Lost in the Barossa!

Belated Christmas wishes!

We had a quiet but lovely Christmas with family. It seemed to come so quickly, then disappeared just as quickly! Lovely gifts, tasty food, happy times.

In that post Christmas lull...you know that time where you eat nothing but leftovers and doze on the lounge....we decided to hop on a plane and head to the beautiful Barossa to visit dear Granny Loz! 

So we headed off early this morning and drove to Sydney where we hopped on a plane to Adelaide, then collected an orange car (!) and found our way to the country filled with vines, fruit and a special friend.

So, here we are, safely at Chez Loz, chatting about family, sewing and all manner of things. DH is managing to keep up with the sewing related chatter with a sassy quip here and there! And just to prove something is happening.....

Back in a few days....Happy New Year!

Cardygirl xxx

A break in the snow!

Not real snow, but the snow we used to get when there was no transmission of a TV signal...or am I just showing my pre-digital origins?

I digress.

My blog has been a bit like that lately...as have many blogs...an occasional transmission and lots of white noise...nothing happening.

Life has been busy...work as always and just being busy as part of a family. Mum is well, just a little frailer and less confident at times, so it is nice to spend time with her.

DS is home from university for holidays before commencing his final year...nice to spend time with him as, very soon, he will be off making his own way in the world.

Too be truthful, I have lost some of my sewing stuffing...a bit like a worn out teddy bear. whilst the head would love to be sewing, I have found my increased responsibility and expanded role at work leaves me with little oomph at the end of the day...consequently little sewing seems to be happening.

But this weekend I vowed to change that!

Saturday morning I went with DS and his sweet GF, DD and Mum to some local craft markets where we tried to find a few gifts for Christmas. Mum loves going to these, and is always quite chuffed to be surrounded by family who are happy to spend this time with her.

After arriving home from the markets I was distracted by the mundanities of life...washing, cleaning, mowing...but NO! 

DS offered to do these things so I could make a couple of gifts for my very cute little neighbours...how good was that...might get him to do groceries too...ssshhh!

For the little twins I have opted for picture books...Puff the Magic Dragon for one and The Lion Sleeps tonight for the other. But for the older two (aged 4 and 6) I made reading pillows.

One for Tommy...

 and one for Lexie.

They both love books and this cushion, from a pattern by CluckCluckSew, is great. It has a quilted pocket on the front to hold a book, and the pillow to either lie on whilst reading or being read to. It should be a useful gift I hope. Being a horrendous over achiever at times, I have beautiful concealed zippers on the back...but I don't think they will really understand my prowess?

Today I have been playing with tiny trees, this pattern by crazymomquilts, I am planning a table runner for friends, and maybe one for me too?

The only sewing I have been doing lately, is a little bit of cross stitch. It started when a dear temptress started a stitch along on IG. First was a pincushion...

mine was an older Blackbird Design,

and I am currently working on a Christmas decoration.

I also did a very soft version of Kaffe's Icecream quilt...and yes I still need to bind it!

So, that is all my news, hope all is well wherever you are. For those in NSW, hope you are faring well in these terrible storms, the only plus is that we are getting rain, both in my new tank, and for our farming friends!

Cardygirl xx

November almost gone!

When did that happen?

Post wedding life has flown by, back to work, back to "normality"....whatever that may be?

The newlyweds are back and now just happy being married....nice, huh?

My work remains something that consumes far too much of my sewing time, not really how I want it, but I enjoy my current role and know that it will not be forever. After two years in contract roles I have secured a permanent position which will give my mind a rest in the current fiscal environment. Whilst I am never without work, security of a position just gives a sense of surety. I am very sad to be leaving my current role, but am returning to my previous contract position which I enjoyed after Christmas. Ho Ho Ho...and off I go!

I had a fabulous weekend away with friends at Middlebrook Station near Scone. 

It was great fun!

Or as I named it...Stitch, Bitch and Bubbles...my work colleagues just don't really get it!

But stitching was achieved, I worked on this slowly growing favourite...

which the locals even admired!

Some more clams were created for the newlyweds.

It was just lovely to get away with these dearest of friends and admire the countryside.

Now I am working toward Christmas...fun!

Hope you are well wherever you are!

Cardygirl xx

A day of joy!

After much prompting from my family, the time has come to blog about one of those beautiful milestone days in life... a family wedding.

After a seven month engagement Eleanore and Robert married on a beautiful spring day, surrounded by those they love the most, and who love them.

 It was a joy and privilege to share this day with them, enjoy their planning which made the day a reflection of who they are, and just to see them so very very happy.

A gorgeous cake...

a beautiful bride...

a happy couple...

The planning and anticipation seems to take on a life of its own, and the day whizzes by so very quickly.

Stitching aunts were in attendance...

and danced up a storm!

 (It took me days to stop humming "Blame it on the boogie"...I had a Beyonce hip from shaking too much booty...oops!)

Too soon we are kissing them goodbye as we wished them well on their journey together, it seems hardly any time since it was DH and I sitting at the bridal table. My dear 82yo mother stayed until evening's end, declaring she was not going to miss a minute of the festivities!

Here are my two favourite photos from the day...

and our beautiful girl, ready to go right on time!

We are eagerly awaiting the official pics!

Cardygirl xx

Such a very long time since I last posted.

At present there is little time to think about posting or reading blogs. Whilst I pop in and out on IG, the time is not there to sit and compose a post. Work remains all consuming, and we have had lots of busy activities happening here.

 

Reorganising living spaces (I adore Ikea), tidying the yard, appointments that need to be attended. You know how it is...all our lives seem to have these busy times where we need to prioritise in order to keep plans on track.

Only a few sleeps to go and our dear daughter, Eleanore, will marry the lovely Robert. This day has been planned for months...not long to go now. I have finished work and now feel a bit less overwhelmed. The house is tidy, the garden is pretty, I just need to buy some stockings for the big day! Presents are arriving, we are all on high alert!

Now we are looking forward to sharing the day with them, and those they love, a special day indeed.

So, very little has happened on the creative front....sewing wise there has been a table runner for the bridal table, bunting for chairs, but little else...I am sure you understand! 

This afternoon I will organise squares for guests to sign for the back of the wedding quilt which is still under construction...they have kindly given me until their first anniversary...whew!

I will be sure to come back with pics of the happy day!

Cardygirl xxx

Welcome spring!

Well, it is the last day of winter and the signs of spring are all around us...buds on the trees and daffodils in bloom. 

My little garden has tiny violets and cyclamens in the shady spots, we have had the wettest August in 16years here, if only we could blow some rain from the coast to the dry inland areas. After living away from the coast for over twenty years , it is funny getting used to so much rain again. I think having lived in drought affected areas I wish it was possible to share it around.

On the sewing front...

There are lots of stars being created here in readiness for my next workshop with Margaret Sampson-George. They are fun...

and quite addictive!

Some unintentionally clever fussy cutting has revealed some interesting secondary patterns too!

It has been fun.

Work is full time again at present, so there is not a lot of time left to create any of the projects buzzing around in my head. I really want to do a sew-together bag, and a hexie handbag...plus I am still plugging away on the clamshell quilt. There are some family events coming up that are consuming my time also, but they will be lovely days so the planning is worthwhile. Sewing will wait!

A trip to Sydney last week involved a range of activities. 

Firstly there was an appointment in an office situated in a de-commissioned insane asylum....on a wet and wintry day it was not hard to imagine the anguish of those once held there.

I was then lucky enough to catch up with the lovely girls from Material Obsession, Kathy, Cath and Wendy. Always great to see their happy faces and soak in the atmosphere.

Then it was off to see Jean, and a lovely meal before heading back up the highway. A long, but happy day!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world!

Cardygirl xxx

Learning not to doubt myself.

Doubting myself, I don't do it as much as I used to, but I still have that ability to question myself even when I know what I am doing is right, or at least right for me. I think we all do it, at least some times, and it has the potential to cripple a creative moment. Yikes! I tend to be responsible for making lots of decisions , both at home and work, so generally I don't let it phase me, but if life is hectic and I am feeling pressured, the Queen of Procrastination can sweep in and take over my little kingdom leading to hours wasted second guessing myself! Are you feeling it?

A few months ago I began a journey to create something different, something to reflect who I was in 2014...be she good, bad or just plain lacking in taste!  It started with a fuschia pink and natural linen check, and an idea to "take an element" of something that inspires me, and then create from there. In a workshop with Margaret Sampson-George I began to relax and just enjoy what I am doing, to believe in myself and to USE THAT STASH!

Slowly it is progressing, and it is fun. I am learning things about colour, placement, and that I do like a dash of happy loud. A couple of days off sick has given me a chance to add some more elements, but sadly I am back from the brink and will be able to head back to work tomorrow.

And to leave you with a "you have to love him" moment...here is my beloved cat sitting on the ornamental only cushions...what could I do, but leave him there...and smile!

Hope the dreaded Queen hasn't visited you lately!

Cardygirl xx

Mid winter musings!

It is a chilly and bleak day here, no motivation to head outside, it is much nicer to stay where it is warm. No makeup, hair not looking too glam, one of those outfits that encourage you to hibernate, as what would people think of orange leggings?

As much as I plan to blog, I keep getting distracted by anything really....chores to do, TV, phone calls, another round on my TAW challenge top. Good excuses really, but I miss putting the chronicle of my sewing life out there, even if it is just to remind me that there is more to life than work. I see some people are blogging less, and even closing their blogs, but I do like that I can reflect back on this little journal of mine.

So, what has been happening here?

I think I will start with today, then work backwards. I am sitting in front of the fire with my furry companion, prepping some flowers to appliqué. He just likes the soft expanse (sadly true) of said lap and does not care if I turn him into a sunflower....that is why I love him!

The past two weeks have been fairly well devoted to my Trip Around the World challenge top. I am participating in this challenge led by Brigitte Giblin, and I am enjoying the hand piecing of lots of two inch squares. I think mine will end up lap sized as I have so many projects I would like to do, and if I decide to go KS I will never do anything else before I am committed!

Mine is "exuberant" as my friend, Debbie, says. She is very diplomatic at times! Whilst Jean admonished me, not really, about my errant stitching, I found I was getting bored going around....and around....and around again....so I was testing out upcoming rows. It does look a little odd, but it kept me motivated!

Last week, I travelled with friends to the Sydney Quilt Show. Now located at Glebe Island, it was easy to get to and park. The only down side was the lack of anything around it, as we usually have drinks and a bite to eat afterwards. 

Each year my friend Kate flies back from Singapore to help Kathy on the MO stand. It is always wonderful to catch up with these friends.

This year was very social and it was hard to catch up with everyone, which was disappointing. Next year might have to involve a sleepover?

There was Julia from Perth, Chooky, Lea, Raelee, Susan, Julie, Kylie, Sue-Anne, Jean, Janette, Cathie, Debbie, Tiff, Julie, Vicky, Cath, Liesl, Carolyn, Megan, Kathy, Linda...the list could go on and on...but I was pleased to see all these lovely ladies....wish it could happen more often! No doubt there are names I have missed, sorry, but it was a great day!

I also saw the quilts, and admired both the skill of their makers and the courage they have to exhibit. I am not an exhibitor, but I admire those who do. I feel uncomfortable putting a part of me out there to be examined and criticised....I probably just need to get over that?

I went to Kathy Doughty's talk on "Adding Layers", as usual Kathy takes me a bit further on my sewing journey, gently changing perspective and making me think. I adore this view of how Kathy sees her husband.

Liesl exhibited my favourite quilt of the show...a fusion of designs by Sue Cody, and just stunning in its freshness....love it!

There were so many beauties, but we all know the rules about sharing images, so but I will show you a snippet of this beauty by the clever Rachel Daisy of bluemountaindaisy.blogspot.com! Gotta love a clam!

Some purchases were made, bits of fabric, some scissors, a cross stitch and a pattern, but I thought I would leave you with a pic of this kantha beauty that I loved!

And it is loved too!

Cardygirl xxx