Travelling North

Well folks we have relaxed a little bit more as each mile has been left behind us as we head towards the top end. This requires travelling through outback Queensland. I love all these little Country towns especially as one is my birthplace. Even though I left as a young child, I still feel something stir as I get closer.....strange but very true. The clamshells are well and truly underway! Very happy travelling stitcher.

Morning tea in Morven revealed this very quaint sculpture....all made from corrugated iron...love the working dogs and this is a lovely tribute. Those wily sheep...

And their mate...not letting them get away with anything.

The wide view....he has a friend at the other end.

I just loved the water feature....the old water tank and kettle powered by solar panel!

We stayed in Tambo last night. Famous for Tambo Teddies....I was very good and cuddled one but didn't bring one home. I popped into the art gallery along the street and was surprised by a beautiful display which tells a story that 2 sisters have put together. One an artist and the other a writer...about coming back to Grandma Kates home...just lovely!
I also bought a gorgeous handmade sugar spoon featuring flannel flowers. I had such a nice wander here.

I could not get over the size of this bottle tree. It was huge!!

Today we came through the towns of  Blackall and Barcaldine. My Grandad came here when he was 26 in the 1920s from an English winter to an outback Queensland December. His diary entries are very poignant about this time. Spending Christmas in the local pub alone knowing no one. Hot and dusty and definitely no air con to boot.
I can only imagine the shock of it all. Still he did become a very dedicated Aussie country pastor giving 40 years of country service.

Of course there is always once of those pesky vanners trying to get in the photo lol!

A pit stop was had at Ram Park....lots of history and such and fresh baked Blackall cream buns and hot coffee from the flask went down a treat!

Loved the old toys...

And it was hard to keep my hands in my pockets when I saw all these wonderful tins.

Well I shall leave you with the view we are becoming accustomed too....driving through our wide brown land!

From a very warm Longreach...outback Queensland I say hooroo!
Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

Beautiful Packages Tied Up With String

Well I was finally allowed to open my gifts from the grumpy Birthday Elf....no room in the Chateau de Wheels  to take them with me lol! I  have to say though worth the wait. Don't tell him though!
Oh my goodness my friends have spoilt me rotten!
Delicious French General fabrics and the sweetest thread keeper from dear Sue.

How lucky am I to have one of Shezs gorgeous kitchen set....beautiful Tilda fabricsmand Shez used my little bunny design from Stitchery Keepsakes....oh so pretty...look at that gorgeous handmade card too.

There was more.....my friend knows that I adore Lavender and I adore these beautiful coat hangers....I wish you could smell them....heaven!!

My friend Bev gifted me a lovely book to read.....isn't that a lovely way to present it.

A sweet smelling candle from Kay....beautiful!

And just when I thought I had been well and truly spoilt I received another lovely pressie fro dear Fiona....a gorgeous hand stitched pincushion....I love it! It was all wrapped in .....yep my fav.....French General fabric ohhh! Does anyone else get excited when they see that dotty selvage like I do??

Thank you so much dear friends I feel very blessed to have you in my life.
My appearances in blogland may be a bit erratic for a while as the Mister and I are off on a bit of a jaunt....so the housesitter is installed, stitching and art packed. So I  shall share when I  can from the wide blue yonder....yep folks....holiday snaps lol!
Take care.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

FNSI

Our July sew in thanks to WENDY at SUGARLANE QUILTS I just scraped in to sign up by the skin of my teeth! My plan was to work on my redwork Crinoline Ladies. I had just a little to go on Block two....so I got that done.

I am loving these designs but boy they take awhile.....lots of stitching or so it seems! I was all set to start on Block Three but had run out of webbing for the back....drat!
So I set to and did a little on Gardener's Journal block The Potting Shed instead to round out my evening....sorry about the unironed block lol!

I enjoyed my little sew in with my bloggy friends...off for visit later to see what every else was doing last evening.
My children know me very well and  quite often aid and abet their Mother in her art addiction.....hence a lovely new heavy duty sketch book to take away with me....thanks DD and family. Big heavy duty pages for coloured pencils, pens and watercolour pencils......yummo! Maybe even some mixed media!

I don't know if any of you out there draw or journal but the clean white brand new pages are always both enticing and intimidating to me in equal measure....how about you?

I am determined to remedy that later this afternoon!  Put those first marks down! It is only paper after all.....Ahhh scary stuff lol! Us humans are funny folk!
I have been busy with my art....working on a new Scratchboard project. I got some fantastic reference photos of the new male lion when we visited Dubbo Zoo. It was like he posed for us...anyway he is my new male model lol!  The old King was always not in a photogenic mood on our other visits....love the new bloke! I think a few more projects will be possible from all my photos. Work in progress....you can see how much work it takes with Scratchboard. This is the starting point.
"Heir Apparent "

I loved this pose so much I decided I wanted to try him in coloured pencils also.

Isn't he handsome! Just love him....still so much to do on both but I thought you may enjoy seeing the beginnings of these.

I wish you all a lovely weekend.
Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

Catching Up

Friday I  joined some friends for a stitching day....a really lovely day....thank you Fionna. Beautiful treats and great company. I worked on my Gardener's Journal blocks as I have been neglecting them. I kept on over the weekend and finished the block....Resting in the Garden.

Because I was expected to be on the road by now my friends gave me two more birthday gifts. I decided to open them before the birthday grinch at home confiscated them until the actual day...friend Robyn makes gorgeous project pouches and I adored one she had made recently in this gorgeous fabric.

Now one lives with me....ohhh love it!

As well as beautiful Australian floral coasters by Australian artist Meryl Bell.
In side this pretty box was the cutest tea cosy hand crocheted by my friend Monica.

It fits my teapot perfectly. Love it....how spoilt I am. Thanks lovely ladies xxx
Speaking of birthdays this weekend we had family ones....dear Father in law and our Son. Celebrating the fact you have had another turn around the sun is special.
The number is getting bigger so No 1 Son needed helpers for the candle blowing out!

Hexies are still ruling my world. The centre of Brinton Hall is assembled.

I am now working on the 92 hexagons for the borders around the centre.

Do you ever get all efficient and buy fabric for a project and safely pop it away only to use it for another project completely forgetting it was earmarked for something else.
Exactly what I have done for the blue borders for this quilt. It is now the beautiful binding on my Heart quilt, recently completed!!! Senior moment! So I am snookered until I can choose another fabric for it!

Ah well! 1st world problem lol!
Enjoy your week folks.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

Winners are Grinners!

Good morning! Mr R. has done his duty and we have our giveaway winners!

***Aussie winner***
NARELLE  FROM PINS AND WHISKERS
***Overseas no.1***
JENNY FROM ROMANY QUILTING N.Z.
***Overseas no.2***
MARTINA FROM SUNSHINE QUILTING GERMANY.
Big congratulations ladies. I hope you enjoy your little wins.
If you could all email me at michelleridgway53@hotmail.com and let me have an address for postage I will get them to you.
Thank you everyone for leaving me such lovely comments.
Speaking of WINNERS......
I couldn't sign off without giving you the result of last nights game....I know you just couldn't move on with your day without knowing lol!

Great game! Off to find a sunny spot to spend some time.
Enjoy your day folks.
Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

One of THOSE Days!

Well we all have them...those "annoying series of mishaps" that send our blood pressure up and let's be frank.....it's very easy to be all Zen when everything is running smoothly lol! I am no different! Today after a lack of communication we managed to lock ourselves out of our house and neither had our spare keys! I was also running late for a doctors appointment. As the medical centre is quite close I decided to leg it up my very steep hill. If I wasn't ill when I left I sure felt like it when I got there....numerous other little boring annoyances resulted in retrieving keys from DD from her workplace courtesy of our gorgeous neighbour who took pity on us and we are now finally home....Geez! Louise! I need the cuppa I am now devouring!
                                           ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
Whinge over!
A little bit of what I have been up to. My July block for Rainbow Scrap Challenge.
I changed the butterfly fabric to lemon.....not sure if I like it or not....hmmmm!

More hexies have been basted for Brinton Hall.

I am ready for another Scratchboard model....."Big Red" is finished. I met him at a sanctuary in Victoria last year. I loved him. He was so full of bluff and bravado!

I learnt a lot about colouring techniques on this piece....lots of scritching and scratching on this bloke....its about 8 inches x 10 inches.
As you know I am a RABID Queensland Maroons Rugby League fan and tonight is an important game...the decider for the series against New South Wales!
So I am even going to be stitching in Maroon.....

Well it just seems right!
*****Important ****** Thank you to all of you lovely folk who have commented on my giveaway post. Many of you I couldn't respond to as you came up as "No reply bloggers" but please be at ease you will go in the draw!  I shall get Mr. R. to draw it tomorrow and post the winners on my blog.
I did receive some gorgeous mail from my dear friend Shez

The birthday grinch won't let me open it until my actual birthday! He doesn't have to enjoy it so much!
Ok must fly.....GO THE MIGHTY MAROONS.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

A Little Giveaway

Yesterday as I  was putting together some orders of my Pocket Minis...

It occurred to me that I would like to share a set with you. There are 7 little notelets in all....1 Lavender,  1 Stitching,  1 Country, 1 Frosty and 3 Christmas ones. They make a great gift for a stitching friend too....they fit inside a standard greeting card. Each notelet has 2 designs inside, a small one on the back cover and you can also use the front design to stitch.
So as a Christmas in July giveaway, I have a set of Pocket Minis, 2 fat quarters and a skein of thread for you to win.

Due to postage restrictions the main draw is for Australia only.....BUT I will have 2 draws for a single mini for my overseas friends.

So just leave me a comment to go into the draw if you like them.....GOOD LUCK! I shall get the Mister to draw it later in the week.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx