Respite & Success Brings A Fabulous Result

The heat and humidity has dampened down here in the Northern Climes of New Zealand, we've had rain and some cooling south westerly breezes, some respite from the humidity that will likely only last until the sun comes to visit again and then it will probably be more humid than ever with all that evaporating water ~ so I thought I would taste some success whilst I had the chance to work in my studio without the fan blasting everything off the work surfaces and I wanted to actually sit at my sewing machine covered in great swathes of fabulous scrappy cottons ~ this is the result ~ a finish ~ well a finish for my bit ~ I'm not doing that quilting ~ Leeanne we need to talk ? WOO HOO ~ I did it, I really really did it ~

~ The beautiful final border strip prepares itself to be cut in half, ~

~ That was scary, no extra if I mess it up, the final element of a year long project ~

~ The grand finale, isn't she beautiful, look at all that work ~

~ She looks like a stained glass window hanging on the line right outside my studio ~

~ My one and only regret, I fused the vase and swag early on as I had never done
hand applique ~ @%&$ it ~ I will never fuse again it's far too flat and lifeless ~ 

~ What a magnificent journey I have been  on, thank you Di Ford, you taught me

how to hand applique and to broderie perse and to have the patience to do it in hand

because  the result is so far superior ~ 

~ LOVING the look of all these divine scrappy repro's meshing together ~

~ Loving all those borders, one, two, three, four ~ and the rest ~

I am jumping up and down with excitement that I have finished this journey with such an awesome result, the Quiltmania 2014 mystery is solved, Mountmellick rocks!

So onwards and upwards and never one to be idle, I have started one of my two 2015 BOM's. This one's in wool with big embellishing threads and the needles are HUGE when compared to what I normally use but I am having such fun with the colour and texture. Now we are not allowed to show any progress pic's of what we are up to cos eventually in a year or so's time it will be available as a pattern or kit I believe but here's the official link just to give you an inkling ~ but  sign up's closed. Sue Spargo

~ A rainbow of colours ~

Isn't her work brilliantly colourful, fun and OSO funky, love it and I have always loved working with wool not to mention being a convicted thread addict. I completed a little project just to kick start me into the Sue Spargo mode of colour, texturising and embellishing so I can share that, it's a nifty little Yazzi case jazzed up in Sue's folky style ~

~ The pockets are triangular and roll up into a square shape at the ends, nifty ~

~ Marie Antoinette is suitably impressed ~

~ A riot of colour ~

Now for a little something a bit left of centre I have been meaning to share ~ I have a bit of a thing for taxidermy, ~ taxidermy of cute animals ~ vintage and victorian ~ bird and butterfly domes from the victorian era I find most splendid indeed but they are virtually impossible to come by here in New Zealand of a vintage age and so butterflies being more readily available from suppliers here I decided to have a go at making my own globe ~ now some might say ewwwgh yuck ~ but the butterflies come from butterfly farms and don't live long and so I do not see anything ewwwgh yuck about it but an opportunity to appreciate their beauty after they have departed this mortal coil ~ I am most happy with my display and it fit's most splendidly into my home ~

~ A fitting location ~

~ I painted the base with Annie Sloane chalk paint and 'crackled' it ~

~ We went scouring for the perfect driftwood on the beach ~ then it was painted and
distressed with sandpaper ~

~ Faux velvet leaves, flowers and real butterflies were introduced to their new home ~

~ For that eccentric touch a flock covered Bambi was nestled into leaves at the base ~

What a mega fun week I have had, kids back at school, new achievements and a brilliant finish ~ hope your week' s been just as productive ~