Happy birthday Quinn!

My little one is now 12 years old.  Where has the time gone? He is so smart and funny.  I am so proud of him.

Happy birthday Quinn.  I hope this year is full of fun and adventures!

25th Anniversary Rainbow Quilters

My quilt made from based around orange fabric scraps

 Rainbow Quilters started 25 years ago at Rainbow Springs, in Rotorua.  We meet every first and third Tuesday of the month.  We even have a Facebook page if you would like more info.
  Rainbow Quilters Facebook

 To commemorate the occassion, several of the members all made the same quilt. We started back in July 2014.

 We didn't know the final design. It was called Circle of Friends, and represented the ladies of Rainbow Quilters.  Every month we got the next installment.  I had never made a quilt like this before.  Foundation piecing, applique, and patchwork blocks.

The spotty fabrics in Jenny's border was fabulous.

 The grey background fabrics and pattern were supplied each month from Cottage Flair.  It was a scrap quilt.

 I decided to work in yellow and orange, as I had lots of scraps left over from previous projects in that colour range.  Red and green made an appearance as well.

 I found it interesting that the scraps we used, reflected the other quilts the ladies had made, and the colour ranges they liked to work in.

Some months it was difficult to make it all fit in, but with the groups help, and lots of technical support from the lovely members, I managed the traditional piecing, and applique.

 I am not sure, that if in the beginning, I knew how big the project was going to be, and how much time it would consume, would I have done it?

By the December, we were putting the 4 triangle sections together, I had an admiration for the hand quilters of time gone by.  No electric sewing machine, no electric irons.  Lamps and candles to stitch by.

 The final petal border was presented at our first meeting in 2015.  This gave us time to finish the piecing, and do the quilting.

The quilt took a whole year for me to make.

Precious Moments

Amazingly, Erik and I had a few hours to ourselves, and no urchins!  The weather suited a road trip, so we packed a picnic, and explored the region.

 Lunch at Lake Okaro, not far from Waimangu.  A tiny lake, there is a walkway all the way around. 

We visited Lake Rerewhakaaitu, and Mt Tarawera looked different from this angle.  Impressive are the boulders in the paddocks from the eruption. 

 

I don't know the plant's name, but it was a glorious colour against the greys around Lake Rerewhakaaitu.

Playing tourist with Jesse from Germany

View from the start of Tokorangi

Jesse was keen to go Mountain biking, and the weather was perfect.  The Whakarewarewa Forest is 5 minutes from home.  Started at the Puarenga stream track, then up Nice Road and rode Chinese Menu.  Down be Rude not to, up the Lions Trail.  I walked up the hill on Katore Rd.

Jesse on Tokorangi

Down Tokorangi and into Turkish Delight and the Soakhole.  Challenge Roadside was fun.  Jesse's phone jumped out of his bag, luckily I was riding last, saw it and picked it up.  Back up the road to Dipper, out through The Creek, Mad if you Dont, another gentle ride on the other side of the Puarenga stream track, and then home.

Puarenga stream track

Managed to take Jesse to Kuirau Park, put his feet in hot water, and explore the thermal area.

Kuirau Park

The cooler afternoon allowed the steam to show up more.  Great colours, lots of hot water, boiling mud, and of course the smell...

Kuirau Park hot water

On Monday, our next mountain bike ride was shorter, as Jesse was going White Water Rafting later in the day.We started at Yellow Brick Rd, up the forest road to Pondy New.  Onto Rollercoaster, then Chop Suey.  The rest of Chinese menu again.  A rest and refill of water at the top of Red Tank, down Dragon's Tail, Mad if you dont, and finished with Puarenga again.  Fun, fast, and even I kissed the trail a couple of times.  No broken bones!

All of us