A Chance to Grow your Blog Party 2014 and a Giveaway

 Vicki Boster, a dear friend, of

2bagsfull Blog
 has generously offered to host another

Grow Your Blog Party for 2014

 for bloggers to showcase

their blogs and to offer to connect new bloggers and old bloggers with each other
 as well as providing an opportunity to make new friends
and to share their talents with each other.

There is much to learn in having a successful blog
and there are many wonderful bloggers
willing to help and assist
where they can.
All you need to do is ask!!!

Vicki is one of those special people always looking to lend a hand

by thinking up ways to raise funds for those in a less fortunate

situation than herself e.g. Pink Scarf Project for women

with breast cancer amongst many others

so

I thought I would join in the party in support and welcome

all new bloggers and old friends and followers

into my little world of blogging here

where I live in the country

on a beautiful property in an old world garden of

rambling roses on the far south coast of
Australia.

My name is Suzy Quaife and below is the studio where

I work (play!!!)

I have had a great love of vintage textiles, rich and exotic

fabrics (like silks and satins), vintage laces, doilies, braids, trimmings, velvet ribbon etc. since I can't remember when going way back even as a child.

This love was expressed through costume making and crazy patchwork for several years and more recently it has

taken the shape of mixed media fabric and paperworks.

  

I have found that bloggers love to see images (and the more the

better) to help them become inspired so be prepared to see heaps!).

They love to see where you create, what you create with and 

the finished creations.

This collage gives a sample of the items I create

and here is a sampling of the materials used in some of these,

 e.g. vintage doilies and laces

buttons, feathers, pods

sari ribbons, jewellery including rhinestones

more laces, seam binding,

tea bags, string, stamps, raw silk, mohair

and many small rusted pieces which I can incorporate into

collages/assemblages such as this. 

Of course one of my greatest passions is in creating

fabric lace books and journals and the collages

which form the layered pages

Daguerreotype images for the theme of this lace book above

and below another theme is that of nature

The many hand stitched layered pages form the background

for these Australian birds or a collection of

gifts from friends are held inside this book

below.

Then sometimes I just love to create free standing

collaged and layered wall hangings using

vintage jewellery with tins and chains

and similar things.

Bags, purses and totes have been other items on my

project list this past year

along with garlands (reminiscent of Buddhist prayer flags)
 such as these as well as the smaller

creations of boxes and cards and mini collages 

Now that you have persevered and finally arrived at the bottom

of this post you are rewarded with a chance to win

this Giveaway - a vintage style brooch
created by me which may be pinned to anything
that appeals to you!

All you need to do is leave one comment here on this page.

You don't need to be a follower but you are certainly

welcome to follow and I will draw a winner

on Saturday, 15th February 

so don't forget to leave me your email address

so that I may contact you.

*** Please feel free to pin this GIVEAWAY
on the sidebar of your blog to tell others!

♥♥♥

I wish you luck in the draw and more importantly

I wish you much success and enjoyment with

your blog as it is in the sharing like

this that we receive

inspiration, acknowledgement and a chance to make

wonderful friends!

♥♥♥

Thank you so much Vicki for the most amazing hours

of dedication you have given this party for the

benefit of so many bloggers.

We appreciate you heaps! xxx

Love and hugs, Suzy

Script and Scrolls Fabric used in a Collage

When I come across these gorgeous cotton fabrics

with script and scrolls

I have to admit 

that I just can't resist bringing just a little home with me.

These are some of my favorites that I like to use in my creations.

My latest acquisition which really inspired me is this

particular French themed piece which I used 

almost immediately

in the creation of this small collage 

which has been created for a friend for her birthday.

I love the soft creamy/shell pinky look

combined with the richness of this chocolate brown

I dyed for the wooden heart!

Linking up with www.timewashed.com

for Blissful Whites Wednesday!  See you there!

A quick reminder here to all those people who wish

to grow their blog.

Vicki Boster at 2 bagsfull Blog will be hosting this 

amazing party again for 2014 so if you wish to invite

  new readers

to your blog to view your world of creativity

then this is a most wonderful

opportunity to do so.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend enjoying your creativity

keeping inside to keep warm

if you live in the northern hemisphere

or 

keeping inside to stay cool during the heat wave

of the southern hemisphere.

Sending love and hugs and many thanks to

all my new followers and old ones too.

P.S. I will be having a Giveaway in my next post

as part of "Grow Your Blog" party and

as an opportunity to say "Thank you"

 to 

all that follow me!

I am so very grateful for being appreciated!

Suzy xox

New Creations for my Etsy Shop

Dear Bloggers I've been as busy as a bee

in my studio creating some new work

to add to my Etsy shop.
I've made a few (what I call) 
Wearable Collage Vintage Brooches. 

With these particular ones I have used

some Paper Whimsy images as the focal point.

and the collages have been assembled on brooch pins

making it possible to attach them to almost

anything you would like to decorate

including coats, dresses, jackets, cushions, journal covers, bags etc.

in fact, the use of these is only limited

by your imagination.

So if you like vintage laces and vintage jewellery

then pop over to my shop by clicking on the link above.

where you will also find this wrist cuff

using more vintage laces, beaded embellishments

and mop buttons.

Another item I have just placed there is

this Vintage Shabby Chic Lacey embellished tote

where I have used some upcycled white fabrics,

a  gorgeous vintage handkerchief stamped

with some crazy patchworked

embroidered linen and lace.

I'm linking this post to
Becky's Blissful Whites Wednesday
at Timewashed.com  and Ivy and Elephants so see you over there!

If you would like to read more information
about these items including prices
then go straight to the Etsy link at the beginning of this post

Thank you so kindly for all of your inspiring comments
and a very warm welcome to all new followers
to this blog! Enjoy!!!

xox Suzy

T'was the Season for Giving and Receiving

Just a couple of very lovely gift to share
that I received at the end of 2013
to show you some
wonderful talent from beautiful bloggers.

Firstly this from Dorthe
a very dear woman whose friendship
has blossomed into something very special and dear
to my heart over
the years of blogging.

We are always surrounded by angels

 and it is something quite unique to 

see them become represented through the eyes

of talented people such as the likes of Dorthe -

(Denlillelade)

Isn't her dress in broderie anglais lace so beautiful

and her little stitched shoes?

Snow white hair  with her dress adorned in laces and pearls!

with no detail unfinished.  She truly is a Winter Angel

from the Northern Hemisphere.

She is as adorable as her creator don't you think?

and so many others can testify to this!!!

Heartfelt thanks my dear dear friend

she will live in my studio until

Christmas comes around again.

♥♥♥

From another part of the world in North Carolina

came this beautiful  Christmas box from

Terri 

(Artful Affirmations)

filled to the brim with the most beautiful and surprising gifts

you could imagine. My jaw just dropped!

There is so much giving in the spirit of love

when your bloggy friends really "know" you!

A vintage Christmas Angel collage

a most beautiful linen Christmas stocking also

from the hands of Terri

edged in layers of tattered, worn and stained

vintage laces!

So much love and thought gone into all the little details of

these beautiful creations!

Inside the handmade stocking there were also a number

of little parcels containing all number of things from

a container of paper snowflakes,

seam binding, reels of laces,

a number of linen doilies, a vintage lace collar,

 a magnificent piece of vintage tattered black embroidered
lace, buttons, a medal of Mary and other pieces
to embellish with.

In the box also were some special pieces of French
ephemera as well as some cabinet cards of women
and some of Terri's favorite tea bags of
baked cinnamon apple which, no doubt,
she has shared with all those who follow her
Teacup Tuesday posts.

My heart has been so touched by these amazing treasures
that Terri has keeping her eye out for in
planning this amazing gift!

Now who wouldn't feel blessed to have friends
 like these? I know for sure that I am!
Thank you so very much for showing me so much kindness
I am so very very appreciative!

The very least I could offer is a bouquet of roses

straight from the garden!

Let there be plenty of love to share around everyday
with everyone that you can - it could even be a wonderful
New Year's resolution!

xox Suzy