F.R.I.E.N.D.S Swap Is Open

Sew Prim Kris is again holding the F.R.I.E.N.D.S.Swap. So head on over to her blog to get all the details here.

Christmas In July

Look at the lovely gifts I received from Sue at A Stitch In Time.  Really makes me want to get an embroidery machine which I know dear Hubby would love ..... haha.

And the two decorations are so cute.

Thank you Sue for my lovely gifts.

Also here is what I sent to my partner Lyn from Stitches From The Mainland.

This cross stitch though not that big took me a while as one stitch put the pattern out a bit and I done that a couple of times.

1 Xmas Item A Month

This month I have finished a few Christmas items but they are for a swap so will not yet show them.  However I can show you the cushion I made.

Sometimes I make blocks for block swaps I am in and they just don't turn out right, so they get thrown into the reject pile. This one was just a little bit small, then I ironed it and my lovely iron left marks on it.  Hence my iron got a real good clean aft that.  Anyway I discarded the block into the reject pile and made a new one and the reject block has been made into this.

You can not see the marks in the photo but they are there.

Also with this cushion I practiced my zips insertion.  Still have not mastered it but will. The ends didn't look that great so some unpicking happened then I tried again with better success.

Finally Miss 17 is home today from Army Basic Training to recover from her injury.  Shinsplints are not nice.  If all things go right she will be back in again in just under a month, or if it takes a bit longer to heal, it will be February next year.  She on the bus as I write and get in late this evening.  Orders are Coke and Chocolate to eat straight away when she arrives and then Pizza for tea.

He's Not Innocent

You would think your kitchen table is safe, especially as mine is a six seat rectangle one so has a bit of room.  So I do put things on there when not in use like my material which I done last night after taking some photos.

Well Mister Ginda thought it would be a great place to jump up onto this morning.  Only problem is he had just come inside and had muddy paws and the place he had to jump on to was the blocks and material I had left there.  Luckily I caught him straight away before he done more damage and it was easily cleaned.

So though in the picture taken straight after the incident he looks innocent, he was not.  Then to top it all off he was purring away very loudly after getting told off.

FNSI Results

I joined in this past Friday with the FNSI gals which Wendy from Sugarlane Designs is running for the next few months.

First I finished the stitching for this Rosalie Quinlan stitchery I have been working on.  Just have to sew it together now and finish of the other two stitcheries.

I also traced the first block of the Teddies At Play BOM I am completing too.  Just have to wait for the stabilizer to come in the mail and will start stitching this one too.

Then today I quickly stitched up these two blocks for my June partner in the 6" Block swap I am part off.

Thursday Seems So Long Away

My Christmas In July parcel has arrived and I have to wait until Thursday to open it.  I will be able to resist, but it seems so long away.

I Love Buttercup Bags

Over at Our Craft Forum we recently had another bag swap and this time I made a Buttercup Bag.  This bag is so easy to make and is very cute.  The bag tutorial can be found over at Made By Rae

Cot Quilt Finished And Off To Australia

Over a year ago my sister asked for a cot quilt for her new born daughter Alyssa.  She said not to hurry with it as Alyssa would be in her bassinet, then her cot for a while yet.  Well I did procrastinate on it and she has waited patiently and now it is finally completed.

It was made with a couple of charm packs called Amelia by Me & My Sister Designs for Moda.

My Parcel Is Ready To Be Sent

My parcel as part of Cherylls Christmas In July Swap is ready to go.

Yes it is late to be sent as yesterday was the day, however if you have seen the weather here you would understand.  I could not even feel my toes yesterday.  Then today I am home sick so not going into town at all.  So off it will go tomorrow now.  It is not going to far so hopefully will be at its destination in a matter of days.

She Is Not Only Isolated But She Will Be Cold

Miss 17 has been at Basic Training for a week now and things are not going great for her.  I last heard from her last Wednesday night and she was injured....shin splints....arrrgghhh.  After all her years of sports and then going to the gym once she finished that she had to do this. Shows you can be fit, but different demands of exercise can still injure you.  Hoping she is going fine and that physio is sorting her out.  They asked if she wanted to leave, but she refused.

Anyway if she wanted to leave in the last four to five days she wouldn't have been able to to.  With all the snow they are having over there the roads have been shut.  She must be loving that aspect, coming from sunny Gisborne to snowy Waiouru.  I did have the call out last Wednesday for more thermals, so popped into town and bought her plenty which I will post over or we will take over on visiting day in two weeks time.

School Ball Time Again

This year Master 15 went to his first School Ball. After saying for weeks he was not going he decided one week out he was going.  Problem was he told me on a Sunday night, payment and permission form (which he did not have) had to be in by Monday 3.30pm and I was working day shift on the Monday finishing at 3.30pm. So with a few phone calls and a quick drive to school as soon as work finished he was half sorted.  Then we had to go get the suit which was going great apart from the shirt which still not had arrived by Saturday morning.  A quick stop into the shop to get a different one alerted us to a big muck up with the shirt  order and fortunately there was actually the one he wanted now sitting on the shirt racks...arrgghhh!!  Lucky no one bought it.

Anyway after all that he got to the ball with his date, which was a friend and here are the photos.

Some Lovely Blocks Received

Just a quick update on some blocks I have received from various swaps I am in.

For CQBSA I received this lovely block from Fiona

Then for the May 6 1/2" QBS I received these blocks from Ann

Not a block but this is the Hexi I received from Lyn for the Hexagon Flower Swap I am in

FNWF Results

So last night I joined Cheryll and a lot of other crafters for Friday Night With Friends and here are my results.  Three blocks to be sent out to three lucky ladies.

The first is an angel Log Cabin block, being sent to Jen in the USA

Then for my July CQBSA I am sending this Rail Fence block of to Mel

Then for my June QBSA partner Sue I am sending her this block.

The photo does not do it justice.  It is a lovely block.

FNWF

Come on over tonight and join some lovely ladies for for sewing, stitching or whatever you would like to do at Gone Stitchin's FNWF

Click here to link up

I think I might do some more blocks or even

 finish of a swap I am in.