Open Studios Event coming to a blog near you ...

Surfing along as I do, I came across this promising publication on Studios and Storage solutions. (or actually, I allready follow Quilting Arts closely, such lovely work on there.... and they sent me a mail... but close...)

Bingo! I thought, as I have been struggling with the question of how to appropriately house my growing 'stuff' to do with the quilting and sewing... (My lovely fabrics have got to be happy there and I have to have at least some oversight... sigh...).

Quilting Arts are hosting an open Studio event on October 3rd and everyone taking part can hop along and have a look at everyone's little space.

I must admit I first read it wrong and ran upstairs, took the photographs and enthousiastically started writing this post! When I went back and discovered the actual studio photos are only supposed to be up on October 3rd..... Serves me right for being enthousiastic!

So you are not going to see my "Studio" just yet (read studio, think little space in corner of the room, but I am not knocking it! compared to a lot of people, I have a sea of space and I am so, so fortunate to be able to leave my work where it is if I have to go and do something else).

I have been thinking about this a lot lately and.... as it happens, I have just rearrranged my little corner with the sewingtable to put the table not along the wall, but into the room with some set of drawers on the other side, thereby doubling the space.

Also have had some shelves put up on which live some magazines and books and various wicker baskets and lovely gorgeous boxes I can never leave in the shop and that have now found a use!

But you will have to come back on October 3rd to see the pics and of course go to the Studios Event page and/or get the magazine here!

I am featured on the Fabric Shopper!

Melanie on The Fabric Shopper, has chosen my quilt to be featured on her Fabulous Use of Fabric choice.


My regular readers know how much I agonised over which fabric and colours to use (to the ripping out colours after the top was put together...) and I am thrilled to see it so well received!

Thanks Melanie!

Where have I been ?

Is it really more than a week allready since my last post? Amazing how time flies.... But that is how it goes when you are busy!

Let's see, what have I done... Well... firstly back to school, which as we all know takes some organising... Then loads of admin backlog... you all know that one... bills to pay, companies to phone (press 6, press 3, press 1, press 5, we now cannot direct you to an adviser, please consult our website.. grrrr.....), know that one?

Luckily also got some more enjoyable things in. In the weekend I went to a charming little village near Dover, Church Hougham, where they were holding their tri-annual village fete and craft fair. It was lovely, the church itself full of quilts;
The organist (sitting amongst the quilts) did a marathon of fantastic playing whilst we meandered along the aisles. It was beautiful and whilst he might not read this, any quilter who does and knows him, please tell him how much I appreciated it. It made for a perfect atmosphere and the playing was just lovely!

There were quilts in every nook and cranny....

even up at the altar was a yesteryear display;

The entire village took part and there were many houses who had things going on in their gardens. There were bookstalls, cakestalls, bric a brac, an archery range, dog displays and many more demonstrations like the morris dancing here;

In the art and craft village (lots of roomy marquees next to the vicarage) lots of yumminess was to be found...


I especially liked this range of these wonderful reds


.....mmmmm..... I can see a quilt in that wonderful warm colour for the wintermonths... can just feel myself wrapped up cozily when the wind blows outside.....

Look at what I have won!

I was a very lucky girl and have won a prize on Deborah's blog "Once Aponce a Time"

She has a lovely blog with very interesting posts and has recently done some extensive travelling in Europe visiting Britain and France with some wonderful pictures of Monet's Garden. Do hop along and visit and tell her what you think!

Deborah had a competition a while ago which centered onto art journals and she was wondering whether any of us is keeping a journal. I haven't up till now, but I do photograph things I see that inspire me and keep a digital image with plans to print it, put it into a journal and subsequently maybe draw, colour or use... but.... haven't got round to it!

Do any of my readers have an art journal? Deborah (and I!) would certainly be interested to hear about it!

Deborah sent me this wonderful book.
It is the story of an art project. Several artists started an art journal. Each adopted a colour and started the journal off. (the next photo being 'white')


Then the journals were passed on to another artist, who then had the challenge to continue this, resulting in them having to go out of their comfort zone and producing something new, often experimenting with new materials.

The book is the story of these journals and the thoughts the artists had about them, with lots of pictures from the journals to illustrate the text. It is a beautiful book and so inspiring!

Thank you Deborah, for sending me this wonderful book. Very much appreciated!

So come on everyone.... anyone really using a journal? It would be awesome to hear about it!

Rescue in the Solent

One day, we were quietly sailing along. Conditions were very calm with a lovely sunshine and most boats were ambling along, enjoying the sunshine....

Suddenly..... What is that? 3 fast moving speedboats.. Is it James Bond??
Aha, coming closer... a speedboat, two support ribs and a helicopter... Is it a film?
The helicopter now hovering closely over the speedboat whilst the speedboat maintains even speed and the heli matches it...
Wait... a man appears on the side... (double click if you can't see it..)
He is being winched up to the helicopter!
Aha!! It is the HMS Coastguard on an exercise rescue mission!!
They are being waved off from the speedboat and are soon on their way with the "casualty"...
What fantastic work they are doing to keep us all safe. A privilege to be there and see this exercise.
God speed and keep safe. Thanks for watching over us all on the water!

Another Giveaway (at Jodi's New Blog!)

Go to Jodi's blog (when you have some spare time....). She has a fabulous new blog, "Needle Little Inspiration" and to celebrate is hosting a fabulous Open House with lots of giveaways.

Including this fantastic set of Michael Miller Christmas Fabrics. All half yds, yumm !

Fat Quarter Shop Giveaway

The Fat Quarter Shop is drawing attention to their various Block of the Month opportunities. They have a fair few and they are all lovely!

This what they are giving away:

A Wiscasset Charming Jelly Cake (a Jelly Roll + Layercake + Charm Pack).

Isn't it fantastic? Here is their link to the giveaway and here the link to their BOM pages.

I love this quilt and if I hadn't got so much on already..... mmmmm...... :-)