Finally the knots are done!

I have finished this block which is block number Eight by Amanda Brooke and so that means I have got six more to do. Mmmm….I will get there! Anyway I wanted to show you my finished block.

Its a huge block and let’s just say I am glad its done. This block is from the Breast of Friends BOM in Homespun.

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Have you seen Fiona’s gorgeous apron she designed? It’s over on the Among the Gum Trees blog for you to download and make one up. It’s this weeks Freebie.

 

Have a look at Fiona’s blog too as she is having a great giveaway too!

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Speaking of giveaways…you got to have a look at Robyns blog Daisy Quilts and see her giveaway too…

You can choose to win one of three prizes.

Here is one of them…

So that’s about it from me today…

I hope you all have had a hug and given a hug and if you haven't then here is one from me (((HUGS))) to all….Vicki

Quick Christmas FQ Swap Update

I was going thru my list of who has sent and received and was wondering how everyone is getting on with this swap. I have put up a list and if you have sent and received your swap gift you will have a (Sent) (Received) next to your name. And your name will be in purple as well.

Each line is partnered.

Can you please let me know if you have sent and received so I can keep things up to date. So far there has been some very happy swappers and some gorgeous FQ, buttons and ribbons sent around the world.

Of course all those who were emailed by Jenny will have to let Jenny know what is happening.

Email me by clicking on my Email Me at the top right hand corner and let me know what is happening. Hope there isn't too many mail disruptions.

Hugs to all……Vicki

What an awesome giveaway is going on over at.....

Buderim Patchwork blog...Wow!!!....there is lots of goodies and so pop on over and have a look and have a read of the blog as you will love it.

Oh make yourself a coffee or cuppa first...you will need it. Its a truly awesome blog.
There’s these fabulous goodies in the giveaway....

Plus lots more….!!

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A couple of weeks ago, there was a guessing game going on at Buderim Patchwork’s blog and I was one of the lucky guessers!! So I won the most gorgeous apron and thank you so much Andrea for the apron. I love it!!

Andrea made this for me!

I will be the Bell of the Kitchen now :)

So go on…..get your cuppa and go and visit Buderim Patchwork. I would love to be living near them so I could go to their fair they are having soon too.

hugs to all……..Vicki

Christmas Cake Recipe and other things.

A few of you have asked me to share the recipe for my Christmas Cake I made and so here it is. I got it from The Australian Women’s Weekly New Cookbook. I might add this isn't a new cookbook as I got this recipe book given to me for my birthday back in 1979. That makes the book 40 years old!! Is that vintage now? Anyway…the recipe -

It’s called Celebration Cake and it was easier to have it as a pdf for you all to download. Just click HERE and you can download it.

Quite a lot of the times I write up a post for here on my blog I use Windows Live Writer. It is so good as it lets you edit your post and lets you use what ever font you want and also you can place your pictures ever how you want. Even have them copyrighted and on an angle and have shadows behind them etc etc. Just go to http://download.live.com/writer and have a read and follow the prompts. You will need to download it and install it onto your computer.

You will be able to do a draft of a post for your blog and come back to it the next day and edit it or what ever and then publish it to your blog.

Have fun

I was lucky enough to win one of Gail’s giveaways she had….It was a couple of gorgeous doily's and I love them!!

Thank you Gail.

My PIF’s have been sent and received. Here is what I sent to Dawn.

And here is what I sent to Jeanette

So they are done for this year.

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We are having some lovely rain here today and its wonderful for all my herbs and tomato plants which are growing great. I transplanted the little tomato plants the grew from the half a tomato and they are now in their new pots.

The half of a tomato was completely gone!! I couldn't believe it.

So now its wait until they grow bigger and produce yummy tomatoes.

Have a great day and Hugs to all……..Vicki

Lots and lots of knots!

I have been driving myself mad with all these knots! Knot after knot….Colonial knots :) Actually I love doing them and when Amanda Brook’s Breast of Friends block was in the Homespun magazine I immediately said …Yes I will do these and not replace it with appliqué.

Look at them all!!

I was supposed to use three strands of thread but didn't read the destructions properly and used two…so of course that meant more knots.

Oh well…I have finished it now and so its onto the rest of the block now and then I can put on the borders and get onto the rest of the blocks.

I want to get this BOM done as there is a new one to come out in Homespun in January...

I finally got from the mail man my parcel from USA with all my *hang on I got to get my bib* fabrics. I am drooling once again…I love getting parcels in the post even if it is if I bought it myself.

Wanna drool with me?

My DH (Dear Husband) asked me if I was going to make something out of these…But of course!! hehehe don't know when, but I will eventually make some delicious things. For now its just look and touch and enjoy.

I got some of them for my Dear Jane quilt I am doing…and must get back into doing some more blocks as its been awhile since I have sewn any.

I have done 20 blocks, so only 205 to go….Not many….Mmmm…

But I am beginning to get some lovely fabrics for it tho as I want to try to do it the same colours and theme as Jane Stickle.

 

Have you been over to Among the Gum Trees blog to see what my sweet Gumnut sister Vikki from Sew Useful Designs is having for the Freebie?? it’s so cute and you just gotta go over and have a look and download the pattern and make it.

Vikki is also having a giveaway on her blog with her two new deisgns…wow…they are awesome!

 

I hope you all are having a wonderful time sewing and doing your thing.

Hugs to all….Vicki

PS….I made our Christmas Cake today and it has heaps of fruit in it and Brandy!! Mmmmm….smells wonderful! I love this one as it will keep for over 2 months.

When it has cooled down I will take a photo of it for you all.

I’ve been busy with some swaps.

The last few months have been busy with sending and receiving swaps. On the Craft Forum we all join in the different swaps and have fun sending things here there and everywhere.

First of all we are doing a Framed Hexagon swap which everyone who is in it are loving it and cant wait for the next month to do the next one and get it off to their partner and receive one of course.

I got this one from DebsW

and I sent this one to her.

I got these two from Ondrea

she couldn’t resist the one with the Ambulance as that was around the time when I had my broken wrist and had to be taken to the hospital in one.

I had to send Ondrea this one as she loves that Champers. heheheh…

  

The first one Linda sent me and the one with the Rose I sent to her.

MMm…Love the chokky

…this one I got from Suziewong and I sent her this one..

and last but not least this is the one I have not long sent to Barb

We all plan to put them together when we have swapped 9 or 12 and either do a wall hanger or a table runner or something along those lines. Its going to be good to see them all sewn together as we have all asked for our own themes.

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Next lot of gifts we all swapped are

Bookmarks! Iris sent me these gorgeous ones and I sent her this one.

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Then a few of us decided to have a Table Runner swap…

this is what Domac sent me…

and this is what I sent her…

Told ya I’ve been busy…now I know why I haven't blogged much lately…

Plus…..I am finally able to show you what I sent to my Stitchers Angel as I have heard from her saying she has received it and loves it all. She is in Brazil!

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Also I finally finished making and putting together my parcels for my PIF ladies.

So Jeanette and Dawn I posted them today so keep an eye out for the postie next week as he will have your parcels…hope you both like them.

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So ….wow….that's a long post today. I do hope you all are having lots of sewing fun and today was the day to finally get your Quick Christmas Swap off to your partner….I posted mine this morning, so its winging its way to Sweden to Louise now.

What fun things have you been up to lately?

Hugs to all…….Vicki

OOhh…I love them all! Some news too

I was a lucky little ducky and won some giveaways :)

First of all thank you to the lovely Cori from her Creativity Amongst Chaos blog for the absolutely fabulous little Blueberry Pie Pin Cushion. I love it! I am really delighted with the pins that she included in with it and they remind me of Hat pins…so I am going to use it for my small collection of Hat Pins. Thanks heaps Cori.

I also won a gorgeous pattern from the very talented Kellie from her Dont Look Now blog. I was over the moon when I won it and to see it in real life is even more thrilling. Thanks Kellie.

Also still a lucky little ducky…I won some fabulous Yo Yos from Miriam from her blog Bubbachenille. Thank you Miriam and I love Yo Yos :)

She sent me some lovely Christmas ones and also some Christmas fabric pieces and beads :)

Thanks heaps for all my lovely gifts :)

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Here’s some news….Paula, my fellow sister from the Gum Tree Designers is having a launch with her new shop and is having a pattern sale! She is also releasing a new pattern and its gorgeous. Go on over to her blog and have a look.

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My other Gum Tree sister is cooking up things too…. Joy has just released a new design….oh its gorgeous! Hop on over to her blog and have a look.

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Last of all for today I thought I would show you a sneak peek of what might go to USA for a magazine over there. ‘Might’ I say because I am in the beginning stages of seeing if they like it enough to want it. I think its gorgeous and even my hubby thinks its fabulous, so when he comments like that it means its really good. Hope so as I would be delighted to be in an American magazine.

Its totally different to anything out there so I will wait and see.

hugs to all…. Vicki

Partner’s names have been emailed to you all.

Here in blog land Jenny and I have put together the list of all who wanted to be in the Quick Christmas FQ swap.

There is a lot of you lovely ladies participating and all up we have 62! So how good is that? I love swapping and there are a few first time ones which is exciting…

So now you can post your little bundle to your partner and don't forget to tell her that you have posted it to her so she gets an idea of when to expect it.

This is what you need to bundle up and post..

Two Christmas FQ’s (100% Cotton Quilting quality)

Two Christmas Buttons or Sew-On Decorations

One metre/yard of Christmas Ribbon or trim.

Nothing more than that so that it keeps the postage costs down.

When you get your Christmas swap please let your partner know and also let either Jenny or myself know so we can mark you off the list as good swappers. To email just go to the top of my blog and on the right hand corner is a little Email me Button.

Have fun everyone Hugs to all.....Vicki