Friday, July 31, 2009

Just in the Nick of Time

It's the 31 July here in Australia and I have a few finished things that I cannot post yet as they are secret swaps and I don't want to ruin the surprise.

However,

here is one that I have had the quilt top made for about 2 years now and I finished it off tonight with a simple polar fleece backing and some simple lines of quilting. The Polar fleece has cute little green frogs on it.

Our AFL football club is having our annual promise Auction tomorrow night after the game and I am donating this to help raise funds.

Last year and the year before my quilt made over $30, which doesn't sound like much but they are only lap size quilts and I used scraps and assorted odds to make them.

Friday, July 24, 2009

4 months already

I have been very slack this week. I totally forgot to do this last friday.
Jess turned 4 months last friday and oh my goodness she has grown so much.
I tried to put her in the Bassinnette the other day for a little day sleep and she pretty much fits end to end, so I have to put her in the big cot for her day sleeps from now on. I have been using the bassinnette just during the day as it is out in the loungeroom next to the computer and I can hear her if she wakes up.
Here she is one her lovely quilt that we have actually been using on really cold nights, which we have had a few this month. It's so hard being a mum, you never stop worrying, I know this is not really a topic that people talk about but I constantly worry about SIDS. It's super cold here at night right now and I refuse to have a heater in the bedroom cause it's just not do-able to warm up that end of the house. So we have to have a few layers on us and the kids. They both wear sleeping bags and then we have to put a few blankets on. So I just worry and every time I get up I check them. Sam is a heavy breather so I can still just stand at the door to his room and lisen but Jess is so quiet and doesn't move all night so when I want to check I have to put my finger under her nose.
I know it's silly but I worry about things that you can't see or do anything about. So I will keep checkin for many months to come.
Enough of the morbid stuff. The farm is great. We have had some rain and things are green. We have had some lovely winter days too. On Wednesday it was so hot that I almost put a t-shirt on. The verandah is finished and we spend the afternoons out in the sun, Sam drives his truck around and I usually read or play too.
That's it for now.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

More lovely prizes and Swap Goodness

Oh me oh my what a lucky girl am I!!!

These are the last 2 items from my spectacular Winning month in June.
I won a giveaway from Aussie Handmade Giveaway which was a voucher to spend at the Rainbow Revolution shop. I of course couldn't resist spending more and bought this lovely Bamboo/Cotton Wrap which is hand dyed in a lovely purply/pinky combination.
On the right is the "Material Obsession" Book that I won from Jackie at Canton Village Quiltworks, I have long admired this book and nearly bought a copy once or twice but thank goodness I didn't. It is such a lovley read. The projects are beautiful and the instructions and easy to follow, I cannot recommend it enough. Even my husband had a flick through and admired it.









The lovley little quilt that you see below is made by Nannette from Salt Lake City in the USA. She is my swap partner in the "Swap Till You Drop" Group on Flickr for the July swap and it is a lovley little quilt measuring 15inches, A matching pin cushion and a roll of Chenille Blooming Bias.









This quilt is absolutely amazing considering that it was done very quickly we only got each other as partners on the 7th July and it takes 7-10 days for her mail to get to me, you do the maths...
All the detail that you see is appliqued, the vines, flowers, cat, stars. There is also alot of quilting of different varieties on the roof, the background and the lower bit below the house. You can have a closer look in my Flickr Photos

I just love it and will be making sure it is hung on my wall for people to see.
Now I just have to finish mine to send to her by the 31 July, I have it nearly done, just a few more finishing touches.
Thank you Nannette, I love it and am so glad that I got you for my first S.T.U.D. partner.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Winning in June, Shopping and Thrift finds

Well I had a lovely June, there were a few giveaway's happening and I won about 3 or 4. I have been very remiss in not blogging them sooner but I wanted to wait until I had a couple so here they are.
From left to right
1. A lovely set of Fat Quarters in the Fig & Plum range from the lovely blog Patches Indooroopilly

2. A very cute pincushion from the lovely Erica

3. A very cute little kit of hexagons from Lovely Lorraine

There are also 2 more that I have yet to blog but I am waiting on one to arrive so will post them later.

Then...

I won this lovely cushion pattern from the most beautiful blog you have ever seen. Kellie is a very talented Aussie who makes the most lovely patterns and quilts and cushions and I was a lucky winner on her blog, here is what I won. A beautiful cushion pattern. She is a bit of pioneer in easy ways to do lovely applique.

While I was there I decided to order a couple of her current patterns which you can see below. There are also 2 new ones that I have pre-ordered, check out her blog and her shop and I will be checking out her classes if they should ever come to my area.











Then I was a bit naughty and went shopping on Etsy at Fresh Fabrics and bought all these lovely Fat Quarters, there are 20 in total but they were so cheap and lovely and I now own some Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler and Momo.







And last but not least I always enjoy a good thrift store and I found these lovely items in my local St Vinnies. A nice big bit of fabric that will look sooo cute in a pinafore on Jess in year or 2. a Lovely little girls pattern and a nice big double bed sheet that will look wonderful as a quilt backing.

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Oh I nearly forgot. I also love this store: Karaku on Etsy. I bought some lovely Cotton & Linen offcuts and a couple of bits of fabric to use as applique and panels.