I am ....

....away from home at the moment. I have some more hearts to show you but I didn't bring the SD card!! A blonde moment. Back home in a few days so you will see them soon.
The traffic on the blog has sky rocketed since showing the the exhibiton photographs. So too has mention of Hearts for Christchurch on many sites so that is all very exciting and I thank all of you who spread the word. I get wonderful emails with people saying really lovely things... it is still as exciting as Day One.

Scroll down.

The best pictures on this blog are the Exhibition so please scroll down ....

Two....

...cute hearts.
The floral one was given to me when I was in Christchurch. I went to a great Shabby Chic Market in Woolston where the heart maker had a stall. It was a fantastic market and it was great to just be doing something 'usual' in a city that so needs nice things to be happening.

The beautiful redwork heart was made by Jane, Havelock North, NZ. Also given to me while I spent a lovely afternoon at Jane's house!
Hearty thanks to you both.

Shirley Patchwork Group....

.... Solihull, W Midlands, UK have been stitching up a storm! Thirty wonderful hearts.
Heartfelt thanks to you all.

Evergreen Elementary School . . . .

.....Spanaway, Washington, USA have sent these great hearts. Stitched (on sewing machines) by third grade students with the help of Ruth (a grandparent volunteer), each of these hearts has a message inside the front heart 'pocket.' The messages will be very well received by the lucky recipients. The children also made and sent hearts to an orphanage in Japan.
Thank you all very much, you did a great job.

If you promise....

....to look kindly on me, here is a link to have a look at a TV news report.
 

http://vimeopro.com/canterburytv/ctv-news/video/28631492

I can tell you it is 4.33 from the start but do watch it all.

I have changed....

.... the post title of Home to The Exhibition which makes more sense. Though in some ways the hearts are Home.

I was lucky ....

.... enough to meet and talk to children from Harewood School. Their chatter, laughs, oohs and aahs and their interest made the hearts come alive. Check it out in their own words.

http://room7harewoodprimary.blogspot.com/

Thank you Room 7.

The exhibition!

The hearts go around this whole space. My point and shoot digi doesn't do them justice but professional photographs are being taken. I took pictures over two days so once I post these I bet I find some I have missed posting. Enjoy, play 'spot my heart' (they are ALL there) and feel really, really good that you made this happen.

That was wishful.....

....thinking that I could sort it. Office closed at 9pm.
So I will just tell you some of the great stuff sans pics.
Today I was to be interviewed and I tried to sneak in early. I was spotted and got to meet more museum staff (met some last night). I then went to see the hearts. There was a lady taking pictures so I just had to chat. Turns out she is doing great things to encourage visitors to Christchurch so your hearts will become one of the things to do when visiting Christchurch.
A couple were looking at the hearts and I really had to say how I was involved.... they thanked me and hugged me .... I accepted both on your behalf.
If your ears were burning you will have been talked about.
Most of the hearts are stuffed but they aren't in a stuffy museum. Canterbury Museum is vibrant. Yes, the staff are decades and even centuries younger than the permanent displays but they are exactly what is needed in this shattered time.
Anyway, back to this morning. A school group came in. They looked and took inspiration from the hearts and will be making hearts to add to the display.
Some Japanese girls came in....I think they took pictures of each other in front of every section of the display.
Then it was TV interview for me. Haven't seen it yet but I know they took many, many shots of the hearts. I do know how to find it but can't do so until Monday then I will have a look and if I look good and spoke in coherrent sentences,I just might tell you!!

When I said....

....here we go I didn't think I was back in the dark ages and the motel I am staying in provides internet access by delivering a cable to me and functions slooooooooooowly! Plus they charge for it... and upload speed is snail pace. Be back when I sort it!

There's nothing ....

.... like a 4.9 earthquake/aftershock at 3.30am to remind me just how fragile this beautiful city is.
Yesterday was a great flight to Christchurch, the Southern Alps looking totally magnificent.
They paled in comparrison to the amazing way the hearts have been displayed. I walked in and literally it took my breath away. No photographs will do the display total justice.
The hearts are grouped in colours, like a wave going around the room. I half expected to walk in the second time and find they had all changed position!
I will get professional pictures of the display but up until now my little Sanyo point and shoot has served me well .... so here we go....

 

I'm off ....

..... to Christchurch today. Tonight is the opening function for the Canterbury Museum and tomorrow it will  open to the public. I am looking forward to seeing the hearts again but more importantly the people of Christchurch can see them altogether and feel the caring in every stitch.
I will report from Christchurch and hopefully have many photos to show you.

http://www.canterburymuseum.com/

The Flying Geese Patchwork & Quilt Group

Beautifully stitched hearts from this group of fine ladies in Snettisham, Norfolk, UK. (These are hot off the press as they only arrived a couple of hours ago)!
Heartfelt thanks to you all.

Anonymous.....

.... heart maker from somewhere in New Zealand (no postmark).
Many thanks for these lovely hearts.

Roll Call.

I am typing my fingers down to (or is it up to) my elbows. The names of every heart maker will be on record.... my handwritten book I used to record hearts as they arrived is a little untidy. I had to make all sorts of notes so I could work out which hearts were from who and have the correct photo number alongside, or hwich hearts needed stuffing etc.... but as a public record??? I think not!
I'm up to the 14th page of names and it is such fun revisiting you all. Lots of meandering down Memory Lane. I am useless at remembering phone numbers but these powerful hearts are etched in my brain and my heart.

I have a little something to show you.... more hearts but also two handmade books into which all the cards and letters have been added. Come back and visit for that....first I must carry on recording you all in a neat and tidy manner!!

From Christchurch, England

Dudsbury Quilters in Winkton, Christchurch have made this selection of hearts. (I visited this Christchurch  when I was tripping about Dorset just a few years ago).
Two hearts missed their photo shoot....I will add them later.
Heartfelt thanks to you all.

Found them!!

 

For some reason....

....Blogger won't allow me to comment in the comments on my own blog! So here I am replying to Pam Day, UK.
You can email me on stitchesn7@yahoo.com

I thought my email address was accessible via the blog but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Still arriving....

Hearts are still arriving! I am still accepting hearts. I will never refuse any!
I have two packages of hearts from the UK to stuff before posting pictures but made slightly difficult as I forgot to buy the stuffing when I went to town! Oh well, they will just need to wait a little longer before their photo shoot.!

Up for a little light reading?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5468551/Hearts-for-Christchucrh


Soon, they may even correct the spelling of Christchurch!!!!!!!!

In Weobley....

....Herefordshire, England, is a craft group run by Gwen. This band of stitchers, mainly in their 70's have contributed these hearts. The hearts travelled to New Zealand in someones personal luggage and then posted in New Zealand....a very special delivery.
Thank you all very much.

Two from Geelong....

The heart on the left was made by Anne. The other is not named and there was no note in the package which is the same package that Natalie's were in. Many thanks for these lovely hearts.

From Cornwall

These great hearts and lovely stitchery are from Patsy in Launceston.
Check back on this post as there are even more hearts from Patsy to be stuffed and added to the blog.
Heartfelt thanks.

....and there they are!

Natalie has ....

.... been at it again.
I recognised this style of heart when this great package arrived. Many thanks, Natalie (Werribee, Australia) for another fantastic bunch of hearts.