Look Out Holiday Snaps!

Hello everyone. I hope you are all well. I have had a very restful and restorative time camping in the beautiful Carnarvon Gorge in central Queensland. I have missed you all and often thought oh can't wait to share this or that with you all. So a warning that there are few photos. I took so many that I will split them up so you aren't too bored! It is truly a magical place. Even thought they are in drought Carnavon Creek continues to flow fed by artesian springs. So it is truly an oasis up in the gorge. Mother Nature managed to enchant us every day. We were camped so close to the creek we could hear it bubbling over the rocks.

We saw several of the resident platypus here but they are so quick it was hard to get any decent photos of them. The escarpments are just awe inspiring.

 This is just one of many. All through the park are the Carnarvon Fan palms which grow to huge heights and give the whole place that tropical oasis feel.

We did a lot of bush walking and did a 14kms round trip on one walk out to what is known as the Art gallery. I was tempted to fib and say I never complained once but couldn't do it.....I complained a LOT on the way back. The Art gallery was just beautiful and a very special place and so worth the sore feet after.

We crossed lots of creeks along the way...

We fell in love with Ward's Canyon and full expected some Hobbit like characters to make themselves known. It is also the only place where Australia's King Fern still grows.

It was such a secluded secret place, I just loved it.

We branched off to visit the Ampitheatre which was amazing....

and inside you discover this...

The acoustics are wonderful and much to Mr R's disgust I had to chant a couple of Om's!
I will show you some more next post if you can bear it but I would like to finish by showing you how I spent my birthday....

I had a flight over the gorge in a helicopter with the very handsome Canadian pilot Drew. Oh and Mr R. came as well!

It was simply spectacular to see another part of the gorge from above and a part that is not accessible on foot. Mr R. is still in shock that I took myself off and booked it for us and actually did it!

And an Aussie Country pub lunch to cap it off.

A great big thank you to everyone for all your Birthday wishes. I appreciated every one. I have some more goodies to share with you but they deserve their own post so I will do that later.
If you are still with me I hope you will come back for the next installment as I really want to share some of our holiday neighbours. It is lovely to be back but I have to admit to missing the stillness and peace of the bush.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Quick Show and Tell.

A lovely lady by the name of Pauline who lives in the USA has been very supportive of my work and has sent me some lovely photos to share. You can visit Pauline at her lovely blog Quilt'n'Queen 
First we have "Sewing Teddy Tote"  Pauline has made a lovely sewing machine cover and some letters from my "Stitcher's Alphabet

Pauline made a runner out of "Christmas at Ann's" wall hanging and I really like it used this way.

How cute is "Skates for Hire" in the message board.

Lastly "O' Christmas Tree"

Thank you so much Pauline for permitting me to share all your gorgeous work. It makes my heart glad to see how you have used my designs.
Speaking of designs the teddies are all packed...

I am taking a much needed "technology" break to recharge my batteries and to allow my silent creative partner to come out and play. So I won't be blogging for a wee while.
Take care and be kind to yourselves,
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Tea And Niceties

Good Morning all. Yesterday I had a lovely experience up on Mt Tambourine, a place that I love. My daughter took me to High Tea for my Birthday. We went to a gorgeous place called...

There was beautiful china. You know how much I love a pretty teacup.

So elegant...

The table was set so beautifully.

Just look at how gorgeous the sugar cubes are....so pretty!

And what delights were set before us to enjoy...

Want a closer peep?

and

Oh so delicious! Melissa and I before contemplating how we were going to get our seatbelts on for the drive home.

Did you notice there is very little left on those tiers!

A very special treat and I just loved it! Thank you so much xxxx
I hope you are enjoying your Sunday. I am off to do more packing.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

FNSI and Show and Tell

Last night I decided I wanted a break from the hand quilting I have been doing so after a busy day, late in the afternoon I began appliqueing my teeny hexie flowers and buttterflies to my hexie flower quilt.

I got a lot of the butterlies and all of the hexie flowers appliqued on...

As you can tell I definitely did not press anything before photographing it.

I was really undecided whether I actually liked it when it was done but I think when the flutterbys get their bodies and stitchery antenae it will lift and look much better. I am hoping so anyway.

Thanks Wendy for hosting us once again. It was nice knowing that all over Australia and in other parts of the world I was stitching along with my blogging friends.
More lovely mail for me folks!!!
Some more lovely fabrics to add to my stash and a very sweet Anni Downs kit from generous birthday club ladies Narelle and Sue. Thank you so much girls for your lovely gifts and kind wishes xxx

Also a parcel from my dear friend Shez arrived with the postie too. The sweetest hand embroidered needlecase, beautiful fragant sachet and the cutest frosty card pattern.

Boy very spoilt girl! Thank you Shez xxx
Now some show and tell from Liz of Village Quilters who is generously donating both of them to a Christmas raffle for a charity that is very close to her heart.
The first is Miss Mistletoe in "A Christmas Tail" and I just know she would be very pleased with herself!

and "Christmas Bakeshop" which is full of my little gingies.

Thank you so much Liz for sharing them and I hope they do really well for the hospital.
Well that is it from me as I must dash off and put my glad rags on as I have a girly date with DD.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

More Pretty Mail & Stitching

The lovely Birthday Club ladies have spoiled me some more.

Gorgeous fabrics, lovely threads and Pat has knitted me such a pretty scarf. Thank you so much Pat and Sharon for my lovely gifts and wishes xx
My stash of French General fabrics is growing and looking so pretty...oh dreaming of the possiblities!

I have been quilting away on my last "secret" project and am making good progress.

I have also begun a little project with a bit of needleturn applique and stitchery....

I just love that pretty starry fabric!!! I may do a little more on it when I join all my on line friends tomorrow night over at Wendy's.

If you would like to join us you can sign up HERE.
This morning as I was having a little wander in the sunshine whilst finishing my morning coffee I noticed my very pretty pink geranium still had the raindrops from overnight on it's petals and they were glistening like diamonds in the morning sun.

Do simple things like that make you smile? Or is it just me? They make me happy and I am glad she caught my attention....and of course she is a "she" who else would wear diamonds so beautifully!
Wishing you a beautiful day,
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Happy Monday and Happy Birthday

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I was left to my own devices while Mr. R. went away camping for the weekend. I am hoping that he and No 1 Son aren't frozen solid somewhere. So what does a girl do when she only has to look after herself? Why she stitches her little fingers off, eats Tim Tams and watches old girly movies of course. All this stitching time saw me complete the stitching on my Magazine project and today I am pulling out the fabric and bits and bobs I fancy to complete it.

I love these fabrics and have been wanting to use them for a while. They actually go very nicely together although you wouldn't think so in the photo.
Today is a very special day because it is my dear Son's birthday (the reason for the boys trip away)

Seeing as you are getting up there Son a little advice...

LOL! Couldn't resist. Happy Birthday Lucas. Hope you had a great weekend Caped Crusader! Sending lots of love xxxx
Enjoy your week folks. I am off to get rid of the Tim Tam evidence!!!
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Early Birthday Wishes

The postie has been very nice to me the last couple of days bringing me some lovely early birthday gifts from my sweet on line Birthday Club girls. I had asked for anything French General or similiar.

Look at those delicious fabrics....oh yum! I was totally spoilt with extra goodies like gorgeous threads, ric rac, stickers for my journalling, a beautiful soft crocheted cloth, sweet tin with a beautiful skein of Threadworx thread inside and how cute is that reindeer button. Thank you Maria, Sisababe and Tracee....feeling extremely spolit here. I am dreaming about that FG fabric already.
I have also been rather spoilt to lovely lasses in my Wednesday night stitching group.

My friend Jan knows I just about wipe out the DMC 816 peg wherever I go so she has gifted me lots of skeins of gorgeous 816 as well as some hand quilting needles and a lovely "Ann" card. Thank you Jan xx
Robyn P. (we have two) surprised me with these gorgeous matching placemats, coasters and teatowel.

This one is only for the "good" china drying up! Thank you Robyn I love them.
I feel very blessed and for a girl who never liked celebrating her birthday, heartfelt wishes from lovely friends have changed all that.
Now as for stitching I have started a new little magazine project for later in the year....want a peek???
All I can tell you is that I have been dabbling a little with some embroidery and a few roses.

 That's all folks! I wish you all a lovely weekend and I hope you find a little stitching time too.
Namaste and blessings,
Michelle xxx