Many thanks, .. oh, and a new quilt!

Well first off, thanks for your comments on how I should go about lining my new old hat case. Some times it pays to ask around lol, as there is always someone else who has 'been there, done that'! Nathalie, I think I will take your advice and do some padding, I have some lovely fabrics and laces etc to help in that dept. I will keep you posted on progress...


Meanwhile, here is my newest quilt out of my sewing room for my etsy store!
I tried to do something a little different from the florals for a change, and I think it looks fresh, and crisp and quite vibrant. I've used all the scraps up on making a nice reverse-side to the quilt and with the binding.
It measures 51 1/2" x 62", so a nice size to snuggle up on the sofa with, cover a table with, throw over a chair etc...
I actually think it might make a nice chrissy present too!!




Now to plan the next project!!!
Carole :}

Today was my birthday, ...... so a little treat!

TA DA!!
A hat box! Gorgeous isn't it? And it's totally Nathalie's fault that I had to buy it! LOL
I thought it might be the perfect place to keep my vintage lace in, what do you think?
It's in very good condition, made of hard cardboard, but I thought I might line it with fabric, but I'm not sure how I would attach it.

Maybe I could glue it on with pva or gel medium? But I'm not sure if this would cause the cardboard to buckle? Does anyone know a suitable way of attaching fabric?

Thank you Nathalie for inspiring such a great purchase!!

Carole :)

My book pages come home!

Remember my book cover I made recently?
Well, it has arrived home again after visiting with Patty, Nathalie and Linda in the States, and Margaret in Switzerland! Each of these clever girls made a page for it, and now it's home!



above: left is mine, right is Linda's
below: left is Linda's, right is a card from Patty




above: right is Patty's
below: left is Patty's, right is Nathalie's




above: left is Nathalie's, right is Margaret's
below: left is Margaret's, right is a card with notes on it from all the girls!

Thank girls, this has been a fun exchange, and I love all the pages that have been made for my Heart Art book!

Carole :)

lots of posts to catch up on!

I've been trying to spend a little less time on the computer this week, but now I have lots of blog posts to catch up on!
Earlier this week I received a surprise package from Margaret from Alice and camilla. A lovely card, some papers for crafting with....



a few fabrics to play with....


some very interesting mags for evening reading....


and some dainty lollies in a wee organza bag!


Thank you Margaret! What a fun time I had exploring this package, and you did really well to cover all bases! (crafts, mind and stomach!!) lol

Carole ;)

Would you like to stitch with me??

I have been saving floral fabric for a long time.

Why?

Because I love it!

I have made 2 floral quilts now, but I still have lots of florals left.

I am very much in love with my tag quilt I just finished and I think I will make another one.....with a twist!

What I would like to do is make another one using more of my florals,
but I would like to invite YOU, my blogging buddies, friends whom I have met via this blog, to do some of the wee stitcheries for my quilt!

What I plan to do, is send those of you who would like to stitch
a piece of 7"x4" calico fabric and some thread.

What you stitch on the fabric is totally up to you,
could be words, a saying, a picture, your name,
as long as you use the same colour thread. Then all the stitcheries will be done in the same colour!

When you have finished, you need to post it back to me, and when I have collected them all, I will put together my Blogging Buddies Quilt!

If you would like to sew a wee stitchery for my quilt, use the EMAIL ME link on the right and let me know you are interested, and give me your mailing address.

If I am organised enough, each person stitching will get a wee thank you tucked inside their envelope! :) Along with their fabric and thread.

There is no set time limit to have these completed by, but they are quite small and shouldn't take long to complete.

I would love to have you join in and be part of my quilt!!

I look forward to hearing from you!


Carole :D

(thank you I think I have enough offers of help, if I accept any more my quilt is going to be toooooo large!!! LOL)

A quilt is finished!

Remember this tag quilt I was working on with all the wee stitcheries? Well I've finished it!
And I love it!

It has lovely soft flannel on the back. And large stippling all over it.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!
Carole :D

A halloween surprise and a quick unpick!

It is my birthday next week, but I think it has come early! I have had a week of the most incredible mail deliveries! In fact I don't know if I can take much more of this excitement! LOL
This arrived in the mail a couple of days ago! It was from Linda, who knows just how much I love mags!!

BUT WAIT! .......

There was something else,

A little brown envelope?



Very interesting! Love the bird stamp!!

But did you notice Linda had sewn it closed! What was in it? I rushed to get my quick unpick, one learns not to rip things open!



A halloween ATC! Very cool indeed!

I really like the gorgeous rosette with the bird, not to mention the 2 wee beauties! lol
Thanks Linda, they were a lovely surprise!

Wouldn't this rock your socks off!!!

Inquisitive?

Want to know what's inside?

It's the package that arrived from my bestest buddy Nathalie in the States a couple of days ago.

Nathalie has a very keen eye for finding the most fabulous things! NO KIDDING! She is like the Sherlock Holmes of mixed media artists! LOL (and if you don't believe me check out the exciting thing she lists in her Etsy store!!)

This was what was in the package.......



Now would this just rock your socks off? I couldn't believe the gorgeousness of it! The lace was stunning, only wish I knew the history of it, the stories behind it. It is VERY vintage, and I spent ages picking it up and looking at it.





Remnants of satin ribbon...




It was so delicate, some was exquisitely fine, I'm sorry Nathalie, I just don't know if I'll be able to cut this up and use it in my fabric collages? But I do have my eye on a special case which would be perfect to store my treasure in for the mean time. I thought it might be kinda cool to invent histories and make cards or labels to go with each piece that explain the history of each piece!


Nathalie also sent me some huge tea bags to use in my sewing! My mind has been racing with ideas for using these!

Overall, this was an amazing gift, took me ages to calm down after opening it LOL. Thank you so much Nathalie, you really know how to get my blood pumping and my heart racing LOL!

Carole :D

Sometimes I could just darn hug the mail lady!!

Yep, I could drag her out of her Rural Mail Delivery van and give her a great big hug when she pulls up and slides a padded brown bubble envelope into our large green mail box!!

I have, over the last couple of days received some incredible packages! Some I knew were coming but had forgotten about them, one I thought was lost in the postal black hole of never-to-be- found again packages, and others that were total surprises!

It has been a couple of few days where my little fingers have been unsteady with excitement!

This was one of those packages.....

Do you remember not long ago, I met with Kathy from Salt Lake City, she happened to be in New Zealand to attend a conference and we got to meet for a brief period of time? Well we decided that we should do a swap, (Kathy doesn't have a blog yet), so we decided to do a small swap with a bird theme.......and it has just arrived!

A little gift card with lovely words on the back......


And here is the 1st of 3 cards Kathy has made for me......



Here is the 2nd.......


And here is the 3rd.......
Totally gorgeous! Kathy has used alcohol inks to make the background sky, they are soooo perfect! I adore the birds on the wire!


But Kathy had also added a couple of extra wee gifts, some fat quarters of pretty fabrics which I will be able to use on a future project! I was very impressed.......


But then I discovered a set of Tim Holtz stamps! I nearly died! These will get lots of use!



What I couldn't believe was that Kathy had only met me in person for an hour or so, and yet she sent me these lovely gifts, that were just perfect? How did she know exactly what to get me?

I think it is amazing how we make art friends through the internet and that we all seem to have a special bond, a common link, mutual likes, understanding and acceptance.

I think I have some amazing friends.

More mail deliveries soon.....
Carole :D