"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

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



today i LOVE the postman!

first thing i see when i get home today - a package from US Post on my doorstep

i open it up to find this package mostly ok from the long journey...


it is my gorgeous fabric winnings from Linda at Stray Stitches



they look so fresh and summery in real life - thanks again Linda!

Then i went to check my letter box and inside was my block swaps from Irene for September.  because she was a little tardy, she made two!  i say, irene, you can be late anytime!

isn't the fabric lovely?



then on my front bench was another delivery from the postie that didn't fit in my letter box - my Pure Layer Cake.  i will be making a quilt for my friend's wedding from this pattern from Moda Bake Shop
i couldn't resist posting multiple photos of my fave fabrics!











lucky lucky me!
well, back to crafting
pugs and kisses
xx

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

crafty wednesday!

whew - i feel like i am back on track now!

i have completed some of my block swaps for this month....
some sneak peeks...

for Christmas Quilting Block Swaps Australia this month, i am swapping with mary who requested a traditional block in white, burgundy and sparkly blue


for Quilting Block Swaps Australia, i am swapping with Brigitte, who requested a log cabin block in red, black and white


and then got to work on some blocks for Cat's quest to make quilts for those affected by the earthquakes in NZ.  this is a DNP from the quilt that will be for my hubby....i love sharing that quilt around (but i am sure i will regret it when i need to make more blocks for it when i put it together!)


this is a Beginner's Choice block made with monochromatic fabric - love the contrasts


and my Pièce_de_résistance - i finished the quilt top for my Boy O Boy Quilt!!! yay!!! (it was a bit windy this arvo, so apologies for the low quality piccie!)  now i just have to quilt it!


so all in all very satisfying!

hope you got some quilting done too!

pugs and kisses
xx

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Two very exciting announcements!

Number one exciting announcement
THE WINNER OF THE CRAFTY PUG GIVEAWAY IS............(drumroll)
Sue of Quilted Hugs and Other Nonsense
i asked random.org to select me a number and it chose 9 - well done Sue!
Your prize pack will be in the post this arvo.

Number two exciting announcement
CHRISTMAS QUILTING BLOCK SWAPS AUSTRALIA is up and running!
The above mentioned Sue also runs Quilting Block Swaps Australia and it has been so popular she has done me the honour of asking me to run a new Christmas Swap

people are already joining up, so please check out the blog and join in the fun!  it is a group blog, so people from all over the world will be showcasing their christmas creations!

pugs and christmas-y kisses
xx