Saturday 30 April 2011

new fabric and new project

Here are some fabric goodies that came home with me from New Zealand.
This lovely fabric has gorgeous fat bumblebees.
This fabric has lovely wood carvings on it. The cream on cream fabric has 'tribal swirls' and the buttons are cut from Paua shell. As I understand it, it is a type of abalone and has the most beautiful greens and blues.
They will make a lovely souvenir project.
Now I did say that there were some books waiting for me when we got home. This book has been appearing quite frequently in blogland and when I saw all the different versions of it on the net I was very inspired to want to make it as well.

I have made up three blocks and stitched three more.... they just need their borders. I am going to try to finish three blocks at a time so that I don't just stitch and don't finish them off. For the borders I am using Glace by three sisters. It will make a nice christmas wall hanging.



I am hoping to get some more stitching done this weekend!
This morning I had to forfeit craft group to go to our Curly club fun day. Two very tired curlies are recovering from a fun day of swimming, running and socialising.  Their owner is a little fatigued too!
Hope you have an enjoyable weekend!
cheers
Marina

Wednesday 27 April 2011

more pics to show and tell

hexagons in Dunedin

More hexies in Dunedin
Queenstown in the early morning after a dusting of snow

Queenstown once the sky cleared

first glimpse of Doubtful Sound

Doubtful sound

doubtful Sound
Sorry they aren't in order of travel. We had the most perfect weather for our trip to Doubtful sound. The tour guide commented how lucky we were as these type of days were quite rare, I think he said lucky if they got 50 days a year as calm and sunny as what we had. Dolphins swam alongside the boat and we saw penguins and seals. It was just so magnificent. We even went down into the Manopouri power station under the mountain. Awesome.
cheers for now
Marina

Monday 25 April 2011

a little bit of crafting

There have been a few things blocking my craftiness lately and yesterday I mastered them and now can hopefully get a bit of enthusiasm happening, especially seeing as I have a bit too much fabric recently acquired that needs to be used!
Firstly I needed to get a wriggle on and finish another block for my boys story quilt. I had finished enough stiticheries to get three blocks done but I hate cutting lots of fabrics and sewing them together (not very good feelings for a patchworker) but I had to at least do one. Three was too daunting so I am happy with one success.
My next 'burden' project was my bom from Helen Stubings. I was very enthusiastic about this project and had great plans for how I would do it but the first block didn't work out the way I had pictured it in my mind and I was very disheartened. The three blocks had accumulated and I thought I would get enthusiastic about the stitchery block but that one wouldn't come out right either. So I scrapped the stitchery and started over with it and only used one thread to stitch and it is much better. The font is a little too wonky for my liking but that's life. When I did the pieced blocks I even mucked them up by cutting the squares as 4 1/2 instead of 4 1/4. Seems I am not meant to do this bom first go at all.
I did the hexies while we were away so I thought it best to fire up and have a go at least. I even contemplated cancelling my bom but it would mean I had wasted the first three months. I am also too stubborn to give up.
I am reasonably happy with the result so far and at least I have gotten past it and can keep going with it.

I don't think I will get a Christmas item made this month but hopefully next month will be back on track!


Today is ANZAC day in Australia and there is much to remember and contemplate with soldiers currently serving in conflicts around the world as well as remembering those that have given their life to serve their country.
Lest we forget.



marina

Saturday 23 April 2011

here we go ready or not!

Get ready for some snapshots. ... Part one..
I know they are all scenery shots but the scenery is just amazing. Just wait till you see my shots of trees and mosses!
 I hope my photos can come close to doing these beautiful places justice.
red tussock grass- this valley and the mountains enclosing it were covered in this beautiful grass. (yes I know it's only grass, but it was amazing)

view from the road up to Mt Hutt

Mt Hutt

Lake Tekapo- this was just amazing!! The colour of the waterways was all this turquoise blue, just phenomenal in the  sunshine.

outside Twizel
We didn't get to see any wildlife except for two types of birds one was a pukeko and the other an eagle type bird. New Zealand has no native mammals and some of the native birds are quite rare due to introduced mammals that have become pests like the stoat, possum and deer.
Hope you have enjoyed this instalment of photos, I am afraid the next lot will be of more mountains and trees. I just didn't tire of looking at the different landscapes hope you don't either.
Next post may even include some crafty items....
cheers
Marina

Friday 22 April 2011

been gone a little bit.....

Well things have been a little quiet here due to a few factors such as lack of inspiration, direction and creativity but also because of  a big holiday to New Zealand!
Fiona please note how well your travel bag co-ordinates with my luggage!

We have been away for a lovely 10 days touring the south island of New Zealand. We travelled over 2000 km and even more if you include the boat cruises and bus trip and initial plane trip to get there and back. I know it sounds cliched but sometimes the scenery really did take your breath away.  I took lots of happy snaps of what will seem the most boring things but to me they were just wonderful. Our older boys who didn't come with us said while looking at our photos 'what another mountain?, what's with the trees?'. So if you weren't there I can imagine it would be a little like that. So be prepared over the course of time to be bombarded with a pic of a tree or a mountain or two!
One of the highlights of the trip was being in Queenstown at the same time as the Quilt symposium. No I didn't get to go as it opened at 1pm on the day we had to leave but I did get to meet up with Lisa who was my partner in a Christmas swap last year and was there to attend the Symposium. She and her friend Helen came to dinner with us and we all had a lovely meal and laugh together. It was wonderful.
Patchwork shops were a little sparse but we did hunt two out on our travels. Towns were quite sparse also so we would travel quite far without going through a town at all and when we did they were usually small country towns but they were very sweet.
Before I left I ordered some new books for some new inspiration and they arrived while we were away so I am hoping that I can get fired up in the few days left of our school/easter holidays. Fingers crossed!
So stay tuned for pics of lakes, mountains, trees and glacier carved sheer cliffs!
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...