Running around in circles!

Blogging seems to have fallen by the wayside at the moment!

So much time has been consumed with planning renovations for our new home, DS returning to university and my study year starting as well. Little time to sew, but I managed to start the major de-clutter of the sewing room...there is fabric, patterns and books surplus to need...just piling it up at present until I decide what is best to do with it all. Amazing what you find when you go looking!

Have been working steadily on my circle game blocks...

I am really enjoying these! 

Whilst tidying up fabrics I have been playing with these...

inspired by Liz, Jean and Janet!

 Hope all is well with you wherever you are!

Cardygirl xx

Blue...it was a challenge!

 A fairly quiet weekend here...some time to play with my soul searching blocks. 

First green...that was okay...I quite like green, then to blue. Well, then the fun began! I quite like blue...but I prefer warmer colours and green. Don't even wear a lot of blue. Don't buy it in patchwork fabric unless I have a project in mind. So now I have to do a whole block in blue?????? I need to work through this! It took a loooong time...much procrastinating...strips of fabric littering the floor...searching through my stash over and over looking for another bit of blue. Even DS was enlisted for advice! 

But here are my blue and green blocks...I am happy with them, but will have a little break before working on my remaining blocks...red, pink, aqua, purple and brown.

Spent the afternoon organising my embroidery stuff...linens are all measured, labelled with thread count and packed away...threads are all checked off a master list and grouped...here is my cute little cupboard that houses these delights!

Cardygirl xx

Making choices...enjoying the process!

Slowly I have been playing with the Soul Searching top I started at MO recently. It is not one of those projects that you can zip together in a few days...there is a lot of contemplation involved...placing strips on the design wall...moving them about...sitting and gazing...walking past and evaluating...sometimes just playing. But I am enjoying the process...slowing my choices down, not agonizing about them, but just enjoying playing with the colours and placement...it is great for introducing some quiet time in a busy day. Orange and yellow blocks are complete...now working on green.

At my little weekly sewing group, I was given this great cake alternative...gingerbread letters...apparently a newly retired friend spent ALL day making these..delicious too!

And some beautiful flowers from a friend who was very mindful of my "I am down-sizing" mantra!

Having a birthday always makes me think of what has been and what may be ahead...this year is bustling forward with lots of happy changes in store. I am now feeling excited about these changes...good!

 Cardygirl xx

Back to reality...

Well, a three day talk fest has come to an end, Chookyblue and Fairy Girl are heading back home again. Hopefully the flooding around their place will let them through without too much difficulty. Funny how they were desperate for rain not so long ago, and now they are flooding. We have no control over nature, do we?As long as they are safe as are our other friends coping with some of the worst flooding for thirty years in NSW and Queensland at the moment...thinking of you all. 

We had a busy few days, time was spent catching up with our friend Lea, travelling to Newcastle for a spot of shopping (we have critiqued Newcastle patchwork shops and bought out Smiggle!!!!) and a visit to my Mum, and just some quiet time around here.There was some of this...

and a celebrity snap...

 some repro progress...

and a bright quilt from Lea...

just great to catch up before FG headed back to school! Will wait to hear that they are safely back at Chez Chook....

Cardygirl xx

do you like my new header..............

guess who's playing on my blog while visiting...........
Mystery blogger.............

Housing...if only it was this easy!

Glutton for punishment that I am, I decided to continue with the Schnibbles group hosted by Sherri and Sinta again this year. I really enjoyed the projects last year- great for techniques and just playing around with colour and placement. I am ready with a nice supply of baby quilts for gifts when necessary! But I am going to make mine into cushions this year...everyone will get cushions this year for gifts....be warned!

As Schnibbles are nigh on impossible to obtain locally I have to order from OS...which made it quite hairy getting it here in time...just! So here is Full House....cushion sized and looking like summery Australian beach huts...fabric to match the ottoman for DS. I will pipe it in the red of the doors I think.

Now back to the housing...I am just waiting on the call to let me know the contracts have been exchanged for a home we have purchased...exciting times...we will be moving but not for about six months as it needs a major renovation. It could be described as a "unique, fixer-upper opportunity"! It may be madness, but it will be a pretty home when finished...just needs a whole lot of love really. I am excited, will be walking distance to my Mum's, shops, cafes and friends...even walking distance to a good patchwork shop! Perfect.

Let the madness begin!

Cardygirl xx

Finally, back to the workshop...

...I had the best of intentions of being back yesterday to finish the workshop, but life just got in the way!

Here we go!

The second day began with our arrival and discussion about how we had been thinking about what we had learnt on the first day. Reece had tubs of his stunning rainbow coloured shot cotton fabrics ...truly drool-worthy and VERY tempting! We were all fired up for a great day. 

So much to learn and then apply to fabric. We made colour wheels from our fabric packs...learning about light/mid/dark...what is warm/cool...what adds depth...what has energy...what is calming.

 As Reece said, we all see colour differently...it was great to see how we interpret themes...we are all influenced by where we live and early influences in our lives. When I picked colours for a winter theme, I thought of where I live, the colours of an Australian country winter, but there was still some warmth with orange....Kathy interpreted her winter as that of an American winter...greys, creams...the colours of snow and a cold climate. Interesting.

But it wasn't just picking the colours, it was learning our personal responses and interpretations of a theme, and then discussing it with the group and appreciating our differences.

 We even had the opportunity to look at quilts and discuss colour, placement and the mood of the quilt...I looked at lovely Wendy's quilt ( she was doing the class too!).

By lunch time our heads were buzzing with ideas, but it was time to say goodbye to Reece and Matteo who had helped guide us through our steps into colour...thank you, it was fabulous!

Then we began working on our colour blocks with Kathy. 

Lots of fun, and wonderful to walk around and see  them all growing. Here are just a few...

Mary was full of energy...

...hi Heather!

and I do love my orange,

 ...and some pieces that followed me home!

If you ever get the opportunity to do either this workshop, or another colour workshop...do it! Whilst it initially takes us out of our comfort zone, it is quite liberating and adds an extra dimension to our work!

Thanks to Kathy, Reece & Matteo for your gentle guidance...and also to the MO girls who fixed our lunch, cut our fabric and cheered us on...Wendy, Cathy & Therese.

Cardygirl xxx

A colourful two days.

Home again from the colour workshop at Material Obsession with Kathy Doughty and Reece Scannell.

In a word...amazing!

I have learnt so much and look forward to putting it into practice.

The first day was spent discussing black, white and the gray scale. Reece spent the morning sharing his experience as a photographer by explaining how we can have mood, texture, light, depth, and contrast from using mid, dark and light shades. He was amazing, leading us into a world that has the potential to add so much to our humble "patchwork". We analysed photos and discussed the warmth and coolness that can be achieved in this palette. 

Whew...then we needed a tranquil spot like this for lunch!

After lunch we spent the afternoon with Kathy working on the Soul Searching quilt, putting what we had learnt in the morning into practice. Having a small stash of white, cream and grey, this was a little tricky...oh well might have to head upstairs to the shop and see if they have anything suitable!

Gradually the blocks began to come together...it is hard to let go of old habits, look at your work and follow what you like without influence. Thinking what looks best together, value, contrast.... but with Kathy's gentle support we gained confidence.

Then off for dinner with friends, some rest and readiness for Day 2!

Lots more photos tomorrow, some have already been on Kathy's blog if you want to peek!

Cardygirl xx

Counting down...

...two sleeps, then off to the colour workshop. Busy getting my travel kit ready, have to work tomorrow so not a lot of time. But it will be fun no matter what!

Finished applique-ing the hexies for the cushion front...just need to buy an insert now.

back to report after the workshop!

Cardygirl xx

Searching my soul...

...an interesting prospect to say the least!  But I am talking about my colour "soul" at present....and that has been interesting! This week I am heading off to Material Obsession for the "Soul Searching" workshop with Kathy & Reece Scannell....also known as "Understanding Colour and working it". Phew! As preparation I have had to cut 2.5" strips in neutrals and colour groups of red, blue, yellow, green, purple and orange (about 24 of each). That is a lot of cutting! Kathy says on the blurb...you might be surprised what you learn as you cut. Well, she wasn't wrong!!! It was fun to see what I have collected and how I felt cutting the strips....my mood definitely changed according to what I was cutting...and I much prefer clearer colours than murky tones. It was also nice to remember what was bought where and for what purpose. Lots of old fabrics have been separated recently from my general stash, some were included, but most were just not me any more...so they have been relegated on the out pile. Whilst this might be the purpose of going through scraps, I just had no interest in using pieces that have been relegated to the dusty depths of my cupboards for 15+ years...they had been abandoned for a reason!

This is the inspiration for the class...the soul searching quilt (borrowed from the MO blog). It should be great fun, I have been hoping to attend since I attended a mini talk at the Craft Show in June...might be interesting to find out more about colour and what it means to me.

It has been busy here as usual...DD moved...sniff...I will miss her daily presence in my life, but she is happy and I am happy for her. We have had a few trips to Newcastle looking at houses...there have been a couple we like...who knows what lies ahead.

 I have had some time working on my Circle Game BOM...slightly behind but catching up now...

and the cushion I bought at MO recently.

Hope all is well wherever you are...looking forward to sharing my workshop with you!

Cardygirl xx