Repro 9 patch

The reproduction 9patch top from the swap organized by Christine last year is together...don't dare comment that it is not yet quilted! I really love the richness of the chocolate sashings...nice to do something in a darker palette. Even my boys like it!

More inspirational reading...I love the Persian Pickle girls...a great read, and the Quilt that walked to Golden is fascinating stuff...amazing women in hard times. A really interesting book.
I have just been away with work for a two day conference...shame I couldn't stitch as some items were a tad dry...why do presenters just read from their powerpoints????..stats are pretty dull when read in monotone!

Cardygirl xx

More inspiration...

It goes on...so many things to inspire...

a stitchery kit that someone else discarded...it reminded me of my first fumbling attempts with a cranky sewing teacher & ugly aqua blue headcloth! I was quite damaged by that unpleasant teacher...rulers over the knuckles & no thought of innovating. I had a sweet sewing box shaped like a house & I loved to fiddle with threads & buttons...pretty colours & textures. I didn't sew for years, then dabbled in cross stitch on those long months of night shift...helped to keep me awake!

A bag from Cath Kidston...I could surround myself with her wares...

more books...

the makings of a quilt...

Are you feeling inspired too?

Cardygirl xx

What inspires me?

Inspiration is an elusive creature...we spend hours working away...inspired. But when we lose that momentum, we feel lost & empty. We want to create, but we just don't seem to be able to put that thought into action. I have felt this roller coaster most of this year if I am to be honest. Dad's death, huge work commitments of trying to balance too many jobs, DH's work demands, son off to uni, daughter returning home & starting her working life..you know how it goes...our lives are all crammed full of so many demands! Trying to do too much really! Lynda spoke to me of needing purpose to finish a UFO...wise words...as deadlines do add structure...a wedding, a birthday...a new baby. I ventured out into blog land...new places...fresh ideas...and began to find that inspiration again. Beautiful women sharing their creativity & their lives...thankyou! All of my old "friends" lifted my spirit and I found some new inspiration...look at Lori, Karen and Geoffs mum. So what inspires me?

Colourful fabrics piled on a shelf...

Anni's fun stitchery address book...French General fabrics...I ADORE red!!!!...

Kaffe Fassett circles from Jackie...

books...

a daughter's stitcheries...I have spent time tidying my creative space, and found that not only were the fabrics being tidied, but the cobwebs were blowing away from my mind too...early days but I feel refreshed...and I am enjoying my cross stitch! sorry if this was all a bit wordy...there is more inspiration to come! What inspires you?

Cardygirl xx

Will winter ever come?

So that I can wear my scarf? I love scarves & have oodles of them, and find it hard to resist when I see another cute one! I have summer ones & snuggly ones...every colour of the rainbow! When we were at Nundle I bought this kit of Anni Downs...super snuggly flannel with felted wool applique. I just need to make the bauble edging & I am right to go...if the daytime temp ever falls below 30 deg!!!

Yesterday the mail arrived with a gift from my "sister", Bronwyn. Neither of us have a sister, so we have adopted each other...it is great to have a sister after all these years. She had made me this beautiful scarf out of a silk yarn...I am dying to wear it!

Here is a pic of the rainbows from my back garden a couple of days ago...pretty!

Cardygirl xx

Delicious applique

I know I posted about this applique medallion for my Sue Ross MO BOM a couple of months ago, but a couple of recent entries in blog-land have made me want to share again! Pop over & visit the lovely Cathy who is doing this block in two color ways, and also look at how Meg became truly inspired and changed hers...really lovely!

I love mine...please no comments on the pins holding the yoyos in place LOL! Mum had given me some vintage ricrac which seems to be "right"for so many things...and I added the yoyos for something different...what do you think of all of these delicious appliques?

Cardygirl xx

The Great Nothingness!

As evidenced by my lack of posts lately, I have been swallowed by the great nothingness! No interest in anything stitchy, a complete blah really! And it wasn't helped by waking this morning with an eye like a puffball!  GREAT! Now I look like an "ork" according to my loving children...probably just allergies...soooo attractive!Oh well, that happens...I try & try to pull myself out, look admiringly at what you are all doing...try to get up a flicker of excitement &....poof... it blows out! Usual reasons (we have them all!!!)...too much paid employment... too little rest time...too much happening really to justify fiddling in the sewing room.

 Great excitement....

from getting a new ironing board cover...pretty huh?

I have gone back to my beginnings...cross stitch...hours spent on night shift many years ago resulted in an ongoing devotion...easy to do of an evening...love the overdyed threads & antiqued linen. Blackbird Designs are always stunning. Might get me motivated again!

Cardygirl xx

Catching up!

The Easter break was very handy! I was able to spend some time catching up with my BOM from Material Obsession. I love it...though it has proved challenging at times. The fabrics are great...I love the traditional blocks done in modern fresh fabrics.I don't think the photos do justice to how beautiful the colours really are. Just fun really!

Prickly Pear...

Queen of the May (just need to applique it to the background)...

Arrowhead.

Looking forward to the next one!

Cardygirl xx

Easter greetings!

Happy Easter from my house to yours!

Goodie bags for Mum & children...

I need to go chocolate free...so DD gave me this gorgeous egg...

and DH sent me beautiful flowers!

One lucky girl...and I am ploughing through that stitching too!

Cardygirl xx

A good few days....

Lovely to have a few days off work & some peaceful family time.

Both DD & I had to work in Newcastle for the day on Wednesday, so we picked up my mum & brought her home with us for Easter. DS headed home from uni, so we have a fairly busy house for a few days!

It is nice having quiet time off work to just catch up with each other.

Also lovely to catch up with some stitching...

A Leanne Beasley sewing bag, I added the applique behind the embroidery to add more interest...

some pretty fabric to make a birthday cake mat ( love the combo of fabric & threads)...

and a pretty garden pic.

Hope you are all having a safe & peaceful Easter!

Cardygirl xx