Friday Night Sew In Results…..

Friday night saw me putting the first block together for my niece’s 21st birthday gift, here they are all laid out ready to be sewn together.

All finished, now to get started on making the other eight blocks up over the next few weeks….wish me luck

I also had a lovely visitor descend via Aussie Post yesterday but I’m very happy to say he’ll not be leaving anytime soon…….well really NEVER!

Yes I was the lucky gal who snaffled up “The General” from Keryn after our Mill Rosie retreat…..he had to go home with Keryn after the retreat was over as she still had to finish off his boots, isn’t he just gorgeous and of course I couldn’t hide him away till Christmas so he’s nice and comfy sitting on my bed till it’s officially December 1st which really isn’t that far away Thanks Keryn I LOVE HIM!!!  and if you’d like one like him or something similar or Christmassy pop over to Keryn's blog and have a look at her “shop” page at the top, you wont be disappointed and her customer service is fantastic!!

On another subject I’m still wanting to send the Travelling Treasures off to someone new so if you’re interested just read and comment on my previous post to enter for the draw being held on the 20th of November.

Travelling Treasures has landed!!

Monday saw the arrival of the “Travelling Treasures” parcel in my post box. I’ve been trying to join in the fun of this swap for ages and more so since the cross stitch material was added to the parcel, I’ve recently started this craft up again and it’s nearly impossible to find any material that isn’t white or cream at my local spotlight so that was eagerly snaffled up…….

Here’s a look at the collective goodies that arrived in the parcel…..

The Travelling Treasures originated from Debbie over at Sweet little Cottage and if you’d like to join in the fun just leave a comment on this post stating that you’d like to join in the fun ( only open to Australian and NZ residents to keep the postage down ) All you need to do is…..

1 ) Decide what you’d like to keep from the parcel

2 ) Replace what you choose with something of equal loveliness

3 ) Announce on the 20th of the month the new person you are sending it on too

And these are the items I selected from the parcel…..I know, I know I’ve been a greedy little piggy but below is what I’ve added to the parcel to make up for my pigginess

Two Marg Low patterns, two fat 1/4’s and two cottage garden threads…..

Here’s a picture of all that will be in the next parcel, so if you want to join in the fun leave a comment on this blog post and I’ll be drawing a name on the 20th for one lucky person

A couple of finishes…..

Finally finishes hand quilting my HST mini wall hanging…….

Finished putting together my Anni Downs mini wall hanging……

Finished an A5 journal which is now in the present box…..

Finished a sewing folder, also into the present box it goes…… A very productive few weeks now to get back to some secret sewing for a couple of swaps I’m in.

Mill Rosie Retreat…..

Friday saw me and my sister Anne heading off for a fabulous weekend behind this famous Red Door……We were spoilt rotten by Sue and Liz and I highly recommend booking yourself in for a fantastic, indulgent, utterly spoil yourself weekend here when you get the chance you will not be disappointed!

We had lots of fun congregating here and out on the balcony, but I’ll warn you that this post is going to be very picture heavy so go make yourself a cuppa and sit back and relax as you scroll through our fantastic weekend via the photo’s I took.

The girls getting straight to work with their machines, Jo, Judy, Linda, Keryn and Sue.

Anne stitching her Vintage valentine centre piece

Mel paper piecing for her dilly bag

Ann working on a stitchery with her feet up looking very relaxed

Keryn working on Santa’s clothes, you really should pop by her blog as she also has  a page where she sells her creations from

Jo working on her Aussie hero’s quilt

Sue showing me her gorgeous quilt love the Bonnie and Camille fabrics Sue’s used in this quilt

Alfresco lunch out on the balcony, very yummy it was too

Front are me and my sister Anne with Mel and Ann standing behind us, the only photo of me on my camera for this fantastic weekend so thanks Jo for taking it for me.

It got all too much for Sue and she dropped off for a little nanna nap LOL

Here are Linda and Judy having some down time from working on their quilts and not to be the only ones ……

Mel joined in……

As did Ann…..

Keryn finished her Santa, he just needs to get his boots painted on when she gets him home

And here he is all belted in ready for his trip home LOL.

I had a fantastic time but who wouldn’t with such like minded women, good food and spectacular weather now to get on with planning our next one for 2015!!!

Christmas through The Year…..

My October CTTY finish, Must look at making one of these for myself  I think in the not too distant future.

A Busy Weekend…..

Turning this junky area into a restful retreat……Full frontal view

The view to my right…….I got hubby to move the heavier stuff for me.

Minus the crap and rubbish, about to sweep up all that dirt and rubbish…..

Filled the hanger planter on the fence with some new fresh faced pansies, brightened the space up straight away…..

Cleaned all the muck and dirt from the top of the table and look what I found….. a lovely scene of what I’m hoping to create in this corner of my world.

not quite finished but a big step in the right direction, every time I walk outside and see this space I smile. I just need to find two comfy chairs, a bit more furniture re-arranging and more plants and maybe some bamboo sheeting to cover the back gate will set the mood I’m aiming. What do you think??? Any ideas on what I could add to set the mood????

Friends Having Fun Swaps…..seeing spots!

For this swap we were to use spots either spotty fabric or a pattern with spots or dots I chose to go with the spotty fabric and my partner for this swap was Claire and since she’s emailed me saying my parcel has arrived safely at her house and she loves what I made for her i thought I’d pop a couple of photo’s of what I made her on here.

First up was this table topper I made as the main gift although Claire tells me it’s never going to see a table as it’s way too good to get food spilt on it and she si in the process of making it into a wall hanging for her sewing room…..hey I’m just happy and relieved she loves it LOL….

I also sent Claire a few goodies to go with her main gift these included.……

A spotty Rosalie Quinlan pre-printed stitchery, a spotty notebook, a mini charm pack of Miss Kate as I know how much she loves her Bonnie and Camille fabrics and of course I had to add some blue and white M & M’s too with the theme as well as a box of smarties both without nuts or fruit just the way Claire likes her choccies.

Thanks for being my partner in this swap Claire and hopefully I’ll get to see how my table topper turned wall hanging looks hanging on your wall real soon. I also want to thank Peg and Shez for organizing these swaps as I’m having heaps of fun trying to work out what to make and add to each parcel……well I better hop to it and get started on the next swap which is a Christmas themed one and as many of you know I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!! so it’s no hardship finding projects it’s just going to be really hard to stop at the required number LOL….

Charming Stars sew-a-long update…..

October blocks done and dusted to bring my total to three finishes I’m loving how these blocks are coming together so quickly and it wont be long before I can start putting my rows together.

I wonder who these are heading to ???? & a giveaway win!

These parcels are part of our Friends Having Fun Swap, I wonder where they will end up????

I was also lucky enough to win this gorgeous sewing machine button from Yvonne in her giveaway….it’s huge!!  Do yourself a favour and visit Yvonne’s blog as she creates the most amazing buttons and brooches, thank you Yvonne!Now to think of a special project I can use it in

Friday Night With Friends results….

Friday night saw me sewing these itty bitty HST’s together to make a flimsy…..

Today I’ll start quilting it by hand and just enjoy the slowness of doing it this way.

If you’d like to see what everyone else got up to last night pop over to Cheryll's and say hi I’d also like to thank Cheryll for hosting this monthly event it certainly gets me motivated to get a few thing out of the UFO pile and into the finished pile.