Winter Swap

I belong to a private online Friends group and we have just had our winter swap. My lovely partner was the gorgeous PEG from Happy in Quilting. Today my poor old soggy Postie delivered a gorgeous parcel wrapped in fabric.

Inside was a treasure trove of goodies. Peg has spoilt me with in an inch of my life.

There is a gorgeous curly scarf that I had been coveting for ages on anyone who happened to be wearing one, a beautiful table centre and wall hanging (love the fabrics), "Old Gold" chocolate and hot choccies too. Yum! What was I just saying recently about redwork....well Peg stitched me a sweet little redwork tag. There is a hexie mug rug and a gorgeous woollen appliqued hanging pouch (which was full of the choccy goodness)

Isn't it lovely? I have been thinking also that this will be a perfect place to hide my choccy stash. Hubby wouldn't dream of looking inside this cute little pouch. He found my stash amongst the vegies..drat!
Huge thanks to Peg for her kindness and thoughtfulness and all her gorgeous stitching. I feel very, very spoiled.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Tuesday's Treasure with Melody

Once again I am just scraping in with a Tuesday Treasure. I have been sorting out what stitching to take on our little sojourn because horror of horrors that I should run out. Anyway one of the projects I am taking with me is my new Christmas design for this year which I have just started to stitch.

As I was drawing out the rest of it and gathering my supplies to pop in my trusty stitching bag it occurred to me how much I adore 'red work'. I fell in love with it the moment I first glimpsed it many years ago when an American lady we had met on a holiday showed me what she was working on. It wasn't the genre we get now it was beautiful snowy pillowcases and a dressing table runner with the most gorgeous design stitched upon it in ruby red thread. She told me all about the origins of red work and I was smitten. I had to wait a while until it was available here but those of you who know my designs know I embraced it fully.
I even made a quilt with my favourite designers designs.....Bronwyn Hayes, Barri-Sue Gaudet, a beautiful design by the girls at Mum's Moments (still miss their gorgeous designs) and even one of my first evers (the teacup what else?)

I treasure redwork because it set me on this wonderful path I am on now. It got my first design published in Country Threads Magazine and Handmade magazine.

You may remember this little Angel. Redwork has enabled me to bring my drawings to life in a form that I can share with others.

So I treasure the unknown American lady and the gorgeous "Turkey Red" thread that was to become such a huge part of my creative life and needless to say my  latest redwork project will not be far from my hands on our trip. Might even pop in a bit extra just in case.
If you would like to share one of your Treasures pop over to MELODY'S lovely blog where other treaures abound.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Love is in the Air.

Good morning everyone here we are with a brand new week stretching out in front of us.

It is a glorious morning here in my little part of Queensland. Cool and clear bright blue skies and luvverly Sunshine. I hope you all had a great weekend.
Mine was very quiet as I am still at odds with this virus but I did venture out for a special occassion. It was freezing cold 6 degrees which is freezing for us sun lizards up here but with lovely food and good company we soon warmed up. You see......

My lovely nephew announced his engagement to his sweetheart and we went along to help them celebrate.

They are a lovely couple and have been an item for a very long time. So hooray! At last!

The happy couple and the "old Aunty". Congratulations you two!
The rest of the weekend was resting up by the fire watching Miss Marple and stitching.
I did want to show you before I go what I have managed to grow.....this is a minor miracle as it was cut off several times in it's beginnings by the notorious "Dr Hackin-a-bush" that I live with and his evil whipper snipper. I had to put a wall of bricks around it, feed it copious amounts of 'worm tea', talk very nicely to it....I even held it's one remaining little leaf and gave it Reiki (its ok the neighbours already think I'm nuts) Well have a look at her now.....

My Paw-Paw tree or Papaya as it is know elsewhere is tall and laden with fruit. I am hoping they hold off ripening until the warmer weather when I will be here to enjoy them. My house sitters don't like them but they are under strict instructions if they ripen while I am away to distribute them to some grateful friends.
How clever is Mother Nature.
Enjoy your day.
Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Favourite Things Friday with Shay

Good Morning everyone from overcast and damp Queensland. Firstly I just want to say
HOORAY FOR QUEENSLAND ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT......1 down 2 to go! 

Can you tell we are a bit 'rabid' here in this household when it comes to State of Origin. Here in this little house in the 'burbs Wally Lewis is KING! No discussions about it will be entered into.
Now on to "Favourite Things Friday" with SHAY.  I am going to be boring again and say it is a CD. You may remember in an earlier FTF I mentioned we were on the search for 2 favourite CD'S from our misspent youth from the Sanford Townsend band and that we had managed to get one and were still searching for the other which was our 'super fav!" Well that is my favourite thing this Friday......"WE GOT IT!" YAY!
We are now grooving away to "Smoke from a Distant Fire" and it is fantastic.

I have been working on block 10 of my Baltimore, Ring of Roses of Sharon and it has been quite time consuming. It didn't look that way but there is quite a bit of work in it. Still a ways to go yet.

Still lots of leaves and the smaller pink layer of roses and centre circles to go. The 8 gathered rosebuds were fun but took a little while to complete. I have also been doing a little secret sewing. But have 2 sneaky peeks......

And then there is this one.....

Hhhhmmmm! Intrigued???
As I have been managed to succumb to some lurgy at the moment my tissue box and I cannot be parted and my PJ's are my daily uniform. I will be taking it easy over the weekend apart from a family engagement party.
I wish everyone a great weekend doing whatever you love doing. Of course it wouldn't be Friday if I didn't finish with a little quote I love.....
"To be upset over what you don't have......is to waste what you DO have." by Ken Keyes Jr.
Blessings,
Michelle xxx

GO QUEENSLAND!!!!!

GOOD LUCK TO THE MIGHTY MAROONS TONIGHT IN MELBOURNE FOR GAME ONE OF THE 2012 "STATE OF ORIGIN SERIES" 

Queensland is playing for their 7th (yes folks I said 7th) Series win in a row. We are all set here. We have all the hallowed 'Maroon' gear ready.

So to NSW I say "Chewy on your boot!" and to the Mighty Maroons I say "Every tried and true Queenslander is with you  guys tonight!
                                                        "QUEENSLANDER!!!!!!!"
Now that I have that out of my system I shall wish you all a marvellous day.
Blessings Michelle xx

Tuesday's Treasure with Melody

Good Morning All. I thought as how yesterday I went completely over the top with photos perhaps I shall keep it to a minimum today. Being Tuesday it's time to share a Treasure and to link up to Melody's  blog, our lovely hostess.

As you all know I love animals, words and art and I know I have an over active sense of humour and when all these things come together it is real 'treasure' for me. So today I am sharing my love of the amazing artwork of Jane Seabrook called "Furry Logic".Jane is an incredible artist from New Zealand. All the original paintings are in watercolour with the finest details completed using a tiny sable hair brush with just one single hair. These gorgeous animals are accompanied by very humorous and witty quotes which always brighten my day.
This one is a favourite. Now I bet that one was a big surprise!

"The Pick of Furry Logic" is a desk top flip over and sits near my computer so I see it everyday. There seems to be a page for every mood of mine. Do you have a treasure you wish to share. If so pop over to Melody's and link up and share with us.
Have a great day everyone.
Blessings Michelle x

Weekend Celebrations!

We had quite a weekend and I warn you ahead of time there are lots of photos. Mr R. wanted a family dinner for his 60th which included a lamb roast of course. So we decorated the table in a suitable festive manner.

Our Daughter made an awesome cake which tasted as naughty as it looks.

I am sure we all put on 1/2 a kilo a slice with this one.

Mr R. with our children.

And with his very favourite boys.

Oh that's right and then with his 'better half'

Lovely son and daughter in law.

Lovely Daughter and son in law.
We all got up early the next morning and headed out to the Queensland Raceway Racing track where Mr R. thought he would channel some of Brocky's flair in  the Wynn Commodore.

He got all suited up, put on his helmet and then gave us a very excited wave and was off out on to the track.

 I told you he was a hoon at heart and after a few warm up laps he hit his stride. The only disappointment was the Ford went off the track before he could pass it......hhmmmm! Boys!

   Roaring down the straight....

    To a very enthusiastic cheer squad. As DD remarked I bet you don't hear "GO GRAMPY!" very often at the race track.

 Sometimes it was just a little bit loud and special equipment was called for.

And then it was back into pit lane and it was all over.

But I have to say the smile remains....
The thing I loved most about this weekend was the fact that my Husband got to express to all of us just how special it was that we would do this for him and how being with his family meant so much.
If you have managed to stay with me through this marathon I say a big thanks. It is such a gift to reach 60 and I wanted to celebrate and document it for my on line journal.
I hope you enjoy your day. I have managed to catch a very nasty cold so my favourite chair and I will be good mates today.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Birthday Hugs!

Well guess who the Birthday Fairy came to this fine day........

My dear Hubby of nearly 40 years turns the BIG 60 today. Yes we meet when we were babies.

We are having a Family dinner tonight (and cake yay!) and then tomorrow Mr R. is fulfilling a long held dream of tearing around Queensland Raceway in a V8 super car.....Holden Commodore of course! He looks like such a respectable man I know but he is a hoon at heart. So I guess not much sewing here this weekend.
So a great big Happy Birthday and Hugs from the other "mature age & respectable" person who lives in this house. Lots of love xoxo.
Blessings to all,
Michelle xxx

Favourite Things Friday with Shay

I am very late but I know it is still Friday...............

So I may just scrape in for Favourite Things Friday with SHAY
My favourite this week is something called YOGA NIDRA. Those of my followers who practise yoga and I know some of you do will know it well. It is a guided meditation that inspires the release of physical and emotional tension by taking you into a profound state of relaxation but you think you just listening to the nice music and lovely lady guiding you through it. I have several versions on CD and love it. Studies in the USA have shown that Yoga Nidra has helped soldiers returning from Active Duty with stress and insomnia and people suffering from depression. It's continuing benefits are enormous. The good thing is although it  usually accompanies a restorative yoga practice you can use the CD on it's own as a relaxation tool. This is one of my favourite versions which I purchased from www.newearthrecords.com and it is by Terry Oldfield & Soraya Saraswati.

This little CD is my take anywhere relaxation. It is downloaded on to my mp3 player so I can listen to it at anytime. It has a 11 minute track, 20 minute track and a 30 minute track. You can lie on your yoga mat, bed or sit in your favourite chair to do it......it's wonderful. So there you have it 'Yoga Nidra'
Just before I started to write my post I recieved this email from my Daughter and it seemed to fit perfectly with my post for today so I thought I would share it with you as well.

I wish you a weekend of really appreciating yourself because you are unique. There is no other being on this planet as wonderful and unique as you. So celebrate the treasure that is *you*
Blessings,
Namaste,
Michelle xxx

Tuesday's Treasure with Melody

My treasure today I guess reflects the era in which I grew up. The fact that my Grandfather was a Methodist minister meant that I spent a lot of time in my early years going to church. The question that always preceded the exit out the front door was "Have you got a clean hankie?" So that's my treasure today....my little collection of hankies. Handkerchiefs or 'hankies' as they were known were very important back then. You even got little boxed sets of them or gorgeous handmade hand crocheted ones for your birthday. You received them as a momento from travels afar.They were good in a crisis (tissues just don't hold up nearly as well) they saved your nose from offending odours by dabbing a little scent on to them to be sniffed if this unseemly circumstance should arise. You could wrap them around a cut finger.They could add flair to some drama by being flipped and flapped in the air to make a point. But the thing I loved the best was that some were just so pretty and real works of art.

I have here in this photo my treasured collection. Many from my childhood and many made from pure irish linen. One even came in it's own sweet little box.

These ones have my initial on them. Two of them are hand embroidered and crocheted. The blue one came in it's very own bag all the way from Europe as a gift from a friend.

These two belonged to my Grandmother and were crocheted by her. The top one is very old. I treasure these two as she was never without a hankie. Quite often she even had a spare (you never knew when someone would have need of one)

This one is very special as my friends dear Mum crocheted it for me for my 50th Birthday.
So I guess I would have to say I was a 'hankie' girl as I am sure a lot of girls of my vintage are or were. I am constantly on the search for a vintage hankie box...you know the type made from beautiful floral cards covered in hard plastic and crocheted together to make a hexagon box with a lid with a tassel. I know it's out there some where waiting for me. I am linking up to MELODY to share my treasure today. Why don't you pop over for a visit too.
Some other very exciting news is my lovely blogging friend DONNA from Donna's Lavender Nest has released her very first quilt design and it is very cute and I have a peek. Pop over to her very sweet blog and check it out. Well done to you Donna.

Hope your day is going well.
Blessings Michelle xx

Cookies & Cream Craft Christmas Club

Firstly I hope all the Mum's out there were throughly spoiled yesterday as was I....photos later.

Well I am very excited to tell you that Cookies& Cream Craft Christmas Club is back for 2012.

If you click on this logo on my sidebar it will take you over to Sandy's where you can sign up. I had wonderful feedback from last year telling me that so many of you enjoyed it.

This year we have the following designers contributing a special pattern just for the club - 

Gail Pan Designs, Lenora Jenkins Designs, Natalie Ross in Stitches, Lisa Cantlay of Fig n Berry Creations and Myself. I have already been very hard at work and thought I would tease you with a little sneak peak.

Hmmm! Why don't you pop over to Sandy's and read all about. If you are really good I may give you another peek in later posts....it's cute I can tell you that!

Yesterday I came home to find this at my front door.

And on the inside was this.

Gorgeous sunshiney yellow tulips (which have since opened), Chocolates and a beautiful box and you know how I love a pretty box. I think I must have been one of those babies who loved the wrapping as much as the present. But wait! Inside the pretty box was this gorgeous rosey teacup set. This was the work of my DD and her family. 

I was thoroughly spoilt because DD and family and DS and family arrived and I now have a very cute dressing gown, Jim Jams and a very gorgeous chokkie rose.

The icing on the cake (cupcakes to be exact) was that my lovely daughter and daughter-in-law bought fresh scones with jam and cream and chocolate cupcakes for afternoon tea. I told you was very spoilt.

One of the best parts was watching my two cute little Grandsons enjoying their cupcakes. I shall have photos of them later. It was a very special day and I loved every moment of us all being together. Well!

I am off to have a nice coffee and a nap would be nice after my Yoga class today. Helen guided us through a beautiful meditation and relaxation so I am all bendy and relaxed now.

I hope you are all having a lovely day.

Blessings Michelle xx

PS Don't forget to get jingling over to Sandy's.