Let the Basting Begin!

I am pleased that I have managed to keep to my "stitching in order" regime. Last evening was Stitching Group night. I had a very nice evening complete with supper and tea in a gorgeous Wedgewood teacup...ooh very nice! We were a tiny group but throughly enjoyed our evening. Thank you Jan xx I worked on my little hexies so I won't bore you with them...but they are in the plan.
I have begun "G" in  Country Alphabet...

Good to get back to these blocks. After discovering the quilt wadding I was  going to use for my French General Dresden quilt had succumbed to a big quilting thief  chopping a huge square out of it for a project now long forgotten, it was off to pick up some supplies so I could get this quilt sandwiched. Ran into a friend....love an impromptu coffee and chat. Home again and down to work!
All pressed and laid out.

 I thought I would give the basting pins ago...again! But after a few, I took them out. It is just not the same and did not feel like "MY" process for finishing a quilt. So! Out came my trusty looong basting needle and thread and off I went...

Happy little quilter here now! LOL! Seems some progressive things are not for me...and I am more than ok with that. Oh I do like simple days doing simple things....how about you?

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Birthday Hugs and a Finish!

Another special little someone in our family turns 2 today...our gorgeous Miss Erin!

Mummy made a Dinosaur cake...because we love them! A pretty one of course..

Happy birthday sweet girl and lots of love xxx

I actually have a finish that I can sort of show you..can't give the secret away!

I have the stabilizer on a couple of Alphabet blocks and they are all set to go.

Mr R. bought me home a "Just because" gift and I just love it.....

I am very fussy when it comes to my music...I guess we all are but Sam's soulful voice has stolen my old heart.
Speaking of singing, this beautiful rose I photographed at a friends home last week just made me want to start singing...."Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens".....

Isn't she a beauty!
I hope you are enjoying your Saturday.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Organised Chaos....Sort of!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Friday. I am having a day of trying to get myself in some sort of order....I have decided that even though I cannot help being a multi-tasker and often quite like it, the adrenalin rush of meeting deadlines etc. sometimes I end up in a mess. I seem to have bits of everything everywhere and as I remarked to a friend...feel as if I have had one foot nailed to the floor and keep doing revolutions and getting nowhere! I have been involved in a large project which has taken up an enormous amount of my time and rendered me a tad loony! What ! You didn't notice any difference??? So after a bit of a chat to myself yesterday I started to get stuck into sorting out my projects into some kind of order....
I got quite near the finishing line with this one. Only the stitchery was done and the pieces cut out....I hope to make more progress today.

As I have gotten so far behind in my Country at Heart Alphabet stitching I decided to trace out the remaining letters all in one go ready to pick up and stitch....two more little stitcheries to draw up to make it even for a quilt. Phew! This took some time! From "G" through to "Z" plus some extras. But they are all ready now. Feels like I am getting somewhere.

I also at stitching group on Wednesday appliqued some more little hexies to their background....getting a little pile now.

After a stern word to my new drawing project Mr. Meerkat and some "don't be a wuss" words to myself, I began putting the first layers on him.

He still may get a face lift with the electric eraser yet! They are the funniest little people to try and draw....still love them though.
I also decided instead of staring at rubbish on the television I would finish a lovely book recommended to me by friend Jan...thank you! Loved it!

I feel a lot better having put a few things in order and hope to keep up the momentum...note I said hope lol! Quiet time for me is on the agenda too!
I wish you all a wonderful weekend and I will leave you with a piccie..."just because I like it" which is becoming my new mantra! Watch out! You never know what might take my fancy lol....off for a cuppa!

 Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Show & Tell

Everything I am stitching at the moment is either a secret or a commissioned piece...boring I know! However luckily I have clever friends. Monica bought her beautiful "Teaparty" quilt by Libby Richardson to show us at our last stitching evening.

I had my little old camera so it is not a great shot but I did take a close up of one of the blocks..

Isn't it gorgeous....Monica's stitching is so fine and beautiful. A pretty teacup, what's not to love!
Thanks for letting me share Monica x
AND
Art piccies coming up so look away now if you are not interested.
I have been working on a piece for a few weeks now and I thought you might like to see it through it's varying stages....the subject is our resident possum Mum Poss. I have called it "The Downstairs Tenant". Mr R. has called her a lot worse but secretly I love her! Anyway! Firstly after taking a reference photo I do a freehand sketch....to make sure everything is where it should be before transferring it on to my drawing paper.

Had to make a bit of an eye adjustment, refine the nose with teacher's help and then we were away. After the transfer to the proper paper I put the first under layers on...hard work and lots of time.

Some details begin to be worked on like the ears and nose. Then the fur is begun....almost one at a time. To see which way the fur is going and where the light falls.

Burnishing over the top, more fur, more burnishing, adding darker details, more fur, some pastel for the background and finally some Whiskers (boy did I have the scary face on for those whiskers) and we're done........"Mum Poss"

I never realised that I was a 'details' person until I began these classes but I love working until I get it right.
The next candidate...a little meerkat standing guard is not however playing the game....many hours ahead I think and lots of annoying my teacher lol! She is so patient! Hopefully I can get it right eventually!
The other thing I want to share with you is a lovely quick little book I have just read. I am a big fan of Australian actor and writer William McInnes. If you are too you will enjoy this sweet book.

Lastly I am sending my love to my dear friend Diane and her family xxx

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Just Wanted to Say...

A big Happy Birthday to my dear Husband today..

A blast from the past for the occassion....

One should never under estimate the power of being an all round "good bloke"....we love you for it!
Have a great day xxx
Well folks off to art and then I have to get the lamb roast in the oven for dinner....somebody's favourite!

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

FNSI and Early Birthday BarB

The lovely Wendy from Sugarlane Quilts was our hostess again for our online Sew In. After a busy day "hunting and gathering" I settled in with a little treat to get me started.

I was pleased with my efforts. I finished 2nd little Tiny Teacup Teddy ...

and made a really good start on the 3rd one.

I soon did exactly what that little bear is doing..zzzzzzzzzzz!
I will be visiting to see what my friends got up to as well. Just a little side note. If I have not responded to your lovely comment it is because you are coming up as a non-reply blogger as I can't reply but I do thank you for them.

Yesterday we ventured down to the Bay for a barbie as an early celebration for Mr R. and Miss Erin's upcoming birthdays....

We set up in one of the foreshore shelters and even though it threatened a downpour...a few scatty showers was it so the weather Angels were smiling upon us. Peppa Pig is very big in our family at the moment!
There was Happy Birthday singing and lots of cupcake action....

Girl talk with Nana..

Lots of cousin fun in the playground.

Biking and scooting along the path..

and a spot of tree climbing and hamming it up for the camera lol !...

Mr R. got his birthday wish...to spend it with his Family....a fun day!

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Assembly Line

Good morning to you all. It is a gorgeous day here in South East Queensland...blue skies, sunshine and a light breeze. The kind of day I love here where I live. Some of our lovely natives are starting to burst forth in all their finery too.

Today I have been doing a little assembly of a project for a little further down the track....sewing on borders etc. after tooing and froing about fabric choices.

I do think this one is a cutie and hope you will too!
I am nearly finished my 2nd Tiny Teacup Teddy. They are making me very happy as I stitch them.

I was spoilt on Mother's day with lovely wishes, some very nice $$$$$ to spend on art supplies, I even was lucky enough to get a special giftie picked out by my eldest grandson at the Mother's day stall. Something I haven't experienced for years...so cute!

I also received a lovely surprise. As you all know I LOVE my coffee but I also am a lover of very good tea! Actually I am a bit of a hard to please snob! My close will friends will tell you. I even have to make my own if I come to your place..... fussy about the amount of milk and the colour...I know dreadful manners but I just love Twinings tea and it is one of my little pleasures! I have often remarked to No1 husband how much I love the little wooden boxes that you can buy to hold a selection of your favourite Twinings Teas. Well ladies it appears that even when you think that "they" aren't listening, "they" are...or else it just seeps in there and surfaces out of the blue! I prefer to think it's the 1st option.
Mr R's lovely gift...

 Tickled pink is what I am! Pretty cups full of lovely tea are in my future LOL!

Miss Charlotte was tickled pink too last week with her swimming certificate which means she gets to go up with the big kids....clever little fishy!

I must fly...more domestic goddess duties to attend to!

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx