Stash Angel - Gifts from the heart

Thank you Angel Connie for the lovely Stash goodies!

Been super duper busy the last few weeks doing Spring cleaning and haven't gotten much fun stuff done so have been feeling the weight of the domestic goddess routine! But the other day a wonderful suprise came in my mailbox and I wanted to share with you.

I belong to a group that fosters mentors and apprentices in the needle arts. The group also has a designated area of ladies called Stash Angels. Anyone who's just started out in a craft knows what it is to need stash. It takes a long time and a more than a few cents to gather up a working stash; so these ladies just send stash items to newbies like me!

Isn't it really wonderful that there are people in the world who care about a stranger having enough 'goodies' to get started in a new craft?

This entire group of ladies, from the Stash Angels to the Mentors to the Apprentices are loving, giving and so very generous with their time, their friendship and yes....their STASH!

I don't have a digital camera anymore but am going to attempt to load up a scan or two of the goodies I received from Connie, my Stash Angel. The scans don't do these beautiful trims, beads and fabrics justice, and there was much more that I could not get onto my scanner bed, but I still want to show you what I received. Cannot wait to use them!

If you are interested in learning to crazy quilt, embellish and/or embroider; or already know how but want to join a really fun group of crazy ladies, look for us on Yahoo Groups. We're "Stitchmap"! We'd love to meet you!

Di

Lovely mentor!

A mutual online friend (S) found a wonderful woman to mentor me through the CQ process.

I'm thrilled to pieces. She's a lovely lady, very interesting and very talented. And apparently very patient.

So, D~ you know who you are - thank you so much. I look forward to a long friendship and appreciate your guiding me through the process. I promise to work hard and will try to do you proud!

And thank you too, S! I owe you big time for sending D to me! For now, I'm posting a photo of a double rainbow. This was taken in South Australia from my front porch right after a big rain storm. The river you see is the River Murray, which is THE river in South Australia. It's down a 300 foot cliff from the house. I sure miss that view!

Ciao for now ~ Di

For Janet

I told a friend I'd post a photo of my tarts. These are my grubby cookie tarts. The cherries, apple slices and pecan nuts are all made of wax (by me) too. Silly hobby I spose, but lots of fun, and they make the kitchen smell yummy as well.

Other kinds of craft. Like gardening for instance...

I may not be doing so hot on the Crazy Quilting so far but I reminded myself I also like to garden (that's a craft, right?) and make candles etc.

This is a picture of part of the garden I had when I lived in Australia. The round tank you see in the pics is a water tank. I lived in South Australia which is the driest state on the driest continent on earth. Therefore, you see water tanks in almost every back garden.

It's been cold here in middle Tennessee for the past few days, so thought I'd liven myself up (and anyone else who's stuck in the cold in mid April!) with some flowers.

If ya can't pick 'em, post 'em!

The peach rose is a close up of one my roses that I used as a label on my handmade rose facial cleanser. I had 28 rose bushes and a nice big variety of other bushes and flowers, plus lavender and other herbs. I used them all for my handmade bath and beauty products and my potpourri. I no longer have time to garden but have planted a half dozen rose bushes and a few other things that aren't doing so well in the climate I'm in now. Maybe my thumb isn't so green after all, LOL

Ciao for now...Di

Learning to Crazy Quilt & Hand Embroidery

This is my first post and as I'm just learning from scratch how to crazy quilt and hand embroider, there isn't much to report!



As I've been practicing my stitches I keep wondering - isn't there anyone out there who is as new to this as I am? Someone who didn't already make sane quilts, or learn to embroider at their grandmother's knee? I can't find a soul to share the trials and tribulations of finding the correct needle, or comparing laughable practice stitches.





I have been lucky to find ladies on a forum list that are helpful to the max; but someone to share the stupid things I do (like ramming my thumb with the needle 100 times over!) would be good, LOL
Maybe at my age (and with the condition of my arthritic hands) I'm pipe-dreaming, but will continue to try. I promise to put up photos as soon as there is anything to show.

In the meantime, I'll post a photo of my dog, Bronny. She's a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, 11 months old, tri-color. Bronny is my 3rd Pembroke. Annie (Angharad) was our first - another tri. Then we got Drewie-dog (Andrew). He was a sable. We also fostered a beautiful Cardigan Blue Merle show dog named Lara when we lived in Australia. Corgis are wonderful, smart, loving, funny dogs. For over 20 years we've laughed every day at our corgis. They are natural little clowns and know when they are making us laugh.






Back to CQ'ing. (yes, I get off-track alot) I'm gathering up a stash of fabrics, ribbons, laces, etc, and so far that seems to be the only part of the hobby I'm indulging in except for stitching practice.





I have learned the feather stitch, French knot, Herringbone and tried the Lazy Daisy but so far the daisies are not cooperating. Am also lending my hand to some ribbon embroidery.

Lesson #1 - pulling poly ribbons thru fabric is nigh unto impossible. Real silk ribbons are pretty much the rule for good reason - they like sliding thru the fabric more than the polyester ribbons.

I've also been making concertina roses. So cute! It's really quite calming to make them (read: no brainers). :-))







Hopefully all my blog posts won't be this boring...





....ciao for now ** PS - Earlier I said this was my first post. Well, it's my second. I'd written one before and thought it disappeared - found it in my Draft folder. I'll learn this blogging thing soon too. I hope! **

Can't sew or embroider but learning to CQ!

Crazy Quilting is the perfect craft for me. Sometimes I think I'm crazy for wanting to make a quilt when I've never made a 'sane' quilt, can barely sew, and don't know how to embroider! If that 'ain't' crazy, I don't know what is!



But undaunted, I am forging ahead with the help from the lovely ladies on two forums: CQForNewbies and CrazyQuilts.



I picked up one of (what I believe) the most valuable tools I could start out with. Judith Baker Montano Teaches You Crazy Quilting DVD. (no affiliation). It's a great little DVD and has taught me alot.



I'll be adding photos as I can but for now have nothing to show. I refuse to show my practice stitches because I don't want you to hurt yourself falling off your chair in hysterics. Suffice it to say I'm struggling thru the French Knot and Feather Stitch this weekend.



..caio, Di