The stash hunt was successful!

As you can see below, the diagonal striped fabric was found! The spotted fabric was also found, but not in my stash - it was purchased in a local shop. The stash has enough tone-on-tone fabrics for the stars so, with a bit of luck, I shouldn't need to buy anything more until it's time for the backing.

This is the beautiful gardenia given to me when I left Sydney - has it really been more than eight months ago now? My lovely friend Liz of the beautiful voice bought it on behalf of the folk club. It has grown really well and recently started to flower.
Of course the flowers start off white but I didn't take the pic at the right time.....you can see a shy white bud hiding in the foliage.......however, I love the creamy colour of the flowers after they have been out in bloom for a couple of days. This was taken on a rainy day.
The Dresden Plate block I mentioned in the last post. Life is too short to be dull, isn't it?
At present I am working on a small hanging that was a kit bought on our visit to Canada - was it really so long ago? - in October, 2009. It's foundation-pieced with an autumn scene, and three small blocks underneath. Heavens, isn't foundation piecing fiddly? I haven't done any for some time and now I know why. Probably won't do any more for a long time to come either. But it does make working with tiny pieces easier; the three small blocks are only three inches square, and some of the pieces in them are weeny indeed. There is a bird feeder - which will have a very small cardinal appliqued on it - a maple leaf of course, and a basket of apples. It should look good when done, if the fiddles don't get me first.

One of the green frogs visited last night, Bianca The Beautiful (but slightly brainless) white cat was agitated by something outside the back door - turned out to be a frog hopping around.

Things are changing in our town because The Festival is coming. Each January this town holds a very large country music festival with concerts, awards and all sorts of stuff. Normal population is about 50,000 and it more than doubles for half of January, isn't that a scary thought? We knew about it of course, but it didn't stop us moving here. Despite having grown up here and moving away as a sweet young thing I have never been to The Festival, it was started after I left. Not sure if we are looking forward to it or dreading it....probably a little of each, if I'm honest. We are looking forward to a series of concerts run by a musician we know from attending folk festivals for several years, but everything else will be new to us. Reaction from locals varies from enjoyment, to tolerance, to dislike, to absolute vitriolic hatred.

At The Festival I believe there is an inordinate amount of line dancing, boot scooting or whatever it's called......scary. Line dancers never look as though they are enjoying themselves, do they? They remind me of free-range chooks pecking round a farmyard. Having seen some in action all I can say is that ladies of A Certain Age should not wear tight (to the point of pain) jeans or satin shirts with fringing. Satin is a very unkind fabric.......

"Evening dress for ladies.

Evening dress for ladies may be as rich, elegant and gay as one chooses to make it. It is everywhere the custom to wear full evening dress in brilliant evening assemblages. It may be cut either high or low at the neck, yet no lady should wear her dress so low as to make it quite noticeable or a special subject of remark. Evening dress is what is commonly known as "full dress", and will serve for a large evening party, ball or dinner. No directions will be laid down with reference to it, as fashion devises how it is to be made and what material used."

Now I am going to fiddle some more with tiny pieces of fabric. However should I still be sewing when evening arrives, I shall make sure I am correctly attired. The daggy shorts and tee currently adorning my person may not be suitable.

Enjoy your days!