Welcome to 2022 and our first FNSI

 Welcome to 2022 FNSI!  

I know the threats of Covid have not eased, in fact, with the Omicron variant the threats seem to have ramped up even more, particularly in our little town.  We had been pretty much isolated from Covid up until a couple of weeks ago and now we have 200 cases with 2 hospitalised and 1 in ICU.  Doesn't sound like much in comparison to where some of you live, but in a small town of about 15000 people where we have been untouched up until now, this is massive (and, I won't deny, just a bit scary!).

More changes for me too...I've left my job due to ongoing health issues and have been in a bit of a slump, something that I'd never even considered would be part and parcel with my resignation.  After a week and a half at home, I'm starting to find my feet again and I've managed to work on a couple of projects, finishing one of my Little Box of  Creativity kits from Kitty Rose Cottage and I'm currently working on finishing my Around the Garden quilt by Fee Fee and Me.

Sometimes, just the peaceful calm of stitching at home with friends online takes the pressure of the outside world off your shoulders, so FNSI is such a blessing for me and I hope, for you too.

Join with us this Friday night for our first Friday Night Sew In for the year.  Be inspired by other lovely stitchers from all corners of the globe and you never know, your name might just be drawn out to win a gorgeous prize from our sponsor, Kitty Rose Cottage.

Speaking of prizes, we have a winner from our December FNSI get together...... with 24 of us altogether (including Kitty Rose and myself, who don't count for the prize draw), it was a full wheel! 

CONGRATULATIONS HELEN!

I'm sure Kitty Rose (aka Dawn) has a fantastic prize picked out just for you!  Please send me an email with your postal address and we will get it off to you in the mail, pronto.

Meanwhile, get your projects organised for a Friday Night In , link in below, watch and be inspired on our Facebook group with your favourite beverage, nibblies and tv programs or movies and be prepared for some fun! 

Looking forward to a great 2022 with you all xox

Big sugary hugs :o)

Our last FNSI for 2021

 Seriously???  My head doesn't believe what my lips are saying (nor my fingers typing!) 

This WILL be our last get-together for 2021!  What a year!

I have nothing but thanks to you all for a wonderful year, keeping me on the straight and narrow reminding me of our special times together each month as I often forgot, helping me keep sane in this awful mess of national (and international) Covid lockdowns and health scares and keeping me on my toes with my sewing projects.  I'm particularly proud of the baby quilt I finished even though nothing else came close to being finished;  we were so fortunate up here in North Queensland with little effects of the sinister disease which locked up the rest of the world.  I managed to still go to work and function reasonably normally despite what was going on around us, but that meant my stitching time was less than I'd have liked but in the scheme of things....I know I'm truly blessed. 

Enormous thanks must be given to our wonderful sponsor this year - Kitty Rose Cottage!

Dawn has been a great friend of mine since my blog's birth in 2009 and our friendship has grown exponentially in that time and I'd be lost without her.  The fact that she stepped up and volunteered her sponsorship when I asked for help earlier on this year only proves how wonderful a person she is and I encourage you all to pop over to her shop and have a look around, get to know her and I'm sure it won't be long before you love her like I do!

Especially when she's taking preorders for the newest Tilda range....Cottage Beach!   I adore this one....small prints are so easy to use in so many ways.....swoon!

And if you pop on over, you'll notice there's something new in the shop!   Squeeeeee.....I think I'll be taking advantage of it too!

Just before I draw our November winner and add the Mr Linky Link for our FNSI, I must share my latest baby spam!!!!  (You didn't think you'd get away without any did you?)

Here's our little Ryker John.....1 month old already!  He'll be in high school before we know it! 

Now a drumroll........we had 23 people play along last month  and here's how it panned out.....

Congratulations lovely!  Dawn will be in touch with your prize details. 

Don't forget to sign up so you can be part of the December fun and maybe add your name to the list of 2021 winners!  

See you on Friday night and....

big sugary hugs xox :o)

October Winners, November FNSI Sign-ups and a new member....

 ....of the family, that is! 

My gorgeous (first) grandson was born on Thursday, the 11th of the 11th at 11.30am!  He certainly is a remembrance baby!  Look at this cutie.....

Ryker John Luscombe.  My son is not one for traditionalism so Ryker has taken his mother's surname and when (if) they decide to marry, he will also take her surname.  Honestly, at first it upset me a little but after lengthy discussions (I AM a bit traditional!), we agreed it's just a name so whether she takes his or he takes hers, it's not an issue for us.

I can't help myself....the poor boy's only 6 days old and I have soooo many photos!   Here's a collage....

I reckon I'll be spamming you with photos for a while!!! I just can't get enough of him!   I love this Grandma gig!!

It's already 11pm and I'm still fussing about with downloading things to the computer...I hate how things used to be so simple and are now so difficult and 'technological'!  I figure I'm pretty tech savvy but boy, some things are just becoming much too complicated don't you think?

Well I decided I'd try (agaaaaain) to download the video of the spin a winner and I think I've got it....let's see if it works...... 

Ok it looks like we have a winner!!! 

 CONGRATULATIONS 

Chris in Canada!!!

Message me Chris and we'll organise a fabulous prize to be winging its way to you from Kitty Rose Cottage......yippeeee!

Finally it's time for our sign-ups for our November FNSI ...can you believe it's our second last one for the year?  If you're new to FNSI and would love to join, you can read all about it HERE.  Don't forget to join us on our Facebook community page HERE where you can catch up with people in 'real' time.  And always always ALWAYS feel free to share so that more people can join in the fun and inspiration.

Time for bed for me so here's our sign-up.  Looking forward to stitching with you all on Friday night.  Remember, it's always Friday night somewhere in the world so it doesn't matter whether it's your Friday night in the northern hemisphere or my Friday night in the south.  Let's not let time divide us! x 

Sugary hugs always xox :o)

October FNSI sign ups and a September Winner

So sorry about the delay in drawing last month's winner!  

This year is certainly getting away from me as it is for most I guess, but especially seeing as I have my very first grandbaby due very VERY soon and the prep for that has been enormous!  My poor daughter in law has been soooo sick for almost the entire pregnancy and spent many a day in hospital on drips and in doctors surgeries so this little cherub might (understandably) be the only one they have.

For that reason, I've been making the most adorable baby quilt I could....it's called Duck Duck Goose, created by Meags & Me using the beautiful Blue Goose fabric range by Clothworks.  I am just so in love with this range.  And I guess by now you've realised, our bubba is a little boy!  *squeee*....I just can't wait!

Here is my version so far.....

Well, it's actually a little further along than this...all the hand-stitching is complete and the backing has been made and it's ready to sandwich and quilt!  It is a large one......56" x 62" and as you can see, it's laying across our queen sized bed and it goes all the way across!  fI think it will do our little man for quite a while!

Last month I also completed all the stitching elements for Block One of Gail Pan's "Wish You Well" BOM, which I didn't get around to showing you. 

This is now in the 'wait' pile until that baby quilt is done!  Only six weeks till he's born so that's first on the list!

What have you got planned for this Friday Night's Stitch In?  Hopefully I'll be on the Sweet 16 having a practice run.  Make sure you sign in or pop on by , either below or in our FNSI facebook group.  You're more than welcome to join our group if you're not already a member.  

 It's always fun to play with others....especially when there's a prize to be won!  (thanks to the gorgeous Kitty Rose!)  Don't forget to pop by and see what lovelies she has in her shop...there's a lovely new BOM designed by Dawn and it.is.the. BOM!

Now it's finally  catch-up time, from last month's Stitch In......who is our lucky September FNSI winner?  

CONGRATULATIONS Jeanette!!!  I'm sure our wonderful sponsor, Kitty Rose Cottage, has something beautiful to send you in the mail!  Thank you to all who joined in.....it makes our lockdowns so much more enjoyable when you know you can still join up with friends doing what you love best!

In the meantime, remember to join us by linking in below or joining in with our Facebook Group.  We'd love to see you there. 

xox Sugary sweet hugs :o)

Spinny September Sign ups for Friday Night Sew In!

 I cant believe it's nearly FNSI time already...tomorrow in fact!

And thank you to Karen for reminding me as it had totally slipped my mind.   You see I've had vertigo all week and my head has been spinning.  Monday, it was so bad I could not move.  I ended up breaking out into beads of sweat and vomiting numerous times...not pleasant I know, and something I'd never really had before....well, not to that extent.  It really gave me a fright.

Needless to say I've had the week off work and have been resting at home. Mr B took me to the doctor earlier on in the week and he diagnosed positional vertigo with added low blood pressure.  He gave me a needle to stop the queasiness ....it had to be given in a large muscle so backside it was.  Nice to think it was muscular but I reckon there were a few layers of fat the nurse had to get through first!!   I'm off to the chiropractor tomorrow to make sure it's not a neck/skeletal issue.  Best to have all bases covered. 

Thanks again to the beautiful Dawn aka Kitty Rose from Kitty Rose Cottage for sponsoring our prizes each month.  She really has been sending out some beauties too.   If you haven't had a chance to visit lately, I suggest you do.  The one special thing about Dawn is her customer service and value for money....ok, I know that's two, but it's hard to pick just one!  In a recent parcel I received, which included my  Little Box of Creativity and my Lucy Boston Club blocks, I received a couple of free gifts including vintage Tilda fat eighths and a mini stitchery embroidery hoop.  Dawn always is so generous.  

She's also running Gail Pan's 'Wish You Well' BOM and she's done all the work for you as she's cut all the pieces so you don't have to!  Bonus!

So let's get straight to it seeing as I've kept you waiting for sign ups.    Sign up below or let me know your playing along on our Facebook Group page and you're in for a chance to win a sweet prize from the lovely Kitty Rose...doesn't matter where in the world you live!  Told ya she was generous and a very giving gal!

Big sugary spinny hugs xox :o) 

A little bit of Lucy

 I always enjoy our FNSIs together and seeing what everyone is creating.  With almost half the east coast in lockdown,  it's great that we can still stitch together and enjoy each other's company, even if it's virtually.   

I managed to get a little bit of Lucy Boston done...I'm a newbie and have only just started so I'm onto my second block now, thanks to a bit of encouragement from Dawn. 

I love the way she chooses her colour palettes and being Tilda fabric, (and I do love me some bunnies and bees)  how could she go wrong?  

Talking Tilda, have you seen the new range, Windy Days?  

It's so pretty...and the coordinating Aella fabrics are delish too.  

They're not available as yet but you can pre-order at Kitty Rose Cottage and I've shopped around and they're one of the cheapest!! (just saying *wink*) And Dawn does ship both nationally and internationally so well worth a look.

If you haven't had a chance yet, pop either back HERE or over HERE to see what goodies everyone played with on Fri-Sat-Sunday for our FNSI.

Our draw is to choose both last month and this month's winners.  I swore I'd be more organised but I don't think it's in my DNA! So here goes....last month:

Congratulations to Catherine Doust who is our winner for July aaaaand......

Congratulations to Narelle who is our winner for August! 

Woohoo!!! Congratulations ladies.  Dawn has two beautiful kits (one each) which she will send to you if you can message your postal address to me please?

I hope the rest of your week is full of crafty wellness and lockdown is treating you with care.

big sugary hugs always xox :o)

FNSI here again....

How did that happen??? Honestly the year is flying by so quickly, moreso than last year, I swear!   

A very big shout-out and many numerous thanks to Sheryll who reminded me it was FNSI time!   I think I have too many fingers in too many pies at the moment and I really must learn the 'N' word .

That might make life slow down a bit for me...but in the meantime, I'm so pleased it's time for us to get together again for our Friday night soiree.

IF you need to read more about it, you can, HERE.   Sign ups below and I'll draw winners for both last month's and this over the weekend.  They both will win a beautiful prize from our sponsor, Dawn from Kitty Rose Cottage.

Good luck everyone and I cant wait to be stitching with you,

xox Sugary sweet hugs :o)