Sweet as........giveaways

Wow, that was fast wasn't it???  Two posts in one eve???? (Especially for me *grin*)  But I had to tell you about my bloggy friend Dawn and her name change....you see, when I first started blogging, Dawn left my very first comment, so she has a very special place in my heart!!!!

...and she has changed her name (of her blog, silly!!!)...and she's named it after all things yummy.....cinnamon donuts, cinnamon buns, stewed apples with cinnamon, cinnamon sugar .......mmmmmm!

Here's her new button

so, go and visit my lovely friend, Dawn...she's ...'As Sweet As Cinnamon'....and she's having a giveaway to celebrate.  

And, another very special blogger is having a blogiversary and that means another giveaway.  Pop on over to visit Lyn at Bluebird Quilts

You won't be disappointed!

 

Sweet cinnamon-sugary hugs

XX Wendy :O)

Sweet as........giveaways

Wow, that was fast wasn't it???  Two posts in one eve???? (Especially for me *grin*)  But I had to tell you about my bloggy friend Dawn and her name change....you see, when I first started blogging, Dawn left my very first comment, so she has a very special place in my heart!!!!

...and she has changed her name (of her blog, silly!!!)...and she's named it after all things yummy.....cinnamon donuts, cinnamon buns, stewed apples with cinnamon, cinnamon sugar .......mmmmmm!

Here's her new button

so, go and visit my lovely friend, Dawn...she's ...'As Sweet As Cinnamon'....and she's having a giveaway to celebrate.  

And, another very special blogger is having a blogiversary and that means another giveaway.  Pop on over to visit Lyn at Bluebird Quilts

You won't be disappointed!

 

Sweet cinnamon-sugary hugs

XX Wendy :O)

Whew....I made it!

....and just in time!  It's been a busy month and I never thought I'd get my finish for OPAM but.......looky here:

Just sneaked it in with moments to spare!

I'm taking my year 6 students on camp To Mackay next term, right smack-dang in the middle of July....bbbrrrrrrrr.....and I thought this year, we might make our own plate bags.  I made the 'prototype' today and am quite pleased with the results.  I've tried to make it beginner friendly with little, clumsy fingers in mind, so we're going to try backstitch, chainstitch and a nice simple running stitch!  The plate is appliqued on, simply attached with a glue stick and then chain stitched around. 

I had fun in Spotlight trying to find appropriate 'equipment' with less-than-patient persistent children in mind, so thinking outside of the square was a must-do.  Needles have to have a large eye (otherwise we'd never ever get started!) so I hunted and searched, searched and hunted and found that size 20 chenille needles teamed with 2 ply double mercerised cotton thread would do the trick.(could you imagine the tears......mine......with the birds' nests of DMC/Cosmo if I tried them out on that to start with.....????!!!! Boo Hoo!)

I thought varigated threads might give a little bit more of an interest factor and keep them entertained whilst they learn to sew.......fingers crossed!

We'll be starting these this week so I'll keep you posted on how we go!

I also took time off on Friday to visit the knee surgeon, who told me I was much too young for a knee replacement, despite having the knees of a ninety year old!!! (wasn't he sweet, just days before my birthday, and feeling all of my 44 years and 362 days old, and some!)  You see, I have osteo-arthritis in my knees, neck and shoulders, but my left knee particularly.  A sporting injury 30 years ago has sped up the wear and tear.....hurdling just isn't a good idea for a chubby teen!!!!!  So he's going to try a new procedure where he will suck out the fluid in my knee and replace it with a gel like substance...a bit like a grease and oil change, or new shockies for the car!!!!  This won't happen till the end of July though as he goes on a month's 'holiday' overseas (conference!!).

Whilst I was in the 'big smoke' I went to Tinkers Cart where I paid up my owings for the retreat on the 19th June with Rosalie Quinlan, Leanne Beasley and Bronwyn Hayes....oooo, I'm so excited and I just can't wait!   .....and, guess who couldn't just stop at that???.......I did a little self indulging behaviour from both Tinkers and Spotlight...(shhhhhh, don't tell hubby!)......look at what I got......

I've always admired Natalie Lymer's Market Baguette, so when I saw those 'gawjus' (thanks Joy!!) red leather handles, I just couldn't resist!  Some new DMC's, a few Cosmos, some deeeeelectable Cottage Garden threads (can't wait to try those!!) and a new sewing basket to hold  a myriad of handy crafty goodies beside my chair in the lounge!

Anyway, enough diversions.....I'm drooling just thinking about all the crafty things I have going!!!

I must go and ice the 24 cupcakes I've made to celebrate my special day with my year 6 kiddlywinks tomorrow....then I've got to mark some more of their work for report cards!!!!  (yaaawn!!)

I'm sure I'll have more to share in the next couple of days *sneaky wink*

love and sugary sweet hugs and cupcakes

Wendy :O) XXX

Whew....I made it!

....and just in time!  It's been a busy month and I never thought I'd get my finish for OPAM but.......looky here:

Just sneaked it in with moments to spare!

I'm taking my year 6 students on camp To Mackay next term, right smack-dang in the middle of July....bbbrrrrrrrr.....and I thought this year, we might make our own plate bags.  I made the 'prototype' today and am quite pleased with the results.  I've tried to make it beginner friendly with little, clumsy fingers in mind, so we're going to try backstitch, chainstitch and a nice simple running stitch!  The plate is appliqued on, simply attached with a glue stick and then chain stitched around. 

I had fun in Spotlight trying to find appropriate 'equipment' with less-than-patient persistent children in mind, so thinking outside of the square was a must-do.  Needles have to have a large eye (otherwise we'd never ever get started!) so I hunted and searched, searched and hunted and found that size 20 chenille needles teamed with 2 ply double mercerised cotton thread would do the trick.(could you imagine the tears......mine......with the birds' nests of DMC/Cosmo if I tried them out on that to start with.....????!!!! Boo Hoo!)

I thought varigated threads might give a little bit more of an interest factor and keep them entertained whilst they learn to sew.......fingers crossed!

We'll be starting these this week so I'll keep you posted on how we go!

I also took time off on Friday to visit the knee surgeon, who told me I was much too young for a knee replacement, despite having the knees of a ninety year old!!! (wasn't he sweet, just days before my birthday, and feeling all of my 44 years and 362 days old, and some!)  You see, I have osteo-arthritis in my knees, neck and shoulders, but my left knee particularly.  A sporting injury 30 years ago has sped up the wear and tear.....hurdling just isn't a good idea for a chubby teen!!!!!  So he's going to try a new procedure where he will suck out the fluid in my knee and replace it with a gel like substance...a bit like a grease and oil change, or new shockies for the car!!!!  This won't happen till the end of July though as he goes on a month's 'holiday' overseas (conference!!).

Whilst I was in the 'big smoke' I went to Tinkers Cart where I paid up my owings for the retreat on the 19th June with Rosalie Quinlan, Leanne Beasley and Bronwyn Hayes....oooo, I'm so excited and I just can't wait!   .....and, guess who couldn't just stop at that???.......I did a little self indulging behaviour from both Tinkers and Spotlight...(shhhhhh, don't tell hubby!)......look at what I got......

I've always admired Natalie Lymer's Market Baguette, so when I saw those 'gawjus' (thanks Joy!!) red leather handles, I just couldn't resist!  Some new DMC's, a few Cosmos, some deeeeelectable Cottage Garden threads (can't wait to try those!!) and a new sewing basket to hold  a myriad of handy crafty goodies beside my chair in the lounge!

Anyway, enough diversions.....I'm drooling just thinking about all the crafty things I have going!!!

I must go and ice the 24 cupcakes I've made to celebrate my special day with my year 6 kiddlywinks tomorrow....then I've got to mark some more of their work for report cards!!!!  (yaaawn!!)

I'm sure I'll have more to share in the next couple of days *sneaky wink*

love and sugary sweet hugs and cupcakes

Wendy :O) XXX

Birthday Giveaway!

Jenny of Elefantz is having a giveaway to celebrate the birth of her darling 'Blossom'.  Jump to it and visit here

and don't forget to mention my name!!! 

And I just had to share with you the winter beauty of North Queensland at 6.30 this morning.

We are truly blessed, aren't we???  But, believe it or not 15 minutes later, we were hit with a sudden downpour!!!!  Gotta love it!

Have a WONDERFUL day!

sugary hugs

Wendy XX :O)

Birthday Giveaway!

Jenny of Elefantz is having a giveaway to celebrate the birth of her darling 'Blossom'.  Jump to it and visit here

and don't forget to mention my name!!! 

And I just had to share with you the winter beauty of North Queensland at 6.30 this morning.

We are truly blessed, aren't we???  But, believe it or not 15 minutes later, we were hit with a sudden downpour!!!!  Gotta love it!

Have a WONDERFUL day!

sugary hugs

Wendy XX :O)

Queen Slacker!

Yes I know, I've been quiet on the bloggy front..... again!!!!......something I said I wouldn't do!!!!......but, I have excuses!......honestly!!!! 

I have been thinking of you all though.....and missing you incredibly.  I have popped in to a couple of blogs, but since I've had my laptop formatted and rebooted, it had decided to test my patience with 'blogger' and I just tended to give up due to the time poor factor....but not today!

And........you don't want to hear about the boring, old, mundane, day to day workload of report cards and planning, so instead I'll accept the title of "Queen Slacker for the Month Of May" and show you the few little things I have managed to do this month!  (mind you, there has been no actual finishes....so I really have to get my act into gear for OPAM this week!)

I've been working on Helen Stubbings', "Nice People, Nice Things" stitcheries to be made into a quilt using QAYG for over a year now, snatching time whenever I can.  I have been thinking I would never get this one finished, but after checking where I was up to in the 'big scheme of things' last night, I found I only have four more lots of 6 stitcheries to go, then I can start piecing them....so this may be finished by this time next year!!!!

 

Here's a close up of my stitchery....reasonably even but, seeing I'm doing it at nighttime, I've noticed I really need to invest in a larger good quality lamp!

Our last months guild raffle prize was won by 'moi'!!!.....Very nice monochromatic fat quarters.....I already have a plan in mind...I'm thinking this would look great in one of the turning twenty patterns which I bought here.....it's when I get to it that remains the unknown!!!!

A lovely lady from Victoria, (whose name escapes me!!.....oops, sorry!)  visited our guild last meeting and brought with her the most gorgeous array of Superior Threads.  We watched Dr Bob's thread seminar and learnt so much in 55 minutes, we were all set and ready to sew, armed with ways of avoiding those dreaded thread problems!

I couldn't let her go without helping lighten her load....just a little!!!....here's what I bought -

I am in love with the quilting gloves, but even moreso with the 'Sew Slip'.  I had been contemplating an extension table for my machine but near-on $200 is a bit extravagent so this treasure does the same trick....just pile magazines/books around the machine bed to the same level (and who doesn't have an abundance of those???!!) and place the Sew Slip on top.  It grips perfectly without stickiness and, 'voila', an extension table with a smooth 'glidy' surface to quilt on.......and for only about $35.......a bargain!

And here's a close-up of the threads.......

......just yummy-gorgeous-ness!!!

 
I'm using the varigated thread to machine quilt my "Bowen Beauty".....I've started but remember, Queen of the Slackers here!!!!.

 

 

I must get on to finishing this for OPAM!

I thought I'd pass on another little trick I found, quite by accident!  I have had quite a few (well, maybe a couple!)  'accidents' with ruler slippage and missed cuts and we all know how frustrating that can be, especially if we only have just enough fabric.  This was becoming a real problem with my 24" ruler only and I found this little beauty whilst browsing on an online 'cheap' shop, and now I have no slip and plenty of grip!!!!

 

Believe it or not, this 'invalid' shower rail has an excellent alternative use in the quilting world.....suction is superb and I've found that the pressure you place on the handle spreads all the way throughout the ruler, so no slips and missed cuts!.....but wait, there's more!  (oh no.....that does sound familiar!!!).....the pressure you have to exert onto the handle is not nearly as much as what you normally do on the ruler itself, so really great for long cutting sessions and people with strength issues due to age, arthritis, etc etc.  As it's held on by suction, you can easily change it between rulers.....no stickiness here, either....easy peasy!

Here's the kind I got, but I'm sure there are many other types around the world that would do the same thing??.....I highly recommend trying it out, and for only about $12, why wouldn't you!?

One last little 'beauty'.....although I've been extremely busy with work, I have managed to take a little time to 'smell the roses' and take in the wonders of my garden.  This lovely little sunbird visits regularly and takes advantage of the aloe flowers in our garden.....our world really is truly amazing....God's gift to us all!

See you sew soon!

sugary hugs   :O)

XXX

Queen Slacker!

Yes I know, I've been quiet on the bloggy front..... again!!!!......something I said I wouldn't do!!!!......but, I have excuses!......honestly!!!! 

I have been thinking of you all though.....and missing you incredibly.  I have popped in to a couple of blogs, but since I've had my laptop formatted and rebooted, it had decided to test my patience with 'blogger' and I just tended to give up due to the time poor factor....but not today!

And........you don't want to hear about the boring, old, mundane, day to day workload of report cards and planning, so instead I'll accept the title of "Queen Slacker for the Month Of May" and show you the few little things I have managed to do this month!  (mind you, there has been no actual finishes....so I really have to get my act into gear for OPAM this week!)

I've been working on Helen Stubbings', "Nice People, Nice Things" stitcheries to be made into a quilt using QAYG for over a year now, snatching time whenever I can.  I have been thinking I would never get this one finished, but after checking where I was up to in the 'big scheme of things' last night, I found I only have four more lots of 6 stitcheries to go, then I can start piecing them....so this may be finished by this time next year!!!!

 

Here's a close up of my stitchery....reasonably even but, seeing I'm doing it at nighttime, I've noticed I really need to invest in a larger good quality lamp!

Our last months guild raffle prize was won by 'moi'!!!.....Very nice monochromatic fat quarters.....I already have a plan in mind...I'm thinking this would look great in one of the turning twenty patterns which I bought here.....it's when I get to it that remains the unknown!!!!

A lovely lady from Victoria, (whose name escapes me!!.....oops, sorry!)  visited our guild last meeting and brought with her the most gorgeous array of Superior Threads.  We watched Dr Bob's thread seminar and learnt so much in 55 minutes, we were all set and ready to sew, armed with ways of avoiding those dreaded thread problems!

I couldn't let her go without helping lighten her load....just a little!!!....here's what I bought -

I am in love with the quilting gloves, but even moreso with the 'Sew Slip'.  I had been contemplating an extension table for my machine but near-on $200 is a bit extravagent so this treasure does the same trick....just pile magazines/books around the machine bed to the same level (and who doesn't have an abundance of those???!!) and place the Sew Slip on top.  It grips perfectly without stickiness and, 'voila', an extension table with a smooth 'glidy' surface to quilt on.......and for only about $35.......a bargain!

And here's a close-up of the threads.......

......just yummy-gorgeous-ness!!!

 
I'm using the varigated thread to machine quilt my "Bowen Beauty".....I've started but remember, Queen of the Slackers here!!!!.

 

 

I must get on to finishing this for OPAM!

I thought I'd pass on another little trick I found, quite by accident!  I have had quite a few (well, maybe a couple!)  'accidents' with ruler slippage and missed cuts and we all know how frustrating that can be, especially if we only have just enough fabric.  This was becoming a real problem with my 24" ruler only and I found this little beauty whilst browsing on an online 'cheap' shop, and now I have no slip and plenty of grip!!!!

 

Believe it or not, this 'invalid' shower rail has an excellent alternative use in the quilting world.....suction is superb and I've found that the pressure you place on the handle spreads all the way throughout the ruler, so no slips and missed cuts!.....but wait, there's more!  (oh no.....that does sound familiar!!!).....the pressure you have to exert onto the handle is not nearly as much as what you normally do on the ruler itself, so really great for long cutting sessions and people with strength issues due to age, arthritis, etc etc.  As it's held on by suction, you can easily change it between rulers.....no stickiness here, either....easy peasy!

Here's the kind I got, but I'm sure there are many other types around the world that would do the same thing??.....I highly recommend trying it out, and for only about $12, why wouldn't you!?

One last little 'beauty'.....although I've been extremely busy with work, I have managed to take a little time to 'smell the roses' and take in the wonders of my garden.  This lovely little sunbird visits regularly and takes advantage of the aloe flowers in our garden.....our world really is truly amazing....God's gift to us all!

See you sew soon!

sugary hugs   :O)

XXX

Happy Mothers' Day

What a lovely gift for Mothers' Day......

My beautiful tea rose flowered just in time....isn't it beautiful???

Just had to share it with you on this beautiful celebration of mothers all around the world!

Hope you're having a really ROSY day  (hehehe)




sugary hugs

XX Wendy :O)

Happy Mothers' Day

What a lovely gift for Mothers' Day......

My beautiful tea rose flowered just in time....isn't it beautiful???

Just had to share it with you on this beautiful celebration of mothers all around the world!

Hope you're having a really ROSY day  (hehehe)




sugary hugs

XX Wendy :O)