I am in love!!

Yes.....I am in love. Actually, I am in love with so much of life (it is a passionate and visual kinda gal that I am) but the subject of my passion for this little while is EPP or for those of you whom are not in the know, English Paper Piecing.

LOVE.......all those itty bitty EPP hexies!

Why does EPP move me so??  Why does EPP transport me into a state of rhapsodic rapture?? =) Why......because in folding itty bitty scraps of fabric around itty bitty pieces of paper, then hand stitching each shape, every itty bitty corner lines up perfectly. Every itty bitty shape, in this case my fave shape of all time, the hexagon, snuggles perfectly to the hexagon beside, above, below; every which way. Yes indeedy, it warms the cockles of my li'l ole, persnickety heart that each shape is perfect! Me and EPP are a match made in heaven!

Now, before you heap burning coals of fire upon my head and point your finger at me chastising me regarding my perfectionist tendencies, let me assure you I am okay with the imperfections of this life.....I am.....I really, really am.  I saw the light as a wee child that nothing in this life is 'just so'. It's just that my arty farty soul is enjoying the exactness of EPP. I am loving the fact that I can sew teeny tiny, almost invisible stitches and each shape is lined up utterly, entirely, consummately......(you get the picture).......in the most perfect manner. Yes indeedy, I am loving skipping down the oft-elusive path of perfectionism, with my itty bitty EPPs in hand, happily stitching as I enjoy the view. 

My arty farty soul is having the best of times with my itty bitty EPP hexies, fashioning flowers as I go. Instead of using paper shapes for my hexies, I have used iron on shapes. I wouldn't use iron-on paper if I was fashioning a whole quilt entirely of EPP hexies, but as this quilt will be one made of blocks with a hexie flower in each block it should be fine. The dear lady in the quilting shop assured me the iron-on paper would slowly dissolve, so throwing caution to the wind I decided to give them a go. If over time it doesn't work I will let you know, shall I.

As you can see I have continued to build teetering, tottering piles of hexies, both for my scrappy quilt-as-you-go quilt and for the EPP quilt. Love, love, LOVE!!

Colour my world with hexies!

I am continuing to work on my scrappy, quilt-as-you-go hexie as well as English Paper Piecing. My scrappy quilt has grown much too big for stitching in the car as we (my good husband and my good self) meander through the countryside. There has been talk around town of the strange man who drives around the countryside with a movable quilt next to him in the passenger seat. Thus the need to have a smaller stitch-wherever-you-go, pretty. Somewhere underneath these folds and folds of a hexie quilt, is a woman. Somewhere underneath this pretty, is li'l ole me! =)

I have also been stitching lengths of fabric strips to cover the seams at the back of my quilt-as-you-go pretty. My persnickety tendencies again. I like to cover the back seams with fabric as it looks lovely and also makes the quilt stronger. Besides, by doing this one has two quilts in one. Sounds 'perfect' to me!

My EPP quilt is going to be a simple one (famous last words). It will be a quilt made of  blocks with each hexie flower being the star attraction. Each block will be bordered by scrappy 2 inch squares....but then I have been known to change my mind.

I don't know why me and EPP have taken forever to become acquainted. Strange really, considering my love for hexagons. I have been falling down the rabbit hole of Pinterest of late and have been oohing and aahing over the Milliefiore and La Passacaglia quilts that all those clever souls are stitching at the moment. Be still my beating heart! Each and every one is truly the most magical work of art. Someday I would love to dance along the bejewelled Milliefiore, geometrical pavement and stitch one of these exquisite quilts, but for now this arty farty soul is loving stitching my sweet, little itty bitty hexie flowers.

Until the next time............

An anniversary......and a giveaway

A lovely welcome to all you lovelies. A lovely welcome to what seems to be my three year anniversary of my foray into the Land of Blog. I cannot believe it has been three years since I began this fun-filled journey; that it has been three years since I began to skip down my lovely bloggy path.

A path where some of you have walked with me from the very beginning and others whom at different junctures, have happened upon my quirky, little corner of the world. You have paused at our beautiful, blue Hydrangeas at the front, opened my front gate and walked along my flower-filled, garden path to say a cheery hello.

Upon stepping on our little front porch, you stopped at our bright pink door and probably have quizzically questioned........"a bright pink, door.....really????" Yes really!! It's okay....you are not alone. In this far rural outpost, many have come aknocking, scratched their craniums and wondered about that bright pink, front door.....but somehow it just works.

Now here's something your beady li'l eyes haven't spotted before. Just recently I painted the concrete, porch floor and stencilled doilies here and there. What better way to celebrate an anniversary than to reveal a pretty new floor.

Love it!!

And of course, a bucket of pink, darling Dahlias goes perfectly with the pretty new floor.....oh and of course....that bright pink, front door! =)

Opening that questionable, bright pink door. you have ventured inside many times, walked along the bright, botanically themed hallway (which I pasted a couple of botanical books,  page by page to the walls) to stop at the doorway of my sewing room, to have a little bo peep as to the goings on in my happy place.

Time after time, you have peeked into my sewing room to see what pretties were being concocted; where pretty ribbons, lovely laces, rainbow-filled fabrics, buttons, vintage fripperies and a little bit of this and a little bit of that, twirl round and round in the merriest of dances.

You have seen me jump off the precipice of  'safe' stitching down, down, down to the valley of free hand machine stitching where there is no unpicking, no rubbing out of one's 'sketches', no eradication of one's boo boos.

You have espied me add to my real estate portfolio. You have seen me design, knit and stitch cute houses, adding many a whimsical touch to a  pretty streetscape.

You have glimpsed me tart up many an op shop treasure......many a jacket which needed a little Kim Sharman touch, a little embellishing......oh how I love embellishing!!

...........oh.....and upcycle kiddos' jeans and jackets.

You have noticed that I have stitched a few bags. Bags that I can sling over my shoulder, enabling my hands to be free whilst diving head first into cavernous containers and fossicking for treasure at markets, op shops......wherever my travels may lead me.

You have glimpsed a few lampshades, using all those lovely doilies from my dowry of cloth....oh... and a machine sketched pretty.

You have marvelled at my clever prodigies who visit 'The Kim Sharman School of Stitching Excellence' in the afternoons and dream up magical creations. Yes all these pretties were fashioned by one of my clever gals. She is sooooo clever.....don't you agree??

You have spotted many a basket..........

Baskets of flowers.



And......baskets overspilling with pretty laces and oh-so-fancy fripperies.

You have had a peek-a-boo at some lovelies that are not quite finished. "Mmmm.....I wonder when she will finish that Cathedral quilt?" I've heard you questioningly whisper, many a time. It's okay.......I too often have wondered when this Cathedral pretty will sit atop my bed with a heavenly chorus above, jubilantly carolling....."IT IS FINISHED......HALLELUJAH....HALLELUJAH!!!!!". Perhaps this year.....perhaps.....perhaps????

You discovered that I love to stitch the odd hexie or two or three or............!

You have occasionally (very, very occasionally) peeked at a woolly or two that I have knitted. I must, must, MUST get those pins clickety clacketing more in the coming years.

You have caught a glimpse of  many a teapot.......both for the enjoyment of a spot of tea......

and....as a receptacle for flowers.......both the........look beautiful, and then metamorphose into a pongy bunch of organic matter within a week, kind........

and.....the bedazzling, ribbon kind!

After ambling through our quirky abode, you have opened yet another door and found yourself strolling through a glorious patch of earth, where flowers at different times of the year,   sashay in beauteous unanimity, in the most gleeful of dances.

Since we arrived here in our little patch of paradise, my husband has been slowly transforming, in what can only be described as an eyesore,  a rather unremarkable patch of earth, into the most glorious garden. He has been weaving his magic into the most stupendous of tapestries, with colours interweaving into a vibrantly hued palette.

Each season brings it's own beauty. It is my husband's most favourite place to be. Our garden is a place where the soul is refreshed; where the body, mind, and spirit slowly heals.

After wandering around the garden you have stopped at our pond; sat for a while in our garden swing, drinking in the beauty of the pond. Indeed, this little oasis soothes the soul and has the power to calm a fearful and worried mind. It is a place where many a cup of tea has been enjoyed. It is a tranquil place. A place where I often sit and reflect on the majesty of God's handiwork that surrounds me. A place where I am reminded of God's goodness and His love for me......and my thankfulness to Him.

You have often seen Maisie make an appearance. She is always ever so willing to be the subject of many a photo. It seems she loves being a model!

You have had a little look at pretty cushions I have fashioned using oodles and oodles of ribbons and a pretty doily or two.

Which brings me to the most important part of this rather lengthy celebration. Are you still there?? Good!! To celebrate my anniversary I thought I might play with some pretty ribbons once more, fashioning ribbon flowers to create a cushion with overspilling, floral abundance. Yes indeedy, I have made this pretty to  gift to one of you lovelies; to thank you for your lovely thoughts and your many kindnesses throughout these past 3 years......oh.....and to thank you for strolling along with me, down this path of memory lane.

Now....if you are a no reply blogger, could you please leave your email in your comment so that if perchance your lovely name is drawn out, I will know where this pretty can travel to.

As I wind-up, it strikes me what a wonderful place this blogging caper is. Some of you whom, though I have never met in person, I feel as if I have known you all my life. I feel as if I could just pop over to your place for a cup of tea served in a fine bone china tea cup and luxuriate in a chat about all things pertaining to this life we live. Indeed I feel that you and I are kindred spirits. I have visited your lovely blogs and am continually inspired by your uniqueness,  your beautiful imaginations and your amazing creativity. 

This bogging community is one of encouragement and friendship. This blogging community is filled with beauty, inspiration, affection and love. There have been many times when your kind thoughts have wrapped around me in the warmest of hugs.....thank you. Thank you, to you lovelies who have taken precious time out of your day to pay me a visit, all the way down here, and have been so kind as to leave a lovely comment or two. They always bring a smile to my heart.

So here's to more posts as I skip along the fun-filled road of blogland. Here's to more skipping along the bendy path penning my thoughts; a few more posts waxing lyrical about the next pretty I have fashioned; a few more posts oohing and aahing over some gorgeous blossom I have picked from the garden......or some other funny story to bore you make you giggle. This blogging caper is really rather akin to keeping a visual journal, after all.

Until the next time........

Linking up to this week's parties at Stephanie's, Roses of Inspiration
Jann's, Share Your Cup Thursday
Bernideen's, BTTCG