"Cross stitch and bag finished for OPAM and Malus x purpurea."

Hello,

I have had a productive week. Adding two more finishes for OPAM (One Project a Month.)

The first one is...

"The Stag."

My Christmas  cross stitch ornament/pillow that I made this week. I added some little deers that Lyn gave me. Lyn was my first ever swap partner when I started blogging. The backing fabric is the same as what is on the front so it is reversible.  The design is another one of Helga Mandl's.

I have had a pair of jeans in my sewing cupboard for about two years. When Lucy was doing Textile's and Designs she needed to cup up some jeans to show how a zipper is inserted. Wasn't to impressed with the teacher I can tell you. It would have been OK if the school supplied the clothing!!!! Anyway I kept the jeans thinking "one day" I will do something with that denim.

"Earth Friendly Bag"

So yesterday I got to and cut them up and made this bag out of them. I roughly used one of those "green bags" as a template. Mine is slightly higher so will fit the bigger items in. I machine embroidered the design on the front which says. "Earth is forever take care of life." I used up most of the jeans.  I cut about 1 inch  up from the hem and unpicked and re-sewed this to make the handles. I used a "Goliath" thread in the bobbin and sewed the seams twice then over locked the edges. The scraps of denim went in the recycling bag.

Sometimes nature doesn't play along with what is on the plant label. Last year we planted a  "Malus x purpurea" otherwise known as a Purple Crab Apple just outside the kitchen and dining room. I looked at it last week and it was just a stick. With the hot weather we had been having  through Summer it looked like it needed a good drink. So over the next couple of days it got some love and water. It started shooting and imagine my surprise when I looked out and saw this.

"Bud of Malus x purpurea."

Some buds.

"Bloom of Malus x purpurea."

Then there was this. Isn't she so dainty and pretty.

The label says she is supposed to flower in Spring and produce crab apples in Autumn. Someone forgot to tell her it is Autumn!!!

We have a busy weekend planned, hope yours is a good one.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Pink"

Hello and Welcome to my Pink themed post.

"Radio Times Rose"

Isn't she pretty. I love this rose and have a row of them. One of the bushes is blooming so well.

"Radio Times" on the entrance table. Loving the perfume. Surrounded by Rose books - of course.

"Pink Easter Lily"

A while back my Mum gave me some bulbs from one of her neighbours. She asked about them last week. Hers had flowered, she asked how mine was going. I couldn't remember where I had planted them. I hoped they would come up. Imagine my delight the other day when I was down the front and one of them was blooming. I remember planting them now!!!

Yesterday I made 4 pillowslips. I had the material in my stash. Both the front and backing material which is a cream colour came from my favourite shop. Yes you guessed right. Good Sammy's. Even the thread I used in making these came from a friend who is leaving town and no longer sews. I received a bag of cotton thread which I have been using up as there were bits and pieces of lots of colours.

Hope you have a bit of Pink in your day too.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Lots of Celebrations at Kainga."

Hello,

Happy Monday to you.

 Lots of celebrations at Kainga over the last week, Birthdays, a traveller returning, a new job for a family member etc.

On Thursday Ian and I travelled to the airport to pick up Bonnie from her trip to America. Great to have her back home.We were all gifted some lovely souvenir's. It has been wonderful to look at the thousands of photo's of her journey across the States. We even got to see a picture of David Beckham in his back yard!!!

Friday I had sewing so was able to work on the "Crop Circle" hand quilting and get the binding on.When it got to the edges of the quilt I used half a circle for the quilting. This way it was quilted into the borders without changing the pattern.

Back of quilt.

With the circles it looks like the dolphins are jumping through hoops at Sea world.

On Saturday David came home for a visit,unfortunately he couldn't stay for the family lunch we had on Sunday.
The reason for the lunch was to celebrate Ainsley and Julian's Birthday's which both occur in March.

Ainsley and Julian's Birthday Quilt.

Ainsley and Julian were gifted the quilt for their Birthday's. I machine embroidered a label for the back with their names etc and a design of a slice of cake.

Whatever you do this week do it with love.

Happy Monday.
Bev C

"Peacock bowl and crop circles."

Hello,

Today I wish to share with you my Peacock bowl. I received this a couple of years ago for a Christmas present.

It has been known to hold a few lollies.

The good thing about it is if you turn it upside down it makes a great template for my "crop circles" I'm presently hand quilting.

Linking this post to Melody's blog for Tuesday's Treasures.

Happy days.
Bev C

"What do Dolphins and a "Ballerina" have in common?"

Hello,

You may be wondering what Dolphins have in common with Ballerina's. Please read on.

Back in January I purchased this piece of material which is just over four metres for a $1.00 from the Good Sammy's on there $1.00 Linen Days. Some of this is currently being used for backing on a quilt I am hand quilting.

"Ballerina Rose"

This is the "Ballerina" rose that is flowering in the garden at the moment. A stunning Hybrid Musk rose with large sprays of small single pink blooms with white centres. It has tiny orange-red hips in Autumn. First produced in 1937.

The answer of course is "They both make me Happy!!!!!"

What is making you happy in your part of the world today?

Happy Monday

Bev C

"Friends in cross stitch."

Hello,

No "Happy Monday" this week. It was just too bloomin' hot to be happy,  43 celcius in the shade here on Monday. The hottest place in the state - again. I am so over this heat. Thankfully today it so much cooler. A top of about 30. Perfect for getting out into the garden later on.

I have been doing some cross stitch.

A cute design which is a freebie from Caroline. I changed one or two of the colours to suit what I had on hand.

I made it into a mug mat for my Aunty E. I machine embroidered a label and it will be delivered to her tomorrow. The measurements for the mug mat at 12 1/4 inches by 7.5 inches. I quilted around the cross stitch and on the blue fabric I quilted a circle for the mug to sit on. I used a cream 14 count Aida cloth.
On Monday I asked Lucy if she wanted a day out. We decided to go to the movies. Unfortunately the movie we planned to see started in 15 minutes. It takes a hour to get there. So we decided to go on Tuesday instead. We watched "A little bit of Heaven" Well this has to be the saddest movie I have seen for a long time. You could hear people crying in the cinema. There certainly weren't any dry eyes. A group of 4 ladies who sat near us blew there noses when the movie had finished and said who's idea was it to watch this. It was a great movie though,the actors covered the story line so well.
When the movie finished we caught up with David who had finished Uni for the day and spent a couple of hours together shopping and having afternoon tea. Thanks Lucy and David for a wonderful relaxing day out.

Of course I had to buy this new book  on my day out, which was only released last month. Such beautiful designs. Lots of Samplers etc either stitched in blue or red. See the vase of roses I picked this morning. Some of the roses thrive in the heat while others struggle. These are called St Cecelia, a David Austin rose. Did you know Saint Cecelia is the patron saint of music and musicians.
Happy days.
Bev C

"Lavender Sweet Lavender."

"here’s your sweet lavender



sixteen sprigs a penny


that you’ll find my ladies


will smell as sweet as any"


Lavender Sellers’s Cry, London England CA 1900

Hello,

 I hope you are enjoying the start to the weekend.

Wednesday I decided to have a go at making soap. I had everything I needed to make it. Some Caustic Soda, Olive Oil, Copha and Rainwater. It worked.

Here it is just after I poured the mixture into a lined baking dish. I had some dried lavender on hand. I used lavender heads from my Oiling Grosso Lavender, When the Lavender was put on top of the soap mix the heads greened up again until they dried.
 

It is now drying for 6 weeks. It looks good enough to eat. In fact everyone that has seen it thinks it is cheesecake. I have it on a rack on the kitchen bench with one of those fold up food protectors over it. The food protector has cakes on it so this makes it look even more like cheesecake.  
When I make the next batch I will add some lavender etc to the mix. This time I just wanted to make sure it worked.
 
Happy days.
Bev C

"Tenderness."

Hello and a big "Happy Monday" to you.

Today we have a holiday here in Western Australia. Nothing like a long weekend to make you happy. The rest of Australia has to wait until next weekend for there Labour Day holiday.

This week I am happy to have completed a crochet doily. I have started going back to a crochet group that meets every Tuesday morning. Thoroughly enjoying the outing and company.

The group has stacks of  "Crochet Monthly" magazines to get patterns from. I chose this one called "Tenderness".

Marina kindly sent me the cotton last year. Thanks so much Marina, it is being put to good use. This was crocheted  with a size 20 cotton which took 20 grams to make up and I used a 1.25 hook.

No spiders to scare you this week.


 I do have a photo of the view we get from our home each evening.

It is that time of the year when we are blessed with beautiful sunsets each night.

Happy Monday.
Bev C