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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.