Sunday 31 October 2010

Saturday well spent.....

Well I had a testosterone free day during the day yesterday as all the males of the household were out doing manly things.
What was I to do, it was a rainy Melbourne day perfect to sit inside and sew!
 I needed to get organised with my Christmas swaps as I am stressing about them. Plenty of time but you still need to be a little organised. I had to cut into my Park Avenue fabrics. They are just so beautiful I so didn't want to. I will have to be very frugal as I don't want to waste a centimetre.
Here is a little sneak peek. One gift is finished.
Last night DH and I went to see Celtic Woman. It was amazing, absolutely amazing. The girls voices were just angelic. They were quite moving at times. The 'pixie' playing the violin was just so great she jumped all over the stage and played the whole time. Really loved all of it. The band and support singers were wonderful too. First class!
Next live show we are off too is U2- talk about variety.
Tuesday is Melbourne Cup Day in Melbourne. We get a public holiday for a horse race, who am I to argue. Another opportunity for some relaxing and crafting.
enjoy the rest of your weekend
cheers
Marina

Friday 29 October 2010

A little visitor

Today I managed to have some me time after doing the weekly drudgery. I wanted to get some more christmas stitcheries ready to make as gifts. I have so many things I want to do at the moment my mind is spinning. I just need to make a list I think and organise myself a little so that I don't get overwhelmed.

The postie brought me a lovely visitor this afternoon. Fiona has sent her Stitching around the block piece to me and the stitching is just beautiful. There are some great fabrics included too, I won't show them all so they will be a surprise for the next in line.  I can't wait for Monday for the next stage to be posted on Helen's blog. I think there are hexies involved judging by the sneak peak! You know I'll love that. With Tuesday's cup day holiday I should get a good start on it.
Fiona also included some 'inspirational' chocolate and a lovely scissor holder with the message 'this crazy lady is for you...' It was a little windy here this afternoon and the little crazy lady and I did share the same hair do when I came back in the house. She is gorgeous and it will be a lot easier to find my scissors now- thanks Fiona you are very thoughtful!


cheers for now.....
Marina

Thursday 28 October 2010

Yo Yo bliss....

This week I have been busy making yo yo's. They will be little gifts for the girls at work.
Once you get started it is easy to get quite zippy at making them, though the smaller ones are a little fiddly.
Can you guess what they will be?

These ......
Became these.....

A few more sets to go and then I just have to wait for the cotton reels...... Getting the idea?
If you can't wait to see what the will be go HERE for the tutorial on a lovely blog.
With the wonderful exchange rate against the USD my mum bought some lovely Luna Notte fabrics and decided to surprise me with a charm pack of Bliss. I love this fabric range and she knows I have been busting to get some. This was a taster to see which ones I would like to order.
Can't wait to think of a project for this and also to get some extras to go with the charm pack, perhaps a jelly roll or layer cake? Mmmmmmm.

cheers
Marina
happy stitching!

Tuesday 26 October 2010

tuesday treasures

Haven't joined in for a little while... but after having an internet chat with Fiona at bubz rugz, we were discussing making things for Grandchildren. I don't have any yet but I will  hope that I am still able to make crafty goodies for them when they do arrive!
My mum made cross stitch birth samplers for all 13 grandchildren. My boys' had an animal theme as animal have always been my passion, my brothers children all got cross stitch pictures by Bessie Pease Gutmann, and my sister's children got samplers with a 'toy' theme. Mum only had to make 3 for my boys but my brother and sister were a little more prolific with 5 a piece.
They are just beautiful works and ours hang in our lounge room as they are too special to put away.
They also help DH remember the birth dates of the boys, details he never seems to remember.
(Sorry about the photo quality but they are so hard to photograph through the glass.)
Have a lovely tuesday...
Marina


Friday 22 October 2010

the lucky homes are ......

Well thankyou for the interest in the goodies to be rehomed. I wish I had a green Disappearing nine patch for all of you.
No 3 son drew the lucky name out of a 'hat' and the Disappearing nine patch will be going to live at Melody's.
Fiona- it was no contest, you are the only person who wanted the pumpkin fabric and it is yours! The whole metre and a bit!
Please email me your addresses and I will happily put them in the post to you.
cheers
Marina

Thursday 21 October 2010

stitching with friends.....

Well Monday saw the first stichery for the stitching around the block organised by Helen Stubbings.
Fiona, Lorraine, Carol and I have all joined up as a group. Thanks to Fiona for organising how that pieces should be swapped around, I just couldn't get my head around it!
After tracing the pattern I got quite inspired, especially once I got the colours out for the stitching.
I have stitched and stitched these last few nights and ta da!!!
Just a few sneak peeks for now.... Not sure if we are supposed to show and tell all?
I made a little mistake though, I actually drew the square border around the picture before I noticed it wasn't on the original, but it stitched up fine, I think. I also had to add something. I always seem to like to do this.....
Here are some peeks.
 I will have to hurry and send this off tomorrow so that it arrives at Lorraine's house in time for the second stage and it is a long way to go!
Thanks for the lovely response to my 'free homes wanted'. I will draw a name out tomorrow night!
Have a lovely weekend. I am off to craft group Saturday after an absence of a few months so I am looking forward to catching up with the girls.
Happy stitching!
Marina

Wednesday 20 October 2010

Free to good home!

I have two things that I would like to offer to give to a new home.
firstly I have a small disappearing nine patch top in Greens. This was my 'guinea pig' attempt at doing the dnp and the only fabrics I had were these green fabrics, I was so fussy cutting and sewing the blocks so that they would match well but I just can't get the ooompf to finish it.. As you can tell from my blog, green isn't really my colour so if you would like to give a top a home and are prepared to quilt and back it it is yours. It would make a great table topper or small throw.
the other thing wanting a new home is this piece of pumpkin fabric. I don't know why I bought it but I did and now it needs a new home.
There is at least a metre.
If you leave me a comment stating which you would like.......
As I said if there are more than one takers I will draw them out of a hat.
cheers for now
Marina

Tuesday 19 October 2010

A parcel arrives in Norway!

Had a wonderful email from Oddbjorg to let me know that her Friends swap parcel has arrived in Norway. I was starting to stress a little but there you go, nothing to worry about was there?
Now I can also show what I made.... I haven't got photos of everything somehow they have ended up with the missing socks that disappear in the washing machine!
The things I sent were
F   felted pincushion
R  redwork stitchery
I   Inspirational fabrics
E  Australian hand dyed embroidery threads
N Needlecase
D dark chocolate
S  Scarf made from beautiful Australian wool/ scissor case.

Here is the needle case and scissor holder
 Redwork stitchery (Oddbjorg collects bears and she can make this up into something she likes)
 Felted pincushion. (can you see where that mini hexie flower ended up?)
 A needlecase. This and the pincushion are patterns by Kaaren, I am happy with how they turned out.)
Hope you all have a happy Tuesday, I know I will now...
cheers
Marina
]

Sunday 17 October 2010

Full on sewing day!

Yesterday was spent doing massive housekeeping as we had visitors last night for coffee and cake.
Today I was allowed to have a guilt free day to myself as the male family members of the family evacuated to do manly things. I had wanted to go to the Quilts in the Barn but couldn't find anyone to come with me  so I spent the day crafting!
I have gone a little Christmas stitchery crazy and wanted to hunt out some patterns when Allelujah! I found a pattern that I had thought was gone for good. I was sent a mazazine from the States from a swap partner that had the cute 12 Days of Christmas by Anni Downs. I have looked through all my magazines and cuttings to try to find this several times over the past year without success as I couldn't remember the magazine it was in. I am so happy.

Here is my list of achievements for the day! (besides eating a piece of yummy pav and baked cheesecake)
I stitched some of the blue and white disappearing nine patch blocks and yes I committed to a design.
I finished a small stitchery that won't load! Maybe it wants to remain a secret?
I got to prepare two blocks for the 1st day of Christmas in two different fabric colour ways. I really enjoyed putting these together and look forward to stitching them. Sorry the pics aren't too fantastic.



Having big issues loading photos tonight!!
I have also finished block 2 of my Boys story quilt. Boy nothing wanted to go right. I had to do heaps of unpicking and recutting but we got there in the end.
Not too bad for a day to myself!
Hope your weekend saw you doing something you like.
cheers
Marina

Friday 15 October 2010

Friday's here....

No great finished projects to display this week, Just a sneak peak of something I am making for a Christmas swap. I have two projects to make one will be traditional the other a modern Christmassy project. As I don't know my partners blogsite I can't check out her likes and dislikes so once they are finished it will be a toss up which one I will send. ere is a sneak peek of one of them....

I have been working on one of the Boys story stitcheries and may get some more traced today as I am onto the last one traced. So much to do so little time...
Tonight I want to start on my modern Christmas item. I am looking forward to that.
Have a great Friday and an enjoyable weekend.
cheers
Marina
ps More details will be posted about the Stitching with friends soon, I am waiting for Helen to post about it and then will let you guys know. The first pattern should be out Monday so I better get something together for that too. Add it to the list.

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Beautiful...

Look what arrived in the mail today......My order from the Fat quarter shop.
With the Aussie dollar so high I couldn't resist.
I think they are so beautiful from every angle! I just love them.
The range is Park Avenue by 3 sisters.


Now what project do you think they are earmarked for?
I just love to look at them and think it is going to be a little painful cutting into them.
Hope the postie brings you lovely things too!
marina


A little post script,
Eli, a bloggy friend, has started a new blog shop Called Stitched Tales . She is designing lovely little stitcheries and incorporating her magnificent hand painted buttons. They are gorgeous.
Have a sticky, they are very cute.

Monday 11 October 2010

weekend craft expo

On sunday I got the chance to go to the Craft expo at the exhibition building with my SIL and niece. We had a ball walking around and even got some lunch in at Lygon street! Very civilised. I must say.
There were a few things that tempted me. These two patterns were just calling out to me. One was a Libby Richardson pattern. I got to meet her while she was painting fabric and she was really lovely. She has a new pattern coming out at the end of the year with the gorgeous little girl stitcheries on it. I may have to get some colouring pencils to do the colouring part.  She had some lovely patterns with the most gorgeous teddies too but this little girl was the one that caught my eye the most.
I also bought a lovely Kellie Wulfsohn which will be lovely made up for Christmas or maybe even a Christmas swap? Now there is a thought!


Lastly there are some lovely bright fabrics to add to my Boys story stash. They are just so pretty.

Must also add that I saw Mary Poppins on Saturday. What a magnificent musical and there were some of my favourite Aussie performers in it. Especially Philip Quast and Marina Prior as Mr and Mrs Banks. All the cast were just amazing. I was not disappointed in the least.
Another busy weekend...
Cheers
Marina

Friday 8 October 2010

up, up and away!

this parcel is winging it's way to Oddbjorg in Norway. I hope you will enjoy the things I have made and sent. Once it is received in Norway I will have a show and tell of the goodies.

Thought I would also post a pic of my sweet nostalgia rows. Next holidays they will be worked on again. I need to do the horizontal sashings and then the outer borders. I piked out of doing the little diamonds as I didn't realise how much cream fabric I would need to use so I just thought I would keep it simple.


roll on the weekend and perhaps a little visit to the craft expo at the Exhibition building.
Thanks to Lorraine, Carol and Fiona who have put their hands up for the Stitching round the block.
I am waiting for Helen to post some more details. It should be great fun.
cheers
Marina

Thursday 7 October 2010

stitching around the block?


The last two years I have participated in Helen Stubbings Stitchers Angel swap. This year she has decided to have a break but she has come up with something new.
A round of friendship project. Helen is providing the pattern first one will be out the 18th of October. You stitch your part then pass it on to the next person in the group and so on till you get a small friendship quilt  back at the end of it. Not sure if it is just for Australia either.
It involves stitching and even perhaps hexagons. What can I say you know how I am loving hexagons at the moment. You have to get three friends (plus yourself) together to register. I am not sure if I am up to this but was wondering if anyone is interested?
food for thought?
Pop over to Helen's blog and check out the rules and let me know what you think?
cheers
Marina

Wednesday 6 October 2010

hexie blooms...

remember this.......



Well it has become these.....





Here is a 'vintage' hexie from some lovely vintage fabrics sent to me from Ted and Bunny, there is also a pinkish one that has been sewn into the top already.


 These two are from some birthday fabric sent to me by a swap friend in the Netherlands.. I thought I would play around with the stripes.


Hexies have pretty well been the focus of my attentions this last week.
I didn't get to cross everything off my holiday list but that's ok there are always the next holidays!
Have a lovely week...
Marina

Sunday 3 October 2010

a Christmas swap...


Anyone up for a Christmas swap? Judit my colours swap partner is having a christmas swap.
Seeing as I have finished my items for the Friends swap I am guilt free in signing up for this one!
I have signed up for Maree's christmas swap as well but it is all under control.
Two Christmas swaps-Not bad for someone  who doesn't like Christmas is it?
If you are interested pop over to Judit's blog and sign up.
cheers
Marina

Time is flying....

 Seems like my blog has become a little neglected again, this doesn't mean a lack of crafting though. Progress has been achieved on most...