Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap

A couple of months ago, I signed up to join in the fun of Schnitzel & Boo's Mini Quilt Swap!  It was one of those - I have no idea what I'm doing but it sounds good - kind of deals.  Once I wrapped my head around what it involved, I knew exactly which mini quilt I wanted to make, and waited for instructions about my partner who I'd be making it for!

I was hoping to get a social media hog like myself, so I would be able to stalk his/her accounts in all forms, but alas, I only had one social media site to stalk, and even then - did not get much to go on!  The only clues I got was via my information email which stated they liked amongst other things "muted colours" and a handful of designers, including Tula Pink.  With that little snippet of insight on hand, I raided my stash.  I completely forgot I had a bundle of Acacia hidden amongst the shelves, so that was a little jackpot in itself!  This was as "muted" as my colour palette gets.  And the rest, as they say, is now history.....

 

The pattern I planned to use was perfect!  Quilt Jane's Nested Churndash is an awesome pattern, and is so super duper easy it's not even funny!  You can buy it HERE!

 

I wanted the perfect little fussy cut for the centre block, so ripped open my Foxfield charm packs and found this little bunny!  Fabulous!  And even better, both fabric lines go perfectly together!  Winning!

 

My partner also likes Low Volume prints, bonus.

 

A little Tula Prince Charming for the back, and I was done!

 

I chose a fairly simple quilting pattern - just some straight lines going around in "circles" from the centre.  I used a variegated 40wt Aurifil thread - grey #4670.

And in breaking news - I HAND SEWED A QUILT LABEL ON!!!!  Yes, I had to google how to do a blanket stitch by hand.  And yes, I had to continually watch the You Tube video as I sewed.  And no, it's not perfect!  BUT - I was quite chuffed and proud of myself.....

And on Monday, these yummy little treats were wrapped up with the little mini and sent far far away across the sea!  I am hoping and praying that my partner likes what I have done, and likes the Aussie treats I've included.

Now - on to the other exciting part of this swap.....

 

Yesterday, a package of amazing-ness was delivered to my doorstep!!!!  After I finished hyperventilating and Instagramming my excitement, I took a photo for you all!  My fabulous secret partner was Tara in Brisbane.  Now Tara has gone way beyond any of my expectations and packed a box FULL of everything quintessentially ME.  Either I sent my personal information way too in depth to the organisers, or Tara has successfully managed to stalk all of my social media and find out everything I love in life?  I'm guessing the second is more correct.....

 

A mini Swoon quilt made with Anna maria Horner prints - I die.  Uh-mazing Valori Wells fat quarters - I die again.  Mint Lindt......Stopped breathing.  AND a freakin tea cup and tea - I'm gone.  Seriously - SOOOO generous and SOOOOO nailed it.

Oh, and can't leave the back out of the limelight!  I need to get to Bunnings for some dowel - as I've found THE perfect little spot on my wall!

I feel so completely overwhelmed with Tara's generosity, and so thankful that once again, the handmade community has shown just how wonderful it is!  So - next time you see a sign up for a swap you might like to join - DO IT!  You may just make a new friend - or 10!

Gratitude

Thirty-one years ago, I changed schools.  I was only one term in to grade one at Merrimac Primary School when we up and moved to a more country-ish town called Coomera.  Back in 1981, Coomera didn't have much.  There was a milk bar at the caravan park on the corner of the highway, a police station and a small grocery store (well there was probably more, but as a six year old those were the most important!).  My parents built a huge 52 square home on seven and a half acres.  We had dams, stables with horses, chickens galore and an aviary with all varieties of feathered friends.  There was a slow moving little creek that ran through the property and up until our pool was built I have memories of jumping in the creek or being dragged around the dam.  I won't go in to the time that dragging ended up with me being taken to hospital for my first set of stitches - let's just say that dams also have rocks and reeds growing under the water!

The local primary school was quite some kilometres away.  Over the other side of the highway, where not long after we moved, Dreamworld opened right across the road from said school.  My Mum would get a job there in the early 80's, along with lots of my friend's Mums, and some afternoons after school, we would wander across and dump our bags, and go through the back gate to spend a couple of hours on rides and water slides.  Yeh.....life was pretty tough.

Kids would come from miles away to this school.  Literally.  We would be picked up by the bus, mostly outside our own house - because neighbours were so far apart!  And we would all congregate at this same school.  It was here that I met the majority of my closest friends - even now, after all these years.

I wasn't what I would call a popular kid.  But I also wasn't not popular.  If you get what I mean?  My entire school life was spent bouncing from one friend to the next, one group to another.  And without sounding up myself, I think I was a pretty well liked kid.  I don't recall being teased (well, until high school when some smart ass boy asked me if I'd been sunbaking under a flyscreen?) or pushed around, I just went to school, learnt and had fun.

The reason I'm sharing all of this with you today?  Well, last Tuesday I decided I needed to send my Dad a hamper for Christmas.  You see, his Doctors have given him the "thumbs down" to travel to Melbourne for the festive season.  His health has been shocking since his little heart episode.  In fact, I'd been holding my breath until Thursday just gone, when what I think was a bone marrow biopsy (I say think because my dear old 69 year old Dad cannot for the life of him give me the proper names for all the tests he's been going through!) came back with nothing!  Hoorah!  I'd spent ten days freaking out because his doctors thought he may have bone cancer.  Now, it's just waiting on further results for his heart, kidneys etc etc.

Anyway, back to the hamper.......  I went online and was quite frustrated by the options laid out before me.  $70 for a crappy little hamper with crackers, red wine and other bullshit added in.  No good for my Dad who doesn't drink red wine, is not a fan of crackers and doesn't stand for bullshit.  So I headed over to the old faithful Facebook and popped up a status to all my Gold Coast friends, wondering who lived close to my Dad?  A couple of girls I went through school with popped up and a certain lovely lady only lived ten minutes away and was more than happy to put a hamper together for me AND drop it off to my Dad!  I was thrilled!

I messaged her a list of possible items - XXXX beer, Violet Crumble, fruit mince pies and a little pudding.  And lots of fresh fruit.  This wonderful human being went above and beyond for me, and blew me away with the end result.  She delivered it to my Dad yesterday.  Now, she had not seen my Dad for probably 25+ years, so to go to a near stranger's home and deliver a gift with personal touches is a big ask!  But she did it.  And she gave my Dad a hug and a kiss from me too.  AND sms'd a photo for me too!  Dad was surprised.  She said he was speechless.  Well, until he figured he had some company and wanted to have a chat.....

Dad with his loot!

I'm sharing this because I want to remind everyone that the Christmas spirit is in fact well and truly alive and kicking.  When I posted the photo on FB yesterday afternoon and did a public thank you to my friend, everyone I grew up with was chuffed.  Another of my life long friends messaged me and I sat in tears with gratitude for the friendships that were formed such a long time ago.  I don't know what was in the water in those little towns in the 1980's, but whatever it was - it helped form a great bunch of children, who have grown in to a wonderful group of adults who are just plain AWESOME!

And just keep this in mind, next time you're travelling down that huge and busy Pacific Motorway on the Gold Coast - Just when you're passing the McDonald's and big stores that line those towns, think of the hundreds of country kids who kicked around in the dirt and had no idea what a Maccas was.  Imagine us crossing the two lane highway to get to our school bus.  And try to picture a much simpler time.  Because that was my childhood.  Well, part of it anyway.....

I have a Confession....

I'm an addict.  Not the kind you're possibly thinking of - you know, drugs, alcohol?  Nope.  I'm officially addicted to buying fabric.  And not just a metre here or a metre there.  My addiction is to bulk orders of fabric.  I can't help myself.  I need help.  I've always used the old adage of "It was a bargain - I got it at half price" etc when buying anything, whether it be clothes or household items.  And now it seems I am using the same justification when buying fabric.

I came to this realisation today, when I saw a link to a fabric store with the deadly caption - "50% off".  And before I had even finished reading the sentence, I had clicked on the link and was drooling.  Yep, I have a problem.

But I have made a vow to myself.  No more bulk orders of fabric until after Christmas!!!  And I need you all to remind me of this vow.  Or else I fear I may need some form of rehabilitation.

On the bright side -  you all get a sneak peek at what will be arriving here (possibly only days after last week's order.)  It is so damn gorgeous, and also leads to what I think my next closet addiction could be.....elephants.

So, here's that peek.....

Anyone else out there have the same problem?

Delivery!

 Yesterday morning brought an oh-so-familiar tap on my door - the delivery man!  I thought I had marked my much anticipated parcel to be posted to my work address, so was a little curious as to what he had for me - until I saw the box.  My latest purchase of fabrics had arrived.  30 yards of pure happiness!  Julie over at http://intrepidthread.blogspot.com/  has me mesmerised by her delicious array of fabrics, and it took me quite some time to decide on this latest collection.  I think I did pretty well with my choice - certainly like no other fabrics I have ever seen.

I already had a pre-order from a couple of prints, so I got to work yesterday, and by 10pm had this to show:



Beautiful pink elephants for a lucky little girl



And amazing purple parrots for another lucky girl!

I have called this the "Journey Collection".  Matching these prints is already proving to be quite tricky.  The designs, colour pallettes and the way the patterns run are going to make life very interesting for the next couple of weeks leading up to my next Market!  But I am happy with the first two frocks - what do you think?