A Little Surprise!

For me that is. Just received a gift voucher to an art supplies shop....why?
Because my classmate Diane and I  tied for 1st in the People's Choice Award at the recent art show at tye Old Schoolhouse Gallery at Cleveland. ..woohoo! Just a bit pleased and surprised lol! My little Willy Wagtails..."Back Fence Gossip" was the one.

It will be fun to buy a few more art supplies..

Amongst all that excitement I have my FHFS Christmas parcels all set to go on the sleigh...

Getting exciting now!
Must away....dinner preparations await.
Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

Gingies

Just a tad warm here today....so after being chased inside from my gardening by the heat...I found a cool spot with my pencils.

I fancied drawing some teeny gingie friends for some stitchy friends and another little pocket mini evolved...they are just perfect to pop in to a Christmas card.

My pencils were good company today.
Blessings is quite slow going but I am enjoying not hurrying. I had a few issues with the leaves because I changed the centre star but I have persevered and I am making progress.

I hope you are spending your day doing something that makes you happy too.
Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

Cute Show & Tell

I have some wonderful ladies across the Tasman who are very supportive of my work. Especially the very lovely Kerryn from The Country Yard ....a gorgeous patchwork shop in the Maungatapere area of New Zealand.

Don't you just want to jump in your car (or swim the Tasman) and go for a visit...you Kiwis are so very lucky *sigh* to be able to visit. For the rest of us poor folks we can click on the name up above and go for a virtual visit.
Kerryn has put together some lovely kits with fabric, threads and my little "Gingerbread Kisses" booklet.

Kerryn has stitched up the sweetest sample and had it quilted by the very talented Leeanne from
Quiltmekiwi If ever you want to see some quilting eye candy pay Leeanne a visit...oohh eeeh!
I digress.....a couple of my little gingies so beautifully stitched and quilted.

I love this thread..

All finished...

I just love seeing how clever folks use my designs. Thanks Leeanne for sharing your piccies and thanks Kerryn for making my little Gingies look so good.

A bit of early Christmas decorating is going on around here.....
I love this quilt and I really wanted to see it displayed this Christmas.

I must away....enjoy your day.

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Simple Joys

It's that time of year when lots of secret stitching is taking place in sewing caves all over the place.
Here is no different....only a smidge more to do and it will be ready for Santa's sleigh.

I am so happy to finally be getting the last bit of "Remembering Roma" done....sewing blocks together.

There is no denying that I am truly a sentimentalist....so when my lovely friend Fiona from Bubz Rugz sent me some extra prebasted hexies, all gorgeous French General ones in our Friends Hexie swap, I just had to include them in this quilt....I added some extras and they were perfect for my corners..

 I like that scrappy look too..

So finally one completed flimsy!!!!! Yay!

First on the quilting agenda when the weather is cooler next year!
Now Joy was the title of my post and I just had to record the unbridled joy my Granddaughter Miss E. revelled in when she discovered her Mum's Doc Marten boots in the wardrobe.....

I know I am not supposed to go in there....But look what I found Lol!
Meanwhile her cousin..

wanted a peek yesterday of what was in my art folder when I dropped him off at school yesterday. Master C. is like his Nana in his love of wildlife and animals.He regales me with all kinds of 'amazing' facts. So I showed him my latest piece (which I can't show you as it is a gift and their are eyes everywhere) My little art critic said "Fantastic Nana, just Fantastic!" you can't get higher praise than that! Lol! Love my little people.
I hope you are enjoying your day whatever you are doing.

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

All Wrapped Up

I am very excited to be included in  Chookyblues Secret Santa Swap this year.

So after a few finishing tweaks it's a wrap!

 All ready to hit the sleigh!

As it is so much cooler today  I am taking advantage and getting some of my Christmas decorating done.

Nothing sadder than a naked tree....

I was very happy to see these cuties and they hopped straight up on to their spot.

I love them.  A very special gift from Keryn from Keryns Christmas  Creations last year.

I am  off now while it'sstill cool.

Enjoy your day.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

FNSI and More Coffee!

I got  a bit of a late start over at Wendy's last night. I had a day of toddler wrangling and was a bit weary after all our fun. It was also very warm here yesterday.
However after a cool salad for dinner and maybe an even cooler icecream I was set to get a-stitchin' with you all. I cut out all 9 of my backgrounds for "Blessings" 20 1/2 inches each. I then set to and removed all the papers on my first ring and tacked everything in place. I managed to get the inner circle appliqued down and a little way around the curves....very time consuming but I have to say I am loving just happily appliquing away. Now the centre looks a bit blousy but trust me it all fits nicely.....I checked AND checked!

Before I had the backgrounds cut I had basted the star blades that I have decided to go with in the centre...I think they will look ok. Instead of two fabrics in one blade I have alternated the blade fabrics.

Only leaves and LOTS of dots to go....
I hope everyone enjoyed their FNSI. I will be off to visit over the weekend.Thank you Wendy for having us at your place again x
Now I did say I was off on Thursday to meet a lovely friend of mine Trish who has the loveliest blog by the way called Red Cardinal We have been friends for many years and we do try and catch up when we can. I popped over to Trish's side of town to a very nice cafe.

We both decided on the Heritage Carrot, Walnut and Blueberry Bread with Peach, Lemon and Verbena jam.....oh my! Delicious!

After a verrrry looong chat...well you have to make sure you cover everything, we opted for a wander in the garden....

A photo or two...Trish...

and yours truly...

The Cafe is a lovely garden and  part of a plant nursery complex...veggie patches, native plants, exotics, cacti...just lovely! I of course bought some more poor victims home.

I will plant them out after our current hot spell eases up.
My lovely friend also gave me a beautiful addition to my Christmas ornament collection. We both  are lovers of feathery friends. This is so exquisite...I love it! I can't wait to hang it on my Christmas tree this year.

It is a blessing to have friends that you can embrace, plonk yourselves down and pick up where you left off. Thanks for a lovely time Trish.
I must away as unfortunately we cannot live on air....a spot of gathering is required. Another bit of a "Hottie" is expected so keeping cool will be high on the agenda.

Enjoy your weekend.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

A Green Haven

Thanks to a kind friend I now have my little old purse camera back so I can share with you my visit with my Yoga girls here.

Beautifully healthy plants greet you when you arrive.

There is a cool pool of waterlilies and a little waterfall under the bridge/walkway as you enter.

You can sit amongst the greenery outside....

My friends and I lounged out here whilst we waited for our table to be ready...
Lindy, Cathie and Andrea. Steff is missing at the coffee bar!

Yours truly and my beautiful friend Helen, who gives us the gift of Yoga each week.

Our table was ready.....soooo pretty!

Pretty Teacups.....

Delicious food.....and SO MUCH OF IT!

This was only one plate!!
Beautiful view from our table near the window....

It was such an eclectic mix but we all loved it. Here we all are mid "High Tea".

A return visit is definitely on the horizon.....such lovely people and great value too.
Phew! If you a still with me thank you! I am off this morning for  more "Coffee & Cake" as my friend Lindy teases me about. LOL! It is that time of year for catch ups.
Wait! There is sewing!
Yesterday at my friends stitching group I got the first ring together for Blessings....boy it is HUGE!

The English Paper Piecing seems to have worked out ok...so appliquing it on to the background is next.
Enjoy your day.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx