A Very Long Month

 Hello friends. To say this past month has been the most difficult in my life would be an understatement! Its been like being tied to a crazy roller-coaster with no way off!

My husband has a rare form of cancer which is difficult to treat. He decided he wanted to at least try. So we started down that path. A very bad infection then almost took his life 3 weeks ago. We were told to expect the worst. Horrible horrible news to contemplate let alone except.

To all our amazement he pulled through and has been able to come home in a palliative care arrangement. So as you can imagine a huge adjustment for us. But despite the challenges I am so grateful to have him home.

So it's just a day at a time now. Thank you to all who have sent such loving supportive messages. I could not have navigated my way through this without my beautiful family and close friends......as they say...."when the jar is shaken the cream rises to the top"

I have also never been so glad to be a needlewoman. My needle and thread have bought me comfort and kept me company through many a long hospital vigil.

Each week I looked forward to thinking about the #52tagchallenge instead of hospital rooms. So far I have managed to keep up.....tags 10, 11 and 12.

Having already prepped some blocks for Where You Love Is Home quilt, I worked on those as well.

When these were done the hexie borders from Heartstrings accompanied me!

So I am hoping to use my sewing as some down time for me and post my progress on my blog when time permits. Keeping it as cheerful a place as I can.

I hope you are all well and that my Aussie friends are not too waterlogged!

Until next time , 

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

 Hello friends. I debated whether to share my current situation but I have been lucky enough to be apart of the blogging community for so many years, I decided that I wanted you to know why I shan't be posting much in the near future.

My husband has become unwell and has a lot of treatments ahead of him. That also means lots of hospital visits and Drs appointments as well. 

We are still trying to get our heads around it all as you can imagine.

Stitching quietly when I can is keeping me calm and I think perhaps quite a bit will be done waiting about. 

Take care everyone,  I shall pop in when I feel able to share what I have been sewing along the way.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

The Old and The New

 Hello out there. Life has been keeping me from getting to my blog of late but finally here I am. 

In the "old" department I have been chipping away at my Postcards and have 2 more completed and as you can see the pile is slowly  growing! I have been trying to get at least a few stitches in every day. I have a friend who needs to keep on task with a project also so we have made a pact for our sewing days.

Making me feel really OLD is this chap....

Who now looks like this!

I now have a teenage Grandson!

That seemed to have happened very quickly lol!

The "new".....

I am having a little SAL with my friend Fiona and my DIL who is learning to stitch.

When we all have our patterns we will be sewing this.....

Lots of needleturn, stitchery and some piecing.......love it! Fabrics next!

The other "new" is a challenge on Instagram called #52tagchallenge by a lady called Anne Brooks.  The idea is you make a little piece of textile from a prompt Anne gives you each week.....interpretate your way and attach it to a tag!

I thought it was perfect to use up lots of bits of lace and little treasures and another use for my die cutter. I had ordered a tag die before I came across this! And I love the freedom of stitching what I feel like.

Here are my first 6 tags....

1. WHITE

2. HEART

3. SCRAPPY

4. FLY STITCH

5. KISSES (mine are butterfly kisses)

6. A BEVY OF BUTTONS

Anne suggests that you put a little saying or some thoughts on the back if you like.....so I have enjoyed that part of the process as well!

It's nice to have a reason to play with all this!

I may even do a stitch book that Anne mentions. My own version.....use up some of those small bits of wadding I can't seem to throw away! I love embroidery but it seems to have faded into the background. Hopefully these projects will keep my skills up.

I  hope you are all well and having a good week.

Take care.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

An Extra Long Weekend

 Here in Australia we had an extra long weekend to celebrate Australia Day.  Aussie morning tea was the go.....lamingtons and our Aussie mugs.

It was the perfect time for some slow, quiet, reflective walks in the bush.....giving thanks for the land  where I live. 

And some concentration time to finish drawing up and personalising my Roadtrip Postcards.  Now I have it in my sights to get it finished.

That done I got back to the job of stitching them.......3 more to add to the pile!

There have been some pops  of colour in the 'garden of neglect' of late.

I am so thrilled to have gone from 2 flowers to a whole bract of flowers on my white Plumeria.....this is a special plant that links some lovely friends and I together. 

Close by several Croton bushes are showing off their summer colour and incredible markings.....I wish you could see how vibrant the orange really is! Almost fluorescent! 

They are often overlooked believe it or not and taken for granted but when you really take notice they are really quite extraordinary!  I love them!

Not really a pop of colour but pleasing just the same.....our lighting struck grevillea is still putting out new growth! 

And last but not least....these little orchids brighten up a dull spot.

I hope you are finding some joy in your week, wherever you are.

Big shout out to all the wonderful teachers heading back to the classroom today....you are all awesome!

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

A New Hobby.......Really?

 Yes I am afraid so! No laughing! I have resisted for years AND years but before Christmas I caved spectacularly and bought myself a die-cutting machine for card making! I did some research....thanks Ann and Sandi......a wonderful special sealed my fate!

I  love handmade cards and every so often will make a hand drawn one. So I thought if not now.....when? I am taking it slow and my efforts are very simple but I have been enjoying playing with it all.....

Hopefully I shall improve the more I make and the more I harass clever friends for hints and tips........fingers crossed! 

My two Grandsons love sharks....know all about them and find them endlessly fascinating, so I thought I would try my hand at a birthday card for the eldest coming up soon......he's going to be a teenager so he will enjoy the play on words!

I have been very lax in getting my UFO CHALLENGE sorted for Sunday Stitchers. I am not terribly good at lists or actually sticking to them so I don't!  I decided that I would instead endeavour to get my Postcards SAL completed this year! I am afraid I found the stitching of the outline of the Postcards themselves very tedious after a while....

I have done quite a few of the 40 stitcheries and have about 14 to go. The ones above are sewn into blocks but because I am a bit anal and wanted our earlier journeys first in the quilt, not many are sewn together! 

My first renewed effort is this one ready for the pile. I am hoping tedium doesn't set in again to soon!

Wish me luck!

I have had a lot of dashing here and there of late so I was too tired to concentrate on much in the evenings and sewing together my hexies for a border on Heartstrings was just perfect.....all done and waiting now! Its hard to photograph rows of hexies lol!

We are once again under lighter restrictions here and I took the opportunity to spend some Christmas vouchers for Spotlight. They were having a sale so my money went further.......nothing exciting but lots of wonderful basics stocked up on and a few treats for the new hobby!

On my way home I spied some pink carnations which actually had a perfume!

They instantly transport me back to my Grandmother's garden.......she always had several varieties of pink and were often on her dining room table. It always intrigues me......often whenever I am feeling a bit harried or blue......a small bunch of pink carnations will be in my path!

Do you have something that instantly speaks to your heart and memories?

I cannot believe we are here at Friday again already but there you go.

I wish you all a weekend that includes things you enjoy.

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx 

FNSI JANUARY

 

WENDY from Sugarlane Quilts gathered us together online for our first Friday of the year. I started early as I was working on my last Heartstrings stitchery and wanted them completed.

So my last little pile, ready for their sashings to go on.........

I finished the evening preparing all 68 hexagons for the next border. Pretty pleased about my efforts for the night!

Thanks WENDY for hosting us.

I received some lovely mail yesterday also. A pretty handmade card from my friend,  Raewyn across "the Ditch" in New Zealand. It's obviously been on a little journey by the date lol! What we called a "Cooks Tour"......seeing all the highlights rather than taking the direct route.

Its a beautiful card and I shall be leaving it out so I can enjoy it for awhile.

Happy weekend folks. 

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx

It's The Little Things

 My walk this morning was so pleasant. In fact almost an Aussie cliche. The beautiful fragrance from the mature Frangapani tree I pass by each morning in the air was so devine.

 A little sprinkle of rain along the way made all those cool smells and colours in the bush that much stronger. Raindrops on the ferns......magical! Two  Magpies and a Butcher bird were trying to outdo each other in an early morning seranade sing off either side of the path along which I walk. Overseas friends google Butcherbird song if you have never heard it......beautiful!

I even had a King Parrot flash across in front of me and land in a tree close by so I could admire its striking plumage.

(Photo courtesy of the internet) So I  was very happy that I talked myself out of my bed this morning for a walk! And believe me I have this conversation with myself every morning lol! We night owls don't like leaving our beds early!

We are still binge watching our Swedish crime show and I thought a little work on my Applecores would take less concentration.....so I could keep up with the subtitles . I needed to cut and baste some more as my choice was becoming limited for the next row.

They are such slow going when stitching them together but I love how they look. So I am perservering with them.

You will have to excuse this not so good photo I attempted to show you my progress. Its very hard to get it all in....

I have managed to complete the bottom row and begin another.  But my hands need a rest now from the awkwardness of stitching these.

Work on Heartstrings has yielded one and a bit stitcheries.....not too many more to go.

Well I must away. The kettle is singing and I am looking forward to that first cuppa of the day with my breakfast. 

Take care and I hope you can find something in your day to make you smile. 

Namaste and Blessings Michelle xxx