Monday 31 December 2012

Getting ready for the New Year with a couple of last minute finishes

What a lovely surprise…..looks like our wet season has arrived with the weather coming in off the cyclone off New Caledonia…..we haven’t had rain for months……this will freshen things up a bit, as well as clean up the old year and start the new year afresh…..literally!!! 001 (Medium)002 (Medium) Can you tell we don’t get rain very often here in the dry tropics????  hee hee rubber-duckie-borderhth Well, what perfect weather for some last minute finishes for the year…..pity they’re not UFO’s I could claim for our Sew It’s Finished blog, which, by the way, is open for new members for 2013 if you have a stack of UFO’s and your goal is to get them done!!!! (hint, hint!) But here are two finishes I managed to sneak in for the OPAM count for December, and for 2012…and for our Birthday-Love Stash 2013….ooh how I love multi-purposing!!!!! 003 (Medium) This one was from the tutorial and pattern Fee had on her blog a little while back.  You can even buy the coin purse frames at Fee’s Shabby Shack …such a bargain and so quick and easy! (another goodie for the Birthday stash!) 001 (Medium) I made this for my SIL’s birthday which I missed………in August!!!!   Now you can see why I need to organise myself a little better with the Birthday-Love Stash!!!  You can join with me too….just click on the link to find out more!       ….and yes….she loved it! My other finish is a hot pad……. 009 (Medium) my very first go at hexies…I love ‘em! 010 (Medium) And I just adore that fabric…….”Odds & Ends” by Julie Comstock for Moda….I’ve just ordered some more from HERE I love the quotes…..practice twirling…, Find beauty in the everyday, Dare to dream big, fall in love with life, overcome, own your talent…….the list goes on!!!! 011 (Medium) Things I need to definitely keep in mind for 2013, which is just around the corner.  happy-new-year2 Hubby and I are going out on the town this year, off for a full seafood banquet for tea and then to see in the new year.  Can’t wait!   So I’ll wish you a very happy New Year…..may it bring you all that you wish for - and some; may it exceed all our expectations with hope, love, faith, health and happiness for our world, our friends and our families. May your bobbin always be full, may your stitching never unravel and… “may the warmth and love you give, return to you all year, to brighten your days in so many ways, and fill your life with cheer!”  – Helen Steiner-Rice   Sugary ‘ding-a-ling, ringing-in-the-new-year’ hugs xox Signature

Getting ready for the New Year with a couple of last minute finishes

What a lovely surprise…..looks like our wet season has arrived with the weather coming in off the cyclone off New Caledonia…..we haven’t had rain for months……this will freshen things up a bit, as well as clean up the old year and start the new year afresh…..literally!!!

001 (Medium)002 (Medium)

Can you tell we don’t get rain very often here in the dry tropics????  hee hee

rubber-duckie-borderhth

Well, what perfect weather for some last minute finishes for the year…..pity they’re not UFO’s I could claim for our Sew It’s Finished blog, which, by the way, is open for new members for 2013 if you have a stack of UFO’s and your goal is to get them done!!!! (hint, hint!)

But here are two finishes I managed to sneak in for the OPAM count for December, and for 2012…and for our Birthday-Love Stash 2013….ooh how I love multi-purposing!!!!!

003 (Medium)

This one was from the tutorial and pattern Fee had on her blog a little while back.  You can even buy the coin purse frames at Fee’s Shabby Shack …such a bargain and so quick and easy! (another goodie for the Birthday stash!)

001 (Medium)

I made this for my SIL’s birthday which I missed………in August!!!!   Now you can see why I need to organise myself a little better with the Birthday-Love Stash!!!  You can join with me too….just click on the link to find out more!  

    ….and yes….she loved it!

My other finish is a hot pad…….

009 (Medium)

my very first go at hexies…I love ‘em!

010 (Medium)

And I just adore that fabric…….”Odds & Ends” by Julie Comstock for Moda….I’ve just ordered some more from HERE

I love the quotes…..practice twirling…, Find beauty in the everyday, Dare to dream big, fall in love with life, overcome, own your talent…….the list goes on!!!!

011 (Medium)

Things I need to definitely keep in mind for 2013, which is just around the corner. 

happy-new-year2

Hubby and I are going out on the town this year, off for a full seafood banquet for tea and then to see in the new year.  Can’t wait!  

So I’ll wish you a very happy New Year…..may it bring you all that you wish for - and some; may it exceed all our expectations with hope, love, faith, health and happiness for our world, our friends and our families.

May your bobbin always be full, may your stitching never unravel and… “may the warmth and love you give, return to you all year, to brighten your days in so many ways, and fill your life with cheer!”  – Helen Steiner-Rice

 

Sugary ‘ding-a-ling, ringing-in-the-new-year’ hugs xox

Signature

Saturday 29 December 2012

Birthday-Love Stash 2013

It's nearly the new year, and it got me thinking about New Year's resolutions and STUFF!!!!!!

I have the same problem every year........ someone’s birthday rocks around and I am TOTALLY unprepared for it and end up making something and sending it weeks (and sometimes months!!!) later.....or offering some feeble excuse and feeling exceptionally bad!!!!! I am known as the ultimate procrastinator...... So for 2013, I thought I’d try something a little bit different and thought, if you're like me, you might just want to join me!



Each month I will round up a number of different free patterns off the web, just simple but very lovely things, to make for birthday gifts....and each month I WILL COMMIT to making something (because I’ll be prepared!), and stashing them away for when the time is right to parcel them up and send them off so they arrive ON TIME for some lucky birthday gal or guy!

So, are you in the same boat as me???   Are you itching to join me in creating your own Birthday Love Stash???

Then here we go.....

1. grab a small calendar diary from the ‘cheap’ shop where you can list all the birthdays of the people you want to make gifts for in 2013 and do just that....add their birthdays in so you can see at a glance who you need to make for in the following month (an probably even the first week of the next month!) ...or add dates to your Outlook or other platform diary if that's easier



2. Grab my button and put it up on your sidebar, linking back to me, and on the last weekend of the month, I’ll post some birthday links.





3. Make a post on your blog - letting all your readers know about your birthday love stash plans....you know it’s a commitment we all need, and the encouragement doesn’t go astray either!!!!!



4. sign up using with Mr Linky (just use your blog name and don't forget to add where you live) so that we know who to come and visit to see the cool gifts you’ve made (remember, you don’t have to tell who they’re for, so even if they’re for another blogger, it will still be a surprise and you don’t HAVE to use the ideas I suggest, they’re pure motivators......we’d love to visit you to get more inspiration!!!)


5. Create, create, create, over the weekend and the following week MONTH (what WAS I thinking???!!!)....and don’t forget to post about what you’ve been making either so we can all come and visit, give encouragement and get inspiration from you too!


6. Then, on the first THIRD weekend  LAST DAY of the month, ( see???  I'm modifying as we go along!!!!...a work in progress!!! ) there just might be a little giveaway for some hardworking birthday stashers!!!!!
So......are you beginning to get a little bit interested???

Here are my first few ideas for gorgeous birthday gifts for January....



.........a lovely, simple table runner designed by Dawn Hay that can be made from and fabric to suit your ‘giftee’ despite it saying it’s a Christmas runner can be downloaded from HERE.


And this cute little purse that I found HERE.... (thanks Khris!!! ) and you can find the English tutorial if you click on the picture...




 

A needlecase for a stitching friend.....you know you can never have too many needlecases...and with Fiona’s great tutorial HERE, you’ll have lots made in a flash!





 ...


An oldie, but a goodie.......



photo courtesy of Designs by Fee


Fee has a tutorial on her blog to make some gorgeous shabby gloves.....and if you’re like me and HATE housework, these just might make it seem a bit more bearable!!!!


....and

a gorgeous tea towel design from my lovely friend Jen...


...



photo courtesy of Jenny of Elefantz





you can find it HERE



Now there’s a few to start you off! Don’t forget to go and visit each of the designers and thank them for their generosity......they make our life so much easier....and they always love to hear it when their ideas spring to life in someone else’s hands !


AND.....

don’t forget to link up and join in on the Birthday Love Stash 2013 for January!

Sugary Hugs xox :O)





Birthday-Love Stash 2013

It's nearly the new year, and it got me thinking about New Year's resolutions and STUFF!!!!!!

I have the same problem every year........ someone’s birthday rocks around and I am TOTALLY unprepared for it and end up making something and sending it weeks (and sometimes months!!!) later.....or offering some feeble excuse and feeling exceptionally bad!!!!! I am known as the ultimate procrastinator...... So for 2013, I thought I’d try something a little bit different and thought, if you're like me, you might just want to join me!

Each month I will round up a number of different free patterns off the web, just simple but very lovely things, to make for birthday gifts....and each month I WILL COMMIT to making something (because I’ll be prepared!), and stashing them away for when the time is right to parcel them up and send them off so they arrive ON TIME for some lucky birthday gal or guy!

So, are you in the same boat as me???   Are you itching to join me in creating your own Birthday Love Stash???

Then here we go.....

1. grab a small calendar diary from the ‘cheap’ shop where you can list all the birthdays of the people you want to make gifts for in 2013 and do just that....add their birthdays in so you can see at a glance who you need to make for in the following month (an probably even the first week of the next month!) ...or add dates to your Outlook or other platform diary if that's easier

2. Grab my button and put it up on your sidebar, linking back to me, and on the last weekend of the month, I’ll post some birthday links.

3. Make a post on your blog - letting all your readers know about your birthday love stash plans....you know it’s a commitment we all need, and the encouragement doesn’t go astray either!!!!!

4. sign up using with Mr Linky (just use your blog name and don't forget to add where you live) so that we know who to come and visit to see the cool gifts you’ve made (remember, you don’t have to tell who they’re for, so even if they’re for another blogger, it will still be a surprise and you don’t HAVE to use the ideas I suggest, they’re pure motivators......we’d love to visit you to get more inspiration!!!)

5. Create, create, create, over the weekend and the following week MONTH (what WAS I thinking???!!!)....and don’t forget to post about what you’ve been making either so we can all come and visit, give encouragement and get inspiration from you too!

6. Then, on the first THIRD weekend  LAST DAY of the month, ( see???  I'm modifying as we go along!!!!...a work in progress!!! ) there just might be a little giveaway for some hardworking birthday stashers!!!!! So......are you beginning to get a little bit interested???

Here are my first few ideas for gorgeous birthday gifts for January....

.........a lovely, simple table runner designed by Dawn Hay that can be made from and fabric to suit your ‘giftee’ despite it saying it’s a Christmas runner can be downloaded from HERE.

And this cute little purse that I found HERE.... (thanks Khris!!! ) and you can find the English tutorial if you click on the picture...


  A needlecase for a stitching friend.....you know you can never have too many needlecases...and with Fiona’s great tutorial HERE, you’ll have lots made in a flash!



 ... An oldie, but a goodie.......
photo courtesy of Designs by Fee

Fee has a tutorial on her blog to make some gorgeous shabby gloves.....and if you’re like me and HATE housework, these just might make it seem a bit more bearable!!!!

....and a gorgeous tea towel design from my lovely friend Jen... ...
photo courtesy of Jenny of Elefantz


you can find it HERE

Now there’s a few to start you off! Don’t forget to go and visit each of the designers and thank them for their generosity......they make our life so much easier....and they always love to hear it when their ideas spring to life in someone else’s hands !

AND.....

don’t forget to link up and join in on the Birthday Love Stash 2013 for January!

Sugary Hugs xox :O)

Thursday 27 December 2012

SSCS exposed!

I can’t believe Christmas is over for another year and now we’re looking forward to the New Year and all it has to bring. I was soooo looking forward to Christmas day this year, not only to celebrate the reason for the season, but these special gifties, the ones that came all the way from Josie in Scotland, were sitting there taunting me! 009 (Medium) Well…..guess which ones I ripped open first????  (I have said, I’m not one for niceties when it comes to opening presents….however…I am keeping all that gorgeous red ribbon for some very special projects!) Yep….these ones!   Don’t know how my family felt but these had been keeping me guessing for weeks!   I opened the ‘jiggly’ one first to reveal……… 012 (Medium) some yummy jelly jube lollies and the most GINORMOUS jelly beans I’ve ever seen!   They breed them big in Scotland!!! And just to prove it to you, here’s a ‘normal’ sized jelly bean next to them…….could you imagine if I put a jelly belly bean there???…Just like the three bears!!!! hee hee   I haven’t been game to try one yet in case they have magic powers and I grow just like Jack and the Beanstalk!!  Have enough of that problem just with all the Christmas goodies we’ve been eating!!! LOL 010 (Medium) There were also some beautiful Kirstie Allsopp sewing accessories….a pincushion, thimble and pins pack and a retractable tape measure…..just gorgeous…..and just how did Josie know I love watching Kirstie Allsopp do her ‘handmade’ thing on PayTV!!!! 011 (Medium) and as if that wasn’t enough……the ‘main’ present just blew me away!!!!   Check out this absolutely GOR-GEEEEEE-ous stitchery bag…… 013 (Medium) Again….Josie must have a telepathic connection….I had planned to do this Leanne Beasley stitchery ‘one day’ on something special!!!  I’ve collected all the Vignette magazines and drooled over them too!  How on earth did she know!??!!? Look at her stitching….isn’t it just perfect???…….. 015 (Medium) and the hand quilting just is divine!!!….. 016 (Medium) ….along with the red spotted lining!!!!!!…my favourite *wink* 017 (Medium) And now I can reveal what I sent to my SS…..Berit all the way from Norway…. 034 (Medium)035 (Medium)037 (Medium)040 (Medium)   The designs came from this little book.. 038 (Medium) …an absolute ripper!!!! You can visit Berit HERE to see how she has used it…..her house is just so pretty! A super huge THANK YOU to you Josie and Berit….and to Chooky too, for hosting yet another magnificent SSCS swap this year!  I know I said I couldn’t possibly do another swap this year….but I’m sooo glad Chooky intervened!!!!!   And now I have more bloggy friends in the world that I can visit…..Chooky is just like the e-Harmony matchmaker for bloggers!!!!! Hee hee. Off to start planning some crafty business for 2013! Big sugary hugs xox :O) Signature