F-R-I-E-N-D-S Swap 2013 Show and Tell

As I might have mentioned, I enjoy entering Khristina's F-R-I-E-N-D-S swaps, and this year saw me being paired up with a lovely lady, Marc (Her blog can be viewed by clicking HERE), from a town 8km's away from my house....and we've had a couple of lunch dates in the last couple of weeks, and now on Saturdays, Marc is able to attend my quilting group in Barmera, so it gives her an outing on the weekends where she gets to intermingle with other 'crazy crafters', and spend some time doing uninterruptable crafting :-)

Anywhoooo, last Thursday, Marc and I met up for lunch to swap our Friends gifts....here's what I gave her (I'm saving mine to show you shortly.....you should always save the best till last).

All wrapped and ready (yes I know I already shared a pic of them, but I like how hers look lol)

So, for F, I gave her:

F - Fabric tote bag, in her favourite type of colours.  The tutorial that the bag is mostly fashioned after (I made some adjustments!) can be found here.  The pattern doesn't have an inside pocket being that it's made QAYG, and it has raw seams inside, which are a pet hate, so I lined mine, which meant I could add a pocket.

R - Runner, also done in fabric colours she likes (at least I hope she does lol)  The tutorial for the runner can be found here and a link just for the block is here.

I - Iron caddy & travel iron.....now I actually purchased a pattern to make the caddy a while back, but there's a very similar one for free here, with a pdf download near the bottom of the page.

E - (Boring and unimaginable, yet yummy at the same time!) Edibles....some choccies to give Marc sustenance when doing big quilting jobs or large stitcheries.

N - Nifty Needlecase and notions.....if you want to make yourself a needlecase like this, then click here.

D - Drinking Chocolate, Drinking Mug and Mug Bag....so Marc has her favourite hot drink to bring along to quilting or when she goes to any workshops

S - Sewing pouch made with Scissors fabric and something to keep her hands soft (ie hand cream) which I forgot to take a pic of.

For some reason, Marc felt her FRIENDS swap gifts were inadequate, and today she gave me another bag of goodies, to make up for it....even though I'd told her not to.  First here's the lovely gift ribboned box she arrived with to our swap over lunch.

I couldn't resist taking a pic of the white bit you see peeking out under the ribbon.....I'd never thought of printing off the badge/button that Khristina uses for the swap each year....good thinking Marc.

Now here's what was inside the box....all these pressies, and woo hoo, they were ALL mine *grins*

See how she even used the swap button as the tags for the pressies.......so clever...guess who'll be stealing that idea next year? lol

 F - Folder, Free patterns and Fruchocs
R - Red ribbon, rose fabrics and a Rosalie Quinlan Pattern (it's a wee ladybug bag and pincushion)
I - Inspiration Bag...check out the stitchery she did on it below this list
E - Embroideries, DMC threads (3) and a folder to keep them in
N - Notebooks all with owls on and some note keeper pegs, also with owls on
D - Drink mug with the owl & a pussycat and a matching mug rug that she stitched on it....and how cool is it that the fabric she used on the mug rug match the colours of the mug too?  (I put a close up of the stitchery she did below) also, some Dark chocolate tim tams
S - Sewing bag and snake lollies

So, am I spoilt or what?  I think so.  BUT wait, there's more....today at quilting, she rocked up and presented me with the following bag of goodies.

Some gorgeous owl fabrics in two different colour ways, two owl cards, an owl fridge magnet, a very cute owl badge she made me and a label on the bag that says (if it's too hard to read in the pic) Thank you for making me feel so special.  Marc, my new friend, you are more than welcome hunnybun.









Now, in my quest to get to know her, I actually read Marc's blog, all the way back to her first post...and I happened to notice that it's her birthday on 12th Sept, so next Friday, myself and my bestie Terri are going to one of our local golf clubs for lunch to celebrate Marc's birthday....and yes, Marc will be there too lol  I just realised that it sounded like she wasn't coming along hee hee hee

Show 'N' Tell

As I mentioned yesterday, I might have been AWOL, but I have been sewing, so today I thought I would share some brag photos of some of the things I've sewn.

The above are some of the quilt tops both myself, my bestie Terri and my next door stalker have put together for Aussie Hero Quilt recipients from BOM's sent from all over Australia, however the top one was some orphan blocks that were sent to me to use for the Aussie Hero quilts....sorry I can't remember who sent them, so thank you Ms Anonymous!

Last month it was Terri's birthday and as she and I have had a bit of a cup cake thing happening....I made her some cupcakes....the food colouring was rose pink, and I wanted darkish pink, so I added a fair bit of colouring to the frosting.....ooops, my bad, they were a nice shade of fluro pink in the end...hee hee hee, but thankfully she didn't mind!

I also made her a sign for her craft room door....I got the idea online, and when I find the tutorial again, I'll share the link with you all.  Basically you paint onto the photo frame glass, in reverse, then you put fabric behind it....and as she's now an owl lover like me I did an owl theme for her sign....can't think who would've encouraged that can you? *looking innocently around my shoulders*

I also got her a purple (both of us's favourite colour) fat quarter storage bag and an owl chest....when I went back to get me one, they'd sold out grrrrrrrrrr

Oh and I wrapped the chest up in owl fabric :-)

Next I made myself a mega card holder wallet from this tutorial.  I nearly have it filled up already, and have been using it to death....might make a couple of these for Christmas pressies.

I also made myself a matching USB stick wallet, but haven't taken pics of that yet, as I'm planning on making another and doing a tutorial for it at the same time....stay tuned.

For ages I've been wanting to make a jigsaw quilt, and whilst I was MIA, that day came....ok so it's still just a flimsy, but only until I find the right backing fabric for it...then it'll be quilted....by me!  Yep, I'm getting the hang of this quilting lark lol  (Necessity or rather poverty is a great motivator!)

I'll post another pic when it's finished...the pieces should stand out more then.
Till next time, keep smilin' and stitchin'

Just like Arnie....

I'm back....I kinda didn't realise I hadn't posted since April....but apparently, I've been MIA for just over 4 months.....did ya miss me?  Hopefully at least one person missed me????

I have been busy sewing...mainly bits and bobs for Aussie Hero Quilts, but I have made a few other things...the most recent things being for my swap partner in Khristina's annual F-R-I-E-N-D-S Swap.  I was lucky enough to get partnered with someone who lives just a wee drive from me....so this Thursday Marc and I are meeting up for lunch and to do the hand over (Pokes tongue out at the postie....no postage this time hahaha) of our swap gifts.....just to tease her, here's a pic of the pressies all wrapped up and labelled.....guilt free choccie wrapping paper!

 In a post later in the week, I'll reveal what the gifts were, but until then, just let it be said that there's only 1 that is totally bought...the rest are all partially or fully handmade....by me too!!  Marc and I have already 'done lunch' and it was great meeting a swap partner, and I also introduced her to the Saturday quilting group in Barmera....which is where I spend most Wednesdays.

I can't wait to see if she likes her pressies....I sure hope she does....this is always the most nerve wracking part of a swap for me...the anticipation of whether my partner is going to be happy with my choices for her....shouldn't be so sexist...but I haven't had a male swap partner yet.....I know there's plenty of male quilters out there.....don't y'all participate in swaps????

Till next time, keep smilin' and stitching :-)

Lest we forget....Anzac Day post

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, originally commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps  (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli during World War I.  It now more broadly commemorates all those who served and died in military operations for their countries.

Dawn Services are held both in Australia and in several other countries.  At almost, if not at all 'official' ceremonies (I'm pretty sure, it would be at all, but am trying to cover my bases here!), the Last Post is played.  The following video is not only of the Last Post being played by a sole trumpet, it also has the words of the odes.



Wikipedia has the following information about the odes, which is taken from the "Ode of Rememberence"


The "Ode of Remembrance" is an ode taken from Laurence Binyon's poem, "For the Fallen", which was first published in The Times in September 1914.

'For The Fallen' plaque with The Rumps promontory beyond

The poet wrote For the Fallen, which has seven stanzas, while sitting on the cliffs between Pentire Point and The Rumps in north Cornwall, UK. A stone plaque was erected at the spot in 2001 to commemorate the fact. The plaque bears the inscription:

For the Fallen

Composed on these cliffs 1914

There is also a plaque on the beehive monument on the East Cliff above Portreath in central North Cornwall which cites that as the place where Binyon composed the poem.
The poem honoured the World War I British war dead of that time, and in particular the British Expeditionary Force, which by then already had high casualty rates on the developing Western Front. The poem was published when the Battle of the Marne was foremost in people's minds.

War memorial in ChristChurch Cathedral, Christchurch, NZ

Over time, the third and fourth stanzas of the poem (although often just the fourth)^[1] were claimed as a tribute to all casualties of war, regardless of state.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

The phrase Lest we forget is often added as a final line at the end of the ode and repeated in response by those listening, especially in Australia.

The following video is one I found on You Tube that sends a tribute to some of Australia's Fallen Heroes.



I've always loved the following song, it's by Debbie Byrne (think Young Talent Time) and is from an old Aussie movie called "Rebel" and I send it out to all the "Aussie Heroes" who are currently deployed overseas.



To all Defence Force Personnel I thank you for the service you provide to maintain our safety and freedom. 

Don't forget, if you are about to deploy, or you have a loved one who is already deployed, or about to deploy, you can send a request in for a quilt and/or laundry bag to be mailed off to them, by contacting Aussie Hero Quilts founder, Jan-Maree, just click HERE to go visit the AHQ blog and see what you can do to help out too!

Until you're back home on Aussie soil, stay safe.

I'm going to be joining in on the fun, will you be?

Just recently, I popped in to see what was happening over at !Insights from SewCalGal and I noticed she was talking about National Quilt Day, and how she thought it should be International Quilt Day....OMG, how exciting.....SCORE.....I messaged, she messaged, and voila, the day is now extended to a weekend, to incorporate all the different time zones, so we can all be a part of it, and the clever lady made a button, which is over on my side bar.  But if you want to grab your own, click on the button below

If you want to read more about how you can help promote our special day/weekend, then please click HERE.

Have fun, and don't forget to enter her Blog Hop Party giveaway whilst you're there, if you're quick enough that is!

Oooops, I'm not sure what happened, but the buttons weren't linked properly, but they are now.  I've already made a couple of things....what will you be making?

I never knew this.....till today!

Did you know that you can type the following link into the address bar, and it'll show you if any images off your blog have been pinned on Pinterest?

http://pinterest.com/source/your blogname.blogspot.com

Obviously you need to change it slightly once the page opens....but here's what I found had been pinned from my blog....quite interesting as they were not necessarily what I'd have pinned if I was a stranger visiting my blog lol

So there you have it, my little bit of knowledge for today! 

Winners, Winners.....calling all winners.

Having done a quick head count over on FB (some people were unable to leave a comment, I couldn't work out why, so accepted their entries via my plugs for the giveaway on my wall), there were 30 names in the draw for the tablerunner, 22 for the pincushion and 21 for the keyring.....I did use Random.org to do the draw, got all excited and forgot to save the screenshot, then spent about 20 mins, trying to get the same numbers to come up again, but sadly it wouldn't, so you'll have to just take my word for it.

This person had a bit of a shock yesterday, but was an all round hero.....she helped keep a little girl calm, who'd been in a bus accident, that happened out the back of her house, so please, make sure you congratulate CHRIS H who is going to be the owner of the tablerunner.  Congrat's Chris xx

 
Next was the draw for the pincushion, and that goes to ROBIN of RS ISLAND CRAFTS...congratulations Robin xx

Third prize was the keyring/bag tag, and that goes to THE PATCH CRAFT congrat's hun xx

All winners have been emailed (at least they will have once I've published this post) and I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for the entries.  Stay tuned, I'll be hosting more giveaways, and maybe even a sew-a-long a bit later in the year.