Friday Favourites

So Friday has come around again, due to a very messy week

I wasn't able to post on my quilting. I missed the chance to

say a very Happy Thanksgiving, so a belated wish

that you did enjoy the day.

I collected a new book today, it was ordered quite some

time ago but it's only just flown into my hand!

This is a real treasure!! I have followed Mandy's blog

ever since I first began blogging and last year I bought three of her

small collage pieces and had them matted and framed. I

wrote a post and photograph of all three together but was asked by a few bloggers

 if I could show a full shot of each - here they are - sorry they didn't crop well.,

 but I'm sure you'll love them regardless.

Love the turkey reds in the one above

soft mushroomy shades with that hint of maroon in the flower

and this one was a win, win with the scissor tape.

Mandy covers materials, process, fabrics and lots more in the book.

My favourite section is about making collaged books - I have already gathered

a few laces, buttons and old embroidered pieces together!

If textile collage interests you go along to Mandy's blog

at

http://threadandthrift.blogspot.co.uk

it's a delight.

 Gotta have a favourite flower of the week and coming up to the

Christmas season here we have the

Pohutukawa aka The New Zealand Christmas tree

and mine, here in the large pot, needs a little TLC I think.

Have a happy quilty weekend, back during the week.

Maureen

Friday Favourites

Two items this week, neither quilt related!

First up here is Leila

resting today due to a traumatic day for her at the vet clinic yesterday!

I found a lump two weeks on her left hind leg, grew a little bigger so off to the

clinic Tuesday, yesterday it was removed. She's now home with

a greatly shaved back leg, eight stitches and the dreaded

eCollar. She solved that one during the night by removing it.

There it was on the floor of the doggie crate, one of the fasteners

had been well and truly chewed. A rethink required tonight.

Second - still life - not staged at all.

A small vase with three cream gerberas left on the kitchen

bench two weeks ago along with two tiny silver pieces in desperate need

 of cleaning (still not done).

The poor gerberas had long since lost their beauty

but I hadn't removed them, yesterday I did, these lovely seed heads 

were on the bench, to me they're as beautiful as

the flower in full bloom.

I will, as asked, post a photo of the quilt from last week

but given all that's been happening here I'm a bit behind.

Thank you to all who left messages following  my post on the earthquakes.

If you would like to read more here is a great post

by Nancy J, there is mention of the International help

from warships presently in Auckland.

Enjoy the weekend.

Maureen

Another day of aftershocks in New Zealand

I have a photo of my Tula Pink star quilt to post

but yesterday was spent in front of a screen, TV primarily.

The South Island is once more suffering

 from earthquakes. These have been felt also in the North Island.

Over 800 aftershocks reported.

Kaikoura, on the East Coast, is a scene of absolute devastation.

The town is completely cut off. Roads unusable, railway lines gone,

 horrific land slips. No power, no water, no sewerage. People seeing their homes destroyed.
The only way in

was by helicopter but I believe now that they will try and get in by sea. 

In the mist of seeing all the heartbreak for folks down there I
needed some time at the machine.

Background story is HERE but following the layout suggested  didn't work
for me so I changed it. After fiddling around this was the result

still  didn't look good so, not helped by being placed haphazardly on the flannel

which is covering my Gypsy Wife pinned underneath!

I decided to add a 3/4" sashing which I think unifies
all these blocks and gives a better look overall.
No borders but I'll use the same sashing fabric for the binding.
This can be used in Summer out on the bench seat in the
back garden.

 Back in a couple of days hopefully feeling not so sad.

Maureen

Friday Favourites

I've been thinking of writing posts on a Friday

showing some of my favourite "things".

Perhaps a treasured piece of china from my cabinet, quilt,

fabric or flower, anything which is special to me. 

I hope to write a few lines on the story of why

I post that particular item on my blog.

No time like the present so - first Friday Favourites post.

The book title says it all, my favourite colour, or perhaps I should say one

of my favourite colours.

This book is sub-titled 

A Chef's Travels in Turkey, 

 mouth-watering recipes and photos of spice markets,

fruits and vegetables and stories of people met along

the way. I just fell in love with the dust cover.

My quilting bookcase is turquoise (photo rather grainy I know), I have a

small "washed sea glass" vase, a turquoise/verdigris green candle

holder - always loved these - and all (apart from the bookcase!) are sitting

on a quilt made around 1993. Alaska Dyework fabrics coloured

from rich purple through turquoise and jade green.

This is my hand quilted Trip Around The World - I was into Amish quilts

in a big way back then. 

Oh, perhaps a quick photo of the last blooms on

one of the Wisterias - just because I love them.

Maureen

A birthday with a difference!

I've been missing in action for two weeks, not by choice.

Thanks to all who left a comment and emailed their best wishes to me

for my 70th birthday on 26th October. Yes, I did have a lovely day until

9.30pm when I was taken to the Emergency Care locally and then on to

 hospital by ambulance. I'll not go into the detail, just let's say it was a GI problem

which floored me!

Luckily it wasn't too long a stay, just 24 hours,

 I was discharged on condition I took it easy for at

least  a week, it's taken me longer than that to begin to feel

more like my usual self.

 I did no quilting until two days ago, 

couldn't face Gypsy Wife  nor Kaleidoscope with my concentration span

being low, so something easy with no real mental input was needed.

The sum total of my achievement over the past two weeks below

all the fabrics are from the newest Tula Pink range, 12 blocks in total

and a super size at 16" finished. Just what the doctor ordered!

One of our newest roses is blooming

Princess Alexandra of Kent 

Princess Alexandra fully open

 The scent from this rose is unbelievable.
Apart from all the above I've been catching up with reading newish books,
more on that in a later post.

The other consumer of my time has been the election in the U.S.A.
My iPad is practically glued to my hands, I will just
say I certainly know who I don't want to see as President.  My stress levels
are growing by the hour.
The TV will be switched on Wednesday lunchtime here in New Zealand, it will stay that way until the final result comes through.

I guess some of you will have a great week, some not so great, but
happy quilting anyway!!

Maureen