'Welcome' Quilt for Rileigh

Finally, with the assistance of the GIMP class I am doing with Sharon b http://inaminuteago.com/, I have a photo of Rileigh's quilt. I made this after she was born on the 28th July, and sent it to Coolengata with my sister when she went from NZ to meet her latest granddaughter.

I also have to say the GIMP classes are going very slowly, but I am getting a lot of extra things done. Like downloading all the photos from my camera (about time too), and trying to organise them. *Sigh* what a mission that is. It's even more of a mission to try to find them again - just when you thought you had it planned very logically.

It was wonderful to actually be able to 'straighten' this quilt. Thanks Sharon.

Have a good week everyone. Another quilt photo coming soon.

50% off all necklaces.

August Birthday Sale.

To celebrate August birthdays, all necklaces are half price until the end of August 2010 when purchased on my website

http://www.helenhoriginals.co.nz/.

Be quick! They won't last long at these prices

Excludes Art Silver.

Only while stocks last.

Biannual Embroiderer's conference.

The Embroiderer's conference in Hamilton was great. The weather turned on blue skies (with freezing mornings) but that was so much better than if we had rain.
I learnt some interesting surface textures from Yanny Splitz. Jo Powell from www.creativecraftsupplies.co.nz showed us how to use paintstix, paint, irons and heat guns on various media - from brown paper to lutrador and tyvec. Lots of ideas there. I wonder where they will end up in my work. And finally a class by Anne Jolly who showed us how to incorporate all those little bits and pieces that you can't possibly throw away into a delicate 'fabric' that can be used on bags, journals or molded into a bowl or vase. I have an interesting 'fish bowl' in progress.
And the weekend after Hamilton I was at a 4 day quilting retreat. Awesome. Someone else to do all the cooking and we just had to sew and eat!! More about that in the next post - with photos.

Exhibitions coming up in Hamilton

If you want to see embroidery at its best, The Power of Stitch is on in Hamilton from 10 - 15 July at Waikato Diocesan School, Rever Road 9 am to 5 pm daily except sunday which is 4.00 pm close. Thursday 15 July is 12 Noon close.

Arts Post art gallery at 120 Victoria St has another exhibition running from 1 July to 3 August - opening times 10 to 4.30 daily. I have this piece called Lake Hawea in the Arts Post exhibition.

These exhibitions are run by the Waikato and NZ Embroideres' Guilds as the bi-annual Symposium.

Wright's Fabrics from Morinsville will be at the merchants mall at Albans Church Hall, Comries Road, Chartwell during the symposim.

I will be taking 3 classes over 4 days next week, so I will be happy but exhausted by Friday.

Talk to you next week.

Keep stitching.

It's not just about me.

I promised you some photos of Alison's pottery, so here they are. Check out the link (click on the heading) to find out about the exhibition in Taupo opening Friday 30th July 2010. At the exhibition you will see some of Alison's pottery houses. Those on exhibition are houses from 'around the world' while the ones in her garden look like a shanty town and are so full of character.

If you want to know more about her retreats, please ask.

Not as easy as I thought.

I have so many ideas of things to say, but keep running out of time. Anyone figured out how to add about 8 more useful hours to the day? I'm sure there is a market for it.
I completed my 'one hour' bag today. It will be a beginners class using 2 fat quarters and 2.5 metres of bias binding. And then there will be the option of the 'add-ons' for the more experienced sewers. So keep watching. It will be here sometime soon.
Looking forward to seeing the quilt show 'TOWRAGS' in Wellington on Sunday. Hopefully I will be able to give you a review on Monday! That would be a surprise.

My First Post

This is a steep learning curve. Here I sit, the winter sun streaming in, and I have been working on this blog and Twitter for nearly 2 hours. Hopefully it will get easier as I practise more. Surely making brooches with felt, organza and beads comes much more easily.

This lovely brooch in blue-greens measures about 7 cm across (nearly 3 inches for those Americans out there). It has a small kilt pin rather than a brooch pin as it is to be worn on a felt jacket as a clasp. I have made it as an order. You can order one too, just send me a note.

I have also been making more of my most popular items, hematite rings with beautiful shiny beads inside. This is a 45cm (18 inch) necklace with 5cm (2 in) extender chain and is available at www.helenhoriginals.co.nz. I sell a lot of stretchy bracelets of the same design.

Now that this is done, (I hope) I will be off to the gym and then on with some bag making.

I do love working from home. :)