A finish for January....

I'd been waiting eagerly for Jenny's BOM (http://www.elefantz.com/) to start this year and couldn't wait to start it! I downloaded the pattern on Sunday and finished it last night but too late to take a half decent photo.So.....voila !!! Bring on Febuary,I can't wait!

If you'd like to join in the "give Thanks" BOM just click on the give thanks button and it will take you straight to Jenny's blog.

Thanks Jenny for being so generous with your time and your creativeness :)

Maree's swap....a belated update

I've been very remiss in not posting photo's of what I received in this swap but I have a very good reason......I've been turning my house upside down trying to find the 6th gift that Laurie sent me!! I know she sent me six....I counted six when I opened them......but when it came time to take the photo there were only five??? Anyway I decided to post a photo of the five I did find and thank Laurie for her gifts.

Did you notice the handbag book....she must know about my hidden stash of bags shhh.... don't let my hubby hear! Also that box of chocolate.....empty, didn't even last the day! The beautiful needle book almost went home with my sister as she fell in love with it as well as the intricate pincushion with all it's lovely stitches.The thread catcher is now sitting beside my sewing machine and doing a fanntastic job.

I love all my gifts Laurie and I thank you for making my Christmas that much more special by the thoughfullness that went into your gift selections.I hope you and your family also had a great Christmas and I wish you a happy,healthy and crafty New Year :)

Final finish for 2010.....

This is my final project for this year,I have many more that are nearly finished but I'll try and get them done and posted about in the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE AND I ALSO HOPE YOU HAVE A SAFE AND CRAFTY 2011!!

A finish for Christmas....

This is the candle mat I've been working on over the past few days.I've made it for my Hubby's aunt for Christmas as she loves to use candles throughout the year.I used a pattern from Sandra's blog if you would like to make one for yourself or make one as a gift go to http://alegacyofstitches.blogspot.com/ just remember it's for personal use only and please respect this. It's a very easy pattern to put together....may just have to make one for myself now lol.

I've been very busy....

For the last few weeks I've been making up pencil rolls,33 to be exact!

These pencil rolls are going to be given out tomorrow at the grauation ceremony for the ones graduating from kindergarten to school next year.I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they open them up :)

I'd also like to thank my sister Anne for helping out with the final 1/8th" seam around all 33 of the pencil rolls.Thanks Anne,the help and motivation was very much appreciated XX

Maree's Christmas swap.....parcel is on it's way!

This is just a photo of the pressie's heading someone's way....... I hope my swap partner likes what I've selected and made for her??

Lookie,Lookie,Lookie......

Look what arrived in my letter box.Lots of pressies all for me :) I just wanted Laurie to know that they arrived and I've only prodded and poked them a couple of times each lol.

Thanks Laurie for being my swap partner,I can't wait till Christmas to be able to open them.

I promise I'll be good!

I'll be sending of my parcel of presents to my swap partner this Friday.I hope she'll have as much fun poking and prodding them as I have with mine.....but remember no peeking till Christmas day!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...tra...la..la..la.la

Just a couple of photo's of the Christmas decorating starting at my home.It's now begining to feel like Christmas is just around the corner here.....better get on with making the rest of my gifts on my list!

Guest designer on the Among The Gum Tree Blog

A little while ago I received an email from Jenny from http://gumtreedesigners.blogspot.com/

asking if I would liketo design a downloadable freebie for their Christmas countdown of gift ideas and off course I had to think about it......for about a nanno second,just while I was jumping up and down for joy and trying to collect myself so I could reply with some sort of coherancy LOL.

Of course I said YES and then quickly started to jot down ideas and hopefully I've come up with something you'll all enjoy making.If you'd like to see the design I've created just for you pop over to their blog at http://gumtreedesigners.blogspot.com/ this Monday the 15th November and download it and then come back and tell me what you think I'd really love some feedback on what you think and if you do get to make it for Christmas this year I'd love to see some photo's.

Oohhh forgot to say that I answered a few questions about my crafting journey so have a read and hopefully my photo won't break your computer screen LOL.

The photo's above are a couple of other designs I've had published in handmade magazine this year.The cushion is in the handmade issue Vol.27 No.11 & the christmas bag is in Handmade Vol.28 No.6 if you want to have a go at making them.

I also want to thank all the Gum Tree designers for giving me the chance to put myself out there in blogland and get my name more known through their generosity in letting me design a freebie for their blog.Thanks girls I really do appreciate it :) Barb.

What to do with hair you no longer want??

Remember a few days ago I had all my hair chopped of well I've decided that instead of chucking my hair in the bin I'll be donating it to a wig maker so they can make a wig out of it for cancer patients who lose their hair through chemo treatments.All I have to do is pop it in a padded envelope with a little note saying it's donated hair and they'll make it into a wig for someone who needs it more than I do.

It feels good to know my hair can still be useful rather than end up in the hairdressers bin :)