April Art Journal Quilt–Finished, June Art Journal Quilt–Started

Yep, I’ve skipped a month. 

Only because an idea came to me quickly for the little June quilt and I was impatient and had to start it straight away.

“Ankh – Life”,  my art journal quilt for April is in memory of our trip to Melbourne and a visit to the Melbourne Museum to see relics of King Tutankhamen's tomb. 

The background of the quilt is painted lutradur (using acrylics) and the gold highlights were made with lumiere paint.   When completely dry it was run through the ink jet printer to print out the hieroglyphics.  The ankh sympbol was appliqued on and highlighted with prismacolour pencils.  It was so much fun to try some new to me techniques and I am loving the whole monthly art journal quilt journey.

Recently, a group of friends and I went for coffee and lunch at Highfields.  We were joined by the lady who recently showed us her tangles, Chris.  (Thanks Chris).

Could this be a zentangle coffee in her honour?

We also discovered a braid shop in the same complex,  and I made a couple of purchases- couldn’t resist.  I was going to put a photo up but I have … um…….misplaced them for the moment.  Next time…..

 

Japanese Blocks

I have done these Japanese flavoured blocks to go into the centre of my Sashiko medallion quilt I am working on.

We are meant to be putting it together next Tuesday week and I am very much behind with my ‘homework’.
It will all come together eventually, I am sure.  Just when, I am not so sure.
I am very happy with how these blocks came out.  They are from this gorgeous book by Susan Briscoe which I have shown before.  If you have this book, note, there is a printing error on Page 51 in the cutting. Luckily I had plenty of the fabric left to cut another piece.

There are also some very nice applique patterns in this book.  May have a crack at some of those too.

Chocolate Slice–Quick and Easy

We have a function coming up at quilting group on Saturday and I am making an old favourite of mine “Chocolate Slice” to share at morning tea.
This recipe was given to me by a neighbour some 25 years ago and my family and I still enjoy it. It is so quick and easy and no-fail and you can use up any cereal you have in the cupboard.  Today I didn’t have a whole cup of cornflakes so I added some crushed weet- bix and some puffed millet.
Give a try – it won’t disappoint.
Quick and Easy Chocolate Slice
1 cup cornflakes (or you could use weet-bix slightly crushed or rice bubbles)
1 cup dessicated coconut
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1/4 teasp salt
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
Place above ingredients into a bowl. Add 5 oz melted butter and 1/2 teasp vanilla.  Press into a lamington tin.  Cook in slow oven (165 deg) for approx 25 minutes.
Ice while warm with 3/4 cup icing sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoon baking cocoa.  Add 1 teasp butter melted and 2 tablespoons boiling water and a few drops of vanilla. 
Sprinkle with coconut or crushed nuts or whatever you fancy.  (I used coconut flakes today)
That’s it !!!

Textile Fair Purchases and Weird Weather

We had a weird thunder storm this afternoon and the hail rained down on us.  It looked like snow in the midst of the storm!!

Our tank is overflowing after the downpour.  (Photos taken through the fly screen )
Last week I received a lovely card in the mail. It was so nice to get something in the letterbox other than a bill. 

                                                                                                  (Close up)
This is the amazing card I received from Suz from “Suztats”.  Thanks Suz.  The technique Suz used was really interesting and she is still experimenting with others.  You can check it all out on her blog.  Of course, she also does amazing tatting too.


Now the purchases from the textile fair Shirley and I went to in Brisbane on Saturday.  Shirley was very good in keeping me under control and stopping me from spending too much
I bought the beautiful piece of hand dyed cotton sateen from Lisa Walton at Dyed and Gone to Heaven.  Also, some hand dyed scrim/gauze, a bundle of  recycled silk yarn, a jar of lumiere gold just because, and Prudence Mapstone’s freeforming with yarn booklet and the latest Downunder Textile mag. 
Shirley and I both bought some of the glorious wool for some serious and easy wool felting which we saw Jacinta of The Thread Studio demonstrating.  Check out Shirley’s blog and the colours she bought.  We are sharing these and hope to have a wet felting day real soon.  We are itching to do it!!

March Journal Quilt–finished

Only 2 months behind now!!

A COCKROACH CHANGED MY LIFE”
IDEA / INSPIRATION:
We were visiting my husband’s sister at the Gold Coast in March when she came out with this random statement.
We were commenting at the dinner table on how lucky they were to get their beautiful home on the Gold Coast and buying at the right time.
Well, she said “A cockroach changed my life”!!
She and her partner were living on a yacht and she was sick of the confined space and the whole atmosphere of marina life.
One morning she made her morning coffee and she was just about to take a sip when she saw the cockroach floating on top.
This was the final straw, and she went that day and began to look for a rental home unit. She found a small one bedroom unit and rented for a while until a unit in a nearby block came up for sale. She bought that, sold it for treble and the rest is history.
TITLE CONCEPT:
Sometimes we don’t know what or who is going to change the course of our life. It was amazing how one small cockroach changed the path of Catherine’s life.
TECHNIQUES:
Fusing, machine appliqué, fabric painting, embroidery.
For impact, I used the juxtaposition of pretty and delicate with creepy crawly ugly.
Finished 5 June 2011
(Size – Approx A4)

Autumn / Winter

 

So far we have had a bit of winter weather in autumn and a bit of autumn weather in winter.  It is all a bit topsy turvey  around here and one never knows what to dress in for the day.

Grandad raked the leaves and Lilian had fun helping him.

This type of weather makes us think about food all the time.  Well, it does me anyway.  What better for dinner than a hot steaming beef casserole.  Oooh it was yummy.

The other pastime I am really enjoying most evenings is hand quilting.  My ‘Leaf Flowers’ quilt is coming along nicely and all being well I should have it completed for the Toowoomba Quilter’s  exhibition in September.

Organised? Who, Me??

As I have mentioned before on this blog I am challenged when it comes to being organized.
It just never seems to happen.  Especially in the sewing/crafting space.  My excuse has always been I need MESS to create.  Lately I have been looking at the blog called “Blissfully Organized” and dreaming of being just that.
The mess and confusion was actually starting to get to me, so when my dear, organized friend Shirley had listened long enough to my moaning she decided I needed help.  
THE BEFORE PHOTOS
                  (Overflowing box of selvedges!!!)     
THE AFTER SHIRLEY PHOTOS
    
There is still more to do but she has put me on the right track now and all I have to do is be a good little girl and put everything back in it’s place  (hard part).
Thank you Shirley and I think you have missed your vocation.  You should be a professional organizer.   Mwah to you, Shirley