Thank You No. 4 - Ballan Friends

I've only been back at work one week & already have 7 hours overtime up my sleeve. There's no easing back into it in January when there is financial reporting on grants to do. This is one big difference between working in a not for profit and another business. When Government departments give the organisation money, they want to know all the details of what you are spending it on, on a regular basis. It's part of the job I love so busy but HAPPY!

 

And I was very happy when I opened the following Christmas gifts from friends I saw at the November Ballan sewing day. I think I was very good to wait all the way to Christmas Day to open them. So big thanks go to;

 

 

Christine from MacDonald's Patch. It was lovely to meet Christine & her pressie just made my day. The little parcel contained so much yumminess, a pin cushion, a little thread catcher, a brooch and a kitty Christmas decoration.

 

 

The three made items are exquisitely done and put to work straight away. The two sewing aids are just the right size for the tray I always put my latest project on, beside me on the couch or on the bed for snuggle TV & stitching nights! Here's my first project for 2014, using up two left over stitcheries from an earlier cushion design to make felt Christmas decorations. No more loose threads all over the place & my handy clips finally have a place so that I don't find them in the bed when I go to sleep.

 

 

The brooch is ready & waiting on my favourite red winter coat. They were made for each other, exact same colour. It won't be worn for awhile, definitely not in the 40+ degrees we have had this weekend but look how great it looks. Thank you Christine, you know I loved it all! xx

 

 

 

Next is Sharon from Lilabelle Lane Creations. Sharon always seem to find something different, makes beautiful fabric choices and sews perfectly. Sharon made me an ironing board organiser from a pattern by Cotton Way, the very talented Bonnie from Bonnie & Camille fame. One of those tools you didn't know you needed & now can't live without. Unfortunately I found this very hard to photograph.  It sits across the end of the ironing board with weighted pockets that hang down on either side. It has a detachable pin cushion on the top & attached scissors.

 

 

If I photographed it on the board you only saw the top or a small part of it. At least this way you can see all the gorgeous fabrics - buttons, scissors, pins, thread, thimbles, conversational print & the yummy turquoise geometrical print. Beautiful & very useful, thanks again Sharon! x

 

This next one I didn't have to wait six weeks to open. Beautiful Melody from The House on the Side of the Hill made a little gift bag of goodies for everyone. She is so thoughtful, there must have been 16 or 17 of us! Along with the gift bag, decorations, I think there was sweets but they didn't leave the state of Victoria (best not to mess with WA Customs....) there was a gorgeous Christmas fabric eighth and a little bag with a stitchery on it. I was very happy to get a bag in my favourite lime green. Thanks you Mel, our little Christmas angel! xx

 

 

So that's the next instalment of thank yous & gorgeous gifts to show. There is still more to come. I think Christmas is even more special now than when we were kids or maybe the presents are just so much more exciting.

 

Just to show a bit of creativity that is happening here. When I had recent reticulation problems, the huge flow of water stirred up a nice layer of fine silt that ended up in my carport. The kitties decided to put it to good use & have done some rather creative dot paintings on the old gate. Such a talented twosome are HB & Mia!

 

 

 

 

Have a happy week everyone!

Tracee xx

Thank You No. 1 - Mrs Martins Swap

I am surrounded by beautiful Christmas gifts that I want to show thanks for but if I do it in one post it will be as long as a piece of string so I am going to do lots of small posts so each can star and I can show how much the thoughts and beautiful creations mean to me.

I decided to put my little white tree up again on my big coffee table with lots of Christmasy crafts around it & then all my presents so I could admire but not touch! Mia had other ideas and her style of helping did hold things up for a few days.

Eventually everything was in place and the piles of presents were overwhelming!

I like to decorate in this corner of the lounge room as it is mum's corner where the photos of her & us together are displayed. That way she is still part of the celebrating with us. Pride of place this year was given to the Christmas mini frame and the gorgeous mini quilt I got in the Secret Santa at Ballan from Christine from MacDonald's Patch. (sorry yellow pics - maybe the flash was on Christmas leave???)

 

 

Now to the pressies & thanks yous! First off our final present for 2013 in the The Mrs Martin's Let's Celebrate Swap from my partner Glenys (no blog). This is the seventh swap that Glenys & I have done for 2013 and it finished off for me just as perfectly as it started.

 

 

This T'was The Night Before Christmas stitchery kit is wonderful - preprinted design and the felt needed for the reindeer & fir trees too. Yes the chocolates are empty - it is the 27th & there has been a whole lot of episodes of Revolution to catch up on. HB & the remainder of the chocolates were the perfect companions in the wee hours last night doing this.

 

The rest of my parcel just made my heart boil over - three Christmas buntings, wishing Joy, Peace & Love and a little bag of bells to sew on the points too. I just love these to bits! Thanks you Glenys, spot on as always! xx

 

 

Now to what I sent Glenys. I have to admit I love this little guy, I think he needs to go back on the to-do list again for next year & this time for me. The original pattern is by Cleo & Me and is a table runner featuring 3 x Rudy the Reindeer.

 

 

For this swap I made Rudy into a wall hanging with built in star hanger & added a Christmas snow flake button & two bells to his ribbon. I love that green with red spot on the border & binding. That was a perfect purchase made especially for this from Gail's Patchwork Emporium in Ballarat while staying with Shez. That shop is such an overwhelming wonderland! I also enclosed a large edible box of chocolatey goodness, no photographic evidence taken. I'm sure there was more but photographs & memory alludes me..... It is the silly season.

 

Thank you to Karen our swap-muma from Mrs Martin's Quilt Shop for hosting this year long swap & keeping all of us elves in line! Thanks again to Glenys - it's been a great year!

 

Off to take more pics, plan the next post of thank yous, add to the sewing & postage schedule for 2014, update the dreaded UFO list that grew instead of shrinking last year & make up a monthly projects list so I know what's up first for Friday Night sewing on Facebook tonight. Everywhere could do with a good clean up too starting with the cutting table area....

 

Happy stitching

Tracee xx

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmasing!

I have been Christmasing up a crafty storm in the last few weeks. I joined in with Narelle from Pins & Needles '1 Christmas Item a Month' but seem to be making a habit of posting every second month. It's not that I didn't make something in March, just forgot to post about it & then put it somewhere special & forgot where so couldn't photograph it. After a bit of a search I found it again...

So here is my March project, my second tri-colour knitted bauble;

It's a little more complicated than my first tri-colour one so I am feeling a little accomplished & love its little red caps.

In the last two weekends I have worked on two other Christmas items. I brought a kit for a Hatched & Patch Christmas Bon-bon at our May quilt fair in Perth - many years ago. As is my way, I did the stitchery but didn't spend the 15 minutes to do the very basic sewing & tying together. Now that I have, I am loving my little bon-bon and think it will be extra delicious filled with a few Chrissie chocolates.

In the background you can see the beginning of my next Christmas project. I loved a free tutorial I found on the blog A Spoonful of Sugar called Gingham Stars. The single decorations looked beautiful but I thought a string of Christmas Stars would look even better.

So in the photo above you can see the 18 stars I cut out from fabric backed with Appli-kay wonder & stuck to the white felt background. I then sewed the fabric star to the felt before cutting the felt stars out. This made keeping the skinny star points in place much easier.

Next I sewed the white buttons to the middle of each star.

Then I cut out all the stars with nice zig-zag scissors (pinking shears) to give a decorative edge. Don't they look great!

I then hand sewed the stars to red ric-rac to make the garland. I used a very tricky method to space the  stars - using the bottom of my Patchwork & Quilting Magazine and spacing one at each side & 1 in the middle between them. I was too lazy to get up from watching the footy to go to the laundry & get a ruler off the cutting table. Never mind, it worked well.

I made 18 stars thinking I would make two garlands of nine stars. However sometimes even those who work in accounting can't count. After making the two garlands & cutting the ric-rac I ended up with one string of 9 stars, one string of 8 stars & one sad, neglected little star....

Being the wuss I am, I couldn't let the little star miss out so came up with an idea I am very pleased with. I put the little star on a white felt square & sewed a little bag in the Christmas fabric with a ric-rac tie. Now the little garland of stars has it's own star bag to live in.

Snug as a bug in a rug is my little star garland in it's bag!

I'm very happy with what resulted from that great tutorial so big thanks to Lisa & Sarah from A Spoonful of Sugar. They have lots of great ideas & yummy tutorials.

On Saturday I also did a quick job restuffing little Brunnie's cushion he used in front of the gas fire. Back in February I thought I should wash it for little brother Hun-bun's future use. Unfortunately it has had a lot of loving from baby Brun & went all lumpy when washed. I opened it up, pulled the lumpy stuffing out, put in a few layers of fugly poly batting and did a quick stitch up. The result I should have expected. Hun-bun came in for the evening as we have finally had a few cool nights in Perth but no amount of prompting would get his to sleep on the cushion. He slept off to the side like always. I have to get through to my big, timid boy that he is now number 1 kitty & that all the benefits of that mighty position are now his.

Don't feel too sorry for Hun-bun though. He is getting used to sleeping on the bed & last night woke me up three times crying, standing beside my head, dripping wet from being out in the rain. He got told strongly that he better not have muddy paws on my bedding & then I attacked him with a towel to get the worst of the wet off. Three times! Not the brightest light bulb in the house, my Hun-bun...

Go to Narelle's Christmas projects page to see what everyone else has been making. It's wonderful for inspiration.

Happy stitching

Tracee xx

Happy Scrappy!

There seems to be plenty happening here this month amongst lots of work hours but not much to show for it, doing some secret sewing, knitting a few rows of Christmas balls...... more about that in my 1 Christmas Item A Month post. I made 1 snuggly-bug block with a cute little unicorn,

and a pair of cute little bowls so I could play Christmas Swap angel to my good friend Shez.

I love that fabric I used on the outside of the bowls & the Paris Holiday used as wrapping is pretty cute too.

It's been hot here again so there have been a few naps & lots of yawns....

The cherry tomatoes are prolific....

And little Brun has done his best to try & kick start the broken laptop (when I just read this through I had typed 'lick' start - bet that wouldn't have worked either!). Even he couldn't work any magic so it is holidaying in the laptop workshop.

But most of all I want you all to....

If you haven't entered my giveaway, please leave a comment on the previous post here. Thanks to those who have & the new followers, look forward to the draw next Sunday. I have been playing with the auto draw programs but wonder if maybe I should go the old fashioned way & let the boys help? It only seems right.

Happy stitching
Tracee xx

Weekends With Brunnie =^..^=

Hi friends! Brunnie here, survived my 21st Christmas!

I have been waiting, waiting, waiting & waiting some more for muma to finish dinner, open up the blog post page and leave me in peace to write my very important blog post to my friends!

Finally we are underway friends!

Hun-bun & Brunnie had a purrfect Christmas. We have new stockings that muma made up from fabrics Aunty Melody sent special for Brunnie & Hun-bun.

Muma did some pretty whites stitchy on each one. My stocking has the patchwork at the front with the turquoise lining & Hun-bun's stocking has the big cat face (like his big round cat face) with the purple lining. I say 'Muma - write that down so Hun-bun don't pinch my stocking on my 22nd Christmas'. Muma said 'We'll see Brunnie'. Muma knows Hun-bun is a knicker. He knickered a mouse today & tried to bring it home for muma. Muma wouldn't open the screen door for mouse to come inside again. It was so hot, Hun-bun came in by himself & left mouse outside alone.

Muma hung the stockings up for Santa and I slept out in the lounge watching for Santa Paws but didn't see him come at all. Yet Christmas morning Brunnie's stocking was full of goodies.... Happy, Happy, Happy!

 Hun-bun's stocking was full of goodies..... Happy, Happy, Happy!

Hun-bun was up late Christmas Eve, not a morning cat, he usually naps in like muma....

Next it was time for special Christmas breakfast. Hun-bun & Brunnie received two yummy treats from Aunty Shez so we had to decide what to have for breakfast..... Tuna, sardines, tuna, sardines, tuna, sardines, Bruunie too purry on Christmas morning to decide....

Hun-bun say 'Don't panic old dude, it's Christmas, we have tuna for breakfast and sardines for lunch. Muma will give us lunch on Christmas Day!' So we did!

Big purry thanks yous to Aunty Melody & Aunty Shez for making our Christmas such a treat!

Muma is back off to work tomorrow so no more lunches for Brunnie & Hun-bun....

Happy New Year Friends!

Hun-bun & Brunnie hope all our friends are managing to stay fairly cool

 in the heat of summer and that our friends especially in Tasmania are 

far from the fires currently threatening. We hope all the animals are 

safe and pets are with their mumas!

Bye friends!
Brunnie xxx Hun-Bun xxx

Christmas With Brunnie =^..^=

Hello friends, Brunnie still here & muma came home from Ball-a-rat, happy, happy. Muma brought presents for me & Hun-bun and muma brought back Christmas present from Aunty Shez. Hun-bun & I meow with happiness but muma say 'no boys, Christmas presents have to go under the tree until Christmas Day'. I say, 'if only I had thumbs muma'!

(there's our presents from Aunty Shez, right at the front right  - nom, nom, nom!)

Finally, the big wait is almost over, only 1 more sleep until I make my 21st Christmas!

Muma's rushing about cleaning, blogging, shopping, making lists (muma loves lists), Hun-bun been outside playing and Brunnie been big helps to muma.

First I help by asking muma to not put the gas fire away, I still like sitting in front of the cold gas fire on my fluffy. Panic - where's my fluffy muma? Brunnie touching carpet!

Muma says 'remember late last night Brunnie when you barfed all over your fluffy & now muma's had to put it in the washing machine'. Whoops - saved muma time by keeping gas fire out & took it away by making her wash fluffy......

To make up for the extra washing tonight I helped mum make yos. First I supervised the yos....

Then I grew slightly bored of the yos....

Then I napped while guarding the yos - all good muma! Sometimes I wonder how muma manage to do anything on her own?

See  muma's yos on the tree - not many, muma rather slow at yos making or maybe someone like Hun-bun nicking them, that's why I guarding the yos.

 

 

Now to show you that Little Brunnie is a refined feline I want to introduce you to my favourite Christmas Carol. It is by my favourite group, The CATalunia Boys Choir and is very aptly called Meow. It brings a tear to my old eye to listen to the stirring lyrics. Hope is makes you purr friends!

 

So from Little Brunnie, Huney-bun & Muma, we wish all our friends in blog land a most splendid Christmas & a New Year filled with happy & healthy family, friends, fabric & fun! (& furkids!).

Merry Christmas!

Brunnie xx  Hun-bun xx  Muma xx

Beginning To Feel A Lot like Christmas....

Looks like most of us are busy Christmas crafting, either for swaps, for friends & family or to decorate for Christmas ourselves.

Last night I started a new stitchery (no I haven't finished all the others, yes the one I was doing is for a swap too & I will get back to it) as I couldn't resist the free Christmas Tag patterns Bronwyn Hayes from Red Brolly posted as a freebie yesterday.

Here's my effort during 3 hours of Criminal Minds last night (I did wander off & look at real estate for awhile too...).

If you haven't been to the Red Brolly blog, click here to go check out the four designs & download your own copy.


I have also finished a lovely Christmas tablerunner - so happy & bright, 1 for me & 1 for a swap.

It's gorgeous with the yo-yos at each end. I made mine with the large Clover Yo-Yo maker & they were superfast to make. (do you like my new polka dot slippers for summer?).

This pattern is called 'Believe' by Marg Low. I first noticed it here on Barb's blog, made in the very pretty Quite Contrary range of fabrics. I knew it would be the perfect pattern for my swap partner so asked about it & before I knew it the original pattern was in my letterbox.

What a sweet & kind thing to do.  So to continue in that spirit, if you would now like this gorgeous pattern, the first to say so in a comments will get it. Let me know you want it & I will reply asking for your mailing address & post tomorrow. There will be plenty of time to still make this up for this Christmas or ones to follow.

 

The boys had a lovely evening last night. First Hun-bun basked in the last rays of sunshine on top of the reticulation valves ....

 

 

Then it was heads down & tails up for a fish dinner. Yes, that is a towel under their bowls, they are very messy eaters especially Hun-bun who sometimes likes to trial his food on the tip of his paw, if OK he eats it from there, if not, he shakes his paw & puts sticky bits everywhere. Brunnie is just regular old man messy.

 

 

Then they were joined in mutual admiration for the gas fire. Fancy a 30+ day in Perth cooling down enough for jumper & socks for me & the gas fire on half for the boys.

 

 

This is about the closest I have ever seen my boys, they are not ones to snuggle together, much to my dismay. It was a little too close for Brutus's likely, Hun-bun has just closed his eyes after giving Brunnie a bit of a swipe across the back of his head - he can be a little bu**er that Hun-Bun!

 

Happy Sunday!

Tracee xx