Welcome to the North Pole QAL with Val

Val is hosting a QAL for "Welcome to the North Pole" quilt.
On the fourth Wednesday of each Month we do a post and show what we've done or where we are at...Val did propose a timetable but being such an independent rule breaker I am just doing it my way....less stress.

Let me say firstly I am NOT needle turning  (in my book this is a fun quilt - to be on show for maybe 6 weeks of the year...and I'd like to finish it.)  And I am theming my buildings so a lot may change from the original pattern.  (Patterns are a guide...in my book).

So here is what I have prepped so far - one of these has been on my blog before but its here again.

 Coffee Shop - cafe (not in the original pattern).  Ice Cream parlour and 3 trees....

 Take Away - (not Take Out)

Recreation Centre - music and movies

I haven't started the sewing and I am thinking I will do all the snowy ground at the same time towards the end....I haven't really decided what that "snow" will be yet . . .
There will also be a lot of embellishment - the roofs need to be added, door handles, decorations on the trees...gonna be a lot of fun....

Sunday Stitchers

Sunday was our first meet up for the year.  We have a fabulous new venue - new building , clean, comfortable, great parking and the air conditioning is super!  Just as well as it was a stinker outside!
Sixteen ladies- sewing, talking, laughing - did get a bit noisy at times.

Some of us are doing a paper bag swap - and we did a Show and Tell of the first row - we have each made our own flower row and now have passed the bag, our row and some fabrics onto the next person to complete a pinwheel row.  Needs to be ready by the end of March - (plenty of time she says to herself).  I didn't get a photo since I was in the "show & tell" but we are not allowed any more sneak peeks or sneak photos until we are ready to give the finished rows back ...thats quite a few months off yet!!!

I had a coffee toast for Fiona who lives too far away for us to be able to see her regularly - maybe we can twist her arm and she will join us some time - or maybe we need to bribe Hubz???  Maybe a new packet of home brew???
Maree has done an excellent job finding this venue -so much better than a shopping centre - especially while renovations are underway and parking is a nightmare.

The Next Time . . .

. . . you buy or eat some meat, stop and think about the farmers who work hard to produce it.

A farmers life is not easy - cows do not know it's the weekend or a holiday - or that the farmer needs a break - they still need tendering.
At the moment - a farmers life is even harder - there has been no rain for so long, dams are dry, food has to be bought and shipped in and delivered to the animals, so not only is it more work, there is the financial drain of paying for the feed and the emotional drain.

My blogging buddy Chookyblue is asking us all to stop, think and arouse awareness about the drought.  As she says, if there were fires or a flood...it would be in the news and there would be a lot of emergency help...a drought - just goes on and on and seems to be ignored.

Go over to Chookyblue - read her latest posts and give her some support.
This will give you an idea of what the farmers are facing:

a very empty dam

and the dust

FNWF - February

I joined in for FNWF hosted by Cheryll - loved the company of you all but didn't achieve much.....a "quick" meal out is never all that quick - then home to stitch whilst watching Better Homes & Gardens and maybe a little nanna nap...then the ice skating.  Somehow by Friday night I am worn out...but every stitch helps.

I worked on this:

Perhaps next time I will be a bit more productive!

Pop over here for a link to see what all the others got up to - 60++ this month.