you say 'tomateo', I say 'I don't want to see another one for a while'...I mean, I say 'tomarto'

Most of the people who read my blog don't know me 'in real life'. I could be telling you stories and you'd never know- especially because, according to my 'bloggy stats' I have had visits from such places as Ireland, Poland, Russia, Spain, Germany and South Korea (thank you, I hope you ended up here on purpose and enjoyed your visit- and came back). What I am suggesting is that, unlike some of the wonderful bloggy friends I have already met, I probably wont be meeting a lot of you in the near future. 
But, with this blogging caper, there is trust involved, don't you think?
Having said that, you know I am not a brilliant gardener. In some ways, I would love to be. I have tried. I am just not really into it. We had 'family tomato picking' morning yesterday, we picked over 20 kg's I reckon and I tried to be cheerful, but I tended to agree with the 8 year old who, after sticking her hand through a rotten tomato on the bush exclaimed 'seriously, I am finding this pretty disgusting'! But we did all chip in and the tomatoes got picked.

I have processed most of them- 24 fowlers bottles (size 20 if you are into fowlers) - I cooked up a few onions, chopped up the tomotoes, whacked them in a BIG pot with a big bunch of herbs- thyme, rosemary, sage and a couple of bay leaves, cooked it down for a while, then added a few cloves of garlic, a touch of sugar (because someone told me once that I should) and a bit of sea salt. Then bottled them and processed them in the Fowlers Vacola preserving unit.

I also made a big pot of tomato sauce- which (headache) isn't bottled yet...I am over it now! We tend to do preserving on a ridiculously grand scale and it wears me out! 


Oh, and about that trust thing , I am very smart and funky, always wear very cool clothes, very fit, and rather lean with endless energy...in case those of you who I wont get to meet in the very near future  were wondering...and for those who have already met me- shhhhh!

Under Sara's instruction

Sara's son has a particular lunch box. She made a lovely bag for him to put it in. We admired it, and she wrote up a tutorial.
I don't have that same Tupperware container- so perhaps it's slightly strange that I make the 'purpose built cover' for a container I don't own- but hey, remember I made the lap top bag without owning a lap top!
I made it over the past few days, and here's what I came up with

I did a few things differently than Sara, for a start I stuffed up the measurements abit (that was a mistake), I quilted the flap bit because I used Pellon (H640?) which was a bit thicker than what Sara used. I used a medium weight woven interfacing on all the pieces for a bit of stabilisation and a nice 'smooth' look, I used velcro for closures.

I like the shape, it kind of reminds me of a builders toolbox or something.
I haven't decided what I will use mine for yet. 

Cute fabric, don't you think? (many already know that I am a bit partial to an apple on a piece of fabric). My friend Cheryl bought it for me- she got it at Spotlight.

Gold

I have mentioned here before that  asparagus is my very favourite vegie. 
I usually say that during our short asparagus season.
Corn has a relatively short season as well.

Now I can't decide- fresh picked corn is really something else.

Delicious.

Number 22. Check.

I just reread the list.
A few people suggested printing it out.
I am going to do that because, although still aspiring to these things I had forgotten about them (like, regular stretching). Oops.
But looky looky- number 22 gets a big tick.

 again it's a cross over (with number 15 at least) because it involved very nice time- being present and laughing and creating with my children (Mr. Apple also joined us for part of it fixing all our bike tyres and chatting and offering creative advice).

This is the 8 year olds effort, she is pretty happy with it.

And the 10 year olds, he enjoyed it too, but was pretty disappointed that a leg fell off before the grouting process. 

Overall, a great project to do with this age children. Probably gloves wouldn't have gone astray, I got a few cuts on my hands. Mostly when I was using smashed tea cups or plates rather than tiles because I think they are finer. I wish you could see how big they are- those top two are on pretty big pavers, I need an 'in context' photo- but they aren't getting put in the garden until the grout has been dry for a week or so because they will only get rained on it they go outside now.

A few weeks ago this was put up in a fundraising raffle.

(Photo flogged off Nikki's blog- but I will tell her!)


I first saw this bag in July last year at the quilt exhibition in Melbourne, I am pretty sure it was on the Kelani stall.
I loved it. Obviously they wouldn't  sell me the sample so I was inspired to buy the pattern and kit. It became an unfinished project- that initial burst of enthusiasm wanned because I forgot to cut out the pocket when I cut out the rest of the pattern pieces and had gone as far as I could go without it (does that kind of thing happen to anyone else?).
I tried to win the bag but another lucky person did (I really hope they appreciate it!).
BUT- I have been inspired to drag out my lap top bag and 'first day back' now applies to my children at school and me at the sewing machine.
It's finished.

There is something very satisfying about completing a long desired project. I enjoyed learning lots of new techinques and I am reminded that I do love Nikki's patterns because they are full of tips and tricks. 
Apparently I have 'graduated' to 'intermediate'. Nice one!

The inside flap detail- I wonder what that is covering up- I forget!


Is it weird that I am very keen on this bag but don't own a laptop?