I am alive! I have not posted anything on my blog since April, so you might have been wondering.
The first half of this year has been hectic (I returned to full-time study and changed careers), and my hobbies and blog have been neglected. I blame a mid-life crisis for this abrupt change of direction. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, so it was clearly time for a change.
The downside of the change is that since Easter I have been working two jobs (one full-time and one part-time) and studying, but from this week I will only be working one full-time job and taking a few classes in the evenings, so I am hopeful that my sewing time will increase. A good sign is that last Sunday afternoon I had enough time to watch an episode of Poldark and to start cutting out a new baby quilt, and this afternoon I went to a friend’s sewing bee. Free time! Hurrah!
Before busyness took over my life, I booked myself in to do a box-making class with Ann‑Marie Anderson‑Mayes through the Embroiderers’ Guild of Western Australia. When the class reminder popped up in my diary earlier this month, I made the time to go, and now I have a new skill. Hurrah!
You can never have too many feminine florals, I think.
I did my best to fussy cut the lid within the limits of the fabric remnant I had.
As it was a learning exercise, I used fabric remnants from a quilt I made a couple of years ago.
My dearly beloved husband is threatening to store his golf balls and greasy bicycle parts in it.
Yeah … right.
The lid fits perfectly, but it took me two attempts to cut the lid sides and lid top before I was happy with it.
Granny Mauds Girl 
this is a beautiful box and good luck with your career change!
I was thinking about you only this morning, and wondering whether work was keeping you off the air, as it were. I’m glad to see you’re thriving and have managed to find some time to make something gorgeous, as always. It’s a lovely box! Without giving too much away, I’ve been doing something rather similar as a gift for a friend which I’ll give her on Friday, so I’ll post about mine after that. Let’s have a Skype some time, and you can tell me all about your studies.
What a beautiful box and blog site. I am a new follower and look forward to seeing more.
Welcome back! I’m glad things are settling for you. Beauriful box! I made similar ones many years ago, back in the days of calico. 😉
Sounds like lots if good things happening! The box is lovely, and I think it would be fine filled with golf balls if that is what he wants! But no greasy bicycle parts. 😉
The box is beautiful, and I understand the whole career change thing, I did it two years ago, and have worked toward my national certification which I got two weeks ago. So next my grand daughter is due in three week, then a second grand child two weeks after that, then my daughter starts law school and all that entails. Best of luck with on your new path, and try to enjoy it
I have been thinking of you, Carla, and I am glad to hear that you might be moving toward some kind of new balance. The box is lovely and looks like a fun skill to have learned.
You are busy lady–glad you found some time to create! Your fabric box is lovely!
Your box is gorgeous!
So busy Carla! I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you in a long while. Congrats on all all the brave changes. Good luck with it all.
Sounds as if life is changing for you – Good luck with your new endeavours. The box is lovely, far too feminine for golf balls and bike parts!
I don’t know how you do it, so busy!
The box is gorgeous. Beautiful fabric.
Absolutely gorgeous box. Great to have you back and good luck with all the changes. I recently retired from my job and although I miss it very much, I am enjoying all the time I now have to work on all my crafts. Change can be good.
Beautiful box! So glad you’ve been able to make some time for sewing. Hopefully things will slow down for you. I had a crazy spring as well, and things are now slowly down. Whew…..
Glad to see this pop up today!! Checking up on you was on my “to-do” list for this week — glad to hear your absence is for good reasons!!
That’s really gorgeous, and tell your hubby to get his own box lol! Good for you on making dramatic changes in your career and education, I wish I had been braver in my career choices I just fell from job to job but never really found my right fit. But I’m going to try and do a city and guilds in sewing so who knows maybe I can do something I love and pass it on to others too
Very exciting changes. Looking forward to hearing more. Beautiful box and looks like lots of fun to make, definitely for pretty things!
I’ve been absent myself (due to medical reasons) and am just starting to slowly get back on into things and happened to see this post. That box is gorgeous! I want to learn how to make these! Good luck with the career change. I’ve done that and know how hard it can be, but it sounds like you are well on your way.
What a lovely box! Looks like you managed your new skill well!