A Return to Simplicity.

Thanks to Clare at Clare's Craft Room  for thinking of this great linky theme. I love to make dolls of any description and here are a few that I have made over the years. I collected them from various corners of the house and outside we went for a photography session. The first lady is The Secret Keeper....tell her your deepest darkest secret and she will never give them away. Always has  her mouth closed. She sometimes won't even talk to ME!! I have made a few of these as gifts. The first picture is in her travelling cloak. Where she goes is anyone's guess as she never tells! It is rather humid and warm up here in Queensland so in this piccy she has taken it off. Nope.....still not talking! Next we have another delectable lady. I can't remember her name but you can call her the Gypsy Woman.....but,  offer her a few coins and she will tell your fortune.......gaze into the ball!  Who better to find in the garden tha...

Last night I joined all the lovely people for  Friday Night Sew In  hosted by Heidi. I started out the evening with my Cake Walk Quilt blocks as now all the stitchery has been completed and the alternating blocks need to be pieced together. They are just pinned at this stage as I wanted to see how they worked together. Obviously I need to make them all up and then have a play, but I just had to do it. All of the squares and rectangles are ready to go and I think I have sorted them out at least a dozen times, then something else comes up and I put them aside. When I come back to it I mess them up again as I have forgotten that they were sorted! It's a never ending cycle...........can't wait to sew them into blocks and be done with it. Do others do things like this? Well, eventually I got bored with this project and decided to get on to something with a little stitching in it. You know, I just don't feel right without a needle and thread in my hand. I can ...

I have completed the last stitchery block for my "Cake Walk" quilt and now I will start making up the other blocks. I can't wait to complete this one as I have been wanting to make a quilt using vintage type fabrics for a while now. I think this has been my favourite block......not because it is the last but I like this basket of flowers the most. And while I am not officially playing (due to working full-time and not having the time?) the  Stitch A Long  hosted by  Chookyblue  but I have decided to stitch along anyway. Not being official means there is no pressure to perform. I had to wait for the books to arrive and of course the one I needed first was the one to arrive last! So, here is my first project and I have sensibly made one thread catcher for me and one for the Birthday-Love Stash box. That way I will stop wanting things in the birthday box!

 The theme for this months fat quarter swap was " Words and/or Numbers", so of course I had to go shopping and this is what I found. I really thought I would have a hard time finding fabric with words on it! Boy! was I wrong........as I went into Spotlight I told myself to buy two fat quarters and only two, as I have a good sized stash and don't need any more at the moment!!!! Yeah! Right! Who could believe that! Well, I found an assortment and came away with at least 4 or 5 different pieces with words. Not too much numbers around, but words abounded! I stalked  Vanessa's  blog looking for what she might like and I thought this would be a great choice. I liked it sooo much that I brought 1/2 a metre so I could have some as well. These are the two I choose for Vanessa. Now....look at what she sent me!!! I was so confused when I opened the parcel that I thought that I must have forgot to put a stamp on and my own had returned....LOL.......I was about...

Feeling a little depressed lately I decided I needed some retail therapy to comfort me......you know it works like eating chocolate, Tim-Tams, ice cream, lots of cream and anything with too much "NOT GOOD FOR YOU" stuff! Retail therapy keeps your purse thin but also keeps your hips trim.......well.... that is if they are trim to begin. Let's not go there....I'll get depressed again and have to shop! Soooo........ I went shopping and here is what I brought..........I think these were on special so I had to have them, you know for next Christmas! They are Makower Christmas 2012 fat quarter set , some above and some below. I actually set out the top ones and after I had taken the piccy I discovered there were still others in the range that had fallen out of the bundle! Then there are a couple of packs and patterns by Bird Brain Designs This fabric above with this pattern below. This fabric with this pattern. And this ...

I had a day off yesterday and decided to make a bag to add to my birthday love stash. I decided to raid my fabric stash and as I didn't have a jelly roll (as the pattern states) I decided to cheat a little and use some stripy fabric. Who's going to know if you don't tell them? I whipped this up from searching for fabric to finished in less than one day!  This bag has 6 pockets on the outside!!! It will be well loved when I give it away for someone's birthday. I might just have to make one for myself otherwise this one is definitely not safe! LOL! Nice big pocket on the inside. I also wanted to have something quick and easy and  healthy for tea tonight and decided to have pizza. So I took these ingredients.... fresh capsicum and mushrooms, onions, black olives, pineapple and cheese (low fat of course) and use up some of the left over Christmas ham................  I use wholemeal wraps for the base instead of the regular pizza base. L...

I have now finished my tea-towels and they are ready for adding to my Birthday Love Stash. I completed all the blanket stitching and added buttons to selected ones. Four items down with a few more to be made up and added to the box. I should have made them in blue tones then I could have kept them for myself! LOL.....lucky they are green!! Must pull out the fabric and look at a couple of bag patterns to make up for the girls. 

Thanks  Melody  for hosting this lovely idea. Go over to her site and see everyone's treasures. The first treasure that came to mind other than family (they are my living treasures) was a china dog that was given to me about 52 years ago by a lady then  aged 96. That would make this dog over a hundred years old!! He stands about 8 inches high.  I had been visiting her with my Dad when she gave him to me as we were leaving. She also gave me a packet of wafer biscuits........these of course are long gone. He had been one of a pair given to her on her wedding day.  I have no further history other that she was married in the UK and emigrated to Australia. Her husband had passed away and she had been alone and my Dad and Mum often visited her when they went to town.  I don't really know why I have treasured this little dog for such a long time and he came everywhere with me when I moved around. I think he looks sad and lonely for ...

Well.....I had a very productive night with my friends! No coffee and no chocolate biscuits!!!! How can that be I hear you say!  I had my lovely daughter for company and we did quite a lot of stitching as we talked and watched Better Homes and Gardens on telly. She is currently working on Down in the Garden by Leanne Beasley. First I completed the block for Cake Walk quilt that was in the hoop and put on the setting triangles.  And........then it was on to my tea-towels. I still haven't found my scrap stash.......so I used to scraps from the last quilt I made and went from there. I only have one completed at this stage but the rest have the appliqué ready for blanket stitching. I decided to be a little daring and after using the pattern found by Wendy at  Sugarlane Quilts  I made up some of my own designs for the other tea-towels. I think the pink fabric I used makes it look like an angry cat! It looks like it has teeth!! LOL. I d...

Yesterday I received the second half of my swap from Nadine. Such a surprise was waiting for me. There is an exquisite Christmas ornie.........and I have to show you both sides.   Some Clover Wonder Clips.....haven't used these before but on reading the instructions I do believe I can use these with my sewing and paper-craft....bonus!  Again they were wrapped up in the most lovely Christmas fabric. Thanks Nadine  for being my swap partner and  to  Aunt Pitty Pat  for holding the swap. I have now completed another 2 blocks for my Cake Walk quilt. There is now one in the hoop and only one after that! Woo Hoo!!! It's getting closer to being finished! Oh! that's right there are the in- between blocks......mmmmm.........better get going then, I am also getting ready for Friday Night with Friends hosted by Chez from  Gone Stitchin' . I recently brought some tea-towels to appliqué and think th...