A Bit of This.....

And a bit of that..... in my post today.

Let's start with a little stitchery that I actually did the machine sewing on (about 3 minutes worth) & finished the item for Friday Night Sew In. What's more, it's a gift for me - the words definitely were written about me!

Wishes won't do dishes, so true in my house. I used two of my favourite supplies, variegated thread & some of my treasured Marmalade fabric - currently my favourite print in the range. The pattern was a freebie from Bird Brain Designs. They have pages of lovely little stitcheries that they generously give away.

 

I have been busy knitting a  baby jacket that I am hoping I will finish this week, it seems to be taking me forever!

 

 

Next I want to show you a beautiful vintage kitty. It was made by my friend Frank's mother, out of pom-poms, many, many years ago. It's a very cute little piece made from three elongated pom-poms for the body, one for the tail and the round one for the head.

 

 

Isn't that just what we want for our crafts - for it to be on display & cherished many years later by our family for generations to come.

I had a lovely big first chat this morning with Anthea from Hibiscus Stitches. Next Saturday we have our bloggers meet up at the Perth Quilt Fair. I can't wait to meet our local bloggers that are coming along & a big thanks to Anthea & Maria from Life On The Block for organising it for us.

 

The next day we head off for a week down the South-west of WA in Dunsborough, right on the ocean. So far it looks like we can expect more of the same weather in the early 20s with nice, cool mornings & evenings. I am very much looking forward to the week away, so better start packing my sewing, magazines, books, not to mention anything I buy at the craft fair that I can't bear to leave at home for the week.

 

The bad news is that Master Hun-bun is having his first ever holiday at a cattery! He knows he is going, we speak often of Hun-bun's winter holiday, but I don't think he realises he is going there on his own & not with his muma. I couldn't tell him that. He is all prepared - had his vaccination, been micro-chipped in case the worst ever thing happens & he gets out, has a new necklace to hang his microchip pendant on & I washed his blanket today for him to pack. By Sunday morning, he will have slept on it enough for it to remind him of home but not enough that you can't see his favourite farmyard animals for the creamy furs clinging to it. It will be me in tears as I drop him off on Sunday. I bet they will have to kick me out to make me leave him. Oh dear - I will have to try to be brave! They will do phone or video visits, can't you just see me Skyping my cat! It's only a week, I'm going to try to limit myself to only 2 phone calls to check on him.

 

 

 

Finally, it was a beautiful day in Perth today & we made the most of it by going for a walk this afternoon around the lake at Yancep National Park, about 60kms North of Perth. The lake is called Loch McNess, named after a Perth philanthropist not its Scottish namesake, and I didn't see any monsters either.

 

The Yancep Inn looked like a great place to sit this afternoon, with warm sun on your face & a cool beverage in your hand. Maybe next time, today we had walks to do & pics to take.

 

 

It was just the weather for a snooze in the sun, hiding ones face behind the trunk of the Euculyptus tree.

 

 

Many people were taking advantage of the great weather & beautiful surroundings. The views were very pretty.

 

 

The locals were getting lots of attention from the younger generation.

 

 

And the imfamous West Australian Tap tree was in full bloom.

 

 

We spent ages on a jetty in the sun trying to capture photos of dragon flies. The dragon flies had great fun doing very dramatic, acrobatic moves to make sure most pics captured only a wing or just blurry blue sky.

 

 

The birds were far better behaved.

 

 

And the native plants in flower were very colourful and pretty.

 

 

 

Have a great week everyone!

Tracee xx  Hun-bun xx

Mrs Martin's Mothers Day Swap

Our latest swap with my partner Glenys in the Mrs Martin's Let's Celebrate year long swap was the Mothers Day Swap. Glenys & I seem to be getting pretty good at picking some things that are favourites for each other without being told. Glenys doesn't have a blog so picking the hazelnut chocolate and sewing notion fabrics on my behalf were just good luck but she has also been able to work out a few key things about me that I haven't blogged about.

 

I always have a travel cup of tea, coffee or herbal tea (depends on how tired I am & how virtuous I am trying to be) in the car for going too & from work. I don't drink enough most of the time so this is a way to up my intake especially in the cooler months when I find it harder to drink water. I have two travel cups that I alternate & last Wednesday I dropped one & now it comes apart. That's not a good thing when it contains hot liquids & I pick it up while driving without looking at it. I stuck it back together a bit but it's not long for this world. Thursday the parcel below arrived from Glenys - I think it should be called 'a spoil me' pack!

 

 

A new ceramic travel mug, a knitted mug cosy (see the pink peeking out) and a patchwork mug cosy on top. It came with the matching mug rug in the bright & happy colours I love. As you can see there is a little box of coffees and what ...... well it used to be....... some shortbread and some Ferrero Rocher chocolates. I think maybe I have mice, ........ or Hun-bun has learnt to open packets....... or maybe seeing it is 5 days later I might have eaten them over the weekend while watching footy & be blocking it out of my mind! 

 

Yes but that was not all. Glenys brought me two gorgeous treats from Mrs Martin's shop. The first is an adorable Theodora Cleeve quilt shop button and the second a beautifully crafted card which includes part of a doily, an applique cupcake with beautiful embellishments. It's one of those beautiful cards that can stay on show for a long time. Thank you Glenys, I love all of my parcel!

 

 

 

Here's what I sent to Glenys. A stitchery from The Birdhouse - Happiness is having a Mothers Love. Glenys is now getting the idea that I am a stitchery queen and that by the end of this swap (5 more ocassions) that she will be well & truly totally stitcheried out by my gifts!

 

 

Some gorgeous thimble fabric & matching thread and a block of Lindt Hazelnut chocolate. Now that is missing from the photos, not because I ate it this time but because I brought it on the way to the Post Office. If I brought it earlier, it no doubt wouldn't have made the parcel..... Hun-bun opening packets again maybe.....

 

 

So a big thank you to our swap muma, Karen from Mrs Martins Quilt Shop & to Glenys for her lovely gifts.

 

 

Now I need to go trace a new, tiny stitchery that I have found as a freebie that is perfect for my kitchen. Another one of my secret bad habits will be out once I post a pic of the end result....

 

Happy stitching

Tracee xx

Girls Own Stitching Club

Hi all, well winter had almost come to Perth - well our version of winter anyway. Last night the low  Sunday night was forecast to be 8 degrees & all highs for the next few days around 18-19. Today they are saying 22-24 highs for the next week and 8-11 lows. Winter just does not want to come to Perth, not bone jarring, lots of layers, teeth chattering winter anyway.

 

In celebration of it almost being winter here, the last two days I have worn a scarf to work anyway. I think I am hoping to entice Jack Frost to make a visit to our big sandy state. I knitted a new scarf in March (wishful thinking) but didn't share it so here it is. The close up pic is better for actual colour.

Have you seen the new Girls Own Stitching Club that Bronwyn Hayes from Red Brolly is hosting on her blog? I love Bronwyn's designs and along side patterns from mags or that I buy, I do many of the freebies she generously gives out so am ín like Flynn' with this one too.

I like the old world charm of the flower design and the thought of learning a few new stitches along the way. It helps to pick up hints & tips from one of the best stitchers in the business.

Here's my version of the first design;

The nice muted colours are really tickling my fancy as was the chance to use this background fabric. It is a gorgeous subtle floral in a soft kakhi green hue.

 

The club only started on 25th April with this design & there is 8 more to go so plenty of time to join in now. At the end we will have a lovely stitchery quilt to show for our lessons also. To check it out and download the free pattern, go to the Red Brolly blog post.

 

 

It's thanks to mum for the above phrases like ín like Flynn' and 'tickled my fancy'. I find this year as Mothers Day approaches I am really missing my mum & my Aunty, both of my strong maternal figures (& Brutus of course, he always gave the best Mothers Day gifts - thanks again to mum for buying them for him to give!). I've even been dreaming about them - yes Brutus too but he was with mum so where he needs to be now.

On a brighter note - Happy Mothers Day to all my dear friends out there who are mums, and/or are celebrating with your mums and deserve a good spoiling! Big smooch from me. xx

 

 

 

I'm off now to get my hair cut. Cooler weather & twice a week in the pool means shorter hair so easier to dry & less dribbles down my neck as I drive home wrapped in a towel & wearing sheepskin slippers at 7.45pm. It's a sight to behold! Maybe I'll have a chat to Hun-bun and ask him if he has any pocket money left & should I pick up a Mothers Day gift for me while I'm at the shops...

Happy stitching
Tracee xx

Friday Night With Friends

I love Friday night stitching while watching footy. It was made even better this week as I took part in as our monthly online Friday Night with Friends hosted by Chez of Gone Stitchin & Friday Night With Friends on Facebook hosted by Gail. Even one of my beautiful girls from my Thursday group, Ellie, takes part on FB & seeing that I haven't got off work to go to our group for about two months it is great to see her & what she is doing online.

 

Hun-bun and I were stitching up a storm. Hun-bun hogs the Ott light & sewing caddy while I snuggle next to him and his blankie enjoying having my much cuddlier boy close by.

 



That's my seat now in the middle!

We started with some stitchery.

Then after going to bed to read, had a nocturnal turn & got up again at 1am to cut out a Christmas block ready for applique.

The weekend took on a decidely lazy turn (loved it!) and Saturday night there was more footy and then a DVD marathon of Lark Rise to Candleford - another series in the vein of Downton Abbey but following the lives of the Hamlet people of Lark Rise compared to the town folk of Candleford. If I had know that 'Mr Bates' from Downton was in this I would have watched it earlier. Brendon Coyle has such a lovely smiley face.

 

This marathon stitching & watching session resulted in what I thought was the finish of my Christmas applique. It is only now that I look again & I realise not only is my little angel missing her blusher but her halo has also slipped. That will have to be fixed.

 

 

This afternoon while watching the Eagles overrun the Bulldogs I finished off the stitchery. There was some un-stitching once I decided the standing birdy did not enjoy having black legs so restitched them with a slightly darker shade of grey/blue.

 

 

Now I have the usual problem, two more lots of stiching finished, to go into the machine sewing pile. Maybe that's what I need to concentrate on over the next few weeks. The next little stitchery is already drawn for tonight's viewing of a bit of The Voice, Call The Midwife & maybe another epidose of Lark View. What a lucky duck I have been with my lazy weekend.

 

There are 64 other Friday Night with Friends sewers signed up on Chez's blog so if you haven't visited already, get over there and check out our world-wide get together.

 

Have a great week friends!

Tracee xx  Hun-bun xx

 

 

Merry Christmasing!

I have been Christmasing up a crafty storm in the last few weeks. I joined in with Narelle from Pins & Needles '1 Christmas Item a Month' but seem to be making a habit of posting every second month. It's not that I didn't make something in March, just forgot to post about it & then put it somewhere special & forgot where so couldn't photograph it. After a bit of a search I found it again...

So here is my March project, my second tri-colour knitted bauble;

It's a little more complicated than my first tri-colour one so I am feeling a little accomplished & love its little red caps.

In the last two weekends I have worked on two other Christmas items. I brought a kit for a Hatched & Patch Christmas Bon-bon at our May quilt fair in Perth - many years ago. As is my way, I did the stitchery but didn't spend the 15 minutes to do the very basic sewing & tying together. Now that I have, I am loving my little bon-bon and think it will be extra delicious filled with a few Chrissie chocolates.

In the background you can see the beginning of my next Christmas project. I loved a free tutorial I found on the blog A Spoonful of Sugar called Gingham Stars. The single decorations looked beautiful but I thought a string of Christmas Stars would look even better.

So in the photo above you can see the 18 stars I cut out from fabric backed with Appli-kay wonder & stuck to the white felt background. I then sewed the fabric star to the felt before cutting the felt stars out. This made keeping the skinny star points in place much easier.

Next I sewed the white buttons to the middle of each star.

Then I cut out all the stars with nice zig-zag scissors (pinking shears) to give a decorative edge. Don't they look great!

I then hand sewed the stars to red ric-rac to make the garland. I used a very tricky method to space the  stars - using the bottom of my Patchwork & Quilting Magazine and spacing one at each side & 1 in the middle between them. I was too lazy to get up from watching the footy to go to the laundry & get a ruler off the cutting table. Never mind, it worked well.

I made 18 stars thinking I would make two garlands of nine stars. However sometimes even those who work in accounting can't count. After making the two garlands & cutting the ric-rac I ended up with one string of 9 stars, one string of 8 stars & one sad, neglected little star....

Being the wuss I am, I couldn't let the little star miss out so came up with an idea I am very pleased with. I put the little star on a white felt square & sewed a little bag in the Christmas fabric with a ric-rac tie. Now the little garland of stars has it's own star bag to live in.

Snug as a bug in a rug is my little star garland in it's bag!

I'm very happy with what resulted from that great tutorial so big thanks to Lisa & Sarah from A Spoonful of Sugar. They have lots of great ideas & yummy tutorials.

On Saturday I also did a quick job restuffing little Brunnie's cushion he used in front of the gas fire. Back in February I thought I should wash it for little brother Hun-bun's future use. Unfortunately it has had a lot of loving from baby Brun & went all lumpy when washed. I opened it up, pulled the lumpy stuffing out, put in a few layers of fugly poly batting and did a quick stitch up. The result I should have expected. Hun-bun came in for the evening as we have finally had a few cool nights in Perth but no amount of prompting would get his to sleep on the cushion. He slept off to the side like always. I have to get through to my big, timid boy that he is now number 1 kitty & that all the benefits of that mighty position are now his.

Don't feel too sorry for Hun-bun though. He is getting used to sleeping on the bed & last night woke me up three times crying, standing beside my head, dripping wet from being out in the rain. He got told strongly that he better not have muddy paws on my bedding & then I attacked him with a towel to get the worst of the wet off. Three times! Not the brightest light bulb in the house, my Hun-bun...

Go to Narelle's Christmas projects page to see what everyone else has been making. It's wonderful for inspiration.

Happy stitching

Tracee xx

Happy 21st Birthday Little Brun

Well today would have been my little Brunnie's 21st birthday. So I am celebrating with pictures of my little man & cuddles with my big man Hun-bun.

A sprightly 16 year old

Backyard camping in 2002 - only 10 years old!

Big kissies with muma for her 38th birthday 2004 - yes she is in her jim-jams!

2004 Relaxing - Grannie says I was always showing off my duffie!

 Christmas 2005 - Still an only cat spoilt with lots of pressies

Catching the last rays of the day with brother Hun-Bun 2011

2011 channeling my inner quilter

It worked - August 2011 showing a preference for cat prints

2012 Eating mint choc chip ice cream in bed

Gone but never forgotten little grey. xx

Friday Night with Friends on Facebook

Hi all, another day in paradise, 24 degrees advertised for Perth & overcast - even some rain! V8s on 7Mate from Puke in NZ & the West Coast Eagles vs Melbourne just starting on 7. Fingers crossed our WA team will finally get 4 points for a win. Sorry Melbourne, hope dearly you turn the team around but just not today.

Last night I took part in the inaugural Friday Night with Friends on Facebook. There is none of the peaceful stitching that takes place on our Friday Night get togethers. It was frantic posting on the page, commenting on other posts & pics, personal messaging, swapping of kitty pics (purr purr), ducking back to the couch to knit or stitch, watching footy, listening for the pings on FB, running back to the puter, back to the couch. It was a very lively Friday night!

Here was my preparation for the night, two projects - some more stitchery if the footy was boring and small person headband knitting for if the footy was exciting & would make my stitchery stitches all wonky. I was ready for anything!

Of course the footy was exciting and I tried hard to keep knitting. The last 5 minutes I kept jumping up, knitting flew off the needles, needles went down the couch, tea spilt, pattern book closed, screaming loud made me have a coughing fit & Hun-bun ran out of the room all crouched low with hackles raised, last seen crossing the Nullabour to go stay with Aunty Shez in Ballarat. Oh yes - and they bet the Dockers, double bonus, I'm one of those 'WA does not need a second AFL team' kind of people - especially not those Freo D5^&%$*(! Plus more importantly, I'm very, very happy for James & the boys! Didn't hurt that I tipped Essendon either.... 

Now I just changed channels to the footy & with 6 minutes to go in the 1st quarter Melbourne is beating the Eagles 24 to 14. I have faith my Eaglies will manage to scrape back a win but let's face facts, when my team is good, they are great - but when my team is bad, they are very, very bad! Anything could happen.

Anyway in the happy chaos that was last night, I did accomplish something. I finished one headband and started another.

If you are a knitter you will be able to see straight away that the two bands are different. In fact, they are both different from the pattern too. Here's another fine example of me not reading instructions & having trouble multi-tasking. The headband in the book is a four pattern repeat, same four rows over & over. While watching the 2nd episode of The Following on Wednesday night (loving it, love Kevin Bacon - he & I share something special - our birthday is the same date) I started the now completed headband. I read only the first two rows and kept repeating them. Cute headband but it wasn't until it was nearly finished I thought - that looks different to the pic - doh!

Then last night, head band number two while watching a movie, I finally did a four row repeat but instead of knitting the last two rows as per the pattern, I did a knit & a purl. Both new patterns still look good but will be nice if headband number three actually follows the pattern! Never mind, on the positive side I figure I can now call myself a headband designer, with two different designs so far.....

So hopefully band number 2 will be finished today & will get some stitching done this afternoon & evening while watching more footy then I see The Voice is on. Oh the excitement of my weekend evenings - good thing they are exactly what I want them to be.

This new book is beautiful. Baby & Toddler Knits Made Easy - that's my kind of stuff & $25.66 delivered for over 50 patterns makes me happy too! Click on the link above if you want to see more. There are clothes, accessories, toys, blankets etc, everything a tiny person would need.

Applique Club Sunday so I am making a banana cake to take for morning tea & have to be thinking about what to take as my shared lunch dish before shopping (after Eagles finish but before Carlton game starts - footy tragic!) ......

One more important matter. I know many of you are like me & do a swoon at any new range of fabric that comes out from mother & daughter designer duo Bonnie & Camille. My fabric for the stitchery above is part of the Marmalade range. I read both their blogs and mum Bonnie from the blog Cotton Way has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and started treatment. Given all the joy and beauty this lovely lady brings to our lives I think it would be nice if as many of us as possible visit her blog & let her know we care and are sending her love & healing wishes. If that sounds good, pop over & say hi.

Must away, Eagles are back in front & after the previous week & all weekend home sick I have a house that needs more of a fumigate than a clean but me, the sponge & some environmentally friendly cleaner will give it our best shot!

Happy stitching & hope your team wins (like Michelle's Broncos!)

Tracee xx