Among the Ferns!

happy monday!

on saturday i won my first blog prize...

well really tif fussell of 'dottie angel ' fame did first!

tif won a gold and silver prize in the handmade olympics...

{see the 'dottie angel' link on the right for more details}

and i was one of five that she handed her prize on to.

i won $50 from sarah at 'mousetrap vintage' on etsy...

i chose a 1946 golden book encyclopaedia

and two vintage retro cookbooks...

and a packet of paper flags with a pennsylvania coat of arms printed on them...

'cos sharrie used to live in pennsylvania for a while.

when i receive them i'll show them to you all...

thanks tif!

i  made two 'little rainforest' cushions on saturday...

here's a few pics of them

among the ferns and staghorn...

nestling in there...like they belong!

the fabric is from nancy @ a gardner's cottage...

this is the last of the rainforest fabric.

'if'....anything is possible!

the button up backs in brown.

now!

i must stop procrastinating...

i've had two surveys to collate for a local radio station

for 3 weeks..

i must do them this week

and have only just started.

i know!

i feel really guilty...

and some long hours of true application are ahead of me.

so i will go and bury myself in paperwork,

excel and word...

graphs and analysis

summaries and statistics...

until all is completed!

by for now...

naturally Carol xox

Grateful for...Good Advice!

it's saturday afternoon again!

doesn't the week go quickly?

i feel like it does anyway...

i am at that point with my cushion collection

 for flood affected queenslanders,

that i will have to decide finally

on where it is best to send them...

i'm throwing it open!

i have a couple of places in mind

and have done a little research...

but i shall be really grateful

if anyone out there knows if there is somewhere,

 that hasn't been helped much at all.

maybe it is the area that you live in

and you know your neighbours are struggling

emotionally or physically with the aftermath of the flood.

i will not promise that i will send them where you suggest

but i will promise to take all suggestions seriously...

and contact people in the area to see how or when we should help..

if at all possible.

i know some areas have been in the news

and some tend to be completely overlooked.

if you know of an 'overlooked' area

{and it doesn't necessarily have to be the poorest..

'cos trauma happens to all economic groups}

please email me...

the pictures are of a couple of cushions

i made this morning

out of nancy's fabric...@ a gardner's cottage.

i have one or two more to make up

from her generously donated fabric!

~ 39 cushions collected! ~

{and more are on their way}

i'm linking up with "maxabella loves" today...

there are some great reasons to be grateful there!

naturally Carol xox

Life Never Sits Still!

good morning!

it is just the most beautiful summery morning here...

white cottonwool clouds drifting across a blue blue sky,

warm fragrant breezes blow gently

and the warm sun kisses my arm next to the window.

i made this little summer cushion

last weekend before going out to the rockpools...

just a tiny cushion 'cos i only had a tiny insert..

but chock full of summer spots and dots,

bees, bugs and flowers!

just a few spotty charm squares

and remnants from some pillowcases i made a while ago

to make a sweet summer cushion!

mr t bought sharrie the flowers...

i couldn't resist using them as props.

they totally outshine anything i could make

'cos they're made by the master creator!

today i'm making another couple of little ones

out of nancy's fabrics

{check her blog out...at 'a gardner's cottage'}

this one and deb's bring the total to

37 cushions

and more are on their way!

thank you to everyone who has participated...

and if you want to join in it's not too late!

just email me or leave me a comment so i can contact you.

mr m is off to brisbane to find work...

mr t and sharrie have come home from bendigo...

mr p is on holidays at the moment

so again our household is in a state of change

with a certain amount of chaos and excitement!

life never sits still does it?

i think the secret is to enjoy whatever is happening and stop stressing!

have a wonderful day where ever you are...

naturally Carol xox

Delightfully Debbie!

good afternoon!

yesterday afternoon the postie came...

with a delightful package from my good friend debbie

from canberra!

i was being a bit cheeky at christmas...

when i sent my cards out,

i gave all my friends my blog address.

not hearing anything back

i just assumed my friends weren't interested

and had binned it.

well, it turned out that deb didn't..

and she made a georgeous cushion

for all our queensland friends affected by the floods.

i don't think she'll ever know how much this touched my heart...

thanks deb,

 you're the best!

doesn't it look striking 'on the black couch'...

those juicy red cherries, little cream flowers and emerald leaves

all edged with gold on a navy background.

this view of the front

shows the border sewn in around the cushion...

a lovely tailored looking finish.

a green buttoned up back...

those red flower buttons needed another photo...

aren't those buttons pretty....

times like these i wish i had one of those specialty lenses

that take close up pics beautifully..

but this will have to do!

to finish up i just had to show you the back detail

in the corner...

isn't it sweet?

well that was a surprise of the best kind...

it made my day yesterday

after all that bad news from nz

this warmed my heart!

friends have that kind of effect

don't they!

hoping you're enjoying your friends today...

naturally Carol xox

Scenes of Devastation...

good morning!

yesterday

after coming home from a lovely morning out

i was confronted by scenes on the television

of christchurch in new zealand...



on the 4th september last year

a massive 7.1 earthquake struck there

and caused extensive damage.

yesterday..the 22nd february 2011

another smaller earthquake occurred...6.3 i think,

but not as deep..only 5 km under the surface of the earth..

with far more lateral movement.

last time people were asleep and out of the main city area...

this time it was 1 pm...about lunch time in the offices of that city...

people were at work in city buildings

 or out getting lunch in restuarants and cafes

...or shopping

when the earthquake struck.

many people have died or are injured...some have many injuries.

a bus struck by building debris during the earthquake in christchurch, nz...

let me show you the beautiful cathedral and square before the earthquake!

after...

the cathedral in the central business district..an icon of the city...

in ruins...people are still trapped inside.

you may wonder why

i am particularly concerned...

i am a new zealander who lives in australia...

i feel for fellow new zealanders during this time of devastation and loss.

when nz hurts all nzers do too...

i know you understand.

please pray for this city of people

who are scared and have suffered such pain and loss

over the last 24 hours

and will suffer more in the days to come...

thank you.

naturally Carol xox

Rockpools and a Lace Monitor!

morning all!

today and yesterday,

the heat is on...summer has arrived full force.

it was just the day, yesterday..

to take a little drive out of town

not far, just 15 mins..

to the rockpools!

the narrow roads were a bit scary

but i took it quite slowly

{and pulled over twice to let speedy drivers overtake me!}

we settled at a picnic table in the shade

and look what appeared in front of us!

i have heard them being called 'perenties' before...

but when i searched online

they looked more like a lace monitor.

this chap was about a metre long

from the end of his nose to the tiniest tippity tip of his tail!

i was about 4 metres away from him to take these photos...

i wouldn't want to be much closer

'cos they run up trees

and i've heard that goannas run up people if there isn't anything else around...

not that that was really likely

as there were plenty of trees!

and that's what he did...just looked around and

scuttled into the nearest grove of trees.

the rockpools were georgeous..

a river just cascading down steps of rocks

making miniature waterfalls leading into pools of icy cold water...

refreshing on a blistering hot day!

a perfect place for everyone...

and so close to home...i can't believe i haven't been here before!

shame..shame..shame.

still...the upside is..i have now! hehe!

what did you do last weekend?

i'd love to know...

see ya later...

naturally Carol xox

Grateful for..Beach Weather!

g'day...

today there is perfect beach weather...

sunny with a few clouds..

warm not windy..just a bit of a breeze...

this is the view from my computer window

looking towards noosa.

the sea will be warm...

children will be building sandcastles.

max and kara are going too...

to run

max has never been before!

i wonder what he'll think of those noisy waves...

and all that sand and water??

i made another cushion this morning..

while the household was snoozing

...it had to be a beach cushion!

beach balls, sun, sand and surf...

stripey beach umbrellas and strawberry and chocolate sundaes

for fun!

why am i grateful?

everybody is going to the beach....

except for me..

i'm having time to myself

to breathe

and read

and drink coffee!

alone time to refresh my soul

that's what i need.

naturally Carol xox

p.s....only 10 cushions to go!

pps...linking up with 'maxabella' for gratitude saturday!

Breaking My Own Rule!

hi there!

remember how i said that the cushions should be no more than 50 cm square...

ha! ha!

i made these large cushions last weekend

quite unintentionally really...

they just kinda happened!

i think i just went with the width of the fabric...

they ended up 55cm square,

soft and squishy...

made from more of the fantastic fabric

t nancy from 'a gardner's cottage'

very kindly sent to me ...

for flood affected queenslanders!

the front of both cushions are the same...

i called one 'rainforest beach' and one 'rainforest island'

'cos the fabric is like the rainforest meeting the sea!

the backs are aqua

with slightly different features and buttons...

'rainforest beach'...

yellow buttons and an aqua selvedge with little buttons...

and...

'rainforest island'...

black buttons and a geometrically influenced design on the selvedge

here is the close up ...

i machine stitched the aqua triangles and

then handstitched the little running stitches in a variegated green embroidery thread.

the 'if ' tags...

 curly 'if '

and

leafy 'if'...

 

do your weekend plans include a beach,
an island
or a rainforest?

i'm dreamin'...

naturally Carol xox

p.s...someone asked whether i have a coffee machine..i do have a hand me down espresso machine. it was left here when mr s went to taiwan to live.  it is basic but sturdy..i heat up the milk in the cup for a minute and a half in the microwave and then put in 30 mls espresso from the machine and stir.  great coffee with a good crema!

A Little Bird Told Me...

in fact a whole lot of little birds told me...

to tell you

that anb from 'suburban sonnet'

has been very busy lately!

she has been making two cute cushions

covered with little birds

and with sweet spotty backs

for a couple of bird-loving queenslanders!

a pair of 'tweet' cushions...

'on the black couch'

black spotty backs on the cushions...loving them.

if you have some time
'suburban sonnet'
is a sweet visit!

now i just have to show off my birthday presents
from miss b...
from canada!
{my birthday was last week for those that didn't know..
the box just took a while to come in the post}

i've never been called 'mom' before...usually i'm just an aussie 'mum'...lol

the presents...a pack of 'dream' gift cards..with little matching blue envelopes...

four of these georgeous green stripey pegs in a pack...

and three canadian magazines...yay!!
{she knows her 'mom' well!}

and...that's not all!

mr m didn't have any money last week
so today he went out and bought me
not one...but two packets of 'gloria jeans' coffee beans...

double 'yay'!!
i love it when they act so thoughtfully.

it's still kate's birthday..from 'see kate sew'...
i'm sure she wouldn't mind if you popped in and wished her
'many happy returns of the day'!

by the way..mr t and sharrie came home from bendigo last night
and have taken up residence in the front room temporarily..
it's good to see them again too.

much love to you all...

naturally Carol xox

Re-Vintaged Flower Power!

another happy day!

irene from irene's re-vintaged

has kindly made and sent

5 cushion covers...

she is an avid collector of vintage fabrics and makes georgeous goodies from them

{her name is 're-vintaged rose'}

and ain't she sweet!

bringing our total to

34 cushions

yippee!!

&

thank you!!

+ 1

plus one..i hear you mutter!

well yes...

the 'miss daisy' cushion went to a lady who loves her

in brisbane.

a friend of mine

has a sister who lost everything in the brisbane floods.

i just had a feeling she would like 'miss daisy'

and a couple of other odds and ends...

well she loves her and the other bits and pieces

and my friend was beaming from ear to ear

when she related how her sister felt loved

by the thought of people giving her this little bit of handmade goodness!

multiply that by 45

and that is our goal...

to reach at least 45 people

with a token of love

in the form of a handmade cushion from you and i!

{four floral bundles of softness...i'm going to call them

 the 'blue dahlias' & the 'white dahlias'

'cos i'm sure i spot a few dahlias on them!}

we haven't got to call for many more cushions...

 11more needed

by the 20th March 2011!

{that is the week before our distribution happens}

i have a couple of destinations in mind...

just a few more phone calls to make to be sure, to be sure!

slowly the pieces of this operation are coming together...

we are being connected with people who know what is going on

and hearing bits of information which will help us decide.

i'll let you know more soon about where they are going.

three cheers for a wonderful bunch of bloggers

this wednesday...

naturally Carol xox

p.s...it is kate's birthday...16th february...from 'see kate sew'...please pop in if you can and wish her a wonderful birthday!

Vintage Purple...

g'day!

on saturday morning

i went to the post office to look in our post office box..

we knew the electricity bill was on its way  :-(

the postie must have missed us at home one morning...

'cos there was a package from monkeemoomoo :-)

this is what was in it...

bright purple and pink vintage goodness...

this photo doesn't do it justice.

the fabric is thick and textured and the colours rich and deep!

charcoal grey backing...

this cushion will suit the coolest hippie chick around town!

monkeemoomoo

is not only a talented cushion maker..

but has been making and collecting dolls

for flood affected queenslanders.

i encourage you to go and say hello

and if you want to join in

the doll making fun

i'm sure that'd be fine too!

thank you monkeemoomoo...

you're one cool chick!

let's copy monkeemoomoo

and be cool ....

naturally cool Carol xox

Greetings from Greece!

good morning!

happy valentine's day

and

happy friends day

 

teje from 'nero's post and patch'

sent me some beautifully made cushions

from chania in greece...

i pinched this photo from her blog

so you can see what a beautiful place

 she comes from.

here is her lovely work...'on the black couch',

i've called this one 'summer patch'

because it reminds me of summer days..

long drinks, sand, sea and shady green trees.

this one i've called 'purple patch'...

subdued colours..moody with subtle stitched vines

and floral flashes of colour...georgeous!

and this one i've called 'golden harvest'

rows of wheaten gold with a little lilac blue leaf...

neatly top stitched...

 and buttoned up at the back.

this is my favourite!

these will be a great blessing to the flood affected families who receive them;

thank you teje!!

she also popped in a present for me...yay!

teje is very artistic and makes amazing woollen felt pictures

i am using this to wrap up a vase...

the felt is so light and warm...

and  the colours she has chosen will enhance any flowers i put in there...

in front is the glass koru my brother gave us for christmas,

isn't the shape beautiful?

love comes in many guises...

friendship and kindness among them.

lovers and friends...

i'm hoping you have both

and are feeling very loved today...

naturally Carol xox

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