Monday 20 June 2011

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

Well the garden sure has been super busy and so confused.  Strawberries in NZ in June???  OK it's a small one, but still.  Spring bulbs flowering?? 

Autumn leaves still changing?  Very late, but then the temps have been so warm and so NOT mid June.  It was 20 degrees on Saturday!!!  T-shirt weather I tell you! The high temps in Auckland are anything from 15 degrees to 20 at the moment.  They should be below 10!

Never mind we are not complaining at all.  No we are not.  And we sure are having our share of wet weather today. 

Now do you remember ages ago that I said I was too busy to blog because of a project I had been working on?  Well I can now tell you what that big thing was...

HOMESCHOOLING!!!!!

Oh yes, I may well have completely lost the plot this time around, but you know what?  I LOVE it!!  No.1 loves it too.  Yep it's just her and I at the moment (with No.4 pottering around) but we have two other younger sisters keen to join in sometime soonish.  So our days are busy now with work, outings, crafting, drawing, lots of learning in a fun way.

My mother celebrated her birthday the weekend before we started on our new venture. I decorated her cake.  Her sister baked the cake.  Just how I like it to be, no cooking.
This was her present from us...
I started this quilt about two years ago!!!  Finally finished and being loved.  I do love how it turned out.
A fancy little addition to the back and another doily label.
And last but not least.  I tested the linen with the cotton fabrics in the wash by making a cushion and guess what?  It was a success!  So now I can safely finish the quilt, sometime!  In the meantime No.4 can enjoy her new cushion on her bed.
And now my dears, we are off to the swimming pool.  And no I won't be going in.  Perhaps next time when I've sorted out the forests growing on my legs!!  How embarrassing!  The little ones have started lessons too and they are doing fabulously.  So sweet.  But for now it's No.1's turn to have fun.  See you next time xxx

23 comments:

Cat said...

Yeah for #1 so glad to hear homeschooling is working ::)) can't wait to hear about the french lessons :))
and have you worked in coffee at the library cafe into the homeschooling timetable?
And now I must light the fire - it is NOT 20 degrees today

Bev C said...

Hello Sarah,

Good luck with the homeschooling. My goodness the quilt cushion and cake are beautiful. Happy days to you and your family.
Bev.xoxo

Unknown said...

Wow your quilt is amazing and beautiful so much detail and the colours are stunning. Happy birthday for your mum what a gorgeous cake. Good luck with the home schooling are you set work to do by the local authority? or are you able to work out your own time table etc? I only ask as my son is still struggling to go to school due to his illness he is now having work sent home from school, and we may look at medical home tution in Sept. Good luck with it all, dee x

magpie chic said...

Wow to everything!!! I am not surprised you've gone down the home schooling road actually. I know you are just the right kind of person to make a huge success of it. Being a Mum of 4 you have to be super organised anyway,so I imagine you will just ake it in your stride. I LOVE the quilt and the cake. Just superb!
Best of luck with it all.

Beki said...

Yay go you, I am so for home schooling and more and more people seem to be turning to it.
What made you decide to go this way?
The way schools are going over here, I think there's a good chance I'll be doing the same with Jack when he reaches comprehensive age.
Would love to hear more about how you're getting on lovely!

B xxx

Kirsty @ Bonjour Quilts said...

Oh my goodness, homeschooling - I am in awe! I have no doubt that it is a lot of work but also very rewarding; best of luck with it all. And another gorgeous cake, very nicely done. Glad the dollies and patchwork survived the wash, that quilt will be stunning (once you, ahem, actually finish it :) The cushion is gorgeous, those Joel fabrics really are lovely, even though I'm not usually a 'berry colour' kind of girl.

Serenata said...

Absolutely fabulous! The cake, the quilt, the cushion and the home schooling. Have a fantastic time!

Pene said...

OMG your quilt is amazing, I love it. The birthday cake is ace too. Your obviously multi talented well done.
Pene x

VintageVicki said...

I hope your home schooling works out well for you all. It is something we considered when No1 was having a tough time several years ago. We were almost at the point of taking him out when his teacher (who was the main problem) left and her replacement was just wonderful and he settled back down.

Stunning quilt & cake :)

BTW our weather is funny at the moment - we had summer in April (our spring) and now we're got spring showers in June :( Perhaps it will snow tomorrow!

sallgood said...

Love all of your creativity! You pay such close attention to detail- on your cakes and in your quilts and other sewing.

(Summer is beginning here, but you can't tell by the weather -It's been cold and rainy- I think all the plants are very confused!)

Lululiz said...

You are quite amazing, my girl, I wish I had just 1/10th of your energy and commitment!

polkadotpeticoat said...

Happy Birthday to your Mom....the quilt was just lovely!
HOMESCHOOLING wow I'm so impressed, I tried this with our oldest when he was in 7th grade. I made it 2 weeks....what a failure for me. Your going to do so well because you follow through and your incredibly organized.....you just moved to the top of my list.....so much respect for you! you will be able to keep your kids away from some of the garbage in the world!

Unknown said...

You are such a clever lady and inspiring too - I have toyed with the idea of homeschooling, so am keen to read your journey.
You have some fantastic projects going and have been an inspiration
I've also tagged you as for a stylish blogger award on my blog: http://msmsbliss.blogspot.com/2011/06/tagged-as-stylish-blogger.html

Unknown said...

Hello you! I think that home-schooling can be very successful and I am sure you are doing a fine job too! Lucky little girl! The quilt is pure gorgeousness! Suzie xxx

Joan said...

Yay for homeschooling! Beautiful job on the quilt and pillow.

dutch sisters said...

Omg what a beautiful quilt! I love the squares in different colors.
Groetjes :)

Pomona said...

I taught my daughter at home for a bit - it was the most wonderful experience for both of us. That is a beautiful quilt and cushions - you are so clever! Hope you might find time to join my giveaway.

Pomona x

Floss said...

This post is just a treasure chest of beautiful images and great news! (maybe except for the leg-forests - I'll give that image a miss, thanks). How exciting to hear about the homeschooling. I have to tell you that when Son 1 and I tried just ONE subject studied at home this year we got precisely one quarter of the way through the set curriculum. I do hope you are more self-disciplined than I am! I've just done a post mentioning you and our (ancient) subject of mess on blogs BTW.

A garden just outside Venice said...

Hey Sarah! Thank you for visiting me today! I wish I could send you a bunch of Sunflowers to cheer your Winter a bit up! (I'd love to send also some of this unbearable heat if you don't mind..he he..)
Hope you and yours are ok!
xxx

A garden just outside Venice said...

Hey Sarah! Thank you for visiting me today! I wish I could send you a bunch of Sunflowers to cheer your Winter a bit up! (I'd love to send also some of this unbearable heat if you don't mind..he he..)
Hope you and yours are ok!
xxx

Anonymous said...

Of course it all looks absolutely sublime. You have such a beautiful eye for putting things together. Mya your homeschooling journey be wonderfully rewarding for you all. x

Connys Cottage said...

great job

i love the quilt.


hugs Conny

debbie @ happy little cottage said...

I am swooning over your Mom's quilt and pillow! Lovely!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
And the cake is over the top gorgeous!! I am sure she had a wonderful day!