Showing posts with label patchwork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patchwork. Show all posts

Thursday, April 7, 2011

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

Monday, March 28, 2011

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

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

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...
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

Friday, January 28, 2011

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!


Wednesday, December 15, 2010

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}

Monday, December 13, 2010

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


Friday, December 3, 2010

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!!!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

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
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...

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

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

Monday, November 15, 2010

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