Twines in Nature - Available for Download

Have finally been able to convert this to a downloadable tutorial.  Here is the link directly to my Etsy Store.

More Boxes completed

Now we have several months in this location, Burrum Heads, Queensland, such a lovely place to be living at the moment. I have become involved in a craft group here and in April I will be running a class on making Crazy Quilted Fabric covered boxes. Here are two that I have created for the class, both of these are been donated to use as prizes for up coming Mothers Day Raffles.

The Beach Box:

The Pretty Pink Box:

 The Embroidery and Embellishments

 The fabric on the outside of this box was from their giveaway table that Dawn (our neighbour) had collected a few months ago, just goes perfectly if you ask me.

Now to creating one for myself, a Blue Christmas Box for our traveling Christmas Decorations.

Arlene

'Cheerful Flutterings' now available for download

From advance beginner to intermediate embroiderer, create ‘Cheerful Fluttering’s’ a Floral and Insect Stumpwork scene ready for framing.

Using two very different techniques, one three dimensional and the second stitched onto the background fabric using a lesser-known honeycomb style stitch creates two playful Dragonflies. Each Dragonfly also having different body types. The inquisitive needle lace butterfly flutters happily about with oversized Daisies standing boldly tempting him to land. While the Hydrangeas stand defiantly in an elegant vase of smoked glass with an intricate design stitch to it’s outside.

All elements are then placed on a background of linen and framed to allow us to stand back and watch our cheerful insects fluttering about enjoying the fragrance and spender of two beautiful flowers.

General information about Stumpwork and stitches will be included in lesson material



Link here: 'Cheerful Flutterings'


Arlene

Catching up

-->Now that the new year has passed and we approach Autumn and cooler months I had best catch you all up.

Well we left Coffs Harbour December 22^nd. We move on down to Wauchope to Jan (Michael's mum) for Christmas. Our sit in Coffs Harbour had finished early due to the owners coming home early due to illness. We have secured another house sit in Hervey Bay from late January to late October next year. This is another area we both really want to explore. We also had a short one near Bundaberg for a week, which also gave us the chance to check out the area.  Yes I know we're suppose to be going south, but when opportunity knocks we took it.

So what has happened since the last update, well we have a new home on wheels. We traded the caravan in on a Travelhome Macquarie Fifth Wheeler. She’s 29 feet long and luxurious.

She unfortunately doesn’t have the internal storage as the caravan had, but she makes up for what can be stored outside.

I finally got my electric bike back after the controller packed it in again. We’ve also now discovered the battery is on the way out, Michael thinks it’s sat too long at the shop and has deteriorated over time.  We had both gotten involved with the Coffs Cycle bug group and regularly rode more than 50km’s a week. Certainly makes it easier to keep up with them with the electric bike.  I’d found a couple of craft groups and enjoy regular catch-ups.I have also managed to get a couple of classes organised.

We spent new years with my brother Peter’s place near Warwick to de-clutter some more and re-sort the container again. As when we put Chris’s stuff in there we just placed his stuff on top of ours, so not secured. Speaking of Chris, he and Rachel have enjoyed 4 months touring through Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma).  They will arrived in the states mid December, spent Christmas with Rachel's family and went up to Stow in Vermont for some snow skiing after Christmas and new year.  

Getting use to have Rosey around again, I think she is enjoying the caravanning side of it all.  The house sitting side gets her out and about without the lead, which can be a pain at times.

We bought her a new bed, which doubles as her travel caddy. She travels exceptionally well, I put her harness on and she goes into the caddy and goes to sleep. 

She's going blind now so keeping a close eye on her as she is starting to bump into things.

We are now settled in our house sit at Hervey Bay and as usual haven't taken long to get into the swing of things. Michael is enjoying here immensely as the wind has been kind to him and stuck around for weeks. As well as kiting he's been 'yogaering'(is that such a word) and has again started to Ref the Touch Footy. He's also gone for a couple of rides with the local groups, I hope to start once my new battery arrives (which it finally has).  I have gotten involved with a craft group and will be doing three workshops whilst we're here. I am also helping with a local Community support group two days a week. No rest for the wicked.
We ducked up to Rockhampton a couple of weeks ago and visited my sister and my nieces for a couple of birthdays in the family, was nice catching up with family.
I have been stitching and have almost finished four of my blocks for my 'outback quilt', can't rush these things.  I'm also working on getting more of my tutorials I did on Joggles into my Esty shop so everyone can access them now. I am almost finished my 'Twines of Nature' and ' Cheerful Flutters', they should be up soon. And if you missed it my Beetle is still up at the moment.

Well that's about it for now, happy stitching.