Happy Easter

We have been to Church and celebrated the true meaning of Easter and for the first time EVER my kids waited until after Mass to crack open what the Easter Bunny so kindly left behind.
So while these 3 do more of this...

He wanted his photo taken like this, go figure...

I'm so very proud...lol - what a mouth, if only her orthodontist could see her!

And thankful for the pureness of heart and innocence of this little one.

I am going to 'hop' on over to my sewing nook at the end of the table in the meals area away from the chocolate and sticky fingers and continue to work on this for a while.  Sharon I could not resist the temptation any longer and I blame you after watching the rapid progress of yours.

When kids ask why...

This label should be enough to answer their question, pardon the pun!

This jelly roll has been in my collection for a little while and I have loved it and looked at it and finally cracked it open.  I love the feeling of opening a brand new jelly roll.  It is very satisfying.  I love the fluffy bits that come off the edges and end up all over your clothes.

It is now in 3 parts - red, grey and black and I am using the red at the moment to create "Mama's China" by Sweetwater.  I do love their fabrics, patterns and extra bits and bobs.

                                             

It should look like this when it's done and I think this is one I will be keeping just for me - not sharing with sticky little fingers or balls of fur.

Need advice

What would you do if you were me?

I placed an online order with a company on Christmas eve for 2 patterns and a complete B.O.M. kit - including patterns and fabric.  The patterns for this quilt cost $84 but the entire kit, which I ordered and paid for was $250 - that is a difference of $166.

When the order turned up it only had the 2 patterns plus the set of B.O.M patterns but no fabric.

I emailed the company immediately to ask what had happened to the fabric and was emailed back the next day (January 24th) being told it was a shipping error and that the fabric would be posted that day.

I emailed again on the 18th of March asking what had happened as the fabric had not arrived.

I read on the blog associated with the company that they had computer issues last week and only got 10 emails and to re-email if you had not had a response.

I emailed again, also including all of the emails I have sent and the one I have received.

This company is in America, it is owned and run by a very well known designer.

I have been waiting since December 24th 2012 for this fabric and now I am not getting any response from them.  So what do I do?  What would you do?  Do I have any recourse or is it a case of tough luck because it was an Internet sale and overseas?

I'm just feeling pretty flat about it and tired of being patient while waiting for a response...have I kissed my money goodbye?

To add to this I emailed again last night and no response.  I have this morning posted a message on the blog of this person - felt crappy about doing that but not sure what else to do.  Just feeling really frustrated and blown off by them...it's such a shame too as this is the first time I have ever had trouble with international shopping (and I buy a lot of stuff!!!) but I tell you, it has left a very unpleasant taste in my mouth.

An Easter treat

This little lovely arrived for me at work and it is from here and is the first 4 months worth of the new Border Creek Station "Quilters Celebration" Mystery Quilt.

I've never done a mystery quilt before and have signed up for two of them this year.

The fabric for this one is from one of my all time favorites - Blackbirds Designs, the home of Alma and Barb who create the most beautiful and amazing things, especially yummy fabrics.

Well I'm off to throw some dirty clothing into the washing machine and sew while it washes, have a great day!

Bunny insanity...

So this year I decided that I wasn't buying my class Easter eggs - we don't give them out before Easter we wait until after and because Easter is this weekend by the time the kids come back from their holiday, Easter is long gone and kind of over.

Cue the bunny...

I cut out 60 of these little babies...cutting, cutting ,cutting.

I then whipped around the outside edge with blanket stitch and sat him on my ruler - the kids all loved him and thought he was great (so did I at this point).

And then it happened...28 needles, 28 threads, 56 rabbit halves and only a handful could;
        1. thread their needle
        2. knot the end of their thread
        3. stitch as directed

We had knots galore and threads chopped off and thrown in the bin.  I even had one parent come in because her child was stressed because he couldn't stitch right - she wanted to take it home and redo it for him...

So we didn't give up, we soldiered on and we are almost finished...so now these kids can help the other kids and by home time today, 28 little bunnies will have their stitching done and their neck ribbons firmly attached.

What I want to know is, why do I torture myself so...

At this moment...

I finally cracked open my charm square pack of Pezzy Print.  It has taken me a long time to do this (I buy fabric because it is pretty and then I refuse to cut into it for fear I may never have it again to use).  I am also finally using some templates I bought a long time ago from here, I'll show pics when I take them.

                                        

I have a large number of quilts.  They are on beds, chair, couches, and now rolled in a basket in the lounge awaiting the cooler weather.  I love nothing more than to snuggle under a quilt while watching a movie and depending on the movie, having a little snooze.  I plan to do some of that in the holidays.

Speaking of holidays, aren't these just the cutest little Christmas decorations?  Might have to see if I can make my own, so sweet!

1 Xmas a month

Narelle runs this group and for me it is perfect, I only have to make 1 Christmas item a month, not too much pressure.

I forgot it was the 25th when I posted this morning and seeing as I didn't have one for February I thought I'd double post today.

So ta-da, here it is;

My Santa button from Theodora - gosh I love her buttons, they are so cute!  I am really happy with him and know where he will spend his time come December.

Hanging on the sideboard.

Make sure you visit Pins and whiskers to see what everyone else has made.

Positives

So called because it looks like a whole lot of 'pluses' all over the top of this quilt.

I really love this quilt.  I made it some time ago - can't be sure exactly when.  I can't remember where I bought the fabric, but it may have been Hawthorne Threads or it may have been Fabricworm.  All I know is that I loved one of the fabrics so much (green/blue floral circles bottom row second from right hand end) that I ordered another couple of metres to make myself the Barcelona skirt.  That bundle of fabric is still in the cupboard and the skirt pattern is still unopened.  I'm waiting you see.  Currently I have a few lumps and bumps that would not look pretty in that skirt...one day I'm going to get up off my butt and loose a few of them, perhaps I'll start today...

Sunday

So I finally caved and opened my present from Sharon which despite having read her post and seeing what I was getting was still a surprise because it is just so cute!

Those little bunnies...oh how I wish I wasn't renting as I would go out and buy a pet rabbit!  We had one a few years ago, she was a great pet.  Her name was Zurg (Toy Story fans will understand) and she was lovely.  She enjoyed having our neighbour's rabbit put in her cage for a visit (thanks baby bear #2) and yes a few weeks later we had little ones.  Only one survived and is still doing well last time I asked my friend who took her.

Lots of pottering around here today and a fantastic day for drying washing...not so much sewing just a little continuation on a couple of projects that are on the go.

Thank you Sharon - it is gorgeous...now to hide the chocolates before the rest of the family gets wind that they are here ;)

Back in the saddle!

Ahhh.

Contentment and fulfillment.

I feel like I have actually achieved something today.

It wasn't what I had planned to sew but I'm happy I did it.

I used to sew a lot of clothes for my kids when they were little and I was a stay at home mum.  Nowadays most of my sewing is quilts and crafty stuff.

I have been trying to encourage my daughter to become involved in sewing and making clothes.  She is very petite and it is difficult to find things that fit her nicely - we need small sizes but then the length is wrong, so if we go for the length then the size is wrong.  I had the same problem until a few years ago...

I have encouraged her to sit with me and look at web sites and patterns and pictures.

This afternoon I was thrilled when she said that she would like the Ombre dot we bought to become a peasant blouse.

She loves it and I'm pretty happy with it as I had to draft the pattern myself.  We are just in discussions about the bottom of it.  I want to add a ruffle and she doesn't.

Any thoughts?  To ruffle or not to ruffle, that is the question....

FNSI

Tonight is the night for FNSI.

Tonight I was stuck, not for ideas or choice but as to what to do.  Did I work on something that existed and needed to be finished or did I start something new?

In the end it was something new.

I had been looking at bag patterns this week and found a few that I really liked and so decided to start one.

It came from this blog and is simply called Pattern for the masses.  I changed it slightly and sewed the lining inside out and turned it through a small hole that still needs to be stitched up.  It was an easy pattern to follow and fairly simple to construct however I do regret my choice of interfacing.  I used a very firm and solid one that does not play nicely however holds its shape beautifully.  At least it wont ever sag.

So that was my FNSI.

Friday…

Was just one of “THOSE” days.

School photo day so the entire student body was high and loud…had an interview for baby bear #1 at school over some recent happenings and to top it off had a very sore throat and headache that wouldn’t budge.

So when I walked in the door at 5 pm and asked ‘someone’ to check the letter box I suddenly had a smile on my face.

There was a little parcel for me.



It was the March installment of the button club I joined at Theodora Cleave.  Gosh I love these buttons – they are so cute and versatile.

I then decided to sign up for FNSI – I needed time with my sewing friends and my beloved but dusty Janome.  More on that later.

Rash update

Our new bestie. 

After a trip to our doctor Baby bear #3 is to take an antihistamine at the first sign of a flare up. 

It is Urticaria and it is different to what he normally has but we don’t have an answer to why or what or any of those things.

We need to just watch and see and if by chance we can see a pattern then we can investigate further.

So for now we will just take Claratyne with us where ever we go.

I’m chalking this one up to yet another piece of the puzzle that is my 3rd child and what’s not to love when you have a face like this…



Thank you to all those who commented with concern for him, rest assured he is fine.

Bugs…

(be forewarned there is a ‘naughty’ image included in this post that may offend some viewers)


Yes it has been a torrid time here of late.  We have been invaded by bugs.  GERMY bugs.
There has been snot and lots of it and a little bit of gastro thrown in to the mix as well.

DELIGHTFUL.

Strangely enough the girls of the house have missed out and it has only been the males that have succumbed to these little nasties – each male worse than the one before and each one knocking on death’s door.

The image below was first shared with me by Jane – our Art Teacher and in the moment of man-flu it is a light hearted look at what they need…



In all seriousness now, they are on the mend and despite still taking medicine the whinging has stopped



This arrived for me during the week all the way from Chicago from the lovely Natasha, she was my partner for the Sweet Pouch swap.  The sweet treats included are long gone – a 3 Musketeer bar and a box of pastel Junior Mints.  Yummy!


I made myself a tea towel and the flour sacks are absorbent and fast to dry when wet, not to mention a good size.



I also made some more travel tissue packet covers – thinking that these will be made by the bucket full for our Mother’s Day stall at school this year.  They are so quick and easy!



And now this…

Baby bear #3 has suffered from Urticaria for a long time and generally has not been an issue unless his skin was rubbed roughly – the seat belt across his neck is guaranteed to leave a temporary welt, but these…well they have been with us all weekend and of course being the long weekend means no medical treatment so it has been tepid baths and Pinetarsol cream -which he hates.  We think that this new bout is different to his other attacks as it has not gone and is spreading without any obvious reason. 

It would of course happen the week that I am stuck at school until 6ish both Tuesday and Wednesday due to parent/teacher interviews and Greg goes back to work tomorrow after leave…it is always at the most inopportune times. 

Ahh, such is life…

Sweet Pouch Swap

During the school holidays I decided  to join the Sweet Pouch Swap and was partnered with Jodi.  Jodi doesn’t have a blog but she has a grandson and so I couldn’t send her chocolates and not her grandson, right?

I had to send her something Australian (Jodi lives in the U.S.A.) and so I set off on a mission.  The buying of the sweets was the easy part.

I couldn’t stalk Jodi to see her style, colours, likes and dislikes, all I had was the small amount of information I got from Ros, so…

I decided to go with Fig Tree and a couple of colours – hoping that Jodi would like them.

I posted my parcel ahead of schedule and it made it across the ocean safely to Jodi who loved it (PHEW).

Then I realised that I had not taken any photos of it – der, so thankfully Jodi had and she kindly shared them with me.

This is what I made and bought and sent to Jodi;



I love the little pocket I debated over including – I think it adds a little extra special touch.

Thanks Ros for an easy and fun swap…can’t wait to see what I get

Goodbye February..hello March!

Remember me?  I used to blog regularly and well since school went back despite being SUPER busy with everything else there has been no sewing .

Since I last posted, this monster has started secondary school



strangely she did more homework in the first 2 weeks of school than her older brother did in his first 2 years at the same school…something is not right in that equation.



This quilt went to its new owner and made her cry…it was not the quilt so much – although it did blow her mind as it was not at all expected, but the message I put on the back;



and I have since received a lovely card from the 80 year old birthday gal, thanking me for the quilt and telling me I had God-given talents, that made me tear up a little.

                                  

I sent the first one to Wendy and she sent me the second one as part of the Fat Quarter swap.



And my desk at work looks something like the picture.  There is never a dull moment.

So, now I am going to try and find my mojo and try to sew something…any suggestions?