Smoking needle Sunday

With John and Martin away for the afternoon at a Blues Gig (more news to follow about that!), I had time to sit and stitch (and watch and howl at the DVD "Joy Luck Club") - and I managed to finish 2 small projects.

This is my square for a friend's parents bushfire quilt. They lost their home in the Victorian Bushfires and my stitching sisters are putting a quilt together for them.

The other finish is part of a finish...I've finally dragged back out the Papillion SAL for 2008 and finished part 5. I'm saving up all the beads for this piece until the very end. I've started part 6, but had to put it down to watch the DVD. I've been waiting a long time for 'me' time to watch it, knowing full well that it would bring back memories of my Mum - I enjoyed my howl. The movie finished just as the boys got home.

John had a successful afternoon - from what I gather he has a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to play one song - or jam with the musios next week. Not bad for a 16yo who has only been playing for 18mths. Rather proud of the lad I am.

More stitching tomorrow - as it is a publich holiday - I plan to finish all my chookies so that I can then stitch them into a top cover.

Happy Birthday Ian !

Tonight our friend Ian turned 50 years old. I was there to celebrate with him - and stitched a small name panel for him. He was pleased with it - although had to laugh at the 'hole-digger' description. About 17 years ago, he decided to dig a storage shed in his back yard. It is still there - a big pit in the ground right outside his back door. I don't think it will ever be finished!

Tomorrow I move onto another project!

Fabulous Blog Award!!

I've just been surprised with my first blog award. Thank you Pauline,

Pauline nominated me a couple of days ago - and it's taken me this long to find out! Pauline's blog is: http://paulinesxshideaway.blogspot.com

Now that Pauline has tagged me - I get to pass this on to 5 of my favourite blogs.....hmmmm this could take a bit of thinking. Each time I start reading blogs, I add more and what should take a few minutes can take up to 2 hours.....

I also have to list 5 of my favourite things - that is easier - so i'll tackle that first.

1: Chocolate - no explanation necessary
2: Cross-Stitching - one slight obsession that has given me friends as well as art in my home
3: My family - my boys and hubby mean everything to me
4: Cats - only one in my household at the moment, but I love them all -
domestic tabby to wild tiger
5: The aroma of the Australian Bush in gentle drizzle - that has the ability to heal souls.

Now back to 5 favourite blogs:

Marie : http://theleeroys.blogspot.com/
Sandy: http://sandy-moreofthesame.blogspot.com/
gazette94: http://gazette94.blogspot.com/
Suzie Max: http://blog.suziemax.com/ (glass collecting blog)
Nise : http://peaceloveandmungbeans.blogspot.com/

There are so many more deserving blogs but I had to limit my choice to 5 before I spent 3 hours getting sidetracked....

I'll post a pic of my latest WIP on the weekend - It needs to be finished to hand over on Saturday night! Wish me luck!

Chookie - I found a new craft medium! - APPLIQUE!

This is 'Flappin'

This little bit of applique took me less than 2 hours from go to whoa! - I am so impressed and now want to make more chooks. I'm going to make an assortment of chooks and one rooster into a wall hanging - that will probably be Sunday's project.

I found the free pattern for 'Flappin' and quite a LOT more on this site: http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/chickens.htm

I really like the little angels - and think they will make great friendship quilts - but I am getting away from myself - One quilt at a time....baby steps...

Tonight I'm picking up my cross stitching again. I have a couple of projects that need to be finished within the fortnight and they won't stitch themselves.

My first finished stitchery from my birthday gifts. This is a Bronwyn Hayes kit that John found for me. I'll stitch the other one and then they will be placed on a bag that will be made to hold my light box.

I've also fallen in lust with some applique and am going to have a go at that in the next couple of days.

I really do not need another craft obsession - I merely do not have the room for it!!

Oh well - roll on winter - I'm thinking of taking up knitting or crotchet!!!! lol

Where has the time gone??

I had not realised it's been over a week since I'd posted any news. I've no pictures to share unfortunately, but then I've not completed anything lately.
Last Thursday was mine and Harry's birthday. I had not realised just how blue I'd become until the laughter started...
The good feelings started on the wednesday evening when a work colleague presented me with a display folder of charts that had belonged to her mother. Most of them were australiana charts from kits dated in the mid 80's. Perfect timing as they will be useful for quilt squares for the bushfire appeals.
On Thursday morning, Harry presented me with the DVD of the newest Indiana Jones movie. Martin presented me with an 'Up-light' - designed to sit on your lap so that the light will shine through the dark fabric and make it easier to stitch. Of course, you know I'll be using it as a light box!!!
Once I'd got to work, my friend Andrea gave me a packet of magazines and a toblerone - there are so many inspirational ideas within those magazines, I'm not sure where to start! I was also surprised with Mud Cake for morning tea!
Another girlfriend, Wendy, rocked up at lunchtime to spirit me away for a decadent lunch of KFC, then introduced me to a local Op-shop that I was not aware existed!! Bliss! I didn't buy anything there that day, but I can get back there easily at lunchtimes.
Not surprisingly, I didn't get much serious work done during the day.
After work, our friends - Ian & Sue joined us for a meal out at a local club - I so enjoyed my chicken parmigiana! John also presented me with his gift - a couple of Bronwyn Hayes stitchery kits - perfect to adorn the bag I'll have to make for my new light box.

Such a lovely day.

I've since been busy, stitching the first of the Bronwyn Hayes designs - and a few stitches here and there for a square for a bushfire quilt.

Of course, I need a new craft like a hole in the head - and i've fallen in love with the chickens at this site: http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/chickens.htm
My friend Karen gave me a heap of fabric to get this started for my birthday - and I'm eager for the weekend for time to get my machine out!!!

I'll try to get some photos of all my WIP in the next day or so.

Closeup of beads used in Mermaid

I've just taken a photo of my mermaid in the sunshine. And a photo showing the shell beads used in place of the jewel drops.

HOT OFF THE NEEDLE! - Queen Mermaid

11pm and hot off the needle!

Queen Mermaid is finished! Today I found some shell beads that were just the right size and colour - I've substituted them for the Mill Hill Treasures that were out of my budget. I feel that they suit the mermaid so much better anyway!

It's not a great photo because it is so late at night - I'll try to get a daytime photo in the next day or so.....

Red Saturday - February 7 2009

It is with a sad heart that I record my thoughts today. Today is Monday. Two days ago, Victoria had the hottest day on record, with fierce northerly winds. The temperature soared to just under 50c - it was 49.8 at our back door at midday.

Unfortunately, due to a previous week of 44c temperatures, the state was extremely dry and all the vegetation had all it's moisture sucked out of it. Perfect conditions for a Bushfire.

And a Bushfire we had.

I say we. About half the state of Victoria was ablaze by 5pm. I am fortunate that although being within 15km of the nearest fire, the wind was blowing away from us and we could see the smoke, but we did not have any embers land on us.

Sunday morning, the horror of the previous day became apparent. Marysville and Kinglake - two communities in the leafy hills were no more. Without warning, these communities were ablaze and many, many people lost their lives. Bunyip State Forest is still ablaze. It will take weeks for the full impact is felt. Loss of lives are measured in 100's - not in dozens. Thousands of families are now homeless. Our firefighters and volunteers are heros.

There are other blogs with far more eloquent words. Here is a photo of the fireclouds as seen from the front of my house looking east at 1:30pm Saturday.

And again at 4pm: Looking east and looking north.

The fire threat is not over. Fires are still burning through the state.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel......

Having spent today stitching, I can now see the end of the tunnel - there are not so many beads left to attach and only a little bit of backstitching....I'm so happy...

I still have to find the right beads to attach in the big blank bits in the torso. I'm hoping to find something right at the local bead shop...if all else fails...there's always ebay!!!

I'm really pleased with the half pearl beads in the bodice. The design calls for faceted floral amethyst beads, but I think this suits the mermaid theme better.

I've also finally got a photo of my boys - a scruffy pair - for the first day of school 2009. It is so hard to get them both with a happy face at the same time!!! This is Harry's last year at Primary School.