Monday 10 December 2012

Friend of the Day Liz B 10 Decmber

Before I introduce today's Friend of the Day just a reminder that Aussie Heroes is now officially in Christmas holiday mode, well as much as we will be!  That means there will only be three posts a week - Monday's Friend of the Day, Wednesday's Happy Mail (keep the BOMs coming) and Friday's Quilts of the Week with a surprise or two thrown in now and then to keep you on your toes.  I will still be taking and allocating requests and answer (and probably sending) emails. You would be surprised at how much time I save by cutting down the posts to three a week instead of six.

And now, allow me to hand you over to Liz B for her Friend of the Day post......

Hi my name is Liz – Liz B that is. I live about 3 ½ to 4 hours drive west of Sydney in the Capertee Valley. My husband Rob and I live on a small property called Gethsemane.

I was told about AHQ by my son who had the radio on one morning at work and heard Jan-Maree being interviewed re a workshop at Penrith Patchwork so I phoned her there that weekend and started sewing. I have sent off about four quilts and a dozen or so laundry bags, and I’m hoping to be able to devote more time to it in the new year.
I sew for AHQ because I want our troops to know that we care about them and are proud of them.

I have been sewing since primary school days and completed a drafting and dressmaking course at TAFE in my late teens, however I didn’t start quilting until 13 or 14 years ago and now I can’t shake the habit.

Q&A 
Q.  Do I have any connection to the services?
A.  Does living in a house that looks like an Army hut count?
I do have a friend who has four sons in the Army and my dad was in the RAAF in WW2.

We bought our land back in the nineties but couldn’t escape from Sydney where we lived at Arcadia until our kids got married and left home. Arcadia is a semi-rural area on the outskirts of Sydney but fast becoming suburbia. We thought we had escaped from the kids as well but lo and behold they have followed us. Our daughter Verena, her husband Ken and two children Stephanie and Mitchell live in Mudgee – not too far away and our son Hayden with wife Alisa and their two girls Amelia and Haidee live in the nearby town of Rylstone. We do enjoy having them all so close and we are able to do “Mardie and Pa” duties when necessary.


Our property is about 25ks from our nearest towns – Kandos and Rylstone and believe it or not my closest patchwork material shop is about 1 ½ks from my front gate – it’s called the Homestead Selection and has lots of fabrics that you just don’t see anywhere else.  The nearest material shops after that are in Bathurst which is 1½ hours drive away.

Pics of where I live



The last fabric bargain I purchased was from our local Child Flight op-shop where I volunteer one morning a week and sew items for sale in the shop – op-shops are great places to get fabric from, you never know what you might find and it helps other charities as well. Just think outside the square a little and don’t just look at material but at things like embroidered tablecloths, place mats and doona covers. Quite often these things end up in the op-shops after one or two washes and some are even brand new, you just have to be there at the right time. Don’t go home to think about it for a few days because it won’t be there when you go back. I have bought some beautiful antique laces in these places.

I am very fortunate to have a building separate from our house just for my craft. I also have my Gammill long arm quilting machine set up in this room. I have to admit that I probably do more charity work on the machine than paid work, but I love doing it. My room is called “QUITS” that is because my dearly beloved said that I had to call it quits on spending money once I’d had the room built – so QUITS it is. Some people have thought that the sign maker made a spelling error and left out the “L”.     



A flying Pig is on the side of "Quits" coz I never thought I would ever have a craft room


Pics of some things I have made
A dress for Amelia, flower girl at a local Deb

 and little sisters Haidee and Anya had new dresses too



My cat Chi on my Australian Wildflower quilt


Q. Anything quirky to illustrate my story?
A.  I will let you be the judge!

Around the farm

Welease Wodja (Monty Python fans will understand Wodja Wooster!)


Three little pigs

Killer Wombats

Now leasing - Modern Apartment
Giant Geckos
Raw Prawns and Puff the Magic Dragon



Yes, even street lights from a junk yard
As if you would want to U turn from our front Driveway.

Thanks Liz!

I really love those scupltures and asked Liz if her husband created them all and said that I suspected the Grandkids must love coming to visit them and this was Liz's reply - 

Yes! My husband did make all the wonderful "sculptures" - the grandkids do love coming to our place and they love their Pa as well. He is always doing and saying crazy things so they now just say "Oh Paaaaaa" (it's hard to put the tone of the Paaaa onto paper but I'm sure you get my drift.)

I am sure I (and we) get the drift.  I hope Liz doesn't mind me sharing that but I thought it was gorgeous - what lucky grandkids.  Actually I think lots of us would like to visit.

Till next time (Wednesday remember) ........keep spreading the word and happy stitching!




                                                 

5 comments:

  1. My beautiful mother in law! She is truly one of the most precious people on earth. Her heart is so loving and giving.
    Thankyou for this blog and all that you do. It's wonderful to read the background story of those that devote their time to such a great cause xxx

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  2. Beautiful story, great pics. The place is looking awesome. Love the sculptures! It is great to see people doing wonderful work like this Alisa. Liz does such beautiful work and very talented just like yourself. Since my little boy has been sick I have seen such wonderful things the ladies make for Ronald McDonald House and the hospital & we have many of their knitted blankets and bears and also a couple of beautiful quilts. They will be treasured as I am sure the ones sent to the troops will be also. All my best to everyone xoxox

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  3. Lovely story. Gorgeous home, love all the sculptures also, and loved hearing more about Liz.

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  4. Hello Liz, lovely to see your home and I really like your house. I must show my husband your corrigated sculptures, they are just what I'd like to have on our little farm. We grow ginger and our only animal is a dog who chases away the kangaroos so we need some aussie animal shapes around the place.
    Your QUIT room is wonderful and I'm sure we'd all love to visit you there and see your wonderful quilts.

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  5. Liz, I too loved seeing the sculptures too. I really like environmental art such as this. Plus it lends a touch of whimsy to a home. I am a bit jealous of you having a dedicated shed for your sewing but then I have taken over the dining room table for my sewing as I don't like being locked away in a sewing room, so a sewing shed would go to waste on me. Love your quilts, by the way!

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