Beautiful Mini on Wall...who is the fairest...

OH My Goodness! Lookey here at the most gorgeous pressie I got in the mail! My Miniature Booty Swap Quilt by Lynda of Bettsylyn - absolutely sweet!
Lynda wrote me a lovely letter, telling me a bit about herself, and her 'journey' of joy and frustration in choosing and making this quilt - Lynda - I fully understand!






Using the most delicious Kaffe pinks, greys, lavenders in a 'braid' pattern - (of which I have Always Loved) and then hand-quilted with teeny tiney stitches, on the wall it shall go!



I would just like to add in this next paragraph for Lynda herself, because she is having computer troubles, and may not be able to read comments left on her blog, so, Lynda, if this is you reading it for the second time, apologies, but if not - a sincere thanks is in order!

Hi Lynda! I just received your Mini Booty Swap quilt and.....I am still tingling about it! It is absolutely perfect - the colours, the pattern (I love 'braid'), the tiny quilting stitches! When I opened the packet I yelled 'Beautiful!' (not to anyone in particular, just because!)and got goosebumps all over. It truly is the most wonderful present - thank you so much. The extras are a gorgeous addition to my stash. Again, thanks so much for all the effort and thought that went into this project - making things for others does take up a lot of 'brainspace', but I hope you are as pleased with your work as I am. I laughed and laughed at your son's naming of the quilt 'Tom' (where did that come from?), and I'm not sure I can call it anything else now. I hope your computer gets better soon, so we can all see more of your great sewing. Keep in touch!

I would just like to also say thank you to Toni of The Quilting Pirate, who was the hostess for this swap - I am quietly pleased that my swap partner was a local to me and a good blogger (I have sad issues with swap partners who don't exist), and Toni has been very considerate with us swappers, asking questions, offering lots of advice and encouragement.

Lynda wrote that she 'stalked' me during this process! I too stalked my swappee, which by the way, was the lovely Serena of 'reenie-su', who, I believe, loved my quilt that she received. Stoopid me didn't even realise that the chocolate bunny fabric I used was oh so perfect for her, seeing as she has two bunnies herself.

Simon - aka Bloke wrote to me saying he has a blog now! Yay! - Simon, could you please make your blog profile open to public - It won't let me in to see your blog. I think you need to go to Profile, Edit, tick Share Profile (if you want to).

Some pretty colours

Really and truly I DON'T need any more fabric, but.......


Some pretty fabric from Fat Quarter Shop giant sale! OOh I love a strong $AU plus a sale online -it cannot be denied. This is 'Circus' by Felicity Miller - 14 fat quarters for aprox $18!!!!! plus some yardage for the backing of baby quilt for neighbour's much awaited arrival. Daisy print from Spotlight - also having a $5m sale (this was a little bit more); this will be for corner pieces of a snowball block.


A $3 vintage sheet of the most delightful colours - orange, tangerine, lemon from Vinnies in Oakleigh. You know how I don't like orange; well I like this alright! Some lounge pants, perhaps?





I got these a little while ago; from Z&S fabrics - always the cheapest price and cheapest postage, and tied up with a generous piece of extra fabric - I love these muted colours; Amy Griffin's range. I have had 'Tag Sale' by Miss Rosie's Quilts pattern for sooooooo long and finally found the fabric for it - I have to match pattern to fabric (not necessarily designers' ideas) but have projects ready to be started....well, that theory works well.....I have at least SEVEN of these projects ready to be started...now just to finish something...anything!

Miniatures

Miniature Booty Quilt Swap is on its way!! I called it 'Forest'. Hubbie said he was really proud of me and wanted me to make it again, for us.

Still keeping secret until my swapee has it in her hands.

I am really happy with it - I tried new things for this one:-

My own design - yay! Kind of arty - yay!

Perle thread handquilting - not yay at first,
but ripped it out, told myself I can do better than that,
and stuck with it! - yay!

Can't wait for mine, but I can never wait patiently about anything - especially presents.


Another miniature package arrived today - from Pinks & Needles -so damm cute! Gigi has put so much effort into her goods and packaging and presentation and little gifties, that she deserves a big hug!

I have a specific job for these two. (Do they remind you of anyone?)

I want the whole shop!


Thanks to Simon for emailing me back about his love for sewing and for becoming part of a community of sewers, artists, fabric fondlers.....

Gina also has a husband who makes their curtains...

Who else knows a bloke who likes to get his hands roughened on needles and thread?

A Modern Quilt for a Modern Bloke

A Bloke, A BLOKE! (that's a guy/man/male for non-Aussie speakers) wrote me a comment, asking where did I buy 'Modern Quilt Workshop' from - I am so stoked that a guy,

his name is Simon.....

lets all make Simon feel welcome....

"Hi Simon!"....

is quilting AND is going to Amitie to get more material!

I bought Modern Quilt from Fishpond, but I have just found it also at Booktopia, for slightly more. Have had little bit of issue with Fishpond, but they fixed it up with a voucher, which of course lead to me buying more! Ooh they're clever!

Just get it Simon, no matter how much it is, it is so good! Get a blog too, so we can all see some Modern Blokey Sewing! Let me know when you do. (No pressure, but we will all be waiting).

The Modern Quilt

Am loving this sweet book at the moment - really love the front cover quilt of sea blues and grass greens

Have a look at Google Books for closer view of first few pages - great for a teaser!

I particularly like their 'Once Upon a Time' quilt - an 'I Spy' with connectors, so that a new story can be told every night! I am so doing that, probably into a mini quilt or the like - hey, I love stories no matter what and where they come from, and what is not to like about stories threaded into a quilt!

In the section called 'We're Often Asked' Weeks (great name!) and Bill discuss questions such as

'Why does that circle go off the edge of the quilt?'

Well - the answer is fascinating and one which hubbie and I post pondered off to sleep last night!

'(The concept is) called 'engaging the edge' (which) suggests that the interesting elements extend beyond what the viewer can see. Engaging the edge creates images that often are more dynamic than those in which everything is crowded into the center.' p.13.

I love a dynamic piece of art!

The Audreys

We saw The Audreys at the Corner Hotel, in salubrious Richmond - great to see a 'live' band, even if I missed the last few songs, by embarrassingly passing out! No I didn't drink too much - it was just way too hot and claustrophobic! Every one took great care of me and so now I have a new party trick!

Calenders

Great score at my local op-shop - calenders for 50c each! It's not toooo late for a 2008 calender, is it?

Gorgeous Steve Parish photos - so iconic! D2 has been asking for a calender for months now, but it never seemed to happen. We don't really need so many, but I couldn't resist the pictures.

I truly love design in nature - to me, it is a constant reminder of life being 'designed', planned, created, not happening 'by chance'.

Hubbie and I (though mainly him) are avid bird spotters - 'twitchers' I've been told. Hubbie has much better eye-sight than me and can spot a colour behind their ear, to identify them! I'm just happy to know that they are there.


White-winged fairy wren - is that colour for real?


Eastern Rosella - we often seem them in the suburbs.



Superb Fairy-wrens - my favourite!!


Oh, and check out the most fabulous creatures called American Saddlebred horses, on Julie's site - I have asked her so many questions because I find them fascinating!

Perfect autumn day

My first Mosaic! A little bit tricky through Bighugelabs - waiting time to upload was excruciating!
I realised our cat, Sabrina, has not been on the blog - big oversight! Sorry too for the double up.

Check out the visitor bottom right - I love that we don't use sprays and so.....get lots of these!

Guitar bag and blue shoes

A guitar bag for a guitar star!

Fabric from Amitie


I wanted to put this picture in because I didn't really get the 'This is the shoes I would sleep in if I could' thingy - I previously posted my sloppy slippers, BUT these really are the shoes - they look exceptionally good with dark blue jeans (which is kindof my staple) and red nail polish. Unfortunately, these are not my staple shoes, because my feet are getting old and achey!

But gee I love them!

Great ideas for quilts

I just found Terry Chilko, somehow through someone's flicker page; her website is sooooo good!

Easy peasy hanging corners for a wall quilt - whowouldvethought?

Then looking through said site, found this stunner for instructions of postcard quilts!


This part of the instructions had me re-read it several times:

You can find Peltex (or Timtex, pretty much the same thing) in the section of a fabric store where they sell interfacing and fusible web. It's thicker than normal interfacing and has a lot of body. It kind of looks like thin quilt batting with a stiffy.

Just what a girl needs!


Edit: I just received the most lovely email from Norma of Random Stitches, thanking me for my giveaway. I think I am as shocked as she was that she got it so quick! (Aust Post says pay $x for 3 months wait on sea mail, or for a little bit more, 3 days by air!!) My great pleasure Norma, and truly it was - in giving, you receive so much more. I am so happy you like it!

A must-read book

The Tale of Desperaux ; Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate Di Camillo

This is only one of my favourite books; how can I choose a favourite child; it is impossible!

I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone - do you like passion, do you like adventure, love, humour, despair, it has it all. Buy it for your children, but read it for yourself. I did and never regretted it - its simplicity belies overwhelming feelings of emotion and insight in love, honour, hate and forgiveness, and little bit of soup thrown in for good luck.

Oh, and the kids will love it too.

Just found out it is going to be a movie - Don't wreck it is all I can say to them.

This is my...

These are the shoes I would sleep in! I wear them All The Time (well in the house mainly, and a little bit outside to get the mail, hang out washing, that sort of thing), because these are the comfiest slop around throw them on keep my feet warm hard wearing pretty coloured scuffs ever created - I know the heels are down and worn (maybe because they are just a smidgen too small , but I'm lazy and like the slip on ness.

Bought at the Maryborough Train Station Market, years and years ago.

Thanks Hip Hop and Banana Bread!

A post of yellow....

I have been a bit 'blank' with my blog at the moment; do I post this....do I write about that.....is that too mundane, boring......what do I do next......do I care?

I have decided that yes, I do care. I do care about my little blog, for my 'little whippy' blog - so many others do care for their blog everyday, so I shall take some inspiration from them and try to use ideas to keep 'her' alive!!! Challenges, memes, swaps, I shall try them all!!!!!!!

So, it shall start today with Cottage Magpies' colour challenge - YELLOW


A bit of hoopy decoration for the wall - I really love this print - an old Amy Butler (Gypsy Caravan?) - looks a bit limey there, but it is really a delicious lemon colour, not quite ready to be picked from the tree! The bird is so gorgeous, I want to make a quilt centered around it.



Yellow bananas and yellow quinces in their yellow Robert Gordon collander - the colours look so right next to our kitchen windows!


Daughter No. 1' s bedroom curtains - gorgeous sheer curtains I bought in New York -strange thing to bring back from one and only trip to NY, but I think these are my favourite curtains in the whole house!! The birds are super sweet tweet!



Hand-picked fabric from stash for hoop decoration for D1 - this is so her!



Glaringly bright gazinia - not my favourite of flowers, but hey, it's growing, and I like a bit of 'glare' every now and again.