Morning walk

On the beach this morning - little creatures making drawings in the sand

and Hooded Plovers at the waters edge.

Their little bodies barely move and their legs go so fast you can hardly see them.

Losing my marbles!

Not really, but it has been busy around here lately!
The subject for our latest 12 x 9 challenge was Toys. I Googled toys to look for some ideas and found an image I really liked. Turned out to be an Australian woman in Sydney designing her own fabric! So I purchased two colour ways of the marble fabric and asked Susie if I could use her image. (You can visit her blog here. She has another fabric design with Lego on it.)

I can't ever remember actually playing the game of marbles (not even sure how it's played) but I do remember enjoying looking at all the lovely colours, the feel and sound of the marbles in their bag, and just the fact of owning them.
My daughter now uses marbles as a reward system for her children. When they have a certain number (for being good or doing jobs or not fighting) they can have a coveted object. There is often talk in their house about 'losing all your marbles'!

Beach finds and stones

It's amazing what you find on the beach! 
The day before yesterday we found a mobile phone by the waters edge and after waiting for it to ring, and some amusing conversations, we were able to return it to a very grateful owner.

Yesterday I found roses tangled up with the seaweed. Where had they drifted from? A memorial service, ashes scattered at sea or perhaps a wedding?

I have stitched some stones to send to Jude for her Magic Feather project. You can read about it on her blog. The beach I walk on has big banks of stones above high tide mark. People used to come with trailers and cart them home to use in their gardens. That is now forbidden but I must admit to bringing the odd one home with me. I have a collection of heart shaped ones.

Paper dolls

Inspired by the amazing exhibiton of maquettes on Clive Hicks-Jenkins blog and Chloe Redfern's horses on her blog I found a pattern on the internet for a jointed paper doll. (The pattern I used was from here. I printed it onto some sturdy watercolour paper.)  On the weekend the granddaughters and I had a lovely time colouring the dolls and giving them some hair. They did the colouring, I did the cutting out and they managed the little brass split pins after I made the holes with a big needle. We had a lot of fun! I think we'll try these again, perhaps with paints next time to get darker colours, and some paper clothes.

I have added more letters to my alphabet over on ALaW blog. There are some amazing artworks being made. Do go and have a look. I have really enjoyed making these little stitched pieces. Now I have to work out how to put them all together!

Time

Too many ideas and not enough time! I think most of us have that problem. I was reading Karen's blog about her little hexagons and starting yet another project. Quite by coincidence I was piecing some little hexagons on the weekend too! (I need another project like a hole in the head but I just had an urge to try some!) I then decided I don't really like hexagons that much and started making some little triangles. I have no idea where these are going but wanted another little paper piecing project to carry around with me. And I've always had the same idea as Karen that not all these projects have to be finished. It's the doing, the planning and playing with the fabrics that is so much fun! 

My last paper piecing project, silk triangles, is now joined together in one piece and waiting for some border fabric. There are 1,792 one and half inch triangles in this piece for anyone who's interested in the statistics! Total madness I know, but I have just been quietly plodding along with it since 2005!  The papers are still in place until I put some borders on. I bought a lot of my silk scraps from Wafu Works in Tasmania.

Seagulls

Another block on my Travelers Blanket. I found the seagull fabric recently and replaced one of the fabric squares I mucked up!  I've just used simple straight stitches on the background and let the fabric tell the story.

We visited Kangaroo Island last weekend (our daughter teaches there) and had lunch at a new winery with stunning views. After lunch we hit golf balls into the valley next door. Great entertainment when you've had a few wines! (Photo shows father giving daughter some tips on her golf swing with the amazing view over to the mainland in the background.)

And a beautiful sunset on the way home .....

Home Is Where The Heart (Bum) Is!

'Home' was the theme for the latest 12" by 9" challenge. When the theme was set I was babysitting my granddaughters' hermit crabs. These little creatures change homes quite often as they grow so they came with extra shells as well as the obligatory food and water. They are fascinating little creatures. I have quilted hearts in the background, some upside down so they look like little 'bottoms'.  So 'home is where the heart is' or in the case of the hermit crab 'home is where the bum is'!  (Do hermit crabs have hearts?)