More White?

So why do you think - do I need more white? More green? More navy? The colours are actually a little lighter and brighter than they appear here and I'm generally happy with how things are coming together but as I lay them out together for the first time today I'm not quite sure about the balance and contrast. I'm guessing I may be about a quarter of the way through making flowers for my Fresh Fields quilt so there's plenty of room for changes and adjustment.

What would you do? Please share......

Sharing at Work In Progress Wednesday.

Thoroughly Waterlogued

Fun, fun, fun! I've never tried textures, Photoshop or any apps for photos but in recent days I've been accidentally introduced to a great little app for iPhones called Waterlogue through Barb's blog. (My wonderful Hubby gifted me an iPhone for Christmas as he couldn't stand my 10 year old, hand-me-down clamshell any longer.)

The photos above were taken around our backyard this morning - frangipani, zinnia, passionfruit - all look much more artistic in Waterlogue. Below I have included a beautiful zinnia in Waterlogue and also the original iPhone image - doesn't it work wonders!

And one last sunny frangipani from our back steps!  I'm looking forward to experimenting with landscapes, portraits and much more. I can see my phone camera will be my camera of choice on many occasions from now on. By the way, Waterlogue has various settings and adjustment (these are all in "Natural") and only costs $2.99.


NB PicMonkey is a free online editing site which has great editing tools and various effects. 
I use it to watermark, adjust and resize images, particularly for blogging:
picmonkey.com

Stillness and Peace

As the heat of summer abates the desire to linger in the garden, to water and tame it, is slowly returning. The grevilleas are still flowering despite being totally neglected, the potted succulents continue to grow well. A second batch of Purple King climbing beans are just beginning to produce baby beans. 

It will soon be time to prepare to plant some peas and poppies and maybe more. I tend to lose touch with the garden during our long, exhausting, hot, busy summers - I feel the need to reconnect, to nurture both garden and soul.

Whatever your plans for this weekend, I hope you take time for some stillness and peace, for we all needs times of refreshing don't we.


Photographic Note for Erin: All photos above were taken with my Canon 600D DSLR with 50mm prime lens plus my clip-on Raynox macro attachment, with focus set to manual. The camera was on Aperture priority setting with aperture between f/4.5 (softest background) and f/13 (more distinct background). No tripod.

I’m not able to achieve such variety of aperture with my compact super zoom. This was one of the reasons I bought a DSLR a couple of years ago. I still use my super zoom for most photos as it’s smaller and lighter, quick and quiet to use.


Sharing at Reconnect with Nature, Macro Monday.

Mini Pincushion

For far too long I have been using a scrappy off-cut for my epp pincushion. Difficult to find due to its size and requiring two hands to add or remove pins and needles, it was becoming a source of frustration.

I'd thought long and hard about what to replace The Scrap with. It had to be free standing, not too light weight, yet small enough that it would fit (lying on its side) into the flat food container I keep all my hexie goodies in.

Searching through the kitchen late last night I found this small measure from the top of a medicine bottle. It was just the size I was looking for. Then I discovered that 20 cent coins fit inside perfectly to weight the base.

This morning I used double sided craft tape to fix some fabric to the measure, quick and easy. No doubt a glue gun may work just as well.

After some trial and error regarding size, I completed the pincushion top. I needed a circle of fabric about 14.5cm /6" in diameter. Filled with polyester fibre, a quick running stitch pulled it into shape. I also used a few stitches to create bit of a neck to better fit the base.

I pushed the top into the base and was pleased to discover it fits so snugly that no adhesive is required to secure it. Three coins in the base add sufficient stability and weight.

Here it sits with the three new hexie flowers made over the last week, along with little stacks from previous weeks. One day soon I'll set out all the completed flowers for my Fresh Fields quilt and see how they are beginning to look together, until then I'll keep adding slowly to their number.

 I really like my mini pincushion, it reminds me of a potted plant - and if I'm ever really stuck for a little more money, I'll know where to look!


Sharing at WIP Wednesday.

Can it be?

The daily countdown is over, Miss E turned 6 this week. For the first time ever she lit her birthday candle - so carefully - then blew out the candle instead of the match! A few weeks ago she lost her first tooth - she drew the face on her balloon with a missing tooth also.

Our littlest princess loves animals and Super Heroes! She is now the proud owner of the largest animal in the world, along with Toothless the dragon, multiple dinosaurs and Iron Man.

Miss E holding Miss E when she was just a few hours old....back in 2008.

Less than 24 hours old, surrounded by her siblings at home (Miss N is just out of picture). I'm amazed at how much everyone else has grown and changed over these six years too.

Her first birthday without all her siblings, but she is having fun including Master J in the birthday drama via facetime while he sits in his room at uni/college. The joys of modern technology!

She helped me make our favourite lemon cheesecake  and decorated it with......

DINOSAUR SPRINKLES!