Reasons to Celebrate!

My lovely and very talented friend Aussie designer Jennifer Reynolds of Elefantz has created a delightful monthly online Home Magazine which is full of all sorts of gorgeousness which could only have been created from Jenny's clever and caring hands..Jenny also has a lovely inspiring blog too.

I was very excited and honoured when Jenny asked to interview me for this Months issue of her Magazine. There is also a little freebie from me in there too plus oodles for you to put your feet up with a cuppa and devour. Lots to stitch as well. You can subscribe to Jenny's E-Zine. Pop over and read all about how to do it HERE. You will just love it. Thank you Jenny for your generosity and friendship....oh by the way on a more disappointing note after last nights 'training run' by Queensland's Maroons I owe Jenny a Cadbury choccy :( Thanks Fellas!
Speaking of matters of the Queensland variety today 6th June is "Queensland Day". Below is our floral emblem the "Cooktown Orchid" and I am lucky enough to have several growing in my garden..

Happy Birthday Queensland!!! A beautiful place in the world in which to live. A favourite spot of mine.

The other celebration worth mentioning is that on Monday my dear friend Helen and her Husband became Grandparents for the very first time and are very thrilled about it. Congratulations and much love to you all.
Welcome sweet little Amelia.
So why not "Bloom where you are planted" and celebrate your blessings today no matter how small or simple.
Blessings Michelle xxx

It's THAT Time Again!!

I am sorry if you are not a footy fan but up here in Queensland in our household we can only be described as rabid "State of Origin" fans. In case you don't know what that is....every year we Rugby League fans battle for bragging rights against New South Wales in a 3 game series competition. Currently we have won SEVEN yes I said 7777 in a row. So our mission....

We are all set here in our household....

This is Mr R's pride and joy. His Wally Lewis commemorative Jersey. I love Wally Lewis' comment to Phil Gould the other week when he (stupidly) said to Wal "you must be getting tired of winning by now" to which The King replied "yep about as tired as you guys were when you won 20 in a row in the old days when you had all our Queensland players" Yay! Wal!
So all there is left to say is GO QUEENSLAND !!!!!!!!
Well now that I have that out of my system....as you know I have been trying to clear up a few things that have been waiting for finishes...you may remember this one that I started.

I think I scared myself because it is far brighter than what I would usually use but I fell in love with the background fabric and that pink spot. So pretty! I figure it does you good sometimes to leap out of your comfort zone.

I knew I wanted the finish to look a certain way but couldn't achieve it. However thanks to my lovely friend Lorel and her lovely friend Leonie who stipple quilted it beautifully for me I am thrilled with how it now looks. So I just have to sew the backing down and it has already found some interest from one of our Quilting magazines....doing the happy bunny dance here.
That is it from me for today....some domestic goddess duties for me today.
I want to leave you with a sweet piece of artwork from Kindred Spirits just because I love it.

Blessings Michelle xxx

Lots of Circles

Well we got to share some of the Birthday boys cake yesterday....Ninja Turtle cake no less... cutting the cake with Daddy. We partied very hard and I am sure slept very soundly. Lots of cuddles with Miss Charlotte as well :)

I also FINALLY got to have a cuddle of my youngest Granddaughter Erin....ahhh so lovely.

A bit chilly this morning so we were a little bit of a snuggly bunny.

Ok....sewing? I have been really enjoying quietly sitting and hand appliquing my circles down. I had to change the background fabric because some of the lighter ones looked nothing on the cream.
Don't you like the way I pressed them so beautifully for you to view....sorry about that.

They are just so pretty...I love them.
I have also finished Block 2 of the "Frosty" blocks which seems very apt at present.

Block 3 is in the hoop and on the go....
I must apologise for not getting around to everyone's blogs at present ( I am so far behind) but I am having issues with my Tablet and as I use it to read all your wonderful blogs instead of hooking up to the big computer and also when I have some spare minutes I am finding it very difficult without it. I am off to see the folks where I bought it today so hopefully I will be back to "normal" soon. If someone Had told me 3 years ago that I would be this dependant on technology I would have said "You have rocks in your head" but here I am as addicted to my gadgets like the rest of the known universe. See what you have all done to me.
Have a super Tuesday,
Take care of you.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Quick Post

Just a pick post today but just had to say what a special day it is....Our youngest Grandson is having his BIG number 3 Birthday today.....and that is certainly worth celebrating. I love this photo (shows the mischief in those eyes)

He is such a cutie pie....Happy Birthday little man xxxx
Loving appliquing my little circles too by the way.
Happy Monday to all.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Winter is Officially here...

Winter's first day means I get to hang up my "Winter" mini....

which is part of my "Season's Stitchery" mini quilts design which is now in pattern form if you missed my last post. Just email me if you are interested.

Old man Winter has turned on a cloudy old day just to mark the occassion.
Now what does every stitcher worth her salt do when she has many things on the go which 'she' could be putting energy into to get them nearer to the finish line???? Well of course 'she' starts something else doesn't 'she' :o)
My lovely friend Teresa from All things Vintage gave me a lovely charm square pack of French General "Rural Jardin" by Moda as a gift. I have been mulling over and drooling over this pack since she gave it to me. I wanted to use the entire pack but didn't just want to sew them together in squares so I decided to make a circle quilt. So I have cut them all into circles bar 2 which are to light for the background and I am going to applique them on to background squares.

This way I can appreciate the whole pack without losing to much of them....aren't they pretty?
I have several other charm packs (who doesn't!!) that I think I will give the BubzRugz treatment and make into a 'coins' quilt. If you missed my friend Fiona's great tutorial on how to make one click HERE to check it out. She is a wonder that girl....even I could understand the tute...it's great.
My little pile of Granny Squares is slowly growing...

Although like most novices I had no clue how far a ball of yarn would go and because I bought the yarn from Dodgy Brother's cheap shop I could get no more of the pretty green and as I am a girl who likes to "match" I have had to try and make it look much more of a scrappy version. So goodness knows what this is going to look like when I am done but hey I figure if you were chilly you would be glad of it. So I shall keep on practicising. The changing colours neatly is something that takes a little practice too.
I am off to cut out my squares for my circles (that sounds freudian doesn't it) and then hopefully get started appliquing them on.
Lastly I wanted to hop up on my soap box for a moment and just remind you all of how special and unique you all are and to tell you that there is no one anywhere on this planet of ours quite like you, before or since. Sometimes in the busyness of our lives as women we forget this important fact. So embrace your "uniqueness" and take a moment or two to appreciate "YOU"  with love. Hopping down now....
Enjoy your weekend.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Strawberry Fields

My issue of Country Threads Magazine arrived and I was very thrilled to see "Strawberry Fields" gracing the front cover...sorry the actual quilt is a bit crinkly. I had it folded away. Definitely no airs and graces around here. I really enjoyed creating this quilt as of course I am a big fan of lovely ripe red strawberries and we have a prime strawberry growing area not too far from where I live. I wanted it to remind you of a lovely picnic on a sunny day...

Also in this issue is a wonderful profile on our very own (well bloggy friends are our own) Deb Davison from Frog Cottage.....it is a great read. Our Deb is an amazing lady. Deb also has a lovely quilt featured called "Sunday Morning". Get yourself a copy, grab a cuppa and get to know Deb a little better.
Now as if that wasn't enough excitement when I got to the "You've got mail" section I found that 2 lovely ladies namely Illene from Retdairyqueen and Joy P. (no blog) had sent in piccies of their finished projects that they had made using my designs with lovely letters too. Thank you so much ladies you are very kind and I appreciated your lovely words so much.
Ok head out of the clouds now....I have done a little bit of sewing on the machine this morning amongst the pile of patterns I have been folding and putting in their little bags...always makes me happy :)
I finished the little journal cover for my cupcake recipes using the Cupcake Angel from my stitchery booklet
"Stitchery Keepsakes" I used the journal pattern from the Moda Bakeshop. Love that pattern!!!

Don't you just love spots???? I do. I think she is very happy with her new spotty cover. Just have to fill her pages with yummy cupcake recipes...have to wait awhile though for the new Mummy, DD with the nice handwriting to give me hand. Much more important things happening first.
Lastly but not least I can tell you that "Seasons Stitchery Mini Quilts" is now in pattern form. There are 6 designs, the 4 seasons plus Easter and Christmas as well as an extra Winter drawing for those of you who don't like "Frosties". Each quilt will fit the 12 inch x 14 inch mini table topper stand.
The cost is $16.50 Aus with free postage within Australia. I only accept Paypal for payment for overseas customers. If you wish to purchase a copy please email me.

Well folks I think that's me done for today. Back to my pattern folding.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Still Sniffily

Not sure if 'sniffily' is  a word but it is a fact. Shares in the tissue company would see me very wealthy at the rate I am going through them. Mr R. has also succumbed but of course he has SEVERE 'man flu' poor little treasure. I feel so sorry for him. Not a lot of sewing has been happening but I have finished stitching Block 1 of my new design and no guesses as to what it will be about.

I also put together a cushion using my "Tea & Frienship" design. I have kept it very sweet and simple with just a little bit of lace as I wanted to showcase the stitchery and the lovely delicate fabric. I am quite pleased with the result...more pattern writing coming up.

I have had several enquiries for a pattern for "My Country Garden" quilt that appeared in Country Threads Magazine a few issues back from overseas folks who are unable to access the magazine. Just wanted you to know I have done up a pattern for it now and you can email me if you wish to purchase a copy.

Thanks for all your enquiries and I hope this makes you happy and I am so glad you all loved it so much.
That's it for me now. I have to dash to the post office as a few things have slipped in the last few days.
Take care all,
Blessings Michelle xxx