Nature Study in my Backyard

Inside view of a dandelion seed head.

A seed head about to deliver its seads in our backyard  and beyond

The Dandelion is an amazing nature study when you stop and take a look at it.

I don't like the plant growing in my garden, but I do wonder at the beauty of the seed head.
It is brilliantly made with countless seed heads growing in an amazing pattern to form a ball.
These seedheads are making sure that this plant is not going to die out in a hurry!
The seeds are very soft. Watching them fly away when the breeze or wind comes to carry them to a place where they lie
until it is time for them to begin to grow into a new plant is one of natures spectacles.

It is no wonder that many fibre artists have focused on the dandelion seedhead as part
of their artistry.
- My posting 'Rainy Day stitching'  just below includes a dandelion seedhead. -

Hard Hearted - Soft Hearted

This little handsewn heart reminds me of the importance of having a soft heart.  To me that means

being kind and thoughtful to others.  The world can be very rugged at times.  It is important that I keep coming back to that 'soft place.'   A place of feeling and connection.

A place of love.

 

I found this little heart on one of my walks. The shape of course is very appealing  but it is cold to touch.  It reminds me that it is very important to keep coming from a soft, caring place in my daily life. It is so easy to allow our hearts to be hardened by life events. If my heart becomes hardened then that means I will not be coming from a good place and I doubt that I would be much fun to live with!
I want to be a woman who loves and cares for others and is not afraid to stand up and speak for those who may not be able to do so. 
Lets make the most of today!

+ + + + +

Rainy Day Stitching

North Otago has had a lot of rain in the last week. Enough to close most of the schools for two days. Many roads have been impassable and there are many detours in place. I think I prefer a drought any day! Five days of rain, and it is very, very wet.
The fire has been going every day and the warmth is great.
The two mats above are a product of fireside stitching, some imagination and lots of satisfying moments.

There is nothing 'traditional' about this!

I have been playing again! Not only with needle and thread but also with our camera! Isn't it great that we live in such a time where there are so many opportunities available. Not only creatively but also in our daily lives. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to recieve, opportunities present themselves to us daily.
I read a saying recently that goes something like this:


'Life presents many opportunities to us every day. Like strings on a musical instrument.... ready to be plucked.
All it takes is for us to pluck those strings to make the music that is uniquely ours.'


I don't know the author of the original saying. Whoever it is, I hope they will forgive me for presenting my take on it.
~ The message is good. ~

Hope, the word that never stops at all.

When life is difficult and all we can do is take one day at a time, and sometimes one step at a time. Even one moment at a time....   there is always hope.
I had such an experience a year or two ago.  My family had suffered a sad, unexpected loss. 
I was searching for some meaning and comfort through it all.

I happened to be wandering around the garden and looked up, and there it was a dove perched in the tree.  A beautiful, peaceful bird.  Never before had we been visited by such a bird.  He stayed all day.

The next day he was stilll there.  After a while he flew away for part of  the day. For increasing periods he did this until he finally left and never returned.  He was our guest for about three weeks.

Hope is the thing with feathers

that perches in the soul,

and sings the tune without words

and never stops at all.

~ Emily Dickinson ~

 

'Whispering  Hope'

Can you hear it?

'Paintbox' Needlebook

'Paintbox'  Needlebook

Recently I purchased a needlefelting tool.  I played with it for some time.

Using threads and leftover scraps of fabric of various kinds I came up with this.

I love the smeared effect of the various colours inside the covers.

It reminds me of a paintbox.  Hence the name, 'Paintbox' Needlebook.

 

It is as light as a 'feather' or almost!

Finished with a pretty pink button for closure I thought it would

make a pretty gift for my daughter-in-law....

and so it did!

Anzac Day - We Remember

Thankyou so much.............

This morning as I was taking a look at my blog, and clicked onto to the 'Feedjit' map where I can see where all of my visitors come from, I am overawed!   How absolutely amazing!  To think I have had visitors from so many parts of the world. 

My visitors have come from New Zealand (of course)
                                           Australia;
                                           United Kingdom,
                                           United States,
                                           Norway,
                                           Korea
                                           Russia
                                           Switzerland
                                           Hong Kong
.................... and  the list goes on.. 

Thankyou for dropping by to take a look at my blog.
I am humbled to to think that you are visiting.
If you have shared some of your thoughts with me, by writing a comment, then that is extra special.
 Maybe  you have been encouraged or inspired by your visit.
I hope that is so.
That is what makes it all worthwhile.

God Bless You
Joan

* * * * * * *

Fun with Felted Jerseys/Sweaters

What more fun can you have, than sitting in the sun, playing with felted jerseys.

Cutting small squares, well not exactly square! 

Cutting different shapes, colours and textures and wondering where all of this

will lead?

A journey of creativity!

Placing the felted pieces on the background. ( Another  felted piece.)
I like the textured look and feel of these .

I placed my work on a piece of red wool coating.
More stitching, and a piece of blue lining to finish
.
Having a look at the back        .

~ The finished article. ~

Words of St. Francis of Assisi ............ take a look!

"He who works with his hands is a labourer.

 He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.

 He who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist."

 ~ St.Francis of Assisi ~

A Special Thought

~   Home  for  Easter   ~   

   Take the time to come home to yourself every day.

                                                                 ~  Robin Casarjian  ~

Hope your Easter break is a pleasant one.

JK

x x x x x x x

Simply Elegant

A friends daughter was married in Christchurch recently.

This is her wedding gown.

 

                                         

I love how the fabric drapes so beautifully.
There is no lace on this gown.  It is simply elegant as it is.

Look at this superb piece of jewellery!

Doesn't it set off the elegance of the bridal gown.

........and how about this bow from the cake.

It looks as though it has been made from fabric ,but no, it is icing.

Simply elegant, don't you think?

An Inspirational Blog

I have been soaking up the beautiful work to be seen at  http://karenruane.blogspot.com/

Karen does fabulous work.  Absolutely lovely.

I decided I would have a go and  see how it would turn out.
Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I made a little pin cushion and backed it with some of that felted jersey stuff that I have stashed away in the cupboard.
Anyway a couple of photos to show my work/play for this morning.

The little piece of embroidery in the middle was a cutout from an old

piece of vintage linen.  (I didn't embroider that, in case you were wondering.)

I was pleased with how this turned out.

Thankyou Karen for your lovely work .
It is an inspiration to me and I expect many others.

Early Morning Dew

How beautiful is this?

Early morning dew freshens this precious little pink rose

Life Gives the Story.

There is a beautiful story about a Bangladesh lady who gave hope to many women in her community through needle and thread.

It is on 'plays with needles blog' a blog well worth visiting.  This is the link to click on  http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/2010/03/life-gives-story.html

I hope you can take the time to read this inspiring story.

It shows what one woman can do and what a difference she can make.

A Work In Progress

Stitch, colour,  texture and more to go!

Threads - Stitches - Layers

Variegated thread, organza, wools and lots of imagination!

Wanaka Embroidery School

Begining with a blank piece of fabric,  is a daunting but exciting prospect.
What will this become?  There is no kit and instructions on how to do this.
Thankfully our tutor was very helpful, offering suggestions and supplying
beautiful stamps and inks to begin stamping our fabric.

After a variety of stitches, colours, and threads were worked on top
of the stamping, we began to see some progress.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first ever experience of
Embroidery School at Wanaka.

Felted Birthday Cards

The beginnings of a  felted card for a one year old.

Some needle felting, some handstitching  a  slip of paper for a message

and a ribbon to finish it off.

A pretty card for a one year old.

Two more cards I made this morning.

The pink one has been sold.

Oh! I nearly forgot about the kiss on the back!

Wanaka Embroidery School

http://www.oegembroideryschool.co.nz/

This weekend I am travelling to Wanaka to be a part of the Wanaka Embroidery School.

It begins on Friday evening and finishes on Sunday afternoon.

There are 25 classes available, so I think it will be attracting many to participate in these.

I am looking forward to the whole experience.

I expect to:

Meet new people of a likemind.

Learn heaps.

Be inspired.
Have fun.

I am doing a stamping-layering-stitching class with Jan Gibb from Invercargill.

Here's to a great weekend for all of us
.(I'm hoping to take a number of photos throughout the weekend some will be posted on my blog)

                                                    

**********

A Floral Brooch

I finished this brooch recently.  I had done it in stages.  Knitted sweater strips

were zigzagged along the edges and gathered to form this flower shape.

A  piece of felted knitting was needle felted to form the center
and lastly beads were sewn on.

How Quaint Is This?

I have just come back from a short break away.
  A clear sunny day was the setting for a great flight from Christcurch to Nelson.
  My son, daughter-in-law and grandaughter live there so I was able to spend quite a bit of time with them.

I did a lot of walking, and when you are walking and you have a camera handy it is very interesting to see what is happening out there.  Here are a few of my 'Nelson moments.'

                ****  1946  Chevrolet  Delivery  Van   ****

I was amazed to see this well cared  for work truck/van.

I bet this man doesn't run short of work.

An excellent way to promote your business.

 

This is a well-loved work vehicle of

'Shillings Plumbing'  Nelson.
This mobile workshop has seen some action this morning.

........ and a great way to advertise your business too!

(I certainly noticed it)