Full Circle...

You may remember back at the beginning of the year I got really excited at the prospect of a new UK quilting magazine, signed up for a subscription and eagerly awaited a year's worth of modern loveliness, well I think most people know how that one turned out!

I still get my bi-monthly pamphlet of Ads, blank pages and missing pattern pieces, for things I don't ever want to make, but I won't be renewing, despite the rare smattering of friends, those diamonds in the rough, who have graced its pages!

One of the contributors to issue One was the amazing Sara of Sew Sweetness, she made a bag...

...not any old bag, one that had me swooning the minute I saw it!

So can you imagine how I felt, when I discovered this complete and utter beauty waiting on the doorstep when I got home from work today...

Honestly it is that vibrant - it was a grey day and these pics are tinker-free!

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! (Yeah, that doesn't really show the full force of my excitement at all!).

Thank goodness I knew it was coming, otherwise I would have probably had a heart-attack!

The Conversation Bag had been finally returned to Sara after a tussle in which I provided a little UK-based muscle; I am the self-proclaimed Jason Statham of quilting; and then after a visit to Sewing Summit, a road trip to end all road trips with this lovely lady and the other one, thanks Kat Cam; it got over its jet-lag in Glasgow, and has now come home to me!!!

Sara is so wonderful, talented and frustratingly pretty, we all know that, but she is also so generous and kind hearted; I really can't thank you enough Sara, and I shall show it off with pride xxx

And so, moving on seamlessly, almost as if I had planned it, with that HUGE gap in the market for a quality, reliable, trustworthy modern UK quilting magazine, what are we all to do?

Look no further than here, that's what!

Kerry aka PennyDog (that's Kerry not Kerrie!!!) is hoping to raise the funds to fill that gap; she is doing this by selling subscriptions and advertising for a March 2013 launch.

Please have a look at the video, have a read of Kerry's bio and do what feels right ;)  I did.

Should she, perish the thought, not reach her target of £5,000 by the end of the year, all monies will be refunded; so what have you got to lose!?

What goes around, comes around my friends, what goes around, comes around xxx

Not on the list!

Thanks Blogger for making my virtual life a bit stressful over the last 24hrs!  (Edit: No need to re-post yesterday's - it's 9.50pm and I've noticed it back - thank you Blogger geeks x).  If that's the worst Friday the 13th can offer, I'm OK with that!

Well with an evening to myself, I set to completing a few bits and pieces.  I made a card to go in my parcel with Trudi's Bee blocks, packaged up my tea-towel swap in eager anticipation of hearing from Leonie about who and where I will be sending it to, and unfortunately I won't be posting any pictures until appropriate!

But I can show you some little 'extras' I made that were not on the 'To Do List'!

With some long thin pieces of fabric, a little folding, pressing and some poppers, this is what I ended up with...

Cute?

The idea came from Handmade Living, issue1.  Mine is an Amy Butler sari print, the girls opted for the pink and the one that looks like 'mummy's handbags', (good girl trained to spot Orla Kiely at age 4!), and the Doctor Who Tardis blue with red stitching as requested by my little Time Lord.

It's quite a nice magasine if you spot it on your travels, although it is published by the same people as Sew Hip, and this issue does have some of the same projects that I have already seen in the last 10 months, so buyer beware, there may also be other repeats of food and garden articles from sister magasines too.

Well one week down, and two to go until half term, and it wasn't so bad, but for now, I hope your real and virtual weekends go to plan!

What a relief!

Anyone following me back in the days of trying to move home and getting all the school applications in on time, will be pleased, (well I hope so!) to hear that this morning we got the confirmation that the girls have places at the school we desperately hoped they would with their brother, just down the road.

Phew...

So now I can relax, enjoy the weekend, and start by taking a look through my new Making and Sew Hip magasines (I spy Echino birdies on the cover!).

I am awaiting some Sanderson samples in order to make another fabric tray for my Mum.  Hopefully they will arrive tomorrow morning so I can whip that up before we see each other on Sunday.  If not, I'll look for some Plan B fabric...

Cath Kidston has sent me to the Dark Side!

Ok, I love my Stitch! and think I want to make absolutely everything in the New Year, but today's magazine fix included The World of Cross Stitching... and I am beginning to doubt my sanity!

It included a free kit to make a 'cute' Christmas card, that will be destined for my Grandma, and a pattern for a pair of Charlie and Lola cards that the girls will love, but man, there are some hideous creations nestled amongst the cool stuff!

If I start showing you any stitchery that purports to show lifelike faces or elephants grazing in the Savannah, in more shades of beige than you knew existed, please please please contact my husband and ask him to hide the needles immediately!

Saturday sorting...

Today has once again been consumed with the house, sorting, chucking, re-cycling, and generally getting in a de-cluttering frame of mind.

I have an old book, which, to be honest has probably sat on the shelf since I bought it way back pre-children, Mary Lambert's Clearing the Clutter.

I am going to have that as my bed-time read this week.  I think it is aimed at getting you to 'let go' of things that you really don't need.  It must be said that I am already being pretty ruthless; this evening I have disposed of payslips from year-dot, all the duplicate tax credit notices and car insurance documents for cars we no longer own...all gone!

Just in case we are at risk of going too minimal, I picked up the second issue of making;  I've only had a brief look, and it's looking jam packed with quilty, crafty loveliness.

Magasine time...

My subscription to Easy Living means I get great stuff through the door that I am not expecting, and today was no exception.  A lovely Emma Bridgewater teatowel, lots of mini cataloges for great shops such as Pia, and of course the magasine itself. 

In our quest to stay out of the house for a long as possible, to ensure the least collateral damage to my obsessive tidying, we invariable ended up at WHSmith.  Sew Hip was waiting alongside the bumper Christmas issue of Homestyle Sewing.  The latter came with a whole bag (literally) of extras, fabric, felt, buttons, ribbon and patterns.  The fabric is printed with all the pieces you will need, so is not the best quality, (when did I get so snooty/knowledgeable?), but will be great to try out all the projects inside, maybe as practice runs before cutting into some of my treasured stash - although the size of most of the projects means I should be able to make most out of my lovely scraps.

I also got a pair of 18" square feather-filled cushions for my man-project!  They have a lovely weight to them that I am hoping will work well with the fabric. 

Hope your Saturday was as bounty-filled!

A watched pot...

We are living in the proverbial 'watched pot' waiting, cleaning, tidying, waiting and waiting some more for the phone to ring, and for someone to want to see and buy our home... patience is wearing very thin :(

Anyway on a more cheery note, we've had a day of birthday parties for cousins and friends, sunshine and smiles.


I also discovered the first issue making magasine. It looks to be full of diverse but equally interesting and inspirational projects; I haven't had a chance to have a proper read yet, but am looking forward to getting time tomorrow. I got my copy in WHSmiths, but I suspect it is available elsewhere.

Hope you are all having a good weekend x

Rain stopped play...

Well instead of a fun afternoon in the garden with grandparents and sunshine, we were confined to the living room with 6000 decibels of excited children, a helium balloon and more toys than honestly necessary. I can still hear them all nattering upstairs in bed; the girls (and mummy and daddy) missed their big brother.

Earlier I got home from the supermarket to find I had a lovely bundle of post, new Cath Kidston magasine, new Living etc and a Dwell catalogue. I am so jumping ahead of myself, trying to decorate and furnish our 'new home' before we have begun selling, never-alone found the house of our dreams!

I sorted through my mini stash of fabrics too, trying to decide what to use to make a mini quilt for my cousin's second baby due in September. Inspired by Tanya over at that Cheeky Urchin, I'd like to give something really personal, so I'm off now in search of some more colourful bits and pieces, and will duly report back.

Mostly 'armless!

Monkey number one is almost complete, and I only started him after lunch!

Only arms and eyes to go, but I am waiting for better daylight tomorrow as my top-stitching isn't the neatest at the best of times, and I am feeling weary!

I didn't venture to the Open Homes after all this weekend. A shame, but I had a constructive and creative weekend, including post-it sticking all the things I want to try in the latest Sew Hip and back issues.

I need to start thinking about our holiday - less than a week to go, and I have written a list of 'things to do', but tackled none...

I've got a follower!!!

Hello GrandmaRockton! My first follower, how exciting is that!
I've registered my blog with a few quilting-based sites, as it was getting a little bit lonely talking to myself!
No quilting as such today. I've ordered a 4.5" square for getting all those perfect pieces, especially as I have a pile of 'almost squares' destined for the Cowboy quilt, so I'll be cracking on with that soon.
I bought a copy of Sew magasine at the supermarket this evening, with a Jelly Roll quilting article, free pattern, including a dress my girls would look sweet in, and more inspiration.
There's no stopping me now....