The Small Christmas of 2013

I had severe Christmas Fatigue this year.
No Christmas Spirit.
Christmas appeared in the shops in August.
By December First I was Over It.
I got the big tree out of storage.
But it never made it out of the box.
However, we were expecting visitors.
So only my favourites came out to play.
The little nativity scene is so sweet.
It reminds me that we call the holiday
Christmas, not Santa's Day.
 

I found this other small tree in the attic.
It was already decorated and had lights strung.
 

The angel was made by daughter #2 in junior primary school.
Of course she had to come out to sing.
 

The candy cane reindeer were made by ladies in
the quilt guild. They make me smile.

So a little Christmas spirit was found and sometimes
a little bit of something is enough.
Best wishes to you all in 2014.
May your year be full of good times with family and friends.

SSCS 2013 Received Main Gift

I received this lovely table runner from Oddbjørg in Norway.
 
The colours are just perfect. 
You have done an excellent job of choosing Oddbjørg!
Many, many thanks!

Thanks once again to Chookyblue for a great SSCS.

[Official Video] Little Drummer Boy - Pentatonix

This should help you get in the Christmas spirit.

SSCS 2013 Received

I once again participated in Chookyblue's SSCS.
This year I have received a parcel all the way from Norway!
 

Included was this charming heart ornament
which will look great on my tree.

Thank you Oddbjorg! I look forward to opening
the other parcel Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas!

Small Projects

I recently attended a small retreat for the
management committee of the state guild.
(I'm the membership secretary.)
Our new president set us a challenge of making
a mug rug from fabrics that she brought for us.
This is my mug rug.
I had a pattern with me which I got here.
I turned the snowflake into a flower.
I'm pleased with the result.

 

A few months ago I attended a small workshop.
I made this journal cover.
The yarns got tangled in my darning foot
so I used my decorative stitches instead
of free motion quilting.
 

The back cover.

I'm not sure yet what I'll use the journal for,
but I do enjoy having it.

Pantone Colour of 2014 - Radiant Orchid

Have you heard the news?

Pantone has selected Radiant Orchid as

the Colour of the Year 2014.

Read about it here and here.

Is this in your stash?

Warmer Days...

Warm spring days bring blooms.
These were displayed at a local show recently.
I love roses but I'm not attentive enough to grow my own.
 

I came across this interesting butterfly block
in a community quilt recently.
 

Using Picasa, I edited the photo to a pencil sketch affect.

When I have a few minutes I'm going to draft the block.
I love the graphic lines.
In sewing news, I had a disaster with a finished
project before I got it out the door.
So back to square one. I'm off now to my 'studio'
to make some needed progress.

Thanksgiving...

With a grateful heart I thank God for my husband, my daughters, my family and dear friends. I do not take for granted my home, my job, my community and the wonderful country I live in.

Although Thanksgiving is not a holiday celebrated here in Australia, it is appropriate to pause from time to time and ponder

 the wonderful blessings we receive.

To all who celebrate, may your journey be safe and the time 

with family and friends blessed.

Thanksgiving Proclamation 1777 by the Continental Congress

The first national Thanksgiving proclamation

"IN CONGRESS - November 1, 1777

FORASMUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:

It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth "in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost."

And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion."

Architecture as Inspiration

I love looking at buildings and seeing how they might inspire me.
I see quilts everywhere.
Below is the Fiona Stanley Hospital.
 

The next few photos are from Fremantle.
 

 

 

Some of these old buildings house the
University of Notre Dame.
Can you make out the sign on the old pub below?
 

Where I work is a renovated old house.
These are the tiles found below the old stove when it was removed.
Very intriguing.
 

How about this frangipani tree?
If you break off a branch and plonk it in the ground it will grow.
 

I'm fascinated by cityscapes. This is from some t.v. show of
New York City. I love the light, the colours and the visual textures.
There is so a quilt here...
 

A bad shot of some beautiful Norfolk pines in a
suburban neighbourhood. These were planted all along the
coastline of Australia by early explorers as "spare parts" for
later expeditions. The long straight trunk makes an excellent mast.

What inspires you?

What I'm Doing When I'm Not Sewing (Lately)

My husband and I visited a home centre and these metal wall
decorations caught my eye. What interesting possibilities for a quilt
or free-motion quilting patterns.
 

There were other eye-catching possibilities too.
I especially liked the mosaic floor.
 

Perth Open House was last weekend and we took the opportunity
to go up to the 46th floor of the BHP Billeton building for a bird's-eye
view of Perth. The whole floor is the employees' lunch room.
 

In October we had a family day at Castledare Miniature Railway.
The train meanders through the bush next to the river.
We had a really nice day.
 

(Sept) We once again spent a day at the Perth Royal Show.
(That's like a state fair.)
Here are a few of the quilts that were entered.
 

Amazing novelty cakes.
 

And cupcakes too cute to eat.

Next weekend is a retreat at the beautiful venue of
St John of God Retreat - Shoalwater.
This is a small retreat for guild committee members only.
Doesn't mean business only though!
I expect lots of sewing will get done.
In the meantime secret sewing is progressing and quite
honestly I don't have time to sew anything else at the moment.
Hope all your sewing is going smoothly!
PS - If you need a little gift these little owl ornaments are incredibly cute!
http://thesewingloftblog.com/2013/11/08/no-ugly-ornaments-2013/

Halloween Greetings

To all who celebrate, have fun and stay safe!

It's the end of another month and less than two months to Christmas.

Here in Oz the shops have Christmas stuff up already. Sigh.

I will have Christmas fatigue before it ever gets here.

In secret sewing news, I am tearing my hair out.

I've pulled fabric and drafted designs and re-drafted and re-pulled.

I've abandoned my project.

It's not working and I'm not feeling the love.

In gambling they say don't chase your losses.

So back to square one.

With less than three weeks to go.

A new project.

I am feeling the love.

Yes, it will be a push.

Yes, I will finish.

As they say - No worries mate.

Charity Quilts

These are some of the donated quilts from September's guild day.
They are given to hospitals, hospices, Royal Flying Doctors,
refuges, foster programs, disaster relief etc.
Sharing the quilty love.
 

 

 

 

So I'm here doing mountains of guild paperwork and
more SSCS secret sewing...

High Tea

Combine a quaint little shop in Guildford...
 

with an amazing daughter turning a year older...
 

her lovely sisters...
 

the cutest teapot ever...
 

and an amazing high tea.
 

A wonderful day was had by all.

I saw this wheel in the carpark.
I take photos like this because it's a quilty idea.
 

Did I mention the gorgeous teapot?