ATC Swap with Embroiderers Guild friends in the UK.

We recently did a swap with the Fibre's and Fabric's ladies and the Embroiderer's Guild UK, Embroidery Friends forum (wow what a mouthful).

Well this is the lovely ATC I received from Carol

Here is the one I sent Carol

And here are the others that were received from the other ladies in the UK.

There are more, but this is all I have
photographed.

Arlene

My new Logo

This is going to be our new logo we will be using for our APP.

Arlene

Spring/Summer offerings of Classes at Joggles

I have 4 classes in the next round of offerings from Joggles.com
2 New classes and 2 that are being re-offered.
New classes are:
'Hopper-Grass'

and 'Mermaid'

The classes being re-offered, are 'Beetles in Stumpwork' and 'Twines in Nature'.

I am still amazed by the interest in my beetles, this class has run each season now for 18 months.

Also on offer are two classes from a fellow Australian, Janet Banks.  Janet is also a member of Fibres and Fabrics.  Click here to go to her classes and blog.

 

 Arlene

Southern Cross Crazy's 2012 Round robin finally finished.

Here is the last block I worked on, it was Faye's.  I had already done some work on it whilst I was on Norfolk Island, and used it as my teaching tool.  They Alison took it home and added her lovely work.  I then just needed to work around the beetle and send it on.  Here is my work - Silver worked beetle, hand dyed flower motif and the beaded flowers around the beetle, motif and crochet centre.

 

This is now how the block looks all finished, just stunning.

 

And now my block is home and finished too.  I chose the blue and white to challenge the ladies, and I think they did a great job.

keeping with my Christmas theme, I have another block exactly the same, so will embroider it during the year and have two to make into cushions.

Thank you to all the Southern Cross ladies who worked on my block, Alison, Faye, Pattie, Jennifer, Maureen G, and Maureen B and Linda.

Arlene

Building an APP, winner

The lucky winner was no 11, Margaret St John.  Thank you everyone for helping me to develop this app, it's now started and on the way to being reality.

Margaret I will email you to get your address, and post your gift to you shortly.

Arlene

Building an APP - Giveaway

G'day All,

There are so many APP's out there, but not very many on embroidery, so my son (a techno lad) and I are going to build an APP - called of course - Arlene's Crafts. It will include free tutorials of stitches, and elements of some of my creations. With an 'in market' tool to buy a full class if you wish.

Not to say I have enough to do, but I am in the early stages of building the APP for IPhone, IPad, and Android devices. But I need YOUR help.  I need some feedback, suggestions and researchers.

First of all I need to do some market research, are you interested?   If yes, and you agree to sign a confidentiality agreement, (governed in the state of Queensland, Australia) then send me an email with your details, where in the world you live. Once I receive this I will send you a survey form.

Then hopefully shortly after we've collated the information and designed the app, I will send you a link to download the app (in it's early stages) and you will do a test run and send feedback to us. This may happen a couple of times, depending on feedback and bugs in the APP.  We hope to have the app approved by Apple by the end of the year.

The app is going to be a FREE app, with some 'in market' tabs. Here's an example of what the pages may look like. This would be one of the Free stitch tutorials.

 And of course my 3D butterfly will be one of the first free tutorials on the app.

If you don't want to be part of the research and development of this APP, but would still like to leave suggestions, please leave a comment and everyone who does (including those who wish to participate) will go into the draw for one of my latest creations - 'Hopper-grass'. An up coming class soon on Joggles.

Entry closes next Friday evening 8.00 pm 12th April (Australian Time).

Arlene

Belated Christmas wish list item

At Christmas time we have a tradition in our small family to put a list on the fridge for what we would like for Christmas instead of trying to find out what each would like.  Some things are really outrageous, and we don't always get what's on the list, we not exactly, like one year Darling Son (was 18 at the time) put a Ferrari on there, so we bought him a matchbox Ferrari, he didn't specify what size.... anyway I digress.  One of my wishes was a craft room makeover.... outrageous I know, but, I was hoping it was going to happen whilst I was away at the Scout Jamboree, in hind sight (great thing that hind sight), I'm glad it didn't.  The shifting, sorting of stuff, destashing some items etc, was just something I wouldn't want to leave to my boys....  Now it came about by hubby drowning his phone on Norfolk Island, and wanting a lawn mower that mulches.... You see he bought these two new items, using the money I had saved in our PayPal account for my new cupboards, well, I let hubby know this and he said I could just go and use the credit card instead..... well, I did.... and here is my new craft room makeover, one week later... sore back, knee's, legs, anything that bends.....

 Inspirations, and Cross-stitch and Embroidery Magazines and my beads in the corner, new white clear door cupboard for the rest of my books and magazines.

 The nic nac cupboard, items that wouldn't fit in the other cupboard, like finished items, my 'gold' supplies and felt box. The coloured drawers are now in the other spare room also, it's got all my scrap booking stuff in it.

These tall boys house all my fabric, except for my linens and aida cloths, there still in another draw in the other spare room. The lovely wood grain drawers are my threads (I got that for last Christmas), and the small bookshelf beside this has all my Crazy quilting books and stitch dictionaries.

I also changed my desk to a smaller one, less chance to clutter as much, but still have the built in cupboard to sort....

I first need to find a home for my post stamp collection, which is lining the back of that top shelf, I've collected since a teenager.

So what do you think, I'm spoiled, yes I know, and I let him know how much I like my new room.

On the 2nd day of Christmas......

My true love gave to me, two Turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.../
Welcome Block 2.

 The block elements are two stitched seams, one gold creten, and the other a combination of gold chevron, and detached buttonhole stitch with straight stitch beside each detached buttonhole, enhanced by gold beads. Stumpwork holly, with needle-lace leaves, wrapped branch and wrapped holly berries.  Goldwork '2' with thread padding, gold kid leather number, and bordered by no 1 gold pearl purl. Two lovely shank buttons, one poinsettia flower and the other the two turtle doves which are stitched through kid leather for extra strength to hold the orny when attached. Lastly two gold braids, and a cluster of gold beads to finish off. The Christmas ornament is ceramic, and is pink and gold on the reverse side. A items I purchased from a Fibers and Fabric's lady at our Christmas fair last year.

 And without the Orny.....

Stumpwork Holly

 And two turtle doves, this is a shank button I picked up at a wonderful craft shop on Norfolk Island.

Had a wonderful time stitching this block, now that's two down ten to go.....

Arlene

Promoting our local show

Hello All,

 

2013 Show Schedule

As Chief Steward again this year, I'd like to get many more entries than last year.  So if you can promote this for us, please do.

Arlene

CQJP 2013 - January - Day 1

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me - A partridge in a pear tree......

So for January's block (yes I know I'm late, had to wait for my pears to be made by my friend Kathy) - I give you the first day of Christmas.

The partridge is removable, so it can be hung on the tree.  The partridge is made of felt, with blanket stitch in gold thread. He is mounted to a wrapped wire frame.

The 'one' is goldwork and their tree is chain stitch, stem stitch, and wrapped wires. 

The leaves are a ruched double wire ribbon. Like I mentioned before the pears were made by my Fibres and Fabrics friend Kathy S. (not Kathy Shaw).

Kathy has hand painted them for me to match the colour of the block. Kathy made me several different sorts, two shank ones, two 3D ones and 4 button types, all in various shades.

 Boy what a wonderful friend.  The shank one is the one that the partridge hangs from.

Finished of with the seams of gold creten stitch, burgundy chevron and cream blanket stitch.  The top left corner is trimmed with green and burgundy braid.  Here was my sketch of what I wanted to achieve for this block, I think I came pretty close to what I wanted.  I really think the pears make it.

Now onto February, day 2, two turtle doves!!!

Arlene

Southern Cross Crazies RR update

After being away from 4 weeks on a scout jamboree it was so nice to sit and stitch and just relax.  I have made a beetle for Linda for her block. I had asked her prior to going away and was hoping to make him whilst I was at the jamboree but didn't lift a needle.

Here is the full block after me:

I added the beetle in the center, the roses around him and the seam to the far right. There is still Faye to work on this block so there's still room for her to weave her magic. 

Here are close ups of the beetle on this block.

 Back view

 Overhead shot

and a side on view. I think he's happy amongst the roses.
I hope you like him Linda.

Arlene

Jamboree update

Well I have been on camp now for three weeks and am ready to come home. But I still have one week to go. It has been great but 16 hour days are a bit too much to take.

 One of the many activities the scouts participated in was make it, and 160+ of these wooden tables were made, branded and scattered around the Maryborough Showgrounds site.

  The shirt I'm wearing is from one of the many troops that were on site, I swapped it for two QLD scarves.










We also had the occasional night where we had to queue for dinner, this photo was taken on the night when 'The Stable' (mess tent) lost power for an hour or so just on dinner time.
 The photo is of me (in blue), Sue, Leith and Jenny, my work mates for the Jamboree.



We're now said goodbye to nearly everyone on camp, only a handful of us left now to get ready for our Clearance sale on the weekend. It's going to be bedlam.  Roll on Monday night.....
You can find more on the aj2013 Facebook site. When I get home I hope to have more to show, but for now, as it's still really busy here, this will have to do...... oh I miss my stitching.....

Arlene

Catching up

Well over the past month a few items have made it down under.
First the Orny swap with Lisa

This is the one I sent, and below is the one I received from Lydia

Then the Lion's Christmas stocking swap, here is the lovely stocking I received from Suz














And the one I sent

Then for the Southern Cross Crazies Christmas Cracker swap, here is the one I sent to Natasha

 and below is the Cracker that Natasha sent to me.  The santa is cross stitched and the whole piece is quilted, so lovely.

 And inside the cracker:   There is a small teddy bear missing from the photo, only because he's already on my jacket.

I've even had a couple of finishes, I finished the Redwork course on StitchMap, it was a challenge, which I am thankful for my students I mentored, otherwise I don't think I would have finished it.  During the course we made motifs, and at the end we were to make them into weights, but I would never use them, so I made mine into a book cover for one of my favorite stitch dictionary.

 Back and Front cover

 Inside back - pockets for needles cards and small scissors

 Needle and pin booklets at the front.

Now I can take my needles etc with my stitch dictionary.
I've started on my CQJP 2013, but will post that sometime soon, it's looking quiet good already.

I'm not sure what my posting will be like for the next 4 weeks as I'll be away on the 2013 Australian Scout Jamboree which is being held in Queensland this year. I leave Boxing day and return home on the 22nd January, hubby will be at home looking after our two puppies and everything else (thank heavens for hubbies like this).

Thank you everyone for following me this year, and leaving comments, and especially the help on my tree skirt.

Have a wonderful holiday season, if you believe in Santa then I hope he brings you loads of pressies, and those who have other beliefs, God bless.

Arlene