Wednesday, 25 September 2013

WHY..

... when I decide to paint ...woodwork NOT landscapes! .. does Sam feel he has to join in?...


I suppose it is ..slightly .. less stinky than some things he rolls in!! lol x

My cousin and his wife are here on a visit from Perth (Australia not Scotland) .. and my goodness they seem to have brought the weather with them xx..


I feel I have to apologise to those in Perth who .. they tell me .. are having rain and storms!! Lovely here xx

It was quilt group in Congleton last night . It was the raffle draw and presentation of cheque to the MacMillan nurses x The group made these quilts...




and our little group managed to raise £2,000 ...YES that's 2 THOUSAND pounds . Didn't we do well xx

Unfortunately I did not win any of them ... shame xx lol x

Keep smiling

Diane x

OOH LOOK ..

...I found another Christmas swap xx I went and had a look x ... well you have to dont you xx

The Fabric Laboratory: Stocking Swap 2013

Keep smiling

Diane x

Saturday, 21 September 2013

PS...

.. you MAY have noticed the change of background!!

As it is getting colder and Halloween and Bonfire night are on the way I thought a change was in order .. hope you like my choice xx

Keep smiling

Diane x

WE HAVE A NEW ...

... friend here at The Cheshire Quilter xx BIG hello to Sharon x hope you enjoy visiting and come back often xx

Blair's Blocks are continuing to roll in xx YA!! I have had more in the last few days ..
 
 

I will DEFINITELY have enough to make a mini quilt x NOW if I had kept my mouth SHUT I could have kept it for myself ... however .. as I shared it with you all .... AND HE READS MY BLOG  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I will have to share both quilts with him x Maybe I can negotiate visiting/stroking rights xx

Keep smiling

Diane x

Friday, 20 September 2013

I THINK ...

..it is a good idea for me to retire xx To-day I spent a good few hours layering up another large quilt x

Last October I was queen bee for the Stash Hive#3. I asked for a flower block ... to make up for the fact that the rain and cold of last summer ruined my garden x This picture is NOT good..


it is an attempt to get the whole thing in one picture! Its all layered up now .

SO ... over this winter I have This quilt...


and Blair's Blocks...


AND this quilt ...


AND this quilt...


I will NEVER have any time xx Of course there will be all my swaps and Christmas projects to complete and make as well xx

Wont be time to be bored any way xx WHAT do the last 2 look like ... oooh! You will have to wait and see xx He-He x

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

DO YOU REMEMBER...

.. the free fabric? ( if you don't remember and want details just let me know x) Well I have been using some more of it .. and made my mum a second bag..


she wanted one a little bit smaller than the last one...


I like to do something different with each one .. so this time I randomly sewed buttons along the top ..


I ALSO told her I did not know when I would have time to make another bag!! SO this will be going into the Christmas pressy box..


SNEAKY !! I know xx

Keep smiling

Diane x

Sunday, 15 September 2013

IT MAY BE GETTING...

.. colder wetter and windy ..er   BUT..

There is always some colour..

form..

and inspiration to be found ..

Keep smiling

Diane x

Saturday, 14 September 2013

WHEN IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY..

...I received some money as a present, SO, I decided it was to be spent on a special item ..not just mixed in with the everyday money x I bought myself this book..

After some deliberation I decided to have a go at this quilt..

It mostly uses 2.5 inch strips .. so ends of jelly rolls are ideal... and I wanted a scrappy Christmas quilt .. so red and cream it is xx All the fabrics for this one are to come from my stash.. which is getting out of hand AND NEEDS TO BE TAMED!! lol x


The blocks came to-gether soooooooooo easily ,it was a pleasure to make them


WELL you know what its like .. I was going to make a small lap quilt for Adam and Caroline xx It would fit a single bed the way I was going!..


I have added the sashing and now I MUST STOP!..


The backing piece I was going to use is now too small .. off to search the stash for a bigger piece.. I know there is some in there ... somewhere x

Keep smiling

Diane x

Friday, 13 September 2013

SOOOO EXCITED ....

...... I just answered the door to the postman ... and I have the most wonderful HAPPY POST xx

I have a box..

That has flown all the way from Montana (clever box!) It contains the most wonderful presents..
 

ALL for ME x This is a swap that I joined .. organised by the lovely Michelle at www.quiltsfrommycrayonbox.blogspot.com we had a secret partner to stalk ... and that is what Judy has done with me x Just look what is in my box..
 

I have already tasted the taffy and the tea is brewing as we speak (!! you know what I mean!!) x I am sooooooo happy x 

The box now looks like this ..
 

I was hoping that my partner would blog about the box she received .. she let me know it arrived safe and sound .. but she hasn't bloged so cannot give you the link x I sent off the box just at the time my mum was ill and forgot to take pictures!!! ggrrr ! I was a bit distracted!

My partner loves scraps and so I made her a bag something like these ..
 

and Halloween .. so I sent a bag like this ..
 

And as I seemed to be covering the seasons I sent her this ..
 

There were a few goodies in there also .. just to have something sweet is soo much fun

Did I mention how happy I am with my box xx

I'M DEFINITELY SMILING

Diane xx

WHO SAYS ..

.. that sewing is a sedentary occupation? WHO SAYS .. you have to go to the gym to get a work out?

WELL.. that person did not spend 3 hours of their day layering Blair's-Blocks ready for quilting..


Keep smiling

Diane x

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

I THINK I WORKED THIS OUT!!

Caroline at www.quiltinginthecold.blogspot.com posted about the ..Pay-It-Forward .. idea .. and you know me! I joined in!

SO.. now as I understand it , she makes a small pressy for me .. in the next 12 months .. a nice surprise when it arrives .. as with my memory I will have forgotten about it! AND IN RETURN.. I make a pressy for 3 of my followers who want to join in,....... that's if there are 3 of you out there who want to join and get a pressy from me!

I PROMISE to write it down and not forget!! After all I have 12 months to remember in!! lol x

If you want to join in .. send a comment and I will get back to you xx

Keep smiling

Diane x

Monday, 9 September 2013

I DECIDED THAT...

... I should do some housework!! NOW ,before you think I have had a crisis or a personality transplant .. read what happened ! lol x

I put the washing in the machine xx.. so far so good x

Then I cleaned the bathroom .. its only small and doesn't take long x

Then .. as I had lugged the hoover upstairs I thought I better use it!! NEXT came the dusting .. now, if I don't move the ornaments ..will anyone notice that I didn't do it?  .. na.. one one will notice!

Then .. the sun was shining .. and there are pots that need sorting for the winter... Oh Well! outside is warm and healthy and who knows how long the nice weather will last?

SO .. the garden it is xx

THEN its time for dinner and a brew xx

HAD to finish off this baby quilt after that ..



Then time to walk the boys , visit mum and dad .. and then tea and cakes with my mate Sue xx

The housework... ppphew! It will still be there tomorrow xxx lol xx

Keep smiling

Diane xx

Sunday, 8 September 2013

TO-DAY WE HAD..

.. a celebration . Because 62 (yes SIXTY TWO) years ago a young couple got married

They have never had a celebration balloon before ..

HER mother (my gran) said it would never last...
 

I'm glad it did! AND we got to have cake ..
 

with not too many fights... none with knives (!!)..
 

AND they are still a couple xx
 

Such a happy day x

Keep smiling

Diane x

Saturday, 7 September 2013

TODAY HAS BEEN A GOOD ONE...

.. we had a Do-Your-Own-Thing-Day organised by Congleton quilt group x A lovely day with a lovely group of ladies xx

My "Own-Thing" for to-day was to make 12 blocks .. they are for a swap x

 NOW when you have lots to do and seemingly not enough time in every day ... and a new swap comes along .. a sensible person walks away xx BUT an addict goes .. Oh whats one more swap? GUESS which one I did ? lol x
 

Well I have 12 Halloween blocks made..
 

and ready to go in the post Monday...
 

Yesterday I made my Christmas swap block ... I went to school to collect my youngest grandson and posted the block on the way home xx When I came to write this post I realised that I had not taken a picture! I did use these fabrics ..
 

It is a bears paw .. green in the centre and red for the paws x If my partner posts a picture I will tell you xx

Keep smiling

Diane x

Thursday, 5 September 2013

I HAD HAPPY POST...

.. today xx

I had this beautiful block from Australia ..

 
and a little extra in the envelope will go down nicely..


I also received some thing to read..


LOVELY xx So it has been a good day to sew.. I made some swap blocks x First the SIMPLY SOLIDS block..


I am not a fan of all this improvisational sewing .. I ended up following one of the sample blocks! To me it is like a dishcloth! But if Cyndi likes it ... who am I to disagree xx lol

I also made my 2 Stash Bee #4 blocks x..



MUCH happier with them x

As regular readers will know my mum is not so well at the moment, she requested a bag.. so .. I went to my FREE fabric and made her one..



I had too.. she might beat me up if I refused!! lol ...


It has already been used ..


THE VERDICT... "very good just what I wanted ".. PHEW!!


She LOVES the lining fabric too xx


Keep smiling

Diane xx