More Gorgeous Goodies!!!

I have nothing of my own to show you until tomorrow but I can show you lots more lovely goodies people have sent me!

First up a rather bad photo of the gorgeous sock monkeys from our lovely friend Kellie. Kellie and her beautiful children came for a visit during the school holidays and brought these with funny monkeys with them. Kellie whips these up in a nano second and they are soooooo cute, my girls absolutely love them! They have each been christened but the only name I can remember is Daphne's - Boom Boom. I was hoping to get a better photo but I only remember when they are all in bed so this will have to do! A pj's, first thing in the morning one with breakfast all over Daph's face!



The last couple of weeks I have received such a lot of fabulous parcels in the mail.

I had the very good fortune to win a giveaway on Valerie's blog.

Can you believe she sent me this stunning little vase from Anthropologie! It's just lovely and such a wonderful colour combination.



With it was a foodie magazine which is one of my favourite things in the world.



And the sweetest little ballerina dollies that she made for my girls.



They were so thrilled and immediately picked out one for themselves. I have forgotten the name of Chloe's but Lucinda's is called Waterlily because it looks like a fairy in a book and Daphne called hers Christina (after my friend who wears bright red lippy).



This week I had another lovely parcel with this very pretty embroidery I won on a giveaway on Katy's blog.



It's just lovely and perfect for Chloe and Lucinda's bedroom.



I have to say my girls have done very well out of this blogging caper and seem to always be included so thank you very much from all of us!

One of my favourite customers came in last Saturday to kill some time while her children were at gym. She helped me put some fabrics together for some samples for an upcoming pattern - she has a very good eye and a great sense of humour so we had great fun. She then offered me some of her stash!

Sure enough, on Tuesday she came in with this fantastic pile of fabric. Just look at this gorgeous repro 1930's loveliness!!



I'm so in love with this fun, fun fabric and can't wait to come up with something to use it for - a quilt I think?

Speaking of quilts, after all my promises I am late again with my Four Seasons Summer quilt. It is done now so only a couple of days late, but I have no photos.

I also received my stunning Summer quilt this week from someone I know well - but you'll have to wait!

Next post - some overdue quilty love!!!

Friends + Fabric = FUN!

There's so much to tell and I will start with the most exciting bit and work my way through!

Last Thursday was very special because I had my very first meeting with one of my Melbourne blog friends. I met the very lovely Cathy from Ms Marzie and she was every bit as nice as she sounds on her blog - just a bit taller than I'd imagined! It was a little like a blind date and we were both a bit nervous but not for long. We met at Amitie where Jenny made us feel incredibly welcome. Can you believe she sat us up the front of the shop at a lovely table and chairs, made us a cup of coffee and left us to it - thanks Jenny!

So after exchanging gifts (in true craft blogging tradition) and yacking for a while we then got stuck into the fabric choosing. Cathy had brought along some fabrics she needed to add to for a gorgeous quilt she is making for her sister's 40th next year and I had brought some fairly old Cath Kidston fabrics with me to add to for a quilt for Chloe's bed.

Assisted by Jenny and Judy there was much collective ooohing and aahhhing, fabric stroking and general sharing of the whole quilt, fabric loving experience. It was a lovely couple of hours bonding over fabric and I'm sure the very reason Jenny named the store Amitie, the french word for friendship. The perfect choice for our first meeting Cathy!



More than two hours later we purchased our goodies and had a quick lunch before racing off to pick up the kids from school. It was wonderful to meet Cathy finally, and it is amazing to have so much in common with someone when you haven't even met before. We agreed on so much, talked about all our favourite blogs and even have the exact same sewing machine! Thanks for coming all the way over to Amitie Cathy (not that visiting Amitie is EVER a chore) and I look forward to seeing you again soon because there is so much I didn't get to ask you.

Cathy made me a really sweet little linen purse, which I am going to keep in my handbag to hold lipsticks, a groovy tissue holder and my very own cotton apple dishcloth!



I made a needlebook for Cathy. I used pink and green wool felt, apple lining and a vintage button on the front. I also bought her one of my favourite apple containers to keep her sewing bits in.



In between chasing Daphne, who thought the embroidery threads at Amitie were hugely interesting to pull apart, I managed to gather some wonderful fabrics together for Chloe's quilt. It was looking very green/pink and she wanted aqua/red - that's what happens when you buy fabrics with the intention of making something and leave it for too long.



But I'm thrilled with how it has all come together and I have chosen this gorgeous quilt design 'Vintage Comfort' by Judy Newman for a really vintagey look. Chloe LOVES it which is the most important thing.



The train quilt is progressing. I have finished all the blocks and am now putting the top together. It is a little blue and I wanted it more red so I'm mucking around with it a bit.

I have also made a start on my Autumn quilt for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap.



I was inspired by this picture from the July/August edition of Inside Out magazine.



It came together when I found the little brown floral fabric which I adore. I'm not sure what to bind it with but I'm not going to worry about that until I finish the top - there are a couple of little extra things I'm adding to it which I will show you another day.

I'm also well underway for the back to school tote bag swap and have had a lot of fun with this as we can add what we like. It'll be on it's way soon Ali and I'm not showing anything until she gets it.

Today I received my partner for the scrap swap and look who I got - Jade! Yippeee one of my faves, this is also going to be lots of fun.

Look what arrived in today's mail!



YAY!!!, my labels! I can finally put my name on my work. I guess that means I'm going to have to start putting things into my Etsy shop or Made it. I'm just not sure what yet. Aprons, bags, hmmmmmmm, lots of thinking ahead.

And then look what arrived this afternoon - another delivery! I couldn't resist buying this sweet little smock from Jade. It is the softest fine green cord and cute apple tree fabric and it's just beautifully made. And tucked inside the package I even got some scraps to make something to match - thanks Jade it really is lovely and she thinks she looks fab in it. Do you like the collection of hairties she insists on wearing as bracelets!







Well that should be enough to keep you going for a few days. I certainly have enough to keep me busy!!

Progress, parcels and pics

I thought you might like to see the progress on the train quilt. I had all kinds of trouble with the measurements I was given and finally managed to calculate them myself. So it's all cut and I'm sewing every spare minute I can because I can't wait to see it all together and get quilting.



And there's more to show you. Yesterday these gorgeous fabrics arrived. I am a bit suspicious though as there is meant to be two parcels and so far I only have one. I bought them on sale through here and their prices are fantastic. I am collecting lots of 1930's and flour sack fabrics to put aside for a single bed quilt for one of my girls. Something like this or this.



I also bought some to add to a blue and green stash I have for a quilt I plan on making for my bed.



And the rest is to use for a summer twirly skirt for Chloe and maybe a wrap skirt me.



Yesterday they emailed me with another 10% discount so I have bought even more - it's simply too hard to resist!!

The other day I received this book from Amazon.

Aside from the beautiful pictures and patterns it has some really clear instructions on all the basics of cutting, handsewing, machine piecing and applique. It has one particular quilt pattern perfect for the blue and green quilt that I want on my bed - another project, another day.

And today I received my new camera. Did I tell you my very sweet and lovely Lucinda was mucking around with my camera a few weeks ago and virtually threw it under the table she was sitting at. It was going to cost more than $250 to fix because the iris was broken so we bought a new model for $295 instead. And it's gorgeous!



Lucky for me my mother has one too and let me borrow it for a while. I couldn't imagine life without a camera!

And with that I leave you with a photo of my Lucinda ......



.... how could I stay angry with that beautiful face!

Mission Accomplished!!

Finally I can show you some pictures of the apron I made for the very lovely Cathy of Miss Marzie fame. She received her parcel today and by all accounts she loves it!

So bear with me as I have taken lots of photos and want to share them all because I was really pleased with the way it all turned out.



I love aprons and I love making aprons.



So when this swap came up I leapt at the opportunity.



Lucky, lucky me I was matched with Cathy and after looking at her blog and all her photos I just wanted to make her something really pretty and pink.



My inspiration was from this lovely 'Romantic Homes' magazine a girlfriend bought for me not too long ago.



She knows I love making aprons and found this wonderful article full of gorgeous pictures of aprons.



And the fabrics are some of my favourites.



After looking online for the new Sis Boom fabrics, lo and behold Amitie got them in the same week. It is such a big print I had to be careful cutting it so I used part of a pattern and modified it to suit the way the flowers fell. I just love the green diagonal gingham - just perfect apron fabric. And then, of course, I had to add some girlie frills.

I also wanted to do something pretty with the packaging.



Another girlfriend recently bought me a pink plastic apple basket which was immediately taken by Chloe! I thought it would be cute to send the apron in it (not Chloe's basket, a new one).



And then I found the apple dish cloth pattern. I have wanted to knit one of these for ages and it was really easy and quick.



The cookie recipe and card I copied from the Alice May Classic Biscuits book. They just seemed perfect with the 50's style apron.



I really enjoy the swap process, it gives me so much pleasure making something for someone else as a surprise. And even better, I have made a new friend! Cathy, I am so glad you like it.

Home Sweet Home and other projects..

Look at this lovely book I found at less than half price the other day. It's filled with some really nice soft furnishing ideas as well as other pretty stuff. These are my favourites.

I found time to take some photos of the fabric I bought on Saturday at Amitie. Each pile (don't you love piles of fabric?!) is for a special project which I will reveal once they are complete. They are for some special friends.




Now I need some advice. I would like to start putting labels on my work and want some ideas. I quite like this clever idea although it's time consuming. Maybe a professionally woven label or printed label. Any suggestions?

Lovely Loot

I finally found time and a little bit of light to take photos of some of the lovely presents I received for my recent Birthday. The first one from my daughter Chloe is possibly my favourite and just makes me smile. What family of three daughters could possibly do without a plastic plate smothered in luscious pink and white marshmallows. Isn't it just gorgeous!? I can't wait to put Fairy bread on it for Lucinda's Birthday party on Friday.



The next present was from my Mum. I love its simplicity. Next time you see it hopefully it will be filled with something delicious.



And these pretty pieces. I am very slowly doing up my bedroom and am quite mad about all shades of blue/aqua and green. The plates and bowl are from Christina and are for my dressing table. They are sitting on one of my new pillow cases which feature another fave - birds.



I had some great luck this week shopping for fabric. I had been eyeing off these cherries online and stumbled upon them at my local cheapo fabric store. These were all $7.50 a metre! I have lots of ideas for them so stay tuned.



And this vibrant work of art is from Lucinda who asked me the other night to make her dolls a sleeping bag. She disappeared and returned with her 'design'.



Ahhh they crack me up sometimes. This little project, however, will have to wait until after her party. And on that note I must go to bed or there will be no party.