PIF.....THANKS MILLIE!

This arrived in the mail last week and only now have been able to post about it as I've been so gobsmacked I didn't know what to say besides a big THANK YOU!
Millie must have been reading my blog as she's made me this gorgeous quilt in diferent reds and white and I LOVE IT! and as it was totally unexpected I was unprepared when I unwrapped it to find even more goodies in the shape of an applique book and an incense burner thingy.I have been thoroughly spoiled by Millie and still all I can still say is a big THANK YOU to Millie for this gorgeous PIF gift.If you get the chance pop over and check out Millies blog (Millies quilting,on my side bar) as she does some amazing things on it.

Angel Swap has arrived!!

Finally I've been able to take photo's of my gorgeous handmade items sent by "Isabella" from the Netherlands.This parcel of goodies was like a lucky dip and every new parcel brought forth lovely handmade goodness and a few little extras that Isabella included with the swap.

Isabella sent me a lovely handmade journal with my initial appliqued onto it with a felt flower in the corner as well as a little scissor case with the cutest tiny scissors inside and a heart shaped needle caes that opens out like a flower.How beautiful are they!!
Isabella also included some bits and bobs with my swap items.A skein of tuti fruiti thread and boy does it smell yummy,also some pretty green and white beads and some novelty buttons.

All I can say is a big THANK YOU Isabella!! I love them all and I hope the angel who is sending to you is as thoughtful and generous with their handmade lovelies as you have been to me.

Gail Pan's "A Christmas Wish" BOM....Another finish.

When I finished my Christmas Cards BOM quilt in the previous post it got me motivated to finish Gail Pan's BOM I'd been working on .The only thing stopping me from completing it was the fabric choices I needed to make for the last two borders.When my sister Anne came around on Friday to sit and sew with me I discussed my dilemma with her and when she left I'd decided on what I wanted to do.A little while later Anne returned after picking her children up from school to drop something of to me.....the fabric I needed to finish my borders raided from her own stash.She chose exactly the fabrics I would have chosen.The stipes and spots just suited the quilt beautifully.
Soooo Saturday I cut up the strips for both borders and the binding strips and Sunday I sewed like mad and put both borders on!!
I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE how it's turned out and if my big sis is reading this blog a very BIG THANK YOU from your little sis for all your help and support!!!

Christmas Cards BOM.....five years on and it's finally together!

This quilt has been laguishing as finished applique blocks for over five years now just waiting to be put together and when I recently had a clean up in my sewing room I bit the bullet and started catalogueing how many UFO's I had(Truthfully)and had to hang my head in shame.But wait!!! I had a reason....I started full-time work around that time and just couldn't seem to find the time to put them all together hence the many UFO's hiding in my many hidy spots.....out of sight out of mind is my motto but no more!!! I'm going to be slowly but surely going through this humungus pile of UFO's and either finishing them off or giving them away to new homes where they will be loved (and hopefully finished by someone else).
So without further ado here is a photo of my quilt (I'll be keeping this one)!

redwork blocks 2 & 3

I've also been very busy finishing up blocks 2 & 3 of my redwork quilt.I'm loving the simplicity of just using one colour and the crispness/contrast of the red thread on white homespun.I've just started on block 4 and I'll post a photo of it as soon as I've finished it.

Christmas Stitchery BOM......all together now!

Finally the day is bright enough for me to take a photo of Gail Pan's BOM I've been working on.I finished putting all the sashing on last Sunday but I'm still undecided on how to complete it??? I'm thinking of maybe some small stitcheries or vines winding through the sashings or maybe some suffolk puffs at strategic points?? mmmm I'll ponder on it a while before I make a final decision.What do you think would look good?

HUG SWAP FOR ROXIE......2009.

These are the mug hug amd mug mat I made for Roxie.All I had to go on was her colour preference which was for autumn tones.....not colours I've worked with very often so I was a bit worried that Roxie might not like what I finally settled on.But I just checked her blog after her emailing me she'd received her parcel and she loves them. So a big PHEW! mission acomplished.We've also decided we'd like to keep in touch which I think is the best thing to come out of this swap...new friends!

HUG SWAP......2009

I arrived home from work today to find this parcel waiting for me.Roxie my partner in this swap had sent it the same day I sent the ones I made for her (saturday) so hopefully this means that *sooon,very sooon* Roxie will be receiving her hug in her letter box.
I just wanted to let Roxie know that I absolutely LOVE the mug hug and hug mat.All I gave her to work with was my colour preference which was red and white and let me tell you she didn't dissapoint!
I love how crisp the red and white look together and Roxie's stitching is so tiny and neat and the red ribbon to tie the hug to my mug just added that little bit of bling/sparkle to the whole set!
Thank you Roxie for being my swap partner and making me such beautiful items.I hope you like what I've made for you and you receive it very soon.

Hexagon Swap....no:3

The Angel hexie is the one I made for Fayzs.Her only criteria was that it have blue and cream in it so I decided to make up one of the hexie stitchery patterns from my hexie bag I've been slowly working on over the last couple of months.I think it turned out quite well and I love the blue thread I used,it looks so effective.
The rose hexie is the one Fayzs made for me.It's beautiful,I love roses! I think it will look great with my other hexies.Thanks Fayzs for being my swap partner and making me such a lovely hexie.I'm soooo enjoying this swap!

PIF Goodness .......THANKS CLARE!

Look what arrived in my letter box late last week.A very special PIF surprise from Clare over at Clare's Craft room (on my blog roll).I couldn't wait to tear open the packaging to find this beautiful plaque and other goddies she sent me.
I've only just been able to take a photo as it was too dark when I got home to take one and then when I tried the next day during daylight hours the battery in my camera died and I had to recharge it before I could take them (always the way,isn't it?)
I love sewing (well anything crafty) but I've never attempted making something like this.Clare was a bit worried that because it wasn't something sewn I might have been a bit dissapointed.....far from it!!I appreciate the thought and time that went into the making of it and I don't have anything like it in my sewing room.
Clare also sent with this gorgeous plaque a couple of very pretty fat 1/4's and a lovely 1/2 mtr of blue background fabric with chocolate hearts all over it.I can see me using this in a hexagon stitchery bag I've been working on,maybe the framing of them.....
I just wanted to tell Clare that I LOVE everything she has sent me and to thank her for sending such gorgeous goodies my way.