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....

TUSAL 2013

As 2013 nears the end and the time draws near for TUSAL 2014 to begin - I thought I'd share with you my TUSAL jar full of orts from the past 18 months.

 

Here is the little fabric portable ort collector that I drag with me everywhere - it doubles as a needle minder from time to time.  The Jar I am keeping to use - it works well and will be kept in plain sight this coming year so that I can remember to add to my blog on a regular basis.

The project is my current WIP using a combination of Picture this Plus hand dyed fabric, DMC 4210 and Anchor 1301. I'm stitching a freebie found on this German Blogger site - click here- it was released as a December Advent calendar in 24 sections - of course, I didn't find it until Dec 19, so I'm way behind - and in fact, didn't start from section 1, but instead put all the pieces together and have started in the middle...

I've also changed the wording and made a couple of adjustments to the pattern - as I tend to do...  you'll just have to wait and see how it turns out

 

Happy New Year everybody!!

2013 - Stitching Seldom. - Seasons Greetings from bronny

Hello all my friends and followers.
Please forgive me - life has intruded and I've not posted nearly enough this past 18 months.
I had a massive lifestyle change in May 2012- leaving my husband and striking out on my own.
I did barely any stitching in 2012 -a wee bit more in 2013 - who knows what is likely to happen in 2014
Stitching, prior to my break was my crutch - to the point of obsession - as was my blogging - dropping out of the world of reality and huddling comfortably in the welcome arms of my stitching sisters (and brothers)

While I don't think I will ever return to the excessive output of 2011 - The year of the sheepies, I do miss the camaraderie and show and tell aspect of blogging.  I truly felt I have friends out there, beyond the keyboard and screen, friends who have their own interesting lives.

It's nearly Christmas - and I've managed to almost catch up with my Christmas Tablecloth.  

2010 - We celebrated Christmas and my Dad spent the holiday with us - so naturally, Santa symbolises that year around the table...


2011 -  It was heading into prickly time - I didn't know at the time, it would be the last Christmas with the extended family - Holly seemed to be a suitable symbol for that year....  located on the edge of the cloth..
We also had lunch that year at a friend's home - there were more at the table, but I've included the family on a banner above the 2011 square

2012- After calling in to see my boys late morning on Christmas Day, I was invited to lunch with my girlfriend's family.   All I need to do is to add the names and 2012 is done



John and I

With my younger son, Harry

2013 - I have the chart all ready to go.  Christmas Lunch this year will be with my boys - and to symbolise my eldest who is now in the Australian Army, I will stitch a Christmas Toy Soldier.


Time now for me to log off again.  It shouldn't be so long this time around.

Seasons Greetings to all my friends - Happy Stitching - I'll be back in 2014