some whimsical goodness for my etsy store...

Hope you are having a fun Tuesday!
Carole ;)

some results from the class.....

Now prepare yourself, my New York Beauty isn't going to look anything like the previous blog post pic! I have used batiks, but I'm going to be adventurous and wander off down another pathway.
I still didn't get many (3) pics, as I was concentrating so hard on my stitching!

Here are the first 3 blocks produced by the girls in the class (there were only 4 of us).
My block is the one on the top, (bit of a crappy pic, sorry about that).

And here are my 4 finished middle blocks. There are a few discrepancies, but
nothing I can't quilt over. Perfect points tho!
I used a lot of black in a quilt I made at the end of last year, and swore I wouldn't use
it again, as I find it really hard to sew, black thread on black cotton. (note to self: perhaps I need stronger glasses!)
Anyway, just thought it made the colours pop more. The blocks are quite large at 10 1/2" each, and I will need to do quite a few
more spikes to go around the black, but I'm not going to get this
finished until university finishes. But at least I now know how to
do foundation piecing now!

What have you been doing over the weekend?
Have a good week everyone,
Carole ;)

doing a class this weekend...

.......and this is what I'm trying to make!!
a little bit over adventurous for me! LOL
However, we all love a 'tryer'.
Don't think mine is going to look like this class sample, but will show you when it's done.
The class is being tutored by Hazel Foot from Auckland, who does the most amazing work. Very inspiring!
Yesterday I had to concentrate so darn hard I completely forgot to take any pics! (hope to get a couple today!) I think the paper piecing is great, perfect points every time, but my quick unpick and I have formed a very close relationship, let me tell you! I've nearly worn the darn thing out.
I think this is one of the hardest things I've had to learn of late!
And it's all about colours too, the colours I choose will make or break it.

Oh well, back to class......
Carole ;)

spontaneous decisions!

Yesterday was one of the worsest, horriblest, rottenest days for a while! It bucketed down and was windy and bitterly cold. Then last night before tea, the worst thing happened, one of our friends sheep had it's lamb! Horror! The poor wee thing, fancy being exposed to such disgustingly yucky weather!
We left it with it's mum for a couple of hours and then we decided to put it in the shed for the night. (I think it's really an excuse so I can cuddle it and give it bottles and talk to it! lol)

This morning there was snow on the hills, and although it was cold, it wasn't raining. I gave her a nice warm bottle, so she had something warm in her tummy and put her back outside with her mum.

The reunion was very touching, and everyone stopped what they were doing to watch!

including Buddy

and then as I was standing watching too, Buddy jumped (like cats do) onto my back!! Of course he used his claws to hang on there!! And then climbed up onto my shoulder!! Here's an impromptu pic! He was having great fun, not concerned about my pain at all!! LOL

Hope you are all well!
Carole ;)

a weekend full of tags!

these were the last four books from a large pile

i have been working on my final assignment for the business communication paper

i wonder if there is the possibility for some tag art???

lol, carole ;)

a bit of sewing between assignments...

a new needle keeper for my Etsy store....

a pile of swap items ready to be posted out....

and a new quilt in the making for my Etsy store.....

Keep a watch to see what progresses....

Carole ;)

Mum, can you..........

My daughter drove down to visit for the weekend. It was so nice to have her stay.
"Mummmmm......" said she,
"yessss," I said cautiously, wondering what great tricky question was coming next.
"Could you make me a bunting?"
"I guess I could," I replied. "You would need fabric."
"Oh I already have that, but I haven't got any way of sewing it."

After a short discussion about what exactly she wanted, we spent Saturday night making a bunting!

Hope you have all had a great weekend,
Carole ;)

Neat new store to visit!

There's a new Etsy Store opened, and if you're anything like me, you'll have to go visit!
It's called Ruby Floy, and it's owned by my very clever and talented friend Nathalie. She is planning to stock vintage items, and her art works.

She sent me some antique lace, (drool) it is gorgeous, so keep an eye out for exciting embellishments, laces, journals and art - oh and she is giving away a handmade journal on her blog!

Carole ;)

a wee mini break

Some of you may of noticed a wee lapse in blog posts.
I took a few days during my mid semester break from university to drive to Auckland and visit with my parents. I also got the chance to drive to Tauranga and visit with my grandfather who is in hospital. Then I drove to New Plymouth to see my daughter and then home to Palmerston North. A round trip of more than 1400 kms.
It was great to catch up with everyone, but the most amazing thing was that during the whole 5 days I only took one photo and that was the one above! Mount Egmont from Pukekura Park in New Plymouth. My daughter took me there for morning tea, which was lovely, we sat in the Spring sunshine, sipped lattes, watched the ducks and birds and soaked up the atmosphere.

The new semester has started again, and I am working on assignments again. Just over 5 weeks until the end of the lectures! Yay!

Nice to be back.
Carole ;)

nearly finished

I've finished the top of my tag quilt.

Then I decided I might add some stitched sashings.

Thank goodness for large glass doors!

Carole ;)

An exciting meeting.....

Some of you will have already seen this post, I mucked up the type somehow and couldn't correct it. So I have deleted it in sheer frustration and will start again.
Unfortunately I can't remember what I wrote and I didn't do the copy and paste thing!
Doh!
But anyway, yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Kathy. She is from the States and lives in Salt Lake City. She has bought stuff from my Etsy Store and follows my blog, (she has yet to start one herself). She is in NZ briefly to attend a conference and was driving back towards Auckland, so we arranged to meet in PN for coffee.
Kathy is into mixed media art, collage and jewelry making, and it was so nice to spend some time talking with a like-minded soul about art! She also told me all about some of the fab classes she has done and some of the tutors she has met. I was very jealous!
We found we had several things in common, and we are both full time uni students studying in different areas of communication.

So we "speed chatted" for an hour and a half before she had to leave. It was lovely to meet you Kathy, and maybe we will get to do some swapping at a later date!

What a small world we live in!
Carole ;)