Thursday, July 31, 2014

Christmas in July - what I sent - the big reveal

I have heard from the lovely Cheryll, that my package for Narelle has safely arrived at it's destination :)
(big sigh of relief)

We had to make 3 handmade items with something off the following list:

C...  Candy Cane OR Candle OR Christ
H...  Holly OR Heart
R...  Reindeer
I...    Inspirational word/s 
S...  Santa OR Stocking OR Snow Flake/s
T...  Tree OR Three wise men
M... Mouse OR Mistletoe
A...  Angel
S...  Snowman OR Star 


I = INSPIRATIONAL WORDS - wall hanging

Don't look too closely at my stitching :(  I have a long way to go to improve my stitches, but I hope the recipient will like it as much as I do ......... bumpy bits and all :)

C = CANDLE - candle mat
(made with bits of the fabric left over from the above wall hanging)


S = SANTA - notebook cover
a notebook to keep track of Christmas Things to Do 

and a little extra something :)
A = ANGEL Charms
one pearl charm, and one purple charm, as I know Narelle loves purple :)






Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Friday, July 25, 2014

the highs & lows of life | Christmas in July - received :)

My Christmas in July Swap - organised by Swap Queen, Cheryll, from Gone Stitchin - arrived on what turned out to be a very sad day for me ...... my father passed away most unexpectedly on Monday night.

RIP Dad - June 1933 - July 2014

The last few days have been quite busy organising the funeral and being with family, but I did promise myself some quiet time to sit and open my parcel.

We had to make 3 handmade items with something off the following list:

C...  Candy Cane OR Candle OR Christ
H...  Holly OR Heart
R...  Reindeer
I...    Inspirational word/s 
S...  Santa OR Stocking OR Snow Flake/s
T...  Tree OR Three wise men
M... Mouse OR Mistletoe
A...  Angel
S...  Snowman OR Star 

I was absolutely flabbergasted on what I found when I opened the packages from Marina,  :)


Inspirational words - such exquisite stitching :)

christmas tree - (close up) love the little presents

reindeer & Santa - love this placemat

Thank you so much to Marina, your workmanship is just beautiful and you have chosen the most perfect fabrics :)   I now have a new bloggy friend to follow and be inspired by :)

I realised when I was unwrapping these packages, that I had forgotten to indicate on my packages exactly what categories my items relate to :)  I guess, when my partner opens them, I will be able to let her know .......... oops :)

Huge thanks to Swap Mum Cheryll for organising yet another wonderful swap :)


Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

FNSI - show and tell

Well, I didn't get too much done last night for FNSI as I had the whole day out at the Adelaide Sewing, Stitching and HandCraft Fair and was quite exhausted by the time I got home :)

I spent most of my day assisting on the Stall of Cynthia's Ark for my friend Cynthia :)

I must say, that normally, I am one of those people that are in the background, doing the grunt work - I never saw myself as a person who would comfortably 'deal with the public', but I was most happy to be able to help Cynthia - I enjoyed it so much, and I am hoping to be able to do it again  :)


The crowds were a bit quiet - I think the extreme cold and being the last day of school holidays didn't help - but there was a fairly constant flow of quilters visiting the stall.   It was so lovely to see them go on the hunt for fabrics that would work with their existing projects.  I managed to see some lovely works in progress, and I do hope I can get to see the finished articles some time in the future  :)

A Facebook friend even popped in to say hello and meet 'face to face' LOL

So, my show and tell, is not really so much tell, as I have now lost my voice and seem to have developed a terrible cold during the hour drive home :(

Never mind, a special treat of a Black Russian was waiting for me when I got home :)
everyone knows that alcohol kills germs right?




Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Christmas in July - in the mail :)

I have been working on my Christmas in July Swap - organised by Swap Queen, Cheryll, from Gone Stitchin

Here is one of my items :)


and here is the item that inspired me to make it :)
the one on the left is what I received in the very first 'completed sewn item swap', 
from the lovely Fiona  :)  Mine is the one on the right :)
Don't look too closely at my stitching :(  I have a long way to go to improve my stitches, but I hope the recipient will like it as much as I do ......... bumpy bits and all :)

here is a tease of my second finished item
(made with bits of the fabric left over from the above wall hanging)


You will have to wait and see the other items :) 
I will post pics once they have been received.



Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

July FQs | sent and received

From Justine

To Justine

To Leonie

Birthday Club for LynS



Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

12" mini swap - show and tell

The next instalment of the 12" mini  Club has arrived

Here it is .............. already hanging up on one of the very few wall spaces I have left
it was from the lovely Anorina, of Samelia's Mum

I think Anorina has been stalking my blogs, as these lovely extra Fat Eighths were in the envelope  :) 
I just love, love, love the cameras :)

and just to refresh your memory, this is what I sent to my partner - Kim



Another wonderful swap, organised by the Queen of Swaps, Cheryll, from Gone Stitchin



Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Catching up with some photos

Gorgeous FQs from De for June FQ Swap

Cluster of Stars/Sawtooth Star from Mandy for CraftMad Family Quilt
I have been on a bit of a 'sorting/decluttering' phase - and sorted some of my sewing stuff  - this was after I had spent several hours trying to find some heart buttons I just KNEW I  had somewhere ..... somewhere safe  :)
Projects in plastic tubs

12" blocks all sorted in containers
Needless to say, I have not yet found my heart buttons :(  they are still safely hidden!

I did come across an excellent find on ebay the other day
this gorgeous quilt rack - for $20 - it now holds my flimsies :)
Hopefully, if they are out in the open, I will be more inclined to complete them :)



Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Friday, July 4, 2014

FAWF !! :)

It is FNwF today, but for me it will be FAwF (Friday Arvo with Friends) as my friend Cynthia, from Cynthia's Ark,  will be coming over for a playdate :)

I am so excited, I made Chocolate brownies yesterday - I also wasted time making Adriano Zumbo's Passionfruit Macarons, but that is another story :(  see my post HERE  :)




Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.