Chuffed With Myself

Whoop, whoop ~ I have a finish ~ I have a finish ~ 

My bag turned out fab ~ thanks so much for the wonderful inspiration and for the pattern Sue Spargo ~ the project's been embellished by me to within and inch of it's life ~ LOVE IT!

 ~ A fantabulous riot ~

~ The handles from Cindy's Button Company are awesome ~

~ Of course,  I had to add my det's in Sue's new Eleganza #8 ~

~ The lining's a real blooming oasis ~

~ And the back, although modest is still a riot of pattern ~

She's totally over the top and I'm thrilled ~ great way to round off a weekend ~

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~

Number Two's Finito

The second instalment of Colmar is complete, done and dusted & finito. That was the biggest single achievement this week. Doing four repeats around the block was a challenge for me ~ I don't like to 'repeat' and like it to be new and fresh and interesting ~ it ceases to be interesting after about, oh I don't know, yes I do ~ once!!!

She, yes 'she', she's flowery, so 'she' has to be a 'she' is looking very pretty despite being puckered and solid with trapunto and embroidery. I did back with embroidery stabiliser but it's a fair amount of work and I stitch in hand so there you go ~ when the first block was introduced it did say, and I quote ~ " Do not worry if the piece seems slightly (or even quite) <<wrinkled>>, we promise that once it is quilted, everything will lie flat!" ~ unquote ~I'm relying on that promise ~

In the meantime I've started Number Three ~

~ Pucker up my Pretty ~

~ Number Three's A Go Go ~

~ One, three, two ~

The emperor's Kings new clothes are slowly being tailored too ~ it's been a busy week with lots of going out so not a lot going on but every bit counts towards the finish ~

~ Last side of the background and then onto the 'dimension" ~

Here's to warmer and toastier times, it's been freezing here in NZ this week ~ near record cold for some parts, not up here in Auckland BUT then it's all about what you're used to right ~~~~~~ and I'm not used to it as cold as it's been right here and my big ole churchy home is not easy to heat ~~~~~ brrrrrrrr

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~

Winter Solstice Is Nigh Down South

As the winter solstice approaches and the weather deteriorates again I am blessed that I have my stitching. I haven't posted for a bit and you think that you haven't done much but recollection for blogging makes you realise that you really have done something ~ all the little somethings become meaningful somethings over time ~ 

Life's still so very up and down for me and the girls, with milestones and occasions it's been rough sailing of late and standing alone after 20 years of partnership is not an easy learning curve ~ BUT ~ thank goodness for my 'somethings' ~ to help comfort me on the long road to healing ~ the prospect of having to return to paid employment is looming so my somethings output rate will diminish for sure after that....

Been managing to do a little 17th century during the day, just a little, the fuel in the 'mojo' tank is firing but not on all cylinders yet ~ still I did get that blasted second canopy done I'd procrastinated over for SO long ~ do excuse the photo quality, cannot figure out why it appears to have deteriorated....or maybe it's just my monitor....

~ Canopy on it's scaffold finally constructed ~

 ~ Pinned for admiration ~

~ Alongside it's Kingly counterpart ~

~ Need to attach these same leaves to the other side first ~

~ And at last...... ~

~ We have a pair ~

So now finally I can open the page to the next bit ~ the kingly robes ~there's some background robing to complete in trellis stitch first and then a detached piece for the dimension ~ it's gonna take a while ~

 ~ Start made ~

~ But a ways to go ~

My relaxing evening stitching is coming along too ~

Colmar is progressing, three out of the four applique's are fixed, trapunto'd and embellished now ~

~ Boy, you can sure tell which one's remaining and awaiting the magic ~

~ Loving the vibrancy ~

~ AND the puffiness of course ~

I've also finished the front panel to the Sue Spargo bag, got all the other bits and need to crack out the sewing machine and assemble ~ watch this space ~ I am THRILLED with how this has turned out and the photos do not even begin to capture how blingy this is in 3D ~

~ Simply gorgeous ~

~ The thread variety and dimension ~ love it! ~

~ A drizzle stitch and beaded tail ~ what more could a bird want ~

~ Even the bees and lady bugs think he looks grand ~

~ The velvet applique is a massive favourite for me ~

And so to round off the efforts there is a little 'something' different ~ now that it's cooled off I am trying my hand at another little something woolly ~ rug hooking ~ my very first attempt ~ so many different things ~ so little time ~

~ I'm a newby so it's super slow going ~

~ No instuctors over here in NZ for rug hooking so it's all books and winging it ~

~ Love all those woolly worms ~

Hope this finds you all cosy and warm if the winter solstice is approaching for you otherwise enjoy the warmth at the top of the planet ~

~ PS ~ I couldn't have done any of it without his help ~

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~