Jumping the Gun - Blogiversary Giveaway

I honestly think I am going round the bend with the sheer amount of stuff going on right now.  Today, an all-morning course-type-thing at work, followed by a Year 3 recorder concert.  All the regular days for school swimming and forest school are all swapping, swapping back and changing times; I am writing lists, trying to cross things off quicker than the list lengthens, but fear I am losing that battle.

I was convinced that I should be celebrating my 5th Blogiversary this week; a quick check just now tells me I should be waiting until next week, but I sewed my fingers off to get the prize finished, and as it's my blog, I'll do what I want to!

So would you like a chance to win this Cotton & Steel, Jen Kingwell Flutterby block cushion cover?

A little hand-quilting and my new favourite spotty binding, and bob's your uncle.

This little token of thanks will go to one of you lovely people.  I know blogging in general seems to have been hit by the rise of instagram, and I do understand entirely how it seems that everyone's lives have got increasingly hectic and something has to give, but I do still love my little part of the inter web.  I wish I had more time to devote to it, but then I would have no time to sew, so I just thank you for sticking by me.

In order to honour a little bit of tradition, I will leave this giveaway open until next Monday, 13th July, my real blogiversary.  I will mail, (without a cushion form, for obvious reasons), anywhere in the world, the only condition is that you are a blog follower, and not an un-contactable No Reply blogger - sorry but I am all done playing Inspector Clouseau!

So please do have a couple of chances; make one comment telling me how you follow, so should I feel the urge, I can check; and a second, separate comment telling me something you want to achieve in the next 5 years.  You tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine!

I will close down the comments at 7pm next Monday, and let Mr Random pick a winner.  Please don't leave more than 2 two comments or I will delete them.  I am the boss!

Good luck folks xxx

Thank you!

Thank you so much to everyone who voted for my #IGminiswap quilt in the scrappy quilt category of the Blogger's Quilt Festival… I only went and bloody won!!!

Totally and utterly honoured and gobsmacked!  

So dear partner, if you happen to look in on this, you'll be getting your hands on this prize-winner in about a month…

I shall just enjoy looking at it for a little longer xxx

3!

*** The Giveaway is now closed***

Three years ago I began imposing my daily ramblings on the unsuspecting public.

I never imagined I would stick at it, and I certainly wouldn't have believed that so many people from all over the world would choose to stop by and take a took, and then come back time and again!

I definitely did not foresee the effect it would have on my life.  Fellow bloggers are the people I now call my best friends; I have met, virtually and in reality the most wonderful, inspirational and completely daft bunch of ladies and I want to thank every one of you who have made my sewing and fabric obsession seem completely normal.

So as is traditional, it's got to be giveaway time!!!

I have taken advantage of the slightly cooler evening and made these Liberty pretties already...

... and I will add some other bit and pieces from the weekend coming.

So let's go for one comment, one chance, no hoops.  It's too hot for hard work.

Just say something nice!  Simple as.

Make sure you add your email address is you are No Reply Blogger, or it could be your loss!

I will use Random.org to pick a winner in a week's time, Tuesday 23rd July 9pm BST, because I am going to be a little bit busy between now and then.

Open to all, but please do not expect a reply ;)

Good luck my friends xxx

Before the call...

Firstly, thank you all so, so much, for all your lovely comments regarding my #scrappytripalong quilt.  I am once again snuggled under it on the sofa, and keep catching myself smiling at seeing all those wonderful prints together in an actual quilt, and not just saved in a box to be made into that special quilt, one day - I now have the special quilt!! 

I also have about 100 comments to respond to from the last couple of days, so please forgive my tardiness, I will reply, soon!

And so back to yesterday.  Before I got the dreaded call from school to go and collect the poorly child, she's fine now, I managed to obliterate my To Do List, for which I am rather thankful.

I made three Stitch Tease siggy blocks, one I forgot to mail previously, one to accompany Helen's block on it's way to Dianne's and one for the final instalment.

I printed my labels for the Sizzix quilts; I simply called then Geese! and Dashing! in the end.

I popped a favour in an envelope for a tapestry-loving friend.

Next on the list were a couple of blocks for the lovely Bee Blessed ladies.  Honestly, so simple, it would have been way too rude not to...

Shoddy pics, I blame the snow!

I then went off to the Post Office in the snow and got them all mailed out - Czech Republic, Morocco, Scotland, Ireland and almost Wales, here they come!

And last on my list was a Schoenrock Cross block to be used on my Pretty Little Pouch...

As soon as I saw Leila's I knew I wanted to make one too.  I printed out the template from Quilter's Cache and reduced the size so that it came out as a 9" block.  The upper size limit on the PLPS is 12", so I am aiming, after sashing in natural Essex Linen, for an 11" square pouch, OK not so little, but big enough for a nice sewing project, an embroidery hoop maybe, or a tonne of hexies, I don't have to decide that bit!

I always have that 5 minute brain freeze after I have cut my fabric, (I make a freezer paper template for each piece and cut just over a 1/4" seam allowance) and then after flipping them over, I cannot, for the life of me, work out how they are meant to go, but it all worked out in the end.  Am I the only one?

So that was the rest of my day off. 

Earlier this evening I played around with the rest of the fabrics needed for the PLPS extra makes and relieved Justine of a couple of Architextures charm packs.

I am almost out of battery, so I am going to have to hit 'publish' and switch off.  See you tomorrow xxx

That Was The Year That Was...

2012 had some amazing points, I can't deny it, but for every action there was an equal and opposite reaction.  I had the best of times, and the saddest, most heart-wrenching of times.

And all the way through I have been surrounded by the crafty, blogging community both in spirit, and also in person.  Thank you all for every comment, every email of encouragement and support.  Thank you for making me laugh, and for sharing your great and hard times alike, and basically just for being there.

I was going to make a whopping mosaic, like I did last year, but to be honest, I am itching to get into 2013 and move on.  I have a lot of hope and faith invested in the New Year, are you listening 2013?  You better be a good one.

So here, as they say, are some of my favourite bits...

Sending you all my best and heartfelt wishes for an amazing, productive, happy and healthy year; I think we all deserve one of those xxx

Thank you...

A big thank you for your words of condolence on the demise of my hard drive.  It is currently being looked at by men with screwdrivers, so hopefully tomorrow I will hear the prognosis - all I can say folks is back up your files at any available opportunity;  the 3 weeks since my last confession back up was too long :(

Anyway, quickly on to happier things courtesy of the big Mac (hubby's computer).

You may have read Reene's account of my In The Purse swap lovelies, she is a cheeky one.

Imagine my delight to open my parcel to find this...

Oh yes I thought, very funny - I hope!

But my friend came good...

Don't you love it when you see something in the flickr pool and hope so much it will be coming your way, and it does?  I love it and my pretty scraps and the extras Reene so kindly popped in for the kiddies...

The purse I made is on it's way to its new abode, and I will show you some pictures of the parcel I sent if the photos can be restored!

Thank you again Reene, Helen and Nicky for a great swap; I will be able to store the 3p I have left in style, after getting my laptop fixed xxx

It was the best of months...

...actually, it was the worst of months.

I am surprised at what I managed to achieve in February, especially as my mind was elsewhere most of the time...

I think this is a pretty respectable bunch of makes for the shortest, albeit longest-shortest, month of the year! 

Mustering the ladies of the Mouthy Stitches swap felt like a full time job in itself, but that is now coming to wonderful fruition with parcels arriving with their happy new owners.

Thank you all for you support this month, you have been brilliant xxx

Oh and for those that asked, here are Meg, Mog and Dumbledore in their full glory this morning...

Linking as ever with lovely Lynne over at Lily's Quilts and her new super-duper buttons, bells and whistles.  Now lets get on with Springtime!

That was the year that was...

Oh can you believe that it is the last day of the year?  What a year it has been!  12 months ago we were still in the old house, surrounded by packing cases ready to move, checking the 10 day weather forecast for snow... thankfully (?) it just rained!

Before I bombard you with image overload with all the things I have made this year, I want to say a huge thank you for the wonderful year that you have all helped make it for me.

Others have been patient enough to group their 2011 makes into quilts, blocks and other goodies; no such luck here, semi-chronological will have to do!

Some of you have been here for the whole year, and others have joined along the way, and you all make me smile with your constant encouragement, kind words, sarcasm and banter.

I can hand on heart say that I have made some brilliant friends in this blogging world and I am so looking forward to getting to meet many of you in June, if not, maybe sooner or later.

I wish you a fantastic 2012, surrounded by loving family, dear friends, good health, fun times and loads of beautiful fabric xxx

Choices...

Some days I really struggle to think of something worthy of telling you (don't pretend you haven't noticed!), but other days I have difficulty knowing what to choose - today I have loads to show and tell!

So for now, I am going with the 'kindness of friends'.

Since coming back from holiday I have received some lovely pieces of post, a pretty Thank You from Victoria, who blogs at Boutique Uniquely, makes lovely things and received one of my PIF packages; and I also got some 'winnings'!!

Yes I do sometimes win - I was so lucky to get these beautiful Denyse Schmidt and Tina Givens from the lovely ladies Reene and Yvonne over at Nellies Niceties; fellow Brit Bee Fiona was their overall winner, I was 3rd, you really should check out the fantastic apron she received - I think 'pinnies' should be the new 'hoodies', but it won't solve the problem those poor boys suffer not being able to pull their f-ing trousers up over their skinny butts!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhoo, I digress and I want to show you these...

Lovely lovely Sarah, oh she of Narcoleptic In The Cupboard, who was my partner in the Brit Quilt Swap and received my full-on Skull quilt package, and recently her August Bee blocks and birthday bits - well, she unexpectedly sent me this most wonderful thank you.  The mug rug is totally brilliant and hilarious and will be given pride of place on my desk when I go back to work - move over files and keyboards (I have 2, don't ask), I am going to put this right there, in the middle of my workspace!

The noughts and crosses are made of the most brilliantly twisted and funny Japanese print of murderous critters which Sarah deemed suitable for your Master O - she was completely right, he, and we all love it!  I seem to have forgotten to explain the rules and tactics to the small folk, so the winning goes on!

And then there's some fab 'softies' to make up...

Sarah, you are such a great, talented and remarkable friend, and I am such a lucky lady to know you!

Thank you, thank you, thank you ladies xxx