The year that was 2012 cont

Yesterday I forgot to mention that 2012 was the year I was going to learn stuff.  Luckily some great teachers came to Adelaide.

July saw  Nichole Mallalieu come to town and I did her Day Bag Class.  Nichole was an amazing teacher and I learnt so much in just one day.  Lots of little tips and tricks from the trade to make professional looking bags.  

Then in August there was the Sue Daley workshop, more information passed into the grey matter.

And last but not least was the week with Kathy Doughty and Wendy Williams in November.  That was a week that has changed the way I look at fabric and quilting.  


Here are a couple of blocks from Kathy's first class, I have been putting them together finally this week.  

On to the years crafty achievements.  









July

More Xmas in July goodies and I started putting together Soul Stitches

 

August

Saw Soul Stitches taking shape and I started working on the borders. 


September

I did a little Mixed Media play with squid and here is the finished product.  And Soul Stitches was finished.





October

I was working on another project that I still can't show you but probably in the new year I will be able to unveil and new pattern.  I worked on the projects for another online event, this one focusing on gifts and I came up with an ipad cover.  

November 

I snuck in another project for the online event a bolster cushion which is paper pieced.  Also took a few days off my day job to go and play with Kathy Doughty and we did a reroof.  There were also teacher pressies in there as well.

December

I stitched a few nights making pressies for the girls.  And the end has seen me revisit the bag I took to Kathy Doughty's class and I have 2 more blocks to finish and it will be ready to put together.  

Wow I have been busy, especially when you take into account Soul Stitches which was about 3 months work bubbling along in the background.  I'm glad I took the time to have a look back at the year, I was really wondering what I had achieved and it has been quite a lot actually.  Lets hope next year will be just as productive.  

The Year that was 2012

One day of the year to go and I have been thinking about doing a post for a couple of days now, tonight I had a bit of a brain storm and I thought it might be a good idea to do a wrap up of the years creativity.  I am seriously think about what to do with the Seabreeze side of my life, it has been a pretty hectic year work wise (my real job that pays for Seabreeze I mean) and I don't think next year will be much better.  Though Seabreeze keeps me sane I think I will seriously have to consider working more hours next year and that will mean there will be less time for Seabreeze.  Having said that, this year I was going to cut back and I think I did more than ever.

January

 The first finish for the year.

Blueberry Botanicals BOM started with Quilt Fabric Delights and was featured for a couple of months in the Shop's Ad in Homespun.

February

I started the Mixed Media Kit of the month.  Unfortunately I didn't keep up with the projects, but I now have a great selection of mixed media bits and pieces and I have signed up for next years kits which will be on canvases and 6 weekly so I have more time in between and I might be able to fit it in this year fingers crossed.  

I made this nick nack box for my mate Helen for her birthday.

 I finished my first ever x-stitch sampler.

and this smile cushion

March

March must have been the month for UFO's because I think just about every picture I have looked at is still not finished.  

April

Luckily for Sarah there were some finishes in April

May

May saw me working on xmas in July Projects and the first free for a month project.  

June

Saw the finish of the xmas in july projects and another free project for the month started.

So there goes the first half of the year, come back tomorrow to see if I kept up the pace for the 2nd half.  

Xmas Aftermath

I hope you all had a wonderful Xmas.

This year I set out to have a Xmas with no stress, I thought I had my hubby's family under control my MIL's shopping was done weeks ago.  This year my BIL decided to give the kids money but told them to go and buy the presents to put under the tree. I did not stress, but if he does it to us again next year I will string him up.

Having a couple of days off before Xmas was wonderful, the table was set on the weekend, I shopped for food on Sunday and stayed away from the madness of the shops on Monday.  The turkey was stuffed  Monday night and it was all ready just to put in the oven Xmas morning. I have to say my turkey was perfect, the best one yet, there were no complaints from the relatives (believe me they are not above letting you know if it isn't up to scratch).

The kids had a lovely day and the dog even behaved herself.

This morning I tried to get back into some study but the kids were having none of it so I will have to wait till they are in bed of an evening.

I think I will start putting together one of my xmas presents this afternoon, I ordered another one of these for my sewing table that will take a good part of the afternoon.

The Best thing about Xmas

Has to be dinner with the girls.  Had another lovely night with the girls last night, exchanging lots of lovely chat and lots of gifts.  Yummy chocolate and yummy food parcels, handmade stuff and lots of pretties and nice smelly things too.

This is what I made to go in their parcels.

They open up to be a pin cushion and needle/scissor keep.  I cross stitched their initials on each pin cushion and I designed it so that it would lay across the arm of a lounge for when they are stitching. 

 

 

15 Minute Challenge

The Melbourne trip got in the way of any serious meeting of the challenge this week but I did have an intensive morning on Saturday putting together the girls Xmas pressies for the goodie bags for tonights annual Xmas Din Din (as Kay calls it).  I will post a couple of pictures on my facebook page as the girls don't do Facebook and will show them off a bit more in a post later in the week.

From what I remember the week went like this.

Wednesday: can't remember - probably nothing
Thursday: can't remember - probably nothing
Friday: spent the day eating and drinking till about Midnight so nothing there also
Saturday: shopping - did look at sewing related things so maybe that can count
Sunday: Madly sewing 4 gifts
Monday: Sewing buttons
Tuesday: nothing baked all day and was too exhausted to pick up a needle.

Head on over to Kate's to see how the week went in that part of the world.

New Pattern Release and Trip to Melbourne

Let's Stitched is finished and so I am releasing one of the patterns that I made for this event.  It is an iPad Cover it can be made for a man or a lady.  It fits the iPad 2 however if you check the dimensions of the newer iPads you will probably be able to make some minor adjustments to have it fit one of those as well.  It is quite quick to make so if you are quick you could whip a couple up for presents before Xmas.

You can purchase the PDF download here.














In other news I travelled to Melbourne for my work's Xmas lunch.  It was on a Friday this year so I asked for a late Saturday flight home so that I could do a bit of shopping.

First stop was L'uccello, it was lots smaller than I expected but it was packed full of treasures.  I nearly bought the a pair of french embroidery scissors but I resisted, I might get them for my birthday instead.  I did buy some earrings and some wool felt and I even managed to get colours I didn't already have at home.  Next stop was the kimono shop on the same floor and I picked up a couple of more goodies there.  

Here is the Royal Arcade which has lots of speciality shops and I did a bit more shopping here.  Squid wanted some of the lollies from Suga so I obliged and I picked up a little something for Maestro.

I spied the moose in the Nicholas building and as my hubby has always wanted a dead animal on the wall I wondered if this would be ok.  Think I may have had trouble with getting it on the plane home.

It was a fun couple of days and when I got home the solar panels were up.  I was also greeted with the news that the house needs rewiring so that will be another expense in the new year.  What Joy.  

At least the Solar Panels are doing their job.  The first day was overcast and we exceeded our use so we may pay it off sooner than we thought.  

15 Minute Challenge

The roof is finished, there was a major effort on Thursday and at 3.30 all the workman cleared out, and most of the rubbish has been taken away.  We are just waiting on the old battens to be picked up.  The company has been an absolute pleasure to deal with.  One of the skips damaged some of our pavers and they just offered to reimburse the cost without me having to ask.

Today work starts on the Solar panels and the weather is not being kind to us again with 2 days of 36 and thunderstorms forecast for the next several days.  In fact the tradie has just arrived to get an early start before much of the heat comes in.

I have been a bit slack on the 15 minute challenge the later half of the week.  All my hand sewing for xmas pressies is done and I have been just taking a breather but I'll need to get back to it later this week.    Teachers presents are done and wrapped ready to go with the kids this week.

The week went like this

Wednesday- nothing - coffee with the girls
Thursday - ipad cover,  girls pressies
Friday - ipad cover, girls pressies
Saturday - girls pressies
Sunday - girls pressies
Monday - nothing
Tuesday - nothing

Head on over to Kate's to see who else met the challenge.  Apologise for the pictures being a bit grainy but it was very early and the light wasn't the best first thing. I haven't felt like getting my big tree out this year so I have just made this display of some of my handmade ornies at the front door entrance.  This second picture I was trying out the panorama option on the phone.

AAH I missed it

I think it is the first time in a long time I have missed the 15 minute challenge.  Have to say though that the 15 minutes were done and dusted well and truly but I just haven't had time to think about a blog post.

The roof is nearing completion however the noise has sent me out during my free days, though I think I am staying home today.  They are working at the other end of the house and have one more small triangle of tiles to replace and then all the roof capping to go on.  It has been a very long week.

I have been working on pressies for the girls this week and have been putting off the last teachers present which is still sitting half constructed on my dining room table.  I'm going to have to set aside an hour or 2 this weekend to finish that.

The major achievement this week is that the kids and hubbies shopping for Xmas is done and I have completed my MIL's Xmas shopping as well.  The last few years she has sprung it on me the last week of Xmas that she hasn't done it, so this year I pre-empted her and did it on Tuesday.  Now is just the adult presents and I have some ideas so it shouldn't be difficult and I think a bit of might get done during my trip to Melbourne next week.

Yesterday I headed to T2 and did some major credit card damage and could have done a whole lot more but I didn't have enough hands.  Very tempted to do some more online shopping in the next couple of weeks leading up to Xmas as I have a free shipping voucher.... maybe if I can scrounge some money from the roof fund....there were some gorgeous tea cups calling my name and maybe even another tea pot.

Its Beginning to Look a lot like Xmas

Are you in the festive mood and would like to make a start on some Xmas projects.  I have a few patterns that you might like to consider.

Songs of Christmas Ornies

Hexie Christmas Coasters

Raspberry & Lime Christmas Table Topper

Tis the Season

Holly Wreath

The Spirit of Christmas