Thursday 29 November 2012

MY BEST LAID PLANS FOR TODAY....

......did NOT include spending a chunk of my day sat in the garage while the lovely, friendly ... and nice smelling lads tried to work out WHY my dashboard looked like a Christmas tree with lots of flashing RED and ORANGE lights!!!

They found the fault ...sorted it out... AND washed the car while they had it there !! I LOVE Toyota xx All under warranty as well..... so no bill... and I had 2 cups of tea while I was waiting xx MMMMM I wonder if I need a follow up visit to make sure all is well? lol x

As I was out any way I carried on AND... I only have 2 Christmas presents left to buy... and I know what they are to be... win .. win today xx LOVE IT x

Last night I worked on my latest Round-Robin... the valentine one ...



well... who said you cannot embellish a button!! x

It has gone in the post and hopefully will be arriving before the madness of the Christmas post takes off xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Wednesday 28 November 2012

MY MUM AND DAD...

... have drawers in their divan bed ... so what you say? WELL one of those drawers has NOT been opened for ...we think... about 4 years!!!

SO... mum decided it had to be opened and investigated, now, this sounds easy... BUT it involves the movement of other furniture and a LOT of pulling .... see.. NOT such a simple undertaking xx

The job has been done , the drawer has been SORTED .. and I have come home with...


I am sure I will be able to find a use for these lovely threads x.. 

 

this fabric is cotton sheeting ... soooo soft xx


I also came home with this..


I made this for an exam at school when I was about 13 or 14..


I thought it had long since been lost, it was tucked away in a bag at the back of the drawer xx I am SOOOOO happy to have it found. NOW I have to decide what to do...leave it as it is or use it in a new project? mm have to consider x


Keep smiling

Diane xx

Monday 26 November 2012

SOMETIMES....

... finding the silver lining can be hard...... ...  THEN something comes along that helps point you in the right direction xx

Work may be manic and VERY tiring at the moment.... BUT I only have 2 more to do and I am off xx

The weather may be wet, cold and dark... BUT my house is warm and dry, and unlike a lot in the UK at the moment I am not threatened with flooding xx

I miss my daughter very much... BUT with modern technology I can keep in touch and see and hear her, unlike when family left and the only contact.. if any was by letter xx

THEN when you start to get a bit down THIS arrives on your mat..


it is my parcel for the secret Santa swap xx


I am allowed to open this packet... to find..


they are such fun and GREAT xx


my parcel is so so beautiful xx AND wrapped in fabric ... JOY xx

Off to keep smiling

Diane xx

Friday 23 November 2012

THIS...

...just gets better all the time ..


I love ALL the projects in this issue x

Last sneeky peek at the Table-Runner-Swap..



It is ready to go in the post tomorrow x When I know that it has arrived safe and sound I WILL show you the whole thing xx

Keep smiling

Diane x

Tuesday 20 November 2012

THIS BEAUTY ARRIVED....

...safe and sound all the way from Australia ...


Anna sent me this beautiful tree for the November swap xx She even embellished it for me...


HOW did she know ? mmm I wonder xx lol x She also included a few other goodies...


LOVELY x She set me off and yesterday I started the Christmas shopping xx HE...


INSISTED on coming home with me xx Sat nice and high ... away from inquisitive little dogs xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Monday 19 November 2012

TRYING AGAIN!!

 IF this does not work there may be TEARS... you have been warned!

I want to thank Michelle and all the ladies who worked on my tops ... yes TOPS.. I was in 2 groups x... for ALL the work that has gone into this swap. There are A LOT of wonderful works of art out there because of our efforts xx

HOPEFULLY the link will appear below to enable every-one who want to to see the finished results xx

Quilts From My Crayon Box: It's almost here!

The first top to come home has been across America, and into Canada.. IT IS bold and bright and SASSY ... and I LOVE it xx..


I added some ...OK hundreds of beads..


and "me" touches...


it is hanging on my stairs and it makes me smile every time I go past it xx

My second top has also been across America, before returning to the UK be to worked on by a lovely French lady who lives here xx...


it is much more subtle and gentle..


and makes me smile , I have started the quilting .. but not got very far!!..


you will just have to come back and check it out later xx

This is like having children ... you love each of them ... in their own special way.. and cannot choose between them as to a favourite xx

Having this much fun ....IS legal... isnt it?

HOPING this works

SMILING   xx 

Diane xx

SCREAM!!

I had a post all written about the BIG reveal for the Moder-Mini-Round-Robin.... I saved it ... then pressed publish this morning.

Google told me it did NOT exist... even though it was in front of me!!

THEN it told me it had been published on the STASH BEE page!!

GOING there ... it is NOT there!

I am going to re-do it and try again!!

Trying to keep smiling

Diane xx

Saturday 17 November 2012

YOU MAY REMEMBER...

...the fabric that my friend Mary gave to me ...


I started making blocks..

 

and making a quilt top...


THEN... I sort of stalled, I had swaps to complete, I had presents to make, I had challenges from quilt group!!

You can only fool your self for SO long! I knew there was a problem... I just did not want to tackle it!

SO... it was wake up time ... I undid ... and re-sewed...

 I made some cushions ...


and I finished the top

                      .......HOOOOO-RAY XX.......

This morning I have layered..



NOW I need a cup of tea before I begin the mamoth tacking (basting) session!

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Friday 16 November 2012

DO YOU REMEMBER...

... that we had the kit to make a bag from Congleton quilt group last time...


To-day I decided I would make it.... well.... I found out I only had part ONE of the pattern!! lol x

I kept going and now ... with my own interpretations... I have a lovely (I think) bag..


it has 6 pockets...


I did not like the way it was fastened ...so... I have a button and a press-stud xx



I had fun making it ...... more so because I changed it ...and made it my ownxx He-He xx


Keep smiling

Diane xx

Thursday 15 November 2012

FUN DAY...

...today x I have been busy .. as usual x

This morning the Post man helped this beautiful block fly in from Maine...


Debbie has made a wonderful 3D flower for my quilt xx

Do you remember the Christmas challenge from Congleton...


well today I decided what to do... and now I have...


my challenge piece x

NOW I am going to try and catch up with some of my blog reading xx  Hope you have a fun day as well xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Wednesday 14 November 2012

TIRED....BUT SOOOOO

...happy x I have finished my rota and am now off for the next 7 nights xx BLISS xx

Here is the latest sneeky peak at my Table-Runner swap..

 

It is going to be SO hard to put this in the post xx I MUST BE STRONG x

We "night girls" are off for our pre-christmas-christmas-bash tonight ... so I better go and get my (beauty ... cough... cough!) sleep x

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Sunday 11 November 2012

I AM SOOO HAPPY...

... with my top for the table-runner swap... it came together so well, and minimal quilting done.... again went soo well. HAPPY SMILES all round x 

Just a peek at some of the embellishment completed so far ...


Hope you are happy too.

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Friday 9 November 2012

I CAN REPORT BACK....

... THAT the hairy bikers have kept the weight OFF... and look great xx They were really good fun. I had heard some mixed reviews... but we had a GREAT night..(we were actually A LOT CLOSER than this looks ... lol x)

 
 

Even if I do look a bit fuzzy! I think Adam took it ... not sure!

I made my stash #3 blocks for Carolyn..


They went in the post this morning x

I also made my mind up... at last!! For what I am going to do for the Table Runner swap... SO, scraps are accumulating..


AND the "foundation" is growing..


Have fun... and ...

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Wednesday 7 November 2012

LAST NIGHT ...

... was quilt group in Congleton. It was a LOUD and fun night xx Sometimes it just works out that way x

There was SUPPOSED to be a bag making session... but I do not think ANY sewing got done xx... I didn't see any ! One of the problems was that .. there is a second group that has recently started using the meeting hall, they are a card making group... and want tables!! SO the number available is now VERY restricted! It meant we were a bit squashed up ... good job we all get on with each other!! xx I have my pack ,and will find the time ... somewhere to make it up...


There was a discussion about the upcoming exhibition.. next July. I took in my cards etc (and am glad to see the back of them!), and a few other did too.... We have now been given ANOTHER challenge related to it!! GROAN! ..


We are to make a block with an applique bear that ..... represents how we see ourselves!!... there were some VERY rude suggestions I can tell you! Thinking cap back on!

AND we were given our Christmas challenge pack...



There was a table with fabric and "stuff" from a previous member that was being sold... I managed to mostly resist! BUT you have to join in!! This little bundle cost 5 pence!...


ALSO ... there was a traders table.... OK I admit it .... I DID NOT RESIST TOO MUCH!!!..

 

these goodies came home with me xx

NOW if anyone has too much time on their hands I could really do with a bit more... so you know where to send your spare time to xx lol x

Keep smiling

Diane xx