Well, I went to my room...

 Quiet long weekends...add a dash of rain to stop lawn mowing and you have the perfect recipe for a bit of stitching! There has not been a lot of fabric play lately, so that is just what I did today!

Finished this months Le Petite quilt, Brocante. Fairly unoriginal this time and made it in Pom Pom de Paris the same as the cover pic. But I thought the fabric is perfect for Mum and the pattern was cute. Whilst I am happy with the finished top, it was probably my least favourite as I stitched it up...don't know why really...perhaps I just loved Endless Summer last month SO much, and the fabrics are not to my current taste...anyway, I think Mum will love it. I have a lap quilt planned for her in these fabrics too...obviously she doesn't read my blog!

To add some cheer to a dull day I started playing with some fabrics I love to make something that looks very different to the original model. Still have a bit of applique today so will be a little while before I reveal it...a hint...it is an Anni Downs pattern I bought at Nundle. Hmmm?

Better go...these books are telling me I have an assignment that needs attention!

Cardygirl xx

Easter Snapshot

A quiet family Easter...Mum up to visit...both children home...pleasant weather...opportunity to wake up without the alarm. Bliss!

Homemade Hot Cross Buns...

Easter tea towels with Mum's crocheted edgings...

Easter bags full of treats...

Delicious cake for Easter celebrations...

A little progress on my cross stitch...

Hope everyone is having a joyous Easter!

 Cardygirl xx

Slow and steady...

...progress on the stitching front. Jenny Beans Halloween is having a bit of a makeover...she has become my half century sampler...I never had a birth sampler so this one is all mine! I added my own words where Jenny Bean's name was stitched on the original...I think it looks okay, what do you think? Once I have done the background behind the date I am going to tackle the front wall of the house.

Some chain piecing for Brocante...it is looking soft & pretty in French General...it will look great at Mum's place.

An afternoon with DS who is home from uni...so nice to have him around...we went to the movies and saw "Paul"...light & funny. Poor boy was stuck in the car with me prattling on for the 40minute drive to the movies & then 40 minutes home again! Smart mother isolating him in the car...then he can't get away...hehe!

Hope you have had a nice weekend...

 Cardygirl xx

Cross stitch progress

Still steadily working away on Jenny Beans Halloween...I am loving the quirkiness of this one...but I always dawdle when I am doing blocks of color...hence the slow progress on the house! I am planning on adding some different wording, so will reveal when it is done.

A question for you cross stitchers out there...where do you start a design? Borders or centre? 

Cardygirl xx

The best laid plans!

Autumn is on it's way..it is getting a little cooler at night (though it was still 30C here today)...and so those pesky mice are trying to come inside. I had planned on stitching, study & weeding for the weekend...all worked out....or so I thought! In my linen press there were signs of little mousy visitors...so the megawash & clean began...and then Saturday was gone! The only plus is a beautifully clean & tidy laundry & linen press!

Some stitching today....an Easter bag for a big boy (from an Anni Downs pattern)...

Brocante...the next Le Petite project in French General!

Now it is raining....but here is a real sign of cooler weather ahead.

 Cardygirl xx

Bits and pieces...

On track with my study...quite interesting...it is good to learn & I am enjoying it. I seem to be getting even more organised with my time! We headed up to Armidale to see DS on Saturday...always nice to see him & take him out for lunch. Sunday was spent grocery shopping, washing & tidying up my computer area...it was awful! Nice to have it tidy again though! I have fallen behind already with the TTS blocks...nearly have the second one finished though!

Fiddled with some paper piecing for my Brigitte Giblin quilt...love these little elongated hexie crosses...Aris the cat was quite intrigued at all the fabric on the table.

While at Nundle dear Bec gave me some '30's fabrics...she knows how much I love them & no doubt she will see them in a project soon. 

Chookyblue showed her blog books which had arrived...mine came too & I am loving seeing a journal of my crafty life...I have done them as 2009 & 2010. Famous people on the cover!

Well, that has been the last few days...hope all is well wherever you are!

Cardygirl xx

Just in the nick of time!

Blogging has taken a back seat to so many things...after the inspiration of Nundle I have had little time to spend on my creative pursuits. Such is a busy life! Family, study & the ever present demands of work have left little time to stitch...no more progress on my TTS stitchalong blocks, a little progress on the Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler, some trousers hemmed, and late today I finished the Le Petite project for this month...

Endless Summer...mine in Lakehouse from the stash with a Moda little bird print for the background. Summer is coming to a close here, so this is a happy reminder of lovely summer days!

Here is a peep at Jenny Bean too...I am loving the 40ct flax linen!

 Cardygirl xx

The last of GDITC 2011

As you can see from all the blogs, we had a marvellous time....and are counting down the sleeps until next year. Some of us made swap gifts from Anni's designs...

I made a tissue packet cover from my favourite Flower Sugar fabrics...

and I was fortunate enough to receive this fabulous needlebook made by Pauline from Calico Crossroads...all the way from Tasmania! I love it...gorgeous fabrics & beautifully stitched...I will treasure it Pauline!

Here are Saturday's swap gifts all in one place!

  Not a swap gift, but made by dear Bronwyn for my birthday...holds my special scissors!

 Oh well, back to reality...miss the fun, but look forward to next year!

Cardygirl xx

GDITC...more fun & friendship!

As you can see from all the happy posts, it really is a great weekend!

It is the fourth year that Kerry has hosted the GDITC & every year is fabulous.

Kerry and Anni...

true friendship....helping with binding...

  Dinner at Mt Misery on Friday night...lots of happy faces!

  Stitching & catching up before dinner! Is that a swap present under construction I see?

 A gathering after the big day!

 Solving the problems of the world...or working out how to hang the quilts!

 A recovery breakfast before our journey's began...

 Guess who?

Lea & Bronwyn

Anita, Julie, Dale, Lea & Bronwyn

 More pics tomorrow...lovely Nundle!

Cardygirl xx

GDITC 2011

Well, after all the excitement, all the preparation and all the emails, GDITC is over for another year!

Thanks to the super organised Kerry from The Cottage on the Hill and her band of fabulous helpers it all went off beautifully, and we can only dream of next year!

The amazingly talented Anni Downs was our tutor and we were blessed with her sweet calmness guiding us through the day. She is a great teacher and the nicest person...it was great getting to know her...and hopefully we haven't scared her off! It was nice to share our creations with her and be inspired by what she is designing.

What is wonderful about this weekend is seeing the bloggers...old and new...carrying on conversations started last year...catching up on news. I love you girls and miss you all...the laughter, the jokes, the shared interests and best of all hearing that voice singing out in the darkness..."Hey Cardy...can you be quiet!" Oh, it felt like school camp all over again! No scary teachers this time, just a motherly Chook!

Here is the first project....

I am fiddling with mine (so what else is new?)...

new patterns to covet...

Then there were completed Gardeners Journal quilts...

and their proud owners!

Miss you girls....counting the days till GDITC 2012!

So many more pics...will post them soon!

Cardygirl xx