My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Welcome to the New Year!

It feels a little late in the year for saying Happy New Year but here we are, 11 days into it and this is my first post - I hope your year has got off to a great start  
Ours is charging ahead at an amazing rate of speed... in these lazy hazy crazy days of summer we are thinking, talking and breathing weddings! In less than two weeks we will be celebrating the marriage of our YD.
— these are the only pre-wedding photos I will share for now —
There's been little time for sewing and making New Year's resolutions.... 
I have managed two little dresses —
Oops maybe this is another pre-wedding photo!
— and I found myself hemming 8 pairs of trousers for a neighbour who realised I'm a sewer and she doesn't have to put up with over long trousers any more....!
Chain sewing, using my rotary cutter and my clover clips all helped me get
through this totally un quilt related task!
As a bit of a sanity saver, I've used a quiet moment to sew up a couple of these blocks —
Sometimes a girl just has to sew quilty stuff.
In other quiet moments I've done a little thinking.....I've read and enjoyed many of your posts about resolutions and goals for the year, which of course got me thinking, what are mine...?
Many of you who know me well will know that I dive off in different directions with my sewing - I love exploring ideas and learning skills. So I'm not going to say I'm not starting anything new until my ufos are done and my flimsies are quilted.
You and I know that that. is. not. going. to. happen.
I will unashamedly take part in sewalongs, link ups and projects because being inspired by you all and socialising while I do it is what I love about blogland. I have discovered a whole new world and made awesome friendships while doing all this in the past so why stop now?!
HOWEVER there will be a goal or focus in mind when I sign up and join in - I do want to use my scraps (I am a hopeless scrap magnet; I can spot them at 20 metres), practise skills and move towards clearing out some ufos or flimsies.


An aside but related —
Last year I decided to take this thought of the Grinch's literally and challenged myself to put a little homemade love into all my giftgiving for 2014 birthdays. If you look *here* you'll see I came up with a variety of handmade goodies for various friends and family (Not everything shown on that page was a gift and there was baking and other non-sewn handmade gifts too).
While I really enjoyed making them all, by about October I ran out of steam and was feeling the pressure. I then realised this goal was at the expense of my other loves in my sewing and quiltmaking world.
                         ✄
Just before I sign off and get back to looking at wedding task lists, I want to share with you the beautiful day we are having today! This is the scene from The Palace window. I just love looking out and seeing what's happening in my world.
{The vege garden looks terribly overgrown - which it is, but not with weeds; I have tomato and cucumber plants having fun and games in there.}
It's now far too hot to be out there, I'm happily enjoying it from inside.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Thank you for visiting and happy creating,

36 comments:

  1. It sounds like you are gearing up for a great year. The weather looks heavenly.too.

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  2. What excitement, a wedding in 2 weeks. Hopefully the weather will stay great for you. The beach looks wonderful in your photos. You have certainly been a busy beaver and sounds like you are going to be this year as well Raewyn. Good luck.

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  3. The beach looks awesome Raewyn (and will be even better in two weeks with a wedding on it).....hope you had a good day with the dressmaker the other day....we did!! Just got home and catching up on cleaning and need to get in my garden but as you said way too hot. Talk soon xxxx

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  4. Raewyn best of luck with your wedding tasks - how exciting is that! Now I want to mention how jealous I am of your view from the Palace. Oh my, my the greens are so green and the scenery is marvelous. Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year to you! Xo

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  5. Good luck with the wedding preparations! I'm sure it is all very exciting and overwhelming. Best wishes for a wonderful new year!

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  6. Oh exciting a wedding very soon!!!! Love your view photos and beach photos...happy New Year to you and yours..hope the wedding goes super smoothly!! Love those blocks too!!

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  7. How exciting to have a wedding coming!
    I will happily watch you join in the SALs while I work hard to avoid them (other than a couple of my favorite doll quilt SALs, of course).
    Love that your tomato and cucumber plants have fun in the garden. : )

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  8. Best wishes for the wedding Raewyn. The venue looks amazing. I look forward to seeing your challenges this year.

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  9. A Happy New Year to you and yours...
    Oh maybe a beach wedding ?? now nice. there is often a wedding on the beach here...Have a wonderful time and look forward to photos...
    Sounds like you will be having a great year of stitching and fun.
    Love the view from your window....

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  10. Wishing you and yours every happiness in 2015

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  11. Dear Raewyn,
    all my best wishes for you and for your familiy in 2015. Making plans or making no plans, that´s the question. But you are right: the most wonderful thing is to come in contact with so many people and be inspired!!!!
    Have fun and enjoy the summer and the wedding :-)))
    Many hugs and until soon.
    sigisart

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  12. Best wishes for the wedding, enjoy all the planning and excitement. I don't make resolutions either, I prefer flexible guidelines!

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  13. Happy new year .,..the wedding is so close ..so kind or you to take up the pants

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  14. I wish you a happy and creative new year! And my best wishes for the nearby wedding! Exciting! I guess you will show the photo's, so we will enjoy them also.
    Happy quilting, Cisca

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  15. best wishes for the special day, you will be wishing for this magic weather! Good luck with your new years resolutions. Your garden looks great.

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  16. Happy New Year ......how wonderful to have a wedding to look forward to. Hope you're enjoying the pre wedding prep and goes well on the big day! Looking forward to seeing some pics of the big day :)

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  17. We are kindred spirits Raewyn because I too am a scrap magnet. They are all beautiful to me and sooner or later I will find a place for even the smallest and homeliest of scraps!

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  18. I hope the weather is not too hot for the wedding Raewyn!
    So true about reading the promises & declarations of bloggers as their new year begins - I've never made a promise to "not buy anything" or "to finish all of my ufo's"... wwwaaayyyy unrealistic!!

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  19. Happy New Year to you Raewyn. With a special wedding in the offing happiness is a given I reckon. Wishing your YD and her spouse to be the very best of days full of everlasting memories. Of course I wish that for you and the rest of your family too...:o) I've got one resolution this year... one I know I can keep. I'm going to go wild and throw myself into all the fun of new projects without a care if I ever finish them. Can you tell I'm going for reverse psychology here..... :o))) Have fun.......xxxx

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  20. Happy New Year Raewyn and looking forward to seeing your makes and scrap-tastic-ness! Hope you have a stunner of a day for the wedding and all goes without a hitch!

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  21. Hi Raewyn, your photos are all beautiful. I have been thinking you had the wedding coming up soon - wishing you all the very best for a magical day. Enjoy each moment as it will pass by so quickly. x0x

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  22. A wedding! An exciting and busy time! I hope the beautiful weather holds. A Happy New Year to you and yours!

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  23. What cute fussy cutting. My only goal is to see how little I can do and how many days can I stay in my pjs.....:))

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  24. AA wedding will be such fun and the dresses look amazing . Sweet blocks ! All the best for the wedding , I am sure it will be beautiful . Hugs Sheila

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  25. LOved your post Raewyn.....I'm the same.....its not going to happen here either!!! No matter how hard I try....and why should we? Thats how we grow as quilters, isn't it? Enjoy the wedding preps.....the day will be over before you know it.....tell your neighbour about the Picasso quote......you know the one about not asking Picasso to paint a house so don't ask a quilter to mend your clothes! LOL
    xox sugary hugs :o)

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  26. Must be pretty exciting with that wedding getting so close now! You are so nice taking on others alterations ~ I hate alterations AND any form of mending! I'm not much chop at dress making either! Hope it all goes swimmingly on the day and am looking forward to seeing the pics so we can view your creations! XO

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  27. I will accept a Happy New Year at anytime!
    You have lots going on in the next few weeks.. But hemming jeans would not have been on your radar.
    As for your sewing plans - just keep doing what you enjoy!!

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  28. How exciting! Here's to a joy filled day xx I don't make resolutions... too much pressure and too limiting to that spur of the moment decision that takes you in a new direction x

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  29. Happy New Year Raewyn! How exciting - your babies wedding.....love the venue - but hey, who couldn't love a Kiwi beach. I also have no resolutions......they just don't happen......but I have claimed ownership of a quote for the year....." It doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty - be grateful you have a glass and that there's something in it".....have an awesome 2015.....looking forward to lots of your amazing posts xx

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  30. Happy New Year dear Raewyn!
    Oh I love weddings - I can imagine the craziness at your house right now.
    I live by LISTS, I have them everywhere for everything imaginable!!!
    Very exciting for you.
    You haven't got time for dilly dallying and looking at blogs!!!!
    I'll be thinking of you and waiting to see your blog pop up in a couple of weeks with wedding photos!
    love
    Shane

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  31. It's so lovely to see your summer pictures. I'm such a warm weather girl, however, right now we are having fog and cold weather and I'm loving it!! Oh a wedding! Such work and such joy! And the nerves and stress that go along with it. It's all worth it!! Much happiness to the bride and groom.

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  32. Happy New Year to you too luv. Oh how exciting! A wedding! We keep dropping hints at Michael but he walks off with a look of disgust on his face lol. Been glorious down here too, gotta luv summer.

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  33. Hope you have great new year.
    Congrats on your daughter wedding coming soon.
    I love that tall conifer tree out near your garden.

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  34. Good luck with your wedding...it must be any time now. :)

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  35. What a gorgeous spot to spend a special day :) best wishes to all. Love your "plans" for 2015, similar to mine, 'do whatever I feel like' :) Hope you find a nice balance between sewing for your enjoyment and making gifts this year :)

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  36. Beautiful photos, hope your wedding prep is going well! Wishing you a wonderful 2015, your sewing plans sound great :)

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