Badger Cottage

A little while ago I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a full day workshop with Lynette Anderson . . . and these two projects from the Badger Cottage pattern are what we worked on for the day . . .

A journal cover with the cutest little yo-yos (Suffolk Puffs) and a pencil case with lots of little hexies.

The main fabric for the journal cover is a beautiful brushed cotton (found while scouring the store for fabric with Lynette for the "Stitched By Me" quilt I plan to make).

I really enjoyed working on both of these projects and thoroughly enjoyed having Lynette as a tutor . . . her style really suited me and she was great fun!

I was really in need of a bit of stitching companionship and I'd have to say that this workshop came at just the right time for me. To make the day complete I shared a table with a great group of ladies . . . and we even managed a stitch or two amid all the chatting and eating . . .


Pattern: Badger Cottage
Designer: Lynette Anderson
Publication: http://lynetteandersondesigns.typepad.com/lynette_anderson_designs/

Rabbit & Chicks Fabric Basket

With the cross stitch worked for this last Easter, this lovely little piece has languished long enough . . . I thought it was time to do something with it.

But what?

Well, this Easter I decided to make a larger version of the fabric basket I made back in about 2009 . . .

This one stands about 9" tall and about 8" wide, so should make a good little project bag! I absolutely love the French Blue linen and the custard coloured stitching - a colour combination I've wanted to work with for a while now.

And what's more, I'm really pleased to have finally put this little cross stitch to good use. Not much point just having it sit in a box any longer . . .

I find there's something quite satisfying about making something with purpose. And this is one bag that I'm sure will serve it's purpose well!

Cross Stitch Pattern: Rabbit & Chicks
Designer: Luli
Publication: http://ioluli.blogspot.com.au/

Fabric Basket Pattern: Inspired by Pink Penguin's Fabric Basket Tutorial
Publication: http://ayumills.blogspot.com.au/2008/05/tutorial-fabric-basket.html

Fabric: 32 count Belfast Linen, French Blue
Thread: DMC 676, 2 strands 

Project 365 - March 2013

I've been taking a photo of a day for my Project 365 - 2013. Some days I've looked at the pictures I've taken and thought how "ordinary" they were. But on reflection, next year or the year after that, or maybe even the decade after that, when I look back it's probably the "ordinary" that will bring back some of the most "extra-ordinary" memories.

This is my March 2013 . . .

Click here to see a bit more about the month of March in my world.

And while you're there why not check out how January and February looked through the lens of my camera?

App: http://www.iphoneproject365.com

Happy Easter

Hot Cross Bun Macarons
Made by: Ricardo's Cafe

Hexagons - A new life

I started making these little 1/2" hexagon flowers a long time ago and then just stopped. But now I'm giving them a new lease of life . . .

I am adding a hexagon at each end and changing them from flowers to diamonds!

I've had to re-purpose some suffolk puffs (or yo-yos) from another pile of unfinished pieces for a couple of them, since I'd used every last scrap of a couple of fabrics. Some of these fabrics were used in a quilt or two. Then the scraps became circles to be stitched into yo-yos. Then these little hexies were cut from the scraps from between the circles!

This will probably end up being a table runner, not the queen sized quilt I once imagined! Still, better something than nothing, right?


Pattern: Hexagons - 1/2"

Civil War Quilt . . . Re-visited

It's been a very long time since I've done any sort of patchwork. And my Civil War Quilt has languished in the project box - half done, incomplete.

Well I've been inspired by seeing more of the finished quilts of others who started this project way back in January 2011. Inspired enough to start stitching!

I'm going to make some "filler" blocks and decided on the "Shoofly" block. I like its simplicity and that it can really show off the fabrics and blocks of colour.

It was lovely playing with the fabrics again.

Making choices.

Cutting.

Stitching.

My plan is to do some preparation by cutting the pieces as the urge takes me. And then they will be ready when I have some spare moments to stitch. No deadlines, just stitching for pleasure.

And I've made 5 blocks already.

Who knows, I may even finish this quilt this year . . .



Pattern: Civil War Quilts
Designer: Barbara Brackman
Publication: http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

Cadbury

This week we had to say goodbye to Cadbury - our big brown dog, the best kind of chocolate (Labrador). She's been our companion for 11½ years. Now she's gone. And we will miss her every day.

Even though her health had been failing of late, she still had moments where the puppy in her (we thought long since gone) showed itself unexpectedly. Like her sneaky escape through the open garage door, seizing the opportunity for a trip to the park at the end of our street - unaccompanied - and eventually returning home happier for her brazen adventure!

She, who was spending most of her days snoozing in the sun, resting her weary bones.

She, who seemed more and more like a frail, grand old lady.

She, who would never come when she was called. Right from the start. That was our downfall - causing us to fail puppy classes!

We're feeling her absence deeply, but remembering her spirit, her gorgeous velvet ears and her antics make us smile. And we'll always be grateful for the gift of having her as part of our family . . .

"... what we have enjoyed, we can never lose ... all that we love deeply becomes a part of us."

Helen Keller

Books and Photos

I love digital photography. I love that it's quick, easy and instant.

But . . . so many of our photos never make it out of the computer and into real life.

So I decided to change that.

I made a book. Of 2012. The photos I love . . . and want to remember . . . and share.

I'm really pleased with this book. It's linen covered and a little bit special. It was fun to put together and arrived on our doorstep in next to no time. This is a Bespoke Book from MILK Books (I used the Memories Landscape template). I'm already thinking about making the next one . . .

And I also decided a little while ago to have a book printed of my blog. I'd seen the Blog2Print books being talked about on a couple of other blogs and thought I'd check them out.

I'm really happy with this book, too. It's pretty cool to have this reminder of my blog to look back on (without having to sit in front of a computer). As our family historian, I record other peoples' stories, so it's good to have my story (or at least part of it) recorded for posterity too. After all, aren't all of our stories important?

Birthday Season

Well this girl certainly makes the most of her birthday . . . with Birthday Season. And why not celebrate someone so lovely before, during and after the actual day?

This year, in addition to our usual Fridge Photos and "Happy Birthday" banner, I was inspired by Pinterest to make this "Party Hat" banner.

So I converted some photos to black & white and printed them onto cardstock (I used regular paper first, but it was a bit too flimsy). Then I added some scrapbooking paper to make up the party hats. I punched some holes and added vintage ribbon from my stash to hang the banner.

It was a big hit with the birthday girl!! And we all enjoyed reminiscing over the various ages and stages of her life so far . . .

And what birthday party is complete without a cake?

The timing was just perfect for Dawn from As Sweet As Cinnamon to post a link to Lea's Paleo Chocolate Birthday Cake . . . .

Our household is predominantly gluten-free these days, so it's great to find recipes for delicious culinary treats. And this one is certainly on the "make again" list!

Happy Birthday Dear Kelly, Happy Birthday to YOU xoxoxo

Organic Cotton Face Cloths - Crocheted, Not Knitted!

Well I did start out to knit a whole bunch of these . . . and I did actually knit one.

But I just knit too slowly!

So I got out the crochet hook.

The first one I did was the green-y one. It's just plain, but I quite like it. It used the whole ball of cotton.

Then I came across this pattern and decided to give it a try using the mauve yarn. I liked the scallop-y edge that you end up with. And it worked up really quite quickly.  It also used almost the whole ball of cotton. I really enjoyed working with the cotton . . .  and it feels so lovely when it's done.

I could see this pattern in a much chunkier yarn as a throw rug. Or maybe cushions. A little project for Winter perhaps???


Pattern: Dish Cloth
Designer: Crochet 'N' More
Publication: http://www.crochetnmore.com/dishcloth.htm
Yarn: Heirloom 8 ply Organically Grown Cotton
Hook: G (4.0mm) 
Finished size: 24cm x 24cm