Monday, January 30, 2012

Swap Blocks - the big reveal

I had posted some tease photos previously, and here are some of the big reveals ;-)


Here is the tease pic for Ann, my December partner for 6" Block Swap




and here are the blocks









Ann asked for Stars in blue - I hope they have arrived safely and that Ann likes them.

Here is a tease for my CraftMad Fence Rail swap partners ;-)


and here are the full blocks




Blue for Kelly


Bright for Annmaree


Pastels for Annette



Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)





Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

FNSI - show and tell - for real this time ;-)

Lynda has let me know that her block for 12" Quilt Block Swap Australia
Lynda asked for Card Trick in greens - I hope I have picked the right 'green'


The Card Trick block was the 3rd block I ever tried when I first started swapping - it was a challenge then, and it proved another challenge this time ;-)

I threw in an extra pinwheel block made with the 'mis-cuts' - measure twice, cut once ;-)

I previously posted about my first Card Trick block HERE and HERE

Sue has let me know the block I made for her for January QBSA has arrived.

Sue asked for a log cabin in black, white and red


Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day. 
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-) 
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Friday, January 27, 2012

First Finish for 2012

My First Finish ........ Yay!!!!!



I finally got around to piecing together some of the blocks I have received whilst being a member of Quilting Block Swap Australia and Block Swap Adventure.

Flimsy on Design Wall

A chart of who made the blocks 
Basted on Dining Table

Quilted


Ready to snuggle under when it gets a bit colder ;-)




I love the fact that all these different blocks have come from different parts of the world and look so great together.  I am really looking forward to snuggling under this one this coming winter ;-)

So to all of my swap partners, thank you so much for the lovely blocks you have made - if you don't see your block in this quilt, it will be in the next one.


Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day. 
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-) 
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A lighthearted look at being Australian

You know you're Australian if ................

You believe that stubbies can be either drunk or worn.

You're liable to burst out laughing whenever you hear of Americans "rooting" for something.


You pronounce Melb...ourne as 'Mel-bin'.

You believe the 'L' in the word 'Australia' is optional.

You can translate: 'Dazza and Shazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas.'

You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to decorate its highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns and sheep.

You call your best friend 'a total bastard' but someone you really, truly despise is just 'a bit of a bastard'.

You think 'Woolloomooloo' is a perfectly reasonable name for a place.

You're secretly proud of our killer wildlife.

You believe it makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that's twice as big as its $2 coin.

You understand that 'Wagga Wagga' can be abbreviated to 'Wagga' but 'Woy Woy' can't be called 'Woy'.

You believe that cooked-down axle grease makes a good breakfast spread. You've also squeezed it through Vita Wheats to make little Vegemite worms.

You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up, at which point they again become Kiwis.

Beetroot with your Hamburger... Of course.

You know that certain words must, by law, be shouted out during any rendition of the Angels' song 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again' and during "Living next door to Alice".

You believe that the confectionery known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year.

You wear ugg boots outside the house.

You believe that every important discovery in the world was made by an Australian but then sold off to the Yanks for a pittance.

You believe that the more you shorten someone's name the more you like them.

Whatever your linguistic skills, you find yourself able to order takeaway fluently in every Asian language.

You understand that 'excuse me' can sound rude, While 'scuse me' is always polite.

You know what it's like to swallow a fly, on occasion via your nose.

You know it's not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle and a seat belt buckle becomes a pretty good branding iron.

Your biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules for beach cricket.

You shake your head in horror when companies try to market what they call 'Anzac cookies'.

You still think of Kylie as 'that girl off Neighbours'.

When working on a bar, you understand male customers will feel the need to offer an excuse whenever they order low-alcohol beer.

You know how to abbreviate every word, all of which usually end in -o: arvo, combo, garbo, kero, metho, milko, muso, rego, servo, smoko, speedo, righto, goodo etc.

You know that there is a universal place called "woop woop" located in the middle of nowhere...no matter where you actually are.

You know that none of us actually drink Fosters beer, because it tastes like shit. But we let the world think we do. Because we can.

You have some time in your life slept with Aeroguard on in the summer. Maybe even as perfume.

You've only ever used the words - tops, ripper, sick, mad, rad, sweet - to mean good. And then you place 'bloody' in front of it when you REALLY mean it.

You know that the barbecue is a political arena; the person holding the tongs is always the boss and usually a man. And the women make the Salad.

You say 'no worries' quite often, whether you realise it or not.

You understand what no wucking furries means.

You've drank your tea/coffee/milo through a Tim Tam.You've drank your tea/coffee/milo through a Tim Tam.

You own a Bond's chesty. In several different colours.

You know that roo meat tastes pretty good, But not as good as barra. Or a meat pie.

You know that some people pronounce Australia like "Straya" and that's ok.

And you will forward this list to other Australians, here and overseas, realising that only they will understand!


Happy Australia Day to all Aussies out there

 

Saw this on Kimzee's blog and just had to share ;-)






Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

FNSI - show and tell .....

............... or should that be tease and tell ;-)


It was the first Friday Night Sew In for 2012 and I was very glad to sit down and do some scheduled sewing.

The last of my block swaps for the month got finished.

One for Lynda for 12" Quilt Block Swap Australia

One for Sue for 12" Quilt Block Swap Australia




Two 6" blocks for Jen for 6" block Swap


I was able to do some 'secret sewing' ......... more on that a bit later.




The Block Lotto block for January is the eclipse - OMG!  another circular block Arrrghh!  But ............... In Sophie We Trust ;-)  so I gave it a go.


After a several slips ups - ENTIRELY my own fault for not reading instructions properly and mis-cutting more than once.

I did invoke Barbara's Quilter's Rule (Three strikes and you're out - see Barbara's post HERE )

This is one block I could not get my head around.

first block - squared up wrong and I used a cream light arc

second block - blue and yellow - trimmed to 9 1/4"  ooops - measure twice, cut once!!

third block - pinky - something strange is happening

unpicked and stitched again ;-(

I have produced what I would call two acceptable blocks - even these I am not completely confident about  ;-(

I am very disappointed with my efforts for this Block Lotto.






Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day. 
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-) 
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Block from Colleen, Happy Birthday Samelia's Mum


 I received a beautiful block from Colleen for December Block Swap Adventure, along with some beautiful extras ;-)






Thank you Colleen, the colours in the log cabin are lovely and I just love the extras - I have been well and truly spoilt ;-)


Samelia's Mum is celebrating a birthday and 500 posts by having a giveaway! 
Happy Birthday Anorina! 

This wonderful layer cake is the prize ;-)  isn't it gorgeous!


I am rather partial to this table runner ;-)







Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day. 
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-) 
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Shopping Spree

I have been on a shopping spree ;-)  more batiks ;-)

I went back to Cynthia's Ark where I got my last lot.  Cynthia, located here in South Australia, has recently opened a new online store and I had a good time wandering around - then it came time to place the order ..............  I had such a hard time deciding in which ones to get, so I decided to stick with the soft blues/purples range this time.




There were some 'technical hitches' placing my first order with this new store, but Cynthia was wonderful, and went to great measures to make the process as smooth as it could be.

here are some of the batiks I had purchased previously from her store ;-)



Thank you Cynthia ............. I will definitely come back to your store when I want some more batiks ;-)



Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day. 
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-) 
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Blocks, Blocks everywhere ;-)


Annie, my swap partner for January for Block Swap Adventure has let me know the block I made for her has arrived safely.

here is the tease photo I posted earlier ;-)



and here is the full block


Annie asked for "Anything but I really like stars, bear paw and churn dash ..... in Blue ..... with bright whites as contrast".


I am glad you like your block, Annie.


The postie has been kind to me this week ;-)

I received these two lovely 6" blocks from Ann, my December partner for 6" Block Swap


My 6" blocks are made, I just have to get to the post office ;-)
here is a tease for Ann ;-)


I received this lovely Black, White & Red Beauty from Sue, a new member of QBSA
My block for Sue, is cut out, but still needs to be sewn

Here is a tease for my CraftMad Fence Rail swap partners ;-)

Your blocks will be in the mail during the week ;-)

Thanks go to Merry for my first block received ;-)

Perfect colours for me ;-)

 I received a beautiful block from Colleen for December Block Swap Adventure, along with some beautiful extras ;-)

I need to take a photo when the light is a bit better, and will post a pic soon ;-)

EDITED:  Pics of Colleen's block posted HERE


Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day. 
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-) 
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.