Tiny treasures

Two more sets of tiny treasures aka "Inchies" arrived in my post box this week.
The upper set ,from Carol C in Scotland arrived today:
Carol has used varied means to embellish the one inch squares and I'm hoping to hear from her how the middle one in the middle row,and the left hand one in the third row were done.
The one in the second row has a (shaded) blue texture........Xpandaprint or something else?

The lower one reminds me of spilt silver solder,with a filigree silver bead superimposed.















These nine travelled from Patsy M in Colorado:
Unfortunately my flash is a bit heavy handed..will have to try again!

Patsy has chosen mainly denim for her inchies;and on some has also used foils to great effect.
Silver braid
stars
fringing
a silver palm tree and a beaded spray,and three foiled squares each featuring either a clear deep blue shell,butterfly or gemstone complete the set.

When I first signed up for this swap,I had no idea how I would assemble my treasures.......
Thankfully I'm starting to get ideas.

Nearly there

After one or two near disasters..........when my spirit of "what if" took action before my brain,here it is: needlefelted and ready for some quilting and extra embellishment.

You may remember that I used a painted nappy/diaper liner for the foundation cloth?

In a rush of enthusiasm I decided to see what effect I'd get if I sprayed the piece with a mist of water and steam pressed it........

Trust me,
don't do it!

(Having used the fibre a few weeks ago for heat treated fibre beads,you'd think I'd have remembered what happened!)

Melted holes in the foundation didnt I!

Anyway the piece was saved by needle felting the lot to a piece of batting and then adding more wool roving.

I think this would make a good cover for my garden journal.

Inchies...A Textile Challenge

Another challenge from the Textile_challenge group was to make a series of "Inchies"--

Similar to a mini ATC ,these Inchies were to be one inch square!

(Give me the ATC format of 2.5 by 3.5 inches ANYDAY!)

Anyway,here's three of the sets completed....
I must go photograph the fourth and fifth sets too!




TURQUOISE










LAVENDER/PINK





















RED!



Still to come: Purple and Midnight blue with silver!

Needle felting: A WiP

I thought that maybe I better show that I am trying to get "something" accomplished with my Janome Xpression.

The Challenge was titled "Oranges and Lemons".......

So far,this is the result:
I first daubed neopaque paints over a nappy liner before using the resulting sheet as foundation.
The individual flower petals need to be needled into position ...I want to have them partially free standing so will need to change to single needle--something I've avoided so far.

Finally, some FME quilting and additional beads and fibres will (probably) be added to complete the work.

Art2Mail Group29

It seems forever since I blogged anything stitching related........that front has slowed down somewhat as I've been involved in revamping our back yard.

Today's mail delivered this "colour discharge" postcard from Karen S in Iowa.
Entitled "Shadows" I think the feeling of depth is great.
I wish she'd come visit and give me some lessons!

On the stitching front,I'm still finishing off my "inchies" for the Textile Challenge swap........not feeling too enthusiastic about them and will probably never tackle them again as I find them too small and fiddly.

I'm also working on some needle felting..........originally my piece was to be for the needlefelting challenge group ,but I have a feeling it may end up as postcards for the Embellisher postcard swap.

On a more practical note.......I've been making tablecloths .........and I'll be blowed if I can get four matching mitred corners.
Back to frogstitching for the umpteenth time!

Day Six

Seven a.m. this morning I realised that I hadn't photographed yesterday's results.

This is taken from front of house.....

Lomandra and Zanadu have been planted on the right,and mulched,and gravel has been laid in the area bounded by "the coffin" aka proposed vegetable garden and the dining room.
Behind that is the two surviving paw-paws and the slab for patio extension.

In a day or so,we'll consider laying some pavers in the gravel,and decide whether we like the effect,or not.

Day Five

The beds have been mulched;
The pavers laid on the gravel;
........and in the lower picture you can see my "problem area"!
The path meanders down........
to a BLANK SPOT!

I'm still trying to find an Asian statue/sculture/plaque of Buddha that I like.

In the front yard outside the dining room,is (to me) a gorgeously serene Buddha..........I want a similar atmosphere in my zen garden.

Day Four.......makeover

Nearly all the plants have been planted out.......in the ground,and in the selection of terracotta urns.
The far corner is home to the shade loving plants,and the area closest to camera is for the sun hardy individuals.
Meanwhile on the southern and northern sides of the house,two concrete slabs have been laid:
the one on the southern side to accommodate a rainwater tank(IF we ever get rain!)
and the larger one is to increase our outdoor living area......this will be roofed,hopefully later this month.

Day three.......moving along

A fair amount happened today .........
New topsoil was placed around the pathway;
Weed-mat was laid within the pathshape;
A small layer of pebbles was placed on the weed-mat in the path;
I finished sealing the terra-cotta pots and we placed them in various configurations along the way;
Then we played "musical chairs" with the Draecenas,Cordylines Crotons,Acanthus,Spathiphyllum,Orchids,ferns,violets and Clivea.........
oh! I forgot the Mondo grass clumps.!!

The lower picture is of the northern side of the house..............the box beyond the pawpaws is my proposed vege garden.

Whilst the rear garden has soft curves,this side of the yard is echoing the geometric shape of the slab ,the air-con and the vegetable garden.

The rear garden is soft,reflective,soothing...............ZEN.
The side is the practical no nonsense area.

The bare bones

.......of the project,would have to be the path running the length if the house.
I couldn't imagine anything worse than a sterile STRAIGHT path............how many straight lines does Nature tolerate?
I hoped to convey a path ,a creek bed wandering through vegetation.
Luckily the Landscape Supply company had green treated pine ,that with the use of stakes we were able to bend into soft curves.

(No,I didn't do the heavy work,a very patient BarryP did that.........and after a couple of attempts we achieved a pleasing shape.........
My idea is to have pebbles and pavers within the frames and varied vegetation grouped on both sides.

In the lower picture is one of the major joys of the yard........a Poiciana(regis?) in our neighbour's yard which helps produce such glorious shade foliage and flowers in Summer.
With Winter just about here it will be interesting to see how the garden copes

The Blitz begins!

After relocating the pot-plants (and stands) to the southern side of the house,and transplanting some herbs to other pots..........
Conan the Barbarian arrived with his Bob-cat!

Most vegetation was earmarked for removal.....except for the citrus tree,the paw-paws and the Golden -cane Palms along the back boundary.

The fairly lush Star Jasmine creeper,just on the lower side of the cement slab in the lower photo was "meant" to be untouched...........but wasn't!

Most all the topsoil was removed......down to the Redcliffe clay.

At this stage,I was beginning to think:
"What have I done!"

Backyard Blitz

In mid February,this is how our garden looked'(with the addition of many pot-plants from our previous home.)
For some crazy reason I wished to create a small,lush oasis as a foil against the outside world.
Okay! We're in Drought!
Level FIVE water restrictions apply.........

BUT,having spent most of my married life being "water conscious" due to relying on rainwater tanks for all my house and garden needs,I reckon I can do it.
The first and third pictures show the back (eastern) side of the house.
The middle pic is of the northern side where there 'was' three paw-paw trees,a citrus tree and a very SAD herb garden.

My proposed plan is to not only extend a patio area on the eastern side,but where the herb garden is now,add another outdoor living area.
So..let the "fun" begin!

More Swap for a Cure ATCs

Well! Messrs Blog and Picasa did not like me yesterday!
I wonder how today's uplift fares!
The predominantly red ATC is "Flora" from Sandra Stewart;
The middle one is painted card from Robin Bell,
and the third,from Kathryn Roberts has an Easter theme
and includes wishes for a wonderful Holiday season.
I'm not sure if it's wool roving or knitting fibre edging the ATC,but I like it!

Open Garden

An ATC by Patrise

ATCs for a Cure

Back March 17 I blogged my ATC attempts for the "ATCs for a Cure" swap.
Earlier postings today did not upload the pics.
So.............here's three of the ten I received in yesterday's Mail.



First is this hand stitched applique by Jenni Kirkham.
Then there's Mandy Collins golden brown work that reminds me so much of the Australian landscape.

ATCs for a Cure

You may remember that back March 17 I blogged my ATC attempts for the "ATC for a cure" swap being organised by Cecile Whatman:

Yesterday's mail brought ten ATCs for me.......how good is that!

Some of the swappers I recognise as members of the Aus_NZ_artquilters(yahoo) group,others I don't,but I hope those that received my cards are as happy as I am.

Techniques and styles varied, and will make a good learning tool for me to explore..........hopefully Mr Picasa will allow me to upload at least some of my goodies for your enjoyment.

Hearts and flowers

I thought it was time to dust the cobwebs off my Janome Xpressions!

Myfanwy of Nuvo Felt and http://needlefeltchallenge.blogspot.com/ periodically issues a "Challenge" and I'm waaaaay behind in responding.

The current? previous challenge was "Hearts and flowers" and I didnt want M to think I had abandoned her completely,so............

Using a chiffon scarf (courtesy of my friend Catherine) some wool roving,some acrylic felt and some kunin felt,here's my answer.
Being chiffon I've left the petals free standing,anchored in the centre with some Angelina fibres for sparkle.
Wool roving supplied the stems and heart shaped leaves in acrylic felt complete the spray.

I'm wondering if I can make the flowers on a base that can be used to brighten up last Winter's tops---much like a brooch. hmmmmmmmm??