CQJP 2014 January report

Twenty four hours remain to complete the first block of the 2014 Crazy Quilting Journal Project, and I am sure I will not meet my deadline! (Not an auspicious start to a new project, I’m afraid) Please note that this "report" was actually blogged on another of my blogs on January 30th but I am endeavouring to keep all my CQJP2014 together....WHEN I can master adding badges to my side bars, all will be "cool" I was aware that I would be facing a steep (learning) curve as I attempt to improve my hand work proficiency after so long away from CQ, but I admit that I haven’t been as dedicated to the task as I should be.DSC02659 It has been so long since I have done any silk ribbon embroidery, and I find that I have needed to to dye some ribbons in order to work on the block, and of course that eroded my stitching time as I rediscovered my dyes Just before Christmas I invested in a set of SharonB’s plastic CQ templates! Such fun! Now I can have “balanced” shapes to stitch for my seam treatments. There are four pieces in the set, and the combinations are limited only by the stitcher’s imagination! These nifty aids will surely feature in all my blocks……and, hopefully I will get myself organised to include a photograph of the stencils in a later blogging.

As you can see from the photograph, there is a heck of a lot more work necessary on my January block….but IT WILL BE DONE! It’s such fun returning to SRE again! Perhaps I need re-think my strategy for the project and work at completing SIX instead of twelve blocks. Silly me…I have also committed to a Round Robin with the SouthernCrossCrazies, as well as participating in Round 19 SWAP with PostMark’dArt and I’m currently working on a “WHITE on WHITE” theme: Some cards are being worked in a CQ format and in others I have used Needle felted backgrounds. More about that,later!

Some naked blocks

Pictured below are blocks constructed in early November 2013in the hope I would have some stitching time whilst on a cruise around the North and South Islands of New Zealand. No prize for guessing that I didn't pack my sewing kit!

. Yesterday (January 6) I started stitching chain : Using one of Sharon B's plastic templates, I started with a simple chain stitch. However because it's still so hot here in south east Queensland my hands were far too sticky for hand work, so I didn't even complete the three inch seam. After big storms last night I'm hoping that we have cooler weather for a while and that more stitching will happen. By the way: over on KenmaursCorner is a few comments I blogged there in early December

CQJP 2014

After leaving this blog in Never Land for virtually six years, Kurli's Kottage is being re incarnated to allow me to blog my work on the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2014. My KenMaursCorner will still get the occasional blog update. Why this back flip? Well (hanging my head in embarrassment) I just don't seem able to successfully add the CQJP2014 "badge" to information already on this blog. And my dear friend Maureen Bond of CrazyQStitcher who has been instrumental in my returning to CQ is unable to help me include the badge on KenMaursCorner, so here goes nothing. For some time I have been uncomfortable in veering away from CQ and spending much time and money on Fabric and Fibre Postcards, and around Christmas, Australia Post made it easy to bite the bullet and walk away from making a swapping fabric postcards, by INCREASING postage rates by Au ninety-five cents per card! I may still make the odd card in the future, but no longer will I be making and posting as many cards as I used to.

Backyard visitors

Taken about half an hour ago. The Euodia tree (a rain forest native) is in full bloom, and the Rainbow Lorikeets and Honey eaters are enjoying the change in diet.
About 20 feet away is an African Tulip tree (Spathodea something or other) which they are now leaving for the Galahs and Corellas to feed upon.

Overdue update

 
 
 

How my garden has grown in three years!Taken from same spot as my posting back in January 2008!
At the far end of the garden is a mirror...which always gives new visitors a surprize to see themselves amongst the foliage.
And the reclining Buddha is on the back patio, for peace & serenity.
I can see him from the dining room as I compose this posting

Kurli's garden in January

So much has happened in my life in the past six months:
My darling husband lost his battle with Prostate cancer;my son and family have moved from Darwin to Rockhampton; and my daughter's marriage has disintegrated.
But Nature keeps rolling through the seasons and these are viwes (over the fence) of the surroundings of Kurlis Kottage in January.
The red blossom in the background are those of the south African Tulip tree (Spathodea "something"
The varying greens of foliage in the foreground is Poinciana "regis"??

This pink blossom...also in neighbour's back yard is Euoedia......a rain forest tree of far north Queensland.It does not tolerate frost easily,but being close to the coast,seems to thrive.

Latterly, a view of my back yard before my Rosella bushes went to "jungle mania mode"
Go visit http://kenmaurscorner.blogspot .com to see how crazy they grew.

Frustrated with Blogger

Okay! So now Blogger will let me blog at Kurliskottage...........

Will publish this and see if I can do the same at KenMaursCorner!