"Love You" Tote and "Colourful Friday"

Hello

Today I am joining in "Colourful Friday" but first I want to share a project I have just finished. My "Love You" Tote Bag. This is from Natalie Bird's book "A Thankful Heart" which I recently purchased.

I used a fat quarter that I had and used matching Homespun on the other side. Pink Gingham was used for the lining and ties on the side. I quilted around the letters and on the other side I used my "Wavy Edge" ruler to draw some lines and quilted on these.  This bag is just the perfect size to put a magazine in,so great to take a small project if you have some waiting to do.

All throughout Natalie's book there are little sayings. On the tote bag page is this one. Enjoy.

Love
I am thankful for Love.
For Loving and being Loved.
For kisses and hugs, and gentle loving whispers.
I am thankful for the love of my family and friends, the deep abiding Love that my soulmate,
and the wonderous unconditional Love that I have for my children, my greatest blessing.

Now for "Colourful Friday" Robyn chose  the subject "Leaves". Wasn't it lucky we are in the midst of Winter otherwise my photo's might be brown. Lots of different textures and colours were found in the vegie garden. Plus I do like looking at the spider webs with all the dew drops early in the morning. Thanks Robyn for choosing a great subject to photograph this week.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Happy days.
Bev C

Have you met the Duchesse yet?

Hello and Welcome to Tuesday's Treasures.

Have you had the chance to meet a real life Duchesse? I have she is so pretty in pink.



Duchesse de Brabant

 Duchesse de Brabant was first grown in 1857. She has small clusters of cupped, soft to rose-pink double blooms. Long flower buds. She has a sweet tea rose fragrance and free flowering. A excellent climber growing to 3 metres.

The bees have been visiting the Duchesse too.

Today our Treasure Lucy is travelling back to New Zealand so a trip to the airport this afternoon.

Check out the other Treasures being shown this week at Melody's blog.

Happy days.
Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday"

Hello and Happy Monday.

The other week I purchased some fat quarters and a new book. I have a project that I want to do with the fat quarters. A few things to finish first though. Extremely happy with the patchwork shop, highly recommend it. I noticed after taking this photo that a "Stock" has decided to come up in the paving, just near the blue post. Happy about that bonus plant.

I am very happy to finish this project called "Monday is Washing Day" designed by Catherine Baynes.

The design on the pocket is stitched with one strand of thread. I used DMC  517. I had a package of waffle cloth that I bought a while ago and decided to try embroidery on this. Lovely and soft to work with. I even added some beads to the bottom of the dress on the clothesline. This scene reminds me of those "Dick and Dora" books we used to read at school many years ago. Nip and Fluff must be playing somewhere else!!

I changed how the laundry bag was made a bit. The original design called for a check pattern to be used on the back, as this shows through from the cut-out shape on the front. I preferred the same material to be used so I cut a piece to just go past the cut-out and added some calico to the bottom of this piece. I then added some calico for the backing. This piece I had to join which was OK then I machine appliqued the cut-out piece from the front on the back. I didn't worry about any wadding between these two pieces because there were plenty of layers already. I then added the binding to hold it all together. A child's coat hanger was supposed to be used. I didn't have any of these so I decided to sew in a hanger on the back. Yellow/white ric-rac was used along the pocket and around the cutout shape.I found some little wooden pegs to add to the pocket.

If you are having a Christmas In July Lunch/Tea enjoy!!!!

Happy Monday.
Bev C

Paper Bag Swap

Hello,

I can now share what I made for Colleen in the Snickerdoodle Dreams Paper Bag Swap.

I made Colleen a Mug Bag . A Needle Wallet and Pincushion and matching Lanyard. Plus some button tags.

This shows the inside of the Needle Wallet . The wallet and pincushion are one of Joy's patterns. I added some red buttons to co-ordinate them altogether. I covered a lanyard I had in my cupboard, I kept the webbing on the lanyard and used a strip of material about 2.5inches wide to cover it.

Colleen provided lots of ribbons and these lovely paper flowers so I decided to raid the button jar and make some lovely tags with tags I had on hand.

Enjoy your goodies Colleen and looking forward to seeing what I receive.

Happy days.
Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday"

Hello and Happy Monday.

I can't believe how quickly these postings come around. Lots to be happy about over this past week.

Lucy came bearing gifts from Lisa. Thank you so much Lisa for the bundles of fabric cross stitch kits buttons and patterns. I  already have plans for the bundle of blue fabric.

I also got this bundle of threads and buttons from Chris. Thanks Chris. I used one of the threads in the "Friendship" Bolster.

Ainsley and Lucy.

On Saturday we celebrated Lucy's Birthday with a family lunch at a restaurant/brewery  in the Swan Valley. The meal was huge so we didn't need tea that night.

I have been watching this sunflower budding then opening up in the vegie garden.

Doesn't it just make you want to smile!!

Happy Monday.
Bev C

"Friendship"

Hello,

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. A beautiful sunny Sunday here at Kainga. Over the last few days I have completed a bolster cushion.

I have had the pattern for sometime now and the other day I received a bundle of DMC threads and decided to use one of them in this project. The stitchery design was stitched in colour number 3722. The main part of the cushion was supposed to be backed with some lightweight pellon. I didn't have a piece big enough and it was a rainy day and I didn't want to venture outside to the shops so I had a look in my sewing room for something else that I could use. I found some heavyweight interfacing which I think actually works better because it holds the cushion/bolster shape so much better.

Of course I had to add some ric-rac to the project as well. I also used the ric-rac to tie the ends of the bolster. I put in a size bigger cushion than required because this is what I found in my linen cupboard. The pattern is by Sally Giblin. With all her patterns there is always a extra stitchery design as a bonus which is fantastic.

Happy days.
Bev C

"Tuesday's Treasure"

Hello,

Welcome to "Tuesday's Treasures" kindly hosted by Melody.

We are picking up this Treasure  from the Airport this evening. I have strict orders to make some Cinnamon Scrolls. So that is what I will be doing today.

Make sure you check out the other Treasures being showcased today.

Happy days.
Bev C

"Makes me Happy Monday"

Hello,

"Happy Monday" I hope you have a wonderful day.

I am happy to say that sometimes making mistakes turns out for the best. I spent a good part of Friday quilting. I even had about 99.9%  of it done. Then I looked back at it from a distance and decided "No". I have got most of it undone, just about 6 blocks of stippling to unpick. Then I will hand quilt it. Amazing how comfortable I feel with this decision. There was nothing actually to much wrong with the quilting it just didn't feel right.

Mini Cauliflower.

I am very happy that our Winter vegie garden is producing so well. There are several mini Cauliflowers ready to be picked. All organic too.

The Broccoli is ready to be picked also. I just love this vegetable. I could eat it until the cows come home.

The Crab apples are in flower. The little birds love this tree at this time of the year.

Maurice Ultrillio

I am very happy that the roses are all ready to bloom or blooming. This one called "Maurice Ultrillio" is in bloom down the front of the garden. It is a bright red brilliantly contrasted by crisp and vibrant slashes of yellow and white,constantly changing from budburst through to the full,voluptuous and generous mature bloom. It is such a striking rose with large double flowers borne in clusters and a wonderfully healthy bush plant with a rich enchanting frangrance. It is a  Delbard Rose from the "Painters Collection"

It has been very cold here the past week or so. Temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees has been the high on some days. We don't get snow here but I think the "Allysum" that grows in the garden could easily be taken for snow on these cold days. Happy that the temperature is going to get warmer during the coming week. I wonder what is "Making you Happy" today.

Happy days.

Bev C

18 and in New Zealand!!!!!!!

Hello,

Today is a super special today. Lucy is celebrating her 18th Birthday today. Now Lucy left for a working holiday  in New Zealand back on 6th December 2010.

In that time she has made a Wedding cake for Will and Kate.

Enjoyed the Kiwi sunshine in her Aunt's hammock in her favourite Townsville t-shirt.

Given to charity,with the purchase of the fundraising shirt for Christchurch.

She has learnt the Haka,worn jandles, been driven over judder bars,heard the Pukeko,she may have even barracked for the All Blacks. We know that she loves boogy boarding,can't do that in the Wheatbelt back here.

Have a Super Happy Birthday Lucy. I hope you enjoy your pizza at the Waipu Pizza Barn tonight.

Happy days.
Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday" and "Tuesday's Treasures"

Hello,

A belated "Happy Monday" to everyone and a big welcome to Tuesday's Treasures. I think I should have called the title to this post "Look at this Mum" because that is what David has been saying to me over the last week. Lots of interesting things to see on you tube. Which means that he has used up our usage for the month and the computer will run slow until early next week. That is why I haven't replied to emails and why I am doing a double posting today.

Anyway after the slight hiccup onto what is "Making me Happy" today.

I have made a start on The Paper Bag Swap that I am doing with Colleen. It will be at your home soon Colleen. I have made a few things with the material. Colleen put in a bag of ribbons which just made me stop in my tracks. There is no way I will get to use them all up but I did try Colleen.

Another thing that is making us all happy is that we are surrounded by green paddocks. Ian and I sometimes take a walk up to the water tanks which is up the hill from us. There are sheep in some of the paddocks grazing on the green grass. Mind where you step though!  It all makes for a happy scene.

I was also very happy to meet up again with Sue and Maria over at Toodyay on the weekend. They were on a patchwork retreat with friends from The Dongara Patchwork Group. Avalon Homestead 4kms out of Toodyay was where they retreated to. There was a beautiful patchwork wall hanging of a Kookaburra on the wall and there seemed to be a theme of Kookaburra's throughout the building. Guess what woke me up  at Kainga on Sunday morning!!! It was great to chat and talk about patchwork. Sue thank you so much for the hints and tips on applique.

Now onto Tuesday's Treasures kindly hosted by Melody. I picked up these two pieces of Aida cloth at the Good Sammy's last week. When I saw them there they were rolled up and I was looking at them side on and didn't realise that they had a painting on them. One a Iris and the other a Protea. I was going to do something completely different with them. Now I will have to try and find the correct pattern to cross stitch them. A project for "Later On" Make sure you check out the other Treasures too.

Happy days.
Bev C

"The Dark Lady"

Hello,

Today I am linking up with Robyn for Colourful Friday and Bronwyn for Floral Friday. Now for Colourful Friday we are allowed to show just one photo with Red and Green. So for both these links I introduce to you "The Dark Lady"

The Dark Lady.

"The Dark Lady" is a David Austin rose which has large deep pink to crimson blooms, with a lighter reverse. It has a fine old rose fragrance with busy healthy dark foliage and spreading growth. It has continuous flowers. The name of this rose is taken from the mysterious Dark Lady of Shakespeare's sonnets.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Happy days.
Bev C