A New Hobby.......Really?

 Yes I am afraid so! No laughing! I have resisted for years AND years but before Christmas I caved spectacularly and bought myself a die-cutting machine for card making! I did some research....thanks Ann and Sandi......a wonderful special sealed my fate!

I  love handmade cards and every so often will make a hand drawn one. So I thought if not now.....when? I am taking it slow and my efforts are very simple but I have been enjoying playing with it all.....

Hopefully I shall improve the more I make and the more I harass clever friends for hints and tips........fingers crossed! 

My two Grandsons love sharks....know all about them and find them endlessly fascinating, so I thought I would try my hand at a birthday card for the eldest coming up soon......he's going to be a teenager so he will enjoy the play on words!

I have been very lax in getting my UFO CHALLENGE sorted for Sunday Stitchers. I am not terribly good at lists or actually sticking to them so I don't!  I decided that I would instead endeavour to get my Postcards SAL completed this year! I am afraid I found the stitching of the outline of the Postcards themselves very tedious after a while....

I have done quite a few of the 40 stitcheries and have about 14 to go. The ones above are sewn into blocks but because I am a bit anal and wanted our earlier journeys first in the quilt, not many are sewn together! 

My first renewed effort is this one ready for the pile. I am hoping tedium doesn't set in again to soon!

Wish me luck!

I have had a lot of dashing here and there of late so I was too tired to concentrate on much in the evenings and sewing together my hexies for a border on Heartstrings was just perfect.....all done and waiting now! Its hard to photograph rows of hexies lol!

We are once again under lighter restrictions here and I took the opportunity to spend some Christmas vouchers for Spotlight. They were having a sale so my money went further.......nothing exciting but lots of wonderful basics stocked up on and a few treats for the new hobby!

On my way home I spied some pink carnations which actually had a perfume!

They instantly transport me back to my Grandmother's garden.......she always had several varieties of pink and were often on her dining room table. It always intrigues me......often whenever I am feeling a bit harried or blue......a small bunch of pink carnations will be in my path!

Do you have something that instantly speaks to your heart and memories?

I cannot believe we are here at Friday again already but there you go.

I wish you all a weekend that includes things you enjoy.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

FNSI JANUARY

 

WENDY from Sugarlane Quilts gathered us together online for our first Friday of the year. I started early as I was working on my last Heartstrings stitchery and wanted them completed.

So my last little pile, ready for their sashings to go on.........

I finished the evening preparing all 68 hexagons for the next border. Pretty pleased about my efforts for the night!

Thanks WENDY for hosting us.

I received some lovely mail yesterday also. A pretty handmade card from my friend,  Raewyn across "the Ditch" in New Zealand. It's obviously been on a little journey by the date lol! What we called a "Cooks Tour"......seeing all the highlights rather than taking the direct route.

Its a beautiful card and I shall be leaving it out so I can enjoy it for awhile.

Happy weekend folks. 

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

It's The Little Things

 My walk this morning was so pleasant. In fact almost an Aussie cliche. The beautiful fragrance from the mature Frangapani tree I pass by each morning in the air was so devine.

 A little sprinkle of rain along the way made all those cool smells and colours in the bush that much stronger. Raindrops on the ferns......magical! Two  Magpies and a Butcher bird were trying to outdo each other in an early morning seranade sing off either side of the path along which I walk. Overseas friends google Butcherbird song if you have never heard it......beautiful!

I even had a King Parrot flash across in front of me and land in a tree close by so I could admire its striking plumage.

(Photo courtesy of the internet) So I  was very happy that I talked myself out of my bed this morning for a walk! And believe me I have this conversation with myself every morning lol! We night owls don't like leaving our beds early!

We are still binge watching our Swedish crime show and I thought a little work on my Applecores would take less concentration.....so I could keep up with the subtitles . I needed to cut and baste some more as my choice was becoming limited for the next row.

They are such slow going when stitching them together but I love how they look. So I am perservering with them.

You will have to excuse this not so good photo I attempted to show you my progress. Its very hard to get it all in....

I have managed to complete the bottom row and begin another.  But my hands need a rest now from the awkwardness of stitching these.

Work on Heartstrings has yielded one and a bit stitcheries.....not too many more to go.

Well I must away. The kettle is singing and I am looking forward to that first cuppa of the day with my breakfast. 

Take care and I hope you can find something in your day to make you smile. 

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

First FNWF for 2021

 

Well here where I live we are in lockdown for 3 days....no leaving home except for essentials and exercise. I feel so blessed that I have a large patch of nature to walk in to lift the spirits. 

After my morning walk I settled in to a little machine sewing. I had a little pile of hearts needing sewing together. 

I now  have the width of the quilt sorted......

And a few leftovers for next time!

I also did a little tweaking on my 2020 Basket Case quilt. I decided that if I could I would add a border to match the inside border to it after all.

It looks more finished I think. I found a chocolate brown in the bottomless fabric drawers that will do nicely for the binding.

Much more satisfied with it now! When the cooler weather comes I am planning on hand quilting it. 

So when the evening rolled around I went back to my little Heartstrings stitcheries. 

I finished the cute little caravan and completed another ........

I stitched these whilst watching a Scandinavian crime show called The Bridge with subtitles.......talk about patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time lol!

I hope you enjoyed your evening too.

Thanks so much Cheryll for rounding us all up for the 2021 version.

Well no guesses where I shall be this weekend.....

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

Happy New Year

 Hello lovely people. Happy 2021! I hope all is well with you as we move into this brand new year which seems to me to  be a lot like the one we have just left behind.......of course we know that it is going to take a lot more than the clock ticking over to remedy the world's issues.....but the thing that was evident to me last year was how when the bottle was shaken....the cream once again rose to the top.....people full of hope, kindness and dedication stepped up to take care of us, help us and inspire us all......

I feel so grateful that I live where I live, that family time has been possible and that I have interests that have kept my mind and hands busy being creative and away from all the doom and gloom that threatens to overwhelm you if allowed.

I have had a restorative and relaxing time of late....a limit on social media has helped plus lots of reading with a nice hot cuppa and a bit of stitching as well.

One project that I was determined NOT to take too far into 2021 with me is my project 1797 REVISTED.  It has been languishing on my spare bed for so long. All because I was unsure how to hand attach borders to it! Sounds silly but true! 

Anyway I was determined and just dove in.....appliqued the pieces to the borders and attempted a kind of mitred seam in the corners......arrrrrgh! Not my best work! 

It took me ages and folks it's as good as I can make it!

I am glad it's now done.....I did worry it was going to be a permanent UFO....which would have been a waste of all my lovely French General fabric I used throughout! 

Happy dance! No more " Revisiting" 1797! 

I also have four little Heartstrings stitcheries to add to my pile....

Keeping me company while I read or stitched has been  our little staffy granddog......he is so cute! But he misses his family so much he gets the sad face for days ! Gotta love doggies ! 

Yesterday my Mister and I went to see the Australian film The Dry. I have been hanging out to see it ever since it was announced! 

Often when you have read the book the movie is a let down.....

But I loved the book and I LOVED  the movie......loved all that Aussie creative talent! 

And I am looking forward to reading Jane Harper's latest book "The Survivors"  gifted to me for Christmas. I have read all Jane's books apart from this one now....love how she writes about Australia! 

This year I am going to try very hard to find things to love rather than moan about!

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

Christmas is Done

 

Hello everyone. I hope you are all nice and relaxed now with Christmas 2020 behind us. We had a lovely family day......busy, noisy, happy kids and lots of delicious food. All "hot climate " Christmas food.....cold meats and salads, delicious tarts, trifle and pavlova....and a rumball or three.....

Our Grandkids always head to the pool for a swim and high jinks. My Daughter took this photo several years ago......their feet didn't touch the bottom then lol!

She thought it would be fun to recreate it this year.....

They are all growing like weeds lol! It was great to seem them.....having conversations and so happy to have fun together. 

Sunday we headed south across the border to visit my Brother and Sister-in-law for the day and to see my Mum......more delicious food.....no dinner that night!

My Husband, Sister-in-law and myself.

In a couple of days my Brother is having a special birthday and so I took his gift down to him.....just in case the border becomes an issue again. He loves the Parrots and Cockatoos that frequent where he lives.

So I drew him a Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo (from a beautiful reference photo with kind permission by Gary Clift)

He really loved it and as he is a talented wood craftsman he is going to frame it to his taste and exacting standards. 

After dreading sitting in a long queue to return home back over the border into our home state, we left after teatime hoping it would be quieter and were so pleased with only a 12 minute wait. Excellent considering the queue we passed was kilometres and kilometres long on our journey down! Hats off to our boys and girls in blue...so pleasant and doing a great job trying to be as expedient as possible. 

No stitching has been done....but book reading and tea and coffee sipped.....certainly! 

I feel very blessed that I could spend time with all the special people in my life this Christmas especially the family elders and really feel for those who weren't able to.

Take care friends, stay safe and well.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx