Hand sewing

I have been doing dome more hand sewing, I really enjoy it. I need to keep my hands busy all the time, and when watching tv at night, I like to be doing domething, otherwise it's wasted time. So I spent Saturday morning cutting pieces out, and then yesterday, I started together.

I like! :)


Yesterday Craig and I went for a drive to the Yarra Valley, wine country. We are very lucky, it's only about 45 minutes drive from our house, to some very beautiful countryside. We had lunch at Mt Rael Retreat, which overlooks Healsville township, from a long way up. Very stunning views. We bought lots of wine from three different wineries, and then made our way home. We lit a lovely fire, and relaxed the day away.

I have been cleaning up the entrance to our property. We are on a bush block, and it's getting a little messy with dropped branches etc. I want to plant a row of trees along the boundry, and driveway. Now to just choose the trees. Like I said, we are on a bush block, and there are lots and lots of gum tress. So I am off to the nursery later this week, to get some trees, about 60 of them. I will take some pics of before and after later.

Lexie

This is our girl Lexie, We have had her now for 11 days, and she is alot of fun, and very kind and gentle. She dances around on her back legs, which we will have to work on, but that is her only vice. We love her alot.
I took her to the beach yesterday, she loves coming for drives in the car, and looks around everywhere, she loves to be around us as much as possible, and is very social with other dogs, she is a pleasure.
She is a Kelpie, and is approx 5 years old. A great new friend. 

More Lexie

More Lexie..... 

This is my new Journal for August, under construction. I am really enjoying the applique again, and feel this will be where my work is directed, though I do have some ideas for some pieced work, which I will start after this piece is finished.
I think I have been concentrating too much on what others are doing, and not thinking about what I like to do, and where I want my work going. This is a big step for me, as I don't like change too much.
I love what I am doing at the moment, it is giving me alot of satisfaction. I hope you all enjoy the pictures.

xxx 

Journal Quilt

This is my July journal quilt for my Yahoo group. I am very pleased with the end result. It makes me think of warmer weather to come, with flowers in the garden. Now to August! :) 

Dogs and Journals

This is my latest journal quilt, for July. I tell you, I am loving it. I didn;t plan any of it, I just started sewing. It's not quite finished but I wanted to share it now. It is needle turn applicate, and all my fabrics.

Well there is no new dog yet, though I am going to look at a couple today. I met a lovely little girl on Saturday, but the rescue centre said she was one that escapes, and likes to run away. She may have just been left alone too much, but on our property, we only have post and wire fencing. And very busy roads, so we need a dog that will not wander too far.

Have a great day everyone.

xxx 

To Dog or not to Dog!

Well that is the question. I have never really had a dog. Before moving to our home here, we had a dog, but without good fencing, and a long way to run, we had to give him up. I am now considering getting a little one. Maybe a pomeranian, or jack russell cross, I don't know. I will look around the rescue centres, and find the right one. We have been babysitting our grandpuppy, ( my stepson's dog) she is a red healer, and she is beautiful. It was meant to be a week, but she has been here two months, hmmmm, I think Craig's in love with the little lady. So I think it's time to get one that I can have for company during the day. I want one that is about 2-5 years, or even older, I'm not too fussy. As long as I can leave it home when I go to the supermarket that will be all. So if anyone knows of a dog that is available, let me know, otherwise I will keep looking.

xxx Claudia

The most amasing Moon

We woke to the most amazing moon the other morning, well many strange things we have seen around here this week. Yes this is the moon, at about 6am! freaky!
We also woke, on Sunday morning, to the dog barking, grrrrrrrr, I hate that. I looked up and saw something moving outside, large! I got up and turned on the outside lights, and nearly fell over, it was a DEER! A huge male dear, with big horns, just trotting around our house. We do live in outer Melbourne, on acreage, so we do get alot of wildlife, like kangaroos and wombats, but never, ever a deer, I didn;t think they even lived around here. But telling my friend who lives a bout 2 kms away, she has seen a female with baby, and her husband has seen a male. So we have a little family in our midst, very nice. I tried to snap a photo, but it was too far from the house.
I will post some pics of the new quilt I am working on. I have also finished and delivered my latest professional quilt (quilting), it looks amazing, it was all Japanese fabrics, which were just devine, and it was alot of fun to quilt. I forgot to take a photo, so next time. I will get the owner to bring it with her next time so I can take a snap.
I have started a new blog for my quilting service, a link is in the side bar, which seems to escape to the bottom all the time now! Does anyone know why????? Help me please.

xxx Claudia

Melbourne Quilt Show

Hi All, Well this is take two on the blog entry, so it will not be as exciting as the first one. I pushed publish, and it disappeared, bugger!

This is the quilt that won best of show in the Quilt and Craft fair in Melbourne over the weekend. It is by the Thimblelady, Luixin Newman, wo I was lucky enough to meet. What a lovely kind person she is. This work of her is exquisite, it is all needle turn applique, and hand quilted obviously, and measures less then 2 foot square from memory. Just stunning.










This piece would have been one of my favourites. It signifies the tsunami in Asia 18 months ago, and it was beautiful, sorry I can't remember who made it.
I am going to start making a block of the month pattern with flowers and vines etc. so I am now off to play in autosketch, so watch this space.

xxx claudia