A revamp....

of my blog.  As if I haven't enough things to do - I have to go and revamp the blog.  Thought it was looking a tad tired.  Had a look at the new Blogger bits and pieces, followed some directions, made a few mistakes and had to go back and correct, but think I have now finished.  I like the background - just a pity you can't see the whole picture of the ocean - looks fabulous, but of course the blog itself has to go on top. Made the columns a bit wider and have been able to put a frame around the photos - I think it makes them clearer - what do you think?
Anyway, have had my play for the day (actually it is am at the moment, so think I should go and get my beauty sleep!).  If you are reading this please let me know if you like what I have done or prefer me to go back the 'old ways' of the previous settings....
Thanks,   Joy

Finished siggie quilt

I'm a member of the Australian quilting on-line group called Southern Cross Quilters (or Scquilters for short) and they have a retreat each year, held in a different part of the country.  Last yeat (about this time) it was in Adelaide and I was supposed to go. Long story.  Anyway, one of the activities they have for us is a 'siggie square' swap.  Those that want to go make as many as needed - last year it was approx 70-80 (last year I don't remember back that far....).  A dear friend Lee-Allan went and she got as many squares for me as she could, also had each person put their name and address on an envelope, so I could send mine back to them.  A lot of work for Lee-Allan and much appreciated by me.  Well, after putting them together in a reasonable way and quilting it I managed to finish the binding yesterday - Yay!!! Here is the finished result:

Sorry about the angle of the image, but I don't have a bigger wall to put it on and I have to take the photo from an angle in the doorway of the spare room. Anyway I'm happy with the results.

What the Postman delivered today -

was two parcels - one with my long awaited copy of  the awe-inspring book '500 Art Quilts' and the other the first issue of 'Down Under Textiles' - a newly locally published textile magazine.  Both have been on order for a little while and I was beginning to wonder if they had forgotten me.....  Have heard others had received theirs a couple of weeks ago, but mine were still coming.  Happy now - the only question I have is which one will I read first???

My International outgoing mail...

I can now post a pic of two cards that I recently sent overseas.  Have just heard they have arrived at their destinations.

The first one here is a postcard sent to Liz in Kansas USA, for the StitchinFingers FPC group birthday swap.  I used a piece of Indian woven cotton for the background and added some beads and stitching.  A similar one was sent to Susan in Lancashire, UK.  Sorry Gina, if you're reading this, for your birthday next month, I will have something different for you.

This ATC is also for a Stitchin Fingers 1-1 swap for the month of February - subject was Black and White with one other colour.  I chose to do a stylised applique tulip and used the 'other colour' for the edging.  Unfortunately the edging is a lot brighter than it shows here - I used an embroidery thread for the stitching.  It went to Hopscotch in North Wales, UK.

I am also participating in an International Block Swap on Facebook.  It is a centralised swap and there is approx 100 of us in this swap, being co-ordinated by Ruth in Canada.  Today I posted 102 blocks to her.  The rules for the squares was - 6.5 in finished;  white on white for the main piece and batiks for the corners.  The more variety the better. This is a sampling of 4 squares that are in my parcel winging their way across the big pond between us and Canada.

My local Aussie PO has been really pleased to see me lately - all my mail has been international - have to keep the posties of the world in employment!  I do love getting mail from these swaps, it sure beats the 'window-faced' envelopes which usually have bills in them.

Found - a great textile art blog

While surfing around the net (as one does when one has nothing else to do!!) I came across this fabulous blog - In Good Company - they are a group of 4 textile artists who are very generous with their knowledge.  They have subscribers who each month are given a small package of 'play material' with instructions on how to use this material, some samples of what can be achieved etc.  All the information and 'eye-candy' is posted on their blog for others like myself (and you) to enjoy.  I have also put a link in the right-hand column so I can keep up to date with what they are doing.  Fabulous stuff.

The posting on gelatine printing is something I just have to do.......... just got to go and buy some gelatine.

A Sewing Room pic

This is my Thimble collection.  The 'shelving' is an old printer's tray I picked up in a garage sale many years ago.  Still in original condition, and the only thing I have done is to rub a little oil into it.  You can see that some of the dividers are missing.  A great display for small things like thimbles and bits and pieces like my father's old Cribbage board and some old silk threads.

Valentine's Day soon

Valentine's Day is nearly upon us. Do you have a special someone to share it with? Me - afraid not.

But I am in a group called StitchinFingers (link on right hand side of blog) which is having a Valentine's Day swap of Artist Postcards.

We are making two - one for our 'known' swap partner and for our 'secret' swap partner. My secret one came today - Isn't it gorgeous. Not too secret either - Gina signed it!!!!

The following one came from my 'known' swap partner -

Leslie in the UK with a beautiful ribbon embroided rose.

I think it is now OK to put up a pic of the two I sent away - they should be arriving at their destinations very soon.

Leslie in the UK and my secret one to Kathy in the USA.

I made the hearts from Angelina Fibres and silk paper which I made myself in a workshop last year.

 

Lancaster & Amish

While on tour last year to the USA we stayed in Lancaster for 4 days. One day the group went to the Lancaster Meseum which has the 'Esprit' collection of Amish quilts from the area. This collection has toured the world (including coming here to Australia) and is very unique.

At the museum there was also a collection of Indian Woolen wallhangings - the colours were stunning.

Unfortunately the photos of the Amish quilts are not very good for posting here as the quilts were all under glass the the resolution is not very good.

Of course you can't go to Lancaster without visiting Intercourse and Bird-In-Hand.

Beautiful countryside, so green, especially for us Ozzies who are still in drought conditions and for most of the country our grass is growing 'brown'.

 

I'm back

I'm back in blogland - wow, what a busy last couple of months. Christmas. New Year. Stinking hot weather. We have had days of 35/40C (95/104F) and even some up to 45C (110F). That's hot, but here in my part of Australia that is summer.

You know the drill - when you live by yourself and have now retired everyone thinks you have 'time on your hands'. That was 2009 and end of a decade. The year 2010, the start of the next decade, is my year - for me; for saying no some of the time; to enjoy my retirement more doing what I want; for finishing some (at least I didn't say all!!) projects that have been sitting around for a long time; etc etc. I'm not brave enough to put up a list of these, plus a list of what I want to do, ie start to do. I feel if I do this it will be so overwhelming I might crawl in a hole and hide!! Just looking at my tubs is enough.

On this subject of finishing projects - I did make a New Year's resolution, which I should be able to keep - I'm not going to start a new project until I finish an old one (regardless of the size of the unfinished one, it could just be a bookmark rather than a full quilt) but hopefully it will keep me on track then I wont feel guilty about starting some else!!!

One the major things I wanted to do is sort out my sewing room - I know everyone wants to do this and how many times do we do it? But is for real, cull, sort, list, put back.....(did I say put back!!,) put back what? what I have culled - no, hopefully I can be strong and only put back what I really want to keep.

I can now say, it is done.

A good thing that is already happening is a few of my friends are now starting blogs. One in particular is Frances Leate, up in Cairns, (northern Aust). Frances designs quilts and with her husband Peter, they run the 'Cairns Craft Centre' a quilt/sewing/embroidery etc shop. You can see Frances' blog here. She has had designs in APQ and there is one hers in the next issue that is due out soon.


I have now sorted my photos of my trip to Houston last year and will put some more up over the next week or so with notes of what we did.


Another thing I've done since Christmas is get some pics of my early projects, quilts, needlework etc and will gradually put them up here also for you to see. So check back every week or so and see what I have been doing in the past.


That's all for now, folks! Will get those photos up soon. I think I'm now a bit more organised.


Till next time,

More freebies for Christmas

Don't you love giveaways? I do. Here is another one for you to look at - Judi at Green Fairy Quilting has a Moda Jelly Roll and a Layer Cake up for grabs. Just leave a message on her blog and you're in the running.
Actually I'd rather you didn't - then there is less people in the draw and I might have a better chance! But read her blog anyway - it is great with lots of patterns and eye candy.