FNWF results

After a very enjoyable but tiring day, oohhing and aahing and wishing and dreaming at all the gorgeous escape machines at the Camping and Caravan show yesterday I was longing for a good sit down. Then I remembered all my blogging friends would be getting ready over at Cheryll's  for

As I have been busily hand quilting and sewing "Secret Squirrel" stuff I decided that working on my very old WIP crazy patch quilt would be a lovely change. I only have a couple of blocks left to embellish before the border goes on. I focused on this block. Some pretty lace and pearls and a gorgeous lace motif to start.

I wanted to embellish around the rose fabric if possible. I chose some of my beautiful hand dyed silk threads. I have had them for yonks and all I can tell you about them is that they are called Gumnut hand dyed silk threads (dyed here in Oz). They are so lovely to work with and I love the soft vintagey colours.

I seemed to get a bit carried away on this quilt with little lazy daisy flowers. They cover an area so well and I love them. Luckily my lovely friend Lorel had gifted each of us in Stitching group with some lovely handmade Chocolate from her recent trip to Tasmania. So this kept the energy from flagging. Beautiful!

I meandered with some some ribbon and French knots over one of the seams and worked Cretan stitch and French knots over the seam bordering the rose fabric.

I then embroidered Blanket stitch and French knots over another of the little seams and worked detached feather stitch down each side of the lace motif. It was now 11pm and I had promised myself and earlier night                                                                                               

I get carried away when I work on this so I had to tell myself cease and desist. Block finished!

I enjoyed working on it so much.....only one block left to embellish!!!
I hope everyone enjoyed their Friday Night stitching too. I'll be dropping by later to take a peek at what you got up too. Thank you Cheryll for being our hostess with the mostest again this month.
Have a lovely long weekend (here in Queensland)
Namaste and blessings,
Michelle xxx

Winter? Really? ...Someone's 4!

Someone said it is Winter...

I have changed over my mini quilt but although it is overcast and showery Winter seems to have forgotten us. In fact when I changed over my beautiful Diane Phalen calender I felt more in tune with it.

Still I am sure it will find us eventually!
Well it looks like everyone had a wonderful time at Chooky's 2nd Birthday. Try as I might I just couldn't get there. Not one stitch was sewn all weekend. I did attend a very special celebration though.

One of the sweetest girls I know, my dear friend Lauren became engaged to the nicest fella she knows....Laurence!

It makes my heart so joyful that these lovely people have found each other.
Mr R. and I had a lovely time sitting on the deck in the sunshine....

some little drinkies and good company. This bevy of beauties are my (old & dear) workmates...

As you can see not a cardigan in sight...winter? The food was just delicious and we were so full that all we could manage was a toastie for our dinner that night! Big congrats L&L xxx
SPECIAL BIRTHDAY ****
Today is a super special day as well as this little man,

Yes our very own little "Superman" and fisherman extraordinaire..

is turning big number 4!!!!

So UP, UP and AWAY! Big birthday hugs and kisses Cooper xxx
Have a wonderful day all,
Namaste and blessings,
Michelle xxx

Busy Pencils

Good morning to you all. It seems I am easily led astray. I often get requests for this and that and just recently (very recently) a little seed was planted in to fertile soil.....the messy and chaotic place known as my mind! Don't feel sorry for me because really it is my happy place. Tossing and turning, staring off into space and lots of doodling ensued. That is until I told myself "Just get on with! You know you want to!" Want to see?

Yep! Another little Alphabet. I thought you all may have had enough of them but apparently that is not the case. This one is for all those of you who adore Country themed stitching or live in a rural area. It was such great fun to do. So a bit more tweaking and I can get it printed out. Hope you like it as much as I loved creating it. FYI.....there is another one lurking in my mind too! My goodness! There goes the housework AGAIN!!!!
In amongst all of this I have been doing this little bit of stitchery as a gift.

Poor tree, it does look lopsided. I am sure it will look lush when it is done.
I have a busy weekend coming up with lots of popping in and out of home but I am definitely going to be helping Chooky celebrate....

Virtually of course. I am going to be working on more handquilting....

I may also play with a new journal I bought. Thanks to my lovely friend Janeen I seemed to have got absolutely besotted by something called ART JOURNALS.....have you heard of them and do any of you clever folk out there play with them too........just love them!!!!

Ok I must fly as I have a special visitor popping in for a cuppa. My dear bestie Ann..

Enjoy your weekend

Namaste and Blessings

Michelle xxx

P.S. Lately I have had quite a few lovely comments from people who are coming up as Non-reply bloggers, just wanted to let you know that if I have not responded to your comment this is why. I do appreciate every single one....so thank you xx

Sweet Mail

Yesterday I received some lovely mail from our gorgeous "Swap Mama" Cheryll. As most of you know things have been a bit fraught with worry around this little homestead of late. I have really appreciated all the love and support I have received from my friends both bloggers and non bloggers. I was so touched to receive this feel better little package from Cheryll. Inside was the sweetest Nancy Halvorsen panel. I have always been a "Nancy" fan.

Some close ups...

Aren't they pretty. I just love them. A garden does make you happy.
So thank you my beautiful friend from the bottom of my heart xxx
Stitching lately has consisted of lots of hand quilting....still going! I am at the moment stitching the binding down on the spotty number I showed a sneaky of last week..

 Bit blurry (sorry folks) Sometimes I have to speak to my photographer for lack of concentration!
In between quilting I have been working away making wee hexie flowers and they are growing.

Still quite a few to go but progress continues :) Yay!
That's it from my little corner of the world.
One last little comment on friends....
Thank you Miss Helen for a beautiful Yoga session and catchup.... it was just what was needed.

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Nana Post!

Good Morning and Happy Monday. I am warning you that this post is a very heavy Nana post and I will understand if you zip on by.
As I said last post my weekend was going to involve cake. My Daughter gave a little Teaparty for Erin's 1st Birthday and she did a beautiful job. It was a Moo cow and pink themed little party as Erin's favourite toy is a stuffed cow. Everything looked so pretty.

And the cake, a gift from a loving friend was sooo very cute! There was also the yummiest cupcakes another gift from a friend.....themed of course!

So a girl has to blow at her candles...

and then a taste test...just to see if it is ok for the guests.

Yep! Passed muster!
Lots of lovely presents to open too....

But I also thought pulling Grampy's beard was good fun!

Nana messed my hair and crumpled my dress in this photo.....Sorry!

It was lovely to have this little celebration and we throughly enjoyed it....great fun.
I wanted to share with you the gorgeous card my friend Ann made that I gave to Erin....

She is so clever and we all love what has become known now as an "Ann" card. Charlotte received and "Ann" card as well.
For both my beautiful Granddaughters as a little Nana memento of their 1st Birthdays I did a little drawing for them and popped it into a frame. Erin's....

of course there had to be bears and this is Charlotte's...

Are you still with me? Thank you and bravo for hanging in there! I have no sewing to show you as the rest of the weekend was taken up with wrestling with new technology and a new car.....scary stuff!
Enjoy your day,
Namaste and blessings,
Michelle xxx

May is a Special Month

May has always been a special month for birthdays in our family. Today is very special as our youngest granddaughter Erin celebrates her first big birthday. What a year it has been....

She is such a big girl now....

Sending you big hugs and lots of love and kisses ((((0)))) and wishing you a much easier path ahead x

Although I have been doing lots of stitching and quilting I only have a snippet to share...a little bit of hand quilting..

Ok that's it from me. I would like to leave you with a beautiful image from the Crystal Castle on Facebook.

Have a lovely weekend everyone....mine involves cake!!!
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

A LITTLE FREEBIE

Hello all. I had all intentions of offering a little Easter Freebie to you but with all the unfortunate stress in our family around that time it came and went. So sorry about that. As I have been in a very "beary" state of mind of late and the weather is getting cooler I thought I would draw you all a little stitching furry friend to stitch to keep you warm.

You can tell by her face she is a very serious stitcher! Tee Hee...Anyway I hope you can use her. Just click on her piccie under my sketchpad and print her out. Mr R. assures me it is working.
I know it is not very fashionable to love bears but I have never been a follower of the latest trends and I adore them. Particularly the gorgeous handmade very serious types. Plus they make the best models for drawing and are so well behaved.
On the sewing front I am still working away on my upcoming projects but am making good progress....

Just working on a bit of needleturn at present......I love needleturn applique! But you know that already. I have told you enough times and you are so polite. With all the stitching going on at the moment around here and sewing stuff everywhere this sign is my new mantra...

Well I am off to applique some more, enjoy your afternoon.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx