Tree of Life

It's been an ill household here with flu and spew in practise... we spent a lot of time in the last few days sleeping, resting on the couch and watching movies - enforced rest.

 ..

 I picked up my applique blocks and very excitedly I have finished one already.

More pics here to show close-ups of embroidery work added.

This block is from the Lori Smith pattern "Flowers For Mackenzie". I am combining blocks from that quilt, and from "Hugs and Kisses From MacKenzie". I'm not really feeling like warm country colours, as it's so warm here all the time in North Queensland where I live now.

It's rainy season here - which means it's wet and the foliage is green and lush.

I'm using brights with Kaffe Fasset Collective fabrics, and some hand dyed felted wool. I adore this Tree of Life block.

Ka-ching! Ka-ching!

 It's been a long time since I bought sewing patterns like these - usually I'd make up the pattern myself. That's only partially because these patterns usually retail at A$19.50 each...

Spotlight had a sale this week: 3 patterns for $10. That's $3.33 per pattern. Wowsers, what a saving.

And so now I have plenty of patterns in the caravan stash... but not enough fabric... hmmm....

Drool time.

Aaaargh! me hardies!

 Rhette is off to a 5yo birthday party this week. It's a pirate themed dressup. The invitations were rolled up like maps and the edges were burnt. Pretty cuuute!

I figure Jaxon likes pirates, so I've made him this bunting as a birthday present. Oh so cute!

 I think bunting is going to be one of my new-phase-addiction thingys... I've already bought for 4 more lots of bunting... Oh my!

The caravan stash is clear out of ribbon - such a shame, I have 100s of metres of ribbon in the shipping container, it's only 3,000km away!!! Feels like a waste to be buying ribbon... but oh what fun I am having.....

Book Bags for Little People

 When a certain little boy (Rhette) needed a book bag for school, I had to look in the "caravan stash" for something to sew with.

There really isn't much in the caravan stash to sew with. Meanwhile in another state 3000km away I have soooo much stash in a shipping container at my parent's place, it's unbelievable.

 I found carrots and penguins to make 2 bags - one for a boy, and one for a girl.

Rhette started school this year, and Shelley started kinder. Rhette brings home a library book each week.
 I am taking Shelley to the local library fortnightly and she fills her bag with books and DVDs.
I must think about bringing the big stash interstate.... if I have to buy everything again now that I am sewing, I will spend a fortune. !! Haha. The things we do!!!

Horsies - a future project

Shelley is 3. She slept under this horse panel on the couch, and lay on it on the floor... it's only a panel!

When we saw horses in a paddock on our recent trip away, she patted the horses, then cried because we had to leave them. She wanted to ride them just like in the "Barbie Horse" movie.

Oh! my aching heart!

I bought this horse panel and some bright horse prints to make her a real quilt. It warms my heart to see her with just a panel, I can't wait to make her a quilt of her own.

I'm planning traditional horsey looks and colours like the panel one one side, and more whimsical pink and bright on the other side (she loves pink, look at her pink lunch box)....

Christmas Stockings... just in time

Well, I just got these made in time for Christmas...

Something has happened to blogger and I can't figure out how to rotate these images! If you know hw to change them, please add a comment below :)....

 Rhette and Shelley each have a machine quilted Christmas stocking... It feels so good to be enjoying sewing, I love having time, space and motivation to sew once again!

I have bought another 2 identical stocking panels, who knows I might need them by next Christmas!!

Graduation time - bring back the Sewjo Mojo

Graduation night... I am a fully qualified beauty therapist! I would love to work from home - there would be a lot more sewing time if I don't have to drive everyday. Oh yes.

It's been such a year of frantic full time study. I'm afraid my sewing escapades were significantly affected.

However, my mojo is back... and I am ready to Sew.