Hello all. The weather has been a bit a bit erratic of late and has dictated what I chose to stitch.

Stormy weather allowed me to get a bit more of my hand quilting done on Heartstrings. 

Humid warm weather plus a 33 degree day put paid to the hand quilting so I completed some piecing on Where You Love Is Home. Row 1 is now complete.....I am now working on the blocks for the next row and arrangement. 

I also  stitched some more of the small appliqued hearts to add to my diminished  pile....

I now have 20 new little hearts.

I couldn't resist a little bit of BEATRIX amongst them.

On the subject of hearts, as I was looking for a crochet hook needed for my latest tag, I came across a pretty crochet heart that I had made many years ago. It's about the size of my spread hand span.....

Not a clue what it was for. I used to crochet a lot in my teenage years and early twenties...all those lovely mini and maxi boleros, tote bags and even a bikini once!

It was a nice wander down memory lane.

Tags were created too.

TAG 41 - Bullion stitch beauties.

TAG 42 - Tag on a tag. I cheated a little in that I used a painted wooden tag for the smaller one. It was painted and gifted to me by a dear friend. I  love that it is no longer languishing in a box.

TAG 43 - Fringing. The reason for the crochet hook. I had plans to cut and shape the fringing when I had finished but I loved the colours and texture of the threads so left it alone. I was really happy to also use the scrap of background fabric....another old favourite.

On my drawing board I got back to a piece I had to do some problem solving on. It seems to happen a lot to me lol! My husband snapped this Moorhen getting comfortable in her newly constructed nest, made from sticks and strips of paperbark. All this was perched on a fallen paperbark tree in a lagoon in a place we enjoy visiting.

The nest was quite a challenge which I really enjoyed in the end.....the issue was the dark murky waters of the lagoon from all the leaf litter within. 

I  have done my best....could have kept fiddling with it forever lol! It is such a special feeling to draw something from nature that you have observed and taken an interest in!

It had been an up and down week last week and is often the case when you care for a loved one who is ill but these beauties cheered me enormously! 

Pure sunshine!

I  hope you are all well and safe. My Mister and I are off for our 2nd Vax tomorrow and I admit to feeling a sense of relief.

Take care

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

October Already

 Hello all! It seems incredible to me at how the days are flying by and it also seems to take me ages to get back to my blog these days. But here I am with my stitchings progress.

"Where We Love Is Home " is coming along with the centre house block completed.

It slots in about here.....

I have the Alphabet and Number stitchery blocks waiting in the wings too!

I am happy to see this quilt starting to develop. I was a bit worried that my scrappy fabric choices were a bit much but I think its starting to gel.

Before we had this recent spot of really warm weather I was making headway on my hand quilting on Heartstrings! 

Tags are up to date. Can't quite believe we are up to Tag 40

Tag 38 - Reverse Applique. 

We were asked to keep the bits we cut out for Tag 39.

Tag 39 - Applique. 

Tag 40 - Something "yummy" you had bought from a shop or craft show and never used.

I chose one of a pair of gorgeous ceramic Forget.Me.Not buttons, bought in regional Victoria on one of our wonderful road trips and a pale blue little lace motif, also one of a pair. 

Recently I spent a lovely morning with my littlest Granddaughter sharing some drawing. She loves to draw cartoon characters. Her story was a mobile phone and a packet of fries fell in love hahaha! Such a character and I love to see kids being creative.....just going with it!

Even at 8 years old she is so interesting to have a conversation with and has such a great imagination. My job on request was to draw her favourite....BATMAN! Lets just say Erin's idea of my ability far outweighed the reality...lol! But she thought it was COOL!

I fancied a little slow stitching and have a little bit of secret stitching in mind....

So that's about it from me. 

Take care and stay safe one and all.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

Almost A Finish

 Good morning friends. Hoping you are all well and managing to find some bright spots in these strange days. As we are staying very close to home due to hubbys immunity issues some days you do have to look harder for those sparkles.

When we could gather more freely Sunday Stitchers began Natalie Birds Heartstrings Quilt as a SAL for the group. I got really behind but last week all of the last border applique was done and attached finally. Its a sweet project and I have enjoyed the stitcheries and EPP so much.

I decided that I would like to hand quilt it and so it is now in my hoop.

Making this my night time stitching has allowed me time to get back to Where You Love Is Home quilt by Anni Downs. I have started putting the first row together as I go along.

These 2 blocks are now also together.....

And the last block in the row is what I am working on getting assembled.  Sorry its a bit gloomy here today so the pics aren't the best.

Tags are up to date with a new one due this evening.

Tag 36 - Slow Stitching in Neutrals. This was a very calming piece to work on.

Tag 37 - Fabric Weaving. I didn't embellish this tag as I wanted the weaving to be the focus.

Reading has been my other favourite past time as usual and these stories have been taken to heart. There was a lot I  loved and related to in "Thursdays at Orange Blossom House"......I have been a Yogi for many years albeit a less active one these days but still practising, I  have family who live in cane growing regions, have dedicated teachers in my family and have enjoyed the area in which the book is set.....really enjoyed it!

My current read was a lovely gift from a friend.

A biography Of Georgiana McRae. Another woman who lived an amazing life....whose artistic ambition was thorted because she was a woman. Just getting started on this one. Love diving into a new book.

In the garden the Clivia are starting to bloom....LOVE that gorgeous orange!

And another of my orchids has been putting on a show....so pretty. All my other tree orchids were blighted by a nasty Dendrobium beetle.....so very pleased to see this one managed to escape them.

Ok folks.....the kettle is on the boil.....cuppa time.

Stay safe and stay well.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

Spring Has Almost Sprung

 Tomorrow Spring arrives....we have been enjoying some absolutely gorgeous days....bit grey today but no complaints here. My King Orchid has definitely been in a blooming good mood, giving me 6 beautiful flower spikes to enjoy this year.

A new rose drawing is on the drawing board also...must be Spring Fever! 

Tags are up to date. 

Tag 33 - Flags

Being a turn it over make it neat freak, struggled to make it work.....but brief met!

Tag 34 - Make Yourself a Cuppa

A dotty cup of coffee for me for this tag on an old piece of tatty vintage lace.

Tag 35 - 3 Buttons + a precious piece of fabric.

I chose a scrap of Paris Flea Market fabric that I had made a special quilt out of in memory of a dear friend. A piece of ribbon from a vintage haberdashery in Castlemaine Victoria and 3 vintage buttons on a lace medallion. Loved this one!

I borrowed this photo from our clever tag lady Anne Brookes to show you all the tags that were sent from all over the world.

In the far left hand bottom corner you will see mine!  The navy blue with the hexie. Just amazing the amount of folks stitching them from everywhere!

Last week our son came to spend some time with his Dad so I managed a little time for some machine sewing and got straight on to getting up to date on my Heartstrings project. Only to discover that I was a block short because I had decided to leave out the applique block....arrggh!

I chose the same size stitchery from one of Natalies other designs and presto! Done!

The next border of hexies could then be added and I am up to date .....I think!

So now on to the final border.....I have gone off script as I am not a fan of teeny tiny patchwork blocks so I am going with a combo of applique and EPP.

Hopefully it will look ok....watch this space!

Take care everyone and stay safe.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx