A quilt for Kaaren….please help!

  I’ve posted here before about my work on Raggedy Friends and how I looooooove Kaaren’s design. She’s been busy moving house and has taken a break from blogging due to a serious health issue rearing its ugly head. Kaaren’s always been so generous with her FFF (First Friday Freebie) and her BOM and many other ‘gives’ that my lovely blogging friend Allie is asking us to make a block and send it to her (Allie!) so she (along with Paulette and Leslie) can make her a quilt to show how much we care and love her! Visit Kaaren here and let her know our thoughts and prayers are with her and drop in to see Allie and nominate to make a block so that lots of lovin’ quilty hugs and prayers can be given! sugary hugs Wendy :O)

A quilt for Kaaren….please help!

 

I’ve posted here before about my work on Raggedy Friends and how I looooooove Kaaren’s design.

She’s been busy moving house and has taken a break from blogging due to a serious health issue rearing its ugly head.

Kaaren’s always been so generous with her FFF (First Friday Freebie) and her BOM and many other ‘gives’ that my lovely blogging friend Allie is asking us to make a block and send it to her (Allie!) so she (along with Paulette and Leslie) can make her a quilt to show how much we care and love her!

Visit Kaaren here and let her know our thoughts and prayers are with her and drop in to see Allie and nominate to make a block so that lots of lovin’ quilty hugs and prayers can be given!

sugary hugs

Wendy :O)

Stitched up Sundays

  Stitching is something I think I’m pretty ok at….well, not ALL stitches, but most I’m ok at……I DO need some practice and would like to learn some tricks to getting them right….(instead of ending up wound up in knots!!) Soooooooooo……… when Helen from Hugs ‘n Kisses decided to offer up her Sundays to teach me, I jumped at the chance.  Wouldn’t you?????………..(well……maybe not just me…..!!!) Would you like to join me too??   I’m willing to share my personal tuition time…..well, I guess I have to be COMPLETELY honest here……Helen’s offering her time to ALL of us….I didn’t really get a special, solitary invitation……(but it sounded good didn’t it??)……but she IS offering a personal lesson program for us all.  Starting this Sunday, starting simple and getting progressively more challenging, Helen will post a new stitch or tip or tutorial on stitching and embroidery….woohoooo……. I think it will be wonderful to learn together, don’t you?? So, what do you reckon…..you in???? See you on Sunday! Sugary hugs Wendy :0)

Stitched up Sundays

 

Stitching is something I think I’m pretty ok at….well, not ALL stitches, but most I’m ok at……I DO need some practice and would like to learn some tricks to getting them right….(instead of ending up wound up in knots!!)

Soooooooooo………

when Helen from Hugs ‘n Kisses decided to offer up her Sundays to teach me, I jumped at the chance.  Wouldn’t you?????………..(well……maybe not just me…..!!!)

Would you like to join me too??   I’m willing to share my personal tuition time…..well, I guess I have to be COMPLETELY honest here……Helen’s offering her time to ALL of us….I didn’t really get a special, solitary invitation……(but it sounded good didn’t it??)……but she IS offering a personal lesson program for us all. 

Starting this Sunday, starting simple and getting progressively more challenging, Helen will post a new stitch or tip or tutorial on stitching and embroidery….woohoooo……. I think it will be wonderful to learn together, don’t you??

So, what do you reckon…..you in????

See you on Sunday!

Sugary hugs

Wendy :0)

Vintage Turnovers….a finish!

Ta Dah!!!!  What do you think?  I’m very happy with my take on the Vintage Turnover pattern I found here.  I managed to finish it at our Guild’s UFO weekend to attack our stashes of UFO’s in preparation for our biennial Quilt Show at the end of July. My gorgeous friend Dawn helped me by stippling this beauty and I finished it by quilting the flowers and binding…..I’m sooooo happy with how it turned out!  I don’t know if you can see the spiral quilting in the flower centre but if you squint and hold your tongue the right way, you just might!!! A nice, bright yellow for the binding…. ….and my very own touch for the border A pieced backing which is lovely and crinkly AND very snuggable!  A real girly-girl ‘pretty’ that will hold its own in a very male – oriented home! *hee hee hee*……Girls unite! I’ve also been working on my ‘Raggedy Friends’ quilt which is nearing the flimsy stage…..just one block to go and some sashing and borders, which should be done by the weekend…..and no, I haven’t taken any photos yet!!!…..sorry! I do have one other finish but because it’s winging its way south, I can’t divulge too much but I can give you a little sneaky….. I told you it was sneaky…this could be A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!!! You’ll just have to wait and see! Hope your weekend was full of crafty finishes too *wink*!   sugary hugs Wendy :0)

Vintage Turnovers….a finish!

Ta Dah!!!!  What do you think?  I’m very happy with my take on the Vintage Turnover pattern I found here.  I managed to finish it at our Guild’s UFO weekend to attack our stashes of UFO’s in preparation for our biennial Quilt Show at the end of July.

My gorgeous friend Dawn helped me by stippling this beauty and I finished it by quilting the flowers and binding…..I’m sooooo happy with how it turned out! 

I don’t know if you can see the spiral quilting in the flower centre but if you squint and hold your tongue the right way, you just might!!!

A nice, bright yellow for the binding….

….and my very own touch for the border

A pieced backing which is lovely and crinkly AND very snuggable!  A real girly-girl ‘pretty’ that will hold its own in a very male – oriented home! *hee hee hee*……Girls unite!

I’ve also been working on my ‘Raggedy Friends’ quilt which is nearing the flimsy stage…..just one block to go and some sashing and borders, which should be done by the weekend…..and no, I haven’t taken any photos yet!!!…..sorry!

I do have one other finish but because it’s winging its way south, I can’t divulge too much but I can give you a little sneaky…..

I told you it was sneaky…this could be

A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!!!

You’ll just have to wait and see!

Hope your weekend was full of crafty finishes too *wink*!

 

sugary hugs

Wendy :0)

When the going gets tough….

  A visit to the specialist yesterday revealed that healing is only about halfway there……I need another 6-12 weeks before I can go back to work……good in some respects but……. So today I was feeling a bit ‘blah’…sad and sorry for myself…no inspiration….. …and then I checked my emails…..and a good friend sent me this video….

  Watch it……it’s sure to inspire and maybe even bring a tear to your eye but, I certainly don’t feel sorry for myself any more!  And I’m well and truly counting my blessings to have what I have. Now……I’m inspired to go off to pack my quilting gear up for a weekend of UFO busting ready for our biennial Quilt Show in July! Hope it inspires you to achieve all that you wish for too! Sugary Hugs Wendy :0)

When the going gets tough….

 

A visit to the specialist yesterday revealed that healing is only about halfway there……I need another 6-12 weeks before I can go back to work……good in some respects but…….

So today I was feeling a bit ‘blah’…sad and sorry for myself…no inspiration…..

…and then I checked my emails…..and a good friend sent me this video….

 

Watch it……it’s sure to inspire and maybe even bring a tear to your eye but, I certainly don’t feel sorry for myself any more!  And I’m well and truly counting my blessings to have what I have.

Now……I’m inspired to go off to pack my quilting gear up for a weekend of UFO busting ready for our biennial Quilt Show in July!

Hope it inspires you to achieve all that you wish for too!

Sugary Hugs

Wendy :0)

Hydrangea heaven

  The weather over the weekend was perfect stitching weather and I also used the time wisely by sitting at the sewing machine and procrastinating about preparing for ‘school’ again!!! I found a kit I’ve had sitting there since 2009…..loved the fabric when I saw it and just HAD to have it…..and now I remember why….. Isn’t the fabric just scrummy??? I completed this table runner in a day….why is it that starting a project always takes the longest???……or should I say…..finishing!!! And, I even added a label.. I’d managed to finish it before the sun had set……amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it!!!!….and finally I can say that’s another one off my UFO list!!!!  Hooraaaaaaaaaaaay! What will you finish this week?? Sugary hugs Wendy :0)

Hydrangea heaven

 

The weather over the weekend was perfect stitching weather and I also used the time wisely by sitting at the sewing machine and procrastinating about preparing for ‘school’ again!!!

I found a kit I’ve had sitting there since 2009…..loved the fabric when I saw it and just HAD to have it…..and now I remember why…..

Isn’t the fabric just scrummy???

I completed this table runner in a day….why is it that starting a project always takes the longest???……or should I say…..finishing!!!

And, I even added a label..

I’d managed to finish it before the sun had set……amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it!!!!….and finally I can say that’s another one off my UFO list!!!!  Hooraaaaaaaaaaaay!

What will you finish this week??

Sugary hugs

Wendy :0)

….and the winner is……..

  The weather is P-E-R-F-E-C-T  for sewing this weekend…..windy, cold and wet…..just miserable….but absolutely perfect for stitching….so guess what I’m doing this long Queen’s Birthday weekend??? stitching….. ….and quilting…… …and anything else that takes my fancy!!!!  Perhaps snuggling up in the quilts with the rain beating on the roof, hot cup of coffee and a good book!……maybe one of the Sophie Kinsella ones I borrowed from the library this week!!! Which reminds me……I’ve joined with Mr RNG to draw the winner of the PIF giveaway, and after he’d shuffled the numbers, the winner is……………. True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 14 Result: 14 Powered by RANDOM.ORG and who might that be???? Number 14 is…..    Fiona  has left a new comment on your post "Birthdays and a PIF Giveaway": Wow look at all of those goodies - You deserve to be spoilt.  That book sounds like a real barrel of laughs - Some good light hearted humour - We can all do with that in our lives :) Hugs - Fee XX CONGRATULATIONS FEE!!!!!  You’re going to love this book and yep, there is lots of light hearted humour….a definite bright spot in these wintery days! I’ll email you for details of your snail mail so I can P.I.F.…..and thank you to everyone else for entering……I can highly recommend the read if you get the chance!!!! Now….off for that coffee and book and a little bit of stitching!!!! Sugary hugs Wendy :0)

….and the winner is……..

 

The weather is P-E-R-F-E-C-T  for sewing this weekend…..windy, cold and wet…..just miserable….but absolutely perfect for stitching….so guess what I’m doing this long Queen’s Birthday weekend???

stitching…..

….and quilting……

…and anything else that takes my fancy!!!!  Perhaps snuggling up in the quilts with the rain beating on the roof, hot cup of coffee and a good book!……maybe one of the Sophie Kinsella ones I borrowed from the library this week!!!

Which reminds me……I’ve joined with Mr RNG to draw the winner of the PIF giveaway, and after he’d shuffled the numbers, the winner is…………….

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1

Max: 14

Result: 14

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

and who might that be????

Number 14 is…..   

Fiona  has left a new comment on your post "Birthdays and a PIF Giveaway":

Wow look at all of those goodies - You deserve to be spoilt.  That book sounds like a real barrel of laughs - Some good light hearted humour - We can all do with that in our lives :)

Hugs - Fee XX

CONGRATULATIONS FEE!!!!!  You’re going to love this book and yep, there is lots of light hearted humour….a definite bright spot in these wintery days!

I’ll email you for details of your snail mail so I can P.I.F.…..and thank you to everyone else for entering……I can highly recommend the read if you get the chance!!!!

Now….off for that coffee and book and a little bit of stitching!!!!

Sugary hugs

Wendy :0)

mmmmm…..chocolate!!!!

  There’s nothing more a quilter needs than good coffee and good chocolate…….and in winter, hot chocolate is magnificent…..but I decided something more substantial was needed and I made our favourite Gooey-in-the-middle Molten Chocolate Puds ……….mmmmmmmmm This is the type of pudding that when you push your spoon into it, the centre oozes out like molten lava and is rich and wonderful……a high energy food…..YES…… but certainly v-e-r-y delish!  It’s yummy served with cream (you can use the low fat variety…..it DOES make you feel better!) or ice cream (I don’t recommend both…unless you want to jog all night and into the next day LOL) ….and raspberry coulis goes incredibly well with it too! Would you like to make it?  The recipe came from one of my favourite chefs….a Kiwi cook called Jo Seager…..I love her down-to-earth style and her philosophy is “'Minimum effort for maximum effect.'….my kinda lady! It will definitely make you quilt faster after one of these!!!! Don’t forget tomorrow I’m drawing the PIF Giveaway in Sophie Kinsella’s book “The Undomestic Goddess”….I think she’d mastered these puddings by the end of the book!!!! Click here to leave a comment to go into the draw, but remember, there are some conditions, so read the information first! (it’s very easy!!!) sugary warm gooey molten chocolatey low-cal hugs XXX Wendy :0)

mmmmm…..chocolate!!!!

 

There’s nothing more a quilter needs than good coffee and good chocolate…….and in winter, hot chocolate is magnificent…..but I decided something more substantial was needed and I made our favourite Gooey-in-the-middle Molten Chocolate Puds ……….mmmmmmmmm

This is the type of pudding that when you push your spoon into it, the centre oozes out like molten lava and is rich and wonderful……a high energy food…..YES…… but certainly v-e-r-y delish!  It’s yummy served with cream (you can use the low fat variety…..it DOES make you feel better!) or ice cream (I don’t recommend both…unless you want to jog all night and into the next day LOL) ….and raspberry coulis goes incredibly well with it too!

Would you like to make it?  The recipe came from one of my favourite chefs….a Kiwi cook called Jo Seager…..I love her down-to-earth style and her philosophy is “'Minimum effort for maximum effect.'….my kinda lady!

It will definitely make you quilt faster after one of these!!!!

Don’t forget tomorrow I’m drawing the PIF Giveaway in Sophie Kinsella’s book “The Undomestic Goddess”….I think she’d mastered these puddings by the end of the book!!!!

Click here to leave a comment to go into the draw, but remember, there are some conditions, so read the information first! (it’s very easy!!!)

sugary warm gooey molten chocolatey low-cal hugs

XXX Wendy :0)

A little birdie told me…..

  A little birdie told me, you’d better make sure you comment on the PIF giveaway soon……it closes Friday! Click here to enter! good luck and sugary hugs XXX Wendy :0)

A little birdie told me…..

 

A little birdie told me, you’d better make sure you comment on the PIF giveaway soon……it closes Friday!

Click here to enter!

good luck and sugary hugs

XXX Wendy :0)

Birthdays and a PIF Giveaway

Whew, it has been one busy week with a trip back to hospital where I spent my birthday, visits from special friends and physiotherapy galore.  Some sneaky ‘birdies’ spread the rumour and I love them for it…..I had sooo many people wishing me wonderful birthday wishes…..made me feel very special!  Thank you from the bottom, middle and top of my Lots of people said to me,”How terrible, having to spend your birthday in hospital”, but I don’t see it that way…….I got to have a wonderful sleep in, I lay about in bed all day and night, didn’t have any chores to do and every meal, including morning and afternoon tea were brought to me in bed, without a-ny whinging what-so-ever…and no dishes to wash up!!!!  And I got flowers, balloons and chocolates….. and a giant teddy named Toby!  (can you see why I named him Toby????…mm  mmmmm!) It was only an overnighter in hospital and YES, the surgery had much more success than I’d imagined.  Apparently I was only knocked out for about 5 minutes but before I went under, I found the scrub nurse in surgery was having her birthday on the same day too……and she was even born in the same year!   It seems that I am still older than her though because I was born just after midnight and she was born at 4am…..just beat her by thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much!   I knew this because before they put the mask on me, they told me not to go anywhere while they headed off to the lunch room for 5 minutes to share birthday cake……and they STILL didn’t save me any!!!!! No matter, I still had some lovely birthday surprises during the week……  DS brought me some lovely pink roses….he knows me oh so well…. ….and I had a lovely visit from my friend Jenny.  Time just seems to fly when we get a moment to catch up….. and the sweety even made me these gorgeous goodies….a pincushion and a needlecase.  She’s such a talented li’l thing! My friends Gloria, and Robin (no blog) brought me these quilty treasures… (you can never have too many threads!) Look at what delights are inside….. Yummy….I may have to try some of these out! And Lynette knows that a necessity of every quilting gal is … ………..coffee and chocolate!!!!! My dear bloggy friend, Narelle was so worried about me after my operation, that she sent me this gorgeous hanky she’d made to carry with me to remind me her thoughts and prayers were with me………and the card is just rosy!!!!!!  How beautiful is she???? I have had the best birthday ever……a promise of a healthy, fixed knee (if I continue to work at it) and the love of family and friends…..these to me are more valuable that anything and more than all the money in the world could buy! Now, I did mention a giveaway……. my lovely buddy Dawn had been talking to me about this wonderful book she’d been reading and she snuck it into my parcel that she surprised me with here. It’s called “The Undomestic Goddess” by Sophie Kinsella and is the funniest read…..people at the doctor’s surgery thought I was  a nutcase as I giggled under my breath…..I dare to think what they thought when I broke out in raucous laughter!!! Here is the blurb from the back cover……

“The story of a girl who needs to slow down.  To find herself.  To fall in love.  And to discover what an iron is for…….”

It’s a definite feel-good novel that I couldn’t put down….Dawn was absolutely right…..and I, not being one for reading novels, finished it in a day and a half!!!!  She thought I might relate to it…..not the undomestic bit, but the ‘having to slow down’ bit, and I must agree….with having this time off with my surgery, I’ve discovered another side to life other than work, work, work! So we decided it would be a ‘pay it forward’ type of giveaway……Dawn has sent it to me with the proviso that I forward it on to another worthy recipient.   If you would like to ‘win’ this book then just leave a comment and I will pick a winner (with the help of Mr R.N.G.) on Friday 10th June AEST.  There is only one proviso……you MUST NOT break the chain……this book is a Pay It Forward and MUST be passed on to another winning blogger, to eventually make it’s way back to Dawn after 25 people have read it.  If you ‘win’ the book, you must contact Dawn and thank her, then add your name and blog addy to the list inside the front of the book.  The 25th ‘winner’ must contact Dawn via her blog and return it to her.  These are the only conditions for entering this giveaway and must be strictly adhered to for it to work.  Please don’t enter if you can’t comply. Good luck and sugary hugs XXX Wendy :0)