A New Venture!

hi there...

i have decided to take the plunge

&

open a "naturally Carol" site on madeit.

i haven't quite yet

as i don't have any cards or a little logo thingo

to put up on the banner...

but

i have made a couple of cushions to sell..

&

the bonus is

that if nobody wants them

i

get to keep them!

they are quite large...

50 cm or 20 inch inserts

so

are huggable..a good armful!

why?..curiousity = intelligence

these are made out of an 'american jane' jelly roll

and some yardage and plain cottons...

the 'red' one

i loved putting these strips of fabric together...

the colours are beautiful

&

would look great in a kid's room or nursery.

if = the possibility of anything!

or

everything!

blue buttons...

i've got five more to complete.

i hope you like them

or

that someone will..lol!

i'm linking in with 'kootoyoo'...

her last linky before the holidays today!

naturally Carol xox

Just For Kids...

good morning!

only just got by with a good morning not a good afternoon..hehe..

the weekend was great,

the surprise party for my friend was a huge success.

it was held in a lovely turn of the century queenslander

with big verandahs ...and fairy lights came on in the evening.

it was the same place..kingston house..that mr t & sharrie got married at.

it was lovely to visit again!

apart from that mr w was home for the weekend

so we actually went as a couple to the party.

i am very used to going alone to events these days

so it was nice to have a partner.

i did a bit of fiddling at the sewing machine

and had fun working out these cushions for the kids at nanango primary school

in central queensland.

the boys, dogs and monkeys

are from a selection called 'boys will be boys'...

i've teamed them up with my blue choices

from a pack of one hundred plain charm squares from westminster fabrics.

a plain baby blue back.

now that cushion goes with this...

and this is that!

spicing it up with red...

i think these colours might energise the little ones

not put them to sleep at nap time...

oh well..they can just wave this one around

when it's time to wake up! lol

a red back..just to keep it all popping!

the school needed 35 altogether,

i posted 8 last week..with these 2

i need to produce 25 more!

i've got one more in this series..a more subdued group of hues

but one i like just as much.

i also got a surprise last week from nic at 'yardage design'

but it deserves a post of it's own...

so you'll have to wait!

thanks, nic.

thought for today...

"whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,

but he who hates reproof is stupid"

proverbs 12:1

that's something to meditate on isn't it!

naturally Carol xox

Patches, Birds & Flowers!

good morning!

yesterday, just as i was selecting cushions for theodore,

gwen's package of cushion covers

made it to my front door...

all the way from connecticut!

in it were 4 cushion covers...

two from gwen at http://www.gwennypenny.com/

and two from her mum, cindy.

'birds'...'on the black couch'!

here's the back...

stunning~

the second one...

this one looks georgeous on the wooden chair!

here's the back...

isn't the back amazing?

beautiful vibrant colours.

cindy made these...

a more traditional pattern with soft florals....

'dresden heart'

and 'diamonds'...

they fit the bill perfectly for one of the women up north,

in flood affected theodore...

thanks cindy!

so 'birds' and 'dresden heart' and 'diamonds'

were bundled up again and posted

with twelve others to help where they were needed.

beautiful work, girls!

&

thanks gwen for the buttons...

sweet flowers

&

 

'confetti'..thank you so much...

i've been desperately needing buttons!

i have an early prayer meeting...

then a coffee at gunabel homestead this morning,

it'll be a great day with a good start!

happy tuesday...

naturally Carol xox

Just One More...

cushion!!

how did you know?

i am beginning to think i am boring you silly

with my cushions!

i am driven by the picture in my mind

of all those people who have lost everything in those floods

and have to restart their lives materially...

it is a perplexing thing to think about though

because i know that in brazil they have lost hundreds of people recently in floods too...

and there are so many disasters around the world

where people lose their homes.

and i wonder

how then can i ask people in other countries to contribute to queensland

when we are so much better off

than a lot of countries.

but i can't really do anything to help them..

i have to do what i can

with what is in my hand

and help those i know how to help...

if only in a very small way.

i hope they will see the kind intentions of our hearts

and know that we care!

we can't fix the world

only God can do that...and He has through sending Jesus!

if only people would listen to Him...

but they go their own way...that is free will!

i can only do my bit...

the bit that He has placed on my heart...

and that

is enough for Him.

deep thoughts today...

i am thinking though that i will have a give away apron when i get to a hundred followers...

i'll make one this weekend just in case i get there!...not so deep a thought!!

have a wonderful weekend!

with love

naturally Carol xox

if you would like to join me in making a cushion cover or two please leave a comment or email me and i will get back to you...thanks!

Christmas Hearts!

good afternoon!

yesterday mr m purchased a length of dowel

about a metre long...

he chopped it in half and drilled a hole in both ends.

i was very pleased and grateful!

a couple of weeks ago now

i posted an unfinished project...

today it is finished

and hung on the wall.

to me the words on it are the essence of Christmas...

the reason and the spirit

of the Christmas season...

sorry the close ups are a little crooked

the edges are left raw

with the top fabric layer cut with pinking shears,

the second layer is polar fleece in snowy white,

the third and backing layer is red felt

which i extended to sccure and hide the dowel.

the hanging thread is a doubled length of gold thread.

the tiny french-knotted golden seeds

are my take of the advent calendar.

there are 24 'seeds' in the top left corner

and one less every square from left to right,

only one in the last square...

my handcrafted corner

for this Christmas...

take one packet of charm squares!...

hoping your journey through the days

to Christmas will be increasingly joyful...

naturally Carol xox

'for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son

that whoever believes in Him shall not die

but have eternal life'...

 

{from the bible...chapter 3...verse 16}

Jingle Bells and Skating Elves!

o what a lovely morning!

the spirit of Christmas is sneaking

into some of the most hardened of hearts ...

there are whispered conversations

where treats and surprises are planned!

the small and the curious are trying to peek

and asking too many questions is banned!

i've been busy already today

up at the crack of dawn,

taking my brother to the train station

and reminding him to take my presents

to family on the other side of the ditch...

to the land of the long white cloud!

i called in at macca's for coffee

and got sewing as soon as could be!

i thought i'd finish off my Christmas cushion...

a charm square front

'12 days of Christmas' by kate spain...

just all the aqua ones!

...adding jingle bells to Christmas elves!

...some georgeous rich red rosey fabric

given to me from miss b

for the back.

and this sweet cushion

will make some little corner of my house

sing 'fa la la la' and 'jingle bells'

on what would have been 'silent night' s!!!

i hope you've had a tiny bit of time to spare

to finish off  little bits of Christmassy fun

 here and there...

naturally Carol xox

Head Down, Tail Up!

when you've unfinished creative business...

there is no doubt about it,

the only way to get it done,

is

head down, tail up

and work on it!

i don't have elves to help me,

and it won't do itself...

a few hearts here

and a few hearts there

and i'm almost done!

only one more

heart

to

embroider...

now i know

i'll be finished before Christmas!

i've a house full of people this weekend...

mr w arrived yesterday afternoon...surprise!

miss b and my brother arrive today.

and it rains and rains and just

keeps on raining...oh, well.

have a great friday

naturally Carol xox

ps...i know i've got a few more steps to do...but they won't be as slow as this one!!!

Unfinished Creative Business...

good morning

i have some unfinished business

i'd like to share with you!

when i started

this was going to be

another cushion.

like this...

'well, what's wrong with that?'

i hear you say.

i was thinking...

why hide all that delicious fabric

behind someones back?

i wanted to look at it...

a lot!

so i added some more charm squares

to this one

all its Christmassy goodness

got me thinking again...

red felt hearts,

silver and gold thread,

words,

birds,

golden seeds to count the days...

i finished two more hearts this morning,

nine more to go!

i wanted to express

the heart and soul of Christmas

for me.

this is my unfinished business...

i'm figuring it out as i go!

the heavens have opened,

dance between the raindrops and

come to 'kootoyoo's creative space'

with me!

naturally Carol xox

ps...if you want to see beautiful snowy photos from the u.k. check out 'curlew country's... simple december pleasures... on the right...

It's On It's Way!...

i'm just easing my way into the season,

with these adorable tiny gingerbread houses

from 'lisbeth' who has a georgeous norwegian blog!

 

this is more my reality!

 

 

and there is a bit of this...

 

 

this is truly a work in progress!

{like me}

 

enjoy the first of december

and all of december's days....

let the true Spirit of Christmas

bring peace into this busy time!

 

have a mochaccino on me this morning

 

naturally Carol xox

Tea For Two?

this morning was foggy.

miss b was up very early.

she had to drive back to brisbane to go to work.

all the misters have a day off.

they slept.

the fog gently lifted

as i cut and sewed.

the dogs stretched out in the yard

to catch the first rays.

ironing out the seams,

pressing out those wrinkles..

eggs were boiled,

and duly eaten.

last night's formula 1 was viewed and discussed,

laundry hung out to dry.

a patchwork of summer colours

has abstractly formed on my dining table.

what is coming together at your house?

naturally Carol xox

ps....my first giveaway is a happening thing tomorrow!!!
pps...'tea for two?' is completed in post dated wednesday 16th november 2010