Pay It Forward

A couple of months back I joined in the "Pay It Forward" cycle going around on crafty blogs.

Jeannette has safely received my PIF. Here is what I sent her. The amigurumi cup, cupcake and the needle case. (Everything else are just props to make the photo look nice!!)

Some days are

"Some days are diamonds, some days are stone" goes the line in a song. My days haven't been completely stones, just not my days.

We had two weeks school holidays; then my son home very sick once again, for over a week. Poor kid, he wasn't a "happy chappy." He's been sick and home more time this year than nearly all his early school years combined. Hubby has commenced two months of an 8 day fortnight working at head office in Perth, as a Project Manager in records management.

So days I thought I'd have to work on blocks and things, haven't been as I wished.

However, I've been working on the "Ten Virgins" sampler, a free x-stitch pattern from Gigi. The photo's show my progress.

The second photo has been added because I now have glasses, just for close work. I began to notice I wasn't able to read the small print on jars and packages, when listing the contents, preservatives etc. When reading a book or doing fine hand sewing, I began to see things bit smeary and blurry. So I have to look like a "granny" as we often have described, when reading through glasses then looking over the top of them at everyone and everything else!!!

I'm adding extra to the "Ten Virgins" sampler. I put the Bible reference of the parable as spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ. I'll also add below the alphabets, the whole of the verse Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day not the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." A very serious message to take note of.

"Dear Jane" Quilt

I love the Dear Jane quilt. I started my journey back in 2005. I completed all the centre squares earlier this year and just have 40 odd triangles to complete for the border.

So you can image how proud I feel with when my fellow DJ'er friends complete their quilt. Have a look at my friend Julia's completed quilt. Isn't it just beautiful?! I meet Julia in her own home, Christmas a couple of years ago, after finding each other on the DJ email list.

Here is a part of my own DJ progress, with another DJ'er, Irene, from Perth.

"Basket Case Quilters"

I think the name "Basket Case Quilters" is a rather humourous name for a yahoo group I'm with!!

It's a free basket BOM, which has officially started this month, however, some of us were "biting at the bit" to make basket blocks sooner, so links to some free blocks on the internet helped "wet the appetite."

These are the blocks I've done so far. I'm using different basket weave fabrics for each basket, and using different background fabrics, as if they were "wallpaper prints".

I've used foundation piecing, hand piecing, machine piecing, applique and broderie perse so far.

Triplets now!!

I've been posting over the last few weeks about our lambs. Our first lamb was "Floppy Ears", the next "Tan Leg" then two weeks ago, "Cloudy". Don't you love the names!!! All females as well.

Well we doubled our lambs with the birth of triplets two evenings ago. My daughter was out taking photo's of them yesterday.

One of them is already named "Brown Coat" because of the brown marking around it's neck and shoulders. I see spotty and such like names for the other two, going by the markings they have!!

"Among the Gum Trees"

There is a wonderful new blog - Among The Gum Trees. Check this one out!!

In a (gum) nut-shell, this it’s what we’re all about:

A merry band of Australian designers sharing a few of their original and varied designs freely for your personal use!

Among the Gum Trees is the brainchild of Jenny of ELEFANTZ, who has brought together nine established and emerging designers to offer something new and exciting to the world - their own original designs – to download free of charge!

Free of charge?! Are we mad?! Well, no we’re not insane, but we do affectionately refer to each other as “the nutters”, and we look forward to sharing our designs, our news, and our ‘nutty’ journey with you along the way, and among the gum trees!


So when is all of this happening?

Starting on Monday 5th October and thereafter on each subsequent Monday during October and November, there will be a FREE Christmas-themed design for you to download. Nine free Christmas designs!!

Ranette's Giveaway

Ranette is having a "Truly Scrumptious" giveaway. It really is!!!!!