New project for the year - Advent GingerBread houses

Not that I really need another project to work on, but just felt I really wanted to do these. 25 Advent gingerbread houses. Big enough to add a small gift. The measure 3 1/2 wide, 5 high, 1 inch deep.

Each house will be different, but I thought I'd get all the roofs finished.

The Merry Christmas will be between the bigger houses. They will incorporate some goldwork and beading on them.

 One house is finished, but think the design for each will vary. The Merry Christmas are half made.

There just stuck together at the moment, still need to stitch.

Beetle tutorials - now available for sale

Hi All, yes long time no see.

My goldwork and beadwork beetles are now available in my Etsy shop as a tutorial download.

I have also released my Goldwork Crazy Quilted Tree skirt as a tutorial, which you get the gold work beetle tutorial FREE.

Also you will find the release of some other new projects.
Catch up again soon.
Arlene

Fibres and Fabrics Embroidery Group Xmas lunch

We did our annual swap of Xmas decoration, this year was a specific shape, but your choice of embroidery, here are the six that were swapped. Clockwise starting top red one: Joan R, Judy S, Barb H, Arlene W, Lyn H, and Suzanne C.

Had a wonderful day at Jessica's, eating and sharing past lunches.  Here we all are

L-R, Joan R, Judy S, Suzanne C, Barb N, Lyn H, and Jessica W., and off course (me, taking the picture).

We have set our decoration for next year’s luncheon, it will be an Angel, and I will have patterns for her during the next few weeks. The top of our Angel can be any embroidery technique you wish, but her skirt is to be beaded.

The one on the right is one I made several years ago, and the one on the left is one I just made, she's a 'stumpwork Angle'.

We also set a swap for Fibers' members next year, so to find out, become a member and join in.

Arlene

Southern Cross Crazies - RR - Patti's block

I love working on cream, and Alison started with glorious colour choices to continue with.
Here is the block after Alison and I.

Alison's work is at the top where the little gold butterfly is. My work is the bottom half.

I've added a row of Gold chevron stitches, with green beads enhancing each top of the stitch. I added purple flowers and buds between each.  I whipped gold thread through the ridges of the check fabric and added purple beaded flowers with green centers.
Here is a close up of my work.

The purple flowers are a fan of blanket stitch with two rows of detached buttonhole around the top. The buds are two detached chain, one larger than the other.

Arlene

Christmas came early this year

We have had the pleasure of dog sitting a beautiful dog named Leica.  Her owners returned home from 8 months in India. We have had her since April, she is a lovely natured dog.  Anyway her owners brought home some gifts for Michael and I, Michael received an original Swiss army knife, with so many attachments, it's just amazing.  Now our friends know that I love my crafts, and so this is what I got: spoilt to say the least.
The first is a basket full of trims, sequins, and other lovelies.

Then she unrolled this stunning Door hanging, it is made from recycled clothing, a wedding dress and other cloths.
















Here are some close ups:

Then the postie came and I got more goodies ..... I recently entered a competition promoting the Olympics and 'Gold' was the theme, i entered my beetle and he won. I received this in the mail, but, since I already own a copy I'm donating this one to my craft group "Fibers and Fabrics".

And also in the mail, was an order I placed a few weeks ago for some new stump work tools, they are made of Bubinga wood.
I haven't taken them out of the box yet, will do so over the weekend.

I purchased them from a small company in the UK, they are called Needlepaws and they make other types of tools too.

So wow, what a happy girl I am.... now what to do with it all, I have to try and convince Michael to add another couple of hooks in the walls so I can display my door hanging.

Arlene

Joggles Classes - Autumn offerings

I am excited to say I have four more classes with Joggles in the current Autumn (Aussie Spring) offerings.

You can read more about them on my classes tab, but here they are to entice you.

September 25th - my beetles make another return

October 25th is a beautiful Goldwork Ornament box

 

A unique Christmas gift for that special stitching friend - Christmas Cracker that converts to a Hussif

And lastly, some have asked for this to be a class, so in memory of my Mother, I present to you 'Doris'

Arlene

Look at my beautiful block

This is all mine.... are you jealous? This is my block from the CQ International round robin - Lace and Pearls was the theme.  I made the block, and lucky for me four very talented ladies got to work on it.  They certainly did a wonderful job. I love the colours, the lace, the pearls, the beads, the silk ribbon embroidery, the charms and especially my 'A', which gives me ownership of this wonderfully stunning block.  Do you think I'm a happy chappy, well yes of course, wouldn't you?

Here are some closeups of their work.  Thank you Kathy Shaw, Nicki Lee, Susan Locke and Rita Cruz.

Thank you, thank you, thank you ladies......
Arlene

My up coming classes..... stay tuned

G'day All,

Do you want to learn how I make those beetles, or like the header photograph that I had a competition for recently to name 'Twines of Nature', then you need to jump on over to Barbara's Joggles.com site and create an account and sign up for her wonderfully informative newsletter (if of course you don't already).  Barbara will be announcing next seasons classes very shortly, so if you want to know what else is coming up, here's the link to the account creation page.

Barbara's Newsletter

Want a sneak peak of what's coming....

As soon as Barbara announces the classes, I will be able to post them here for more info.......

Arlene

More Basically Beaded - Last Set Pam's blocks

I've had a wonderful time stitching these last two sets of blocks.  It's a shame to send them on, which I will do tomorrow (weather permitting).  We had a mini cyclone this morning, sending trees, garden sheds and branches flying around the place.

First of course is the full block and the closeups of the elements.

So from the top left and going clockwise, starting with a lovely beaded dragonfly, beaded buttonhole seam, and flower bead spray.  Chevron and herringbone beaded seam treatments, with a silver charmed flower and dragonfly cluster. Further around another flower cluster and seam treatment of heart and silver snowflake shape charms.
Now to the closeups.....  Dragonfly

Fimo flower beads with large crystals with smaller flower beads and silver beads of various shapes.  One of two dragonfly charms.

Silver flower charm with swirl charms either side enhanced by silver beads, with the second dragonfly charm.  Beaded chevron and herringbone seam treatments.

Last flower cluster with seam treatment of small purple heart beads and snowflake shaped silver charms.

I have enjoyed doing this round robin, even though it was behind most of the time.

Arlene