Help... What will I do now???

This has been my hand sewing for the last two years, the hexagons are half inch and so far the quilt measures 52" X 67" (132cm X 170cm) I have two straight borders now and was going to put little round hexagon flowers in the gaps down the triangle sides but now I think it will be too much... I think I will just fill in the triangles with white hexagons then I think I will put an Applique border on next but what sort of Applique Border???

And what about the corners???

I think - I think - I think... Help!!

Pennie - Can I have a turn of your sewing machine.....

... asks Jackson Harry, as Charlie Ripley climbs onto my lap.
Here we are choosing a fancy stitch.

Jackson is working the foot pedal and Charlie is keeping his fingers out of the way....

PB230003.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Don't we all look pleased with our work!

PB230009.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Happy 27th Birthday Gwilym

Happy 27th Birthday Gwilym, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

A familiar face on the Telly...Click Here.

Well the Election is over, we have a new Government and it looks like History has been made in Bennelong with our Prime Minister John Howard not only losing the election for the Liberal Party but loosing his seat after holding it for 33 years... sort of sad but IMHO not undeserved. Roll on Kevin Rudd and the Labor Party, show us what you can do.

Emily found this clip... Just click on the title above then go to Maxine McKew down the right hand side of the screen and when it's playing see if you can see someone we know on the left hand side of the screen right behind Maxine McKew's right shoulder :-) Lady in Red!

I'm so excited - I just can't hide it - I'm a gonna loose control...

......and I hope you like it!
Scatterday 'T' - Clothing, Purple and Hot Things.

David the Birthday Boy., originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Here's David wearing a 'T' Shirt from Thailand, beside a Purple Tree with a hot cup of Tea... but wait there's more....

But wait! There's more...

PB210004.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Very Hot Tennis Players, one of whom is wearing a 'T' Shirt under a Purple Tree....

But wait... There's MORE!

TShirt.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Amelia from next door lent me her Purple 'T' Shirt... need I say more LOL

This is my REAL Scatterday for today...

W14. Scatterday 'T' - Clothing, Purple & Hot Thing., originally uploaded by Pennie David.

W14. Scatterday 'T'

Clothing - I got them in... Babushkas!! and how appropriate is this on the day we all go to the Polls! My Politicians are all wearing Ties...
1. UK, Australia, USSR, Russia and the USA leaders wearing Ties.
2. OOOppps... Maggie Thatcher would never wear a tie would she!
3. LOL I love Bill Clinton and so do Monica, Jennifer and Hillary and his sax!

Purple - Not a big colour in my sewing room but I did manage to find enough scraps to make our beautiful Abigail Rose a little quilt to wrap her teddies in when she comes to Australia this Christmas.
1. Take some Purple fabric scraps some Purple Thread and a Purple Thang.
2. Make some Purple Triangles.
3. And you finish up with a Purple Triangle Quilt.


Hot Thing - Our Neighbours hot Tin Roof!


Now after all that excitement I'll try and get a life this week LOL

Colour in my Garden - November

Colour of the Month - November, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Lovely day...

David's Birthday, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

We celebrated David's Birthday in style today, had lunch at Shimbashi a traditional Japanese restaurant in Neutral Bay where they make Buckwheat Noodles in the window... but they weren't today... I love Sashimi and Sushi but not too sure on other Japanese foods so we searched the menu carefully looking for something totally different to what we knew and choose a Hot Pot and a Pancake both of which were absolutely delicious and great value at $20 each... highly recommended!!
Then we went down to Balmoral for a walk along the sea front, funny old fashioned beach isn't it with it's cement wall but lovely all the same with just a glance of Manly past the moored boats.
Next it was the Cremorne Orpheum to see 'Death at a Funeral' very funny, a bit slapstick but a must see with the lovely Rupert Graves and Matthew Macfadyen.
I remembered the last time I was at the Cremorne Orpheum way back in 1960 while I was at Queenwood... I know I must get out more... I won a prize in Art for a model of a bedroom I'd made, maybe it was the plasticine Butler with the drinks tray that tipped the judges :-) Anyway a lot has changed at the Orpheum in 47 years... don't you just love this lighting.

Happy 65th Birthday David

These photos were taken from June 1968 to November 1969
while we were on Honeymoon in the UK and Europe.
1. Stratford-upon-Avon.
2. The bus David was driving for the Aldershot and District.
3. Hampton Court Maze.
4. Winchester Cathedral.
5. Stonehenge.
6. Venice.

Year after year this beauty colours up a treat... on the corner of Kissing Point Road and Pacific Highway, Turramurra.

TRee.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Your Quilts are all washed and dried Briface!

PB190001.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Briony and Joon bought their quilts home to Mum to wash for them, my front loader is much kinder to them than their top loader.

Look what Gwillo found!

I knew there were a lot of chicks around because just before dawn every morning and in the afternoons... actually who am I kidding we hear it aaaaalllll the daylight hours there are... this constant cheeping.... cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep... it goes on and on forever and ever until dark, but we never see the nests and this one is close to where we live when outdoors so it's either full house in all the other trees or the parents of these Noisy Minors were born here and feel safe! I've been aware that for many years now we've had Magpies nesting somewhere in the trees and have enjoyed watching the new chick learning to fly and forage in the garden, the nice thing about our Maggies is that no one has ever been attacked so we either have calm Maggies or they feel safe with us and their chicks... These are the sorts of pets I like, they fend for themselves and I don't have to buy pet food. Nice!!

Mumma Bird is checking in...

PB190006.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Didn't we have a Luverrrrrly day the day we celebrated David's 65th!

David's birthday isn't till the 22nd but when one has a family like ours we have to make dates that suit us all... so today we helped David celebrate his 65th Birthday starting with little Mango Pies filled with prawns and avocado... yum! an enormous Snapper cooked on the Kamado served with chips and salad then finishing up with what's become a real family favourite, Lemon Cheesecake.
1. The Thompsons. 2. Briony & Joon. 3. Emily & Gwilym.
4. Mango Pies. 5. Cheescake. 6. Charlie entertains his fans.
7. Cuddle Time. 8. Charlie bumped his head... poor Charlie :-( 9. My youngest with my eldest.
10. Tim enjoying a swim. 11. Jackson finding a swim a little cold. 12. The birthday boy!

Happy Birthday Little Sister...

hp_scanDS_7111212302451.jpg, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

My sister is celebrating her 56th Birthday... here we are aged about 8 and 2... Happy Birthday Meredith!

W13. Scatterday - 'H' - Human, Toys & Soft.

W13. Scatterday - 'H' - Human, Toys & Soft., originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Human - My Dear Grandfather Harrie Cleveland Cobcroft, born 1897 died 1955, (only 58 years old) I only had 10 years with him but they were very memorable years and he still has a special place in my heart along side my Mama.
1. Harrie’s Parents outside the home they built in Windsor, NSW. Richard William and Gertrude Bushell with two of Harrie’s siblings - photo was taken around 1888 and you can see the Blue Mountains through the hallway of the home. 'Glenroy' has been restored but no longer in the family.
2. The Wedding of a family member at the same home in Windsor after many additions and extensions. Harrie is the little boy in the front left of the photo.
3. Harrie aged 18 and off to WW1, he was honoured with a Military Medal and a Bar for his devotion to duty at Mont de Merris, near Strazeele on the night of 2nd/3rd of June, 1918.

Toys - There has been a threat to ban me from using my Babushkas!! Poo! Poo! Poo! I say to that!! But I'm getting them in again just in case..... LOL
1. Here we have 'Hawaiian' Ladies, Nuns in 'Habits' and Ladies wearing 'Hijab’s'
2. Babushkas waiting for a Hornby Train ride.
3. Some of David’s Hornby Trains.

Soft - Last night we had a Teddy Naming Ceremony so let me introduce you to…
1. The Big Boys - Horatio, Hal, Hadrian, Hagar and Hank the Wombat!
2. The Girls - Harriet, Henrietta, Helen the pink rabbit, Hailey, Hyacinth and Heloise the Cow.
3. The Little Boys - Harrie, Henry, Hamish, Hayden, Harris and Harvey in the back.
Trust me I love the names!!

This is the lovely Kerry, Guess where I spent the better part of the day today!!!!!!!!!

PB160002.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Meet Andrew, I spent three long noisey and hurty hours with him today.... just as well he's a really nice guy!

PB160001.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Not something one expects to find at the Dentist!!

PB160003.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Guess who has a new kitchen.....

PB150002.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Ceilings will be done this weekend...

PB150004.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

A street where I often drive and much admire... Burns Road, Wahroonga.

PB030052.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Ninety One Today...

Dad.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

David, Gwilym and I celebrated Rip's 91st with Oysters and Prawns and Ginger Beer... a feast fit for King!! Happy Birthday Dad!!

It's been a Booky sort of week...

Books.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

When Cricket is on the Radio I can only listen to it for so long before I'm pulling my hair out and start looking for a good Talking Book so in the last few days I've listened to...

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne Du Maurier read by John Nettles which was wonderful escapism and I only remembered snippets of from when I read it in my teen years.

Five Quarters of an Orange by Joanne Harris read by Rula Lenska, one of my favourite books of all time and Rula Lenska is a marvelous reader with just the right French accent.

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome read brilliantly by David McCallum. This might be my most read book of all time and once again I've been highly amused by this little bit... 'We woke late the next morning and at Harris' earnest desire partook of a plain breakfast then we cleaned up and put everything straight a continual labor which was beginning to afford me a pretty clear insight into a question that had often posed me... namely... How a woman with the work of only one house on her hands manages to pass away her time!!

The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith read by Hillary Neville. Very easy to listen to.

Maigret Sets a Trap by Georges Simenon a BBC Full-Cast Dramatisations of short stories... wonderful!

At night in bed I've been reading.. The Passions of Chelsea Kane by Barbara Delinsky... Now this book surprised me... I read about a third through then had to read the ending, I read some more then read in the middle, I read some more then read three quarters though then the end again then read the book to the finish. Other than the fact that there is too much sex used as unnecessary padding the story is really strong and really took my imagination... it was fast and furious at times, full of wonderful descriptions that make me feel like I wanted to be there and that I would know this town if I walked into it and there are lots of twists and unexpected turns!! A wonderful read and something has to be said for a book that you can read bits of and still look forward to reading it right through.

Now back to Alexander McCall Smith and Isabel Dalhousie with The Careful use of Compliments.

Thankfully the Cricket is over for a while... my brain is in overload at the moment!!

W12. Scatterday 'O' - Breakfast, Shiny Thing & Tiny Thing.

W12. Scatterday 'O' - Breakfast, Shiny Thing & Tiny Thing., originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Breakfast - When I want something special for Breakfast I turn to one of my Bill Granger cook books, he’s come up trumps again for me today! Here is Bill’s ‘Oat, Pear and Raspberry Loaf’.
1. Ingredients all ready.
2. Ready for the Oven.
3. Ready to eat… The Verdict!! Absolutely delicious, moist flavoursome pears and raspberries with an oaty taste and a crunchy top. The recipe says to spead butter over but it’s so lovely and moist there is no need.

Shiny Things - Olive Oil is shiny and I’ve always got plenty of that!
1. My favourite dipping Olive Oil is this Gwydir Grove Lemon Myrtle… Yum!
2. For Stir Fires and general cooking I use Bertoli Extra Light.
3. And for the odd occasion that I deep fry something you can’t go past is a good Peanut Oil like Crisco.

Tiny Things - A couple of Owl Babushkas! Yes sir indeedy this Babushka Collection of mine is coming in mighty handy for Scatterdaises!
1. I have two sets of Owls, one set I bought for myself in Australia and one bought for me by a friend in Argentina of all places!
2. The two tiniest Owls measure 3.5 centimetres.
3. Owls lining up.

Aaaahhhhh look at my little girls... aren't they beautiful!

Till&Abi.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Tomos and Emma have moved from London to Hong Kong, with the intention of buying an apartment in Macau and living and working there for a few years... I've been waiting for Tomo to send me photos, he's just sent this one and my heart is melting... look at my little girls... aren't they just beautiful and all grown! Very Big Sigh! Abigail Rose will be three in one month and Matilda May is exactly 10 months old.

This is the sort of work Tomo and Emma do... Spectacular!!

Tom and Emma are in the middle of this photo.

The Excitement Continues.....

Omigod, Omigod... OMIGOD!!!!! Michael won the Melbourne Cup!!

Michael & Megan

Michael & Megal Gale, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Michael is dressed and ready to ride Efficient tomorrow but I don't know that Megan Gale will do very well in that outfit!

W11. Scatterday 'A'- Round Things, Vegetable & Something I like the smell of.

W11. Scatterday 'A'- Round Things, Vegetable & Something I like the smell of., originally uploaded by Pennie David.

This saying popped up when I made this Mosaic… I thought it most apt! LOL "There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion." — Francis Bacon

Round Things - Animal Babushkas, I even have a Round Alligator Animal ☺

Vegetables - Asparagus growing in my garden - Asparagus cut - Asparagus cooked and ready to eat.

Something I LOVE the Smell of - “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” (With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning) LOL Anise, Anisette, Star Anise and Aniseed.
Savoury - Chinese 5 Spice, Aniseeds and Star Anise.
Drink - Pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur and apéritif from France, I did bring a bottle back with me a couple of years ago but I can’t find it now and I know I didn’t drink it so I must have given it to one of the children. Marie Brizard Anisette is the one I really love but is impossible to find in Australia. (I know those of you who know me will be surprised by this declaration because I don’t drink Alcohol but I just love the smell of these Liqueurs and only have a teaspoon at a time.
Sweets - Licorice and Humbugs smell beautifully of Anise, if only I still had some Aniseed Balls left this would have made my three.

Christmas Row X Row by the Ku-ring-gai Quilters.

PB020003.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

1st Row... Santa and his Reindeer's by Penny Smith.
2nd Row... Some Good and some Naughty Angels by Pennie.
3rd Row... Steam Train with carriages full of toys by Pennie.
4thRow... Mantle-piece with some stockings by Lyn Wilson.
5th Row... Toys Galore by Irene Long.
I machine quilted my Christmas Row X Row then added all the stars, bells, buttons and more stockings ... filling them with little toys... Jackson and Charlie just love it so can't wait for Abigail and Matilda to see it.

Blitzen...

PB020010.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Ooops! Santa lost his hat!

PB020012.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

The Naughty Angels...

PB020013.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Sometimes Santa needs to drive 3801, lucky Santa!

PB020015.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Trees and Teddies... with Babushkas on the Mantlepiece.

PB020020.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.

Santa's been!! Stockings full to overflowing and lots of pressies waiting for the Children who have been good!

PB020007.JPG, originally uploaded by Pennie David.