Friday, 30 October 2009

“Very Quick Christmas Fabric, Buttons & Trim” Swap

How exciting…..It’s time for another swap!! This one is such an easy peasy one that we could nearly do it with our eyes closed..Notice I did say nearly…there is no stitching involved in this one.

Jenny and I are hosting this swap and what you are required to send to your partner is

  • Two of Christmas FQ’s (100% Cotton Quilting quality)
  • Two Christmas Buttons or Sew-On Decorations
  • One metre/yard of Christmas Ribbon or trim.

001

Nothing more than that so that it keeps the postage costs down. Swaps are such fun and a great way to make new friends.

divider3

So sign up before next Friday 6th November 09 AEST. Then you will be emailed your partners details and you then have until Friday 13th November 09 to post them. Wow…this is a quick one….but lots of fun!

divider3

Open to all who have a blog and an email address….but really it doesn’t hurt to get a blog up and going. They are such fun and you can put up pictures of the goodies you send and receive.

So if you don't mind posting to anywhere in the world then sign up before Friday 6th November 09 and post your goodies to your partner by the following Friday 13th November 09.

divider3

Your names will be drawn on Friday 6th and your partners details will be emailed to you. Email either Jenny or myself with your Name, Address, Blog address & Email address so we can put you on the list. My email link is at the top left hand corner.

Have fun!

Hugs to all……..Vicki

Edit:....The sign up for this swap is now closed :)

Tuesday, 27 October 2009

It's my Turn for the Freebie

Yes it's my turn to give a Freebie on the Among the Gum Tree blog.


I know quite a few of you have got it already and have thanked me for it and I am really happy that you all like it.

I have had some good ideas told to me too and that has given me something to work on. Maybe some of my lovely new fabrics might get used. *smile*.

So do pop on over and grab it and make lots to keep those doors from slamming shut.
Have fun sewing it. I know I did.
Hugs to all......Vicki

Saturday, 24 October 2009

How lucky am I?

I was very lucky this week…I feel truly blessed!

How awesome is Millie from Millie’s Quilting Look what she sent me for the PIF she had that I joined up with.

PIF from Millie in USA

An absolutely gorgeous quilt…wow! Just love it!! and a book with Sunbonnet Sues in it…Absolutely fabulous! a little vile of incense cones that have the most amazing scent. Thank you Millie I really love all that you sent me and I love the quilting on the quilt. You are so clever! Hugs hugs.

~~~~~~~~~~

I was also blessed again by my Stitcher’s Angel gifts. I was totally overawed with all I received. My beautiful stitchers angel was Tarnyia from tarnyiamarycatherine blog who is in my favourite state…Western Australia.

Here’s what she sent me and thank you so much Tarnyia …I love it all!! hugs hugs and I hope your Stitchers Angel sends you lots of goodies too.

Gifts from Stitchers Angel Swap October 2009 (2) 

They were all wrapped but I opened one and thought….aha….camera Vicki!! So my first parcel I opened had the most gorgeous scissor keep and inside the scissor keep was a fabulous pair of scissors and a chalk pencil. :) Love them, plus there was some threads in my favourite colours :)

Then I opened this lot of surprises…

Gifts from Stitchers Angel Swap October 2009 (4)

Love the colours and patterns on the FQ’s.

Then I opened this parcel……

Gifts from Stitchers Angel Swap October 2009 (5)

Aren't they just darling? I love the bag and the needle keeper and love the bookmark too. Thanks heaps Tarnyia :)

Then I opened this parcel…..

Gifts from Stitchers Angel Swap October 2009 (6)

some gorgeous angel buttons and brooch and notepad…wow….so spoilt!

Then I opened this parcel…….

Gifts from Stitchers Angel Swap October 2009

This is stunning and is about 5 foot long….I love it and will hang it on my computer door. I have it draped over my lounge atm to show you.

Thanks heaps Tarnyia you have thoroughly spoilt me and I love everything you sent me. :)

I posted my parcel off to my Stitchers Angel and its gone to Brazil. I hope she likes all her goodies too. It was such fun putting them all together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then I got another parcel….from the USA.

I had a spend up seems how the Aussie dollar was so good against the American dollar and all that…plus I needed more fabric.

001

Just got a few yards :)

~~~~~~~

It’s my turn to have a Christmas Freebie on the Gum Trees blog on Monday so I hope you all like what I made for you. I have been using mine even tho its not Christmas Tee Hee.

~~~~~~~~~

Take care and hugs to all……Vicki

Wednesday, 21 October 2009

Christmas time is near I think :)

Hi everyone, I hope all are going well and are you having fun with the Christmas sewing from the Among the Gum Tree’s free patterns? Our gorgeous Cheryl has given a beautiful one to us all..I love her delicate stitching.

Seasons's Greetings

There is also a gorgeous Christmas stitchery from Joy for downloading too.

October 09 002

And of course Judith’s gorgeous Christmas Bag is there too.

blogChristmasRose

Remember to upload photos of your completed projects to our Flickr group so we can all share in your handiwork!

~~~~~~~~~~

I have had an exciting week as I finally got my edition of Simply Patchwork & Stitching which has my design in it. The issue is Vol 10 No. 4.

cover

I was very excited as Renee used my Christmas design on the Welcome page :) *big smiles*

Welcome page for Patchwork & Stitching

and of course a page all by itself. I love how the magazine’s photographers make them look so good. I had fun sewing that as I love sewing hexagonals.

With All The Trimmings

~~~~~~~~

My Stitchers Angel has sent me my gifts from her and I am really spoilt! She sent me lots of goodies and I will put up pictures of them soon. I will email Helen Stubbings and tell her I have received. This has been an exciting swap and I am yet to send mine as I still have a couple of things I want to put in. Mine is going off to Brazil! That’s exciting!

~~~~~~~~~

Have fun everyone and don't forget to give hugs to all those you care about and love.

Hugs to all…….Vicki

Saturday, 17 October 2009

Several things to tell you….

Having ‘me’ time is nice as some sewing gets done. I made blocks 7, 8, 9 & 10 of Debbie Mumm’s Natural Wonders Quilt BOM she has on her website and so now I am up to date with that until the next one is put up on the 1st of November. Then its one more block after that and then I can put it all together. I am loving this one as the colours are what I love.

7th Block 8th Block 9th Block 10th Block

Lots of different methods are done in the blocks too which is great as you don't get bored with them.

~~~~~~~~~~

The other day we had some lovely little visitors…I was so excited and delighted to see Mamma Duck with her babies in our yard. Aren’t they just so cute?

001

I shake a bit when I take photos and so they aren't too clear.

002

She had 7 babies all up but after I went to the front of the yard a bit later on after she ducked under the fence I found number 7 at the front but he had died…poor little thing…I was upset and wondered why he died and thought that maybe he got stranded and that was it.

~~~~~~~

I thought I would put all my quilts together all folded up to see them as I have come across several ladies who have done this and they always look so good.

005

It was also time to fold them a different way so that they didn't get a fold line and wear the fabric out along that line from being folded all the time.

I have more quilts and one is at the magazines and I didn't make the other two so couldn't include them in this photo.

I hope you have a great weekend and give out lots of hugs as its nice to get them too :)

Hugs to all……..Vicki

Thursday, 15 October 2009

My Herbs, an update and Showing off!

I have been a bit quiet on the internet as I have been planting and sewing and pattern writing.

But I have been looking at all your blogs and I tried to leave comments so that you know I am visiting you.

~~~~~~~~~

I decided the other day to grow some herbs and so I took myself off to the Nursery and got some wonderful herbs. Also some herb potting mix as I want to grow them in pots. I love being able to step outside the kitchen door and just pick fresh herbs to put into my cooking.

I have got garlic chives, sage, basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, tomatoes and pennywort.

001

I have also a very strange thing happening in amongst them too…

check this out…

002

When it was cut open there was all these seeds growing already. So I will let them grow and we will get some more tomatoes….it was one of those Truss Tomatoes. Have you seen that before…I haven't.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am so excited with Teresa’s bag she has made from my one I had published. Do you remember my cover girl bag?

DUQ Pink Passion

I was excited about it being on the cover and then Teresa has made one and loves it and I am just bursting with pride that she made it and thinks its a really fabulous bag.

Isn’t it gorgeous!! I love it in blues Teresa!

Teresas bag

~~~~~~~~~

I am excited about everyone who is in the Hug Swap. There has been quite a few of you telling me about your Mug Hug and Mat that you have received.

Have a look at all these….

Dawn’s and Allie’s

Peg is showing Vickie’s

Ruth’s and Maria’s

Marj’s and Vikki’s

Renata’s

Jenny’s and Kris’

Paula is showing Sharon’s

Lisa’s

Celine’s and Laural’s

They are all just gorgeous and there are a couple of you who haven’t put up pictures of your ones….we would love to see them.

~~~~~~

I am going to catch up on some of ‘my’ sewing and hope to show you of my progress. I love looking at what you all make and it makes me happy to see all your things you do.

Hugs to all……..Vicki

Tuesday, 6 October 2009

Mug Hug update & a Sneak peek

I have been a bit busy of late and my needle and threads have been going flat strap.

First I want to show you the lovely Mug Hug and Mug Mat I got from Becca…I love it!

Hug Swap from Becca

This is what I sent to Becca…

Vicki

It’s not the best of photos..

~~~~~~~~~~~

There has been some really fabulous pictures on your blogs of your Mug Hugs and Mats.

 

If your name is in purple on the side of my blog under the Hugs swap list then your partner has acknowledged that they received your Hug gifts. If your name is in green then that means you have sent your Mug Hug & Mug Mat to your partner.

I need for you to email me and tell me if you have posted and also when you receive.

~~~~~~~~

You should have had your gifts posted on the 25th of September and that was so they got to your partner by the 5th of October which was yesterday Aussie time.

We want everyone who joined in this swap to get their gifts.

~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a sneak peek at what I have been busy fiddling with these last few days.

029

It’s gone in the post now to be published in Simply Patchwork & Stitching next year, along with a cute little item. I can’t show you a sneak peek of that as I didn’t take a photo of it.. But I am sure you will love it when its in the magazine.

~~~~~~~~

How awesome is Judith’s lovely bag for the Christmas Freebies from the Among the Gum Trees blog?

blogChristmasRose

I love it and will be making several for Christmas pressies. Don’t forget to come back next week and see what gorgeous design is up next.

Back to needle and thread and pattern writing….

Hugs to all…….Vicki

 

Thursday, 1 October 2009

A beautiful PIF for me.

I got this parcel yesterday

PIF from Barb Graham (2)

I love frogs :) I couldn’t believe that my PIF came from Barb from Barbscreation…she didn’t give me any hints that she had sent it to me either. We talk fairly regularly on msn Messenger. She totally surprised me and I love everything she sent me. Barb is such a beautiful generous lady and I wish I could go and visit her to give her big hugs.

This is what she sent me…..

PIF from Barb Graham

A beautiful Journal with the most darling stitchery on the front…She even made the card!

Plus she knitted me the most gorgeous long scarf so that I won’t be cold when I go for my walks…Hmm..must go for walks now as I don't have an excuse that its too cold!

Plus….the most divine crocheted doily she made and some lace and ribbons and a cute little green heart button and Tags to write on and put in my journal. Now isn’t she just the most generous and gorgeous lady? Mega hugs to you Barb :) Thank you so much for these lovely gifts :) I will treasure them all.

I have some PIF’s that I must finish and get on their way and I will do them soon. I promise!

hugs to all…..Vicki

A Winner for my giveaway!

I was over whelmed with all of you entering my giveaway for the launch of the Among the Gum Trees blog. Thank you all for entering..Wow!

I counted you all up and put your names in and the winner is…….

Sweettata

Lanette said...
 
Hi Vicki,
I am a follower of the Gum Nut Designers and of your blog and have added a button to my sidebar.
Thanks for the opportunity in your drawing. The handmade pincushion and table mat are lovely and the magazines look great too!
Cheers!
Lanette
(Sweettata)
 
Congratulations Lanette!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Lanette I do hope you enjoy all these goodies. There are 5 FQ’s in different prints and a little pin cushion I made, a Christmas table mat with cinnamon inside so that when a warm casserole is put on it, it lets off a lovely aroma (I made this also). Also two Australian magazines and if I find some other things to add to it then I will put them in the bundle.

003 

So please email me with your posting address so I can get them sent to you.

~~~~~~~

And there is still more excitement to come because on the 5th the Gum Tree Designers release the first of nine free Christmas designs over October and November!!

Hugs to all…….Vicki