"How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it" - George Alliston

"Do something today that doesn't have to be done again tomorrow."
- Author unknown

Thursday, December 23, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

hi all!!
merry christmas!!!!! with only a couple of sleeps to go, we are in full on mode with packing, wrapping, last minute shopping and general craziness going on!
the little human has decided that his fave christmas song is the one that goes 'ding dong, ding a ding a ding dong (and then repeat ad nausem)' by the Wiggles - so that has been sung at the top of his lungs for a while now

i won't be around for a couple of weeks, so wanted to say a big merry christmas and a happy new year to you all

thanks for sharing our adventures of late, and i look forward to more in the new year
pugs and sloppy kisses
crafty
xxx

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

how could i forget!


i forgot to show off my winnings!  the lovely Cheryll at http://stitchingcubbyhole.blogspot.com is having a 12 days of christmas giveaway - and i won DAY ONE!!!!!
i nicked this piccie of her webpage because it looks so much nicer than the one i took!  it is a great mag, full of lovely different cushions.  many future projects!

thanks so much cheryll!!!

pugs and kisses
xx

crafty work!

hello all!

happy wednesday - hope that you are having a great day! i am most pleased because i got all three of my block swap blocks completed and in the post - yay!

so some sneak peaks.....

this one is for Gina in Brazil who asked for any block in bright, happy colours!



this is for the christmas block swap and is for micki in ireland who asked for a star block


and this is for linda in WA who asked for a star block


i hope they all reach their destinations safe and sound!

on a sadder crafty note, i have had to admit defeat for my friend's wedding quilt.  it is coming along nicely but will in no way be ready for the wedding this saturday.  she was very understanding and said anytime would be fine - i will be aiming for early in the new year.  i have put a couple of swatches of the fabric in the card to give at the wedding, so at least she doesn't think i am a complete slacker!!

on the puglet front, things are going well.  i think i have definitely turned a corner with the morning sickness.  i have only vomited once this week, and have had much more energy.  i am still sleeping terribly, but i seem to remember that lasting most of the pregnancy with the little human.

speaking of the little human, he is going great, and getting excited about all the awesome christmas decorations in shops and in people's yards.  he is still terrified of santa, but loves presents (of course!).  he has now finished all his christmas parties - playgroup, kindergym, his little friends - so just us big people to go now.

he is starting to become more aware of the fact that something is happening to my body, and regularly lifts up my shirt to say 'baby' to my tummy.  this is of course gorgeous, but slightly embarrassing in the check out queue at the shops.  he is occasionally confused and thinks there is a baby in his tummy too, but i guess he will work that out over time :)

here is a recent pic of him in 'summer time attire' in adelaide - don't you just know he is plotting something behind that cheeky grin!



pugs and much love, many christmassy hugs and kisses
xxxx

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

quick update!

hi all
so sorry for my absense from blog land in recent days! i had been hoping to post a lovely update today, but things have gotten away from me
hubby is away for the week for work and so the little human and i have been having many adventures. it also means i am a bit tired at the end of the days!!!!
all went well at my obs. appointment - puglet is going great, i am low risk for all troubles and immune to everything they worry about - so relieved and thankful (especially with hubby being away!)
on the craft front, i need to get a MOVE on, but things are in hand (so she says :)!)
much love to you all, and i hope to be back on the net reading blogs and blogging myself asap!
pugs and kisses
xx

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

crafty things update

this arvo i got a chance to play in my craft area - and i really enjoyed it!
i got a wiggle on with the quilt for my friend's wedding - it is on the 18th of dec, so i better wiggle faster!!

im making the blueberry chocolate squares quilt from moda bake shop.  today i finished all the half square triangles, and started sewing borders onto them



it is fairly repetitive, but it is coming together pretty quickly so that is great!

also, have received word that some blocks that have arrived safely! Sylvia's blue and yellow block


noelene's block, white and red log cabin



i was also very very blessed to receive a fantastic mag from my wonderful friend Leona, who sent me a copy of Quiltermaker's 100 blocks - it is fantastic!
thank you!!!!!


and to finish with - my little human being crafty all on his own. hubby was given some crappy old tables, which he painted to make waterproof for the little human's sandpit. little human was SO keen to help that hubby found some old tester pots and let him go for it! he is very happy with his work, and refers to them as his and daddy's tables.


thanks for reading and i hope your christmas preparations are going well!

pugs and kisses
xx

pregnancy update

hi all!
i have decided to have the goal of blogging each wednesday - that way i keep my hand in, but also there is not the pressure to do more than i can.  so today is my first wednesday update!
i thought i would do a pregnancy one (coz i want to complain) and then a craft one (with stuff to show off!)

so complaining first.....(but first the preface that i am EXTREMELY happy, blessed and excited to be expecting the puglet)
however, i am sick of feeling sick, sick of vomiting and my new favourite, sick of not being able to sleep!  for some reason, i am falling asleep quickly and then waking up somewhere between midnight and 2am, and then not being able to get back to sleep until around 4am sometimes
i am so tired!  and so frustrated!

the mornings are then the hardest to get through, somehow the little human has not worked out that it would be great if he could get himself up, change his own nappy, dress and feed himself, and casually wake me up with a nice cup of tea at around 10am - he he (i am just running a little movie of him doing all that through my head!).

ok, i feel much better now - thank you for letting me vent!

on the very plus side, i have an obstetricians appointment next tuesday and so i will get all my results from the blood tests and get to see the puglet on the screen again - i love that technology!

and also on the plus side, the little human is definitely tuned into the fact that something is happening - he is talking about the 'bebe' a lot, and carrying around the doll that we bought him with such tenderness it makes me cry every time.  he always puts it down so gently and picks it up so carefully - amazing what they understand!

thank you lovely ladies and ill write a crafty update shortly
pugs and kisses
xx

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

FINISHED! November Christmas block swap - whew!


this is a sneak peak of the block for the lovely Teena!  she asked for a star in traditional colours - i hope she likes it!

on the puglet front, i had my 13 week scan today, so we got to the see the little person up close!  already moving arms, legs, turning around and waving at us.  unbelievable.  got to see its little heart pumping away too - a true miracle.

thanks so much for all your kind thoughts re my morning sickness - i too hope it eases up soon.

pugs and kisses
xx

Saturday, November 20, 2010

November FNSI report!

so keen i was - this one was going to be sooooo great!
i had an average day on the morning sickness scale - 6 out of 10 - morning vomiting followed by all day nausea and dry retching.....not too good, but not too bad
i had been HANGING for the little human to get to bed and get to sewing

so the plan was
1. finish block swaps (2 to go)
2. finish Hilda the hippo for Toy Society Swap
3. start cross stitch birth sampler for puglet

ambitious, yes....but i thought i should be able to give it a fair shake. some new simpsons eps on the TV followed by Indiana Jones movie - all good!

so i sit down to make the lovely Sylvia a yellow and blue block in any style....

this is what i make

quite nice, im very happy with it, but then i realise it looks quite small for a 12" block
duh, im using a 9" pattern

ahh well, try again

this time i go for the 'beginners choice' block because that is CLEARLY what i am today!


argh - i realise after i have sewn the 4 square part that this is a 9" block too!!!!  why do i have all these sooooo misfiled in my folder - soooo angry.  decide that i might as well finish it now that it is all cut out

right.  go onto the internet, print out a 12" block pattern - double check it.  get hubby to double check it.  right.
go back out and cut the material - triple check it.  good.  sew it together.  measure - whew - it is 12.5".  whew!

so sylvia will end up with a few extra missized blocks - i hope she can find a use for them.  this is a sneak peak of what i sent officially.


and after all that i decided to call it quits.  but i did get one block done - and that is an achievement worth celebrating!!!

on a different note, and one to blow the horn of my LQS, i went there on Friday to buy a 1/4" foot without the guide for my machine.  the one with the guide drives me nuts because it always moves, it isn't quite 1/4" and it is easy to stuff up (which as we have seen i do quite well with no assistance thank you very much!).

anyhoo, they let me know that my normal general purpose foot will do the same thing if i choose the 'piecing' setting on my machine, which moves the needle over 1/4" from the edge of that foot - AWESOME!  it is SO much easier to do a 1/4" seam now - i find that i am much more accurate that trying to line it up with something on the plate or some other line on my foot.

so thank you LQS - you did yourself out of a sale, but made a customer very happy!

hope you all enjoyed your FNSI and achieved something too :)

pugs and kisses
xx

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

FINISHED! November block swap - Oz and International!

whew! glad i got these done today

the first is for Jen in the USA for the international swap. this month will be my last one - ive decided the oz one and the chrissie one are enough for me at the moment. but i have enjoyed swapping with the ladies in america.

Jen asked for a log cabin block in batiks. i must admit that i didn't know what that meant and when i went and found out i realised i had NONE in my stash! Jen said she was also happy with bright modern fabrics - so i used some of my funky pile!

here is a sneak peak....


this one is for nolene in NSW for the oz swap. she asked for my new fave of log cabin in black and white with red centre. here is a sneak peak..


i still have my christmas swap and another oz swap to do - they are on my list for FNSI!!! yay! can't wait!

pugs and kisses
xx

Monday, November 8, 2010

an announcement.....plus craft update

sorry i have been absent for some time and i must admit i have been BLOWN AWAY by my bloggy friends' concern for me - thank you all so much

as some of you may have guessed, the doctor's know the reason for my unwellness of late - i am pregnant!

hubby and i are very excited (little human is still nonplussed) about the arrival of our little 'puglet'!

i have had a pretty bad bout of morning sickness (unfairly named as it doesn't just last the morning!) with lots of vomiting and nausea.  this has upset the little human a lot, particularly over this past weekend when i was sick quite badly after possibly overdoing it at the craft fair (photos of purchases to follow!).

i still have to have my major scan (got to see puglet today though - already kicking its legs and moving around!) and have all the blood tests for the congenital defects (argh!), so won't know the 'low-risk, high-risk' stuff for another month.

but i have had my first appointment with obstetrician today, all is going well so far, and the morning sickness seems to be waning - whew!  but enough puglet talk - here is the update on all things craft!

i received this lovely block from sylvia as my november block swap partner - with a lovely card and some beautiful flower tissue paper - thanks syvlia!!!!


this was the block i made for Sue for the Christmas Block Swap for October that she has now recieved


this is the block i received from Teena for the November Christmas Block swap, along with a beautiful William Morris card - i know i know, i need to get a wriggle on with my swaps for this month!!!



and now for the booty from the craft fair!!!  i had a lovely time (until i barfed - luckily i made it to the loos - that would have been embarrassing!!!!!)   my main aim was to get a new rotary cutter - i think i am happy with my new olfa!  you can also see some fat 1/4's and a bag pattern from Kids Quilts


a close up of the fats - there was a stall there that had all fat 1/4's for $3.50, so at the end of the day i went there with all the money i had left over and spent up big!


so pre-packed material to make some of the melly and me softies, plus the turtle pattern - too cute!


and a tatty teddy birth sampler for the puglet!  suitable for boy or girl


and lastly, what i bought with my winnings!! i won a $50 voucher for Blue Willow Cottage to spend online or at the show - and i got some cream fabric (always needed for swaps!) plus a kit for a great bag



and you will be happy to know i FINALLY finished the boy oh boy quilt (officially named 'and all things possible') for the Homespun design comp.  i had it finished and at my mum's for photography when my dad rings and says quite innocently 'why did you write - and crazy tall talls?'  after i fainted, i checked and sure enough - i had mistake in the spelling on the embroidery!!!! if you enlarge this piccie you can see it...



and here it is fixed - crazy tall tails!


and here are some of the nice ones i will be submitting for the competitions - cross your fingers for me!




thanks for reading and i hope to 'be around' more as the weeks and months progress.  but please be patient with me if im not!!!!

pugs and many kisses
crafty
xxx

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

GET PSYCHED! November FNSI!!!

i am pumped! nothing to stand in my way this time (i hope!)
get signed up for Friday Night Sew In at Handmade By Heidi's blog - there are some great prizes this time around too - cool!
19th of November - put it on the calendar
click on the button in my sidebar to take you straight there!

pugs and kisses
xx

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

BEEN RECEIVED! Brigitte's Block for Oct Aussie Swap

the lovely brigitte has recieved her block - black and white log cabin with a red centre
i particularly like this one - can't wait to see her quilt when it is finished!


pugs and kisses
xx

Monday, October 25, 2010

BEEN RECEIVED! Virginia's Block for Quilt Block Swap

i can reveal the block i made for the international block swap - virginia requested blue and white log cabin with a red centre - and it arrived safe and sound in the US


i also finished off a cross stitch with the personal information for a friend's baby and delivered that this week - he is a little cutie! i hope they enjoy the bears dancing along!


and the big news in our house this week is that the little human has worked out how to open the back door and come and go as he pleases!  he thinks he is very impressive.  lucky we have safe backyard and so i can spy on him from the kitchen window when he doesn't know i am looking (just to be sure!)


pugs and kisses
xx

p.s. thank you for all the well wishes about me not feeling well!  i am still not up to scratch, but the doctor assures me it is nothing to worry about at this stage.  so that is good!!!  i appreciate all your warm and lovely thoughts coming my way - thank you!!!!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

FINISHED! Blanket of Love

whew!

i was running out of time, but managed to get the binding sewn on yesterday!
will be in the post today to the lovely Cheryll to help with her drive.

on a quilting note i am not happy with the precuts i used - the pattern in the pink fabric didn't run parallel to the edge (which emphasised my not always straight stitching!)  i hope it is still suitable for Cheryll though..



on a little human note, this is the latest game....i hear 'mummy!!!!' and once he is found 'more!' for another round!


hope you are enjoying this beautiful Thursday
pugs and kisses
xx

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

feeling blah!

hi all!
i have been feeling quite off colour for a week or so now and haven't felt like doing any craft (i know, i must be sick!!!!).  i have just been getting through with the little human enjoying the better weather the last couple of days, and living vicariously through visiting everyone's blogs - thanks always for sharing!

i have two projects that i HAVE TO FINISH!!!!!  i have made a blanket of love for Cheryll's drive - only 12 days to go the counter on her blog reminds me!!  i have made the quilt and attached the binding, but i have to hand stitch it down onto the back......
and i have to quilt my Boy Oh Boy quilt in the next week or two to get it done in time for the competition!

perhaps while the little human naps today.... ill see how i go!

on another note, we need two more people to fill up our Christmas Swap group 2!  if you are interested, or know someone who is, please send them to http://christmasquiltingblockswapsaustralia.blogspot.com or click on the button in my left side bar!  will be great to have the group full and ready to swap the year away!

hope you are going splendidly!
pugs and kisses
xx

Saturday, October 16, 2010

FNSI Flop :(

unfortunately, FNSI did not happen for me this month!

it was my hubby's birthday on thursday and we were going to go with his family today (Sat) to the beach, but the weather has turned for the worse here in adelaide! (SO SICK OF RAIN!  I know we need it, but the little human is CLIMBING THE WALLS!!) :)

so instead, they graciously invited us to dinner at their place last night - which was lovely
but no stitching (i did manage to come last in the card game though!)

hope yours went better!

pugs and kisses
xx

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

RECEIVED! Brigitte's block swap for October

look what arrived for me today!

aren't they gorgeous!



i am in love with the designs - i think they are just lovely, and of course Brigitte's piecing is great!

thanks Brigitte! you've spoiled me!

pugs and kisses
xx

Sunday, October 10, 2010

weekend "work"

certainly not dreary work - that is for sure!
i got some crafting done in my nice tidy area - not soooo tidy now, but still very functional! i made sure i put my scissors away in their designated spot :)

this is a sneak peek of my block for the international block swap for Virginia in Washington - she requested a blue and white log cabin with a red centre


and this is a thank you block for a friend (who will probably be able to work it out!)


so still on the to do list for the next week - blanket of love for Cheryll's drive for the hospital, and FINISH the Boy O Boy quilt!

pugs and kisses
xx

Saturday, October 9, 2010

organised pug!

thought that i would share with you my craft area today!

we live in a 3 bedroom semi detached house - and every square inch of space is utilised!  when they built our house in the 50's they obviously didn't believe in CUPBOARDS! :)  anyhoo, it is cosy and has a great feel about it, and we love it!

we also have a large shed out the back, and when we bought the place it was unlined and unfloored, but we saw potential.  hubby worked very hard to get it all up to a useable standard, and now it is awesome!  we were storing a lot of 'stuff' in there (hubby loves to hoard - "but what if we need it one day??") but over the last couple of months we have been having a big clean out.

we now have space for a spare couch set, some exercise gear, a big run around space for the little human (handy when it is wet outside) and a great craft area for yours truly!

so here is a tour ....
- as you can see, a great cutting table made by my dad (thanks pug senior), fabric stash sorted into colours in tubs, my mags all on top of the filing cabinets


my beloved horn table that was my birthday pressie a couple of years back from my folks, ironing board so i don't get lazy in between piecing, and trusty machine


and of course lots of tubs for storage in an old bookshelf


very nice to have it all set up and ready to go for even 5 minutes of stitching

what a lucky puggy i am!

anyone else want to share where they create?

pugs and kisses for a happy saturday
xx

Friday, October 8, 2010

RECEIVED! Mary's block for Christmas swap


this lovely block arrived today from Mary
Thanks so much!
xx

thought for today!



i was clicking around some blogs during the little human's nap today (yep, that's right, i left the dishes in the sink!! don't tell my mother!) and i came across http://alittlebitbiased.blogspot.com

first of all, LOVE the name - very cute.  then i saw this quote in her sidebar

"Do something today that doesn't have to be done again tomorrow."
- Author unknown


and it just spoke to me!  

my little human is just over 18 months now, and so i haven't been at 'work' since then (i somehow seem to be doing more work than ever though!)  

i was someone who always loved the working life - the people, the conversations, the challenge, the commute to and from, the preparation, the pressure, the friday night drinks....

i miss lots of things about 'working' - the differentiation between work life and home life, people seeing you as a person, and not just as a mother, the direct feeling of contributing to society, the mental stimulation, the friday night drinks....

i love lots of things about being home and raising our son too, but i don't love lots of things - and one of the main things is the DRUDGERY of doing jobs today that will have to be done again tomorrow - cooking, cleaning, washing, bathing a squirming wet monkey, wiping, changing, cleaning, dressing a whirlwind, cooking, food shopping, dishes,  getting playdoh out of the carpet.....etc etc

but i love the idea of making sure that every day i do at least one thing that won't have to be done again tomorrow - craft provides that outlet for me and i am very thankful.  even if it is only one thing (attach the binding, sew a few stitches, make one block, some free motion quilting) at least the outlet is there

i appreciate you all, my bloggy friends, and feel grateful to share this journey of life with you through this medium of the net.

pugs and thankful kisses
xx

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Quilted Hugs for Alex

i have been dying to share this post with you FOR AGES! but had to be patient so as not to ruin the surprise!

for readers of her blog, you will know that Alex is going through some rough times.  Alex is a crafty gal, who is a very encouraging member of Quilting Block Swaps Australia.

a group of us from the block swap (Maria, Beth, Cathy, Cheryll, Sue and Larain - super chicks!) wanted to bless her by making her a quilt with blocks in the theme of 'hugs, kisses and hearts' in pink and cream.  it took only 5 weeks from woe to go - amazing what you can do when you  put your mind to it!

everyone did such a great job with the theme and in the end we named the quilt 'Quilted Hugs', which is the sign off for Sue, our block swap mummy.

Alex let us know that she received it today and said that she cried, and that it felt like getting a giant hug.
that makes it all worthwhile (and brings a tear to my eye while i type this - soppy pug!)

so these are the blocks i made!
this baby bunting to remind Alex of the block swap group (this is what she is collecting)


and this double cross block because it looked like a kiss!



but i have to admit that i didn't have these pink fabrics in my stash!  i had  no lady-like soft nice pink like Alex likes.  only fluro, brights and spots!  so oh well, a trip to the LQS was in order!!  it is nice to look in different ranges that you don't normally choose - a step outside the comfort zone!

then to finish off, i thought something a bit different might be nice.  this design was taken from Homepsun's BOM series and changed a little bit


and this is the whole thing - don't all the blocks look great!


and this is the 'craft magazine shot' - always wanted to do one ;)


whew!  what a whirlwind!

so glad it made alex happy, and i hope it will keep her in quilted hugs for many years to come

pugs and slightly soppy kisses
xx