Look what I won

Over the weekend I commented on Marg's Blog at Sunshine Paradise when she was having a giveaway....and guess what....I won this cute little book called 'Tis The Season - Christmas Stitchings" by Natalie Bird.

There are some nice easy designs, with I already have an idea for using.  I really like the angel design which I know will come in handy and get used a lot in times to come.

Also in the package was a skein of silk thread in would you believe it one of my favourite colours and one that I tend to use a lot. It is a Kaalund Yarn, and the colour is Fine Mulberry.

Aren't I lucky.  I was just thrilled to receive these, thank you so much Marg for your kindness.

Something I do want to mention is the packet that the silk came in.  You will notice the name is the Cooroy Drapery.   Cooroy is a small town just north of the Sunshine coast, and one I would do an easy detour to when travelling through that area on my way to where I lived at Rainbow Beach.   It was a nice little town, and a very convenient coffee and rest stop, and the Cooroy Drapery was always a magnet looking for threads and fabrice.  I have been in that shop many times.  This has brought back memories to me.

Mr Gremlin Has Been Working to Fix What He Broke.

Wow I cant believe it...after all the frustration something magic happened...my posts are showing up now in my reading list.   I cant believe it ....thank you Mr Little Gremlin, for fixing what you broke.  I can rest easy now, knowing I have not been cut off forever from my blogging friends.  I checked and double checked everything that I did, and then I tried the new blogger.

I promise I will be good Mr Blogger Gremlin and not touch anything I shouldn't ever again.

No photos of me grinning like a cheshire cat, so hope this creative applique will do.

Any chance you can now fix my followers and stop them appearing and then disappearing Mr. Blogger Gremlin.

Technology Help Please

I need to ask a favour.   Can anyone let me know whether they can read my posts and in their reading lists on their dashboard or through google reader.

I cannot for the life of me remember whether I am supposed to be able to read them in the reading list of my own dashboard, although the post about the reef pictures and the Carnival are there.

Yes I have been fiddling....and yes I did think of the fact that if I have done something and no one can see them, then I am not going to get a reply to this anyway.....

Does this describe anyone else please, or am I alone:

Make changes......find out you should not have pushed that button....want to go back but cant remember what you did in the first place to cause the problem you now have......

Is there anyone game to admit to that description....lol

If not I must be the oldest of all and everyone is still young with all their faculties and memory still intact.

Help wanted please.

Finally Finished embroidery

At last I have managed to finish off the last exercise for the Sumpuous Stitches Classes. For the background I used Dublin Linen.  There are a variety of threads, variegated in stranded and perle, and plain colours as well as silk ribbon.

For the stitching, the outline is in stem stitch, the background a blackwork style, and for the textured areas, there are bullions, french knots, buttonhole bars and circles.  The work was then embellished with beads, and shells. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the processes of these classes with Sharon, and would advise anyone who was thinking of taking them to do so.  

I did get a bit stumped towards the end, but was fortunate enough to have a good friend in Linda from Billabongs to Bling to confirm my thoughts on which direction to go in.  Her confirmation of my ideas helped me to proceed and finish off the work.

Memory Lane Monday - Reef Embroidery

I have decided to have a Memory Lane Monday, and post some photos that were on my previous blog.  Have read how to bring over the photos and posts from my previous blog, but it looks a bit scary and still having cowardly streaks when it comes to technology think this is the easier way to go until I get my friendly IT man to help.

 You might like to take a trip down memory lane and browse through some of the Reef Embroidery Photos.

Click the photos to see them larger.

Everyone will remember the big underwater picture

The Carnival is Over

It is the last of the Carnival this weekend when everyone who is involved with exhibits and venues will be packing up.  I do hope the groups of people who run the displays have had a very enjoyable week, and also a profitable one for their members.

Queens Park Gardens are a picture, with so many varieties of flowers, and varieties of colour of the flowers as well.  My friend Di took me to see these beautiful floral displays on Wednesday.  

The tulips were just beautiful they are such an elegant flower.

Then there were the poppies, these beauties evoked memories of my father's gardens when we were children. He was a keen gardener and grew all the cottage garden flowers, and even sold them to the flower shops in town.

the mixed displays were a riot of colour

There were so many ranunculas, snapdragons, violas, delphiniums and petunias, real cottage garden flowers.  The whole display is a credit to those who created it.

This camelia was by the pathway as we walked into the gardens.  It is so soft and lovely.

I will finish off with a picture of my DIL's favourite flower...the magnolia.

Still getting to the quilts girls, but thought I would wait until Di blogs about them...she is the expert on which quilts are which.  Then I will do a little post.  Poor love is probably still working packing up the displays and the sales tables with the other members of the quilt group at the venue.  

This has been an even not to be missed even though it has taken me 20 years to get here.

Tuesdays Outing

Yesterday Di and I went off to view the parks and some of the exhibits of the carnival.  This is my first time, and I must say I was blown away by the colours, and the flowers.  The people who plan this carnival have it all down the the nth degree.  After such a cold and windy winter, who could have expected the flowers to bloom just at the right time. This is a sample of what we saw. It was an amazing experience.

and a mosaic of all the photos.

Di and I enjoyed a "have a heart" ice cream while wandering round the gardens.

We also visited the Teapot Extravaganza.  This gave us an insight into all the lovely teapots and tea sets that were used in the past  when the taking of tea was an art form.  However, after taking just these photos my camera batteries decided to go flat so I only have the character teapots.  Di has some more on her blog

After lunch we visited the exhibit put on by the spinners and weavers and I bought this great beret.   It is the start of my winter wardrobe for 2012.  I like the flower on the front.  It is hand crocheted from handspun wool.

The work of the ladies is just extraordinary with such lovely scarves and hats, and beautifully knitted shawls and felted jewellery.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the quilt show, and will make a separate blog about that.   The quilts are just amazing.The last photo I have called 'a rose by any other name"....ha ha. This is a garden of pansies....what an assortment of colours there were.

Trip Away

back yard "before" photo

Does anyone remember the photos I posted of the back yard at my son's and his wife's home when I hurt my knee. He has  has worked very hard turning the back garden from a virtual wilderness into a nice peaceful setting that they can enjoy.   He has done an amazing job with a lot of backbreaking work.

The back garden has now been transformed.  He dug out the terraces with a mattock, (pick axe) and built the retaining walls and steps all himself. All the materials he carted up this slope below.I could not even turn the heavy sleepers over let alone lift them.  He is a very strong lad.

Here he is building the last of the retaining walls below

That is a long pipe spraying the soil then the mulch onto the gardens.  It was amazing to see

Because of that slope, and after carting up timber and turf, he reneged at bringing up the extra soil in bags to fill the terraces, so they got some people to pump it up from a truck in the front driveway.  It was all very interesting

This is the end result. There is a seat at the top of the steps to sit and look over the garden.  The top terrace will be the vegetable garden...interspersed with fruit trees and the one below it is turfed and is a path.  There are lots of flowers awaiting spring and it will be a picture when they all bloom.

No photos of my trips to that family  would be complete without a photo of the "children".  They are both growing up and becoming a lot more sedate, but they do take up a lot of room on the couch and now have 'double' size dog beds to sleep on.

Chloe on left and beautiful Beau.  He is a rescue dog and very loving and gentle

They are beautiful dogs and just love Nana....I left a dressing gown there from the first time I saw them, and as soon as I put it on, they get so excited.  I think they recognise that the green dressing gown is the thing that gives them  'treats'

And of course the other 'children' are not so well behaved when having  their photos taken.

Last designs

These are 4 designs I have sketched for the last lessons of the Sumptuous Stitches Course.  I am trying to decide which one to do to show up high and low textures.

i am leaning towards the water nymph, but will look at it for a couple of days before I decide for sure.

The trees I think would be a simpler design, but the nymph and mermaid have more scope.  Anyway will post when I decide and start.  I really need to study the lessons again which might help me to decide.   

I have two lots of colours out....greens for the trees, and the blue and turquoises of the ocean.....will see which grabs me the most.

Carnival of Flowers

Every year Toowoomba celebrates spring by holding the Carnival of Flowers.  This is something I have been wanting to see for years. So this year I was determined to see the parade and was not disappointed.

The route of the parade was crowded with folk from the very young to the very old.....and what did Toowoomba do this year....it surprised us with a wonderful warm and sunny day with temperatures predicted up to 27deg.C. and I am sure it reached that figure.

Because my camera is still in transit I did not manage to take photos but have put a link above to the Carnival website. These are some pics from last year of those who  were again in the parade.

I just loved the stilt walkers who were dressed in beautiful costumes, the bands were rousing, and the floats a credit to their makers.  There were flowers everywhere. 

Many different characters were there to entertain the children, from the smurfs, to the invaders from star wars. The various charity organisations were also represented.

The children round me thoroughly enjoyed it and it was wonderful to see the joy in their little faces every time something else exciting came along.

By the time the last of the floats were approaching it was time for me to start moving my poor feet which were by this time burning and calling out to be on the move.

I thought after standing round in the heat for 2 hours I deserved a reward so headed for some airconditioning and treated myself lunch at McDonalds....a very rare event.  Well with all the little kids in town surely the big kids could have some enjoyment too.

Here I am

Hello all.... 

As a result of the last post on my previous blog, I have now set up my new blog.  I  don't know whether my friends will find me now, but hope they eventually will.   I will endeavour to contact as many as I can.

To celebrate my first blog I have included a photo so my friends can see that this is me. I will also get Di to put a link on her blog, will ask other friends to do the same.

i left my camera behind and it is winging its way to me.  I should have it by Monday and will be able to post some photos of my holiday.