Lots of news today

These gifts are from our online Friends in Stitching group and where made for me by Vicki, the bag is so good wonderful fabrics and cute stitcheries, you have done a terrific job Vicki and I love them..... Thanks very much.

Isn't this a great gift..... thank you Tereasa love it and I can't wait to get started on it.

Then there is this cute beat "Chloe" Teresa made her for me and she is just adorable, thank you. She is sitting on a lovely doiley also from Teresa and this will be her dress... very soon I promise.

Last but not least .... these goodies I made  for Peg for our secret santa presents from Friends in Stitching, I hope she likes them, I was a bit worried about the mug but the postal service got it to her in 1 piece so that was great.

Christmas party and gifts.

Last Tuesday we had our christmas party for our little craft group,I  forgot to take a piccie of the girls and only just remembered to get one of the half eaten food but you get the idea I'm sure.

 I am such a lucky girl, Tereasa gave me this great kit and I can't wait to get started on this project.

This is" Chloe" Teresa made her for me, she is so clever and makes terrific bears.

Thanks very much girls for another terrific year together and I hope you have the best christmas ever.

I will pop back later to show a few photos of our cruise, I promise not to bore you all too much..... only a little bit.

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND A SAFE NEW YEAR.

Last minute OPAM

I've made this fold away wallet size shopping bag to take on our holiday and of course I hope to fill it when ever I can.  Shhhhh don't tell Gavan ... lol

It certainly makes a good size bag when open, I used Teresa's idea of turning the pocket upside down and it works a treat.

Our Heather in the Police Academy.

At last our daughter ... Heather... has her dream come true, she has been waiting for a call up for the police academy and 3 weeks ago it happened for her. She is now in her 3rd week and in uniform, she is really enjoying the challenge, we are so happy for her and proud too, there is still many months to go in training so hopefully it all goes well and we will then be able to see her graduate.

Its a bit like her first day at school all over again, Mum and Dad taking piccies of her in uniform and that only seems like yesterday to us.....

Good luck Heather.

Busy... busy

Well I'm a bit late with this block but better late than never I guess, I still have to put 2 hearts on but will do that a bit later. I have just drawn the last of the blocks to take on our holiday just in case I get a bit of stitching time. Its great to see all the blocks of this quilt "Gardeners Journal" coming together in the "Stitch-a-long" group.

These 2 ornies are  part of the "Gift of the Month" I'm in from "Faeries in My Garden" called Sugar Plum decorations they have been a real delight to make. I'm slowly getting the projects done but like all of you ladies say " there just isn't enough hours in the day" so we need to make the most of the hours we have.
 

Here is another "Faeries in My Garden" pattern "Uptown Chic" mini shopper, its made in linen and it was so quick and easy to make. This bag is going on the cruise with me and I hope I can fill it with some great little gifts.

Woohoooo finished at last.

Its great to be finished this project, our little Tuesday group have been busy for sometime doing this together which is a lot more fun than on your own. Teresa has hers on her blog already if you would like to pop over to have a look , its just beautiful. This is a "Faeries in My Garden" pattern and as usual a delight to make, its part of " Gift of the Month" and of course I have signed up for next year.

See the pin cushion in the roof.

Its called "Needlewoman's Cottage" as you can see its useful as well as beautiful. Now I'm off to finish my  christmas swap gift for "Friends in Stitching" online group, I need to be finished early as we are going on a cruise on the 27th November to New Zealand for 14 days and christmas is not far away so I'll need to have it ready for posting to my partner. Ooooo yes I also need to get a bit of stitching ready for my trip...... can't go without some stitching.

Another great retreat

A great weekend with friends at Evans Head, NSW...... pity we can't go on a retreat every weekend ... hehehehe. We all had the best time... yummy food and good company with just a bit of sewing thrown in all adds up to a terrific time.

Here is Tereasa busy at work.

Teresa also busy making her project.

A very busy work room, 39 ladies altogether so it did get noisy at times.

The theme for the retreat was Christmas and we all had to make a placemat so I chose a christmas pudding, the napkin holder was a cute little gift for everyone.

Saturday night was christmas dinner with the full baked meal followed by........

christmas pudding of course.... it tasted as good as it looks.

and we had the best Santa visit us with little gifts for all of us ..... great fun.

This tree was one of the projects that we could do .... this is mine.... it was good to take a finished project home. The other project was a table runner I haven't finished mine yet  but if you go to Teresa's blog you can see a photo of our runners..... I will post a photo when I have done the layering and quilting, soon I hope. I'm really getting into these retreats... I think they are addictive.

Ooooops nearly forgot I won 2nd prize in the raffle which was a terrific bag but I still haven't got a piccie of it yet, I'm getting a bit of a reputation and my friends are calling me the "raffle queen" as I do seem to be very lucky with these raffles.

Oh goodo I have another OPAM now too.

Happy sewing everyone.

This ... that and the other.

King Parrots.

Aren't these birds beautiful they are becoming so tame but its so nice just to watch them.

This is another great "Gift of the Month" kit  from "Faeries in My Garden" love getting my parcel every month, the excitement of opening mail to see what surprise I have. Its called " Linen and Leaves Handbag" I made this to take with me on our holiday at the end of this month...... a cruise to New Zealand .... I still have another bag to make for this trip.

We had a terrific day at our little craft group on Melbourne Cup Day not that we need an excuse for yummy treats and a drink or two.

 

Teresa, Teresa and Laurel.

Tereasa and Jan.

Last but not least.....Teresa, Laurel and Liz (my daughter) with the blue hair  and me of course went to "Christmas in the Country" craft show at Gatton and we had a great time together buying  gifts, of course enjoying our lunch and checking out our goodies. I took my new Linen bag to give it a test run and I was very happy with it so it is definately going on holidays.

Gosh my Liz is a cheeky devil...... we did have a good time and can't wait to do it again next year.

Catch up and another day out.

Another "My Garden" block finished, these are fun little blocks to make and so quick.

A great day out with friends at the Brisbane Craft Show, Jenny came down from Bundaberg to meet Tereasa and myself for the day, we had such a good time shopping eating and laughing of course. Below are a few piccies of the goodies I bought.... yes I was very naughty but what the heck, more projects to make.... as if I needed them really but they were' must haves' you girls know how it is.

I have wanted this quilt from "Faeries in My Garden" for some time and I just couldn't go without buying it.

These are all essential things ..... lol...... well the steam iron is anyway, bought it for my next retreat and the white tray is to go on my Sewzi table so thats also a must have. I forgot to take my camera to the show so no photos of the 3 of us sadly, thanks girls for a fabulous day.

FIS paper bag swap

At last I can show these photos, I'm a member of an online group "Friends in Stitching" and we had a paper bag swap ...... we had to send our partner a paper bag with 2 fat 1/4's a stitchery, button and trim or ribbon plus a choccie, then our partner would decide what to make using these goodies then send it back.... great fun. I had to make for Teresa and she gave me quite a challenge in her choice of fabric but I forgot to take a photo of the goodies and of course I ate the choccie so you will just have to use your imagination. Here she is opening her pressies, we all open online but I was able to give Teresa her gift in person.

    

I was just overwhelmed when I opened my parcel from Sarah... who was making for me, this cushion will be treasured forever and as you can see in these photos it has pride of place on my bed. This would have to be the most thoughtful and precious gift I have ever recieved and I can't thank you enough Sarah.

The shaggy quilt on the corner of the bed I made in 2005 for Mum's birthday and its also one of my little treasures.