LGS Brisbane 2015

Wow! What a weekend. Let's get Stitched 2015 was held in my home town this year. Ladies came from all over Australia and one even crossed the Tasman from New Zealand to be with us. This is our group photo yesterday afternoon....talk about 4 days of savage enjoyment! WARNING!!!! MANY photos!

We began the proceedings with a meet and greet and a name badge swap for the Friday bus trip.
Our lovely hostesses...Joy Coey, Fiona Ransley, Dawn Hay and Vicki Tucek.

 I just love mine...made by the lovely Christine (no blog). Looks a little like it might suit me doesn't it!

I made mine for our NZ guest who just happens to be Michell (no E) too.

and you may know that person photobombing us in the back...there is always one in a crowd LOL!
Fun on the bus.....must be the thought of all that fabric waiting to be mine! We visited Bayside Stitch and Craft, Linen and Lace, Nikki Tervo's Brandy Gully, Faieries in My Garden and Quilters and Embroiders Store.

I didn't need a thing so I was very restrained NOT! Why did everything have to be on sale???? My resolve was good until then. I even have little gifties I cannot show you...Oh ah!

Dear friend Shez had the same issues as myself. LOL!

The beautiful Linen and Lace at Cleveland was on our journey and I lined up with some lovely ladies for a photo outside. Sue, De, Marilyn, yours truly and Vicki.                                                                                                                                                    

Friday night was Pizza and games night but unfortunately I am sworn to secrecy about the goings on!
Saturday was a free day so I played Brissy hostess to this bevy of beauties, beside our beautiful Brisbane River...boy that's a lot of "B's"

I am sure you will recognise our very own Cheryll (swap Mama and my lovely roomie...oh what fun we had), Shez and Sue Belleli from Quilted Hugs.
We headed down by the bay at Cleveland again after hitting a local quilting outlet near where I live...my goodness! Let's just say their stock is considerable lower now!
Saturday night saw us having dinner at the Morrison Hotel and cake as LGS is now 5 years old. However  when we all discovered what was actually on the wall paper hilarity ensued and poor Joy was mortified...

 Gave us lots to talk about anyway I can tell you and just quietly some just couldn't stay away. LOL!
Sunday was our big stitching day and each of us received of these.

I shall share the goodies and all about them next post.
Lots of photo opportunities with friends (sadly several of mine that I gave my camera to others didn't come out :( but these ones did. Such fun!

Cheryll- Gone Stitchin', Fiona- BubzRugz, Shez - Enjoying Life, Sue - Quilted Hugs.

Cheryll, Jeanette - Nette's Place, Moi, Shez and Sue. I have been wanting to meet Jeanette for soooo long!
Teresa from All Things Vintage and myself. Teresa was one of our surprise designers....but you will have to wait so I can show you properly.

Well if you have hung in there with me...thank you!
I will tell you all about our designers and goodie bags next post.
This little stitcher is very tired and as I have actually awoken this morning with a cold and feeling a bit blah! I am taking it easy.
Thank you to all the wonderful women who made it such a fantastic experience and safe travels home.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Stitching, Sorting and Packing!

I would have to be the worst at packing and organising myself to go anywhere. I pack to much....not the right things....aaarrrghh! I either had a maid OR was a maid in a previous a life! Well at tleast the suitcase is out!

and some of the stitching things are sorted..

You see I am very excited as I am joining a host of lovely ladies coming from all over Australia for 4 and a half lovely days for a "Stitchy" get together which is being held in the old home town of Brisbane! Cannot wait to hug old friends and meet new ones too....oh and did I mention there is a spot of stitching! So just  warning you now There will probably be a long post when I return as I don't do the I-phone or I-pad thingy. Stitching wise I am still stitching  birds, berries and blooms....

there have been a couple of bits that I don't think I planned very well but all in all it's looking ok.

Poor old "E" has only had a couple of stitches worked on it.

 I have a little sneaky to show you though of a giftie for later in the year....it's a secret! Just a few more stitches and it will be complete....

Ok I  must away and see if I can get my head around this packing caper (I don't even have to go far lol)

Enjoy your day,
Namaste and Blessings
Michelle xxx

Bits and Bobs and Show and Tell

Good morning all. I hope you are enjoying your weekend. We are having a quiet weekend and I have been very diligent and working on my French Garden Dredsen Plate quilt. I am trying so hard not to get distracted and have so far appliqued all my birdies in place and after deciding they would need some sustenance in this garden I have been madly appliquing little berries for them..

It is a bit tricky when you are doing the creating and have no one to ask or a pattern to follow (or someone to blame lol) but I think it is going to work our ok. Anyway I never could colour inside the lines!

Speaking of colouring. I loved the thought of just a pop of colour in a graphite drawing I was doing. I have loved it when I have seen it in black and white photos where they have a little something in colour.....maybe it will work in my drawing too!  So with beautiful little Marigold as my model I set to having a good old play with my new coloured pencils and ooohh they were just gorgeous! I think Marigold is quite pleased with what we achieved.

 She is going to be a gift for a friend.
I have lots of  show and tell from stitching group last week. Last year the girls had a little stitch-a-long and stitched my "C" is for "Christmas" pattern.
Mary finished hers and it is just beautiful...love it!

Robyn P. was very chuffed to have the binding on a very old UFO.....just how old? A secret! What's shared at group stays at group...no spilling the beans here Rob! *wink*

This year as you know the girls are stitching my "Country at Heart" Alphabet for their stitch-a-long and progress is being made.
Robyn P. has made a great start on "A"

Jan is up to "B" with "A & C" all stitched up...a girl after my own heart. Who says you have to stitch them in order...not me!

Monica is chasing me and is up to "E"  lol! Monica does the most beautiful teeny tiny stitches.

So is my other friend Lorel from my daytime friends group...motoring along I mean with her blocks. I will get some piccies of hers next time. Great work girls! Love all these girls, they are so much fun. Diane opted for stitching my Baby Alphabet as she has a need to so piccies there later too. Looking very nice.
Sandra from my Wednesday day group has made a beautiful quilt from a panel for her niece her married recently in Hawaii. Sandra is beautifully hand quilting it and the backing was bought in Hawaii while she was there for the nuptials.

Isn't it gorgeous!
Well I think I have caught you all up with my doings and show and tell. Thanks everyone for letting me share your work xx

Remember to put some "heart" in your day.
Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

A New Little Set of Patterns

You will remember I mentioned I had been hard at it with my pen and pencils...

I have for ages wanted to design a little set of minis that you could say pop in a stitching friends birthday card..

So I did! They are called "Pocket Minis"

There are a series of 6 little stitchery patterns, sold individually -
1. A Frosty one
2. A Stitching one
3. A Country one
4. Lavender
5. Christmas No.1
6. Christmas No.2
You end up with the cover drawing to stitch, 2 on the inside and a little wee one on the back. Well you know I can't waste a spot to pop a drawing.

And they do individually fit inside a regular size card and envelope. Each little pattern costs $6.00AUD plus postage if you live overseas. Payment is through Paypal. Just email me to order them.
I think they are extremely cute and hope you do to!

Before I go, as I won't be posting for a couple of days I wanted to take this opportunity to send my most beautiful best friend Ann all the love and healing I can muster for some upcoming surgery on Thursday...if you believe, we would appreciate your thoughts, prayers and Reiki too!

Namaste and Blessings,
Michelle xxx

"D" is Done!

"D" is for Dolly, Duckling, Daisies...oh and DONE!

"E" is begun!
A friend gave me some pieces from the Lillies in her garden and they have all struggled with the humidity and heat over our summer so I was very surprised to see this...

The hard bit was waiting to see what she looked like....worth the wait!

Isn't she pretty! I am really glad too that at least one of them has not held it against me that I am no green thumb! LOL! I hope the others take her lead now.
Enjoy your day,
Nmaste and Blessings
Michelle xxx

Jumping in Puddles and FNSI

After the effects of Tropical Cyclone Marcia we had quite a few big puddles around our garden.

We were left thankfully unscathed and my heart goes out to my northern neighbours around Rockhampton and Yeppoon that suffered damage and loss. Apart from watching and releasing water from the pool often..

All was well. So there was nothing for it but to stitch and do a little designing too.

I shall tell you more about that in the next couple of days.
I joined lots of lovely bloggers on Friday night over at Wendy's for

You can pop over if you like and see what everyone got up too. I was really resisting the temptation to play with my "Rememering Roma" blocks but I was feeling very guilty about neglecting the borders on my French General Dresdens....so I was very pleased with myself in that I cut and pinned all the bias stems around the remaining 3 borders...

I then stitched and stitched (which I really enjoyed btw...very relaxing)

and got it all on bar one border which I finished Saturday. So I am now doing the extra fun bit of deciding where my little birdies will go and appliquing them in place....love this spotty one!

I hope all my other Friday nighters enjoyed their stitching too.
Mr R. and I agreed if the rain had ceased this morning we would go up in to the bush for a walk, mainly to see the creek flowing as it had been a bit sad and dry. It was lovely hearing the water rushing by over the rocks and down the gullies and the Magpies warbling away. I took my camera which I usually forget to do. So here are a few piccies from our walk.

All the ferns were looking green and lush as the water wound it's way through them and over the rocks.

Look at these huge mushrooms that have popped up.

It all made for a very enjoyable walk although yours truly is going to be feeling the rock clambering a bit later on I think.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
Namaste and Blessings
Michelle xxx