Pansy purse & Birthday Giveaway

A progressive pansy display, growth in the garden of colour.

I managed to make this  up today in the midst of packing but I was ever so desirous to finish it. it really didn't take that long once all the embroidery was done.

I used Kaffe Fassett material on the back - I love those big bold blooms. And inside I actually was given a scrap of curtain material of which I quite liked the foliage of.

So here are the progressive shots from where I left off from the last blog post.

As you may know I am off the Bale for R&R with my two sisters to celebrate my 50th.

You get to celebrate with me...leave a comment and I will put you in a draw for a surprise present...It's a surprise for me as well...I will send anywhere

Draw closes when I get back on the 7th July

Good luck

Draw Closed Thankyou!

One Wet and Windy Day....Make sure you survive to the end!

This is a day that blew roofs off of a two year old house... according to my friend who works with the weather bureau - bureau of meteorology in Adelaide. It just so happens that the neighbour of his parents had their roof disappear whilst they were asleep (Nothing to do with predicting the weather but everything to do with knowing the people whom have experienced an event) Anyway, said roof has blown away in the middle of the night and the chap wakes up to rain on his face (Who would sleep through their roof being torn away???) and a view of the stars he doesn't remember seeing before. Remind me not to employ his builder.

So what is this all leading too? Well lets say it was a day to hide inside and that is just what I did after dropping the children off at school.

I dug out a tablecloth that I had picked up from the sale table at craft. There are stains that will never come out of the creases so I decided to embark on making another purse. 

 Inspired by The Custards blog  post: i-am-proud-that-i-made-grown-woman cry < I was desirous to make my own pansy purse and inject a little spring in  my ooh so dreary and droll day 

(I dont want to make anyone cry. I have enough trouble holding the tears back myself...hormones do run rife and work puts forward many situations where I am inclined to feel empathetic towards my patients -although I have had staff remark in surprise that I have a heart and express my emotions...that might have something to do with the bad jokes I tell and the hard realities I put forth about peoples health and potential outcomes, a lot of them not good!)

So stitching it up was the name of the game!

The bones of three pansies were outlined on the linen and the rest was waiting for inspiration and effort.
I've got to say that embroidery is not a quick past time. In particular if you choose to use rayon thread, as I did (I found some in an op shop, liked the sheen and decided to give it a whirl) Let me say that it is a pill to work with and that is why I found some complete schans of thread waiting for a sucker like me. I would be surprised if it is even sold anymore, I certainly wont be running out to buy any.
The said thread pulls apart and balls causing fluff on your work. I have rectified this problem as much as I could by over sewing with another colour to weigh it down It does have a nice sheen but that is all.

Somewhere in between I walked and photographed this. I was actually walking to the shopping center (very large) to purchase a new camera. (Despite having purchased said camera I am still grabbing my phone to take a shot - mmm accessibility??)
Geranium leaves...pretty aren't they?

Back to the flowers..more resting on my derriere, more sewing.

Abit more drawing on the cloth

And this is what I am up to after two days. Somewhere in between I have been gathering stuff for my trip to Bali. Tomorrow I pack and then the next I am away.
So I am turning 50 and I am escaping with my sisters. A once in a lifetime opportunity to spend time with two of my favourite people. I am leaving my family behind, a small twinge of regret and guilt hits me , but mostly I am excited.

So as a part of my birthday celebrations I am going to have a giveaway...I think it will involve buying something in Bali. Leave a comment and when I get back I will draw a winner ... that gives you around nine days. Open to all, I will send anywhere...It will be a surprise for all of us as to what you get! See you in nine!

triangular ways

Warning photographer has gone craZy

Well I did it = one purple quilt in 2 1/2 days (really didn't do much the second day because I was busy running around getting stuff for my trip). I feel a little like the mad hatter...I'm late I'm late! Hurry! Hurry!

I've got to say this is the quickest I have knocked up a quilt and it shows. Not so much on the top of the quilt but more on the backing and binding. I didn't take the care I normally would to ensure that the material laid flat (despite tapping everything to the floor and pinning) But things move and I was not going to unpick anything on this quilt. That being said I still like it. I lurv triangles and I like the fresh pops of colour.

Well having thrown it together I was not going to let a photographic opportunity go by.I basically had this afternoon to take photos and when I headed off was originally planning on a trip to Aldinga Beach where I know some very lovely weathered pylons are waiting for me to photograph them.  But as it was my petrol was low and the weather was probably a little rough  so I followed the Onkaparinga road along the river and let it wind me along until I came to Old Noarlunga

I stopped at this location because of the roof.
I thought that I had found another abandoned old house that had a great roof for a photo shoot but as the Gods have it this old run down building is occupied.
mmmm....walk around the corner and spied the old shed quite alone and a beautiful old willow tree ....calling to me to take photos.

Doesn't this shed have great colour?

A pile of stones for me to trip over..hazards of the photographic adventurer

Willow tree, complete with be or wasp nest in the trunk of the tree..I didn't stay to find out which but I suspect wasp nest as the insects became quite aggressive when I came near.

Right next to the shed is a park with blue carp? I'm guessing that == they don't look like brim which you find also in the river behind

And just a few steps further the river Onkaparinga  and beautiful old gums

Further down the river at the bridge and the back f the quilt made from a lovely vintage sheet in perfect condition - op shopped bargain - disgustingly cheap but lovely all the same

Triangle Quilt Top

Yesterday afternoon I received a call from the ward clerk at work..."You know how it is such-n-such's birthday ... wouldn't it be nice to give her a quilt signed by the staff ... have you got a quilt stashed away that we could give to her? or could you whip one up? It wouldn't have to be ready tomorrow - you could bring it into work with you on Monday!!

I just about choked on myself when hearing this and did manage to laugh down the phone.
No I dont have any quilts stashed away.... and definitely none that would be suitable.

Choke, choke ... I suppose I could make something .. a lap quilt

Inspired by this. Fabulous isn't it? and already having  a triangle template I ventured to ask the patients favourite colour = Purple.
Rip into the stash , mmm not a lot of purple...pink...blue and anything else that takes my fancy.
CUT<CUT<CUT---SEW<SEW<SEW

A here we go

One top photographed in the dark... doesnt do the colours justice but you get the idea anyway.
I will have to finish this tomorrow as I wont have time next week ... a few days work, then pack and away to Bali (can't wait!! So excited to head away with my two sisters for a whole week!)

Clarendon - Charity quilt No 2

Yesterday I made a concerted effort to sew up a heap of blocks and then put them all together to complete charity quilt number 2. I was just waiting too long to receive blocks from the other ladies and decided that I just had to get the job done or it wouldn't be done at all. Then last night I sat and sewed the binding until my back couldn't stand it any more and completed the job this morning. Yippee!
A finished quilt meant that I was entitled to a little photographic adventure.

I called my girlfriend Juli (whom had contacted me for a walk) and asked if she wanted to tag along. Yes indeed she did. Like me, she wanted out of the house and away from the incessant sports on TV. So a trip to Clarendon..Not too far from home but far enough to be called country. The countryside has that wet green look, vibrant green saturated in moisture and the misty dank rain clouds hanging over the hills, looming with suggestions of cold wet air and chilly breezes. But although it suggested that, it was quite pleasant for getting out and about and failed to rain or dampen our spirits.

Well the finished product is definitely a girly quilt.  I had it in mind to photograph the quilt hanging from the Clarendon bridge. (below)

There was no real access to the water  course below (without trespassing into a power station) or getting really wet. Not being big on planning I had totally inappropriate shoes on to transverse down a hillside. And the path on the bridge was non existent and far too much traffic passing by. So I took a couple of shots from the top of the bridge - You get the idea of what I was planning - and headed into town to take shots with their lovely old buildings . (be prepared for lots of photos of the same _ I just love a good stone wall!

Are your ready?? Juli pops her head from behind the quilt!

The only full sized shot of the quilt

Beautiful Church ...which has been converted to house

Quaint church- actually used as a church- to many heathens in Australia (laugh.) It looks pretty anyway

 A handy hook on the side of a stone shed (Might as well take a photo!)

 Photos on the side of the shed (the one with the hook!)

What do you think that little square hole is for - ventilation??

At the general store...boy this quilt gets around. We went to the antique store and met the owners whom had been planning opening the shop for 25 years (can you believe it). It was a lovely shop and lovely people..obviously they dont rush into anything!

We went to the local pub after the antique store for coffee....limited choice of coffee venues..it was getting late in the day. We had the coffee and then stayed for a red in front of the fire. We were totally charmed by our visit to Clarendon...friendly folk, good company and a little tipple to boot. Maybe I'll try to photograph the bridge another time??