Warm Winter Bargains!!

ALL PATTERNS $8.00 each for 8 DAYS IN AUGUST !!!!!! I am having a little sale for this 8th month of the year starting today the 12th August 2012 and ending next Sunday 19th August 2012. So if there is anything you fancy just email me with your order and I shall post your bargains out to you. Postage is free within Australia. Payment can be made through Paypal or cheque or money order.

I hope you are enjoying your Weekend,
Blessings Michelle xxx

Quiet Weekend

I am having a nice quiet weekend and with our yearly visit from the chilly and gusty Westerly Winds I have stayed very close to my fire which is just perfect for sitting and stitching. I haven't really minded as I am throughly enjoying being at home with my own things around me.

I have had to take stock since coming home and while I thought I was up to date with my 'secret women's business' I have had to admit I needed to move myself a little and so I ventured into the disaster zone which is better known as my sewing space and can happily report some little 'secrets' are looking a lot closer to being finished.....a little sneaky peek.

The little grey cells have also been mulling over the new Christmas Quilt which I have called "Home for Christmas" and I made a start on putting it together today so I also have a sweet little pile of 2 1/2 inch squares to show for my bravery in entering that room!!! 

It has been nice having my Mum here to bounce ideas off as well.
That's it from me. I am off to have some yummy warm left over lamb stew with crusty bread and then settle down to watch the remainder of "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo".
I hope whatever you are doing you are happy doing it.
Blessings Michelle xxx

The Postie Finally Came!

It is surprising how much you miss the ritual of going to your mail box. Yesterday the Postie bought all my mail that I had held while I was away.....not too many of 'those' letters thank goodness.
In my bundle of mail was some lovely fabric ( I forgot I had ordered...naughty!) and a lovely birthday parcel from Dale from my private friends fat quarter swap. Dale really spoiled me and popped in 3 gorgeous pieces of fabric, some very cute buttons, a tape measure in a lovely crocheted holder (so pretty) and a lovely little compact sewing kit....I was very spoilt. Thank you so much Dale.

The postie also bought a lovely surprise birthday gift from my lovely blogging friend Teresa from All Things Vintage. Teresa has a gorgeous blog highlighting her love of Vintage, something we have in common.

Inside my parcel was a gorgeous Vintage style notebook ( which will be reserved for only my best and special scribbles) Teresa had sent her greeting on a Vintage postcard and just to top off the spoilingfest...Ferrero Rocher's YUM!

Thank you my lovely friend for thinking of me and for your lovely gift. Love it!
I have finished another little "Merry Mistlemouse" block.....I have really got attached to this wee mousey.

Lastly I wanted to let all of you who live in the areas around Canungra/Tamborine know that my lovely friend Helen is holding Yoga classes now at  Moriarty Hall Canungra on Thursdays 9.30am - 11am (school terms only) Helen's classes are very lovely and gentle and she brings something really special to her classes and when you know her she is a true inspiration. Her focus is accepting yourself and what you can do right now and I credit her loving influence for a lot of my healthy body and mind. So I am including Helen's mobile no (0404036343) and you can contact her if you are interested. It would be a lovely gift to give yourself.

Blessings Michelle xx

Tuesday's Treasure with Melody

It is so nice to be back and linking up to my lovely friend MELODY for Tuesday's Treasures, one of my favourite things to do. If you haven't heard of it before you can share a treasure of your own by visiting Melody's lovely blog ( just click on her name at the beginning of the post) and linking up. You can then also visit and  admire other folk's treasures. Counting your treasures or blessings is a great thing to do.
My treasure today reflects my childhood  love of "Faeries" and their stories. Some folk's say I am often away with them.......
I found this book on the bargain throw out table at a well known book store and I just had to bring it home.
It is called "Return to Fairyopolis" and is a Journal and type of scrapbook (you know how I love a journal) of a girl called Dulcie and it purports to be a pen pal type relationship she had with the wonderful artist and poet Cicely Mary Barker of "Flower Fairies" fame who is also a favourite of mine.

The pages are full of collages and letters and cards from the poet and Dulcie's musings about fairies in her garden and her love of Cicely's work. It is very Victorian in look although the letters date from the 1930's. The credits say they have proven the people and events took place but cannot scientifically prove the substance of the book (which is the fairies) LOL! Loved that bit.

I am such a huge child at heart and the final thing that sold me on this beautiful book was the last pages are a gorgeous "Pop-up" which plays tinkly "fairy" type music........ooohhh I was a goner. "Come on" I said "hop in the my basket!"

So I guess my "Treasure" today is our inner child and it's wonderful imagination. Long may it continue to dream and imagine.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Back to Fabric and Thread

I mentioned in a post just before we began our trip about a lovely customer of mine who lives in Washington, Mary. Mary had bought "Down Reindeer Lane" and had sent me photos of the completed quilt and was going to enter the quilt in "The Covington" quilt show and guess what.....FIRST PLACE!!! I am really excited for Mary and I must say quite chuffed for my little reindeers. Apparently lots of comments about their sweet little faces. This is a photo Mary sent me with blue ribbon attached.

Mary also was successful with another quilt a gorgeous "Grandmother's Fan" and won BEST IN SHOW.
So huge big Congrats to Mary and I loved that she shared it with me. These are two photos she sent of her fan quilt.

More pretty blue ribbons....

Well I am trying hard to get back into the swing of things and slowly my house is being divested of it's dusty coat and the van is clean and packed up all ready for another adventure down the track.
I have managed to complete the last bit of the stitching on my Christmas Quilt and now fabric choosing and how to put it together are on the agenda.

So with the stitching done on this number I could finally hush up the little "mouse" in my sewing bag and she is feeling a very pleased little "Merry Mistlemouse" being again the centre of attention.

I drew this little girl on a whimsy and I have to say I am really enjoying how she is evolving and she just seemed to have a life of her own.
I also wanted to show you a little sneak peek of some secret sewing business that I have also been doing.

Wonder what it is? Where is it going? Who is it for???? Hmmmm?
Have a wonderful day everyone.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Post Script in Native Blooms

The last page in our trip dairy is just a couple of the gorgeous native blooms I snapped along the way. There was beautiful wattle all along our drive out to Alice Springs.

I had imagined the outback to be a pretty desolate place and it came as a huge surprise to me to find these patches of colour tucked away in little crevices or just defying the elements and growing right out there in the harsh sun. Some I have no clue as to what they were or their names but that didn't make them any less special to behold. This little red number was growing in Trephina Gorge and we discovered them when we got very lost.

Of course we all know Stuart's Desert Rose but I had never seen one in the flesh....so pretty  and delicate.

And then there were the daises....tiny blue ones.

and pink ones.....

There were these lovely bigger daisies called 'egg yolk' daisies...

and the yellow ones...

We came across these beautiful shrubs on our walk into Standley Chasm. No idea what they are.

The simply stunning blossoms of the gums were something to behold.

and even when they had finished blooming they left these beautiful gum nuts to admire.....

There seemed to be loads of these native violets tucked into the cooler crevices around the rocks.

I loved these fluffy delicate bushes that were every where in the Macdonell Ranges.

A Tennant Creek pretty....

A stunning red number from a 'town like Alice'.

I think one of my favourites was this little shrub and I think it is called the pin cushion bush.

So I think I would have to agree with whoever said "The Earth Smiles in Flowers" as it truly does if you take the time to stop, open your eyes and look....

Blessings Michelle xxx

At Last!!!

After 7 weeks on the road and 10,292 kms my favourite thing this Friday is this.....

I have loved every minute of our trip but I would be telling great big fibs if I said I wasn't looking forward to sleeping in my 'other' very own bed tonight.
Thanks so much to all our friends and family who have kept us company along the way and have shown genuine enthusiasm for the endless parade of holiday snaps that kept coming your way. It was so lovely of you all to be excited when we were.
Blessings Michelle xx