Good intentions...

...don't get blog posts done! I sometimes despair that life never hits that quiet, settled patch when I have time to reflect & achieve something just for the sake of it. The past week I have been away with work in Sydney, squeezing in some big work days around the trip locally too. I have been lucky enough to have DS home with a uni break so we did some serious hedge trimming (great upper arm workout) and some spring garden planting. always fun to see what each week throws at you.

Not a lot of stitching, but managed to finish the ottoman for DD. Good pattern, followed it to a "T", but it did not allow for the directional nature of the apple print, so some colors did not align...only worked this out at construction phase and the thought of unpicking all that quilting was too much to bear. DD is happy with it and it will be fine for feet!

I will miss the deadline for TTS to finish...it will be ready for next year...everyone who has finished has done a great job...hope I am not the only straggler!

 Here is DS with Molly before he left.

Cardygirl xx

Playing catch up.

It has been a good weekend...a visit from some dear friends who had moved away...and some time to stitch.

The weather has turned very spring like and my garden is waking up. I love seeing the blossoms and leaf buds...a nice time of year.

And some time to sew...there is so much started and needing completion it was hard to know what to pick up first. After some inspiration from Kate while I was in Singapore, I have succumbed to the temptation of The Circle Game from amitie...loving this! hand piecing is so relaxing...and it is laying flat!

 I stitched this little cross stitch pear together and added a real pear stem...

and worked on an ottoman I bought at the Sydney craft show...I had fun with the machine construction!

Cardygirl xx

Ends and beginnings...

The last assignment for this year has been sent off through cyberspace & will hopefully arrive at it's destination. It felt so good to hit that send button & know that I might have some sewing time again. I have so missed stitching & have so many things I want to complete and then some new starts I hope! Yay!

I have been stitching my TTS blocks, I was woefully behind the group but dear Chookyblue gave me a huge kick and now I am shamed into stitching...and enjoying it too. I have six blocks done...six to go!

Dear Anne Heidi had a giveaway on her blog & I was fortunate enough to receive this parcel all the way from Norway... some lovely fabrics, buttons and a sweet felt pincushion kit which I am dying to start. Thankyou!

This was the sweet bag I gave as a gift at the recent 21st...I would have loved this one...a rag basket...someone else thought it was just the right size!

 Sadly we lost our dear dog, Purdey late last week. She was 14 1/2 years old, and such a good girl. We all miss her unconditional love & trust...sad to have to make the decision to ease her distress... but such a loyal friend deserved our compassion. SB was unable to be here, so the VERY best of friends, Lea, came to console and help lay Purdey to rest. Not a nice job to bury a friend, but Lea added her own brand of sunshine on a grey & rainy afternoon. It would have been tough without her.

Cardygirl xx

Lunch with a good egg!

Friday was one of those nice days when you get to catch up with a bloggy friend.

Trish from Too Many Eggs in one Basket lives about 2hrs away from me, so we met part way at a fabric shop, Busy Needles at Singleton (Hi Bev!) then had some lunch. Great fun!

Saturday night was spent at a dear friend's daughters 21st birthday party (rural halls are sooo cold!)...I was a textile artiste (!) and Lea was an artist ( I think she borrowed the specs from Elton!).

Then reality hit and I headed back to the books. By all accounts a glorious day outside, but I was here...assignment half done...should have it done over the next week. Then I hope to finish some of that sewing! I am having trouble leaving comments in some formats of blogger...anyone else?

 Cardygirl xx

Let the list begin!

Life is back to routine and I am trying to fit in that precious sewing time. A dear friend said the other night that she knew I "needed" to stitch each day...(stops me getting unhinged- or perhaps less unhinged?)...but I have been buzzing from one WIP to another, with no set plan. I am big on lists.

So I have started the week with some must do tasks that I want to finish sooner rather than later.

1. Nundle quilt- started at our retreat a few weeks ago. Having fun with this one...especially enjoying the machine applique of the circles...why didn't I start doing it years ago???

2. TTS Stitchalong quilt- super slack with this one...millions of others have theirs finished and I fell seriously behind...oops! But I have been dedicating some stitching time and am now making progress (I don't think it will save me as the SAL-Controller is about to discipline me!!!)

3. Paper piecing- I am surrounded by papers and fabric scraps...and loving their portability. Here are the latest little treasures...thanks Kerry & Peg!

4. Le Petite- third last project...and there was nothing sweet about this Honeycomb! I have done these half hexie tops before with no hassle but this one was tricky...don't know why...perhaps a reflection of the sewers mood???? So she will be a cushion cover instead!!

And the list will continue!

Cardygirl xx

Back to that holiday...

...it seems like forever ago and as always I had to hit the road running. DD's car should be fixed in a week or so, DS is full up with a cold again at uni, & SB is super busy with work. One more assignment for me and my uni year will be over...thank goodness. Then I may be able to settle at one project to completion instead of buzzing from one thing to another...a chaotic bumblebee!

Here are some snaps of Singapore...

up in the Flyer...

 Arab Street...

and a Bintan breakfast...just to make me smile!

I came home to my much loved cat...he had chewed up my circles I had traced onto heat'n'bond...

wonder if it gave him a tummy ache?

And my Jenny Bean Halloween sampler was framed...love it!

Cardygirl xx

On the road again...

The weekend saw me heading north to visit my son at university for a Parents Weekend...fun!

I miss him being around home and it was great to catch up with him and his friends.

On the way home I decided to pop in to The Cottage on the Hill at Nundle as I knew Peg, Dale & Gai would be there for a retreat. Kerry was welcoming as always and I was able to have some lunch and catch up with blogging friends...bonus! This reminded me that I have not shown pics of my Nundle retreat which happened just before I left for Singapore. Here are the blocks from my project...

the pattern was from here...I like the way it is going together and Kerry taught me how to machine applique as I always hand applique...I like the way this is looking.

As I was flying out the next day, I did not stay for the second day of retreat, but the girls made some lovely tops and had a great time...here are some of the happy sewers!

I love going to Nundle, it is always a relaxing weekend. Here is my poor frosty car...and 24hrs later I was heading to 35C plus temps and swimwear!

 Cardygirl xx

Stitching and flying...

Do you stitch when flying? I always do and have not had a problem. I have had a few people ask me about this, so I will show you what I carry on to pass the time. I will also read at times, but rarely watch anything but the flight path...so I know where I am! Despite looking pretty conservative (read dull!), I seem to always get vacuumed at the security gate or patted down by a straight faced lady (much nicer when they at least introduce themselves before they get friendly!) and have my carry on searched. It is a bit of a family joke now. Often I am asked what I am making and no one has worried about a couple of needles ( I always carry spare needles and my embroidery scissors in my book through luggage...if I only have carry on I can buy nail scissors on arrival).

This is my new favorite little bag, courtesy of Anni Downs' new pattern...it is super cute and just the right size...I was making hexies, so there are cutout hexies, papers, spare magnifying glasses, glue stick (I put it in with my liquids for security checks) & thread.

 When I am cross stitching, I carry my supplies in an A4 size rigid plastic clip case that I bought at Howards Storage World, but you can pick them up at Officeworks too. It is deep enough to hold my magnifying lens, light and Q snap frame, plus threads on a split ring (so I don't lose any).

You can use it as a table and it is quick to put everything away and fits in the seat pocket for meals.

 I saw a great light here that would be perfect for both magnification and light when away from home...might pop it on my wish list I think!

I try and prepare fabric shapes before I leave, but when I need to cut I have three options...a mini dental floss container as it has a built in cutter, tiny plane safe scissors purchased at the last craft show or (not shown) a Clover brand round pendant cutter. Your choice.

I would love to hear your experiences or tips...I have flown throughout Asia and to the US in the last five years with no issues...have you had any problems?

 Cardygirl xx

Back...but only physically!

Holidays must end, but it was so lovely to spend quiet time with my dear husband (now renamed SB!).

Finding it a bit hard to settle at home and work...we had time to talk about future plans for relocation as work is no longer locally centred...who knows what the next twelve months may hold?

Spending most of our time in Singapore was lovely with respite on an Indonesian island...bliss. 

We shopped, ate super lovely food, did some sightseeing and even manged to catch up with a dear stitching friend! What more could a girl want?

We visited textile shops in Arab Street...

fabric shops with Kate...

lots of great food...

and had stitching time on the plane!

Lots to show...this post was intended for last night, but at 6.40pm on a cold night I had one of "those" phone calls..."There is a problem...". DD and her boyfriend were returning from friends and they had hit a kangaroo about 1 1/2hrs away...both of them were fine (kangaroo not!)...and they needed retrieval as the car was to be towed to Tamworth. Off went the ugg boots (never worn in public) and I hit the road. Nice to find them safe and well...here is the damage!

More soon!

 Cardygirl xx

Still MIA....

...but will soon head home. This was my view this week...

shared some lovely mint lemongrass tea...

and caught up with a far flung sewing friend.

I do feel blessed.

Cardygirl xx