Friday 26 June 2009

Another WIP whipped!

With the end of the financial year approaching, there has been much figuring & calculating for me, but at last, the worst of it is over, & I can get back to more 'important' things!
This little project has been on my 'to do' list for a while, & is a (now overdue) birthday gift for a friend.
It is supposed to be a SMALL dilly bag for her to keep her teacup in when she goes out quilting for the day. It is somewhat larger than I expected however, so she'll quite possibly be able to fit the kettle in it too!
The pattern is called 'Time for a Cuppa' by Sue Brennan of Weigela Design. I have posted about her beautiful shop before. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a website. I did alter the stitchery design a little to incorporate Catherine Baynes' tea cup!
A very happy birthday to Gail! Sorry it's late my friend, but I know you will understand - you're used to it!!

Monday 22 June 2009

Woman, you have the luck of the Irish!

Or so Sarah quite reasonably proclaimed when my name was drawn at random (yet again!) for her big SEWN launch giveaway! I was the lucky recipient of this amazing book:
Life has been so hectic lately, I've barely had a chance to read it yet, but it is an enormous & inspiring tome, covering many textile crafts, and full to the brim with great projects. One of those fantastic books that will be returned to time & time again I'm sure.
But wait, (dare I say) there's more! As part of the SEWN launch, there were 156 bloggers who offered up their own giveaways to celebrate. I discovered Melinda's lovely blog, The Patchwork Orange. Melinda is an Australian living in Singapore and runs a quilting & craft business. And yes, I happened to win her giveaway!
She sent me kits to make up a sweet little sewing kit ...
... and an equally cute pincushion:
Melinda has generously posted a free pattern for this pincushion on her blog. You can find it here.
I have to say, Melinda's kits were the most immaculately presented kits I have ever received. Right down to the smallest detail, they are amazingly perfect! Each & every element matches the other - buttons, threads, ribbons & felt all matching fabric perfectly. She obviously has a very good eye for colour.
The cutest detail was this tiny, tiny spool of thread, no bigger than half an inch high!
My warmest thanks to both Sarah & Melinda for hosting such generous giveaways. My heritage is more German than Irish, but lucky? Indeed I am!

Monday 15 June 2009

Next on my 'to do' list

This little project is seeing the light of day again. Hope to be back soon with it's transformation into something useful!

How's your whistling?

This is making me happy today:

Friday 12 June 2009

Blooms, all the way from Iceland!

The lovely Berglind of Miss Bee & I decided to do a little fabric swap recently. Since she is in Iceland and I am in Australia, we are all but on geographically opposite sides of the world! Berglind bravely accepted the challenge of sending me 'something nice' and here is what arrived!
Beautiful, beautiful blooms! This fabric is called 'Olive Rose' by Valori Wells for Freespirit. It is stunning and a range I've not seen in Australia anywhere. Thank you so much Berglind - it is very special - you chose perfectly!
Even the selvedge is gorgeous!
And how rare to see FIFTEEN colour dots on the selvedge! (Poor Ric-Rac will be hyperventilating - hi Jodie!)
And there were other treats, including the PERFECT quilter's nail file. I am blessed with the best blog friends.
Now, what can I make of this I wonder?

Monday 8 June 2009

SEWN giveaway winner announced!

Thank you so much to all of you who entered my giveaway. I really appreciated the thoughtful comments you all made, and hope to get around to answering some of those curly questions about a Australia for you! As much as I would love to send each of you something special, there is only one prize. My trusty Random Integer Generator came up with the magic number: Commenter #124 was:
Anonymous said...

My children and I love to read Mem Fox books...especially Koala Lou...this it what I think of when I think of Australia. Brina blrohloff@aoldotcom

Thursday 4 June 2009

Another cute little film ...

Shows the potential for beauty from the discarded. And that blooms are possible in almost any context!
   
If only my garbage bin would magically transform itself overnight like this - it would make getting out of bed in the morning much more enticing!
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