Candlelight Creations

The Stitcher's Dream Day Out

Here I am again! 

Just wanted to share some images from the Stitcher’s Dream Day Out held last weekend.  It was so much fun, mingling with all the ladies and catching up on news, views and stitching.  The four designers this year were Debbie Magee (Always Stitchin), Libby Richardson (Artsmart) and Lesley McConnell (Faeries in My Garden).  We girls got on so well.....and it was a pleasure and honour to be included in this group of talented designers.

Each of us present two new designs each for the participating ladies at the event. 

Deb made one of her signature dolls.....

Isn’t she beautiful??  (P.S. that’s my pen holder in front of her)

But this giant pincushion Deb made has to be the most gorgeous thing I've seen in a while.....

EVERYONE was talking about it....especially me!!  I’m going to make it using funky black and white fabrics and give it a modern twist.   Mmmmm......sacrilege I hear you say!!!! 

Libby made a cushion cover and this gorgeous wall hanging.....

NO-ONE does bears like Lib!!

Lesley’s lovely projects were very popular too.....

They both reflect Lesley's gentle nature.

I was so busy taking photos of the other girls work, that I didn’t think to take any of my own!!  This weekend I am re-making them in different fabrics, as I’d like to release the patterns in a slightly different format.  If you go to Di Mill’s blog, you will see more photos and I think there are some of my projects.

Here are some other pics from the day.  I was very taken with these cakes......

 

Cakes of soap!!!!  Too, too delicious to use!!

The marquee was set up beautifully by Marion and her girls......

And everyone was kept busy.....

Well it’s Saturday – Domestic Day around here, so I’d better go and do the duties.  Be back soon.....

Ciao for now

Leanne xx

Ummmmm.......

Well it's been awhile!  Not long ago someone said to me.....gee, you haven't blogged in a while.  Ummmmm......well no, I haven't.  Believe it or not, I just plain forgot about it!!  How embaressing to have menopause memory - a subject for another blog lol.

So what have we been up to since the last time I wrote?  Oh, not much.......

• Got the house ready to sell (that plays with your head a bit)
• The Wild Child (aka Nick, now 17) quit work and came back home to return to school
• Sold the house (half an hour after it was officially on the market)
• Held three garage sales (never, never, never again!!)
• Made about 30 trips to the tip (that might be exaggerated, but it felt like it!!)
• Moved to the new place (did it on my own, one car load at a time)
• Spent a few weeks going back daily to the old place (it was shiny clean for the new owners)
• Weight loss (due to exhaustion!!)
• Went on a massive spending spree (which sounds like fun, but was a bit tiring actually lol)
• Had a minor meltdown (something I've grudgingly accepted I'm prone to)
• Settled into a new routine (due to us now living in Toowoomba, but work and school in Highfields)
• Completed two courses through the pharmacy (I'm now officially a cosmetic consultant there)
• Weight gain (due to medication.....NOT HAPPY JAN....ok, I'll admit it, it's probably also due to a renewed love of baking lol)
• Runaway Wild Child (well, I gave him no choice cos I expected an APOLOGY for something!  He did return after a week)
• Little One (Jed....11 and a half now) going through some problems coping with all the changes
• Dad had open-heart surgery (he sailed through and is being cared for by his lady-friend, Mary)

Mmmmmm.....is that everything?  Not sure really - that memory problem again......

But here I sit today in our unit, having just been to the Stitcher's Dream Day Out last weekend.....and surrounded by fabric, drawings and sewing notions.

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've so much to tell, so much to show everyone - it's hard to know where to start.  I've made a list of subjects and will just start at the top and work my way through it.  With working three days a week at the pharmacy and three days a week on design (I refuse to work seven days a week anymore....my Little One is just growing up too fast), I've decided that once a week blogging is for me.  I know a lot of people blog every couple of days, but I'm on my own here.  That's not a complaint or even an excuse, but I can only stretch myself so far when I have no support system behind me.

I'll leave you with a pic of some daisies in my garden.....Spring is such a beautiful time of the year.

 

It seems that we just can't help taking photos of flowers.....it's a feel good thing. 

Ciao for now.....

Leanne xx

A New Year......

has arrived, and already it's the 11th of January?????   How did that happen????

I do hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a great beginning to the New Year.  Ours was very low key.  My big boys returned from Gladstone a few days before and immediately set about catching up with their friends.  So the quiet home that Jed and I had been enjoying was over-run with teenagers!!! 

We went to my brother's place in Brisbane for Christmas Day.  I even bought a new swimming costume as I had images in my head of lazing by the pool with a glass of wine in hand.  A new sarong as well....perfect for covering up as much as possible - no-one sees these legs if possible!!!  But to our surprise, the weather was overcast and cool....so unlike Brisbane.  The children of course, were frolicking around in the water.  My brother, sister-in-law and I looked at each other, shook our heads and said  "nahhhh".  When is it that we lose that desire to swim unless the conditions are perfect??  So my cute new togs still have their tag on them!!!

But still we had a lovely relaxing day.  A beautiful seafood lunch on the deck....just simple food but so delicious.....prawns, smoked salmon, freshly cooked salt and pepper calamari, grilled turkish bread and salads and a few extras.....followed by a huge bowl of all the beautiful seasonal fruits.  Oh, not to forget the champagne!!!!

My brother and his children had made a piniata (is that how it's spelt?) and it was funny watching the kids whacking this thing with all their might.  Jed, being older and stronger, was very considerate and held back with his whacking to give the little ones a fair go.  He confided in me later that he could have smashed it in the first go lol.

Rather than sorting out who brought what, and who paid for what....my brother and I decided that they would put on lunch, and I'd bring dinner.  It wasn't exactly a traditional dinner I made.  I have a recipe for marinated lamb that is so delicious, but I'd only ever made it once before.  Boned legs of lamb are marinated for up to a week (I marinate it for three or four).  Then it is cooked and the leftover marinade boiled for the sauce.  It's so rich that you only need a simple side to it....so boiled baby potatoes and a salad is perfect.  The meat just melts in your mouth.....everyone was in raptures.  Then for dessert, I'd made one of my famous pavlovas - we all have something we're known for, don't we??  I'll post the recipes soon....I promise!!!

I learnt something from this Christmas.  My brother and his wife are very moderate when it comes to eating.  We didn't graze all day.  We had our lunch, a little bit of afternoon tea, and then our dinner.  And we thoroughly enjoyed BOTH meals!!!!! 

I love going to their place.  Their children are a delight and there is a sense of peace in their home.  Jed and I stayed the night and left the next afternoon.  I felt quite refreshed, having the break from all the work on the homefront.

Speaking of which!!!  It's been a flurry of activity here.....curtains being washed, rooms painted....boxes everywhere.  I've got one week left now, to get the final things done and then the house will be officially on the market.

I can't find the little doover to load my pics from the camera onto the computer.  No doubt, it's been accidently put in a box!!!  When I do, I'll come back to this blog and post them.

Till then, I'll try to get on here regularly.  If the old saying of "no rest for the wicked" is true....then I must be really bad!!!!

Happy New Year....

Leanne xx 

Many thanks.....

to everyone who has sent emails welcoming me back.  It would appear that many thought I'd slipped into oblivion....with good reason!!  I'm really looking forward to the New Year and all that promises to unfold.

Still knee-deep in cleaning products, and it's a blessed relief to take five minutes to jump on the computer and think about something else.  I always thought that this house would be the last I ever lived in.  Just goes to show that you never know what's ahead.

The button I mentioned painting for Lynette has been given a showing on her blog.  It's a dog button reminiscent of Hugo, the beautiful pup she and her husband Vince are raising and training for the Guide Dog Association.  Go to Lynette's blog (sorry I don't have the link set up here yet....click on Lynette Anderson Designs on my "friends who blog" section), to see the real Hugo and the button Hugo practically side by side.

All of my friend's blogs are worth a visit....but last night I saw and read Di Mill's for the first time.  What a treat it is!!  Beautiful photos, good reading and lots of smiles.....

Ok....enough of a break.....

Here's some pics of another new pattern before I go.

Flittering..... 

Fluttering....

Butterflies.....

And together they make up.....

Flittering Butterflies.  Don't know why I left out the "fluttering" in the pattern name!  It's a painted stitchery as you can see, but the painting element could easily be omitted or replaced with coloured pencils. 

Butterflies are symbolic of hope, new beginnings and change.  I can identify with all those things right now.....

Best get back to it.....

Ciao for now

Leanne xx

 

My poor hands.....

are aching, and the back isn't in a much better state.  Today I've cleaned out my kitchen and scrubbed it from top to bottom.  One room down, about 13 to go!!!  This "getting the house ready for market" isn't a whole barrel of laughs....

But what has been fun this week was painting some samples of a new button for Lynette of Lynette Anderson Designs.  Lynette and I have had a long association - and friendship - which began through buttons of all things.  She was one of my first customers (as the owner of The Patchwork Angel back then) when I first began painting them years ago.  Eventually I painted only for Lynette, as it was just too labour intensive to paint for a long list of shops and I couldn't keep up with orders.  These days, we collaborate on the set-up and original designs - and the bulk painting is done by Mary.  I can't reveal what the new button shape is....except to say it's very cute. 

Speaking of friendship, one of my new patterns "Friendship Tags" has just been released. 

These tags are very much in my favoured style....an antique, old world look.  They are surprisingly quick and easy to make, and just seem to evolve through the addition of various laces and trimmings.  You really can't go wrong with them, regardless of what trims you use from any bits and pieces you have already to hand. 

Don't you think they would make a great swap idea?  I may even get some thoughts down on guidelines for a swap....in between scrubbing!!

Hope everyone has a relaxing and enjoyable weekend......

Bye for now

Leanne xx

A Walk Down Memory Lane....

as I sat in the audience at my little niece's ballet concert last Saturday.  I did ballet all the way through primary school - not that I was terribly good at it - and remember the excitement of the annual concert.  Darling Chloe was the cutest little witch you've ever seen, wouldn't you agree??

Don't you just love the stripey stockings??

I dragged Jed along, and he was surprised that he actually enjoyed the show....especially the funk and hip-hop.  It was a very professional production with ages from tiny-tots (hilarious!) right through to adults.

My brother Chris has always been a keen gardener, something Mum always nurtured in him.  He has just finished building a magnificent fish pond and proudly showed me the very first water lilly in flower.

What beautiful flowers they are.....

Outside of my trip to Brisbane, the weekend was spent finalizing the new patterns I released at the Melbourne Trade Show.

Below is the needlecase I've made....it's simply titled Pretty Needlecase and I designed it for a six week beginner's workshop as it covers many different applications.  If any retailers are interested, I have the notes detailing the classes, which I'm happy to share if they are interested.....just send me an email.

Well I'd better go and get organised for the day....think it's going to be a long one!!

Ciao for now,

Leanne xx

What a great weekend....

we had at the Melbourne Trade Fair.  Lynette, Vince and I flew down early on Saturday morning, and with the hour lost managed to get there around lunchtime.  It was wonderful to see the other girls who are with Creative Abundance, and it was fun to have a stand that we all shared.....it meant we had the freedom to duck off now and then to socialize (not to mention, shop!) ourselves.  Bronwyn Hayes was able to join us and it was lovely to catch up with her.  Bronwyn will be joining us soon at Creative Abundance along with Janelle Wind....and then there will be eight of us.

The Melbourne based girls set up the stall, and did a lovely job of it.  Lots of comments were made on how good it looked, especially given all the different styles we each bring to Creative Abundance.

I bought a new daylamp to do my work at night by.....a necessity these days as my eyes are just not what they used to be.  Also a few other "essentials" which should be arrive on the doorstep this week.  The show was particularly good for me, as it brought me back in touch with the industry after my time off.  Some yummy fabrics around....one that spoke to me in a big way was a range called Lavender & Mint which will be around early next year.... 

I met Libby Richardson who'll be a fellow guest at the Stitcher's Dream Day Out next year.  She and I hit it off immediately and I'm really looking forward to seeing her again.  I love Libby's work as she has that quaint, old-world look that I favour myself.

Here's a pic of three of the girls on the stand....left to right - Leanne Beasley (Leanne's House), Melanie Hurlston (Melly & Me) and Lynette Anderson O'Rourke (Lynette Anderson Designs).  You wouldn't think Lynette's eldest son is 27....how I envy her beautiful English skin!!!

On Monday we all went to Glen Harrow for a meeting.  Set on 25 acres of beautiful gardens with guest cottages nestled here and there, and quirky little touches to make you smile, it is truly a delightful place.

Below are some photos of Glen Harrow to leave you with.  I'd better get on with the day now.  Till next time......

Leanne xx

 

Counting down...

till next Saturday now, when I'll be flying to Melbourne (with Lynette & Vince) to go to the Trade Show AND I'll be having some r&r with a friend in Brisbane the day before.  Sounds like a good excuse to have an extra day away when your flight is at 7.30am!!

So this weekend was taken up with bits and pieces getting organised to go....mmmm....like writing patterns, taking photos and attempting to update my catalogue.  No rest for the wicked, especially the ones who leave things to the last minute!

Here's a sneak-peak at another newie soon to be released.....

Friends Are Kind was created for the recent Stitchers Dream Day Out held here in Highfields.  What a great weekend that was....with fellow designers and friends Lynette Anderson, Rosie Quinlan and Natalie Bird.....and about 200 odd ladies. 

Anyway, the two projects I did for the event will be formally released at the Melbourne Trade Show.  This one in pretty fabrics and the other in more vintage style.....pic to follow next time.

With the exception of a surprise visit home from my eldest son this weekend, not much else has happened.  I have however made Josh promise to give some warning of his arrival in future.  Having a large male burst through the front door on a week night is not good for the heart!!! 

Ok, I'm off to bed to dream of more typing lol.....night all....

Leanne xx 

First casualty

from my foray into the land of blog.....tonight's dinner!!!  I could have sworn that while I did some playing around here, I didn't turn my back on the oven for THAT long.  An "oh no" and a swift retrieval later, and there I was handing over the burnt offering on a plate to Jed.  I mumbled a quick "sorry darling"...he quietly said "that's alright Mum"....but the look on his little face told a whole other story.....mmmmm.....maybe he can see a few more of the same on the horizon!! 

Oh well, he can have an extra big dessert tonight.  That'll cheer him up....and right all wrongs!

That's my little one in a happier moment.....

While I'm here, I'll add a little more to today's events.  Having worked all weekend on writing up new patterns, it was a blessed relief to get a call from my good friends Sharon and Cheryl confirming that YES we could all manage to get together for lunch today.  We've been making plans every Friday for the last month.  Each week, something crops up for one of us and we have to postpone to the next week.  In desperation after another failed Friday last week, Cheryl (bright little spark that she is!) proposed that we make it a Monday instead. 

So we met at Jeanette's cafe at the beautiful Danish Flower Art Complex here in Highfields, and settled down to a big catch-up on news, a few stories and a whole lot of laughs.  There was only one other table of ladies seated near us.  They were very quiet.....think they may have been eavesdropping!!  We all enjoyed a lovely fresh healthy salad lunch, followed by sinfully wicked desserts....yum....Jeanette is famous for her sweets.

How quickly a couple of hours can pass when you're in the company of good friends, and I'm truly blessed with the friends I have.  In hindsight now, I'm really glad I had such a lovely lunch....cos dinner was truly dismal....even more burnt than it looked!!!

mmmm.....think I'm really going to enjoy this blogging thingo....I'll just try not to do any around dinner time!!

Leanne xx

PS  Trio of Cushions will be released as a pattern 17th November in Melbourne.....

Thought it was about time.....

that I jumped on the bandwagon and started a blog.  My fellow designers from Creative Abundance have all been at it for some time now....and as usual, I've been behind the 8-ball....mmmm....what's new?!!

For anyone who doesn't know who I am....my name is Leanne May, and I've been designing needlework patterns for about 7 (or is that 8?) years under the name of Candlelight Creations.  My work has a predominately romantic old-world feel to it, though I do take detours every now and then and go with a whim into a more pretty look.  As time goes on, I'll gradually get all my pattern pics on this page....bear with me, I'm time-short as are most of us in this hectic world.  Plus I really don't know what I'm doing here yet!!  How do I get the pics up?????  HELP....Rosie...Mel...Lynette...Gail...Leanne....anyone!!!

I live in a laid-back little town called Highfields, which is a ten minute drive from the city of Toowoomba.  I love it here, but will be selling up and moving into "town" (as we call Toowoomba) within a few months.....with my youngest son, Jed, who is ten years old.  My older two boys - Josh (almost 20) and Nick (16) are working up north with their Dad, so their beds will move with me....but I'm not too sure yet whether the boys will be coming with them!!

Yes....if you haven't guessed already, I've gone through "The Marriage Split" this year, quickly followed by "The Mid-life Crisis"!!  It's not been devastating...but it has been a time of regrouping, adjusting and soul-searching.  I've taken close to a year off from designing and have been fortunate to have many friends and family who've hung in there with me while I went through the motions.  I'm told it's a common reaction, and I've found that I've come out the other side of it much happier and more confident.  I view the world with eyes wide open now - and there are so many things around me I've never noticed till now....

Life is busy at the moment.  Reverting to a single income household has seen me recently go back to part-time work in a pharmacy....which I love.  So between that, and readying the house for market (22 years of clutter to sort through is just slightly overwhelming!), I'm only just managing to put my big toe back into my beloved designing.  Lots of ideas have begun to swim around in my head again and I'm really looking forward to getting back into it....gradually for a little while yet....then with gusto once I've re-settled.   

Enough of introductions and explanations.....now it's on to the fun stuff......

I look forward to continuing with this blog (and have a sneaking suspicion it will become an addiction....damn those ocd genes!)  The future is something to look forward to....please join me on the journey....

Leanne xx