More New Books

I've gone a bit mad lately and ordered a few new books.  Two parcels were waiting for me tonight. Can't wait to have a play with these -

This is a set of 4 books from Tilda in a gorgeous little box - Angels, Birds, Bunnies and Dolls

Lots of cute projects inside

Love these cute little bunnies

And the chooks are a favorite.

My other new book is Lynette Anderson's "Stitch it for Spring". Mmmh - what to start first.
Have a great week. Cheryl

A Little of This and a Little of That

Does anyone else have my problem - I love stitchery, and instead of just having one or two on the go, I can't help myself and seem to have ten on the go lol.  So consequently, it doesn't look like I have been doing too much, but I have been stitching away for a couple of hours or so each night.

Lots of secret stitching in these projects.

Working on my projects from the stitching soiree I attended recently.

Am loving my reindeer's from Michelle's bom "Christmas Memories"

Even some blackwork on my Kathy Schmitz bom.

And of course, more Christmas. Hope you're being more productive than I am.  Cheryl

Mothers Day Swap Parcel

Hope you all had a lovely Mothers Day. I was very spoilt. A beautiful message from one daughter interstate, and lunch with my eldest daughter and two granddaughters and some yummy parcels.

Julie, my swap partner in the Let's Celebrate swap has opened her parcel, so I can now show you what I sent her (more willpower than me I might add, as I opened mine early last week).

Fat quarter of a pretty green fabric, cottage garden thread, ceramic buttons and some "tape measure" tape.

I also made a little scissor keep to match the other sewing goodies I had made Julie for her birthday (see post of 8th April).

I have been sewing - lots of it secret, but promise I will be back soon to show you what I've been up to. Enjoy your week. Cheryl

"Let's Celebrate" Mothers Day Swap

This very yummy looking parcel arrived in the post on Monday from my swap partner Julie, in the Mrs Martins Quilt Shop "Let's Celebrate" swap. This month we were celebrating Mother's Day

Now for a fleeting moment, I thought I might keep it til Mother's Day to open, but it got the better of me -

And inside were these two gorgeous fat quarters - the photo doesn't do the lovely green piece justice. But am looking forward to doing something special with these very soon.

And there was more - how lovely are these buttons, and some ric rac that looked as though it had been tea-dyed.  Thankyou so much Julie - I absolutely loved all my beautiful presents.

And I got this book in the mail today -

Lynette Anderson's "Country Cottage Quilting" - apart from the lovely cushion on the front cover, and a quilt, the projects are mostly small achievable projects - needlecase, scissor keep, bag, purse and wallhanging to name just a few.  Cheryl

And the winner is ...

Thankyou for all the lovely comments and support on my 100th blog post.  I drew it the old fashioned way - out of a hat.

1st prize was Fiona at Bubzrugz, and
2nd prize went to Laurajane of Lou's News and Crafty Bits

Congratulations girls. I will get your parcels off to you early in the week. If you could just email me your addresses please.

And just because I have to have something to show you, I thought you might like to see some of my purchases from the Stitching Soiree I went to last Saturday

Some dark red wool felt for a xmas project. The photo doesn't show how lovely the fabric is. The bottom one would be lovely for Christmas also - has a red and green pattern on a lovely caramel background.
Was also a lovely pack of 4 different background fabrics which I thought would be very useful (and sorry forgot to include them in the photo).

And of course because you can never have too many patterns -

Top one is from Viv"s Creations and is a pattern keeper. Has a plastic sleeve to keep your pattern and enough room for your block and threads. Another one from Viv (bottom right) and I laughingly told her this would be my 10 year project - the most beautiful supper cloth. The front cover does not do it justice - stitchery nearly all over. Think I need my head read.  And I couldn't resist this one from Lisa of FignBerry Creations with cute little red robbins and some redwork stitchery. 

Hope you're enjoying this lovely sunshine wherever you are. Cheryl

Color Swap and Giveaway

Look what arrived in the mail today - a lovely parcel from Susan of  www.susans-sewing-space.blogspot.com.au who was my secret partner in Cheryll's color swap.  My color was red and look at all the yummy things Susan had sent me

Beautifully wrapped and a gorgeous card.

For something personal - this beautiful pouch./bag with my initial and inside were some lovely red threads, luggage tag and some pretty braid. Something edible were Lindt chocolates - a big favorite, raspberry lollypop and some cranberry and pomegranate teabags.

I had been admiring everyone's beautiful handmade handtowels and now I have one of my own, and for something smelly was some gorgeous soap which is at the top of the handtowel and I could smell as soon as I opened my parcel..  Thankyou Susan for my amazing parcel and spoiling me so much - just loved all my pressies, thankyou.

The parcels I sent off to my partner have been received and opened, so I will show you those too -

Her color choice was pretty green. The bag I made for "something personal" was a lovely one of Michelle's from Country Threads magazine.

And for the home I made this little doiley and couldn't resist the little birdie to go with it

Something edible

And something smelly.

And my partner was..... Cheryll, the swap mama herself. Glad you liked your gifts Cheryll

And don't forget if you havn't entered my 100th blog post giveaway, just leave a comment on the previous post and I will draw on Saturday evening.  Cheryl

100th Blog Post Giveaway

Wow this is my 100th post in just 8 short months. I can't believe it. I had toyed with the idea but thought I would have nothing to blog about, nor would anyone be interested in what I was doing. How wrong I was. But finally there was a Christmas swap I wanted to do with Chookyblue, and having a blog was one of the requirements, so with lots of encouragement and help from Chooky, and lots of support and encouragement also from Michelle at Rag-Tag Stitchin" (who has now become a dear friend), I started on this adventure. And I say adventure because I had no idea how much blogging, and the swaps I did through all your wonderful blogs, would become such a big part of my life, and I would make so many wonderful friends through both.

So as a little thankyou to those that have followed me from the beginning, and new followers as well, I thought a little giveaway was in order.  So if you would like a chance to win one of the following, simply just leave a comment. I've gone with a sewing theme -

1st draw - a lovely pattern kindly donated for the occasion by Michelle of Rag-Tag Stitchin" (thankyou so much Michelle) "Sewing Notions Bear tote", and a Hatched and Patched pattern ":Sewing Sampler". Also three fat-quarters (sorry I've chopped them out of the photo) and two lovely cottage Garden threads

2nd draw - "Stitch a Little" pattern from The Birdhouse, two fat-eights, variegated DMC thread and birdie thread keeper.

Will announce the winners on Saturday. Cheryl xx