A gracious bequest

A courageous friend of mine has taken a position teaching English in Chile.

I admire her personal strength & spirit in making such a huge change in her life when most of her peers are beginning retirement.

I had the good fortune to spend some time with her today & she has given me some of the most beautful laces & linens as she is unable to take them with her.

Look & enjoy...

A bodice...

whitework on a guest towel...

a supper cloth...

such delicate beauty!

Thankyou Kathleen for your generosity....you have entrusted these treasures to me & I will value them!

Cardygirl xx

Naughty but nice!

Off to my friend's shop today...bliss...fabric to fondle...heavy sigh!
I was naughty (not really, but I have a few WIP's which should be taking priority!)...

just a couple of fat 1/4's for a couple of quick projects.

Fresh & clear...

yummily delicious!

Must dash...need to stitch!

Cardygirl xx

Getting my groove back!

I think I'm getting the sewing groove back!

A day off today, the usual things to do...shopping, cleaning & washing.

The morning was beautiful....

and then this arrived....

what a shame, the weeds will have to wait (LOL).
What an opportunity...guiltfree time to get some semblance of order back into the sadly neglected sewing room.

Dusting, tidying, sorting...even a list made of things that have deadlines (disgusting!).

Quite a few WIP's...but they can be tamed.

I love the Lakehouse fabrics...I have used them in about 4 projects...won't be too long & the stash will be gone...here is the next project with them.

Reveal it soon!

Cardygirl xx

Continuance

Not too much happening on the stitching front. I have been busy with work & going to see Mum, stitching takes a back seat...would rather head off to bed!

Hopefully this week we will have Mum sorted out, she may need to go to a rehab facility as they cannot manage at home with Mum on one leg & they wish to stay in Newcastle.

This is what I feel like!

Cardygirl xx

Old & new

The past week has flown by...birthdays, visitors & accidents!
Mum is slowly improving, but managing with the frame is proving tricky.

Losing confidence is a big part of the problem, but hopefully with firm, but loving, encouragement she will get going.

Dad has been good,we are just looking at the issues of both short & long term help.

We will get there!

I have my June 9 patch block swaps done...I'm really enjoying playing with the repros.

Also started a BOM with a couple of friends....we are all using different fabrics & playing with thread choices...should be fun.

Thanks for your thoughts & kind wishes

Cardygirl xx

Stress release stitching!

A busy weekend had a big finale!

My dear Mum fell in the garden yesterday & badly broke her ankle.

A couple of screws & a plate & she is on the mend, but we have a long road ahead.

I am hoping she & dad will come to stay with me for a while, she will be non weight bearing for 6-8 wks & I cannot see them managing at home through this.

Mum is keen to come but dad is lacking insight as to what this means...

mum now needs care to get her back to mobility.

Stormy waters ahead!

So, feeling quite stressed over this & some other family dramas, what do you do?

SEW!

I had this jelly roll quilt cut out...& today I put the bulk of the top together..it just needs borders.

Quite soothing to be repetitively sewing...calming colours...looks good!

Through life's ups & downs,sewing can be a good relief!

Hope all is well in your world

Cardygirl xx

After the party...

We had a beautiful day yesterday to celebrate DD's 21st birthday.
Clear, sunny weather...good food & good company.

DD loved her special gifts...

it was nice to be able to celebrate what she means to us.

A cupcake tower...

a lovely restaurant...

a beautiful setting...
A magic day!

Cardygirl xx

More birthdays...

It is a busy weekend in the Cardy household!

DD is 21 today & we are meeting her for a family lunch on the Central Coast tomorrow.

DH met her to have breakfast this morning...she is very excited!

A milestone birthday...

where did the time go?

A mother reflects on these special days...she was born 9wks early...a whopping 3lbs...now she is a lovely young lady....sigh...time flies!

Here she is at 6mths...

fortunately now she has a gorgeous head of curly hair!

On Sunday we will celebrate DH's birthday...

maybe out for breakfast, then a quiet day.

A fiddly week as far as sewing is concerned...

Working on a few ideas...

I think the chillier weather has made me fiddle with these brights...

I'm thinking circles...scrappy...fun!

Some ricrac perhaps...

colours fresh & clear...

hmmmm!

Have a good weekend

Cardygirl xx

Birthday girl!

One of my dearest stitching gals had a birthday yesterday!So we gathered to celebrate...amazing who comes when there is the hint of a cake! A lovely evening...I made Lea a Bonbon bag for her knitting!

Stitching friends really are the best!

Cardygirl xx

Without haste

A few days ago I hung this quilt on my loungeroom wall...stood back & admired it...and thought of it's long journey to that place.

It was begun many years ( probably > 10yrs) in a workshop with Sue Cody. First attempt at needleturn applique...unsure about picking colours.

Because it was harder than what I was used to, work progressed slowly...then we moved...renovated one house, then began building another. Children grew... husband's changed jobs...I did some study...then some more...all the time this was hiding in my cupboard.

About 3 years ago I finished the applique on the sawtooth border, & put it away to be hand quilted...it slept again!

Late last year I pulled it out, mentally gave myself a talking to & sent it off to be machine quilted...no more procrastination ( I thought...hehe).

It came home & sat waiting to be bound!

Well, now it's finished & hanging...

sewn without haste, after all these years I do love it!

Cardygirl xx