A Mega Post: - Weather, Goodies and Results!

Apologies to the fans of my daily weather report.. it's just not been in it! You all know the score... too much to do, too little time! However, with the "will it snow/won't it snow" situation, I can report 2 sleety flurries lasting about 20 minutes and disappearing in about 20 minutes too... Snow is still forecast but we'll have to see... nothing so far!

Instead it has been cold and bright. When wrapped up well, perfect dog walking weather!



Then the goodies section!! SO exciting! My luck is still holding (although the lottery tickets are doing nothing at all....:(

I have won on DeeRoo Designs blog!

I could choose a quiltie out of an entire washing line full! and I chose this lovely little cheery one! I am getting addicted to miniquilts since I started Doll Quilt Swap, and love having them cheering up the wall in my sewing corner.

Dolores not only sent the quiltie, but a coaster as well AND some lovely meadowsweet fabric AND a pattern! I am truly spoilt... thank you Dee !! Super parcel!!!



I also won a bag pattern on Susan Brubaker Knapp's blog. Susan is an amazing quilt artist and I have been following her blog for quite a while now. She came back with goodies from Quilt Market and I was lucky enough to win the Margot Bag pattern! Really looking forward to making this bag. I have been wanting to make bags for quite some time but STILL not got round to it... This looks like a great bag to make and hope to have some time for it soon! (... after Christmas.... ha!)



And... yes I have also been sewing like mad... I have nearly finished a quilt, which I will show you in a future post of its own, and I have been doing a bit of this...


and finished off a little bag... which is winging its way somewhere as we speak....



So finally some results!! Done that tick, tick, tick!! Yoooooeeee-heeeey !!!

I am going back to finish some more ticks on my list (not necessarily all sewing though) and will be back here when I have accomplished some more. (or if it snows..:-)

Do you love chocolate??

First question I have to ask you. Do you love chocolate?


Just look at these hollow Santa's aren't they not only cute but good enough to eat? They certainly are!

Are you by now all screaming YESSSSS !!!! CHOCOLATE!!!! .... mmmm... I thought so....

Second question: Are you able to come to Taunton, Somerset UK coming weekend?



If you can, you could go to the Rural Living Show this weekend!

You will find (and now I quote from their blurb) "Crafts and Lifestyle show showcasing the finest regional crafts and foods. A long established show at a venue just outside Taunton with ample parking and food provided all day. The idea opportunity to have a great day out and buy unique Christmas presents! Supporting Children’s Hospice South West. Entertainment throughout the weekend. Entrance £3.

Saturday 27th, 10 am to 5.00pm/ Sunday 28th 10.00am to 4.00pm
Kings Hall School, Taunton, Somerset Somerset TA2 8AA

Sat 27 Nov to Sun 28 Nov



And what does this have to do with chocolate you ask? This weekend, on both days, you will encounter Rick and Lorna from "The Chocolate House" with not only a fine range of chocolates they have brought with them, but they will also have their chocolate fountain running to serve their famous chocolate kebabs! I can tell you, they only use the finest Belgian Chocolate in their creations and on their stall you are definitely in Chocolate Heaven!!


They have even a limited amount of free tickets for their customers although you will have to hurry.. there is great demand for them and gone is gone...



If you can't make it, not to worry. This weekend they have closed their shop to be able to attend the Rural Living Show, but normally they are open and in the shop ready to welcome you. The Chocolate House is located in the High Street and is currently open Tuesdays to Sunday from 11ish to 5ish. They are closed on Mondays.

Stop by after the weekend at the shop located in Dunster, a medieval village with a real castle! There is a lot to see and do apart from the visit to the Chocolat House!





And if you are weary from walking and sightseeing, you can refresh yourself with a lovely cup of coffee or tea (or hot chocolate of course.. made with REAL chocolate.. my favourite!!) and eat some of the yummy cakes and buns!




For those who can really not make it to either, there is still a chance to still your thirst for chocolatey goodness... They also have an online shop. You will find it HERE.

I know all you chocoholics will love their products as much as I do! Only one sad thing for all my overseas friends... due to the delicate (and very fresh in some cases) nature of the chocolates, currently they cannot send overseas...

So there is only one solution... get on that plane and visit me!! :-)

But seriously, if you are near Taunton this weekend, or near Dunster any other day.. give them a try. Chocolate Heaven.. you know you deserve it ! (say hi from me when you get there please, as I am too far away this weekend..)

Sunday

The sun was hiding this morning, but lifted a tip of the heavy cloud-deck to reveal some rising sun redness..

Another lovely giveaway

Look at this lovely quilt Allison from Strandz has made...



Don't you love all the fabrics? If so.. you can buy it in her shop! or.. go and enter her giveaway where she gives away 48 squares so you can make your own.

Accuquilt giveaway

Many from Simply Solids has one of the famous Accuquilt giveaways.

She also has a lovely UK based shop in which she sell Kona Solids and a selection of fantstic fabrics.. Worth a look so go pay a visit to her shop and blog!!

The Accuquilt GO is a nifty little machine to speed up cutting out your quilts and there have been lots of these giveaways about... all of which (it feels like!) I entered.. Will I be lucky this time??? (or will YOU!!! :-)

Sisters of the World Quilt

Do you remember, in September, I was asking for quilt blocks? My friend Lizzie was making a quilt for her friend Sue, a quilter of many years who is terminally ill, and who, through her quilting life, has given many handmade quilts to many people, yet never received any.

I sent in the blocks I received to Lizzie, and many people sent their blocks direct..

In fact 123 of them !!!

Lizzie made this absolute beautiful quilt with a selection. She was overwhelmed with blocks and had enough for several quilts, so she made a front and a backing, then the rest were donated to the NZ earthquake appeal that Cat is taking part in. The horrible earthquakes in Christchurch NZ have affected many families and many families with children. So if your block has not been used in this particular quilt, it is going to a very good home and keeps on helping!

Just look at the quilt, isn't it beautiful??




And this is the back;



Rebecca Vollmann offered to do all the quilting and she has done a marvellous job with different patterns and colours of thread.

Lizzie listed a rollcall on the side of all the names and countries...



and made the most gorgeous label !



All and all an absolute masterpiece! I can't wait to hear what Sue's face looked like when she is receiving this. She has not received it yet as it is a long car journey for Lizzie but as soon as she can she will go and see her. However,I did not want to wait and show you the finished quilt now!

It's glorious Lizzie! A project well completed!

(all photo's courtesy of Lizzie and taken from her facebook)

Sunday; a nice surprise and a finish

Sunday.. a no mail day, so I thought...

But just LOOK what a surprise when I read Nicole's blog at Follow the White Bunny..



a wonderful stitching ebook by Carina (who sells lovely things at Polka & Bloom) which I have won. I am really pleased about that because I have been wanting to do a bit more embroidery since I have seen all the lovely work on the web. Not in the least on Nicole's blog, where she shows us all the patterns in progress and her Etsy shop where you can buy them!

I was so enchanted by some of her patterns that I have allready bought some, but, not being an embroiderer, I was a bit intimidated in starting and knowing how to do the stitches so this book is going to be just the thing! You can see it more closely here. Carina also has another book, Small Stitches, which I think I will buy to complete the set. You can find Carina's shop here. Thank you Carina and Nicole!


The finish is for the block I was making for Cat, for the Fresh and Funky bee. Cat sent us fabric, and requested a tree block, inspired by Sarah Fielke's 4 season trees in Material Obsession 2. The background and tree fabric were determined. A lot of strips in greens and pinks were sent too. Cat said she liked spots and owls and would love to see the blocks personalised if possible.

It was a tall order but I think I have done it... I just hope Cat likes it. I had the crazy idea to make the branches green, and then cut out zillions (for my feeling) little bits of blossom.... Next time I think something like that up.. will someone warn me that after you have cut them all out AND stuck them down, you then have to SEW them down too?? each one individually? I don't know what I was thinking but I was determined to get it done today and I did!

Sorry for the lousy photo... light was just going.. these winters with early darkness.. brrrr...



Cat's owl in the tree and one of those troublesome blossoms..



I really thought long and hard on how to personalize ....



I hope you like it Cat, it will be in the mail on monday. Also monday, the fabric for the Christmas Bee will be in the post girls. Sorry to be late with that. Phew.. three things of my list!

That list was in danger of getting more things put on it all the time and no slashes through anything... so depressing... but... luckily.. Three slashes (roof, bee fabric wrapped and beeblock finished) this weekend and a win... not bad going!!!

Lovely mail ! Things are looking up..

Thanks everyone for your lovely comments. It is nice to know there is so much love and care in our community throughout the world!

Last week I got a lovely handmade card in the mail from Helen who won my giveaway. Thank you Helen, for taking the time to make a card just for me and sending it in the post. I really appreciate the effort and it was such a nice surprise to open the card, seeing I wasn't expecting it! Thanks so much.

Isn't it lovely??



Helen blogs at The Dining Room Drawers. Go have a look. She has just completed two lovely colourful quilts for charity. Fantastic Helen!

Last year around this time, I committed myself to a PIF (Pay It Forward) by replying to a post from Catherine (The Sewing Attic). The idea is that within a year, you get a present, and in return you Pay it Forward by sending three people a present yourself. Now with all the unexpected things happening this year (emergency operation, leaky roof, and loads more demanding priority attention) I must admit I have not sent any of them out.. All I can do is apologise to my lovely friends who are still waiting and apply for an extension... I WILL get to it.. promise!!

In the meantime, today I got a mystery parcel... from Catherine, it was my PIF!! She sent me the fantastic pincushion/needlecase she made from a Heather Bailey pattern and that I had been admiring on her blog!! (complete with pins and needles!)

Just look at all the detail here;



Isn't it beautiful? The wings open to reveal a second layer so you can embed the needles between both wings. Catherine makes the most beautiful things, go and have a look at her blog at The Sewing Attic.

Last but not least, what do I find in my mailbox? (well, on the doormat really, we do not have a mailbox..). 8 lovely FQ's sent by the lovely Kathy Mack from Pink Chalk Fabrics. Kathy holds a draw each week amongst her customers. Two prizes each time, one to be drawn from comments on her blog that week, one from those customers opening their newsletter.

I was lucky on the newsletter although I also read and comment on her blog. Way to go Kathy! Thank you so much for this beautiful fabric!



For the enquiring minds; It is lovely holiday fabric by Basic Grey, called Fruitcake This FQ set being the Avalanche colourway and availble to buy on the Pink Chalk site. For the link go here.

I love the muted colours, matching and looking very much like Figgy pudding. The solids are beautiful too. Just fantastic all together! I am thinking about what to make, a table runner maybe? Just love it. Thank you so much Kathy!

A better week this week with more things being done = less pressure = progress! Still a long way to go with my 'to do' list and even with my 'urgent to do' list, but step by step getting there.

The roofers mending a longstanding leak in the roof have finished yesterday... I am keeping my fingers crossed... will it have done the trick this time? I will tell you once we have had a downpour!

A great mailweek lifting the spirits. Both in the letterbox and on the email. Thank you friends for writing to me!! (you know who you are)