Bag arrives from Tara B!

My bag from Linda's bag swap has arrived, all the way from Utah in the USA! It's from Tara B, and can you believe that this is the first bag she has made. Its perfect! Really roomy with pockets on the front and back. Thank you Tara! Thank you Linda! And Tara also sent 3 pieces of red fabric and this book called Company's Coming with cute animal placemats and aprons to make. And lollies for the kids

Here are all the monkeys together eating their big American lollies! Its just not possible to have them all smile at once.

I've signed up for one more swap. This one is really easy, a handmade Christmas ornament for under $AUD15. Visit Emily at Embelish if you would like to join too.

Back to quarterly report writing for me ...

Sunshine and Sewing..

It really felt like Spring this weekend. Perfect weather for the AFL grand final, and didn't we just LOVE seeing Geelong loose, especially after knocking out our team last weekend.

Our house and garden are looking a bit more maintained, but not much time for sewing. Four kitty cat bags finished and some cutting out done (robot pieces everywhere!). Bits of dowel all sanded to make up some fabric pinwheels tonight if I am lucky.

The kids have been so busy outside, gardening, catching little lizards and riding their bikes up and down the back street. I think I have walked kilometres behind Maya's bike today in case she got wobbly. Little green and red parrots kept flying over us - beautiful!

Seven finishes by Sunday?

I set myself the challenge of finishing 7 items for the creche fundraiser by Sunday.... do I hear you laughing? School holidays, full time work, and a birthday this week. Ha. I was doomed from the start. 2 kitty cat bags have been made and these Audrey and Maude robots have been embroidered but that's all. Maybe tonight I can get a bit of cutting out done. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

And here is the birthday girl Maya. Maya turned 3 on Wednesday, and it was amazing to see her sit down and open all of her presents. There was concentration and careful opening and no one needed to help. A big girl now.

There was birthday cake at creche (in the pic) and more cake at home.

What Maya really wanted for her birthday was new bathers and goggles and some hair clips. So different to the boys. As soon as she came home, it was into the bathers to play, tried to squeeze the goggles over her big hair and not mess up her new purple pony hairclips. And play with her Rory the racing car. We love you 3 year old! xxxx

Silly me .. and swaps!

Silly me! Linda let me know that this beautiful bag and gifts what not from my bag swap, but from my stitchers angel! That's why the lovely stitcher didn't give me a name and said more goodies to come. Isn't the little sewing bag just beautiful and the stitches are perfect.

And this is the bag I made for Jen as part of Sharon's cupcake swap. Jen has pic's of the whole package I sent on her blog, as well as pic's of her new and naughty dog. I used the pattern "Leannes Shopping Bag" by Rosalie Quinlan designs to make the bag. One of my favorites to use up favorite bits of fabric.

And our balloon lovin' girl turns 3 tomorrow!

Bag Swap has landed in USA!

My bag for Linda's Bag/Bucket Swap has arrived at Ruth's place in the USA!

My first go at batik fabrics and raw edge applique. My design with applique and embroidered butterflys, and the front and back slightly different. A flower pin on the front. Thanks Linda for organising this swap. Bag are just my favorite thing to make!

My bag swap has arrived from Italy too, but my swapper is still secret. Please, please secret swapper can you let me know who you are so I can post a pic and say THANK YOU!

Progress..

For a little while I've felt like all the crafting has not been going well. Work has been really, frantically busy and the minutes I have grabbed in front of the sewing machine were not great for creativity. See Ayden with the unpicker in the last post!

The last few nights I have managed some hand stitching, and it's like a big sigh of relief. Here Kitty, a free pattern on Lynette Anderson's blog is done, and some sewing for my Chookyblue Secret Santa swap started too.

Stitching my Lynette Anderson Designs

As promised, pics to show I am now up to date with my Noah's Ark blocks by Lynette Anderson Designs. I'm now adding the borders at the end to give a bit more variety in my fabric. It was getting a bit too dots and spots.

Don't you just love my very weathered pegs! This is where I am up to with my scissors holder by Lynette Anderson Designs for the Stitchers Angel Swap. Ummm, gluing and sticking is not my strongest area ...

And this is what you do with teenage boys on school holidays, especially when they are desperate for the latest book in the Eragon/Eldest series (being released at 2pm on Saturday, so he says!). Ayden's unpicking my quilt-a-long quilt that I managed to forget to put in sashing strips between each block. It looked nice all together but I want it larger so the whole top is getting unpicked. I've done some too!

Show and Tell Tuesday ~ Embroidered Baby Blanket

I thought I would show you something a bit different for Show and Tell today. This is my first and only go at wool embroidery, a little cot blanket made for Callum about 8 years ago when I was pregnant. It's looking its age a bit now, but I can remember how happy I was making it. xx Rachel

A Winner .. and the Sunday Catchup

First, the winner of my 100 post giveaway is ... Sylvia

Congratulations Such wonderful gifts you made for the giveaway I am crossing my fingers....Sylvia:)

Sylvia, could you please contact me as I can't find an email or a blog for you, and I will post your package out


This week I have been stitching for a swap, and working on my giraffes and rainbow for Lynette's block of the month. With everything on, I've fallen behind, but I'll prove I am back up to date next post!

Ayden and I made this storage box from the great tutorials over at Crazy Mom Quilts. We dragged out some of the treasured Harry Potter fabric that we have been keeping for something special for a few years. It's filled with some of the shells and driftwood memento's from King Island.

I'll see if Ayden would like to do a guest post about King Island. On Friday it was back to school for a debrief and finding out the classes for next term. Then the kids all went off to McDonalds together .. stopping in at another takeaway shop on the way for chips and gravy...

Most of the weekends its just been catching up and getting back to being a family of 6, with a teenager too. Kind Island has been great for Ayden, but very challenging. He had to share a bedroom for the first time in his life, and not be the "big one". The kids had to organise and cook all their own food, and live in a tiny former mining town that was apparently overrun with wallabies. They ate wallaby too. Living with 5 other teenage boys left them rationing food and arguing over who cleaned the toilet. 10 weeks is a long time. But, he has grown and put on 4 kg, and increased his fitness levels. Still getting up early and going jogging now he is home. We still have lots of stories to hear...

Our biggest monkey is back!

Ayden's back from King Island!

I know it because he has eaten last nights leftovers, then made himself a sandwich. There are lots of bags and boxes (and an excess luggage bill) dropped at the back door.

I'm on my 4th load of disgusting washing - some of it came back wet from sea water.. ahhh teenage boys. Roast chicken is in the oven. There is a collection of drift wood, shells, and sharks eggs on the dresser, and sandy camping gear everywhere. A bucket of King Island honey and cinnamon yoghurt is in the fridge.

Almost 10 weeks away is a long time for a 14 year old boy .. and his family. But we are so glad to see him! Ayden has three little monkey shadows following him everywhere xx

My package from Calidore!

I've been so lucky!

And won the blog giveaway from Catherine at Calidore. If you haven't seen Catherine's blog, have a look. Amazing use of colour, and inspirational sewing and renovating. The quilts on todays post just have to be seen! The little camel is going on the"good scissors" tonight, the little bag is already in use and just look at the hand dyed fabric too. Thank you so much Catherine!

I couldn't resist taking a photo of the art card to show you some of the detail. Catherine said that she used silk paper on the leaves. It's just beautiful.

I've been stitching away slowly for my stitchers angel. Here's a little sneak peek!

Kitty Cat Bags

I hope all those Australian dads have had a great day! Matt did all the dad things with the kids, did some gardening and identified and collected insects, kicked the footy and ended up with more chocolate than he could possibly eat. The kids and I might need to give him a hand..

I've made my first two kitty cat bags for Maya's creche market day. Melly and Me are so nice and gave me permission to sell softies from their designs. These are from the pattern "Owl and the Pussycat".

Not much sewing this weekend, but I do have a project from the stitchers angel swap ready to be hand quilted tonight. Sneak peek soon!

100 posts ~ must be a giveaway!

I've made it to 100 posts!

Taking a big breath.. I'm so glad Lucy encouraged me to blog. I love being part of this community.

It inspires me, I find great projects to work on, and I have even met some lovely bloggers in real life.

So thank you! And here is my giveaway. A little bag designed by Cinderbery Stitches, and a new pattern call Stitchers Trilogy (great for all those stitchers angels out there..) and a large pincushion made from my Amitie blog vip fabric mailout this quarter.

The kids think the pincushion looks like a big strawberry, but if you would like a free pattern for it, it can be found here.

Just leave a comment this week and on Friday 12 September is will ask Ayden to randomly pick a number. Yes Ayden - he will be back from his term at King Island on Thurday 11th September. (a big smile just thinking about it..)

Have great weekend everyone! x Rachel

Show and Tell Tuesday ~ Elephants!

Do you like my elephants? These are the first two that I have made from my Audrey and Maude Pattern, Edward and Eloise. They are pretty cute and along with some friends will be up for sale at Maya's creche fundraiser. 5 more elephants are in various stages scattered around the house.

I've embroidered their eyes and machine sewed their ears and tails to make them really young child friendly. I just love this pattern and can't wait to have a line of these elephants to show. Some Melly and Me softies should join them too, if I only get time!

Don't forget to email me if you would like the Russian Nesting Doll pattern. The first ones have been made!