Monday 27 June 2011

weekend stitching....

Thank goodness for poor television programming! I got to spend some quality time with my sewing machine and the beautiful fabrics I received for my birthday from Els and Fiona.
I had been picturing what to do with these and I am very pleased with the result. I have made two size star blocks- three of the large and 9 of the smaller ones. They will eventually be a table runner and a table topper and will be on my to do list for the upcoming holidays. 


(please excuse the furry bum in the corner, Maisie decided to check out the blocks)

Have a lovely week!
cheers
Marina

Saturday 25 June 2011

It's the 25th,

and you know what that means.....
Time to reveal a completed Christmas item for the month!
I thought I was going to have to make excuses as to why I didn't have a finish.. but last night, due to the amount of rubbish on tv, I managed to finish doing the hand quilting on my 'tis the season top. I decided to machine quilt the borders. I retired to the kitchen, set up the machine and went for it.
I had a ball getting it done and I was so glad to finish it by the 25th as it was a small deadline I had imagined for it, I only managed it by fluke.
so here it is...
My 'tis the season completed hanging...drum roll please..

Now it can join the other christmas items finished so far.
Almost finished another stitchery at craft group today and I stopped off at Spotlight on the way home to spend my birthday voucher from them so I bought some off white homespun to use as a backing for my sweet nostalgia quilt. I will use some scraps from the top as well then it can go for either quilting or basting at the quilters. I still can't decide whether to quilt by hand or not. I know how I want it quilted but I am worried that they won't do it exactly as I want or that it will cost a packet. Decisions, Decisions.
Have a great weekend!
Marina

Friday 24 June 2011

that time of the week...

I am hoping to have a lazy day at home today after the housework and washing are done, of course.
Firstly I'd like to thank the new followers to my blog, and thankyou to the other followers as well. It's nice to know people like to share my crafting with me.

I decided this week to trace off some more of the 'Tis the season stitcheries to make either another top or some table runners. Will decide once there are a few done. I think I am enjoying them even more a second time. Just taking it slowly, no rush-maybe that is why I wasn't as happy with my stitching the first time, I was so eager to finish them. I have done two so far- then I will just have to decide how I will put them together. I would like to assemble them a little differently but we will see how we go!
The postie brought two lovely Flowers this week from Narelle. I have withdrawn from the Hexie flower swap as I am going to finish my top off once I get my June flower from the swap. Narelle and I did a little swap between ourselves as we hadn't been paired as yet in the swap. She sent me these two gorgeous flowers and some hot chocolate. They will go into the last row of my garden top. I have sewn all the green fillers around the top except where the last row will go and I am very happy with the result. I am hoping this months swap flower will arrive soon as I am keen to complete it! Then I can start on my Park Avenue flower garden. I have worked out the numbers so I am ready to go.

This week while planting some cyclamen babies I thought I would check on my orchids. I am not a great plant grower but luckily these seem to realise they have to make it on their own. I was surprised to find spikes waiting to pop and even some open flowers on others. I gave them some fertiliser as a reward. My sil grows the most amazing orchids and she looks after them diligently. It isn't uncommon for her to have over twenty spikes from one plant. I am so jealous. I get excited over two!

Craft group tomorrow and I am looking forward to it as I haven't been for a few months. Just too much going on sometimes to fit everything in.
Hope you get some crafty time on your weekend.
cheers

Marina
ps notice I used my rug mug.

Sunday 19 June 2011

after consultation....

.....with my creative advisor... aka mum, We have worked out how to finish my flower garden. Fortunately the apple didn't fall far from the tree, in regards to how mum and I like to do things. I had decided to take the  perceived 'easy' road and just applique the shaped edge onto a border but I haven't been totally happy with that. I am not a tidy or organised person most of the time but when it comes to crafting I like to be very exact and as near perfect as I can. Mum had suggested putting in half hexies to even the really uneven edge but I didn't want to think about more basting and stitching, I was a bit impetuous and just wanted to see the end in sight- quickly. A bloggy visitor had suggested the same. I gave into the idea as I know it is the only way I will be satisfied with the end result and am happy I did! It has taken nearly a year to get to this much progress a little more won't hurt.  Last night while re watching Harry Potter- the prisoner of Azkaban,( I am watching the movies again in anticipation of the new movie) I basted all the half hexies I will need to finish my top and some more green hexies to fill in the other gaps in the edges..
Feels good....
This is the progress so far with evening up the edges..

this lower edge will have basting removed and then I will add the border to form a straight edge.
I have also worked a bit on my 'Tis the season quilting. I was missing some brown pearle thread but found some in my stash so I was able to do the brown blocks. I have quilted around 8 blocks.

Am debating as to whether to make another one of these. They will be handy to stitch at night......
The sun has been shining in Melbourne this weekend so lots of washing and drying getting done.
No 3 son played his tennis finals Friday night and his team won! Talk about nail biting finish, they were drawn on points so had to count back to sets won. Glen got highest stats for the night so he was over the moon.
Today DH and Glen are playing father/son game at the club. It's good to have boys!
Hope you are having a great weekend!
marina

Monday 13 June 2011

some stitchery finishes....

Over the last week or so I have been just pottering away at a few stitcheries that will come together one day into a project. I had been thinking about these little girls for some time and had stitched three already and it was time they had some company. I have used white on white fabrics but stitched on the reverse side as the front was a little over powering for the stitcheries. No close ups on these stitcheries as I don't know why but my stitching has been a little bit scruffy of late. Not up to scratch at all!  I need to try to work out why. Maybe I need some new needles?



I have also finished stitching my times gone by May installment which is just as well because this month's pattern should be arriving this week, hopefully.

It has been a lovely Queen's birthday weekend. We had a family wedding on Sunday night and we spent the night in a hotel in the city for a treat. It also meant we didn't have a late night drive home.
Not much crafting unfortunately, but it will be school holidays soon and I think it is nearly time to make a list of what I will like to get done.
On Saturday I took a trip to GJ's fabrics. A wonderful patchwork shop! They have had a massive reorganise and I had a lovely time sticky beaking around. I bought some extra wide seeded homespun to use as backing for Life is Beautiful quilt, I mainly wanted to find some fabrics to use for a border for my flower garden. I am ready to start planning for it to be completed. I will add just one more row and then that is it! so far there are 96 flowers in my garden! After I have finished this one it will be time to join up my Park avenue flowers.
I found some gorgeous cream print for the border and a lovely green check for the binding and possibly a small border around the top. I was toying with appliqueing some butterflies around the border?
What do you think of the green inner border?
Something to think about before I chop!
Here is a little quote from the lovely book I received from Lorraine (the balancing kiwi) I didn't give any idea of the size of the little book in  my previous photos of it but it is just so adorably tiny.
Hope you like the quote too...



hope you all have a lovely week...
Marina

Thursday 9 June 2011

Oh Joy!

Today I arrived home from work to find a parcel waiting for me. DH commented "how come you always get parcels?"
Just lucky I guess...
Todays treasure was a surprise from Fiona of Bubzrugz.  She sent me a gorgeous parcel of Birthday goodies. It was such a great surprise!
Look at this beautiful gift tag, such a pretty button.

a lovely mouse

some beautiful fabric and a jar cover. This will go somewhere special.
I feel so lucky! Fiona you are wonderful.. Thankyou so much!
Feeling special!
Marina

Wednesday 8 June 2011

get ready for some piccies....

I have some pictorial catch up to play.
Yesterday was the 7th June and I had three little parcels that weren't to be opened till the 7th!
When I opened them I found these lovely gifts from a swap friend Els.
They are just gorgeous and the fabrics are so soft and delicate.
Thankyou Els I love them!!!


these little crosses are just tiny and so perfect.
Another parcel arrived in the mail today. Lorraine of the balancing Kiwi and I have done some lovely little swaps with each other since being swap partners in a Christmas swap.This time we decided we would both jump on the mug rug bandwagon. Lorraine's parcel arrived last weekend and mine today. I just love getting goodies in the mail. She also sent some special extras. We both love the colour blue so it goes without saying that we love things that are blue!
Remember the little blue heart that was a sneak peak a few posts ago? Well this is the rug mug I sent to Lorraine. She let me know that she liked it but is too afraid to use it. I am not one to judge as I have a collection of beautiful crocheted wash cloths that will probably never see water!

This is the loveliness that I received...
lovely teapots and teacups with embroidered embellishments. Uncanny how we were on such a similar track!

a beautiful toile fabric purse.
and this gorgeous book with lovely sayings. It is just divine. I love the 'm' it is a small plaque.

Thankyou so much Lorraine for my lovely parcel. Whether my mug rug gets used or not is still to be decided it may join the washcloths on the dresser!
Hope everyone is having a lovely week I know I am (except for the visit to the dentist this afternoon. I have another 3 fillings to go! Signs of a misspent adulthood being afraid of the dentist-still afraid but  sucking it up)
cheers
Marina

Thursday 2 June 2011

Teddy bears picnic

Today I have organised to join Melody's teddy bear's picnic. I have managed to organise some teddies to come along. They are picnicking in the flower bed.
The little bear with the green spiky tuft is one I bought a fair few years ago as he was so cute. The little one in the middle is named Bumbles. Mum bought him at a porcelain doll and teddy show for no. 2 son when he was young. He would often have a 'grumpy' face and Bumbles was his perfect match. The well worn bear on the right has a little story. My good friend and I, when we were young teens, decided that we would swap a treasured item with each other. I gave her my old kangaroo skin Koala bear and she gave me this bear. His is well worn and he was very special to her. I don't know if she still has my Koala but I hope so.


If you would like to have a look at other teddy picnics pop over to Melody's blog
Looking forward to the weekend!
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...