tidying up........

Hi SAL girls..........

I need to do a little housekeeping.......... a new adventure is about to be announced and its very exciting....... 

So I will do some housekeeping and tidy up the membership and clear some out.........you will be welcome to join back in but we need free spots for that to happen........

within the next week I am sure the announcement will be made...........

I have a couple of friends who will be running the new SAL on here.......

Chookyblue

It's a New Year

And its time to get some UFOs out of the way - before you start too many more new ones . . (AS IF   ????) . . .

and 

in case you need another reason to finish - 

for those GDITC attendees - 

wouldn't it be great to be able to show Anni a lot of finished quilts - or if you can't get to that - at least a top????
(You have nearly two months....)

Come on Girls - we can do it!!!!!!!!

Back into it

I am now on Annual Leave - we have a Company Shut Down - this year from 16th December (I won't comment any further on that decision....), so I have promised myself a certain number of hours of domestic duties (erk) per day and then I can sew.   I have a lot on my To Do List - including Nature's Journey.  

Being my first day I didn't want to overdo the domestic stuff - so I allocated 40 minutes and then finished trimming my blocks.  Now I can start arranging them.

So, Hows it going girls??   - we have had one recent finish from Oddbjørg - a total of 5 now and we have 20 finished tops.

I know this is a frantic time of the year for some, so maybe not before Christmas....but perhaps some of us will be able to get back to it after Christmas??

We would like to see more finished quilts of course - but more finished tops would be wonderful...you don't really want another UFO lying around do you???

Do I need the whip again???

September Deadline!!

Officially - the deadline is passed.

Technically, the deadline is for Australian Eastern Standard Time - so even if you are overseas you missed it!!!

BUT

The Whip crackers are not really that tough - just big softies both of us - 

so although I am whirling that whip - I will give you some lee-way.   

 (And also I kind of have to - since neither of us are finished...)

Tally time:

2 Champions

quilts finished, blogged and hopefully hanging somewhere for all to admire.

16 Toppers

A great effort by all - and especially those who have had those life things thrown at them, illness, injury, extra work, uni courses, house moving to name a few.

I hope all the "Still Going" group are able to find some time over the next month or so to finish off... there are another 12 ladies who have finished August so can't be too far behind.

Of course the blog will still be here - so I encourage you all to move onto the next step - quilting the top or getting to a finished top - hopefully before the mad Christmas rush.

Thanks to everyone who is actively participating - it is indeed the group motivation that keeps a lot of us on track - Deadlines can be powerful motivators.!

so pleased.........

Hi Girls............

Sorry I have been absent..........lifes on a track I can't control at the moment and I am thankful for Susan to be able to take care of you girls and wield the whip while I am absent.............

What I have seen is fantastic......congrats to those who have finished completely and those with tops............do not give up....keep going girls.........the end is near...........

I will return and catch up on all your posts when I can........in the mean time look out for Susan.......shes doing a great job keeping you all on task...........

keep sharing your progress........

Chookyblue.............

A Quick Tally

It's great to see so many posts lately and a lot of finished tops & quilts.

So far we have:

2 Champions:

Lawrence & Laila

and

9 Toppers

Great work - I know there is a lot happening out there - we still have 5 days til the end of the 30th...maybe we will see a few more tops....

The Whip is Whirling!!!!!!!!

Hi Girls

Firstly, a HUGE Congratulations to those who have finished - they look fabulous!

For the rest:

It's past the middle of September - there are two weekends left - how are you going???

Will you get to the finish line on time???

Can you at least get the top done by the 30th??

Are you working on Nature's Journey??  

Show some progress - do a post -

 we all love to see what you are doing -

 and it gives encouragement to everyone -

 and we can show Chookyblue that we are all in this together -

 it will give her a nice warm & fuzzy feeling too.

Having said all that - and I hope I have encouraged you - 

I have to confess that I probably won't get to a finished top - (but I'm trying).

FEB CHOPPED.............

I had to put my big girls pants on and make a decision.............

as life spins in a whirls I have said enough is enough...........

Sadly I have removed 4 ladies from the SAL...........I have tried on numerous occasions to contact them with no response so I can only assume they no longer wish to be part of the SAL or they no longer have the email address I contacted then with.............

these ladies had not even shared one month completed blocks...........

&&&

I have seen some progress from some but many months ago.............

If you are reading this and your one of the ladies and still want to be part and will show your progress then please contact me ASAP.........

&&&

Next on the chopping block are those who have not completed March............

so get moving........

I feel a bit mean but we all joined in to do this together..........

yes there are some hiccups along the way .......but as things happen to people along the way they often email me if there is some delay......some of those reasons have been wonderful holidays.....

some not......trust me you would not believe what people have had to deal with during this SAL............absolute terrible heartache this year but everyone has picked up and kept going.........some even saying the SAL is what has kept them going..........

Ester was behind but OMG look what she has been posting lately.........

YOU CAN DO IT.........

Chookyblue.........

i'm back..........

I can imagine some of you cringing already............

i'm re-motivated and stitching away...........thanks Susan

yep its time to get moving............we finish up next month.......can you believe that...........

only August and Sept to go.........

So i pulled out the big guns.............

This above is a bullock whip...........see the very long handle..........much harder to crack them a normal whip...........I can't do it but Boy Wonder can.........just..........

back in the day of bullock teams the bullocky used it to control/send messages to the bullocks...........certain cracks/actions helped direct them in their duties...........the 2 lead bullocks were very different to the other ones that followed..........

There is still a bullock team that works daily in NSW at Timbertown...........a wonderful place to visit it's like stepping back in time.............

anyway enough of the history lessons...............we still have lots of people who have some work to do..........including myself so it's now or never..............

get going girls.........I have emailed some of you........

&&&&

wow you girls have done so well with all the centres............a few of you just have the stitching to do like me............but so many gorgeous centres.............

congrats

to those who are up to date............

Susan, Cheryl, Chrisi, Clare, Diddles, Fee, Fiona Bubz, Flo, Holly, Janice, Jeanette, Jenny, Josie, Kelly, Kerrie, Khissy, Laila.Lawrence, Lea, Lori, Maja, Maria, Narelle, Sammie, Sandy, Suze, Sylvia,

Happy Stitching........

Chookyblue...........

Thanks Everyone!

What a fabulous effort - especially over the last week or so..Lots of finished blocks but also lots of progress shots or posts.  

Chooky keeps a spreadsheet going - so she can check up on you all - and I can now reveal . . . .suspense . . .the following stats:
Total enrolled:       73
February Finishes:  68
June Finishes:        36
July Finishes:         23
August:                    3 already!!!

So, you can see - some great results, but a lot of people have a LOT to catch up on...

I'm handing back to Chookyblue now, so watch out - she will be whip cracking too!

SAL update.............

Hi Everyone..............

congrats to the 27 out of 73 people who have posted their June SAL blocks............congrats on staying up to date.........

your commitment is appreciated..............

we've also had some good catch ups which is fantastic...........

We don't want any UFO's at the end of this SAL.........just finished tops..........

Anyway I am going to take a few weeks break on updating the blog.............i'll just sit back and enjoy and Susan will be doing the updating...........look out she is also pretty good at cracking the whip...........wonder if she has an outfit like this.............lol

Just remember if Susan hasn't commented on your post then she hasn't updated the sidebar either............

I was going to wait until everyone had done Feb blocks to share this folder but that has not happened.............so here are all the girls who have shared their Feb blocks.........

enjoy the slideshow.......

I've been inspired by all the wonderful posts in the last few days and do hope that we hear from anyone who has not posted in the last month ASAP...........just an update helps..........

Catch you later..........

Chookyblue...........

6 days.....

to the girls who have been posting there finished blocks..............

trying to drive the SAL along it partly mine and Susan's job...............

BUT YOU ARE PART OF IT TO

getting your blocks done and posting them is your part..........

so thanks to all the girl who have finished til May so far..............

I can't wait to see what else you SAL girls post before the end of the month.............

PLEASE put some effort in.........just a little push along.........

I don't want to crack the whip..........

Happy Stitching...........

Chookyblue.........

PS you should only have 5-6 blocks left if you got started when I posted last.............

10 days for 9 blocks........

So how is the stitching going everyone............

anyone else finished May............

hope you can start sharing them soon.............

any more Aprils finished too.............

So we have 10 days left in the month so 1 block a day with a day to spare...............

come on.........come on.........we can do it...........

we are early 1/2 way............

Happy Stitching........

Chookyblue.........

up to date.......

wow lots of great posts popping up..........
The sidebar is up to date.......

Everyone should have February well and truely done now but we still have a few to mark off so I will be email those girls shortly.......

LOVE seeing the blocks develop.......

have you already got a few blocks done for May........

don't leave it till the last minute.......

Catch you later............

Chookyblue.......

Anni's watching............

Hi Girls............

Just when I thought you were all ignoring me suddenly there are all these posts with lots of work happening..............wonderful............

keep up the great work...........

see you never know who is reading the blog...........

AND 

I was talking with Anni and she has been peeking in here and she is loving seeing all your blocks coming along.............

Well done girls...........

ok best go............

how are your May blocks going....

got a few done already so it's not a mad rush at the end of the month???

Have a great weekend.....

Happy Stitching

Chookyblue

PS I have some posts to catch up on and update the sidebar.......

upate...........

to the 33 girls who have finished April..........

well done......

you are well on the way to have a completed quilt in the SAL timeframe............

We still have 8 ladies to finish February..........some of you I have not heard from and others I know are working away............

22 to finish March and 40 to finish April........

Not so good these stats...............come on girls I know you can do it...........

Some of you have posted progress..........if you have not done a post in April you better get a post up here fast.........we all want to see how your going.............it's part of being in the SAL that keeps us going.........seeing what everyone else is doing........

&&&&&

I read this quote in a newsletter this week........

I thought lots about this in many areas of my life........

It'll give you something to think about.......and not just in relation to the SAL......

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, etc…

If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.

Particularly In the aftermath of the earthquakes in Nepal remember no matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.

499............

Can you believe we have 499 followers on this blog............I wonder who will be the 500th follower..............see people do enjoy seeing what you are sewing................

Happy Stitching..........

Chookyblue.....

the clock is ticking.........

so you've all got a couple of big blocks done...........

another big one due today.........

come on girls go for it.........

good to see a few more finishes there for April.............

Chookyblue..............

attack plan..........

so your running late and have not done anything for April..........

it's not too late........

we have 6 days.........

24th - big block

25th - big block

27th - big  block

28th - big block

29th - 2 little blocks

30th 2 little blocks.

OK so lets go........

13 people finished for April so far.....but we still have time.........

go go go.........

woops I mean crack crack crack........

Chookyblue..........

whip cracking happening for sure..............

2 days left in the month and we only have about 1/4 of the girls finished the blocks for this month.........

yes that is correct as it's taken me well over an hour to catch up on all the posts we have had......check I am correct on the sidebar if you have posted since 18th March......and let me tell you there are some gorgeous quilts happen here............great blocks girls.....................

BUT the rest of you..................

this is dreadful..............

get stitching.............and even if your NOT finished you must show us your progress for March.............heaps of you have not even done a post for March...............come on girls...........we all must encourage each other to make the deadlines.................

this one is probably more suited to me.............

get stitching

Chookyblue................