Interesting

It is interesting to read about the way many Australian sewing / quilting/ stitching bloggers are meeting up.

Shez in her blog Enjoying Life is often taking to the road to meet up with her blog friends as they stitch & sew & shop their way through a weekend or 10 !

In yesterday's comments Maria is on a caravan trip from WA to Qld from what I quickly read on her blog...and she is meeting up with her blog friends in QLD

This is opening up a new world in our industry.....

the way of connecting...

Sewing circles when I began were much admired from what the Americans were doing in 1980's +

Now these sewing circles have broaden somewhat ...

where not always quilt shops being the destination for travellers of the quilting interests it is bloggers meeting each other & sharing. 

Who else is doing this ?

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Easily Distracted Today

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I have sat down with my cup of tea & these were the completed orders today...

Proof I have been working LOL

Aren't they just the happiest bunch ?

These pictures have been removed due to unofficial downloading 

 I did some off white socks again too

I love that contrast.

A small tree decked with the white ones & another with red.

Which now that says I need to get these into decoration mode also

 These had come off the web as I was doing something one day....& I forgot to pop them back on

The thread keepers, one is in stained only & the other has a red bird...

These are to stay on the blog ...no moving them elsewhere...thank you for respecting me as the designer....

 Now the packing is to go back tooooooooooooooooooooo............

I am about 85% packed into the removalist things & I am just dragging the chain.....

I figure if I get all that complete by this afternoon.

I have some days ahead to feel totally free.

Few phone calls or internet changing things but I reckon I could manage that....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Make use of my down time to think on what else I want to do in the business....

Marg Low designs & I were having a conversation on the phone late yesterday, just chewing things over....in business terms not our individual designs.

Think about life in general & write up some new directions & things I want to do....

That came about after an evening call where the values of life are brought into stronger focus....

So back to those boxes !  

Lavandula at Shepherds Flat

Yesterday morning I took to the road to arrive at one of my bliss spots, 

Lavandula Lavender Farm outside Hepburn Springs

The air had hints of spring...& I felt I could spare a few hours to visit with my camera one more time before I leave.

Gosh I was not disappointed, never am...it is a wonderful farm.

I spotted the geese in the lavender beds.....& the camera was at the ready.

Look at that leader of the gaggle, she strode out with courage after some checking me out for safe passing first.

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 Look at their faces 

Steeled strength.... apprehensive but determined ???

The roosters there were 3 of these chaps in their splendid colours,

mostly chasing the hens about...

I was in the car when I spotted the parrot on these twigs...

Twigs are some of my favourite things

The jonquils in this region are early risers for spring & driving in the country I see some in a field where an old farmhouse once was...

These were in the back garden in lavandula...

Beautiful.

I gather fodder for future work.....

this is part of my observing..

I get to watch the way an animal/ bird  or flower is formed.....

then from that base I draw into a more simple form

This observing & photographing forms as much of my work as the pencil does.

Lovely surprise today

This morning I was trying to sort stuff outside & being cheeky to my neighbour thru the fence  when the doorbell rang... so out the front to find the parcel postie ..who is  a really nice guy.  My neighbour comes out for a parcel too.

This was my parcel a surprise beautiful work from Martine in Switzerland !!!! 

Wow there we some goodies inside also.

Martine was one of those wonderful stitchers .....

I nipped into the PO & on into town to get some meat & gluten free bread rolls for lunch as a friend was due in around noon......

After lunch we stacked her wagon with baskets & baskets & stuff...
It was so wonderful we were both so pleased.
I have more direction now...
Rang the removalist & renegotiated a couple more cartons...even better !

Walked the lake ... mowed the lawn... it must be feeling like spring. !

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Chaos comes to mind !

I find things as I sift through samples, fabric , dismantle display boards etc

I had tossed santa to travel in a box where I just shoved the pillows... & each time I would put a toe in that room his red cheery coat & absolute sweetness would give me some sort of hope in that  down stage.

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 The days are now drawing in...

Yesterday was lunch with an old friend 

who introduced me to one of her granddaughters that she has known me since I was born because she is a year older.

I paused for a moment & thought that is true how amazing !

She will come to visit.....

 But I have to get there first !!!

I am so grateful for the cleaner who will follow me in once the goods are packed & gone....

and now I must do a newsletter & get into chaos this MORNING !!

My weekend paint time

These were laying on the table ready for the evening's work of packing into cello bags & other things

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  I love the variety 

when I take the time to stop & look at a day's work etc..

there are 

santas, quilt houses, snowmen, 

studio thread keepers, giraffes, gateaus, 

angels, flowers

 This is this morning's work to complete the invoicing on this job

Parcel up the others for posting

And ....off to the post office 

&

physio I am hoping.

Dusting things off

Now I'll put the pictures away LOL

They are packed up in a carton....

This was my very first profile in a magazine

Country ??? I cannot remember & it was my favourite of all magazines 

This was extremely exciting...

After the team arrived & I watched them styling the stuff I had .....photograph, chat...select the 2 project items

I waited 3 months before the magazine arrived ....

Then I was nervous...

Today being in this business for 19 years & 11 months...

it is always exciting...

but I have more of a handle on what it all means... 

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This was the wood painting project I did for the magazine.

These were tall wall hanging FREEDOM women !!!

They became brooches also a little later..

 In later editions of the same magazine I was often asked to contribute to the Corner Store segment in the magazine

Here were some more of my wall hanging ladies that also became brooches & some were actually modelled on cloth doll designs.

On the left was Mulberrry who was a cloth doll called Ozier Bank

Isabella, Bridie & Briony 

Briony was also a cloth doll made first in a lovely soft flannel print..  

Helena was a very popular brooch...as well as she is here as the wall hanging

In those days I did kits of the designs for people to paint.

 Still on the painting patterns I did this one a bit broader in the patterning.

This was the original scene that became a popular stitchery, there were wood pieces & of course simply cat was with me for many years, based on my lovely black cat Mishka,

Who was my constant companion in the garden & we did sometimes just walk & sometimes we talked... as one does with any cat....

This painting on a photo album was done by my dear friend Sue Cook who is a beautiful painter & now has exhibitions of different style of painting in Canberra...often another watercolour artist dear friend Nell Anderson will be exhibiting in the same venue at different times.

It will be so exciting to be able to attend their exhibitions again!!!

Then Sue Mc who is recovering from a big operation has promised a week where we 3 will go down to her beach house to paint....

Like stitching does today, painting draws us together too.

Packing uncovers things

I feel the chill of the morning in here today.....

It is odd here as often I look out the front & the road & field is fog laden,

come down to the back of the house & the hill behind & the fog isn't here.

Sit right on some weather path...

But soon, it will be changed....it will also be spring...when the blackbirds sing...

a couple of days ago I was in the cupboard, where folders are & I always inspect these because sometimes it's not for travelling.

I came across my profile folder of press stuff from past years.

and an old catalogue ....

I need to do this again with some press things... pop the pages here instead of the full magazine..

This was the very first magazine profile thing which was after our first booth at the Sydney Quilt show in 1996

Handmade magazine was a Packer magazine in those days & I was asked if the magazine could borrow the samples to photograph...

The one in the stripes was one of very first  designs from Theodora & Theodore cloth doll designs

The long skinny one was my favourite.....  

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This was some years later when Country Threads had recently launched & I was in their 2nd edition.

I had styled the displays in  my Canberra home & the people  arrived for the day....to photograph & talk &style where they needed to.

This was the little shift into a more primitive country look... all very exhilarating then.

 This was more in the magazine day from Country Threads.

I can see that Fiona from Cinnamon Country store was about from home  then as i have that gorgeous burgundy tin lamp that she had in her shop... which in another era I got to work in in Melbourne when I had moved there & she had opened her shop in Glen Iris

A Little French today

Late last week my copy of Quilt Country came from Edi-Saxe magazines in France

with more of the SECRET GARDEN QUILT that Marie-Claude & I have participated in.

&

The Felt egg cup covers with buttons little design is looking very happy in the magazine also.

This is a French publication...you would need to translate...but believe me the pictures are wonderful

Cheri.... USA is featured in this one. 

She was a folk art painter who did cute people & things when I was full into the stuff...then she did some quilts in that gorgeous country style & they still are some of the best interesting designs...

She had fabric & it was names after her business

CUTE as A BUTTON

Now she does more divine quilts

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 Here are the Egg Cups

***

Fast & simple designs & make for a happy start to the breakfast table

 More of the Secret Garden

 Nadine from France sent this overnight of one of the 

SECRET GARDEN DESIGNS I did for the Quilt Country magazine.

She has chosen colours for the stitching... 

the magazine sample was in redwork 

& 

remember Nicole also from France had sent me a bag using this same design in redwork.

Nadine stitched my French Houses stitchery series The Country Cottage
This design was honouring Marie-Claude's mouse catching cat Mouchette.... in the spring garden

I always feel very fortunate to see my designs worked by the hands of others with their creative input to colours & little variations.

Some very fine stitchers also !!!

Trip to Melbourne

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 Monday I had some appointments in the city so drive to Melbourne...

mostly in the rain....how odd of late LOL.

met some friends 

& 

Stayed at anothers 

 & 

ate out for dinner & lunch.

Lots of chatter & catch ups...

I also had a lovely 2 hours in Camberwell, absorbing the new fashions appearing in the stores

wandering in Kikki with all the chill out things I love to do...

They have some magic classes on Vision boards, mindfulness etc...which i plan to do once I have relocated....

On my way home I went to visit Doreen at Stitch'n'Patch in Lilydale

& 

see how her samples of my stitchery  designs were was shaping up.

This is from the 

SWEET COMPANY RANGE

there are 9 gorgeous stitching designs in this pack for $18 + postage from me or call into the shop in Lilydale & be inspired ....by the samples & fabric & threads& you will find the patterns & bucket loads of my buttons in there..

I just loved  the designed stitched in blue & light mustard... great combination 

I took my samples along to show....

&

Doreen had done this stitchery of the French Houses series

French Cat in Window

Barb who stitched my sample was given DMC221 thread to work in 

& 

Doreen had a brighter red & on a different fabric texture..

She elaborated the flower stitchings to a buttonhole stitch 

so it gives such a different look to the same design

I love them both 

Rabbit in Le Jardin...

Stitchery from the Along the Garden Path collection of designs

Yes, this rabbit...he had to make a show of himself in amongst Doreen's flowers

He had been to Nicole's in France for my sample stitching & eaten all her lettuces 

&

Now happy as ???

In brighter colours on a white white linen type thread

in 

Stitch'n'Patch sample

I could not resist taking this photo of the designs featured in my very first book in 199???

Simple Stitchings

Doreen has stitched these in redwork & still has some of the screen printed designs as you see here in her shop.

I did the screen prints some years after the book was sold out.
Fabulous little stitchery to work into many projects....
*****

Tomorrow I have the next French Magazine features to show & tell
***

Must go move some boxes about...

twirl around  a few times

&

panic maybe

on the Move....like some migratory bird

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I will be moving to Canberra shortly...

It is like for me to return home as I spent most of my adult life there.

So that means that orders won't be process for some time.......

So order now.

!!!

LOL

I added more of the Button tags

More ...more ..more to add .

I had the best time preparing these tags....

Why had I not done this sooner ????
thanks Jules for your comments on the last batches...!

I went back to the tags in the afternoon as the first batch were selling fast...

it is totally what I love to do...

make picture stories

Be it that rabbit pushing the barrow in the first tag...

or the deer head with holly under it's head...stitched into a small little circle ..

the red bird can be for another little something...

So it goes on

Maybe this is something I should do always...

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Tag Buttons

 BUTTONS

are on 

a NEW SEGMENT 

on the website under 

BUTTONS

aptly called 

BUTTON TAGS $10

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 each tag is different 

& 

I may or may not repeat the same lot of buttons again on one tag

But they are looking gorgeous !!!

Great bargains also at $10 & one will post at $1.50 AUD or $2.75 Overseas.

The post will add on if ordering more because of the weight.

I can do them in parcels of single tag...

As some of you may recognise I have retired stock & current stock in the tags..

It all began .......as I painted in that box from last week...

This morning I needed some cheering up & sat looking at these buttons on the trays...

Soon I was happily taping the stories onto these tags

Cheered me up a lot  !!!

These ones do come exactly on the tags  so my added drawing here & there will be on that as you see them...each is numbered ...

( how I keep track of them LOL )

UPSIZING & we have specials

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These guys will be selling at a special price  for a limited time

I have upsized these from 6cm ( ones on special)

to 7cm....

These are really sweet designs...which I always enjoy painting.

Later today I will have them on the website Special box under Buttons.

Postage for one or 2 of these would be $1.50 AU & $2.75 overseas 

I need to weigh them to check the entire 3 some cost for postage.

WINTER SNOWMAN

I LOVE YOU SANTA

TAKE ME WITH YOU SANTA

are the names of these designs

A Box

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This is a story I composed on a mache box today...

I really enjoy doing this style of thing every so often...

So quick to have results.

I hope this weekend to load up the 

next batch of SPECIALS

Wonder what they will be ????

Spoilt !

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Absolutely spoilt & thrilled as in the post when I arrived home the other day was a parcel from Val.

Val stitched 2 of the stitcheries in the French House series & Along the Garden Path

*****

This is one of my early designs as I ventured into my love of French things....

BONJOUR

I recall I was living in Cohuna then trying to articulate my sense of what French meant to me in a style......

I did a French Frolic lady in applique small quilt around this time also & then did my ladies in 

A Day in Paris stitched & then later some heads in the wood brooches & buttons..

Had quite an affair with France...

****

I always see the overall picture first & I did note the stitchery was worked in variegated threads.... how lovely it is..

Then as I had the camera focused on the work I noted how divine the flowers on the window sill were...

I also realised these are part of what I do in painting as well as stitching designs.

Val has done a most magic stitching with the flowers 

I have personally thanked Val but I thank her again by sharing this with us all !!!!

*****

This is what I say in my latest rounds of illustrations for stitching....

Use the whole design layout, but also pick out small pieces for smaller projects 

or 

for adding to that quilt you are thinking about... 

the main feature is the entire design & then pick as in this case the window frame & flowers ... 

the bird parked up on some pole with a nest 

& 

repeat  a few of these as smaller motifs for the quilt.... these also can contribute to borders...

It is using the designs to their fullest....

***

It is not redesigning to own it though...the copyright holds those images.

In these cases of wanting to use designs from any designer & that includes fabric motifs & scrapbook & stamps etc to make your own patterns

you need to apply usually for a licencing agreement to use the designs in your designs.. 

These agreements are of set years & often set uses..

But it is not applying to being creative, making things from the designs for yourself, gifts & for small non commercial activities with always who ever that designer is there is an acknowledgement of the designer  as it contributes to the work for each of us.

r 

Zac & Basil

Yesterday I drove out of town back "home" for a visit.

It has been a while since I had been back...

This is always a bonus as I drive into a small spot before I reach my hometown.

Zac the donkey & Basil the sheep are still there...

The Basil is a bit of the PR type..meets & greets & then as I spoke to Zac as he came to the fence, Basil retires into the background.....

It has been a cold winter & Zac is showing a bit of age but a delight.

On the verge of spring & with much rain this winter, the flat fields on the drive out are looking at their best.

Green..... soft.

I caught up with my friends, saw a few changes in town, popped to see my parent's graves & then time to leave....it is a lonely drive in the plains but yesterday it felt quick.

Today it is raining early & I have some work to keep my focus.....

away from the dull chill of what is winter ....

Simple Stitchings

My in box this morning has a note from a customer in the UK who had ordered & was reordering..

& 

she told me that she had had the 

Woodcutter's Daughter 

Simply Stitchings 

for years 

& 

had just come back to stitching after years of knitting & crocheting & 

had found my work again...

under Theodora Cleave....

I was clearing some shelving last week & I came across both small books 

Simple Stitchings 

( my first book in 2000 )

&

Simply Bliss 

a year or 2 later

& 

was wondering if I could bore you all senseless with the book looks again...

well I am LOL but sharing a lovely little tid bit to go with it all

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Simply Bliss

Last night I was stitching the border around another little garden scene I called

Sweet Melody

I stitch in a slightly different way than many & I love the look...

all bobbly & soft before I press it ...

I love always stitching with wool wadding at the back of my work...

So I am not that perfect look of today 

&

funny I was thinking about that last night.

Its my unique way in that I guess...

adapting to one's abilities not trying to squeeze myself into something I am not.

Taken a long while from 2000 to 2015 to get stitching designing again...

well that is not so true as I was always drawing & making stories ....

now I love doing the illustrations for you to stitch & make into all sorts of things ....

Simple Stitchings went to be a quilt as did Simply Bliss..no I don't have those samples anymore...

That is the other story...

Santas.. limited stock

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copyright Barbara Smith

Yesterday as I was doing angels stock for the specials...

I was distracted in the box of "retired" stock...

In the box that seems to follow me about I found lots of SANTAs....

Form maybe 2 Christmas' ago now since I have had them in the collection.

I might bring a couple back...

Any how ...for the moment I have painted up the santas & put them on the website..

Some available are only one

 Ho Ho HO Button

 T'is The Season Santa decoration Large

& 

below  2 small ones 

of 

T'is The Season Santa

The large one I think from memory Marg Low Designs used that in one of her Christmas decorations a few years back... 

This one is a postage stamp look about 6cm

Very sweet

 Santa & Snowman in oval was popular but a trick to paint in bulk orders... there is a tiny gap of red beside the snowman which is extremely tight to paint...

What I would call a poor design for painting LOL

But rather gorgeous & this is the only one.

I have some more to add, not many & some tiny tiny bags of flowers which are so cute & will probably be sold as one set of 5

&

Some 7cm Theodora Angels which I painted in aqua, red, white & mustard 

They are rather fun.

****

I looked at Warp & Weft's blog update today & see French General are doing a workshop with another designer...so had a quick look & I found Mary Engelbreit

 & 

she has a 

COLOURING IN BOOK out

I love her magazine Home Companion which is not published now ....

Angel SpECIALS

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The ANGELS are on Special until Monday night ( tomorrow the 3/8/2015)

on 

www.theodoracleave.com

The BIG decoration angel is reduced to $10 from $15

They are all together in Button category & easy to find under SPECIALs

This angel is also in the special box....one only

progress of sorts

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It was such a perfect sunshine day on Friday 

& 

now we are sodden with rain, but the nice sort of day where you just snuggle indoors.

I made the most of the sunshine yesterday..

Last evening I quickly anchored the giraffe's in with a running stitch border.... 

yes I do own rulers... but I am not a detailed perfectionist style....

I did worry over this in the early days of design.....

but it is totally me you get LOL

I am kind of loving these giraffes

On a Sunny Day is now completed from the 

Sweet Company Patterns

The cat is now in black & the words are also in black...needs the iron on it & you know I did a tidy up yesterday & that was put away !!!

This is  a snip look at another of the On the Page series

ANGEL SAMPLER

I have had it drawn in biro for a while....was out in a waiting place somewhere when I drew it & tossed it on the design table to get into proper white paper....

It is a series of my angel drawings....related to the buttons & some brooches also I have done in the past...I note things as I retrace the images.....

I have posted it on the web but I need to fiddle with the resizing picture a bit more.... but you can see it all...

Right now some friends sure need angels to watch over them 

& 

keep them grounded here with us....

so I got them all gathered about

I always like angels looking out for us....

Everyday Angel has it's name in the buttons & decorations for just that reason.

Oh which reminds me....

I will be doing a special on the HUGE EVERYDAY ANGEL decoration in a short while 

( when I get myself organised for that )

I have some extras which came by as they sometimes do..so will share this special lot with you.

I will do a NEWSLETTER to let you know... ( so join up if you need to know fast or check the web) 

The angels stitched can also be happy playing a Christmas role too...

Or make as a sampler ..as illustrated ...or take one angel to use in a small project....etc....add a little angel button from the collection I have too...

I see your minds starting to buzz with ideas already

PS See www.vanessaarbuthnott.co.uk/blog/ 

the new shop opening & tour  & the words as she takes you along the viewing of this divine shop

Just is  lovely place to visit....