Lobster scissors fob

Thank you all for your comments on my summer posts. My piece of linen enjoyed writing the last post for you ;-)

Do you remember the stitching class I attended in 2009 in London with CA WELLS ? I stitched the Nantucket Cottage. What a project it was!!!! I am still in awe when I look at it.


I love CA Wells's finishing technique. It makes everything perfect. When in class, I had bought a bonus design to go with this cottage : the Lobster Scissors Fob.

It was high time to finish it, wasn't it ?

And guess what ? I have thousands of ideas to use this concept to make more but in different styles!





And because, I like smalls, I also stitched the treat that Jackie Du Plessis had offered us when taking the class Lady Jane Garden. A very small pinkeep to put in the basket with the other accessories.



And there's more to come... so...

Until later,

The summer afternoon of a stitched piece of linen

It is over 100°F /40°C today, so I decided to write for David as he cannot do anything with these temps! I think he is dreaming of fall reading the fall issue of Primitive Projects Magazine he has just received.

How do you like me ironed and framed ? Do I look good ? Well, David likes me... But let's go back in time to tell you how I finished like this.

At first, I was a white piece of linen stitched with a design by Jackie Du Plessis. But, right now, David is in a country and primitive mood so he decided to give a try to what he had read on Stacy Nash's project charts (which he has to stitch BTW!!!).



Because the linen was so white (though the photo doesn't show), he first decided to let me have a bath for an hour or two. He didn't use his best tea for that! He kept it for himself and I got the regular black tea from the supermarket... Anyway, that was fun.



After the bath, he brushed me with some dark solution he had made with walnut crystals. The more stained I was, the happier he was! He was so happy that he even tried the recipe with different fabrics just to see how they would turn out.

Then, I finished the afternoon lying and sunbathing on the grass in the garden.

Ironed and framed, I now stands proudly in the sitting room where David is reading the magazine and drinking iced cold lemonade.

Next time, David will try Lori (from Notforgotten Farm)'s recipe.

Until later( he says),

Back from Burgundi.

It was a short but fantastic trip to Burgundi. There are so many things to see. The food is good, the wines are awesome... but there's more. Do you want to know ? Well, you will have to read the whole post to discover it. ;-)

Here are several images of Burgundi captured through my Iphone lens.




I visited a mustard manufacturer in Beaune : the famous Moutarderie Fallot. We were explained the story of the Burgundi/Dijon mustard. How it is made. We even tried to make some and finished the visit with a mustard tasting. That was really fun!!!


I also visited several vineyards and met a few wine makers who explained how they worked. We visited the vaulted cellars and seeing so many bottles was simply AMAZING!!! We tasted a few wines and brought back a few bottles home too. But no photos, as I was too busy tasting!!!!

We visited two abbayes. The Abbaye de Citeaux and the Abbaye de Fontenay which is my most favourite visit with the Hospices de Beaune. Breathtaking!!! A not-to-be-missed visit if you travel in the area.


I also went there.
I guess that by now you know where I went.

Yes, I went to Born To Quilt and spend a few hours there.

Véronique was waiting for us and it was fantastic to see this place for real. You walk along the cottage to enter the garden where the quilt shop stands at the far end. Behind the quilt shop, there are pastures and cows grazing... very bucolic and pastoral.

At first, you can hardly believe that someone dared set up a business in such a remote place. It is not even a village, just a cluster of houses, a "hameau" as we call it in French. It is very country-like all around.

As soon as you walk through the gate, the magic starts. You enter the quilt world of Born To Quilt.

Véronique and Lizzy welcomed us warmly. We immediately started talking about the Mystery Quilt which I had with me.

Before looking at the quilt, I took a tour of the quilt shop which is full of fabrics and items to die for. Then, Véronique offered us tea and we sat in the garden and drank tea and chatted for a while. After that, we looked at my Mystery Quilt2 version and Véronique showed me her Mystery Quilts 1 and 2. Awesome!!! They are even more beautiful in real!

Here are a few photos...




I did my best to bring you back these pictures, all taken with my Iphone. It was sometimes very annoying not to have my camera with me but my daughter arrives from Oregon on Thursday and she brings back the camera with her ;-)

Until later,

Stitch Me Club Part 2 and a quilt top waiting to be quilted.

Part 2 of the Stitch Me Club has been a real pleasure : stitching the inside of the project, stitching a flower for a scissor fob and sewing a fabric flower that will hold a pair of scissor in the case. This is the perfect project to give a go to techniques you had never tried before. That was the case for me as I had never used the English paper-piecing method for Grandmother's Flower Garden... and my first impression is that it can be very addictive!!!!

Natalie is a great designer and this project is like attending an online class. You get help whenever you need it, step by step photos on how to do each technique. I hesitated to do it as my to-do list was way too long but I do know now that I would have regretted not to have participated to such a wonderful project.

Once again, sorry for the bad quality of the photos with my phone which, unfortunately do not make justice to the projects.


And for the quilt top of the Mystery Quilt2 of Born To Quilt, the borders are sewn and it will be quilted this fall/winter as soon as my daughter's quilt is finished. Here you can have a close-up view of the fabric I used for the borders and the one I will use for the binding.

It was a bit windy this morning!!! May be a better view...


Until later,

Coup de coeur...

You don't always know why but there are things you like VERY much. When I discovered what Aurélia Ducrocq creates, it was love at first sight. She makes decorative and useful items that have this typical Frenchness I like very much. It has the feeling of antique stuff. It reminds me of my schoolroom when I was a kid and brings back treasured times at my grandparents' when I see watering cans and birds on the pieces of linen. It also brings back to mind the smells of this past time and especially the ones of the cakes in the stove and the soup simmering. Just don't know why, but it feels good...

You can visit her blog or her shop of ephemeral creations by clicking on the names.

Though it is different from what I usually do in stitches or quilting, I made a pencil case and a key holder with Aurélia last year.


As it is often the case in summertime I am going to many different places. This year, I haven't been abroad and have enjoyed different regions of France instead. After the ocean coast, the Mediterranean coast, I will now spend a few days in Burgundy before going hiking in the Pyrenees.

In between, I am home, gardening, cooking, reading and spending blissful family time. Though, it might not be worth mentioning, I spend quite a lot of time preparing new lessons and projects for next school year too!

And of course, I also stitch and quilt a lot... which means that I will have a few stitched and quilted bits and pieces to share with you sometime soon ;-)

As for the books, I finished One Day by David Nicholls last week and liked it very much. For my French readers, it has been translated into French and it is now available. I have ordered it for my wife because she doesn't read books in English.


And I am now reading The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini and I still don't understand why the series has not been translated in French for those who cannot read English.


Thank you for stopping by. Have a great family time in this blissful period when the routine is over and you can find some quality time for others, for you and your soul, trying not to forget the infinite treasure that life and love are.

Until later,