Christmas Wishes

May you all have a Happy Christmas...sharing the joy of this special time with family & friends.

If you are travelling, stay safe....it is a wonderful time of year.

DH is recovering from his op...so Christmas here will be quiet & housebound. My dear Mother is with us and the children are both home...nice to all be here together. It has been a challenging year, many changes in our lives...but we have worked together as a family and had the support of our friends...many positives.

Last weekend we took Mum to Sydney for a special weekend. she has not been shopping in Sydney for 20 years but she loved it! 

 Shopping, the Christmas window display at David Jones, St Mary's Cathedral, the enormous tree at the Queen Victoria Building hung with Swarovski crystals,

dinner at Circular Quay, 

ballet at the Opera House...The Nutcracker, 

and morning tea at the QVB Tearooms...a weekend of indulgence which she thoroughly enjoyed. Our hotel rooms overlooked Hyde Park and we were treated to fireworks from the Carols at the Domain. It really was a perfectly wonderful treat...our gift to her.

A joyous Christmas to you!

Cardygirl xx

Just popping in....

...to say a quick hello. It is a bit hectic, not much thought regarding Christmas yet... DH had his big knee op yesterday  ( a high tibial osteotomy for those medically inclined)...it meant an 0430hrs start as the hospital is 2hrs away...I am back today for work & then off...he should be home before Christmas.  I will pop back tonight & update on all our busy-ness!

Cardygirl xx

I am a 1.5...I think!

Maree & Chookyblue have recently had a discussion about there being two types of crafters.Type 1 is super organised, efficient & focused, perhaps a tad annoying(!)...Type 2 is more casual, laid back, tends to be a little disorganised. Hints were made that I might be a bit stuffy...tending to be  more Type 1 than most... hmmm... lucky I am not overly thin skinned...I could see their thinly veiled point...LOL...sometimes a chill pill may be in order in Cardy world...even I can see it! I responded that I think a 1.5 may be in order as we all know that procrastination is big at my place! Especially when it comes to binding...aaargh!

So, after finishing my Christmas stitching, writing Christmas cards & spraying the magnificent crop of weeds that have flourished since our recent rain....I decided to bite the bullet & stitch the binding on this disappearing 9 patch from Kate Spain's Christmas fabric. My table looks quite festive!

Cardygirl xx

Christmas tree cuteness

Lots of things to do at the moment...like you I am madly trying to get Christmas organised...but I am easily distracted...I know the cards need to be written....the windows need cleaning...those cobwebs really need to go...those quilts need to be bound!

BUT, instead I was distracted by this bit of gorgeous-ness! A free pattern from here...inspiration from here... made as a mini using 3"squares to make prairie points...looks lovely in my Christmassy house. Made with leftovers of Figgy Pudding, Fruitcake & Winter. It is our December project with Le Petite, but I couldn't resist sharing it with you...quick, easy & super cute!

Cardygirl xx

Le Petite Butter Churn

Sherri & Sinta have organised a group...Le Petite...stitching a small quilt each month. No pressure....make it if you can...no huge requirements list...quite fun & motivating. A great group to follow and marvel at everyone's different interpretations. Follow the parade on their blogs.

The quiltlet for November was "Butter Churn" by Sherri Falls of This & That Quilts. It was a great little quilt which I made entirely of scraps from some Lakehouse fabrics left over from other projects. It is only 24 1/2" square...I am thinking of adding an extra border or two....maybe some more of those super cute churn dash blocks to make it suitable for a baby quilt ( I mean as a gift!). I love making these small quilts...so great for practicing techniques & playing with colors. Pop by and see the cutest little Christmas Tree quilt that is the December project...prairie points are perfect for this time of year!

Raining here today...might have to sew when the house is clean....and the Christmas cards are done!

Cardygirl xx

My SSCS elf!

Was Nicky of Farm Girl Stitching! I have been a fan of her lovely cross stitch so it was a wonderful surprise when a parcel arrived from her home in New Zealand. I was SO excited!

Lovely presents...

and a Customs surprise! Apparently something in the gift flagged the attention of Customs & Quarantine aka "Border Security"...and the parcel was opened & inspected. I wonder if they liked it? There was a note explaining & assuring both Nicky & myself that nothing was removed or damaged. Maybe this parcel may become a star on TV's Border Security! Who knows? But is is safely here & unharmed.

Inside I opened my ornament to find a lovely cross stitch mini pillow. The stitching is fine and gorgeous... thanks Nicky- I will treasure it. 

There was also some beautifully fragrant rose soap, a notepad ( I am always looking for one!) and a fun New Zealand tea towel...a lovely gift. But I was good Chookyblue and my Christmas present is safely under the tree!

Thanks Nicky!

Thanks Chookyblue for your AWESOME organisational skills!

You girls have made my day!!!!

Cardygirl xx

A day with Brigitte

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to spend a day with Sydney based designer & teacher Brigitte Giblin at Southern Cross Needlework. I had had my name on the waiting list for some time and sadly (for them!) someone had to pull out. It was a great day, Brigitte was generous with her time & inspirations...sharing patterns & offering guidance. Most ladies have been working on her designs for a while...

loads of lovely 1/2" hexies...

a new design...

amazing fussy cutting...

reproduction inspirations...

and more!

I have started playing with a 30's palette...having fun at present!

Cardygirl xx

Christmas cheer!

It was pretty exciting to hear that the recipient of my SSCS has received her parcel in far off Norway!It only took a week to arrive...funny to think that it is over in the snow now, far away from the humidity, heat and our noisy bug zapper! I really don't enjoy this heat and wish I was with my parcel!

 There is so much secretive sewing going on...I know that some of my friends "lurk" on my blog... I need to be careful what I show! Might throw a few sneaky peeks soon.

This doorstop..."Christmas Tree Cheer" by Anni Downs is almost done...it just needs a few extra plastic pellets & a star on top....but I need to drive to Maitland to get some more! It is super cute & will be a welcome addition to our Christmas decorating. Isn't the fabric great?

Patchwork has permeated every nook & cranny of our home...even the dog blankets have that touch of "wagga" or perhaps a smattering of influence from Gee's Bend???? It was such a great washing day that I thought they deserved a freshen up. Don't they look fun?

Cardygirl xx

Sampler parade Pt 2

It has been great to visit everyone's sites for the cross stitch tour. Chookyblue is listing what blogs are participating today....go here to find out.

First of all, here is the basket where my cross stitch lives...it has an embroidered lid...it was made in a class with my local embroidery group in 1998...I added little touches to make it my own...

I love the inside of the lid...some of the tools were gifts...pretty special!

My children both have samplers...they were not made until they were older so they are a little more adult.

DD's is a modified Shepherds Bush...

 DS' is a Cross Eyed cricket pattern I think.  He still likes it in his room. Sometimes he can be a nut.

This Shepherds Bush design was completed 31.12.1999...some furious stitching right at the end to complete it before the New Year rolled in!The whitework bands do not photograph well.

Someone commented that there was no stitching in their toilet....LOL...this hangs in the loo off the laundry! It had a previous life in my kitchen, but has been demoted.

This garden sampler was fun to make...the borders went on last as you would expect...only to find that on the final stretch I was one thread out!!!!!! A little creative tweaking & I find the imperfection hard to find!

And just so I don't seem like a goody two shoes who finishes everything...here is my walk of shame!

I commenced this sampler with obviously good intentions in 2002...it appears very briefly every year or so and has a few more stitches done, undone & then done properly! I love it but it is stronger than me & keeps me making mistakes...I will not give up...LOL!

This must be completed by years end...Blackbird Designs...but I am easily distracted by borders.

Liz sent me this lovely linen...you have seen this stocking in progress...I am enjoying the "bigness" of it all and the overdyed Perle5...like sewing rope on hessian. Have a look at Liz for some stunning X stitch!

Don't be fooled...if I peered further into the dim dark recesses of my cupboards there would be more WIP's! Hmmm...Prairie Schooler Santas...dragonfly...stop looking now!

Obviously patchwork has taken more of my time over the past few years, but I still find such calm when I stitch...time to sit quietly & think. Hope you have enjoyed it!

Cardygirl xx

Stitch or bind...hmmmm?

So much secret stitching happening at present...it will be so exciting when we can all see what each other has been doing. My SSCS swap present is finished....just needs wrapping....send a pic to Chookyblue...and post off to.....! Can't spoil the surprise now!!!!!

This tempting pile of Christmas prettiness is grabbing my attention at the moment...it is a newish design from the oh so clever Anni Downs...Christmas Tree Cheer...itching to get at it.

Or should I be good and bind this....made with all my 30's scraps...Puss in a corner blocks...the size was dictated by the amount of background I was able to find. The yardage is a soft green with a white pindot. It is a sweet quilt and I love seeing the scraps come to life again. Probably not the best pic...

 I really enjoyed the cross stitch hop over the weekend...thanks for all your lovely comments...Part 2 will appear next weekend.

Cardygirl xx