The best of times....Part 1.

Well, the Girls Day in the Country held in Nundle, NSW, by the delightful Kerry Swain of The Cottage on the Hill, is over for another year....but what a great day it was!

We headed off on Friday to Nundle from all over the state...stitchers heading to a sewing Mecca!

Families farewelled, pets minded, cars loaded & the adventure began...

Anni Downs from Hatched & Patched was to be our inspiration.

A gorgeous drive into the hills...lovely & green after the recent rains...how the trip flies when you have friends to chat with...guesses about what the weekend ahead will bring...much excitement!!!

A visit to Kerry's shop...what to choose...

some of these...

and some of these...

to make this.

Then out to dinner with Kerry & Anni and a fabulous bunch of women.

Late to bed after much frivolity...we need to have our stitching caps on for the next day!

....to be continued!

Cardygirl xxx

Quick pics!

Blogger & Gmail...not always easy...not been too friendly of late...a few problems I hope have been eradicated by Windows upgrade...fingers crossed!

So here we go... another busy week in Cardyland...Mum up visiting...DD starting work & her Honours year...long drives to visit DS who has a heavy cold far far away in Uni-land..."final" visits for dental crowns that turn into disasters & rescheduling ( after the needles were given...oops!). One of those days...but we have all survived & are still smiling!

Quick pics...a present for DS to hang in his room....

....DD's half finished cross stitch....

a pattern to replace the turtle pincushion that the evil cat ate...hope this one doesn't have the same fate!!!!

Girls day in the Country this weekend...yay! It is the weekend that inspired me ( inspired may be too grand a word!) to blog...hmmmm...might have to think about a Nundle inspired giveaway!

Hope all is well with you!

Cardygirl xx

The Christmas spirit continues!

Last Christmas I participated in Chookyblue's Secret Santa swap. I had to make a gift for Carole who lives in Upstate New York. I agonised over what to make & eventually decided on making something from an Australian designer. It was a handy sewing bag designed by Rosalie Quinlan with embroidery inspired by Leanne Beasley. Fresh & pretty, I was thrilled that she loved it!

Yesterday in the mail Carole had sent me a lovely thankyou gift with the most gorgeous quilty card.

Very special! Thankyou Carole...I was very touched by your gift!

Aren't blog friends lovely?

Cardygirl xx

Bella bag...done!

The French General bag is finished...I am quite pleased with it...I love reds!

The pattern is by Fig Tree Quilts- Bella bag.

The fabric has been complete for a couple of weeks, but I have been waiting for the handles to arrive.

Nice & roomy...I would be happy to do this pattern again.

Lovely cooler night for sleeping & snuggling with cats.

After our recent humidity it was nice to need a blanket. A little rain too!

Cardygirl xx

Cake & a catch up.

My dear friend Lea has returned home after a month holidaying in Africa. She is my stitching buddy & it has felt like she has been gone for sooooo long...she rang me from near Cape Town after Dad died...I miss her cheery company & fabric advice! We caught up with some other stitching friends a few nights ago...lots of laughter, some stitching & some very good cake! Her stories were amazing... a more detailed photo night is yet to come!

Lea gave me this lovely bag from Sth Africa for my recent birthday...handmade out of Tshirt fabric on a hessian backing...so very cute!
I am feeling inspired to stitch again...phew! I was missing it! I am making this bag from a Monica Poole pattern that Julie gave me & a FQ from the Nundle birthday bundle- it will look like a little doctors bag! I might end up with a couple of projects from my Nundle FQ swap...how is that Chooky?

Cardygirl xx

I have a friend....

...her name is Chookyblue...when I am sluggish with my stitching she does not allow me to wallow...she tells me to get a wriggle on  & GET STITCHING! So, to show I am listening, here are some sweet little baskets from Blackbird Designs...but in the 30's prints I received from the Nundle girls for my birthday.I think they look pretty cute! Thanks for the inspiration! To everyone who has sent me heartfelt words of support & inspiration- you are all amazing & I do appreciate it.

 For my recent birthday I received a whole PILE of lovely fat 1/4's from the bloggers I met last year at Nundle GDITC. They are all lovely & I am itching to get into them. Thankyou so much Donna, Maree, Fiona, Bec, Anita, Jo, Peg, Dale, Kerry, June, Helen, Alison, Gai, Karri, Shelley, Lynda & Jenny- I will post pics as they are made into projects!

 Last Thursday was one of those milestone days...DD graduated from her degree & is poised to start PT work in a week & then start her Honours uni work. It was a special day & it was lovely that my mother was there to share the day too!

Cardygirl xx

Cardy needs her groove back!

As you know, the last few weeks have been pretty turbulent at my place. I have been struggling to get life back on track & some order restored....as I like order! Yesterday I saw a glimmer of my usual self returning & I feel I will see more as each day passes. Working 10hr days has given me little energy at night & I don't like it! So DD & I walked to town to get the newspapers yesterday, I rearranged furniture & even cleaned out a drawer...mmmm...I think my mojo is coming back!

The only thing that I have kept working on is my MO medallion. I added vintage ricrac for stems & yoyos for flowers....what do you think?

Each night I have been serenaded by a big noisy bunch...here is a partial group shot of my back deck...

they hang around the bug zapper! They are getting a bit friendly...trying to get in the kitchen window & one even came in the car with me to work! Not attractive!

Cardygirl xx

Happy days!

After the hectic pace of the last few weeks, it has been pleasant today to have a bit of a more casual day! A half day at work allowed me time to go to the movies...the delicious George Clooney in "Up in the air"...I enjoyed it...funny, sad &  interesting thoughts on frequent flyers & the american economy. DD took me & we had a nice afternoon.

Also I had lots of mail to open...fat quarters from the Nundle girls...they are all beautiful ladies & I really appreciate the care that went into choosing them! Now I just have to make something with them....hmmm!

Looking forward to seeing you girls very soon!

My darling DS went away for university yesterday....I will miss him but I'm glad that he is growing up! How the time has flown.

DD has made a delicious dessert to celebrate today...don't know how I got so old!

Cardygirl xx

Borrowers perhaps?

You've heard a similar story before...Mid December I "lost" my Tail Feathers BOM....first 3 blocks mostly embroidered & stitched together ...gone...nowhere to be found. My sewing bag was searched & searched again...the house was inspected over & over...friends who had been here searched their houses too! To help quieten the wailing even DD searched. Nowhere to be found!!!!

Until the other day, I got the urge to check the bag that project was in....and there it was sitting on top...neatly folded...am I going mad or do I have Borrowers? ( The kids have voted for mad!)

Does this happen to you too?

Cardygirl xx

Back on track...

Life is getting back on track....I am sure there will always be wistful moments but life does keep moving forward. Just a little strange at times.....

Mum has headed back home but has left things behind, the spare room is now officially hers & she is welcome whenever she likes...nice to have her around. It was a treat to have her...lots of chat & good company.

I am back to normal with work, DH is back to his usual work routine, DD looks like she has gained her first professional job which will help to support her whilst she does Honours & DS heads off to university this coming weekend...whew...my head is spinning ( and it is not just because I went forehead first into an electric fence yesterday!!!Loooong story!). Any wonder why sewing has been pretty slow here of late!

I have been fiddling with this bag...Bella by Fig tree...French General...looks good!

I am catching up with blogs & emails...I would like to thank Joan of wishes,true & kind for honouring me with a blog award- it was a lovely surprise in the fog of the past few weeks- I will let you know more over the next few days! Thanks Joan- you made me smile!

Cardygirl xx