mail overload!

This has been a good mail week. 

Seriously, I received 5 packages this week! And all included fabric!  

Sure makes for good pre-baby distractions.

I swapped some fabric with on Flickr and she felt so bad for her delay in mailing off the swap that she generously included the two fabrics on the right.  

These beauties were received as part of the MFSG for November - 5 FQs of Sketch from Timeless Treasures.

These 1 YARD cuts were a giveaway win from Cathy at Blueberry Patch.  I had entered her giveaway during the Canadian Blogathon.  They are so gorgeous.

The next two bits of mail were from swaps on Flickr as well.  Remember I had made a pillow cover for the Pillow Talk {Swap}?  My partner had received hers a while ago and all these other ladies were receiving gorgeous pillows.  I was beginning to think there were going to be no pillow covers left!  

Silly me.

Look what came to live in my house!

My partner, Miss Emily D, made this gorgeous cover for me using the Honey Bee Block from Why Not Sew?.  Have a look at the tutorial...  All those little honey bees are hand appliqued! 
She even hand quilted this cover for me!

She also sent along some blue and purple scraps for my Feather Quilt project.  

And some paper pieces to make the Spring Carnival pattern, a pattern that is on my 'short' to do list.

Spoiled?  Yes.

Then last, but not at all least because I was really really hoping this swap package would be for me, my Scrappy Swap package arrived. 

I had asked for something very specific in this swap - a hoop that I could hang in the kid's bedroom since I now have an other half to decorate.  I wasn't too picky about what should be on it, only that it was relatively gender neutral because we don't know if #2 is a boy or a girl.  

My partner, Karen, really pulled through on this one, not only with the hoop she made for me, but also with the scraps she sent!

 

Yes, those are goldfish in bags, some Nursery Versery, some text prints, some Echo stuck in on the side, some dots, some bikes, some Lizzy House... I love every one of the scraps she sent.  And she was very generous too as we are required to send a FQ of scraps and these pieces all unfolded make well over a FQ. 

The hoop was much bigger than I thought it would be, and the houses are so perfectly embroidered.

Yup, it was definitely a good mail week. 

Oh, and no worries, I do have something else to show you.  I didn't only open mail this week, I sewed a bit too.  But I'm not quite done yet, so that's for another day.

a colourful post

Okay, so here I am... on Wordpress... so please excuse if things don't look quite right.

I've been busy busy busy sewing dresses and tunics for my upcoming tradeshow in October and then I decided I needed a break from them.  So I got to work on a swap item!

I joined the Modernista Homemade swap this time around.  We have to make something for the kitchen and my partner asked for something pretty specific, so I won't share that part yet.  I have to wait for fabrics anyway before I can even post any progress or sneak peeks.  For the small item, I chose to make a bunting as that was also something she hinted at being able to find a place for.

Because the large item will be all prints with a neutral background, I thought to make the small item from all solids.  I really like this bunting and I think it looks pretty good on my own wall... Might have to make another!

I've also been plugging away at my Hexy MF project.  The last few nights I've pulled out my hexies and made at least one flower an evening.

Then yesterday I wasn't feeling very well, so I parked myself in my rocking chair and made a bunch more.

Now if only I could find the other finished flowers I made!  I put them away somewhere 'safe' but I can't for the life of me remember where that 'safe' place is!  I seem to have that problem more often lately.

That's why I try not to clean up my sewing space too too often.  I only end up losing stuff.

Today I also received some happy mail!

My pouch from my Pretty {little} Pouch Swap partner arrived!  Alisa from Making More With Less send me this beautiful gray, orange, and aqua pouch.  Big enough to hold my hand sewing and pretty enough to leave sitting around - I mean look at the bikes and the row of fancy stitching!

I was quite surprised to find out that my partner was the same person I sent to!  That's the second time that has happened to me - and both times have been super swaps.

a bit of this and that

Yay! My Pretty {little} Pouch Swap partner, Alisa from Making More with Less, received the package I sent out for her!  Now I can show you the back side of the pouch.

I wrote her name on the back with fabric marker and then embroidered her name, using what I think is the stem stitch, on the pouch.  She had asked if her partner would do this because then she'd be guaranteed no one else in her house would claim her pouch. 

The whole lot: I included some chocolate and a small stack of solids and prints.  I can't remember exactly how many I cut, but for every solid colour, I included a coordinating print. 

And just because I always like a post with pictures, here's some things I've pinned lately.  There are so many quilty things I want to try, but I really have no reason to try.  

I mean, I don't want to make a quilt of feathers or modular cathedral blocks, I just want to make a few! 

source

source

well, maybe I want to make a whole bunch of these feathers... not sure what for yet...

source

I first saw this block on Flickr with color and fell in love with the coloured version.

What do you do if you want to try a technique or block, but you don't want to make enough for a quilt or something? 

summer's here

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!  It ends on Wednesday, June 27.

Enter here.

 

Summer is here and it sure is warm. At least for me. 

I used to love the heat. I lived in Australia for 6 months, right during the summer, and I loved the heat.  Now, if it is 23Celcius, I'm good.  Anything warmer and I just don't know what to do with myself any more! 

With it being summer, I am sure spending less and less time sewing and thinking about sewing.  Though I do have a pair of shorts cut out and waiting to be sewn up for D. They are from the most recent Ottobre magazine.

 Stinking cute!  

I am using a dark blue linen-ish fabric.  I am not really sure it is linen.  It seems to me to be more of a rayon linen wannabe.  The pockets on the side will be the balloon fabric from the Children at Play line by Sarah Jane.  

But this week is supposed to be rather warm, so D and I will most likely be on the deck in the shade spending some quality time in the kiddy pool.  Or as D calls it, the cool.

I am not doing much sewing, but I am doing some receiving.  

I received this package from Cherie for the June A Little Fabric A Little Chocolate Swap.

I know.  There's no chocolate.  But since being pregnant, chocolate has lost it's allure.  It's sad really because I truly got a lot of enjoyment from eating bits of chocolate.  Hopefully this problem rectifies itself after the baby is born.

Instead of chocolate, I asked for scraps and some squares.  She sent a bunch of squares.  I will have to find something to make with them now since they are not right for the hexy playmat.  

Maybe granny squares?  Hmmm.

I also received today a giveaway win from Art Gallery Fabrics.  

A while ago, she had a scrap giveaway on Facebook and I emailed my address and got to be included in the mass mailing of scraps!

Now, there is a lot of green in here.  For those of you who know me, green is not a favourite colour.  

However.  

I like these.  

I could become friends with green yet. 

I'm Back!

We had a good holiday with the family in Holland. Two weeks can go by so quickly, and yet when I look back, it seems like it was longer than two weeks. It was good fun. 

When I got in the house I had mail waiting for me and I could hardly keep myself from ripping open a special envelope because I knew it was my swap package from the Mouthy Stitches swap.  I did wait, for about a half hour before I did open it.  

I knew by the address which pouch it was and that was part of the reason I was so excited to open the envelope.  The address was familiar because it was the same address I sent my swap package out to!  Sneaky swap mamas, pairing Rachel and I together!  

I couldn't be more pleased with the pouch and the scraps I received!  The pouch was one of my favourites in the swap from the very beginning - the colours are perfect, the fabric is a fave and the wrist strap is just what I asked for!  She also generously included some perfect three inch squares for my hexie project.  I also love every one of them, especially the laundry line one in the pic below.

Just look at all this beautiful stuff!

I consider this the front.  LOVE IT!

Bikes on the inside... it doesn't get any better.

I am so in love with this pouch!

Funny thing is, because Rachel was my partner, she had been stalking my blog and had seen the pouch I had made in full, even though I only put peeks in the Flickr pool. When she saw the pouch I had made, she was convinced it was for her!  It really doesn't get any better than when your favourite pouch is the one you actually get.

Also while we were away, my branding stamp finally came.  Now I can brand the clothes I make and people will know where it came from.

I like it.  Simple and cute.

Updates!

Hello everyone! 

We had a good weekend over here.  And I got a few things done.

First, as I mentioned I joined the Mouthy Stitches swap on Flickr.  We had to make a zippy pouch for our secret partner based on their mosaic posted in the group.  My partner definitely favoured applique and pinks and blues.  

This is my pouch for her.

The front is a picture just for tea time.

 The back is just for fun.

I'm even proud of the zipper!

I have never done applique in my life, and so this is a first for me.  I think it turned out pretty good.  

I only showed sneak peeks on Flickr for everyone to see, so if anyone is here from the Mouthy Stitches swap - lucky you!  You just saw my whole surprise!  

But... is it for you?

I appliqued cotton on a linen type fabric and I embroidered the steam and picture frame.

I love my special touch - the tea bag is appliqued on tea dyed fabric.  

Sometimes, I make me happy.

Ahem.

Sunday is always a nice day.  How can it be bad when you have church, family and friends all in one day?

I was also at West Edmonton Mall on Saturday selling my wares.  I had my dresses and skirts up for display along with a few things my sister had made.  All in all, I think for a first showing, I did acceptably well.  Nothing to be disappointed in this time!

My table from the front.

And the side, showing the rack my husband made me.

Then to top it all off, I received two swaps today!  One all the way from Portugal and the other from the States.  I love good mail days.

See! 

Told you I had a good weekend!

What a Week

It's finally Saturday!

Yay!

This has been of week of the sickies.  It started on Monday with Little D and me both feeling a little under the weather.  I had such headaches (and still do) and D was getting snotty and coughy.  We spent most of our days in the rocker in front of the computer watching Franklin on Youtube.  All D wanted to do was cuddle and all I wanted to do was close my eyes and will my headache away.

Turns out I have a bit of a sinus infection, as does the rest of the family.  Mr. D, my hubby, is also stuffed up and coughy. 

By yesterday morning I thought we were getting better, but nope.  D ended up with a fever yesterday and I still had headaches.  Mr. D had a rough night too, sore throat, cough, and stuffiness.

We are certainly keeping the tissue business running here.

Because of the sickies, I did not get much done at all this week.  I made bread and some suppers, cleaned the bathroom - took me two days because I did not have the energy to do it all in one shot - and did laundry.  Only the basic necessities.

I had very little energy left for sewing or even thinking about sewing.

But I did get a very little bit done!

It took me all week just to make this dress.  :)

I also met Eva-Marie, a fellow hexie maker, via her blog and Flickr and we set up a small swap for hexie squares.  I am excited to have some new squares coming for hexie making!  These are the squares I had up for swap. 

Anyone else interested in swapping some 3 inch squares for hexies?

I would love to get some more squares!

I am also busy with getting my ideas together for my swaps!  I have gotten both partners now and so it is to the drawing board and putting my ideas in to fabric!  

It's always fun making things for other people who have different tastes than myself.  Makes me think outside of my box. 

These fabrics are for my partner in the For the Love of Solids swap.  I can't reveal too much, but I think she will love it!

I am sure there will be more sneak peaks along the way for both swaps.  

Mail Day

From a previous post, you know that I participated in the Goodie Bag Swap on Flickr. I sent my partner's bag off last week and now this week I have received my own!

The postman brought it right to my door.  That never happens!  I usually have to go to the post office at the drug store to pick up parcels.  When I opened my door and saw that he had a box for me, I had to put effort in not to get too excited in front of him.

I did.  I kept my cool

It only lasted until I closed the door and ran to the kitchen for the scissors to open the box!

When I did open the box, this is what I saw.  -Can you believe I remembered to take a picture?-

My swap partner, Sew.whitney, made me a wonderful gray and yellow bag and packed along some pretty strip scraps and even a yard of Moda fabric!

What a great swap partner to stalk my photostream and see that I usually make clothes so yardage would be appreciated.  I love when partners take the time to have a look and see what I like and then add the personal touch by sending something specific to me.  Love it.

Since only my 19month old is home in the day, I could not model the bag.  I had to hang it on a chair, but you get the idea.  Good strap length.  Sturdy bag.  Love the colours.

Thanks Whitney.