Stitchy fun and FNSI housewarming prizes

There has been a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ stuff happening at Sugarlane, but that hasn’t stopped some stitchy business going on too……

I’ve managed to do some stitching on the latest  Cottage Garden Thread Collectors’ Club design….a cute stitchery designed by Liz Stanaway of Teddlywinks called The Dressmaker’s Mannequin, using the gorgeous Cottage Garden colours of Wheat, Blue Cypress, China Doll and Kookaburra.  Can’t wait to do some more on this one, the threads just slice through the fabric like a hot knife through butter and the colours are just so perfect.

The theme here must be teddies of late…..I’ve just realised my own design that I recently finished also features a cheeky teddy of sorts.  He’s stitched using Cottage Garden threads too, but this is all I can show you of this project….this little fellow is off to his new forever home, ready for lots of sweet cuddles.

Perhaps he needs to make his way to a whole lot of new homes??  He may just make an appearance as a new stitchery design in the shop very soon! *wink*

And I haven’t forgotten……Wednesday (USA time) is to be my moving day…..if you missed my last post, I talked about it HERE…..so if you’re ‘Downunder’ and you’re wondering why I’m still at ‘exactly’ the same address, it’s because Wednesday in the USA is really Thursday in Australia….so the move won’t happen till then.   Hopefully, if you’re reading this mid Thursday, the move was a simple, smooth and successful process….I’ve got everything crossed and I imagine it’s going to be a restless night in this Sugarlane household.

But……despite that, I’ve got a prize for one lucky housewarming guest to our FNSI this Friday night…….  as I’m convinced everything will be A-OK.  Nothing could be more appropriate than a Rose House Sampler pattern and a Shabby Roses ‘moving’ bag pattern by the very talented Jenny of Elefantz., especially when you’re settling in to a new house……or should I say, home?

So if you haven’t already done so, make sure you join us for our FNSI  this Friday…..remember to sign up HERE and to post about your Friday night accomplishments over the weekend so we can see what you’ve been up to, join in the fun and gather up some gorgeous ideas from each other, along with gaining the chance to win our May Housewarming FNSI prize…..you don’t want to forget that now, do you?

Invite all your friends, share the news , there’s a housewarming FNSI party happening  and as we know, the more the merrier, right?

xox Sugary hugs :o)

FNSI sign ups and some news

Can you believe it? 

It certainly IS that time of the month already..........

Grab your quilty gear and comfy jammies, some nibblies and warm cocoa (well, depending on where you are) and let's have a girl's night in this Friday!
If you're new to FNSI, check out the info in the FNSI tab for more information, but needless to say, EVERYONE is welcome.
Signups are below and I'm hoping this all goes well this month as I have some exciting news......Sugarlane is getting a makeover!
 
I have made the decision to take up the offer I posted about HERE, knowing that I was supporting  a totally worthwhile charity.  It's been something I've been thinking about and planning for a VERY long time and I finally took the jump......it's a little scary, but I hope you'll bear with me during the teething phases...as I'm sure I'll have some!

Not only will I be getting a makeover, I'm moving house.....



.....total house move, to a totally new address.....www.sugarlane-designs.com  which should take effect some time tomorrow....I'll keep you informed....

but in the meantime, sign up for our May FNSI.....it'll be happening, teething pains or not!

I'm just a tiddly bit nervous but sooo excited.....are you too?

xox sugary hugs :o)

Apron Love multiplied

you might remember Jenny and I hosted the 2015 Apron Swap in February/March?

Well it was such a success and the ladies who participated want to do it again, and again, so maybe Jen and I will have to make it an annual thing?  What do you think?

Silly me forgot to take photos of the aprons I made, yes apronS…..I swapped two as we were one person over (and I couldn’t resist making and receiving another).   I haven’t received many photos however if you visit Jenny’s blog today, you’ll see many of the aprons that were sent.

Here are the photos I did receive….

How special are these with so much thought put into them.

Here are mine that I received…..

love them to pieces….aren’t they gorgeous??  Hopefully I’ll be able to snare a copy of photos of mine to both Joylene (no blog) and Theresa to share with you too.

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for our Friday Night Sew In signups…….YES….it IS that time of the month again already!!!!  Can you believe it?  And I’m going to have a special surprise announcement tomorrow too, so make sure you pop in….

have a wonderful Monday

xox Sugary hugs :o)

Ten last minute Mothers’ Day gifts to make

Mothers’ Day has snuck up like every other event this year……I can’t believe it’s May already!  I had planned to design a few little things to share with you for Mum’s special day but, as usual, life happened, so they’re on the backburner for next year.  However, that doesn’t mean I don’t have some last minute ‘somethings’ for you to make.

I’ve cruised the web and found these things from lots of crafty people that I thought would be just perfect.  Click on each of the links to take you to the tutorials…..

M & Ms for Mum/Mom

Free Printable: "M&Ms for MOM". how cute would this be attached to a package of M&Ms or a vase full of them and candy bouquet. My goodness the possibilities are endless.

There’s even a fun little game you could add to it, but you’ll have to head on over to Kinzie’s Kreations to find out more.

Photo Monogrammed Letter

A large wooden letter is the perfect base to create a wonderful family photo collage. You just choose the pictures that you want, print them off and then use mod podge to hold the pictures to the wooden structure.  Pictures in black and white look really nice or you could make them in color if you prefer. Either way, Mums will love this little gift.

Fabric Scrap Keychains

These little key chains are perfect for showcasing your Mum’s favourite scrap of fabric, or embellishing with buttons, felt monograms, lacy doilies or whatever you can dream up

 

Embroidery Hoop Clock

I think I need one or two of these……I’m ALWAYS running late!

Fabric Covered Coasters

IF you can find old tiles or even old ceramic coasters, you’re halfway there.  Rotary cut squares of your Mum’s favourite fabrics and mod podge them to the top of each one.  Don’t forget to add felt squares to the bottom so as not to scratch her furniture.

Silhouette Pillows

What about a silhouette pillow so Mum can always have her special ones close to her. Trace out each person’s silhouette on the paper side of Vliesofix and iron onto some solid coloured fabric – a black or beige  is good.  If you’re running out of time, you can use a plain pillowcase/cushion cover, or you could make your own.  Remove backing paper and press onto the cover.  Embellish with applique cutouts.  Zigzag or blanket stitch around outlines.   You can find more detailed instructions HERE.

Mason Jar Sewing Kit

A small Mason jar filled with thread and a top that doubles as a pin cushion is the perfect gift for Moms who love to sew.

 

Decoupage Lace Vase

These are a gorgeous easy gift for the shabby chic Mum.

Handwritten Recipe Tea Towel

These are great to share treasured family recipes

Mothers’ Day Tea Tags

A refreshing gift for Mothers to enjoy whilst they put their feet up on their special day!

Now, to decide which one I’m going to make for my special Mum (in-law) and place some not-so obvious hints for my family!

xox Sugary hugs :o)

A blog makeover for a small donation?

This Mother’s Day… Something BIG Is Happening For  Bloggers!

Blogelina is planning to makeover 1,000 Blogs – for an amazingly low donation – and ALL the donations they receive are going to Cure.org!

Yes, you read that right.

For a $10 USD (min.) donation, you get a brand new blog makeover – AND 100% of the donations are going straight to cure.org, an amazing organization that helps to provide healing to children who are in desperate need.

How To Get Involved:

• Donate now and have Blogelina make over your blog with one of her beautiful new WordPress themes!
• Help to get the word out!  Blog about #1000MomBlogMakeovers, share her post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc..
• Keep spreading the word!  Remember – the more donations that come in, the more they can pass along to cure.org!

For all the info on the #1000MomBlogMakeovers project – which starts now and runs until May 10th – click here.

Remember – there is only have 1,000 slots open!  Let’s get the word out and Fill Them Up!

PS….this is NOT an affiliated link……just want to share the

xox Sugary hugs :o)

“Sharing” is caring– FREE Block 3 “Friends” B.O.F.

Today is the day….block 3 in this beauty is being released, and I know just how much some people have been waiting for it.  All I can say is, for some this is a lesson in patience! *giggle*   But wait no more….it’s finally here…..

….. Block 3:  Sharing.

Sharing’s an important part of friendship don’t you think?  Sharing good times and bad, being a shoulder to cry on, a pal to help pull up the big girl panties, a mentor who can give advice and a buddy to share the good times with, with plenty of other opportunities for sharing.

I looked up the dictionary meaning of “share” and there were quite a few interpretations, but my favourite is this one –

to divide one’s own and give part to others. 

I’m a visual person, probably why I love to ‘see’ words and therefore I use them a lot in my stitcheries.  The picture I see when I read that meaning is one of sharing one’s heart, handing it over to friends, trusting they will not drop it and break it, but that they will handle it with care and the utmost love and respect.  To me, that’s what sharing’s all about.  What picture do you see in your mind? I’d love to hear.

Meanwhile, you can head on over to my Craftsy store and download your copy of Block 3. 

Blocks 1 and 2 are still available there too if you haven’t downloaded them yet and YES, they’re all FREE.

Don’t forget to share your progress in our Facebook Group which you can sign up to join if you’re not already a member.  There’s nothing like seeing what everyone else is up to.  You can upload pictures of your progress, or ask questions…..after all, it’s all a part of ‘sharing’ isn’t it?

Have a wonderful Friday.

xox Sugary hugs :o)

 

All things Essential

Today there’s a great deal on all things essential over here at Buck Books that I just HAD to share with you

As the picture says, you can find 10 informative e-books for only 99c each.  I buy quite a few ebooks from them and I must say, I’ve always enjoyed them.  You can read them on your kindle, on your computer, on your Ipad or tablet, on the go or in bed, it’s such a great way to get into e-books if you’re not already.

I think there’s a few there I’m going to be buying. 

But be quick….it’s 7.11am here AEST and as you can see, there’s 9 hours 49 minutes left of the sale.  If you miss out though, don’t worry….if you link up HERE you can sign up to be reminded of their daily deals…..and there’s a freebie EVERY day!

So, which one’s are you going to buy?

xox Sugary hugs :o)

**Don’t forget, this Friday is the 3rd block in my free ‘Best of Friends’ Block of the Fortnight……remember to pop back to get the link

The power of a blog post

I was wrong on Anzac Day regarding the 5000 poppies………there were FAR more than 5000 poppies, although that was the project’s name.

 

The woman who initiated the call for poppies to be made,  Lynn Berry initially asked that people help her make 120 poppies to honour her father who served in WW2.  After quickly reaching her goal, she went online and wrote a blog asking for help to reach her goal of 5000 poppies….hence the name of the project!

Image via

She set her goal for this year, two years ago, to commemorate the Centenary of the Anzacs. (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps)  She was quickly over-run with poppies from people all over the world with their own personal stories to tell of love, loss and gratitude. Approximately  50,000 people were involved - Children, people in retirement villages, CWAs, RSLs, each poppy had it’s own story to tell.

image via

There were dozens of volunteers who worked to connect the poppies to a wire carpet which was  laid over the steps of Federation Square, Melbourne in several panels.  These panels were then moved to the Princes Street Bridge for the Anzac Day parade, to line the path of the veterans as they marched between the city centre and the war memorial.

Now it’s their turn to tour Australia for the centenary and be admired by all.  They will then find a permanent home which the organiser hopes will be at the National War Memorial in Canberra.

image via

The concept has taken on a life of its own, with regional towns beginning their own knitted poppy tributes, while New Zealand is believed to have created more than 50,000 for their own Anzac commemorations.

It floors me how powerful our blogging can be and how one person’s dream can become reality simply by asking like-minded people with a purpose. 

image via

LEST WE FORGET……..with bloggers and our craft, our diggers will never be forgotten.  Go HERE to see many more of the images of our Centenary celebrated by our craft.

xox Sugary hugs :o)

We WILL remember them….

In every way, shape and form….We WILL remember them.

Federation Square, Melbourne, Victoria

5000 crocheted poppies

Our crafts can show our love and respect, EVERYWHERE.

Never forgotten

xox Sugary hugs :o)

A surprise is revealed–Mini Quilt Mania

I was over the moon when Lindsey from Fort Worth Fabric Studio asked me if I would like to be a part of their April Mini Quilt Mania.  It would mean I would make a mini quilt and do a tute for it on their blog AND choose ANY fabric I liked from their store to make it with……. of course my reply was….”Well…… YES!”  Remember I gave you hints about it back HERE?  It’s been really tough keeping it a surprise.

So I am officially one of the 9 bloggers doing a tute for this….

So, what did I make, you might be thinking……and what fabric did I choose? 

Fabric choice  was a difficult one as I’ve been buying fabrics from Fort Worth Fabric Studio for years…..and I love it ALL! I especially love their Friday Bundle batches and their Pocket Packs….an excellent way to grab an affordable themed pack of fabrics, ready for any project.

I  reeeeeally love the quality of fabrics they have, the price AND the service.  They always package up my goodies in such a pretty way, and they always throw an extra little something in….and it gets to Australia pretty quickly and reasonably, considering it’s coming from the other side of the world.

But because I had a bit of an idea in mind of what I was making, I ended up choosing some of the fabrics from this gorgeous range called Rhapsody Bop by Adornit Fabrics.  It’s really cute with little birdies all over, and the fabric is such good quality, I was sooo happy I chose some of this range…..I really like all of it, especially the Rhapsody Bop Chatter…..(we all know how much I love words).  You’ll understand why I chose it when you see my project.

Called, “You Are Tweet”, I designed a sweet little 18 1/2 x 16 1/2 inch mini quilt with a touch of linen, some trademark stitchery (of course), a little bit of ric rac , some easy needleturn and some fussy cutting but nothing you wouldn’t be able to master quite easily. 

If you head on over to the FWFS blog now, you’ll be able to see the tutorial and if you download the PrintFriendly button, you can even download the PDF of the tutorial easily and for FREE!

Don’t forget to check out what the other 7 bloggers have designed for the Mini Quilt Mania…..

Here is the schedule:

• April 1st : Lindsey - FWFS
• April 2: Melissa - My Fabric Relish
• April 6: Nettie - FWFS pattern tester
• April 8: Afton  - Quilting Mod
• April 13: Amanda - The Cozy Pumpkin
• April 14: Trina - Will Cook For Shoes
• April 21: Heather - Quilts Actually
• April 22: Wendy - Sugarlane Quilts
• April 27: Paula - The Sassy Quilter

you’ll find all the tutorials if you scroll back through FWFS’s blog posts in April….and you can read even more about the Mini Quilt Mania HERE .

Hope you have lots of fun with it. Let me know what you think?

xox Sugary hugs :o)