Welcome to Day 6 of the “It’s A Garden Party” row along!
Please excuse the pigeon. He says he’ll be with us in a moment.
Once a year Marian of Seams to be Sew hosts an amazing event – a huge row along where lots of designers come together on one project. This year we have each designed a garden themed block for you to collect – mix and match them into a project that you love!
If you follow along with this event, you will find lots of beautiful gardening blocks, flower blocks, garden produce blocks and fun critters to choose from – some of which you might even prefer on a quilt than in your actual garden! And there are prize draws too. Come join the party, try out your luck in the prize draws, and collect your free copy of my block pattern today: Garden Bath Joy.
Our winter officially started here yesterday. Although if you were here, you’d be forgiven for not noticing: 18C (64F) and sunny. Truly lovely weather during the day, although the nights are chilly now.
Arkaroola at the beginning of June
The desert knows it’s not summer anymore though. The Salvation Jane weeds (also known as Paterson’s Curse) are growing their incredibly perfect rosettes of teal leaves in the creek bed. Hate the weed, but got to admire that growth habit in our colour board! Also, another weed that has been insipidly hanging around for months has suddenly just acquired breathtaking colour. I give you the latest in desert decoration: the Ruby Dock.
I can’t help but admire the colours, the intricate patterns and the marvellous textures of these amazing plants, even if it would be better if they weren’t here.
The beautiful weather has been good for my own intricate patterns too. I’ve had a productive week ….. I’ve finished my secret sewing I mentioned last week, and submitted the draft pattern. I’m increasingly finding that paper-piecing is pretty addictive…. But no squirrels just yet. I am being good and I’m back to working on the Lunarcy. I have even finished tweaking the Year of the Dog block. Another big step closer to starting to release the pattern.
The little blue flower that started a neighbourhood dispute…..
Or was it the yellow butterfly? Or someone else entirely…..?
Watching the local pollinators compete, you would be forgiven for thinking that flowers are scarce in Arkaroola right now. Which, I think you probably get the idea: they are not. The cooler weather, plus the months elapsed since our big rain, has resulted in a bloom of both flowers and insects. Wanted and otherwise.
But apparently some flower locales are more desirable than other blooming addresses. Even within the best Cattle Bush Restaurants there appears to be premium tables where the best-dressed socialites wish to be seen hanging. The freshest nectar. The showiest location….. or perhaps just a good old fear of missing out? Whatever the reason, the competition out there for specific dining experiences is fierce right now. And, for a butterfly of quiet disposition, eating out is not quite as simple a task as you might expect!
Come sit in a dry Arkaroola creek bed with me and watch the locals fight it out for a feed. Not everyone was as yellow as these guys either. Size and brawn both still count for something when you want your own way, apparently.
After the cheap amusement, we can quickly detour past my sewing room, although most of what I’ve done there this week has to stay secret for a bit longer. No Lunarcy this week, something entirely different- my very first paper-pieced pattern! Ha, you didn’t see that coming, did you? Actually, that makes two of us.
And then join me to find out where some of the best hangouts on the quilt-net were this week. Warning: humble brag forecast this week is for a high chance of self-promotion. 😀
Welcome to our Forest Fairy Crafts book giveaway day!
Hiya! As promised last Sunday, I am back today to show you all the things my daughter and I made from Lenka Vodicka-Paredes and Asia Currie’s latest book, “Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons”. It is the sequel to Forest Fairy Crafts published in 2013.
Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons is a cute book that leads you far enough down the garden path to complete any of the projects as shown – but also leaves you plenty of scope to adapt them to your own crafting style. BYO personal tastes, substituted supplies and imaginations are highly encouraged. However, if you have misplaced your crafting mojo, there is also plenty to get started with in the book by simply following the instructions. And I reckon, that once you get started, your imagination will invite itself on over anyways! 😀
Today I’ll tell you how you can enter to win an e-copy of this book for yourself or your favourite fairy-lover. There are opportunities in this post, as well as on the rest of the blogs on the Forest Fairy Tour.
