ATCs for a Cure

Once again my ambitions exceeded my capabilities:
The fan shaped stencils were the result of my first attempt using micro beads.

The "bad hair day" ladies resulted from attempting to
needle felt their hair.
The profiles are back stitched on a cream Homespun over which I pressed Rainbow Paper in an attempt to get a lightly shaded background.
Each lady sports a Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer on her right shoulder 

Squares

Much too hot to do anything outside after 10 am,so
I moved the sewing station down near the Air-con
and re- acquainted myself with my
Janome Xpression.

Nothing really exciting or artistic resulted,
but it was idiot relief.

I've positioned four small squares of felt
and trapped them with "wings" of wool roving. 

ATCs for Cancer

"Breast and Ovarian Cancer are nasty insidious diseases that affect everyone.
We all know someone who has been diagnosed with one of these diseases.
This ATC swap is a fund raiser for the Cancer Council of NSW.
Funds raised will go directly towards research and treatment.Every cent raised will go directly to the Cancer Council"

I'm endeavouring to make a couple of series as my part of the fund raiser..........I think I need to blame my lack of inspiration and motivation on "post moving blues" and summer blah.

Nothing seems to be jelling at the moment,and that March 30 deadline is looming closer.


On another note,I have two gorgeous "white on white" CQ blocks awaiting attention.
Even with the air-con humming at a chilly 23 degree I'm not brave enough to go anywhere near the work with sweaty hands.

"Waste not........"

.......is the title given by Jeanne Kennedy to this
little beauty I received on Friday.
Jeanne explains that she made a wall hanging at a Retreat last year
and in her words,the leftovers were so pretty she had to use them!
Unfortunately my photographic editing dont do the card justice! the way she has blended the pinks with plum are truly beautiful. 

Art2Mail Group18

Today's mail brought "Snow" from Sarah H in Wisconsin.
This swap is slowly coming to a close......only two cards are outstanding at this point.
It has been an excellent method of trying new processes on small pieces.

Some ATCs are next on the agenda.........downsizing from 6by4 inches
to 2.5by 3.5 inches.
At this stage I have "ideas" for using the Janome Xpression! 

CQ Crazy: Trapped!

CQ Crazy: Trapped!

Art2Mail Group18

Received this week from SpringW in Utah......."the greatest snow on earth" 

Another Art2Mail card

This bright cheerful card arrived today from Pat Essex in "snowbound NW OHIO" The iridescent vertical and horizontal stips resulted from Pat's first time use of Angelina;
don't you like the pinked edges!
And at the top is the saying:

" On the road between the homes of friends,
Grass does not grow "

Norwegian proverb

 

My work area!

This pic might help explain why I haven't blogged lately!
We have relocated..........two weeks ago;and I'm still trying to unpack boxes.
This area had been designated as my studio,but a spare bed and other things snuck in when I wasn't looking.........
Maybe I'll have to claim the garage after all!
Hopefully when I find new homes for all the above I can use my Janome Xpression and play!
(I feel the need) 

Cats' revenge

Vicki wondered how my cats would react after being released from their "cat park"-------
Totally cool Vicki !

Here's Cadbury,yawning her head off on her new bed!
Jesse my "black panther" has been on antibiotics due to cystitis and a jaw infection,and Possum----
does Possum things! Not much at all! 

Art2MailGroup18

Basket of Simple Branches from Shauna Griffiths
Aloha from Hawaai
"Working on my Tan" Carol Heck
"Work!Love! Dance" from Janet Moran

Great little pieces that brightened my days...........thank you ladies! 

Art Meme 2006

Some time late last year Jo N promised me an Art Meme Swap..........this delightful little piece arrived in the last fortnight.
If you're aware of the TAST in which Jo and many other of my CQ contacts have involved themselves with,you'll probably agree with me that this landscape evolved from it.
Thanks Jo! 

I'm back!

It seems like an eternity since I had time and internet connections to Blog our doings---in reality it's only been two weeks!
We've made the move (lock,stock and barrel) and here are pics of how the cats were "imprisoned" whilst removalists and tradesmen breezed in and out of the house with deliveries.
Needless to say the three cats were less than impressed with their confinement,but they've settled down and the prison has been removed from the yard........

I hasten to add that Jesse,Possum and Cadbury were brought inside at night and if it rained.
I'm still deciding whether to add "tunnels" around the yard with direct house access for them;will revisit that after patios,rainwater tanks and revamping of garden occurs.

As for stitching.........what's that??
Must be nearly two months since I've done any,so I've been really happy receiving fabric postcards from my Art2MailGroup18 swap,and an Art Meme from NZJo and some gorgeous dyed fabrics from my dear friend Catherine. 

Cyber Black Holes

I'm still "here"!
Just a case of real life interfering with cyber...................
This weekend,after 23 years in the one place,the stone has decided to roll and relocate the moss

Mr Blogger/Picasa will not co-operate and let me share pics of the disaster zone that used to be
KenMaursCorner (aren't you lucky)

I haven't put a needle and thread to fabric for about a month.......................it's a horrible feeling!
All I can access at the moment is tatting shuttle and thread...and they don't enthuse me!

Hopefully by Wednesday
(move over superwoman! )
LIFE might start regaining some balance.

Until then.........
Tschuss,Au Revoir; Auf Weidersen! Sayonara....................................................
or as Arnie so often says:
I'll be back!!

It came in the mail

Friday's mail delivered the "Class & convention" program for the upcoming "Australasian Quilt Convention" Feb 22-25 in Melbourne.
And there on page 16 along with three others was my "Dying Forest Wetlands of Murray River" Journal Quilt.
From memory,35 members of the Australia_New Zealand_ArtQuilters online group
each submitted five A4 sized quilts/quiltlets for exhibition ,not only in Melbourne,but also at the Gold Coast and Townsville in March and April.

The above pics were scanned from the program:
The top quilt is mine;
followed by Jan Cotton's "Flanders Poppies"
Ros Ward "Great Divide"
Christine Goonrey "Dark Sacred Night" 

Art2Mail

Today's mail brought me these three cards,making it truly a red letter day!
First up,is the Paisley Posies from Mari P: It travelled "naked" and no damage was sustained by the free standing flower petals and leaf.
Doesn't the paisley fabric provide an excellent contrast to the solid colours of the petals?
The second card arrived from Leisa F ,in Utah,the "Beehive State".
The lower pic on the Bee card features the drones clustered around the Queen,and she tells me that the water colour of the bee (upper right corner) is used on the labels.

Finally,the refreshing "cuppa" comes from Jo Reid who invites me to join her in a cup!
(I'd love to Jo,especially as it's a black tea!)
I found the green background fabric,the corner of a lace d'oyley peeping from under the saucer and the spring flowers to make the invitation hard to resist. 

Anyone for a cuppa?

Because she is addicted to pincushions,this is for Gerry (sewing-southpaw.blogspot.com/ )

You should visit her and read yesterday's posting. 

Relocation blues

I'm still trying to organize my sewing -----between sorting,discarding,resorting and packing,"things" are a little chaotic!
So here's two views of one chaotic MESS that is driving me to distraction. 

Happy Australia Day

from me and our regular visitors!
I could not let today,which we celebrate as our National Day slip past without reference:
And what better than true blue dinky-di Aussies to say "Gidday"! 

Punkin Pincushion

Way back January 9th,this lovely bright "punkin" Pincushion arrived in the mail box from Gerry !
I KNOW I emailed Gerry to say that it had arrived after a visit to MaureenB,but in the kerfuffle of checking out the house we had signed a contract on,I forgot to post pictures and acknowledge Gerry's gift. So,here you go..............Thanks Gerry!
 

Postcard for Gerry

 

The mail got through!

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It was so good today to receive an email from Gerry that the postcard I'd mailed to her as part of the Art Meme Swap actually got through!
So much of my international mail seems to go MIA these days,that I feel fortunate that a card I just popped in the local mailbox rather than at the PostOffice got through!

Once a year Day!

Meet Possum, an elderly (about 15 years) overweight,sweet natured puss.
Because Poss has a very thick fur coat,which appears to have outer and inner layers so thick you can never find her skin,she has an annual visit to Mandy of Doggie Hair Dooz to make life more bearable.
I do attempt to help Poss by using a stripping brush,but it's not enough.
These are "after " shots! Mandy leaves the face,tail and paws relatively untouched to preserve Possum's dignity.
With Poss being such a sweet natured puss (luckily) no tranquillisers are used;
There is no hissy fitting,no yowling no display of unsheathed claws...........how good is that!

And when today Mandy declared the cut to be complete,Possum ambled up to Mandy,nudged her on the chest and settled down leaning against her for a purr and a cuddle!

Unfortunately I forgot to take the camera with me,so no shot of that!