My little pressie for me (and for you!)

My swap partner Dawn (with the great moniker of Wolfmom!)has given me the sweetest little number, all raspberry pink bubbles and biscuitty squares - thanks so much Dawn, I love it! My kids are asking for to have it themselves, but I say No Way Its Mine! Looking forward to next swap mission! Actually, next swap mission has already begun.

Check out iquilt.com.au, an Aussie online quilt magazine and have a look under 'Browse' and you shall find Nora. She has launched her PIF (Pay It Forward) swap and I signed up! What! Again! Yes! I think I like this making, sending and receiving business.

Pay it Forward (PIF) is where the next 3 people who make a comment on my blog requesting to be part of this PIF exchange will get sent a personal handmade something from me.

However, if you join here you need to make the same offer on your blog.

It won't be anything spectacular, believe me!, BUT, it will be made with love and care. Also it won't be in your letterbox tomorrow, but I do promise to have items made and sent within the month you sign up! You could get a tissue holder, a tote, a pincushion,, a mini quilt, maybe a mini moopy doll? Maybe I will just surprise you!

Wintery Birds

Beautiful birds in my own garden - this winter has been fantastic for bringing out our native birds. The pardalotes come every winter and bop around in my Golden Ash tree - leafless, bare and supposedly barren, the little cuties fly from branch to branch, probably munching on some tiny insect hidden beneath the bark.

The red wattle bird (wattles are the red dangly things beside its ears) is not particularly attractive - striped grey, large, with not so nice looking eyes, it makes me laugh when it does it acrobats in my Chinese Lantern tree, hanging precariously to sup from the pollen/nectar of the reddish pink bells of flowers, the branches bending and flexing as Chinese acrobats do.




The gorgeous and painfully shy Eastern Spinebill has been a wonderful surprise. Hubby (bird watcher extrordinaire) didn't think that they lived in the suburbs, but I keep catching them darting into our fushias and the pineapple sage bushes. They are soooo quick, with a stunningly curved and long beak.

Walking the dog in the local park brought my attention to some strange sounds high above in pine trees - 5, 6, 7 black cockatoos enjoying the rush of the wind blowing them out of the top of the tree, then soaring back in the branches again. I stared at them for ages (or until the dog said that that is enough - lets go!) Hubbie thought that they were on transit from the Dandenong Ranges through to maybe the Botanical Gardens (as the cockie flies so to speak!)None of these images are mine - please click on pictures to find URL and subsequent owner of said photo.

Faithful designer - am I really?

Am I really a 'faithful designer'? So I am told. Checking out Alice's House (from DQS2 list of swappers) I saw DNA personality bar - why not I said! I surprised myself by agreeing with some of their generalisations (usually generalisations make my skin crawl!)

As a DESIGNER, you are receptive to ideas and experiences, and enjoy the beautiful things in life, yet you are also grounded and realistic about yourself and the world. (Yeah, probably true)

You have a quiet appreciation for beauty in all its forms – in nature, in people, and in human creations from architecture to movies. (Agree!)

Instead of only focusing on functionality, you try to incorporate your good sense of style and taste into your choices. (Good sense of style! HA HA!)

At times you feel unsure of yourself, especially when confronted by other people. (Definitely! I get so angry with myself when I don't stick up for myself)

You aren't the kind of person who insists on having things your way all the time – you are willing to go along with other people's opinions, even if you disagree. (yes, yes, I know you are right)

Others may not know this about you, but you are very interested in new ideas, thoughts, expressions, and experiences. You enjoy learning and trying new things. (This is so true it is not funny)

There is more, but my accolations are sure to get boring!

Pippi

This quickie post is for Marisa - Pippi (my banner) is a Whippet, which is like a small greyhound. Check out Whippet Victorian Association site. They have the most delightful personality - very calm, and gentle and the most perfect pet for our house - she loves to be a couch potato, all day if need be, then whips outside or on walk and her eyes and ears perk up for a sprint (especially if she can chase a magpie or two!) Her fur is like velvet and when she looks up at you and sighs contently from your lap, all is right with the world. We love and adore her, what more can we say!

Doll Quilt Up UP and AWAY!

Updated: Due to dummo here typing away VIS (very important secrets) to the world, this is the revised edition!

DQS 2 quilt is flying as I speak (type)! A little bit of tweaking here and there and it was done. Oh the stress of producing a thing for someone else - my one is for ......... So cool to be sending it to someone on the other side of the world! (little slip but that will keep you guessing!) I hope she likes it.

Quilting stitches are very naive and I had no idea how to hide the knots at the back of the quilt - hence a very unpretty quilt back. Someone had suggested if my machine quilting was driving me nuts to try a 2-stranded embroidery floss hand stitch - easy and looks good. I liked it alot, except for the enormous knot it created! What to do? Please forgive all icky sewing and crooked pieces - think of it as more abstract that traditional! Or maybe squint your eyes a little and it will improve! Swap partner likes brights so I hope I have satisfied! (I added a top and bottom border of 'Bohemiam' by Anna Maria Horner as the golden yellows went really well with aqua/orange/strawberry combo.)
Here is my package (with Aboriginal fabrics and a great card designed by daughters School - they made the most amazingly huge mosaic pictures to hang outside on the playground walls) ready to go

Thanks also goes to Lisa and Sarah Day for being fabbo Grand Poohbah Swap Mama and Swap Mama Extraordenaire respectively. I have really enjoyed seeing piccies from lots of others - the variety is really inspiring!


Must show some more craftyness!

Made a footwarmer for Mum for her birthday - followed the instructions from dogged. to the 't' except for the piping, but it turned out far too small. I had to reduce the sides being sewing in dramatically so it has become more of a toe warmer! I don't have big feet; and just as I was giving it to Mum, I noticed a line of quilting I had missed - dammmmmmmmmmmm!

Loving the 'Temple Flowers' combo - never really like the purple/blue fabric, but I can't stop looking at it now! especially with the purple/small print - wow wee. Fuzzy pins at top please ignore - not designed for use with feet!

Doggone it - another great blog!

Check out Ashley's Dilemma! Which wonderful quilt to send away and which to keep? I think her little lovelies have inspired me to take up some logquilting which I have not done before. It's all your fault Ashley! ONE MORE BLEEPING THING TO DO (I rapped, stoked, or if you're still unsure of my nomenclature, very happy!)

P.S.(I do love a doggy banner hehe!)

No name post - just more stash show and tell

No name post but stuff to show:
During a very unusual Mummy day (kids out-of-town with friends for 2 nights!) of training into the city, browsing DFO shops (Direct Factory Outlet) which by the way, are not very Outlety (ie not much of a bargain to be found and heaps of normal stuff found in the retail stores!) This lot are in the new and wonderfully big (and noisy) Southern Cross Station (formerly Spencer St station). Then onto Clegs (big fabric store in Elizabeth St) and though not needing anything but finding a treasure - some stunning fabric with Aboriginal designs - fell in love instantly. The colours are very subtle which is unusual for traditional designs but will work very well in a quilt. The following design in called 'Spirit Place'

The next piccie is of 'Bush Plums' designed by Polly Naparulla Wheeler for M&S Textiles Australia (top) and 'Bush Tucker Dreaming' (bottom) designed by Audrey Martin Napanangka for M&S Textiles. The quality of the fabric is excellent. I have been thinking about sending my Doll Quilt 2 swappie something from Australia and I hope she likes them! Such a nice change from the garish cliche of the kangaroo/koala/vegemite fabrics, which is normally on display.
Next series of show and tell: my latest craze for chenille! Fluffy, funny, vintagey, pretty, cuddly - some from ebay (large piece of soft butter yellow (maybe more yo-yo biscuit yellow?) which is actually a bedspread in fantastic condition! for $20)
A collection of great vintage chenille from ebay through a lovely lady named Jodie who sells through her store called Polka Dot Chenille (Ric Rac is her blog - check it out - love the vintage material frilled bags!) 'Sewing without a Safety Net' is her banner motto - Yes!!! I Agree!!! Rich eggy gold with a Hoffman Daisy design and also a beautiful soft green piece (little extras were a lovely surprise! Thanks Jodie

Picking up my girls in Ballarat on Saturday enabled me to just drop by Ballarat Patchwork (he he planned it all along! Hubbie said 'Please don't make me go in!' in such a way, that my heart bled for him (NOT), but he was happy to sit in the car and read the paper. Have lurked at their website for a while now, but the shop is so much better (as is all quilting shops!) What a scrumdiliuptious shop! I bought some fat quarters and fat eighths for my Kaffe quilt for my Mum - decided on a Disappearing 9-block pattern - nice and easy! Can you see the purple Roman Glass - this is Mum's pick for the border material (which is what I shall be working the quilt around (purples and greens) and then I chose the not so subtle green Shirt Stripes for a smaller feature border

Below is an in-yer-face view of the little beauties I got from Ballarat Patchwork - favs would have to be top right purple cabbages and the bottom right green Roman Glass - what a designer!



Must finished DQS2 today! Posting will happen, I promise!!!