Just add some icing...

...to that cake! Why not just add one more thing into a life that seems super busy?  This year was going to be just a tad more organised after last year's mad whirl. I started well with plans to not commit to too much...

...finish off some cross stitch- this is where I ran out of thread! SOS call to The Crewel Gobelin!

And get these rapidly aging eyes working on this sweet little pineapple cross stitch...salvaged after it's recent horror trip from the US. The pattern was water damaged but useable and you can see the staining on the top of the linen...it will be out of the completed stitching area so I thought I could live with it. It is so tiny working in one strand over 1 thread and with a significant birthday almost here I am finding it a challenge to say the least.

 So, what else have I done? I have opted to do some study of course! With the encouragement of my always enthusiastic boss it looks like I will be doing a postgrad qualification in Drug & Alcohol Nursing this year. Fun! Sewing will have to act as my stress release I think. I have studied with distance education before, but this will be the first time it has been university based...watch this space!

Cardygirl xx

Just plain lucky!

As you know Sinta & Sherri are hosting the Le Petite stitching group. A little quilt each month if you can, buy your own pattern & make it your own with your fabric of choice. No pressure but fun & achievable!

At the end of each month we have a parade...yay! It is great to see how everyone has interpreted a pattern...so inspirational really...I have "met" some nice new stitchers too. There are little giveaways for the participants too...and I was lucky enough to receive theses lovely Lily & Will charm squares from Donna at Bear Paw Quilts.The palette is soft & I am looking forward to using them in another Le Petite project. 

Thank you ladies...I just feel plain lucky!

Cardygirl xx

Mon Ami fin! And a float on the harbour...

Mon Ami...this months quiltlet in the Le Petite group is finished. I used one charm pack of Punctuation by American Jane with some bits from her previous ranges thrown in to add variety. It certainly was interesting...SO many HST's...they seemed endless at one stage...but I am happy with it's cheery scrappy look but have noticed that the border has a slight ripple....hope it will quilt out! Now I am looking forward to next month's selection....and fabric selection!

Last weekend saw DH & myself heading off to Sydney for a cruise on the harbour with his work colleagues. Fortunately it was a little cooler than today, but still a lovely sunny day.We bobbed around on the water for about six hours and looked at all the lovely waterside properties. There are certainly some lovely homes.

Here I am looking a trifle windswept with the "coathanger" in the background (and a boat on my head!)...

Luna Park ( I have never been there...not a fan of scary rides)...

the Anzac Bridge ( great flags especially as today is Australia Day)...

the skyline at night.

Cardygirl xx

Not me....never!

 Any spare moment this week has seen me dashing to the sewing room to work on Mon Ami for the Le Petite group. All the HST's were a bit time consuming but they look great. It was fun to hear everyone's favourite techniques. I laid them out on the lounge room floor & went off to work...and came home to find them tossed around. Not sure who might have done this....hmmmm!

Today saw the much anticipated arrival of some cross stitch patterns & linens I had ordered in November from Country Stitches. After a delay due to linen availability they left Brenda on Dec 14...and disappeared! I had given up hope and then they arrived today...in a VERY sorry state! Wet, ripped apart, tyre marks & mould...yuk! All bundled in a plastic bag ( not a good idea) from Sydney Gateway with a note saying this is how it arrived in Australia....if only it could talk....it would probably cry! Most was safe in plastic but one kit was mouldy & I think some wool felt is salvageable. It came from Storm Lake...ominous! I will post pics as the patterns are great when it has all dried out!

Cardygirl xx

Life's varied fortunes

Time is passing quickly by...frightening & sad natural disasters both here and abroad show the fragility of our lives and the importance of appreciating who we have in our lives...families, friends & even the kindness of strangers. We have been fortunate & have not been personally affected by these tragedies, but feel a great sadness for those who are suffering at this time.

We are blessed to have our children return home after holidays both here and abroad with happy tales and lots of pictures. It is wonderful to see them stepping out and enjoying their lives. DD had a wonderful time in Rome & Paris and it has been fascinating hearing stories of friendly Italians & walks down cobblestone streets. Their showband performed at several venues & was even acknowledged by the Pope.

Some stitching has happened here today...the HST's are nearly all done for this month's Le Petite...just the border HST's still to do. Thankyou to everyone who gave me their tips...I have settled on lines marked on squares with the Hera marker and sewn a 1/4" on each side...it seems to have worked well. Lots of trimming of the blocks...lots of scrappy bits. They are a bit of work but do look really good. 

One quick lesson I learnt this week...When you are awake at 0430hrs it is not a good idea to cut out a quilt top just because it is quiet! A couple of wrong cuts has led to the makings of several skinny tablerunners or coin quilts...OOPS!

Cardygirl xx

Half square triangles

What is your preferred  method when making HST's?

I am making these sweet little blocks for the January Le Petite quiltlet and I am not sure which method I prefer. Drawing diagonal lines takes time but is accurate, then I saw that marking with a Hera was quick too... Jackie was using a magic wand(!)...and lastly I have been playing with an Angler 2. The instructions weren't that great so I have scooted around the web...I am sure there must be some handy tips & practice makes perfect, but at the moment some angles are great & some a bit dodgy! I think it is operator incompetence and I am sure practice will make it better! How do you make HST's?

Cardygirl xx

Armchair caddy revamp.

One project I have wanted to revisit for some time is my armchair sewing caddy. The original was bought as a kit at craft show in 1998...pretty trendy at the time with the obligatory suffolk puffs & charms. It has served me well but was looking a bit tired. I was determined to update and while DH slept yesterday afternoon I made this one. I love it...from American Jane fabric lines...Wee Play & Punctuation with a dash of vintage ricrac and a nice red spot thrown in.  I love a good red spot!

It looks spiffy on my dark blue lounge and I had great fun "organising" it. I have filled the (lined) pincushion with ground walnut shells to add some weight to deter the mini lion of the house who loves to hide my pincushions!

For Christmas my "sister" Bronwyn made me this wonderful felted wool pincushion (also wisely weighted)

and this bag for me to take to work. It is made out of Nurse material (I didn't know they made it!),

and the back has a little watch on a fob chain & nurses hats! Very very special!

This year I hope to blog more, stitch whenever I can & enjoy my family.

A good plan.

Cardygirl xx

2011 begins...

Quietly we saw in the New Year...DD in Rome preparing to join with her showband to play in the New Years Day parade before she heads off to Montecatini, Florence, Milan & Paris...DS on the NSW North Coast with his girlfriend & her family...and DH & myself at home...he is still fairly housebound. Up until yesterday there was little time to stitch, but hopefully as he improves there will be a little down time for me! Especially as I go back to work on Tuesday...aargh! Some time has been spent playing with Hexagons for my Brigitte Giblin inspired quilt. 

Here is a pic of  my interpretation. I am happy with it's bright cheeriness... as it is supposed to be a cot quilt I moved away from a gentle repro palette and am having fun putting my own spin on it.

...and this is Brigitte's original quilt.

 A short time ago I spotted these beautiful scissors on Siobhan's blog...she does the most exquisite cross stitch...and so I managed to source some...aren't they sweet? Now I just need to finish the cross stitch!

 

 My dear stitching friend, Lea, gave me this lovely bonbon for Christmas...super cute!

 And today I have hung my SSCS gift properly. It is the most beautiful stitchery from Nicky & it now hangs where I can see it every day.

 May we all have a good 2011. There are many changes afoot here in my home... it will be interesting to see how it all progresses! I have been playing with my blog...not happy with it, but I am fairly techno challenged...will keep on playing!

Cardygirl xx