guard again Charity Burnout

a while ago i posted about how Quilter's are Amazing - don't worry - i still think that!

i read something a while ago about 'charity burnout'.  it is the phenomenon where good people are so bombarded with the suffering and need in the world and community around them, that they become burnt out by it.  they become desensitized and decide it is easier to do nothing.

i know that this is tempting, and we all have so much going on in our own lives - but (yes, im up on my puggy soap box) can i encourage us all to guard again this!

i know we can't always be involved in everything we are asked to be - and that is fine!!!!!
but don't let your heart go hard.
if you can't be involved, still send an encouragement, or say a prayer, or hold love in your heart.

the reason i was thinking about all this is that i checked in on how Liz's quilt was going for her ill friend Sue.  it turns out she has so many offers of blocks that she has enough to make TWO quilts! so cool!

so, she is redirecting people to send orphan or new blocks to the effort that is on Catalina's blog - she is making quilts for the kids affected by the NZ earthquake.

if you have the time, check it out and send some quilty love to our cousin's across the ditch as we say in Oz.

i have no more orphan blocks left (isn't it nice they are all adopted now!), but will post a piccie of what i make to send

don't forget the wonderful Cheryll's drive to make Blankets of Love for stillborn babies - check out her blog for info

ok, my puggy legs are off my soap box and back on the ground.  in fact, they will carry me shortly into my sewing area for more quilting fun!  hope you get some today too!

pugs and kisses
xx

trip to quiltaholics!

lucky me!  i had a training course to do this morning in magill, and once it had finished i thought.............hmmmmmmmmmmmmm................perhaps i should drop in on quiltaholics!  they have a huge shop with tons of fabric and i love just wandering around!

i needed to get a border and backing for my Boy O Boy quilt, but i also got a little distracted - whoops!

i saw this lovely farmyard fabric and thought the little human would love an eye spy quilt using it!  he is at that animal noise stage and i can imagine lots of moos, clucks, quacks, neighs and baas coming from this quilt (so i better get onto it before he is 10 and thinks it is SOOOOO uncool!)

but i did also find what i went for - i think this is a lovely contrast...

and the best bit..........the stars GLOW IN THE DARK!!!! how AWESOME is that!!! i love it!  i took the little human into his room and turned out the lights.  he appropriately said 'ooooooooooooooo'
good boy!

this is a close up of the stitching on the Boy O Boy quilt - it is definitely getting there!

gotta get a wiggle on though - not much time left!

it is a long weekend here in SA, and hubby, little human and i are taking the van out again (we are hoping for less wind this time!) so the plan is while we are away to finish the embroidery on the Boy O Boy quilt and hand stitch the binding on the back of another quilt - fingers crossed!

pugs and kisses to all
xx

who is the winner? - me!!!!

lucky lucky me - i popped over to Linda's blog when my side bar showed the title 'who is the winner?' as her latest post.  when i checked - it was me!!! wow!!!

this is my prize.... 8 x 1/2 yards (45 cm) of this fabric!

what a lucky puggy i am!!!!

THANK YOU LINDA!

don't forget to leave a comment at this post if you want to be in my giveaway - closes on Monday!

pugs and kisses
xx

Sunshine award from Sue!!

a big thank you to Sue of Quilted Hugs and Other Nonsense for nominating me for the Sunshine award!
so lovely to know that people enjoy reading your blog - yay!!!!
and Sue was most generous in her words also - very much appreciated
so THANKS SUE!

i won't re-pass it on, but please see earlier post for more Sunshine nominated blogs

pugs and kisses

xx

p.s. don't forget to comment to go in the draw for the Homespun mag and fat 1/4s!

crafty pug's first ever give away!

today i opened the mail box and i stood in confusion for a moment, until my neighbour yelled hello to me, which snapped me out of it.

i had been waiting, waiting, waiting for my Homespun magazine to arrive, which it did last week.  i have already chosen the projects i'll do (one day!) and entered the competitions (you've got to be in it to win it!).

 but here was another copy.....

so i called the distributors, who said that there was some issue with the mail out for Homespun to SA and that i should keep the spare mag, or pass it along to someone else....

what a great idea i thought!  that calls for a giveaway!

the prize is this month's Australian Homespun - The Pink Issue.  Also 4 fat quarters of Hedgerow fabric by Lynette Anderson for good measure!

to enter all you have to do is leave a comment so i know you want to be in! followers and non-followers welcome, and you can live anywhere in the world that Australia Post will take my money to get it to you (im pretty sure that is everywhere!).

competition closes 5pm SA time (which by then will be Daylight Savings Central Standard Time for Australia) MONDAY 4th OCTOBER 2010.

winner will be selected by Random.org, the judges' decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into (ive always wanted to say that!).

so let me know that you want to win it!

pugs and kisses
xx

FNSI!!!

get ready for October's Friday Night Sew in!

October 15th it is - so head over to Heidi's blog (click on the button in my side bar) to sign up for the crafty fun!!!

pugs and kisses
xx

whew! little monsters is hard work!

this is the little monsters i am talking about - the image is from the Don't Look Now blog and i don't presume that mine will look anything like it!



at the moment it looks like this

so there is a lot of circle work to do!

the pattern says to do needleturn applique, but if i want to give it to the little human before he is a massive human, fusible web it is for me!




how many circles can you fit on one piece of web?

then cut them out and fuse them to the various colours

here they are ready for cutting!

but i need to get back to my Boy Oh Boy quilt for the Homespun design competition - the deadline is looming!  i need to get stitching!

speaking of little monsters hard at work, here is my little monster hard at work with his toys.  this is the very famous duckie - loved above all else.  i feel like he is part of the family - he has his own bib at meal times, and drinks from the little human's cup.  he must be involved in story time and has a special spot in the bathroom while the little human is in the bath so he doesn't get wet, but is still part of the action.

once i have a bit more time, i will have to make duckie his own quilt :)

pugs and kisses
xx

Stray Stitches giveaway

as they say - you've got to be in it to win it!

Linda over at Stray Stitches
is having a giveaway with many chances to enter - check it out.

Linda is also a part of our quilting block swap group - have a look at all the fun we are having and join up!

pugs and kisses
xx

Sunshine award - wow!

lucky me! the lovely Cheryll of Gone Stitchin' has nominated me for the Sunshine award!  I get to pass it on to others too - Thanks Cheryll!!!

so - i've decided to nominate 4 more blogs that i love visiting and following
(ive tried to nominate blogs that haven't been nominated before!)

and the nominees are....

http://insane-about-jane.blogspot.com/
http://maria-lifeontheblock.blogspot.com/
http://highlandhen.blogspot.com/
http://cathy-mysewingroom.blogspot.com/

ill email the ladies direct to let them know - but in the meantime, check out their great blogs

xx

BEEN RECEIVED! Mary's block for Sept Block Swap

well it arrived in the USA in good nick, so i can let you all see it!

mary requested a friendship star in purple and white

this was my first swap in the international swap group - such fun to swap!

speaking of fun - do you want to get involved with the Pay It Forward fun? if you do, then Sue at Quilted Hugs and Other Nonsense and Linden at Lin Divine Designs are looking for people to bless! head on over there and join in

pugs and kisses
xx

September Friday Night Sew In Report!

i did FNSI in front of the footy last night - big game between Geelong and Collingwood - both hubby and i were hoping for a great game, and we didn't get it :(

but i did get some embroidery done....

its only a sneak peak because it is part of a gift for a friend....and i don't want to spoil the surprise!

i will have to make sure that i am back out at my sewing machine for the october FNSI and get some serious sewing done

hope you had fun!

pugs and kisses
xx

Quilter's are amazing!

this may sound weird, but i never knew quilter's were amazing :)

in the last few weeks i have been blown away by the way that quilter's come together and help each other.  i also love that people are not afraid to ask for help, or encouraging others to get together to make quilts for others.

i randomly started quilting because i thought i might like it - it wasn't until the wonderful world of blogging that i started to find out how generous, kind, and universally great quilters are!

two recent examples:

Liz has requested orphan blocks for a quilt that she is making for her friend Sue - check it out at Liz's blog and then send the ones in your pile that you aren't using.  very happy to send a couple i had lying around

also Leona is making a comfort quilt for her sister who is unwell - she is requesting 9" blocks, with a signature on them so her sister can see the love!  see her blog for more details.  i made...

and i very much hope her sister can feel the love

if you've got some time, or some spare blocks, why not send along and help out?

good work, fellow quilters!  you all rock

pugs and kisses
xx

YAY to Linden!

we have our 3rd PIF - woo hoo
the lovely Linden from Lin Divine Designs

so full up for round 1 -  i guess we'll see how long it takes me to make these - perhaps there will be round 2 soon?

thanks for your interest ladies!  i hope you enjoy being blessed and being a blessing

will post sneak peaks as i go along

if you are interested though in running your own - i encourage you to GO FOR IT!  feel free to nick the button on my blog and change it to yours

pugs and kisses
xx

Lana - next PIF member and blog give away!

Lana has signed up to be number 2 on Pay It Forward - so excited

also, she has a give away on her blog - you've got to be in it to win it - so head over there!  Lana is in the International Quilt Block Swap that i am in - check out her blog

happy crafty arvo!

happily i got to spend the arvo crafting today - yippee!!

i finished my block swap for Quilt Block Swap and my swapper this month is Mary from California!  this is a sneak peak of the block i made for her (idea stolen from Cathy - thanks!).  will post full block once Mary lets me know she has received it

i also spent some time working on Hilda the Hippo - a design from Melly and me - isn't she gorgeous! she doesn't have her face on yet, so will post when she is completely finished

and i got my little monsters quilt progressed to the next stage! id been putting it off for some reason....but am happy with the placement of the little guys, and started making circles for the rest of the background....that is going to be a slow process i think :)

so happy happy crafty pug tonight!  hope you got some craft in too

pugs and kisses
xx

p.s. I'm still looking for two more people to be in my Pay It Forward crew - Be blessed and then Be a Blessing! - click on the button to the right to read the post
xx

Pay It Forward Crafty Style!

very exciting!!! time to sign up

I have joined Chook's (aka Beth's) Pay It Forward!

the idea is that 3 people join her PIF (im one - yay!) and then she will send a hand made gift to those 3 people within 365 days.

Then, those 3 people must also host a PIF and aks for 3 people to join. To pay it forward!

So this is me, asking for 3 people to join my PIF - just leave a comment to this post, or email me direct at crafty.pug@hotmail.com.

i then undertake to send you a handmade gift (made with love, pugs and kisses!)  within 365

you in turn undertake to set up your own PIF on your blog to pay it forward!

that's it - no catches!

i have put a button in my side bar that links to this post here - if people are interested, I can post about how to change the code so it links to your blog using the same image.

we can spread crafty goodness all over the globe!

please join and then start your own!!!

pugs and excited kisses
xx

FINISHED! September Two Buck Block

this is the fifth in the series and apparently from here on in they are repeated, but in different materials

im not thrilled with this one - there were so many seams that my stitching went awry many times....

i think i may devise my own patterns rather than repeating the other ones... i guess we'll see

pugs and kisses
xx

so when we got back....

my lovely mother in law had been collecting our mail and there was a great big pile of softy envelopes for ME!!!!  yay!!!!

she of course knows me by my alias of housewife, mother and daughter-in-law, not the quilt-crazy Crafty Pug, so there were a few raised eyebrows :)

the first package opened was from block swap partner for this month Alicia from the US!  she very graciously sent two blocks - the first i attempted to get the little human to 'hold up for mummy'..... this was the result

so this is what it actually looks like!  very very beautiful

and this is the second - just gorgeous with immaculate piecing!

so a big THANKS to Alicia

then i opened a package from Maria and was greeted with this cheerful and lovely Christmas star block to open my collection of christmas blocks - beautiful!

thanks so much Maria!!

pugs and kisses
xx

away and back again!

we had a few days away at Moana (South of Adelaide) in our campervan and had a lovely time!
we had to come back earlier than we wanted to because of the wind - not ideal for a campervan with an annexe with a toddler.....but we still had fun

nothing beats australian beaches - even on a windy day

pugs and kisses
xx

fellow swappers blogs!

i have just had a lovely hour flicking around the internet looking at, and joining, the blogs of the creative people in our swap!
so great to see what people are doing, creating, dealing with and achieving!  inspirational all around
if you too want to be inspired by these amazing ladies, check out the links on the left side of my blog - and enjoy!
thanks for sharing wonderful ladies!

pugs and kisses
xx

Boring footy game....

can you tell?  collingwood are THUMPING the western bulldogs - not what i was after :(
so i have been playing with my blog!
the weather in Adelaide has been so dreary and awful...i thought i should at least brighten my online world for a bit :)
not sure i will be able to handle the orange in the long term!

pugs and kisses
xx

Leona's giveaway!

One of our fellow block swappers is having another giveaway - you've got to be in it to win it as they say, so check it out!

pugs and kisses
xx

Get ready to sew!

September 17th - get in on the calendar, in your diary, on your hand, on the fridge, whatever
that's right - FRIDAY NIGHT SEW IN
head to Heidi's blog to join and get ready for a night in of just sewing - heaven!

FINISHED! September Christmas Block Swap

i think i forgot to mention...but the block swap group is also doing a Christmas themed block swap!  very excited

i requested "star blocks" in traditional christmas colours on cream backgrounds....and i stole that idea from Maria!  and it is that very Maria that I am swapping with first!

so here is the star block in traditional christmas colours on cream background that i made for her :)

i LOVE christmas fabric and am excited to be using it each month for the next while.  i think there are 11 swappers, and so we should have enough blocks by this time next year to make a quilt ready for Christmas 2011.....can't even imagine that far ahead yet!

pugs and kisses
xx

FINISHED! September Block Swap

have a mentioned that I LOVE being in this block swap!!!!  so much fun!  click on the link in the side bar to join up - US and Canada residents now welcomed :)

this month i had the lovely Irene and Alicia to swap with as the group is growing so fast!  awesome!

Irene requested any block in autumn colours and so I made this "On the Oregon Trail" block

Alicia asked for any block in any colour - wow, talk about freedom!  it made it a bit harder to choose!  but i found some fabric in my stash that i had forgotten about but loved, and so thought i would use that.  i made a "Chinese Puzzle" block...

but it is not good enough to send.  the photo actually does it too much credit!  it doesn't sit flat, the corners look terrible once i squared the block up and the points don't match.  as they say on Top Gear - ambitious, but rubbish.

so take 2, and i tried a "Magic Cross" block using the same material...

which i am much happier with!  so that will go in the post to Alicia tomorrow!

can't wait to see the blocks in return - have seen Alicia's on her blog (see my side bar) but have to wait for it to make the long journey from the US!  will share with you when it arrives!

pugs and kisses
xx

FINISHED! Asher's pirate vest and bag

whew - managed to finish it off today! took me AGES to get the lacing in the sides, but i think it was worth the fiddle

and here is everything that a pirate boy needs - vest, swords, patch, earring, periscope (is that what they are called?  the extendable eye piece telescope thing? or is that on a submarine?) and hat!

and of course, what do you keep it in when you are not being a swash-buckling pirate?  your pirate sack of course!

also good for keeping loot in.....

while i am typing this, hubby is giving the little human his bath and they are both making a lot of happy noise - lovely.  thought i would share this photo with you of hubby mowing the grass of our front yard and the little human helping

very adorable - lots of cars slowing down for a look-see.  glad to see i am not the only one who thinks he is cute :)

pugs and kisses

xx