Stumped and Procrastinating

 Hello friends. Thank you all for your lovely comments in my last post. Some folks I could not respond to in person...but thank you.

Now I have been very diligent with my Caswell blocks and have completed Block 4.

Block 5 is now underway. My procrastination? Well!

We received the first table prompt of our Still Life for Roxy's Journal of Stitchery Vol 7 which is Vase of Flowers. Now I am a little flummoxed by this....not the prompt itself but how I wanted to proceed. I stitched my background to resemble tongue and groove timber for the wall and I have a piece of an old quilt that I wanted to use for my vase. I was going for a Vintage and faded look.

I then had the dilemma because the other side of the quilt piece was pretty too.....hmmm!

I decided on the patterned side because I liked the edge of pink binding at the top.

OK next was a pretty vintage doiley for under the vase.....

And then came my next dilemma. Yes there's a few! My beautiful friend Gaye who is no longer with us, gifted me from her brother's antique shop in Baltimore,  USA a gorgeous piece of fabric that is hand embroidered. I really wanted to use elements from it.

You can see from the reverse side that it is definitely hand embroidered. 

I assembled all my elements on my background and now have no clue how to stitch it all down. I am a needleturner and can't quite get my head around it except that I really WANT to use Gayes piece * sigh

So a whole lot of walking past it and sighing is happening at present! Frustrating!

Speaking of frustration....when you lose your person you get to deal with small annoying things that they used to deal with.....recent annoyance.....my old coffee table had the wobbly boot on. I was so sick of it wobbling that I surprised it and me by flinging it on its back to examine it's underneath regions.....turns out the joints on one leg had come out of its hole....actually several holes. 

Now I am not handy AT all. But I was determined. 

Soooooo I glued and hammered and swore it back into place!

She is now standing back on 4 solid legs...not a wobble in sight and we are both happy!

I have treated myself recently....a lovely new book....Christmas money from the FIL.

And I took myself on a date to the movies to see this one. Set in the early years of Bob Dylan....the cast...simply amazing as all music was filmed live. So many favourites to enjoy.

It was wonderful and so interesting. Music and motorbikes was something Hubby and I loved as gorgeous young things so bought back lots of lovely memories watching Dylan on his lovely bike. He would have loved it and also been so interested. These are the things you miss...talking about things you've enjoyed.

Over the weekend the wind was so strong that it blew one of my tree dwelling orchids on to the ground. So I harvested the flowers to enjoy whilst the plant recovered.....so pretty!

Last but not least, my beautiful young women started high school this week....astonishing!

Both had great days which was lovely. 

Well I guess I shall go back to pondering this vase of flowers once more and then get myself to bed. I have the Termite man coming at "stupid o'clock" in the morning for our annual check up.

Take care all.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

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