Tuesday treats

I am not sure if life is just going faster or I am getting slower but there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day.

On Sunday evening I did some work on my knot garden - one segment of lawn in very fine chain stitch is complete and I am happy with it.   I did decide that one group of beds should be beaded and quite some time was spent sorting the right beads for the job and then more than an hour of stitching was done before I realised I was beading a grassed area instead of a garden bed.  mmm.  Not happy.  Anyway the beads were removed and I have decided not to put any beads on this one - back to french knots.  What a waste of time and effort.

In my "spare time" I am getting on with painting the interior of the house - it is far too cold for painting outdoors.

The smell of paint is a bit much so I popped out for some therapeutic op shopping.  I really only intended to take some photos for the op shopping blog.

Of course once I was there I needed to buy a few things and in fact was very pleased with what I found.  The pic in the top left corner of the collage is a wooden box which contains bobbins, parts and an instruction book for a singer sewing machine.  One the right are two tea towels featuring Northern Ireland.  They are unused and good quality linen so I will use them in my kitchen. Bottom left is a kit to make hand made paper.  It has never been used and although I have made paper using a makeshift kind of screen, I am sure this will be easier.  The last items are some sketch pads and sketch books.  Just what I need. All of these cost me a total of $22.50 which seems good value considering the paper making kit has an original price of $20.00

This Salvos store has so many great items from furniture to clothes, toys, books and of course craft items.  The staff are so friendly and helpful so it is always a pleasure to shop there. 

still working through the stash

 I am making progress with sorting through my stash.  More files have been covered and I am surprised at how much better they look up there on the shelf.  Next to be covered are the boxes that hold my overlocker threads and works in progress.

 Some weeks ago I called in at a garage sale on  my way home from the post office and picked up two cartons of assorted fabric pieces for $2 each box.  Most of the fabric was cut into squares for quilts but there were other odd pieces as well.  I thought they would be just perfect to make some dish cloths and tray mats.  Using fabric up for practical purposes is proving extremely satisfying.

Meantime I am participating in a challenge which I will find links to when I have time.

It is a 40 day creativity challenge and I am calling this piece "Not Thinking".

As I make progress I will show you what is evolving with this one.

birds, leaves and stiches

Well, it is Friday already: a rainy cold day here.

I sometimes think if we didn't have these days the housework would never be done.

Mind you I could be easily talked into stitching or photo editing or doing nothing too.

 I am making progress on my knot garden, the corner "beds" are done and the lavender is settling into the central plot.

The hedges are the hardest to do and so I do a little each day and hopefully they will be done by the time all the beds are completed.

 This kookaburra was one of two that visited our neighbourhood yesterday.  It is unusual to hear them during daylight hours: they make the most noise at dusk and dawn.  It is such a happy sound.  You can see from the colouring that they are almost invisible when high up in the trees.

simply beautiful

stash and treasure

T

Today I made a start on sorting out my stash!  If I cannot think of a use for a piece of fabric then it will go to the op shop.


My work area is large but it has to accommodate everything I need when looking after the twins (including 2 cots & High chairs), my office equipment and files and last but not least my sewing/creating equipment and materials.

It is a constant challenge to make the area workable.  My computers and sewing machines are on desks and tables which are surrounded by a large playpen!!! 





Everything else is always on the move as the twins grow taller and have learnt to climb.



 
The bookshelves hold file folders, plastic drawers full of reels of machine threads, books, beads and pictures for the little ones.  High up on the shelves are things that have been put our of reach.


With this in mind I decided to cover some of my file folders.  I am just using up unwanted fabric and gluing it onto the folders. You can see I have done 4 so far and they look so much more interesting than they did before.


After this I decided to line the heart shaped box I showed on a previous post.  This has worked out quite well.  The fabric is some kind of furnishing fabric which feels a little like velvet - it varies in colour from navy blue through to burgundy so it looks nice and plush.  My daughter gave me her stash of fabric when she stopped sewing so it is good that I have found a use for it.







Tomorrow I will finish the edges of this box off and then it will be done. 

still gardening

At this time of year we have lots of gorgeous things in bloom. 

 

 Although it is quite cold and damp the plants and especially the weeds just keep on growing.

 When it is too cold to be in the garden I can go on with the stitching.  


My little knot garden is coming along nicely.

It is quite slow going but because it is repetitive it is very relaxing.

op shopping for kits

 This week I have managed to find some gorgeous cross stitch kits at the Salvos store in Mornington.  They had lots and lots but I chose these ones because they were high quality and fabulous designs.
The first one, Oriental Portrait includes 16 count aida and is 16.5cm x 16.5cm.

 The second one is a Semco design: fruit and vine sampler, 27cm x 32cm to be worked on the 14 count aida which is included along with the threads.







 

The last one is called Peacock Tapestry.  I opened the packaging of this one to make sure everything was there: it had been opened previously.

The kit contains 25 count evenweave, sorted threads, needles, instructions.  It does seem to be missing beads though.  I will see what is required to complete the design and find some suitable replacements. 

If anyone is interested in these kits please contact me to discuss prices, delivery etc.

The op shops  often have kits that people have given up on or not even started and they are often good value.