JCS Ornament Competition - 2015

Hello friends - would you like to help me achieve a year's worth of ornaments? Would you be interested to stitch along?
You DO need to have a copy of the 2014 JCS Christmas Ornament issue.
 

Between now and say 5th January, one ornament from a selected display is chosen by popular vote. You then have until 5th February to stitch and complete that ornament and show it off....
By the 5th of February- the next ornament from the ornie issue has been chosen.
This is an idea that I think in 2005 gave me oodles of ornaments ready and plenty more for my tree.
Have I confused you?
I Like most of these- which should I stitch in January?

As each ornie already has a number issued it makes it easy.

 

Leave your choice of top 3 in the comments and I'll announce the winner on Monday 5th after work.

 

If this takes off - I might even work out a competition prize for December 2015.

TUSAL - 2014

Yes, I know I've not followed the rules and posted my TUSAL much at all for the past few months.  I have, however continued to collect my orts in my little fabric pouch and transfer them every so often to my TUSAL bottle.
As it is now the end of the year, it is time to show all the orts collected in 2014, before I start the year afresh.

(in comparison with previous years, this is a shameful total of stitching.....)

Now to move forward into 2015

Happy New Year everybody!

Rounding out 2014 - and a promise to re-energise my blog



Current progress on an old WIP- Shores of Hawk Run Hollow

Hello Friends,
 


A table runner for my boss -
it has pretty Christmas fabric
on the back.

Well, it's been much longer than I expected, but here I am again.  It's now after the Christmas rush and I've time to sit down and reflect upon my year.  I have had time to stitch, but nowhere near as much output as I had in 2011 or before.
 


Mug mats of my own design

I have been lured away from my blogger habit by facebook over the past 18 months.  It is my intent to remedy this during 2015- call this my NY resolution.


A small tablerunner for a work colleague

 
I did manage to stitch one or two items this year, and I'm sure I'll find the pics somewhere on either my phone camera or laptop.  The pics here today are from my Christmas week of stitching

The backing fabric for the runner

Yes - I have changed my surname this year.  I took my mother's maiden name of Blackburn as my own.  This keeps my initials, barely necessitates a signature change, and honours my mum.

 

 

My first ornament with my new surname.



Under Construction yet again

Hi friends,

I have spent the better part of today, whittling down my blogger reading list of saved blogs from an astounding 374 (how did I ever expect to keep up with all these?), to a more manageable 125.

This does not mean that during the next blog-hop that I take a fancy to, I will not add another half dozen or so....
It appears, during the latter part of 2010, that I added a lot of quilting blogs, most of which have ceased to function.  If you find that your blog has been inadvertently left off my list, please let me know, with a link to it in your comments.

I'm also trying to present links to blogs I like in a more rational manner...  and if blogger would save my changes to my template, may have the top blogs in each category shown on the left column.

Happy reading....

Retro Road Trip - April 2014

Hi Friends,

Sheepies found in Southern NSW - along with a rusty horse



On a water tower - crafted locally
and it lights up at night too!

Haven't been blogging much of late, but I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things. Very little stitching to show, but thought I'd show you a few pics of my current holiday in the southern area of New South Wales.


One big spider.....



That Retro Shop in Finley - NSW

Ginge & Fluffs Secondhand Store in Lockhart, NSW

 

(I know a few of you stitchy girls are also collectors, so may appreciate my other blog - Retro Girl in Frankston - some of these pics may double up on that blog too...)



My latest collecting obsession - Kathy Winkle designs
On Broadhurst Ceramics - from the early 60's

 My latest collecting obsession...   Kathy Winkle Designs - on plates from the Broadhurst & Sons from the early 60's onwards.  This has led to me singing:  "A Winkling we will go, a Winkling we will go, Hi Ho with cash we'll go, a Winkling we will go .. .. ..."




A Winkle atop a yellow,
Depression Glass Cake Stand
- pattern yet to be identified

I have found one Winkle on this Road Trip, but am still looking...  you never know where you'll find treasures...




A small pumpkin stitchery,
found on Pintrest one evening
 and stitching started the very next day...
getting ready for Halloween!

One of my other recent distractions has been Pintrest- although taking up valuable stitching time, has enabled me to find designs destined to end up in my WIP pile

One thing I have come to realise, is that my passion for SHEEPIES started long before 2011 - The Year of the Sheepies; and continues now into 2014.  Driving along in country NSW, I am constantly calling out 'Sheepies!!!", much to the consternation of my co-driver and new partner, Laz.  He indulges me in this obsession and has pointed out one or two new sheep related items from time to time.

The view of Australia's Parliament House
from the steps of the National War Memorial

 
We had a day trip to Canberra, our Nation's Capital.  Now that I know what to expect, I'll be heading back again to look at more.  We spent the morning at the National War Memorial - (absolutely gob-smackingly amazing experience.  Very highly emotionally wearying, but well worth the visit.  I cannot speak more highly of the staff and volunteers.)
Then a couple of hours at the National Gallery to see the Inca Gold Exhibition - just enough time to duck into the Australian Art section on the 2nd floor to see Art that is imprinted on my mind through reading about it in books...  (reminds me - must get back to the Victorian Art Gallery.....)

Then a quick trip up to the lookout to snap a couple of scenic views- including this selfie:

 
 
Hope you have all enjoyed my snap-heavy post ...  next one to show a bit more stitching...

 





Tusal - March 31

 

 

 

T.U.S.A.L.  -  March 31 2014

 

 

What's this I spy... hidden amongst the reflection of a Melbourne Autumn blue sky, are some blue fibres???   What??  Could I possibly be stitching on more than one project at a time???  And do I also spy some olive green floss on the left?  All snuggled with the crimson and cream floss of my Christmas sampler...

 

Let's see... can I show my current progress??

 

(running - taking a hurried photo with scattered WIPS on the couch, in non-flattering light.....

 

Don't go looking too hard... clockwise from top left - A little blue heart sampler on aida- The Sweetheart Tree - Snowflakes in Abundance.  On aida again - Plum Street Samplers - Coffin Buzz. On Linen, Sam Sarah Design Studio, Kurt's Garden (part 049),  my progress on the Christmas Advent Sampler (ran out of floss - came to a temporary halt).   A single line of a band sampler that I'll design as I go.

 

Sheep have not completely abandoned me . . . . I'm sure they will raise their fleecy heads as I drag out more WIP's from the cupboard.....

 

Cheers!!

 

bronny

Quick Sunday afternoon stitch

Sam Sarah Design Studio
Kurt's Garden!  P049

Rabbiting around in my stash, trying to ignore the temptation to start another Mirabella mermaid, thought I'd get something started that i could finish on the same day (& I'm not counting "finish-finish")
Took me only twice as long to stitch a it did to decide what fabric to stitch it on.....

TUSAL - March 1

It really looks as if I've not stitched much at all, but there are a couple of weeks of missing orts there - and yes, I've not stitched anywhere as much as I have in past years... My WIP is progressing....I'll post a pic shortly...
Here is my latest TUSAL for 1st March 2014...   I've pretty much been only stitching the Advent Sampler...

Don't you like my kitty cats..??  (and yes - the sheepies have not left me totally yet)

T.U.S.A.L Jan 30

Running late again (& only the second entry for the year!)

TUSAL 2014 - a new beginning

Hi friends,

Here is my starting post for the 2014 T.U.S.A.L.

You can see how much I stitched on NYE - sitting in hall full of Hungarians celebrating.  (I don't speak a word of Hungarian!)
I sat in a corner of the room, stitching, while watching septuagenarians and octogenarians celebrate in a vivid style.

I'm contemplating a change to the layout of my blog too....   pondering in the quiet of NY day...

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my blogging friends....