A big draw, an apology and a thank you!

I won't keep you in suspense any longer!

The big day has arrived,

and Susie's name was this afternoon, drawn
from the huge pile of names that went into the
draw, as the winner of my journal!

!!Congratulations Susie!!
(big hugs, waving of arms and whoops of excitement)

Her Blog is: mylifeonebitatatime.blogspot.com

pop on over and congratulate her!

Susie - I will need your address so I can send it off to you!

My apology to the rest of you who wanted to win it, -it's totally Susie's fault now!


I am hoping to run an on-line class in a couple of months time, so keep popping in to check on details, maybe you might like to make your own!

I also want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all those who became followers of my blog, I consider I am much the richer for meeting you, and I have been swamped with comments, many more than I expected, and it has been hard keeping up with them all while I am so busy with my studies at the moment.

I am hoping you will still pop in and leave me comments , to let me know what you think of my art, or perhaps just to say hi.

If you'd like to drop by and register your interest in doing an on-line class, leave me your email addy and I'll add you to the list!

Finally, before I go and rustle up some dinner, Thank you for sharing my 2nd blogging birthday with me.

March has been a ride and a half! I've had so much fun and made lots of new friends!

Here's to another year!!

Hugs, Carole :-))

Tomorrow I'm going to give my journal away!

just a wee reminder, tell all your friends,

tomorrow I will make a draw from everyone who has left comments
this week, plus all of my followers,

and someone will win this lovely journal

GOOD LUCK!

Carole ;-D

a new project

Here are a few sneak peeks at my latest project. The QB5 girls are making a "stitchlet" each and we will send it around the group so that we can all add a special stitched gift.

I am hoping I can achieve an aged look to mine.

As it's Friday evening here, I'm hoping you've all had a very productive week!

Carole :)

I forgot to tell you....

My article was published!
Heritage NZ Magazine is published for the Historic Places Trust. It is published 4 times per year. The Editor asked me if I would write a 1000 word article on the care of vintage textiles.

It was a very enjoyable article to write!

I wish all my uni essays were this interesting!! ;-D

Carole x

I find another treasure...

an old wooden box,

containing tubes of paint

that used to belong to my grandmother

many years ago.

Find any treasures today?

Carole :)

Winner of the 3rd Post Card

I have made the draw for the last Post Card!!

The winner is--

!!-kayjay-!!
www.myfatquarter.blogspot.com

Congratulations Karen, and thank you for the lovely comments! Please let me have your snail mail address, and I will pop the card in the mail to you.

(I have also drawn a 2nd name, in case I don't hear from Karen.)

Don't forget, all those who are followers will go in the draw at the end of March to win the handmade journal!
Those who leave comments during the week will get added to the draw, so if you are a follower, and you happen to leave 3 comments during the week, you will have 4 chances to win!

Good luck!
Carole :)

My blogging buddies quilt finally comes together

Well here it is, finally! I'm thrilled to be able to show you my finished quilt!
The fabric is a Moda range called Nostalgia, which a touch of
French General and calico. I absolutely love it to bits!

I've kept the quilting light, quilting in the ditch all over. You may of noticed there is no stippling in this quilt, and I am sure it feels much softer for it.

To all of you who made a wee stitchery for this quilt, I am sending you a big hug and a special thank you. This will be a special quilt for a long time, of that I'm sure!

The back is just plain, as this will end up hanging on a wall, I just have to make a label to stitch to the back explaining how it came to be.

What do you think of the finished quilt??

Thank you!
Carole :))

A lazy Sunday afternoon

looking north

On Sunday afternoon we took Shelby for a drive out to Foxton Beach for a run and a swim. It's 30 minutes from home.
It was a super afternoon, the sand was warm through my toes, a gentle breeze blew through my hair, good company and miles and miles of open beach.

looking south

Shelby had a ball, running about in the water, dog paddling through the waves and
chasing the noisy seagulls.

At the end of our walk, we decided to buy fish and chips for tea and we sat on the beach and ate them. Shelby was so excited, so many doggy delights in one single day!

Carole :)

Gorgeous lace arrives in the mail box

rather gorgeous don't you think?

sent from Nathalie, my lace agent in America!

(you can see Nathalie's etsy store here for incredible findings!)

I've posted off a little something for you, for all the trouble you go to scouring sale after sale hunting lacy treasures for me!

it's totally not what you're expecting!

carole :)

I've been doing some research for an assignment

Taken from an issue of the Wellington newspaper, Evening Post, August 1913.
Just a wee giggle to end the weekend with.
Carole :-)

ATC's arrived

I received these 3 ATC's for an exchange, forgot to photograph mine - DOH! The theme was hearts.
The one above was made by Ann in the Netherlands, gorgeous isn't it?

This one is made by Annie in Australia, I love the way she has presented it, slotted into it's very own card. Looks so professional!

And this one was made by Doreen, and she not only made the ATC, but made the paper as well! Love the colours! (you can see some pics of others on Doreen's blog).
Thanks girls, I enjoyed the swap challenge, lots of fun!

Carole :}

Draw #2

I have made the second draw for March!!

The winner is--

!!-Lorrie from CT Studios-!!
www.ct-studios.blogspot.com

Congratulations Lorrie, and thank you for the lovely comments! Please choose which 1 of the 2 remaining postcards from that post you would like me to send you, then let me have your snail mail address! (the p/c with the wee red heart has gone)

(I have also drawn a 2nd and 3rd name, in case I don't hear from Lorrie.)

The postcard draw will start again as from this post for week 3 and I will draw a winner for the final postcard from the comments I receive during this week, on any posts.

Don't forget, all those who are followers will go in the draw at the end of March to win the handmade journal!


Hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I'll be posting pics soon!

Carole x

SEARCHING.......

What are you searching for?


carole :)

No Fly Zone

It's almost classified as a danger zone!! lol My creative corner of the house, or in other words, my daughter's old bedroom. I love looking at others creative zones, and thought I'd share mine. It might be the motivation I need to get my backside in there and tidy it! (although it wouldn't look as interesting I'm sure!)

At the moment I am ploughing thru Earnest Hemingway, DH Lawrence, Thomas Pynchon and EM Forster, very dry and dull. I will have to write essays on them.

I'd sooner be reading Cloth Paper Scissors, and Sew Somerset! Oh and if anyone knows of somewhere that sells 2nd hand copies of any of the Stampington issues let me know!



Does your creative zone look any tidier than this? Post a pic on your blog and comment on mine, so we can all go and look.
I'd like to visit and see who has the messiest!! I reckon I'll win hands down!

Carole :)

An overnight camp at the beach!

On the weekend we took the tent and went camping at Urenui beach on the west coast approx. 30kms north of New Plymouth. We went with my daughter and her partner, and their friends.




I haven't been to this particular beach before. It's a typical west coast beach. Black sand that gets extra hot in the heat of the day. Loads of driftwood, most washed up as a result of flooding or storms.




The northern end of the beach was beautiful and sandy, the other end was a mass of stones, very hard to walk over and even harder to scramble over when trying to get out of the pounding surf!




After swimming for several hours, we had worked up quite an appetite. It was lovely to see the younger ones take over the cooking of tea. We had bbq sausages, steak, bacon, kebabs, potatoes, onions, garlic bread and salads. Beautiful!




The early evening was perfect for a spot of fishing. We didn't catch anything, but it was fun trying!




It was also fun to watch the seagulls.




And explore the rocks and pools when the tide went out.




This partial cave is full of water at high tide.




Mmmmm, shame they were all too small to collect and eat!




Looking back toward the beach at low tide. It pays to know your tide times, so you know how much of a window you have between the tide turning. Once it starts to come in again, it comes in mighty quickly. The changing tides can be very dangerous if you forget about them.




The camp ground consisted of lots of caravans, tents, and quite a number of these privately owned baches. They were very odd. It also had a boat club, and a golf club on either side of it. We were too busy swimming to do much else!



A lovely relaxing sunny summer weekend!

Hope you all had an enjoyable weekend too!
Carole :)

Sunday night NZ time and the first winner

I have made the first draw for March!!

The winner is--

Jennifer from jenniferdixonart.blogspot.com


Congratulations Jennifer, and thank you for the lovely comments! Please choose which 1 of the 3 postcards from that post you would like me to send you, then let me have your snail mail address!

(I have also drawn a 2nd and 3rd name, in case I don't hear from Jennifer.)

The postcard draw will start again for week 2 from the comments I receive during that week, on any posts.

Don't forget, all those who are followers will go in the draw at the end of March to win the handmade journal!


Hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I'll be posting pics of mine tomorrow :)

Carole x

I've started back at university. It's my last semester, I will be finished my degree in June. Just have to stick at it a little longer.


Over the last week there has been a lot of climbing up....



And a lot of climbing down.




And only a very little time for sewing hearts all over my blogging buddies quilt!



Have a fantastic weekend my friends!
Carole :)