August 4, 2013

The things you discover ...


Every couple of months I do a check-up on the internet to see what people are doing with my blog posts and photos. There's a lot of illegal stuff going on 'out there' so I like to keep an eye on what is happening!  There are also some lovely incidents I find where people have pinned my photos because they like them, or they've shared something I've shown on Facebook, or they've mentioned one of my designs on their blog.

I've discovered some interesting things in the past, both good and bad, but this week blew my mind when I discovered that I had been published in a French magazine two years ago .... and I didn't know a thing about it!!!  It was all quite legal evidently, but it would have been nice to have been told! Anyway, I'll share my glory moment, even though it is a bit late!  

Inside the magazine:

and "My Herb Garden" gracing the cover of Quilt Country:

So another of my dreams has come to pass - being published internationally!

But I do love our Australian craft magazines. We have a fabulous array of them.  Handmade magazine recently published my "Strewn with Roses" travel set:


It consists of a toiletry bag and a bag for shoes.  I love it when a project comes together exactly as I wanted it to:


End of July/beginning of August heralds a heap of birthdays amongst our family and friends. My "Sew Vintage" embroidery was revamped in 'sunshine yellows' for one of our daughters:


Silk ribbon flowers and embroidery on Silk Dupion:


Can't help myself - I just have to include applique with my embroidery:


I wanted to make a pretty card for another friend for her birthday. I was quite pleased with the results -  Silk threads and ribbon on linen, inset into one of those cards that has the hole pre-cut:


It turned out to be quite a productive week, which will always put a smile on my face.  Our tax papers are now all done, the front yard lawns and gardens have had their manicure, a new design was drawn up, cut out, stitched and completed, and I have started work on reducing the pile of PASSES I have. 

 When the lid isn't sitting shut on a container, you know that it is becoming just too full.  That's how it was with my PASSES - Projects At a Stand-Still. (I think that's a much kinder name than UFO!) So far I have transformed four PASSES into lovely items that will be great for a fete or stall. I am trying to be disciplined and do one or two each week. I'll show you the progress next week.  

Keep an eye out also for the next block in the free Block of the Month "Apples of Gold" quilt.  

Happy stitching!
Val 

11 comments:

bri68 said...

Congratulations for your fabulous embroideries
Your sewing machine is so beautiful....i love it
Hi from France
Brigitte

Liz said...

Congratulations. I love seeing your work. You are very creative.

KaHolly said...

Val, that is too funny. You would think they might have contacted you about publishing your pattern, esp. since you were the cover girl! How do you check these things out? Boy, oh boy, your embroideries are gorgeous! What talent you have.

Regina vicentini said...

Bom dia amiga Val!
Parabéns pela publicação de seu trabalho em revista francesa! Fico feliz que mesmo sem avisá-la e passado algum tempo, O Senhor não deixou passar esta alegria de você! Ele sabe do seu esforço e merecimento e sem dúvidas conhece o seu coração. Um ótimo domingo para você!

Marie said...

Bonjour Val,
En lisant ce post,j'ai été surprise,car moi aussi j'ai réalisé le jardin d'herbe paru dans un quilt country chez nous en France,je l'ai mis sur mon blog en préçisant d'aprés une modéle de Val Aird,aprés une periode de vacances me voila de nouveau a admirer ce merveilleux travail de l'autre bout de la planéte
et j'envoie par ce comm,un grand merci,car ce sont des ouvrages magnifique que j'affectionne particulierement
A bientot,bises de France

Anonymous said...

Love that little sewing machine and your circle of silk ribbon flowers. How odd that they could publish your work, even a cover photo, and never drop you a line to tell you, let alone get permission.

Angie in SoCal said...

Congratulations on your publishing internationally. Your embroideries are so special. I'd be interested to know how you check up what people are using from your blog as I've had some surprises too.

Christine M said...

How exciting being on the cover Val! I guess that makes you "a cover girl"! LOL! I love your Sew Vintage.

Createology said...

Congratulations on your Cover and publication. They should have contacted you at some point and sent you a complimentary copy. Your work is stunning. Such lucky August birthday recipients. Creative Bliss...

Gina E. said...

Congratulations Val, you deserve all these accolades because your designs really are very special and unique to you :-)
I just bought the latest issue of Handmade today and as soon as I saw your project I smiled! Very pretty as always.

Carla Fiedler said...

Gorgeous work, and fun, Val!