Playing with Paint!

Back in March, I stumbled across a free watercolour 

tutorial by Anna Mason.

(I think I've shared some of these before....sorry!)

Her Youtube channel "Nature Studio" can be found here

These videos are just a taster of her style and method. 

The full tutorials can go for three or four hours.

I am slowly building up a supply of quality paints, 

brushes and paper.

They really do make a difference to the experience and 

the finished painting.

I want to try this Viola again now that I have some new 

tubes of 'professional' paints.

It is a very supportive community. 

You can post your pictures and get constructive 

feedback on your work!

I'm loving the slow pace and relaxed delivery of 

these tutorials so there are more paintings to come.

After the first session....

And finished the next day.

But I'm still sewing....

I have some slow stitching to share soon!

Happy days,

SUZ

 

My first quilt finish for 2023

 Quilt production has been slow this year. 

Besides making clothes 

I've been renewing my love for watercolour!

But I do have a quilt to share today.

I kept the quilting simple, straight lines 2" apart

I used one of my trusty Aurifil threads in a pretty 

lemon colour.

I love the backing, a length I bought last year from an 

Instagram destash.

It's an Art Gallery Fabric by Bari J called "Wild Bloom"

I could easily have this side showing!

I persuaded the quilt-holding husband to accompany 

me to the Carisbrook Jail..... 

for some photos of "Carisbrook Cabin".

It is bound in a black and white check- bold but I 

think it reflects the squares of the log cabin.

The batting was the last of a roll I bought at Spotlight 

in 2021 for $60.

I've made 7 quilts from the roll, with about a 40inch 

square left! 

That's economical, don't you think?

The jail is a pretty grim place without the rainbow 

colours of a quilt to brighten it up!

Quilt #1- 2023

No. 147 Lifetime quilts

Happy days!

SUZ

A Roadtrip

Mr PnP and I just returned from a little 

Easter/Autumn road trip!

Firstly, the Marimekko exhibition in Bendigo...

a beautiful art show in Castlemaine...

The Silo Art Trail has long been on my 'must-do' list!

 What an achievement!

And it's bringing some much-needed tourism back to 

country Victoria.

We then spent three glorious days in Glenelg....

walking the Esplanade each morning!

And along the Torrens river too...

Finally, we did some cycling in the Clare Valley...

with some wine tasting in between!

There was one last silo in Coonalpyn, South 

Australia....

For more information go here, or here.

I did sew while being a passenger or in the 

evenings...

and have six of these appliqued to the background 

squares.

And of course, it's important to have a little souvenir 

for my own future quilt....

I'd never seen "Frou Frou" fabrics in real life before!

I'm itching to get back in my sewing room,

with plenty of ideas brewing!

Happy days!

SUZ

"Light, End, Tunnel"- Four-in-Art Reveal

This is my final contribution to the "Four-in-Art" 

project. 

(I am going to pursue other activities next year.) 

      Firstly I played around with my blue 2.5" scrappy                

                                squares....

to get a graduation of colour from light to dark,

with a spot of yellow in the centre.

One way of looking at it.....

I based my piece on the concept of 'feeling low, 

down or depressed'.

I have a personal experience with a loved one 

having depression and this is my tribute to them...

where sometimes things just go round and round in 

their troubled minds.....

and there doesn't seem to be a way out,

where life seems frayed around the edges.

 I chose to leave it unbound, as life it often ragged 

nor contained or tidy.

And the title?

Well, where there's light there's hope.

I guess it's my way of saying,

"Don't sweat the small stuff."

Check out the others in this group- their work is 

awesome:

Betty
Camilia
Catherine
Elizabeth
Janine
Nancy
Rachel
Simone


Happy days!

SUZ

Looking Forward.....

to making August's Chuck Nohara blocks,

Mary's sample

 my Spelling Bee block for Mary,

and Four-in-Art mini,

with the theme of 

"I've got the blues"

which has me dreaming of this....

and of finishing this!

I'm guessing there is plenty of winter still left to get 

some wear from it!

Happy days!

SUZ

Purple Passion

- the theme for August's Four-In-Art reveal.

I don't shy away from purple...

this is one of my calendar minis I made from some 

polaroid blocks back in 2014.

 My passion, of course is patchwork so that was 

where I started.

See that green and red heart up there?

While doing a clean up at the time,

 I came across an old patchwork book (above) and 

the inside cover caught my eye!

So I sketched, planned and raided my stash of 

purple fabrics!

I have included all the fabrics and quilt 

blocks

I'm passionate about!

Bear's Paw and Dresden Plate,

Tula Pink and spots.

I played around with its placement on the hombre 

background...

I love how the basic block turned out,

in the shape of a heart,

and tentatively began quilting it.

I purchased some silk thread at 

the Quilt and Craft Fair, 

hoping things would go to plan!

(In fact, I rarely have a plan.)

I decided it needed some hand quilting...

Isn't everything better with hand quilting?

So now it's finished!

I do feel passionate about it!

Thanks for a great theme, Betty!

A horrid winter's day photo

Please stop by the rest of the group and 

see their interpretation of this fabulous theme.

Camilla

Catherine

Elizabeth

Janine

Nancy

Rachel

Simone

Happy sewing!

SUZ