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julielivingstone

~ It isn't always about getting what you want. Sometimes it's about wanting what you've got.

julielivingstone

Tag Archives: craft

Unseasonal weather

06 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by julielivingstone in Uncategorized

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bushifre, Christmas, craft, decoration, rain, tree, weather

Well, Christmas and New Year holiday over and done, and already a week into 2013. We’ve had very hot weather here in Australia, in WA we had ours over the Christmas and New Year period, but now it’s in the Eastern States, where they also have bushfires to contend with. Sympathy and commiserations to people who have already lost homes and businesses, and fingers crossed that those who are missing will turn up safely. The threat of bushfire is something we live with every summer in this area, and much as I love living here, and have no intention of moving, I have to admit to breathing a sigh of relief at the end of each summer that we have survived.

As I write this it is actually raining, quite steadily, and although I haven’t been outside for an hour or two I would guess that the temperature has dropped a bit from the 38 degrees it was yesterday. That’s 38 degrees centigrade, so around 100 degrees for anybody who thinks in Farenheit. Even at 6 this morning it was still in the high twenties I think, overcast and very humid. Not quite what we would normally expect for January, but weather everywhere these days just seems to be unexpected.

ImageI finished the Christmas tree table decoration I was making, here is the picture. I was quite pleased with it. I had been going to put some decorations on it, but I couldn’t find the gold sequins I know I have somewhere, so yet another reason to get my craft space organised! I’m sure that when I start I shall find all sorts of things I’ve forgotten I’ve got, and probably two or three of some of them. It would be so goof to be able to find things just when I want to use them.

 

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Winter weather and it’s almost summer

02 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by julielivingstone in Uncategorized

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Tags

ATASDA, Christmas, craft, garden, storm, weather

I can’t believe it’s been about three weeks since my last post, where did that time go? In my defence, work has been busy, and I’ve been busy at home. Getting the garden and property in general ready for summer, cutting grass, clearing bits of dead bushes, pruning etc, in readiness for the risk of a bushfire. I added some more sprinklers to the rooftop sprinkler system, which is designed to protect the house in the event of a fire nearby, and which of course I hope I never have to use.
During last week we had two or three days of weather which was more like winter than almost summer, very strong winds, rain, and cold. Fortunately there was not much damage to my property, a couple of branches down out in the paddocks is about all. Sadly though a large dead tree which has been standing, dead, in the paddock since I moved here almost 10 years ago did fall over. By the look of it I reckon it could have been dead for 5 years easily before I moved here, so I guess it had to fall over at some point. I had planted some new replacement trees around it, and fortunately it didn’t fall on any of them, so that was lucky. They are only about 2 or 3 feet high yet though, since they only went in last winter, so they have some growing to do.
I’ve also been doing some craft stuff. I bought my new overlocker last week, but haven’t really had much chance to play with it yet. It’s a Husqvarna, here. My only reservation about it so far is that it doesn’t have a free arm, but I do still have my old Singer machine, which I think I can get serviced, and use the free arm on that. The reason for picking the Husqvarna was that the front part opens up so that you can see more easily to thread, and it also has more room to the right of the needle. Also the cutting blade is underneath, which means more space around the needle, and it comes with a five year warranty, against only one year on the Singer I was considering. I’ll write a more complete review of it when I’ve had time to play with it a bit.
Yesterday was ATASDA branch meeting, for which we were supposed to make a Christmas card to exchange. It’s been years since I did any card making, but I burrowed through my box full of bits, and found some blank cards, which was a good start. Also some tissue paper with a gold pattern on it, and some brown card. I tore the tissue to a Christmas tree shape, cut a pot shape out of the brown card, and stuck both onto a card. A few weeks ago I had picked up some flowers which had fallen from my olive trees and pressed them, so they came handyfor little stars. A gold sequin glued at the top, and a line of stitching round the edge of the tree in gold thread, and voila! I was quite pleased with the result.

Christmas cardChristmas card detail
Now I have to find something to take as a gift to Red Hats next Saturday, and I still intend to make zines to taking to writing group on Sunday, but for now, back to the garden. The storm has left more leaves and rubbish lying around, and since the forecast is for 37 degrees on Tuesday I want to get some more done before it gets too hot.

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My new toy!

28 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by julielivingstone in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Bernina, craft, sewing, sewing machine

Well, I took the plunge this week and bought myself a new sewing machine. I’ve got two, one of which was my 21st birthday present from my parents, and served me well for many years (how many I’m not going to say), the second was a present from my ex husband, and I’ve had that almost 20 years. It had also done very good service, but is I think getting worn out. It squeals sometimes, which I think means it needs new belts, but I’ve not been able to find any on the net for my model and I don’t think it’s worth taking it to be repaired.

Between the two machines I’ve sewn just about everything. Clothes for me and family and friends, curtains, upholstery, fancy dress costumes, dance costumes, horse rugs, dog beds, quilts, you name it and I’ve pretty much made it.

So now I decided the time had come for a new sewing machine, and I chose a Bernina here. I had been going to get the 380, as about my price range and features, but changed my mind to the 530 as it has more space to the right of the needle, plus a few other features. I’m not interested in embroidery machines, if I want to do embroidery I’d rather come up with my own designs, plus they are sooo expensive. As much as a small car if you go to the real top end ones.

I’ve only had a very limited time so far to play with the machine, and it will certainly take some getting used to. It has hands free sewing with the knee lifter, needle down feature, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I’ve used the old machine for so long now that I know it inside out, and using it is almost automatic, now I have to start again, but I’m sure it will be worth it. I look forward to creating many more projects, plus I get to shop for extra feet and gadgets, since none of the ones for my old machine will fit.

Going to the Perth Royal Show tomorrow to look at the craft exhibits and see how mine stack up. No hope of winning anything, but I really don’t know what the standard will be, so I’m keen to find out. I’ve decided to go on the first day so that hopefully it might be a little less crowded, not really because I’m impatient!

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