WILLOW VALLEY STORE

Paragon. Lilac.

Check out what my MIL found for me for Christmas...

a gorgeous milk/cream jug and sugar bowl. Adorable shape and design huh!

It is sssoo sweet - isnt she way too good to me!

The label had us all intrigued. It reads

Paragon. By Appointment. H.M.Queen's H.M. Queen Mary. Fine China. England. Reg'd Lilac (serial no.)

so I googled it and found these links which I found interesting reading and some lovely pics to enjoy too of more china from this era...

Wiki

Classy Option

Xo Catherine - who loves it when family members find awesome treats for me at second hand shops!!!!!!!!

PS I really love sketching flowers and whimsical "weeds" in vintage containers....

here is Serendipity....

 

Laundry Days

Thought I'd share a few random pics from around my laundry...

this advertisement from the 1940's found in an old French magazine...lives next to my more modern Fisher and Paykel washer.

heres the translation (thanks Babelfish ;-)

la machine a laver (the washing machine)

Mors (thats the brand name)

lave (wash) rince (rinse) essore (dry) le linge (the linen)

chauffe (heat) rechauffe (reheat)  l'eau de lessive (something about water and detergent??)

So nice to go into my laundry and admire the many heavy old irons, wash board, velvet soap, Rickets blue -  and not have to deal with any of it. Tip in the powder touch the buttons and walk away.

Good ol' Fisher has been doing our wash for 12 years. Hubby has had to fix its circuit board twice but apart from that - easy wash days for me....

Bit harder for this gal - thats why she has some garden friends to make her day ;-)

thats my Cora from Monday is Washing Day...

here is an unusual pic that I salvaged from a calender....a teapot iron ...odd huh?

Gotta go and hang some clothes in the sunshine....

xo Catherine

Alowyn Garden. Yarra Glen

Enjoyed a wonderful Sunday morning @ Alowyn Gardens Yarra Glen with Robyn....

inspiration at every turn!

Lots of vistas and surprises to delight as you wander the grounds. You can't help but feel like Alice in Wonderland in the huge Parterre Garden.

 

I smiled as I was dwarfed by towering sunflowers.

  

The edible garden , the birch forest, sunken rose garden, gourd maze - were all favourite places

Great cafe in the courtyard too...

so much fun to explore not quite knowing what you were going to find around the next corner as you meander the 4 acres.

Totally loved it. The garden has been planned to change with the seasons so I am thinking that a minimum of 4 visits is required each year :-)  Visit Alowyn

xo Catherine

Apple cores and Clam shells

That sounds like an unusual recipe? But not when they are paper and fabric ;-)

Paper piecing is great fun.

Its a bit full circle for me. I started on a paper pieced hexagon quilt as my first project about 20 years ago. It was made with Laura Ashley fabrics. ( a UFO that I parted with a long time ago and kinda wish I hadn't).

I have done a few lately with hexies of various sizes - but the curved shapes I have avoided.

So - Two things I would like to accomplish this year - mastering apple cores and clamshells.

Here is my first play with apple cores...

I stitched this while holidaying at the farm. It went together really easily and very very accurately. All those intersections meet up so perfect - happy! The clever thing about this one is that the seams interlock so it is easy to sew and sits flat.

I will complete as a table runner. Machine quilt it myself in the ditch. Good project to practice wavey binding on too - havent done that apart from rounded corners.

And here is my first play with clamshells. I did 40 of these last night. They go together fast and easy too. Just have to start the hand applique now  (currently glue basted)

The templates that I used were Sue Daleys Patchwork with Busyfingers - love them!

I like little projects where I can try a new skill - finish it - and then try something else. Thats whats good about Dear Jane too.

More stuff on the accomplish it list for 2012  - master PERFECT needleturn applique circles, and master REVERSED needleturn applique.....

xo Cath

Vintage books...

You never know what turns up when you holiday in Victoria's birth place....there's so much history and so many wonderful vintagey collectables to enjoy...

I had a wonderful afternoon admiring these and many many more.....

 

these horsey books are great. They always have the same theme. Do you know it?

Shell May I thought of you when I found this one....

Some have very dear dedications and dates in the front of them.

just adored these sweet children playing in the woods with bunnies, squirrels, butterflies, daisies, toadstools and birdies

children sure did have short shorts and dresses then...

and they all happily drank plain milk with mommy

xo Catherine

think l want one....

of these...

gosh you can't deny its really beautiful esthetically...

I already have 3 sewing machines (incl 2 old Singers retired) and did think a Sweet Sixteen would be my next purchase for its quilting benefits? I am not so sure that this new Singer will do anything I can't already do on my Q ed Brother that I love.....its just that I am really taken by the look of it. Its a superb blend of vintage and modern.

Has anyone test driven this little black beauty???

xo Cath

Home from the coast....

We had a lovely time away....here are some holiday pics. Sorry about the photo quality of some - taken via mobile ph. Its skinny and fits in my pocket easy ;-)

Beach combing and rock pooling @ secluded White's Beach.

this rock pool was total toe spa!

White's Beach is rough and dangerous. Undertows and a steep beach.

Every day we went to a beach....

Bridegwater has been my favourite for 24 years! This one is safe and perfect for boogie boards so ours kids love it.

The best surprise was that Brian had organized a local riding school to float a horse each for Jordan and myself down to Bridgewater beach - so we could have a private ride with our instructor to Shelley Beach and back (approx hour and a half!) Here is me on Charlie - we had a fantastic ride! We splashed in the waves, trotted and cantered and the weather was perfect!

I will be back soon to show you the close up quilting of my By the Sea quilt featured in Dec Homespun - by Belinda Betts - its AMAZING!

I also have lots and lots of vintage goodies to show you too -china, linen and paper (books)

and a little bit of stitching -  I have been playing with Sue Daleys apple cores - curved piecing - FUN . Now to conquer clamshells. Thanks to great PDF tutorial on Karen Martins blog for getting me started!

xo Cath

Christmas Cards....

This years Christmas Card theme is inspired by genuine vintage sheet music, old advertisements, sepia photos....

I grabbed these great A5 pads from Kaisercraft that have a nice edge and a fold - ready to be instant cards. You get 4 designs and 20 in a pack for under $5. So for $10 I can make 40 cards - (by then I will be tired of making them so I think thats a good number!)

Then you'll need stuff like this....decorative edge scissors (mine are real cheapies $2 each they work fine) , punch, crimper (very optional) glue stick is handy for adhering stars....but the best investment that is ESSENTIAL is the double sided tape. It allows your cards to sit flat when they are embellished. If you are gonna glue all your bits on with glue (even a thin layer ) your card will buckle. It is also MUCH less messy and means that little folk can help you ;-) I have found them to be repositionable too - if you are careful...

I have made 30 cards and my roll of tape looks about the same size as when I bought it - so it sure goes a long way - cost was about $3...looks like I will have plenty for next year.

vintage sheet music (cost zero - donated by friends/family earlier in the year) , few sheets of decorative paper 12"x12" that I have a stock of already - so all I did was add another 6 at $1 each for 12 x 12 they are good value.

Cut them up into squares, strips, rectangles, Christmas tree shapes, some I just rip into random shapes -  ready for layering.....

and create your one off designs....

I found the genuine vintage bits I had really complimented the new stuff well!

They might look smallish here like note cards - but they aren't really! The finished size is A6.

and some more....

don't forget to add some bits to the inside too....

I guess you could add glitter and brads and all that other scrapbooky stuff - but I am not into that...

This morning I spent almost 2 hours looking for 3 more cards that I KNEW I had made and couldn't find. Then remembered I had given them away already. I surprise myself with my stupidity sometimes...

I am loving these!!!!!!!!!!!

Julz made them for me for Christmas!!!! Dont you just LOVE THEM! The flowers are made from vintage music sheets and the stems are old knitting needles. Thanks Julz!!!

xo Cath

Facebook

I have resisted this for AGES - arguing I sure dont have the time....

I feel bad when friends want to 'like' me and invite me to see what they are up to - and I have to send an email explaining - dont take it personal - I dont do facebook. Its not you - its ME!

OK bowed to pressure. I am missing my SA buddies too much!!!!

Joined just tonight. Still working out how to 'do stuff' so bear with me. You will find me under Cathy Baynes.

xo Cath

By The Sea. Quilt. Homespun 2011. The Summertime Issue.

By The Sea is finished - and the pattern is available for you to enjoy too!

Its featured in this months Homespun - The Summertime Issue

I have had a few emails about this one over the last few months - as I've shared sneaky peaks for a while....so hurray - there you go I completed what I set out to do ;-)  at least on this occasion!

Being accepted into Homespun with this project earlier in the year was a sudden and unexpected turn of events - and I am so thrilled with actually seeing it now right there in the pages!!!!!! WOW!!!

As a family we love going to the country beaches. We are so lucky to have Brian's parents with a farm not far from some of Victoria's best coast line. Some of it famous - and some of it more of  a local secret.

I wanted to create a quilt that bought some of this "summer holiday at the beach" feeling home with me.

Sunny golden sands. Sunshine. Clear blues...deep and pale to represent varying water depths. Waves lapping. Shells to collect. Calming and relaxing.

A compass for a timeless sort of vintage touch.

I am pleased with the compass near the centre of the quilt because to me it represents  "go and explore the big wide world and then come home safe"

Some cotton ric rac for texture. Seahorses for character.

I just adore those seahorses! Brian - his MIL and I sat around the kitchen table at the farm and together we drew him based from a real life specimen that had been found washed up at the shore. Each of us added and erased pencil lines and chatted together over afternoon tea. I have a wonderful memory I have of that.

My waves are represented by a shape that I designed featuring alternating curves and peaks.

 

I also used this unique applique line for my Christmas trees in my quilt in Homespun July 2010 - so I am finding it very versatile (you will see more of that from me in 2012 and beyond too)

I really must give a massive public thanks to award winning Belinda Betts@ Eucalypt Ridge Quilting - who has done the most AMAZING job ever of turning my By THe Sea flimsy into a real quilt. She has beautifully enhanced and completed my beach theme with her outstanding custom quilting.

Without a word of exaggeration EVERY SINGLE STITCH IS PERFECT front and back.

My quilt should be back home with me soon and I will show you some close ups of Belinda's beautiful work.

Here in Oz where most of the population live near coastline its very Christmasy to spend your summer hols at the beach.

For me this year has taken some interesting turns.....some I didnt see coming - and some I made happen.   Lots of things have been harder for me this year.  I'm a very private person and so these will remain held close to my heart. I can't believe the year is nearly over. It really has sped by.

I can't wait to get back to the beach.

If you cant get to the coast.....

maybe stitching my By The Sea quilt can make you to feel as if you were ;-)

This is a fun and relaxing project with a good variety of skills to enjoy - piecing - applique - stitchery - embellishment - and optional colouring for 3d enhancement.

Love Cath xo