Sunday, January 25, 2015

Grow Your Blog Party



Today, I'm participating in the 3rd annual Grow Your Blog Party hosted by Vicki at  2 Bags Full where you will find a long list of participating blogs. Perhaps you'll find some new friends and some interesting reading. It is a very large undertaking that she does once a year and I'd like to thank her.

My name is Holly McLean and I live in a very small city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. I started blogging about 6 years ago when, after having read blogs for a while, I thought it might be a way for me to journal about my own journey and to connect with like minded bloggers. I left work almost 5 years ago due to illness and since then my art and my blog have become real lifesavers for me. I have not only found new and wonderful blog friends, but I've also been published in Quilting Arts magazine, something very exciting for me.

You never know what you might read about on any given day with me. I like to post about recipes I find or create, my knitting and craft endeavors, the garden, my drawings, birds at my feeders or on my walks, photographs of my walks, my fiber art and sometimes some traditional quilting or sewing.

I've been working on a piece based on a photo of a rocky hillside a few minutes from my home. It is one of the most complicated pieces I've done. Yesterday, after my errands and household jobs, I finally backed the painted sky with some stabilizer and sat down to free motion stitch some background trees. I was so tired by then that I had to quit but at least now I can sit down to it at any time.






One of the chores I was doing yesterday, was organizing some of my thread so I can better see what I have. Most of the greys and a lot of the greens are missing as they are in a tray next to my machine for my current project.


I've also chosen a matching batik for a little (4 !/2" by 6 !/2") piece that I'm doing of some local fish shanties.I may use it as a binding. I don't think it will need anything more.





On the trail yesterday with my husband, we gathered a few more branches for my feeder area on my deck. At Christmas I made two sprays for opposite posts on the deck. I view these from our kitchen and dining room windows and liked them so much, I wanted to add a 3rd one in the middle. We put another suet cage there as well. The chickadees, woodpeckers and nuthatches love them.







One other creative thing I'm up to is to embellish a light that I recently had my husband put up in a corner of the living room. I loved the style but the clear glass allows too much of a glare even when we bought a soft light. I picked up a package of stick on plastic flowers form the Dollar Store that I planned to use for something else when the idea struck me to try them out on the lamp. I think I like it and plan to cover the whole thing. Perhaps, I've seen some similar ones in design magazines.





I hope you enjoy the reading you'll find on the blog party and that you make some new connections and new friends.  I intend to check it out myself  later today.



17 comments:

Pauline G said...

Hi - love following your blog as you do such lovely art quilts and I love to see pictures about where you live and the sort if things you get up to. Keep on blogging!!!

Stitchin At Home said...

Hi Holly. I am now following your blog. I found it through Vicki's blog party. You do amazing thread painting.

Rhonda Halushka said...

Hello! I am a helper from Vickie's Grow Your Blog. Just wanted you to know that a helper came by and peeked at your blog! I want to welcome you to the Blog Hop on Vicki's behalf! So glad you wanted to be part of this fun Blog Hop! Thanks for posting!
You do lovely work and I look forward to spending some time looking at your previous projects!

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

always a treat Holly

KimM said...

Wow! Thread painting - it's gorgeous! I'm now a follower and found you through the GYB party. I hope you can pop over to mine for a visit.
Warm regards

Suzanne Ramsay said...

I don't have a blog yet. Someday. Until then I follow others to inspire me. I enjoy your blog a lot. I really like the lamp on this posting. Can you tell me if you bought it recently? And if this style is still available?

Carole @ Fresh off the Frame said...

So nice to find a fellow Canadian here! Your thread work is wonderful...could you make your photos BIGGER, just for meeee???? I want to see EVERY GORGEOUS DETAIL!!!! :-) Oh, and I like the flowers on your new light fixture. I say, Pile 'em on!

Sue Kosec said...

You throw a great party. Thank you for inviting me!

So that you know, I've become a Follower and when time permits, I'll be back to see what other beautiful things were made by your hands!

What this party is all about is to GROW your blog and I'm hoping to do the same. When you get to Section One, check out A Country Chic Retreat and SuZeQ Creations, my personal blog, in Section Fifteen I'd love for you to follow and subscribe to.

Happy crafting!
SuZeQ

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

You have a fantastic blog. I was really impressed with your fish shanties. I'm going to have to invest in the Neocolors II it seems. I scrolled down and saw how you made it. Your hill of rocks is going to be lovely, too. I really enjoyed visiting your blog. It was a genuine breath of fresh air.

http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2015/01/grow-your-blog-blog-hop-event.html

Linda H said...

Hi Holly, great to visit you again. LOVE your fish shanties piece!! I'm your newest Follower. Look forward to watching your progress on the hillside piece. Have fun on the party!!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

I'm stopping in from the GYB event and added myself as a GFC follower! Stop by! Val from myplvl.blogspot.com

Gill said...

Hi Holly I'm a longtime follower!
I love seeing your work and your bird pictures!

Dixie @ Arranged Words said...

Hi Holly,
Beautiful work. And O those birdies pics are wonderful, too. Clicking the join button.
Enjoy.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I admire people who can paint with thread - definitely a process that intimidates me. Enjoyed seeing your wee birds - we have a feeder outside our window and I enjoy our visitors so much. So nice to meet you - thank you for having us over.

Threads of Inspiration said...

Holly I really enjoyed reading your post and am your newest follower. My blog is a bit like yours because I like to post art, recipes and things that inspire me. Your work is beautiful! Susan

deborah lyn said...

Hi Holly, I am happy to meet you on the GYB tour. Your work is wonderful - great blog! I am your new follower! I am at: http://deborahstanleyinspirations.blogspot.com/ please take a look when you get a chance. Enjoy the Party! deborah

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

Hi Holly, visiting from GYB party, saw your purple finches, they are beautiful! I love watching birds here too. Stay warm!