Tears

There were lots of tears at my house today... we always find goodbyes difficult. Annie May's big sister is the Jet Setter in the family and left today for her next adventure... she is off to Chile to stay with Veronica. She packed all the essentials and more. She will be introduced to the world when she arrives at her new home. Veronica, I hope she fits in well in your family, she loves to have fun and is a bit of an individual. A big Thank You to Denise White for the Annie pattern used in this swap, she is so easy to make, and to Aunt Pitty Pat for organising such a fun swap. I am sure there will be more Annies around here soon. I leave you with a picture of the final goodbye from her sister.

Hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

Happy Crafting

I Packed the Bag

In between all the working this week I have managed to complete the swap items and get them posted. The paper bag swap is finally on its way across the waves to Jantine. I am hopeful that the post people go fast as I am eager for a reaction. This swap organised by Missymack was a lot of fun and I am really happy with the result.

It was difficult to put this in the post. I may just have to make something similar for myself! Am I allowed to do that?

I hope the sun is shining where you are, enjoy your weekend.

Happy Crafting

Happy House delivery

Look what I recieved yesterday - I got my Happy House blocks back from the swap which was organised by Lurline I love all the different ones which I recieved and will get around to all the blogs to say thanks. I am looking forward to making something with these and the practice ones which I made while putting together my contribution for the swap.I found this fabric in my stash and have decided on the perfect use for it, but you will have to wait for a bit to see where it turns up.

. Well hope your week is going well and you have enjoyed lots of creative activity, almost the weekend!

Happy Crafting

No Diet Sunday

Today we treated The Old People to High Tea at the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne. So all the jokes about expensive Cucumber sandwiches soon disappeared as we sampled a good selection of the food varieties. Said Cucumber sandwiches and some other varieties besides.. Savoury treats - mini quiches, mini savoury muffins and anti pasto pastry boats - yum

The requisite scones, which were just delicious - yes, I tried both the plain and the fruit.

A strawberry tartlet.. this was delicious, and I got my fruit rations.

There were some leftovers.. not sure how that happened?

The food crafters certainly exceeded our expectations.

It was a very special experience, no little people, just The Old People and most of my siblings and some old aunts.

Hope your weekend was a good one with lots of good company.

Happy Crafting

Where's my week??

The day job got in the way big time this week and the project for the Old People is still incomplete, it needs detail and binding and should be done soon. This is my progress so far on the Home Among the Gum Trees project from Australian Homepun, January 2009. I have changed some details to make it more relevant for my family. Oh well, a very lovely afternoon was had by all who attended the celebration and as the invitation specifically said 'no presents by request' there was no stress about missing the deadline. It was good to relax and catch up with family and friends from far and near.

On my sewing table today cool blue fabric and yarn for my next project... it will be so good to play with these, and finish my outstanding project of course!

Tomorrow there is more socialising with my immediate family treating the old people to a special 'tea' and if I remember to take my camera I should have some delicious treats to show.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend, whatever they are up to.

Happy Crafting

In The Bag

So my paper bag swap gift for Jantine is In The Bag, just need to get it in the post now and send it off across the waves to her. I had so much fun working with the goodies which Jantine sent, adding a few bits from my stash to complete this ????

All will be revealed when it arrives at its destination.

Happy Crafting

Colours

Going a bit slow on the sewing front, always seems to happen when I have a deadline looming. I can see a couple of late nights coming up to get the Home project completed by the weekend. Today while out walking I saw this fellow in the tree enjoying an afternoon snack. Of course he was in a better photo position but tried hiding while I got my phone out to snap him. Patience meant that I got this shot. There was a lot of noise coming from the tree so obviously he had some companions hiding among the flowers and leaves. On a completely different note I collected this treasure when I was at the Old Peoples earlier this month. The gorgeous colours are very reminiscent of the era - yes, this hat is straight out of the 1970's and was made by my very creative Granny. I still love this hat as it keeps your ears warm and the tassel people are too cute. It is simply made from three crocheted hexagons with some setting crochet and border. I intend to attempt making one myself from this example.

Some more handsewing for me this afternoon, I need to get the applique details finished so that I can back and bind it before the weekend.

Enjoy your Tuesday and hope the Sun is shining where you are.

Happy Crafting

I love finishing...

on the same day that I started. So this is what I made for Mr2, a mini backpack just the right size for his favourite books with a couple of small pockets inside to put snacks or small toys. The parents assured me he would use it for taking his trains on outings, though they were disappointed the straps were not adjustable. Note to self: check you have required hardware before starting sewing, a few adjustments and I managed to save the day. This week will be full of sewing activity focussed on the Home among the Gum Trees project as the big celebration is next weekend. Hope your weekend was a good one whatever you did. Happy Crafting

If only I could find my shoes..

we could go shopping. So this is how the practice Annie turned out, all dressed and ready for a shopping trip but she has misplaced her shoes, at least now she only has cold feet! I haven't achieved a whole lot else in the sewing room this week, but today promises to be productive. I am off to a birthday party for Mr2 this afternoon and I decided last night that I should make a gift. I've got oh, let's see about 6 hrs to get it sorted. I'll show pics tomorrow and let you know the verdict.

Oh, and Veronica if you read this I promise your Annie will be quite different, she has already chosen a different style and colour for her outfit, hair and accessories.

Have a super weekend whatever you have planned.

Happy Crafting

Treasure

When I go to visit the mother she usually has some things to give me that she has found at the Op shop where she volunteers once a week. On Sunday I found these in the bag amongst the selection of clothes. Now I don't know about you but Perle No5 is my favourite at the moment, I am enjoying the look which it gives to embroidery and the odd bit of hand quilting that I do. So I am very happy with my treasure and have used some of these gorgeous colours in a current project already. Oh, and I only brought the mother a card as there were no flower sellers after I took a detour as I had some extra time, that never happens to me when I go out to visit. I did make the mother very happy as I emptied some drawers, so I have lots more treasure for another time.

Hope your week is going well.

Happy Crafting

Progress

The cross stitch has progressed a little this month, but I seem to be distracted by other projects with looming deadlines, (oh, and ones that just take my fancy at the time). I am very pleased with how she is looking. Yesterday I had a visitor but she is a bit shy and kept hiding, (may have something to do with the fact that she is naked). Can you guess who is hiding behind my computer??

I practised making the Annie doll from the pattern for the swap, she was very quick and easy to make. Now we are just deciding on her colours so that we can make a suitable outfit, it is cold here afterall so she will need something to keep her warm.

Hope your week is going well, with lots of time for crafty stuff.

Happy Crafting

Happy Mothers Day

This week I completed some of my swap projects and did some more work on the Home Among the Gum trees project. I didn't get anything else done for Mum this week so I'll bring some flowers and this card which I made a couple of weeks ago. It is looking good here the sun is out this morning for the first time in a few days, should make for a pleasant drive to see the mother and join the family for lunch. To all the mothers out there Happy Mothers day, enjoy a lovely day surrounded by family. Hope the sun is shining where you are. Happy Sunday

Hanging About

Lately I have been hanging about waiting to see what will happen next? Well that's what it feels like at least. I am using my time wisely while waiting working on all my current hand sewing projects and am pleased to report there has been some progress, just as well really as most of them need to be completed by the end of May. Now that I have my Annie partner details I have dolls on my mind. I have made a number of dolls including this Angel from a pattern by the talented Rosalie Quinlan which appeared in Australian Homespun Magazine in 2008, (not sure which issue but I know it was in the first half of the year). Speaking of Australian Homespun the latest one was in my mailbox today and it doesn't disappoint. The projects are inspiring as always.

Hope your Wednesday was a good one.

Happy Crafting

Using my tools

There has been some activity in the craft room and my tools are back on the table, okay so they only moved from the table to the ironing board, but all the fabic is back in its proper place until I start my next project. A little patchwork and decorating happening here that may come together successfully soon?? I wonder what it will become??

There's plenty of time for you to go over and say hello to Robyn at Daisy Quilts and enter her giveaway. It's open for another month. I got my Annie Swap partner details yesterday, go say hi to Veronica. I am looking forward to getting started soon, . Oh and if you know Spanish could you please translate for me. I have enjoyed reading the pictures, they are the same in any language right?

Happy Crafting

Shopping Bag

I have collected a number of the panels from Loralie Designs and like to make small projects like this using individual pictures from the panel. As Red is one of my favourite colours I couldn't contain myself any longer when I looked at the quilters panel and saw this shopper with bolts of red fabric under her arm - definitely me. I whipped up this little number last week and am planning her first outing to the patchwork shop, hopefully in the not too distant future. The bag pattern designed by Gail Pan appeared in Australian Homespun No 70, of course the original is quite different with applique detail. Have a great week full of creative activity, I sure hope I do as I need to make something for the Mother to take when I see her next weekend. Back to the drawing board. Happy Crafting

Shocking

Way too much domestic stuff happening here - can you believe this is my sewing table? People who know me will be very shocked, nobody knows what this table looks like! Oh and I did the laundry too.. I have added the clothes line to the Home Among the Gum Trees project, it's a lounge chair project at the moment so does not require the sewing table.

I have been busy making swap projects which I cannot show yet. I should have more interesting pictures soon.

Hope your weekend was a creative one.

Happy Crafting