I'm making a Free Gift for you

So now I have your attention, don't run away. I am serious, I am going to make you a gift and post it to you to enjoy. I promise it's a nice gift and all you have to do is join my PIF by leaving a comment or emailing me. See really simple.

Oh you saw through that? Ok, so here are the rules. I joined Deb's PIF and now I need you to join my PIF and I will post you a lovely handmade gift. In return, all you have to do is place the PIF logo on your blog and get 3 people to join you. You have 365 days inwhich to make the gift and send it on. Now that is a whole year to think about what you want to make and get it to your players. Thats not bad and this is very easy to do.

So show me that you want to play and I will throw in a little something special just for you as well as the handmade gift all the way from New Zealand

Rag Doll Giveaway

De from Its About Annie is having a giveaway for a beautiful Annie.
Pop over and have a look

Swaps and More BOM's

Just a quickie today to let you know that there is an Easter Swap on. It closes on the 13th Feb so you have plenty of time to sign up.

And yes, there is another free BOM

Another week gone, and what have I done? NOTHING

I think I have been a little side tracked this week but I can not remember much of what I have been up to but it must have been necessary for me to do what ever it was that I was doing. I do recall going for a lovely walk with DH on Sunday morning and getting coffee after wards.

But I have been able to find the time to do Gail Pan's block

and Willowberry's block

No borders as yet, but why hurry these things?

Guess where I will be going for Easter this year?

Yes, I am of to Wellington for the National Quilters Symposium which runs for 5 days. This happens every 2 years and is always in a different location around New Zealand. My flights are booked as well as my accommodation. The only thing I have left to do now, is to collect the items I need for my classes and find the spending money for the Market Place. Only 31 merchants this year but for us NZ's, it is great to have them all in one place.
So what classes am I taking? I think I am going to be very busy.

First, I am attending a 1 day class with Gloria Loughman from Australia. I am going to attempt to achieve this wonderful Nature Landscape by just using thread. This should be fun, don't you think so too?

Second, is a 2 day class with Jenny Bowker also from Australia. Gee, if you thought Gloria's class was going to be fun, just look at this little beauty. Yes, another landscape created from a photo that I will be taking with me. I might have to do a little bit of traveling around the shore lines to get the right photo for this quilt.

Third class is also a 2 day class with Mary Transom from NZ. Mary is based in the top of the North Island and is one of the tutors I have always wanted to attend a class with but it is just such a long way to go for one of her classes. I chose this one as I have a little love of wine myself and this seems to be just a wonderful design. When I got the needs list for this one, I was a little shocked. I have to make up the background of the quilt before I get to the class and I have to have 120 grapes cut out and a little more. Oh well, nothing like a little challenge every now and again in one's life.

Is anyone else out there going to the Symposium or even attending one of these classes?

Well that's me for the moment.

Till next time,
Happy Stitching

Pressies for Me? Yahoo

A got a little gift from Deb from her travels to Australia to visit the family. Look what I got

Well for me, the bag is enough. It is a long standing joke with us. Many years ago we attended a stitching group. If someone had issues, we would respond with "It's not all about you" and everyone would laugh. During this time, Deb and I would search for items that reminded everyone that it wasn't always about them. We went away for a weekend with these wonderful ladies and Deb and I came out of our bunk room wearing slippers that read "It's all about me"
Well you could imagine the fun we had with those slippers. I now have a keyring with that saying on it and there are other items around the house just to remind me that it is all about me ... Yeah right, LOL

So lets have a look in the bag shall we?

A beautiful piece of lace and 2 Christmas fat quarters. I am so lucky. Thank you Deb.
I am a little concerned as she told me I was not allowed to cut up the lace for my craft work.
She knows how much I like using bits of old lace and doilies in my work. But I promise not to cut this one up.

Til next time,
Happy stitching

Projects This Week

Firstly, I wish to thank you all for the welcoming comments and emails I have received since joining Blog Land. You have all made me feel very welcomed.

I did get a wee reminder today from someone, telling me that "one post, does not make a blog". Well that does put the pressure on, doesn't it?

today I thought I would show you some of the projects I started on last week while on a 3 day retreat in Hanmer with a friend. It was lovely and a lot of stitching was done. Firstly I thought it was about time to start block one of the Red Delicious BOM

But why stop there when I have Block 2 as well

Well what was I going to do on Day 2? Simple really, I was asked by my daughter Samantha (aged 15) to make her a quilt. I was over the moon with this, as Sam has never wanted a quilt before except when she was 2yrs old and I have to admit, it is still sitting in the back room waiting to be finished. Oh well, that will be finished at some stage. So I was told the requirements, and here they are - brown fabrics only, and it has to be scrappy. Only BROWN? Yes she is not the usual teenager. So I had been spending the last few months hunting down brown fabrics. Not an easy task I can tell you.
So Day 2, I have the fabrics on the cutting board and away I go. Threads everywhere on the floor, blocks laid on the floor, my poor friend Cathy had to sit on her chair and hand stitch all day so she didn't get in the way. Evening comes, and I am not in any mood to put the rows together so of to bed and that will be tomorrow task I said.
Day 3, up early and ready to go again and this is the result I got

I have to tell you, I was very happy with the result. However, Sam was not. Firstly, it was to big. Sam has a queen size bed so I made one to fit. You should have seen her face when I told her that it still needed borders yet. Then she said it had orange in it. What? No honey, it is autumn brown. But no, she said is orange. Oh well, teenagers ahh? I will still finish it and it will be given to her. Hopefully when winter gets here, she will grow to love its warmth.

Right, now for the rest of Day 3. Yes I too did sign up for the Designer Mystery BOM from the Fat Quarter Shop And like everyone else, my BOMs sit here waiting to be done. Lucky for me I decided to take all 7 blocks with me. However, I only got 4 done.

Well, thats me for today. Now I am off to paint the room that will be my new craft room. Having 2 daughters move out over the last few years, has allowed me to spread myself around the house. This is not a good look so a craft room with everything in one place is being created.

Till next time,
Happy stitching

The starting of a New Year and a Blog

Well, I have finally done it. I have a very good friend Deb who has been trying so hard to get me to start a blog. Well Deb, it is a new year and I have made the big decision to start a blog. I am hoping to use this as a way to allow me to get more stitching done and keep a diary of what I have been doing. So here's hoping it works.

My header is a photo taken in the early 1900's. It was taken at the bottom of the street that I live in. In the background is the harbour that I look at every day. Isn't beautiful? I will admit that it is very peaceful. But more about that another time