Creating, collecting & recycling textiles & papercrafts. I love preserving the past for the future.

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Two little wallhangings

I made two of these folksy little wallhangings for two friends
in
Christmas 2008
Wow seems so long ago.
I used a pattern from an Australian Patchwork magazine.
I customized the colours to suit my friends individual tastes.
I miss sewing SO much.
It's 14 months now.
That queue of projects in my mind
has
ceased to grow
as it's just so long
since
I
sewed
anything.
Before I finally stopped sewing due to back pain I was
living
 and
breathing
it everyday
like
it was an affliction.
I'd turn on my sewing machine and get a little zap of happiness.
My 3 machines now sit idle but are still loved.
Cardmaking has taken over as it's more achievable than sewing for me.
I just love to read my favourite papercraft blogs and look forward to seeing each lady's daily offering.
BUT
Sewing is still my first love.
I have been sewing since I was 3 years old.
I distinctly remember turning the wheel on my mother's blue HG Palmer sewing machine just to see what it would feel like.
It felt great, I loved it.
BUT
A few hours later, Mum asked, "who has been touching my sewing machine"?
"Um, that would be me"......(eekkk, I'm in trouble).
Not really, she just told me not to touch it again, 
I already knew that before I touched it,
but the temptation was so strong I finally gave in
after thinking about it for
weeks
and
maybe months.
So after that day Mum gave me some needles and thread
and
some material
and
lace offcuts so I could do some hand sewing.
Oh I just loved it!
I still have my first funny little attempts.

Three little hand sewn doilies at about age 4 or 5 I think.
and
my 1st attempt at knitting when I was 8....
obviously
not
as
successful as my sewing....LOL
I have knitted quite a few things over the years but do not really enjoy it.
Sewing is my passion.
I don't really care if it's sewing clothes,
patchwork
or
mending,
if it's fabric needle and thread...
I'm blissful.
Handsewing circa 1965
Knitting circa 1969

Sunday 22 January 2012

Pumpkin scones on a sunday afternoon


Alternate Pumpkin Scones
or
scones with a difference
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********
****
**
*
I have been experimenting with putting a healthier twist on classic recipes.

In Australia, pumpkin scones are an old favourite.
They are normally made by creaming butter and sugar, adding an egg, well mashed cooked pumpkin and vanilla.
Then mixing in SR flour and gently pressing mixture out to about 4cm high and cutting into squares or using a scone cutter.

They are delicious served either warm
or cold
with
butter
or
jam and cream.
They are not like a traditional scone
 as they are slightly heavier and perhaps more cake like
but
served in the same way.

For my experiment/healthy take
I
took
the
following ingredients....
Cream Xylitol and coconut oil
then
add one egg and beat well.
Add vanilla and mix well
then
add mashed pumpkin
and
cinnamon.
Fold in spelt flour, buckwheat flour and baking powder.     
Place on tray lined with baking paper
Bake on 200c for about 12 to 15 mins
Serve with berry jam
and
whipped pure cream
(beaten with vanilla bean paste and stevia).
This is the first attempt.
Next time I will use 2 eggs and slightly more baking powder
as
they
were
a
little heavy
but the taste
was
delightful!
Hubby and I really enjoyed them with a cuppa
for
a
sunday afternoon treat.
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Saturday 21 January 2012

My scottish terrier....Liza

My daughter and Liza
it's winter
as you can no doubt tell
and
Liza loves to be warm lap
on
a
cold night.

Believe it or not listening intently to a Scottish Piper's day at our local park.

Liza and a doll I had just made....she does not like cloth dolls.

Sitting on a re-cycled lap rug.

My daughter on her wedding day with Liza at back
and
her cousin Fraser
who we used to baby sit,
that
is
before
we moved house.

Myself, Liza, my DD, Fraser and DH on DD's wedding day.

Obviously there is food involved here...
Fraser in front
with
Liza behind.

Myself with Fraser and Liza
Fraser is a bit younger than Liza and 2kgs heavier.
He's a big lad.
Liza is quite small for a scotty.
She is 8kg

More food involved here, it's the only thing that gets her so interested

This was a joke...
My mother does not like dogs near her and certainly not touching her

My son just after leaving school, growing his hair with his new found freedom and he was lead guitar in an original band...and Liza having an after work cuddle.







Thursday 19 January 2012

Folksy Megan


I am still not able to sew due to back pain.
14 months now and counting.
This is a little doll I made a few years back.

The name of the pattern
is
Megan's Locket
by
Sun Valley Primitives
Australia

I renamed
her
Folksy Megan.
I find that when making a doll
 the name just pops into my head
and
I
usually go with the first one.
It's a system that serves me well
and
I
find it quite funny when
I
discover what my latest creation
will
be
named.

She is a bit mischievious
 and
I
had
trouble keeping up
with 
her
antics 
as
she
posed all around
 my
sewing room
and
garden.

Pretending to be an old tin...didn't fool me though.

Stitching away in the garden
What a little scamp!




Monday 16 January 2012

Sunday on the range

                                                        Finished a card

Picked some flowers for the table
My aunty and uncle came for lunch

Set the table


Lit the candles

Sideboard in dining room Brambly Hedge tea set

My aunty and uncle with myself in the middle
I was their bridesmaid in 1972



Saturday 14 January 2012

A card for my sister in law

Here's a card I made for my SIL.
Thankfully she received it before her birthday on Sunday.
The mail up here is so un-reliable, another of the disadvantages of living so far out west.
I used some more of the 1970's wallpaper
I received as a christmas gift
for the lower cream coloured border.
I found at Big W a while ago now
a packet of months of the year
 and
thought they would come in handy for cards.
I circled her birthday.
The pretty vintage flower was part of a gift from my SIL last year.
The double bow was SO fast to do...
I
used
The Amazing Paper Grace
method.

My version of a peg bow maker.
And I just love the music
and
background border stamps
from
JustRite Stampers.
Their stamps are the best quality and make a perfect stamped image every time.
Some stamps
are
so
troublesome
but not these.

Friday 13 January 2012

78th Birthday Card

My uncle is turning 78 on Sunday so I have made a quick card for him.
He and my aunty are driving 3 hrs to visit me and my DH.
I am still house bound and have not seen them for a few years and am really excited that they are making such an effort to see me.
I am not happy with the photos and will have to do something in the near future in order to take better photos but here it is anyhow.



We are having a cold luncheon.
 Chook (I can't bring myself to say chicken), egg salad, coleslaw, warm potato/sweet potato salad and a green salad.
Home made icecream and fruit salad for dessert
and
chocolate cake with cream and strawberries as a birthday cake.
Everything home made by moi....looking forward to it.
Hope I don't get a phone call to say my daughter has gone into early labour,
she is due on the 10th February.
Even though I am house bound due to pain I am biting the bullet and plan to go there in a couple of weeks to be with her for the birth.
I have asked the Dr my best options for dosing up
and
have to just hope and pray for the best.
It's a nearly 3 hour car trip so I'm not looking forward to it at all.



Thursday 12 January 2012

A vintage inspired apron

I would like to share an apron I made in 2010 when I could still sew a bit.
Now I cannot sew because of back problems
and
maybe never again so I thought I would share this apron.

I just loved making it and entered it in quite a few local agricultural shows in the district.
It did very well and got quite a few first place cards.

The pattern for this vintage inspired apron is from Australian Handmade magazine.

All the fabrics used are from the
Leanika range
designed
by
Dena Fishbein

Detail of lined pocket

Side view on my dressmaker's dummy

Bib detail.
I inserted ricrac
into a tuck
and
sewed another row below the tuck.
I then hand embroidered each row of ricrac.

Another view of pocket
with
stiped fabric binding
ricrac
and
hand embroidery detail





Wednesday 11 January 2012

An outing on Sunday





We visited Queens Park Garden in Toowoomba,
it's
very old
and
beautiful especially on a hot summer's day.

                     
Beautiful bed of delphiniums

Another pretty bed of summer annuals

Australian Bottle Tree

Parterre Garden

Topiary cubes in the Parterre Garden

Some beautiful classic Queenlander houses on the way home


So that was my first outing in a month.
It went quite well considering.
I could not have done it without pain killers
and
valium
but I got through it
and
it was SO good to get out of the house
even if it was a fairly hot day.