Busy, busy!

Well, not a lot more done on my TTS blocks since I left Chookyblue's, but I aim to keep going with it.

Busy here...picking up travelling family from airports and just spending some time catching up...lovely!

A busy week ahead so I have some hand stitching prepared for those quiet moments!

 Here is one of the bearded dragons which live in my back garden and play Russian roulette when I am mowing!

 Cardygirl xx

Way out west...

...was where I headed bright and early on Friday morning...

driving a long way, over the Great Dividing Range, watching the soil change from rich black to red...snakes slithering across the road like silvery brown ribbons...bearded dragons dodging death and sunning themselves in the middle of the road...

careful I might accidentally break into a verse or two of Waltzing Matilda! In actual fact I was singing along to my "Blast from the past" ipod playlist...Dragon, Cold Chisel, Fleetwood Mac with a bit of Elton John, David Bowie and the Fine Young Cannibals thrown in for good measure...lucky I was alone! Very attractive!!

Off to Chookyblue's I headed...a lovely drive...even nicer to meet her and B in town for lunch...then back to Chez Chook to catch up with her family...the best of times...

Miss Jules called in for a wine which developed into mulberry picking...

then it was time to feed the lambs (a task I am apparently not very good at!)...check the chooks...and laugh and chat a lot.

A stormy morning followed and a cooler day...the chatter continued...I managed to stitch two blocks!

  (with Chooky harassing me to finish my TTS stitchalong top....not that she seemed to be doing much work on hers!!!).

 Ahem...put that computer away!!!!

 The garden is beautiful...

with little kingfishers in the trees..
more tomorrow!

Cardygirl xx

Ends and beginnings...

The last assignment for this year has been sent off through cyberspace & will hopefully arrive at it's destination. It felt so good to hit that send button & know that I might have some sewing time again. I have so missed stitching & have so many things I want to complete and then some new starts I hope! Yay!

I have been stitching my TTS blocks, I was woefully behind the group but dear Chookyblue gave me a huge kick and now I am shamed into stitching...and enjoying it too. I have six blocks done...six to go!

Dear Anne Heidi had a giveaway on her blog & I was fortunate enough to receive this parcel all the way from Norway... some lovely fabrics, buttons and a sweet felt pincushion kit which I am dying to start. Thankyou!

This was the sweet bag I gave as a gift at the recent 21st...I would have loved this one...a rag basket...someone else thought it was just the right size!

 Sadly we lost our dear dog, Purdey late last week. She was 14 1/2 years old, and such a good girl. We all miss her unconditional love & trust...sad to have to make the decision to ease her distress... but such a loyal friend deserved our compassion. SB was unable to be here, so the VERY best of friends, Lea, came to console and help lay Purdey to rest. Not a nice job to bury a friend, but Lea added her own brand of sunshine on a grey & rainy afternoon. It would have been tough without her.

Cardygirl xx

Let the list begin!

Life is back to routine and I am trying to fit in that precious sewing time. A dear friend said the other night that she knew I "needed" to stitch each day...(stops me getting unhinged- or perhaps less unhinged?)...but I have been buzzing from one WIP to another, with no set plan. I am big on lists.

So I have started the week with some must do tasks that I want to finish sooner rather than later.

1. Nundle quilt- started at our retreat a few weeks ago. Having fun with this one...especially enjoying the machine applique of the circles...why didn't I start doing it years ago???

2. TTS Stitchalong quilt- super slack with this one...millions of others have theirs finished and I fell seriously behind...oops! But I have been dedicating some stitching time and am now making progress (I don't think it will save me as the SAL-Controller is about to discipline me!!!)

3. Paper piecing- I am surrounded by papers and fabric scraps...and loving their portability. Here are the latest little treasures...thanks Kerry & Peg!

4. Le Petite- third last project...and there was nothing sweet about this Honeycomb! I have done these half hexie tops before with no hassle but this one was tricky...don't know why...perhaps a reflection of the sewers mood???? So she will be a cushion cover instead!!

And the list will continue!

Cardygirl xx

Check...check!

This was one of those weekends where I was on fire (figuratively speaking!)...lots achieved...I can go back to work knowing that a few jobs were ticked off my to do list at last.

Lawns mowed...check!

Weeds sprayed...check!

Washing done...check!

Dogs coats washed & mended...check...check!

Assignment started...check!

Discussion board participated in...check...check!

Mothers Day present organised...check!

Thank goodness there was time left for a little stitch! These blocks are for my Confetti Cake quilt, inspired by one I saw a while ago on Sherri's blog. I cut it out early this year, you may remember that I had a bit of a cutting disaster- remember it is unwise to cut out when you have no sleep in the wee hours of the morning due to a post op hubby! But it is looking good...quite quick once it is cut out correctly!

Also I have been slowly plodding away on my TTS stitchalong blocks...I have assembled three more blocks ready for tracing...I can hear a whip cracking...hmmm!

I was a Royal wedding tragic too...loved the dress...aaah...young love...how nice!

Cardygirl xx

Getting ready for Brigitte.

This week I will be returning to my class with Brigitte Giblin. Always inspiring, I am keen to see what she has been working on lately.  I had hoped to have my project from the last class finished, but....you know how it is! I have the top together but just need to work on the central applique & the paper pieced stars around the border. I "fiddled" with Brigitte's original concept & have worked with 1930's fabrics, and I am quite pleased with how it has developed. I hope Brigitte likes it!

 The blocks for the first three stitcheries with the Stitchalong group are assembled, traced & stitching commenced. My fabrics are a bit bright but I hope they will add some festive fun.

Cardygirl xx