FNSI Show and tell

FNSI - Mr Fixit was happy to watch the cricket, and I was happy to let him :)

I got a lot done :)

completed another 1 1/2 rings for my double wedding ring quilt - I am thinking this will make a really nice table runner on the extendible dining table  ............... not sure I am that motivated to make a queen-size quilt out of these :(

While I was merrily congratulating myself on finishing my January swaps in good time, see my post HERE .................. I completely forgot about my CraftMad Family Quilt and the do.Good Stitches Bee

So I got to work on my two blocks for CraftMad Family Quilt - this year we are going to swap blocks in Christmas fabrics :)

I started cutting out my do.Good Stitches Bee blocks, but realised halfway that I need some white solid, not white tone on tone, so back to the drawing board I go :(

I also spent some time tidying up during the week when it was really hot - I didn't want to do anything too strenuous, and I was bored with sitting watching the TV, so I just faffed around going inbetween the craft room and the sewing room - sorting this and that - eventually, I hope to get everything in some form of order :)

In my tidying up, I came across these - they are my very, very first attempt at making up log cabin blocks - back in 2010 - I didn't even have a quilting ruler or rotary cutter then .......... these were cut with scissors using my normal ruler as a guide.

They were all different measurements and quite crooked - so I added the pink outer border and cut them 'wonky'.  I think they are big enough to make a small doll blanket ............ need to think about this one a bit more - another thing to add to the UFO list.  Any suggestions?  What do you think it would be good for?


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

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

Catchin' Up and Workin' on some UFOs

It has been really hot here in Adelaide over the last week, and with Mr Fixit returning to work, I was able to sit down and catch up on my 'stories' - The Young and The Restless & Bold & Beautiful :)

I can tell you, I really thought I was having a few "early senior's moments", when I was watching some episodes of Y&R that were recorded Christmas Week - some things did not make sense ?? - I think they were screened out of order - either that, or the continuity people really mucked up!!   Then, after having a marathon session of catching up - several episodes later, the show jumps straight into Chelsea going into labour!  What happened to the previous 6 months?    the last episode I watched Chelsea had only just had her first scan ...................  I must confess, I rang Mr Fixit to check if he had 'accidentally' deleted some episodes and forgotten to tell me :(

Anyway ............ it turns out Mr Fixit was not to blame, and I was not having an "early senior's moment"  ............. Arena had in fact screened an episode out of order :(  A TV Blog I regularly read posted all about it HERE

Anyway .......... onto what I have been working on whilst staying cool and watching my stories :)


Finally getting the backstitching done on my Cross Stitch which was started in the 90's
I must be getting old ...... now I need my glasses AND my magnifyer to see what I am doing :(

Linking with Slow Stitching Sunday

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

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

Fat Quarter Swap | Birthday Club | January

January is a fairly big month for the Fat Quarter Swap Birthday Club - 3 birthdays :)
Although, looking ahead, March has a whopping 7 birthdays ........... I think I will start shopping now :)

This is what I have sent:

Diana Birthday Club

Lisa Birthday Club

Maryanne Birthday Club

January swap for Debbie

Three out of the four recipients have let me know they have arrived at their destination, so I can share photos now :)

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

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

Would you be upset if ............ (UPDATED)

you believed you were buying this

but received this instead

I deliberated long and hard before posting this ................warning ....................... dummy spit follows!
This CraftCentral/Patchwork&Craft Leutenegger promotion was available as a "Deal of the Day" on Monday, 25th November 2013.  By the time I responded, the "Leutenegger Clever Country “YELLOW” Fat Quarter Pack" for AU$45 was the only one available - that's OK, I needed to fill a yellow gap in my stash.
I was quite confident in dealing with this organisation as I had previously purchased a boxed set of FQs to match the FQs I had received as a bonus for renewing my magazine subscription - on that occasion, I was extremely happy with the fabrics received as they were EXACTLY as described, pictured and promoted.
I contacted Express Media (Craft Central/Patchwork&Craft) to express my disappointment and got this reply:

HI Cathy,

Thank you for your feedback in regards to the product you have purchase. The add did state that styles may vary. We have taken your feedback on board.

Kind Regards,
Victoria Loftus

Customer Service Manager
Express Media Group

Whilst I would have been happy to receive different styles of 'yellow' fabric, I was still expecting to receive individually wrapped Clever Country fat quarters from the Leutenegger range of fabrics - not some different range and in a different colour.
The other colour selections that were promoted at the time were as follows:

Black

Blue

Neutral

Pink

Red

(photos taken from the email I received as part of this promotion)

I have to wonder just how many people got what they thought they were buying.

Some of you may say "what do you expect for AU$45?" - well all I can say is I am glad I didn't pay RRP AU$105 for them - they would have been returned!
I have since done a search for the fabrics that were actually supplied, and have found:
yellow/black and white fabrics Lemon Tree by Benartex HERE
other black and white fabrics I found available at Alacraft  HERE
I cannot find any of the fabrics I received from CC/P&C on the Leutenegger website and therefore conclude that the fabrics I have received are NOT Leutenegger fabrics.  I feel as though I have been conned by CraftCentral/Patchwork & Craft and they have used the good name of Leutenegger to solicit sales.
I am still contemplating lodging an official complaint with ACCC - am I being unreasonable?

There is a silver lining though :)   In Alacraft I have found an Australian OnLine store that can satisfy all my creative craft needs - with sewing/quilting, cardmaking, beading, knitting & crochet - all in the one place!

UPDATED:  3rd January 2014
Since sharing my photo here and on Facebook on 29th December 2013 - I have received several comments both here on the blog and on my FB photo, to support contacting CC/P&C again to seek a full refund.  CC/P&C have since commented on my photo on FB apologising for the mix up and offering a full refund.  It has taken a few days, but I am now in receipt of the details needed to send my package back.  Will keep you all posted on how long the refund takes :)

UPDATED:  13th January 2014
After a phone call from Express Media (CC/P&C) on 7th January saying the returned goods have been received, they agreed to arrange a refund via Paypal, which was finally processed on 13th January.

Thank you all, once again, for your comments and support :)

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

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

January FNwF - Show and Tell

Our first FNwF for the year .......... we had 64 people join in  :)

I got a lot done - hubby is still home on annual leave, but that didn't stop me seriously ignoring him for the afternoon and early evening :)

But first, I must pass on thanks to Vanessa, 

for sending me this lovely FQ and gorgeous tag as a thank you for the work I do as
Swap Co-Ordinator for the Fat Quarter Swap Group
awww, thanks Vanessa, your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated :)

OK, so now onto what I accomplished for FNwF :)

The afternoon starts with good preparation

The last of my Christmas Bubbly  

setting aside my blue scraps for the start of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC14) project
(see link in the sidebar)

which turned into this :) will finish it this afternoon

SharonJ, my January partner for QBSA, is super organised and has already sent me two blocks - my request was for the Starflower block in rainbow colours on either BLACK or WHITE solids

I think she has met the brief :)  thanks Sharon

I completed the following two blocks for SharonJ

Sharon's request was for any block in purples, lavenders, greens - I hope this is acceptable :)

these blocks are packed and ready to be posted on Monday

I was on a roll with digging through my purple stash, so I made some blocks for Block Lotto
(see link on sidebar)

January Block Lotto - Double Chevron Block

The top block was made using the tutorial provided - starting with one big 8 3/4 inch square

the bottom block was made using my preferred method - starting with 4 1/2 inch squares 

It has been quite a while since I participated in Block Lotto, but these blocks appealed to me :)

This lovely block and fabric bowl arrived during the week from Jan for January Christmas Block Swap

Here is the block I made for Jan 

it is now packed and ready to post

Must be off for now - I have a heap of FQs to bundle up and put in the mail - stay tuned for my next post.


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

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

Quilt Block Swaps | Making a list ...............

.......... and checking it twice :)

It's the start of the year and I like to go back over my swaps and make sure I have:

1. made and sent my block
2. received my block and sent a thank you to my partner
3. blogged about it

QBSA
There have been a few I have missed blogging about, so here they are:

August block from Tracey

November blocks from Encarna in Spain - finally arrived in January :)

I think Encarna's package went on a bit of a Christmas Holiday for a while before it arrived here in Australia - not too sure where it went after it was put it in the mail :(  but it was so lovely to open it and find these little gems inside :)  Thank you Encarna, it was worth the wait :)

December block for Michell

My block from Michell is 'in the mail' :)


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

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

Christmas Blocks | Making a list ..............

.......... and checking it twice :)

It's the start of the year and I like to go back over my swaps and make sure I have:

1. made and sent my block
2. received my block and sent a thank you to my partner
3. blogged about it

There have been a few I have missed blogging about, so here they are:

I posted a tease photo of the block I made for LoriB - it has arrived, so here it is

and here is block I received from LoriB

Here is the December block I sent to Corrie

and here is the gorgeous block Corrie sent me

and this .......... can you guess what it is?
It is a USB stick!  how cool is that!

A huge thank you to all of my Christmas Block Swap partners for 2013 - I am going to have so much fun putting my blocks together ;)

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

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

2014 Swap Pledge

I am renewing my Swap Pledge

I, CathyC (aka CrafteeCC) will try my utmost...

·        To always swap on time.

·        To always email a THANK YOU to my partner.

·        To be considerate and thoughtful when choosing a gift.

·        To give my partner the quality of gift that I would like to receive.

·        To communicate when it’s required.

·        To NEVER over commit and let a partner down.

·        To advise the swap mama when I receive my gift.

This I sewomly pledge....

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

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