Hello 2025

 Happy New Year friends. It's ages since I have written a post. Truth be told I really struggled at the end of the year with the approach of the festive season. It is so hard to have your 'person' not there. But family bolstered me and I had a really lovely Christmas at my Son and Daughter in laws home with my loved ones. I do hope you celebrated in a way that brought you joy too.

We had lots of delicious food and a good old game of Aussie backyard cricket...we even had our very own four legged pitch streaker lol!

Nana even made a run much to the surprise of the younger generation....such great fun.

I cannot believe how short they make me feel now!

So after a really lovely time....I started 2025 with this.....

And folks it knocked the stuffing out of me! I really was unwell. You could say I fell in one big miserable heap! It wasn't pretty! Thankfully now I am much improved and not dangerous lol although I could still compete with a Drovers Dog with my barking!

My creative mojo just took a hike! I had completed my #Roxy's Journal of Stitchery Vol 6 before I became ill and I have to say that I am pleased with how it turned out.

It turned out to be bigger than I expected. I took it to Sunday Stitchers yesterday for show and tell and we unravelled it....so you can see how long it actually is! Lots and lots of stitching!

I loved every minute of this project. The new challenge is a Still Life piece which has my brain ticking over....watch this space.

Friend Fiona encouraged me to get back to Caswell sewing so I took that yesterday to work on and made sure I have photographic evidence of said work lol!

I also have all the bits stitched down on my Treasures quilt and I am ready to embellish it.....it's quite relaxing when I feel unmotivated. 

I have been out and about today and decided I needed a new plant for my kitchen as the usual victim now lives in the bathroom. 

Dear Daughter and I went to a Sip and Paint evening at DDs besties home...the gorgeous Dani...who is hosting these and other art classes....we did plant pots...great fun!

So.....new victim!

Fingers crossed for it folks!

I forgot to say at the beginning that before Christmas I had a lovely surprise catchup with my friend Fiona....coffee, lunch and chatting.

And I was very spoilt as well.....such a sweet little project bag....already in use and you know me....never met a chocolate that I couldn't befriend!

The weather here has been hot and humid and then rainy and repeat so I was surprised to see my little Dendrobiums send out flower spikes....always a delight.

I am sharing 2 little collages of my sewing and art efforts from last year for my own record.

And my favourite people....

OK lovely folks that is where I am up to in life. Hope you are all well and sending healing thoughts to all my L.A. friends xxx

Until next time.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

Summertime

 Hello there....Summer is here and the word Summertime always makes me want to hum the old song of the same name.....here the Jacarandas have draped our city in a veil of purple.

October is now a very difficult, sad time for me. I try to involve myself in the good things in life but I am afraid this time of year brings me undone. So I gave into it and I just took the time to be quiet, reflect, spend time with my children, close friends and engage in quiet pursuits. There is no way through it...just around it the best you can.

I have read lots of my favourite easy read authors....nothing comforts like a book and a cuppa in your favourite chair.

I have continued on with my slow stitched Treasures quilt.....adding touches of embroidery. 

The painted rose at the top is the work of Linda Crew, my friend who owns the wonderful Dew Drop In quilt shop in Hervey Bay here in Queensland. Linda taught my Mother to China paint many years before she had her lovely shop and I found several pieces Linda had painted on fabric amongst my Mum's things...I will be adding the others later as well. Very talented lady!

I am up to date with my Roxy's Journal of Stitchery Vol 6. I used the designs from my Trish Burr gorgeous embroidery book for the Owl and mushrooms. I really enjoyed the embroidery for this prompt. 

Thank goodness there are only 3 prompts left as my accordion piece is getting quite chubby! I might need to rethink my ties.

I have just loved this project! 

Just sharing again my Where We Love is Home quilt all bound now. This photo was taken at Sunday Stitchers. 

Loved stitching this quilt. I have 2 quilts ready to bind but haven't gotten to them yet.

My DD and I decided to cheer ourselves up with a live show at The Powerhouse situated on the banks of our Brisbane River.

The show was a Drag Show parody of Aussie icons Kath and Kim....overseas friends probably won't of heard of them but Aussie friends will know them well.

It was hilarious and my tummy was literally aching from laughing. We then had the opportunity to have a photo with the cast...they were soooo tall lol! And just so lovely to chat to.

Such a fun afternoon!

I also had a looong cuppa with my yoga sister Helen earlier in the week...no photo...to much talking. We have been friends for 20+ years and shared so much. Both on and off the mat. Helen gifted me a lovely phone and wallet pouch she'd made for my Wanders.

Pretty batiks.....love it!

Art wise...I had lost my mojo a bit but a little Rufous Fantail on her nest seems to have revived it. So the beginnings....looking forward to working on the clever nest.

So I think that's me caught up.....

I saw this quote and loved it so....something to ponder. 

Take care, 

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

What happened to September?

 Hello blogging friends. I cannot believe that I missed posting in September! So best catch you up on my doings. School holidays happened and as my Daughter is a teacher I enjoy a little jaunt with her. We decided to hit the op shops and had a delicious lunch after at the Camp Hill Antique Centre. They have a Cafe called the Tart Cafe. It's a very quirky place. We got a little silly...

Lunch was delicious and couldn't resist an old fashioned milk shake each.

Some treasures followed me home.

I met DD's family for sushi and ate tooo much! But we always have fun. 

Couldn't put this book down.....love this author but this tale really got me in.

Finished the binding on Where We Love is Home. Do you ever be clever and precut your binding and put it away safely and then use it for another project....so yes not the binding I intended lol! You may know lovely blogger Julie from My Threadbare Life. Well Julie gifted me a sweet little doiley featuring a cute house and I knew straight away that it had to be the label for this quilt.

This quilt means a lot because many of the blocks I stitched by my husbands side as he underwent cancer treatment. I love the sentiment of Where We Love IS Home!

I have started a new project. You know the rule...one finished....another begun *wink!

I have been mulling over a lap quilt size of slow stitching for ages, hoping to showcase some of the vintage linens I can't bear to hack up. I really must be crazy because I have dived in.

This is the first of four large blocks. 

All the pieces have been stitched down. I am a bit of a neat freak and not really a fan of the super rough look, so they have been appliqued in place. But that's just me.

The fun bit is now happening with embroidery and embellishing. I suspect that I shall be at it for a while!

I seem to have acquired a little obsession with this type of stitching. I find it incredibly relaxing and engaging deciding what I want where.

I have also completed the latest #roxysjournalofstitcheryvol6 prompt which was Lazy Summer Day.

I immediately thought of shady leaves and my sketch book and watching birds.

I thread painted a little panel of a Paleheaded Rosella....a favourite feathered friend. The panel is part of a larger one gifted by friend Shez xx

I embroidered some orange Bougainvillea and some Frangapani flowers. Added a strawberry panel....my favourite summer breakfast fruit. I then went completely mad and made a little fabric art set to pop in a little pocket!

Crazy I know!

A little peek in my real paper sketchbook. I wasn't happy with my Fungi and Leaf Litter subject that was part of a challenge I did so I reworked it a little....more satisfied now.

The garden is still giving me some Spring joy.

The Clivia is in bloom. Lots more flowers have opened up so a glorious splash of orange.

And definitely bragging about my gorgeous Orchid this year....

Well that's me caught up. I do thank you for reading until the end.

I have been blessed to have a dear friend or two who have continually supported me through lots of ugly bits and I found this quote said quite elegantly what a friend is.

Take care folks.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx