hope valley, monsters and feel good songs

There's nothing quite like that feeling of accomplishment you get when you finish a project. I'm still amazed that I actually do finish these things. I remember sewing classes at school. I loved them. The boys would all go off to woodwork (or wherever - I could never be bothered to find out) and the girls all sat and sewed little crosses on pieces of red or blue gingham and chattered about ...stuff...the most recent episode of Magnum maybe. I loved it! But I never, EVER finished any of my needlework projects. The knitted Boogaloo? Nope. The hessian wall hanging? Uh uh. The simple skirt in high school? No way.  How the hell did I get to this point then? Well, my parents must have blithely ignored all signs of needle impairedness 'cause they got me a sewing machine for my 21st birthday. I taught myself to sew T-shirts and skirts using a kindly neighbour's Burda magazines and sewed my own clothes through college and the first few years of teaching when money was tough and the dress code more formal than it is now. I still miss my long, swishy four panel skirts - wish I hadn't thrown the pattern away! So I'm always especially chuffed and not a little surprised when I get to complete a quilt.

 This is my Denyse Schmidt Hope Valley fabric quilt. The design is mine but heavily influenced by her modern strips of random lengths. I tried a reversible backing effect but won't do anything as detailed next time as sometimes there are four layers of material to stitch through- too thick for neat, tiny stitches. And bloody painful on the fingers!

 I love it. 

The other project finished and klaar is a little family I grew rather fond of. And I wasn't the only one.

These guys are now happily settled into their new home but don't be too surprised if there are new additions to the family- They are too much fun to make! Rebecca Danger designed the patterns and the one I used can be found here if the spirit moves you. Incredibly easy but don't over stuff as the final crotch sewing bit is not.fun. And practice your satin stitch first.

 In the spirit of NPR's All Songs Considered blog's latest theme of Songs that Make you Feel Good here are some of mine. And what are your favourite feelgood songs?

 Give It- Lambchop
 
 Radio King - Golden Smog  
Magic - Pilot  
Livin' Thing- ELO
 Late in the Evening- Paul Simon  
Bennie and the Jets - Elton John

magpies of the world unite!

My lounge (and a part of the kitchen) is strewn with pieces of material.


Bits from my quilt, bits for monster toys and a crib quilt for baby Tester, bits from my scarf and other odds and ends that I might need...just in case. The magpie in me is in heaven (as are the cats) - the more responsible me is thinking about the mess some might call it...and the inevitability of having to clean it up at some stage.

 I'm very inspired by all things Denyse Schmidt at the moment. Her prints are pretty awesome and I lurve, lurve lurve her quilts. I love her colour combinations and the designs themselves are modern - nothing fussy and garish.

 I'm working on a quilt based on her Hope Valley range. I loved the greens and yellows and didn't want to mix them with the pinks and oranges so I tried a reversible effect.
Now I know why it's not done more often--in some places it's too bloody thick to sew teeny tiny stitches!  Doh.

The other Denyse Schmidt project I've been working on is the scarf from her book. Not using any of her fabrics- just bits of tweed and herringbone (surprisingly soft!) and silks and cottons pieced any which way. I'd love to try cushion covers like this.

 Oh lordy..this photoshoot was interesting.

Dolorean - Country Clutter


The Nu Page- A Heart is a House

hangin' hearts

I've been playing with more heart mobiles.

Guess what this year's crafty Xmas pressies are going to be....

I so love working with beads.

All those glowing, translucent,
jewel-like baubles

make my heart sing : )

As for the Kindle message...welll....it's been on my mind a bit lately.

To be honest, I think I'd prefer a Sony Reader but it didn't look as good on the heart.

I'm so tempted to get one with my birthday bonus.

I know...I'm  horribly acquisitive.

And don't worry, all traces of the kindle wish will be erased before the mobiles are given as pressies.

If I can part with them. ;-P

ETA- Yes, Charleen, that IS your cute dishtowel! :D