heads swinging in the audience, from the picture I took  it looks like they are having a great time as well.

On the style of William Morris

I have signed up for a applique class a wall hanging in the style of William Morris at my LQS Cottage Flair at Ngongotaha ...... as I have never really been taught to do it properly, only what I have taught myself.

So yesterday afternoon I spent a few hours making 64 strips of bias 1/4 " x 8 1/2 "

I am so pleased with myself as all the fabrics came from my stash and so far I have had to buy absolutely nothing.

I won't show you a picture I will just keep you updated on my progress, then if it does not look like the original you won't know any different.

The class actually started on 2nd March but that was when I was travelling on the train so I have a lot of home work to make up before the next class on April 6th...Alison Whittle the tutor has offered to give me a little session on Sunday so I know what I am doing, the strips are preparation, seems I am suppose to have all four boarders done by next class......I wish !! they are each 30 inches long.

We have a "sew in " day for patchwork group on Sunday and Alison attends our group how useful is that I ask you .

A smile for today

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:


WHY GOD MADE MUMS ?

1. She's the only one who knows where the sticky tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mum just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's' bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other Mum?

1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's Mums like me.

What kind of little girl was your Mum?

1. My Mum has always been my Mum and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mum need to know about Dad before she married him?

1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mum marry your Dad?

1. My Dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mum eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My Grandma says that Mum didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mum doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because Dad's such an idiot.
2. Mum. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mum is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.

What's the difference between Mums & Dads?

1. Mums work at work and work at home and Dads just go to work at work
2. Mums know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but Mums have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Mums have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mum do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't have spare time.

2. To hear her talk, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mum perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

2. You know, her hair. I'd die it, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mum, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my Mum smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.

3. I would like her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

 

 

Gee with Kids like that I am so glad I am a Grandma now.