Poppy Quilt Completed

When I began the #100daysofstitch project, a new quilt was one of my goals. I had this lovely fabric and pattern

After some tweaking of measurements, stitching started in June, and when I celebrated my 8th bloggiversary I was able to show all my rectangular units laid out for consideration of placement for a day or 2 before putting together

When I shared quilt show inspirations in October I had got no further than piecing this together, but I took a photo on my clothesline and realised that what I needed was another row down one side to improve the quilt's proportions

My goal is to be using up my stash of fabric, so I played around and while I had quite a bit of the large poppy fabric left, I was a bit challenged by the rest. I had to join a couple of fabrics to cut the block sizes needed (but I don't think you'll see that once quilted) and I've had to use the green rose print for a block which I've only used elsewhere as a bar strip, but I think it works

Summer holidays have meant I've finally made time to layer and quilt this one. Because I didn't get it finished by end of 2018, I did get the bonus of 75% off Christmas fabric so my backing only cost $5/metre! Love a bargain.

At the point of just wanting to get this project finished without fuss, so straight line quilting was my best quick option - also doesn't detract from the gorgeous fabric.

The quilting isn't perfect (I just eye-balled it) but done is better than perfect! 

and I bound it with the leftover large poppy fabric which worked really well

Thrilled to be able to share this at our first quilt club meeting for the year tonight. 

You can find the link to get your copy of this free pattern by Valori Wells HERE. 

Celebrating my 8th Bloggiversary!

I did my first blog post on 13th July 2010 and this is post #1020! I'm really happy to be still blogging in a way that supports my ongoing learning and shares my creative joy. 
I was thinking about a blog break since I've not been so productive lately, but you don't seem to be a critical audience so I'm just going to be happy to share when I've completed a project or got special inspirations like free online class info or lovely new arty book discoveries. My life is full and happy right now, and creativity plays a huge part in it. If I share a completed project along with the honest struggles of my process here and that inspires you in some way, I am doubly satisfied. Icing on the cake = when you take time to write your lovely comments - thank you ♥
A blog post from me always has to include photos, so here's a pictorial review of my main projects this year so far. Click on the titles to link with the particular projects :
I began the year with lessons from Tam's She Blooms in Ink class : 

Love the lessons I've done so far and have plans to do more this holidays so stay tuned....I began a project I called #52stamps which I did until April and may (or may not) return to later in the year. I carved 21 stamps

I've been participating in Effy Wild's 2 year-long classes (Book of Days and Moonshine) These are a couple of favourite pages inspired by these classes : 

I also embarked on the100DayProject - my version was #100daysofstitch and it certainly got me back stitching. I first completed a small hand-stitched applique 

and then another small book project (inspired by Mary Ann Moss's class)

I am happy to say I am making good progress on my poppy quilt and today finished stitching the initial rectangle units. I've had a little fiddle with layout so will live with this for a day and then start stitching together to make the quilt top.

So here's to me and here's to you {clinks glasses or coffee mugs as you prefer} and our continued creative journeys into the second half of the year with many more blog posts to come. Thanks for being here with me💖

Still Stitching : quilt progress

I've accumulated a lot of fabric over the years and decided it's time to get stuck in and make some stash-busting quilts. I LOVE this selection of Poppy Fabrics 

and I also love this pattern by Valori Wells which shows off the fabrics.

You can find the link to get your copy of this free pattern HERE.

This quilt began because of my #100daysofstitch project. And I was inspired again recently by this article - better to leave completed quilts than fabrics ♥ The goal is to leave gifts for future family and for those in need - to leave completed treasures for my quilting friends - to leave proof of my creativity, passion, ingenuity and persistence. I'm not planning on leaving any time soon, but I've got a large stash to get through..... 
This project was last seen here before I decided to concentrate on one stitch project at a time. I finished cutting my fabrics last week

It was a bit more challenging than it might have been since I'm using fabric from my stash rather than purchasing the right amounts of fabrics. I've had to change some of the block sizes and block arrangements but it's looking good as I begin to put it together

I look forward to sharing more progress soon. I'm also very lucky that at work I'm able to lead weekly craft club sessions this term. The girls are making excellent progress on their quilts and are very excited that they are starting to stitch now. 

So rewarding to share this joy which will hopefully become a life-long love of stitching for some of them.

Looking back....looking forward to June

I've been finding these posts where I summarise the past month useful as a record of what I've been busying myself with, and then I take some time to look forward so I can set my creative direction for the month to come. I hope you find something useful in these posts too.
I am continuing to write and memory-keep in my Inner Work Journal. This is now an {almost} daily practice for me. I no longer need it as a reminder on my to-do list ♥
It includes journaling about my days 

and responses to almost-daily drawing of Tarot cards - my friend loaned me her Stretch Tarot deck and I am very tempted to buy my own since as well as the lovely mixed media art it includes one-word guidance about what the card means at the top - useful for traveling when I don't have my books to look up.

I use Tarot as a mirror - so I draw the card, look up its meaning, and then see what resonates with what's going on in my world and write about it. It's very useful to dig deeper and be present to what's going on in your life. And writing things down often helps find a way forward. I am new to Tarot (only started exploring last year) and find these books really helpful.

You can also get Theresa Read's "Tarot Card by Card" manual as a free download if you join her email list. Each card has keywords, general meanings, an affirmation, a theme song, a journaling prompt, and a rap....so fun ♥ I've printed and put mine in a binder. I particularly love how the affirmations positively frame some of the "harder" cards

This is my monthly review of what I read and watched 

Still really excited that we got to see Imagine Dragons in Wellington last week - they were so fantastic to see live. Awesome sound, great visually, and so much energy. My friend took this photo from where she was seated above us - we were standing right under the balloons ♥

Also last week we celebrated Book Week at my school. It's always a really fun but exhausting week because of the all the organisation - book character dress-up day is always a highlight me hearties - aaaargh!

I've also explored Bullet Journaling a bit this month. You can get lost down a rabbit hole with Boho Berry HERE and Julie Fei-Fan Balzer HERE! I've decided to adopt the symbols for checking off lists - love how it's neater than crossing out and I can see easily what's been achieved - using it everywhere, not just this journal.... at work, on shopping lists.... how did I not discover this sooner?!

I began my #100daysofstitch project in April. Last week's email from the organisers of #the100dayproject included this : 

You may have read that I'm still doing weekly-review stitch posts but I've stopped counting days. It's interesting to see how long ago my stitch habit was re-ignited. I will continue to add stitch projects to my to-do list. Last week I finished another paper/stitch project - my cotton reel book which you can read all about HERE. 

Also at school I'm taking craft club once a week - we are making neonatal quilts to gift to our hospital and they are so enthusiastic it is a joy. I am very lucky to have 2 adult helpers - we are almost finished cutting out and I will share more as the quilt tops come together. 

I had a break from #52stamps in April and am not feeling the need to go back yet. A challenge is only good if it's inspiring you isn't it? 
I can tick most things off my list of creative intentions for May so it does seem that if something makes it to the list it gets my attention. I'm attempting this month to have less on my "to do" list!  CREATIVE INTENTIONS FOR JUNE : 

• to work in my art journal WEEKLY (I have a variety of lessons to choose from)
• To continue to stitch regularly - I have quilt fabric and a pattern ready to go
• to continue my healthy body focus supported by my journal

What are your creative intentions for June? If you are looking for some cheap/free online offerings, these are current : 
Roben-Marie Smith is retiring some of her classes and the links are available HERE at half price until June 10th (access to classes continue they just won't be available for sale any more)

Tammy's 8th Index Card a Day (ICAD) challenge runs in June and July 2018. 

Also check out my list of cheap and FREE online offerings HERE. I keep that updated but last did that properly in January so please let me know if you have seen new offerings I could add there. Wishing you a creative and joyful June. 

Stitch*Bookery : book 5

I've been waiting for an opportunity to make another book inspired by the wonderful online Stitch*Bookery class with Mary Ann Moss. I just love the projects I've made so far but I gifted my first three of them away. I've been sharing this project in stages as part of my #100daysofstitch project. This is the whole story....I had an old wooden cotton reel that measures 4 1/2" inside the round which I think is a nice width to show off some pretty papers. I began by gathering some inky papers and old gelli prints

and cutting a strip of "ugly" fabric to 4" - I will stitch on the patterned side so you won't see that, and some of the papers can overlap a bit

Then I began with the initial stitching - have a colour-scheme in mind and I like the black thread so the stitching shows up

Thought I might like to add some fabric with the paper = more is more! ♥

Because I used fabric on the back, I was able to add hand stitching which made for more interesting texture

My friend had the great idea that I should include some of my own art printed small - I printed on a recycled book page

Strip progress - another print of my work with stars in the backgound, and drawing on the inside of business envelopes from 2013 (You just never know when you'll use things!)

Lovely to see how adding hand stitching and button embellishments change the page

I love adding words - browsed some magazines and these all seemed to work well together for the feeling of this piece

I decided to add some other embellishments in the form of various brads I've had in my stash for a while and I used blue staples for attaching a couple of feathers - hard and soft together

I love looking at each section and seeing the different machine stitching (fancy and plain stitches),

hand stitching, 

and the addition of other fun embellisments

Using the fabric was a good idea for a base to add hand stitching, but the back wasn't looking very attractive (I knew it would be covered later so was a bit lazy with how the stitching traveled on the back)

I glued down gorgeous paper serviettes and love how this looks - because they are so transparent when dry you see a hint of the fabric design and the stitching still shows

Decided to use lovely sari ribbon to close

and a button from my stash with a shank on it so I can wind the sari ribbon around to close the book

I had left the other end unfinished and used gel medium to glue the paper to the serviette side so it stays wrapped around the reel (I hope that makes sense!)

This handmade book was another lovely project from beginnings to end ♥ 

Here it is on the shelf with the other one that still lives at my house.

Go HERE to see all my posts about books made from this class.