This morning

We have to all bundle into the car very early

and drive to Melbourne.

Because, believe it or not,

this goober here,

it being awarded his Scout Medallion.

This is a pretty big deal - if you are into Scouts.

He has been working on this for a long time.

I hope he remembers to smile nicely...

Today

I'm spending the day with this little guy.

He is off to hospital today to have 12 teeth removed under G.A.

Yes, I did say 12.  They are his remaining baby teeth.

Wish me luck - should prove to be an interesting experience.

A find

As we continue to clean and pack and sort

we found this quilt I made about 10 years ago.

I never liked it.

I'm not sure if it was the gold stars on the green or the plainness of the cream.

It doesn't matter because it has been put into the donations pile,

where I am sure it will find a home and be loved.

Funny how our tastes change.

Something's wrong!

Over the weekend, a little person asked me to sit and

watch a movie with him.

We settled down and got comfy and began to watch.

Part way through a little voice called out,

"Something's wrong with this quilt!"

His feet were poking out as it was too short.

When he worked it out, he promptly told me to

not make small quilts that don't cover his feet.

Nothing worse than a wrong quilt.

Badge

At school on Friday we (the teachers) were presented with badges

at assembly by the students.

We were also given a special morning tea.

It was a lovely way to finish the week.

It's here!

I have been watching these pop up everywhere lately.

The wait has been driving me insane!

Finally my wait is over!

This book is amazing!

Not is only jam-packed with block designs,

there are some projects thrown in as well.

It is functional and informative.

The instructions are clear and there are templates included.

This one is my favorite at the moment.

Now excuse me, I'm off to enlarge some templates...

This is serious

I have now bought 2 books and the papers.

I have dabbled a little before with FPP

using normal photo copy paper 

and it was awful to remove.

Apparently this paper (I haven't opened the packets yet)

is what the real FPP's use.

Yep, I'm running with the big kids.

Ok I'm still crawling and probably won't ever be a runner,

but I'm going to give it a red hot crack.

If you've used this paper before,

let me know what you think of it.

Nearly

The stitching is all done on this little lovely.

Just need to do the sewing part now,

unless anyone out there wants to finish it for me...

please?

Almost a finish

Yep this little beauty is all put together.

I think I will add a white boarder the same width as

the rows just to finish it off a little

and use a white binding.

I really want the hexies to be the focal point.

I love it.

Even the 3 baby bears like it - 2 have asked if

they can have it.

Not a chance.

It is amazing what you can achieve

when you ignore school work...

I did start my reports though, so that is something, right?

Poor poor me...

If you have been following my blog for any amount of time you would know that I

almost never put my own photo on here.

today is an exception

LOOK

I am at the end of my tether.

My eyes are driving me insane.

They are itchy, swollen and red.

I can't use my normal moisturiser at the moment as it stings.

The only thing I can use is pawpaw ointment but it doesn't do anything.

The sneezing, running nose, and other symptoms I can cope with,

but I want to rip my eyes out of my head.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what will help?

I'm taking 2 different types of hay-fever tablets but as

you can see, they really aren't helping.

I would appreciate any advice.

FNSI

I was feeling a little "Happy -go-lucky" last night.

I started a new project, I couldn't help myself.

I have been wanting to make one of these for a long time.

This is the chain piecing after a small amount of cutting.

Thank you for pre-cut honeycomb hexagons Moda.

Setting seams, pressing seams open and starching.

Seemed to take F.O.R.E.V.E.R.

 I got to joining some of the pieces together...

but not many and you can see how it was left at my machine.

Truth - it will probably stay like that now as I'm not sure how much sewing 

time I will squeeze in now as I'm packing up a house

and preparing to write reports...

I did have a finish though and I absolutely love it!

This is one swoon block to go on the wall of my new sewing room.

I used some V & Co green and solids from Spotlight.

You can't really see it but I FMQ Baptist fans all over.

Oh dear...

More books have arrived.

I'm thinking of opening a library!

I'm trying to broaden my creative horizons

and push myself to try new and different things.

I've signed up to take a class with Carol Doak -

but I thought I would do some homework first!

Oh, does that make me sound like a real nerd?

A real teacher?

Happy Friday to you all.

More books

I can't help it.

I love books.

I see them and I buy them.

I see them on other people's blogs and I buy them.

I want to learn a new skill or technique - I buy the book.

I blame Sharon for this recent obsession of mine.

The other book I have ordered and was told would be here in 7-10 days

is this one,

I can't wait for it to get here!

Marmalade

Fabrics that is, not the spread.

Tammy is the owner of Marmalade Fabrics.

It is a lovely shop that provides great prices and excellent service.

Recently I put in an order and made an error.

Tammy actually contacted me to check before filling my order and charging

me double - how fantastic is that?

I've joined the tour - Around the colour wheel and you can stop your subscription at any time.

you aren't locked in - I think that is wonderful.

I have now had 3 orders from Marmalade fabrics and each time I have been so happy with my order.  

It arrives carefully wrapped in tissue paper and inside plastic bags.  

Tammy finds the most economical shipping for me and fills the box right up.

They even have a rewards program - that's important for those of us who shop online!

This is a snippet from the web site that tells you about the store:

Exceptional Service

• Most orders ship within 24 hours of receipt.
• All fabric is cut generously, accurately and handled with care.
• All orders are professionally packed to ensure arrival in pristine condition.

Fair Pricing
By keeping our overhead costs lower than many larger stores, we manage to offer some of the best specials online.

Variety of Cuts
Order by the yard or fat quarter. It's your choice!

Selvages are intact on all fat quarters (As of April 15, 2011). However, if you prefer yours neatly trimmed, please add "SKINNY” at checkout and the selvages will be trimmed from your fat quarters.

Fabric is priced by the yard, with a .5 yard minimum order. Fabric is shipped in continuous yards unless otherwise requested.

Fair Shipping
Marmalade Fabrics offers free shipping on all orders of $200 or more shipped within the United States. All other orders will be charged minimal fees. Please see Shipping Info for detailed rates of shipping across the globe.

Rewards Program
Our rewards program is simple. Earn $10 free fabric for every $100 you spend in twelve month's time. Choose from any fabric in stock. It's like getting an additional 10% off every order. Log in each time you order and the system will track your purchases for you. Read FAQs here.

I am not being paid for this review and I asked Tammy if I could mention her shop on my blog.

I believe in recognizing good service and sharing that with the blogging community.

If you are someone who shops online and you haven't used Tammy, I urge you to

pay her a visit and see what you think.  I bet you will find something you want.

I am a Marmalade lover now!

Swooning around

I haven't sewn for days and I feel like my throat has been cut.

It is my release from everything - my happy place.

So today, after correcting school work and planning

and preparing some new maths activities,

shopping and running around

I decided to 'swoon' around a little.

 Now I did jump on the Swoon bandwagon on Flickr when Katy(I'm a ginger monkey fame)

started the swoon-along, but one thing led to another...

 My 4 completed blocks are in a storage container waiting for me to get on with it.

Today instead of getting on with it,

I started something new (I know finish something!)

A swoon block to be made into a wall hanging for my craft room in the new house.

House won't be finished for months yet, so there is a very

good chance that the house will be finished

before the wall hanging.

I'm using some V & Co, grey homespun and white homespun

I'm FMQ Baptsit fans all over.

Q4 list

                                                        

I joined this for the third quarter and was successful in that 2 of the 3 things on my list

I actually finished - i think it was that little voice in my head saying

"you have to finish something, you can't be a complete dud".

So I'm joining again for the 4th quarter.

I've thought long and hard about this list - I don't want to over load it

and not have a chance of finishing anything,

but then again I do have a few projects on the go that I

really ought to finish.

So, here is my list:

We have Merry Merry Snowmen

Marcelle Medallion

Chris' quilt

Swoon

charity pinwheel

charity friendship plait quilt

Swoon wall hanging

beach bag

giant star quilt

An extensive list - manageable with report writing looming...

we shall see.

Thank Leanne for hosting.

Beach bag

I am going to the beach this summer.

Yep, booked a cabin.

Taking the family for a 6 hour drive

(are you freaking nuts, I hear you all asking).

Possibly as there are beaches only an hour from where I live.

But no, I'm meeting up with a friend and her family.

Not the closest beach for her either I'm betting.

I am not sure if it was the colours used in this bag

or the baby that drew me in. Or maybe it was knowing that my friend was

planning on making a killer beach bag (until I foiled her plan)...

she will still have an amazing beach bag...

So will I.

I am substituting a red floral fabric for the orange in the picture.

Now if I could just get a guarantee that there will be sun in January...

Crying into my toast

There are mothers all over Victoria waking up today 

jumping for joy and singing the Hallelujah Chorus.

Not this little black duck. 

I am unhappy.

Cheesed off.

Annoyed.

Grumpy.

Hating the fact that I have to go back to school.

I love being at home, pottering, sewing, internet shopping.

11 weeks of work until the big sewing break.

So that's 55 school days, 22 sewing/shopping/chore days

and one public holiday.  

There's also 2 weeks of swimming thrown in, along with reports, next years class lists,

Christmas functions (yay), presents (yes Simone this means your presents).

I think I can handle it.

I think I will make it.

Pretty fabric and a new project.

I found this fabric in Spotlight and fell in love.

I am kicking myself now for not buying more of it.

I know, I know, there is always more pretty fabric coming.

I just have such a hard time cutting into the really beautiful stuff.

It's really quite silly because it is just fabric.

There will always be fabric.

I will always buy fabric.

And so, this very pretty fabric is to become the central

focus of a quilt for a lady that I work with.

This is the basic block.

Text fabric in the centre.

One of either blue/pink/green to surround it.

Orange corners.

All the blocks will then be surrounded by an orange border 

with more of the pretty text print as a wide final border.

So I have started it - in fact it is almost all cut out but,

will it be finished on time?

School finishes on the 20th of December.

FNSI recap

My FNSI was very productive this month.

Seeing as it was school holidays I decided

to make the most of it and start early.

Firstly I finished off my 120 HST for a quilt.

I still need to trim them but by this point it was time

to take a break and take baby bear #2 to visit the dentist.

I then did some straight line quilting for a little project.

I then did some hand stitching on a cathedral window project.

I also watched a movie and cleaned up the kitchen after letting 

the kids feed themselves tonight - it was gobble and go.

I also had a quick look at this lovely little kit that arrived this morning.

I showed great restraint and decided not to start it tonight.

It's the Grab and Go bag

and it uses vinyl fabric.

Well I'm going to have a cup of mocha 

and then check out what others go up to.

A Finish

Way, way back in June I began a quilt 

for my husband.

Poor thing didn't have a special quilt.

I felt guilty - everyone else has a special quilt.

So I showed him some patterns and he decided he wanted

Deco the halls by Sew Kind of Wonderful

and in the same colours.

Well skip forward a few months

and a link up to this...

and finally he has his quilt.

 There were disasters, unpicked seams and 4 bobbins used in the process.

But he took it to work last night for night shift

and reported this morning he was toasty warm all night.

Bonus.

a sneak peak of a bedroom in a fire station - complete with a special quilt

So all in all this quarter my joining this;

was successful as I finished 2 of my 3 things.

Just don't ask me about Marcelle.

Update

Ages and ages ago - or so it feels,

I blogged about a story that had moved me to tears.

It was the story of Phoebe.

I have been in touch with her Mum, Julia

and made the foundation some quilts to 

pass on to other kids with heart issues.

I offered to help out and Julia asked me to 

finish off a quilt top she had.

The whole family helped me to pin it altogether

before I quilted it.

I was pleased to finish it and send it back to Julia in time for

Phoebe's anniversary.

I forgot to take a photo of it before I sent it to Julia

This is it all finished.

I did a swirly meandering stipple all over.

I was happy with the way it turned out and I'm sure

some little person is going to love snuggling with this.